Case Approved !! Yay!! Now what's next??!!!

[Elmedico 2]

Almost exactly a year from filing to bring the wife here, our case was approved. We got the I-797 Notice of Action and soon after we got an "Introduction to Document Collection" email from NVC, telling us about next steps. But the email was pretty vague. Basically, it said check these several websites, and I did, and that there would be more documents to submit but there was no mention of what documents exactly, when they would be requested or how to submit them. I figured we just need to wait and further instructions would be coming but the wife is wanting to go get police certificates and vaccines and I'm telling her to be patient so we don't do stuff we may not need to and waste time and money. If anyone has gone thru this before I would really appreciate some info on what happens next. I know I need to send financial verification for support and that she will be contacted on what she needs to do prior to her embassy interview. I would like info on what fees I will need to pay for the rest of the process and I have 2 step daughters that will be immigrating with the wife. I think they also need to attend the embassy visit at the same time. You can see where we are in the process in the attached image. Any advice or help is greatly appreciated. Thanks and good luck to all.

Q

[powerpuff 6,744]

*** Thread moved from Progress Reports to Process & Procedures ***

[appleblossom 2,816]

12 hours ago, Elmedico said:

Almost exactly a year from filing to bring the wife here, our case was approved. We got the I-797 Notice of Action and soon after we got an "Introduction to Document Collection" email from NVC, telling us about next steps. But the email was pretty vague. Basically, it said check these several websites, and I did, and that there would be more documents to submit but there was no mention of what documents exactly, when they would be requested or how to submit them.

 

You can see where we are in the process in the attached image. Any advice or help is greatly appreciated. 

 

 

 

The website you've attached a screenshot of gives you step by step instructions and a list of the documents required (on step 7 - Civil Documents). That's what you need to follow.

 

Your step-daughters will need to follow the same process, have their I-130's been approved too? If not, your wife can delay the NVC stage until they catch up a bit. 

 

Good luck. 

[pushbrk 13,002]

There are no "further instructions" coming.  Follow the instructions by actually reading them first.  All of them.  The affidavit of support has its own step by step instructions.  Become an A-Student of those instructions and the form itself.

 

Did you file three petitions?  One for wife, and one each for step daughters are required.  Are all three petitions approved?  If not, and you want them to immigrate together, wait to move forward until the other two petitions are approved.

 

 

[Elmedico 2]

5 hours ago, pushbrk said:

There are no "further instructions" coming.  Follow the instructions by actually reading them first.  All of them.  The affidavit of support has its own step by step instructions.  Become an A-Student of those instructions and the form itself.

 

Did you file three petitions?  One for wife, and one each for step daughters are required.  Are all three petitions approved?  If not, and you want them to immigrate together, wait to move forward until the other two petitions are approved.

 

 

Since the daughters are still minors I was told I didn't have to do separate petitions for them. This is disturbing news because we had to wait a year for the wife to get approved. If I have to start over for the daughters, I'm afraid what the timeline will be like. Also I did read the website and I saw no instructions of what or where to submit anything. I will go look again but this process could be a bit more user friendly. 

 

[powerpuff 6,744]

10 minutes ago, Elmedico said:

Since the daughters are still minors I was told I didn't have to do separate petitions for them

Unfortunately, whoever told you that gave you false information.

 

You will have to file separate petitions for the kids. 

[Cathi 5,771]

32 minutes ago, Elmedico said:

Since the daughters are still minors I was told I didn't have to do separate petitions for them. This is disturbing news because we had to wait a year for the wife to get approved. If I have to start over for the daughters, I'm afraid what the timeline will be like. Also I did read the website and I saw no instructions of what or where to submit anything. I will go look again but this process could be a bit more user friendly. 

 

Yikes, this is why you needed to read the actual instructions. At the top of the page click on Guides, all the information you need to know is there. Any further questions, please ask here on Visa Journey instead of listening to the advice from others who don't know what they're talking about. That was a costly mistake. 

[Elmedico 2]

1 hour ago, Cathi said:

Yikes, this is why you needed to read the actual instructions. At the top of the page click on Guides, all the information you need to know is there. Any further questions, please ask here on Visa Journey instead of listening to the advice from others who don't know what they're talking about. That was a costly mistake. 

Well, actually I have been thru this process before and although it was a long time ago, I am familiar with some of the steps- which is why I felt I could do this again without an attorney. The process has changed and I was not taking advice from just anyone. I asked an official.  But thanks for your input- I will check the guides. I wish there was a phone number so I could speak to an actual person to confirm things.

 

[Elmedico 2]

1 hour ago, powerpuff said:

Unfortunately, whoever told you that gave you false information.

 

You will have to file separate petitions for the kids. 

 

Will I need to pay a separate fee for each child also?

[powerpuff 6,744]

1 minute ago, Elmedico said:

Will I need to pay a separate fee for each child also?

Yes.

 

[Elmedico 2]

1 hour ago, powerpuff said:

Unfortunately, whoever told you that gave you false information.

 

You will have to file separate petitions for the kids. 

This is from the Guides on this website;

  This information is for United Stated (U.S.) citizens and lawful permanent residents who wish to bring their child(ren) to live permanently in the U.S.

NOTE: If you are a US CItizen filing for a K1 or K3 Visa for your non-US fiance/spouse, and they have children, then they may bring them here under a K2/K3 Visa. The children automatically qualify fro the K2/K3 visa as derivitive status of their mom's K1/K3 status (you need only petition for your fiance/wife and list the children on that petition in the relavent blanks).

 

Now since we are already married, I listed the kids on the wife's petition as I was told to and judging by the above information that was all that was required. I will be on top of this to find out the correct info though.

[powerpuff 6,744]

2 minutes ago, Elmedico said:

This is from the Guides on this website;

  This information is for United Stated (U.S.) citizens and lawful permanent residents who wish to bring their child(ren) to live permanently in the U.S.

NOTE: If you are a US CItizen filing for a K1 or K3 Visa for your non-US fiance/spouse, and they have children, then they may bring them here under a K2/K3 Visa. The children automatically qualify fro the K2/K3 visa as derivitive status of their mom's K1/K3 status (you need only petition for your fiance/wife and list the children on that petition in the relavent blanks).

 

Now since we are already married, I listed the kids on the wife's petition as I was told to and judging by the above information that was all that was required. I will be on top of this to find out the correct info though.

That says K1.

 

You're applying for CR1/CR2. Very different petitions and different processes 

Edited June 13 by powerpuff

[powerpuff 6,744]

24 minutes ago, Elmedico said:

Well, actually I have been thru this process before and although it was a long time ago, I am familiar with some of the steps- which is why I felt I could do this again without an attorney. The process has changed

It hasn’t changed though. Perhaps you’re mixing up US citizens vs permanent residents petitioning for spouses and step children. Permanent residents do not need separate petitions - the children would be derivatives under spouse’s petitions. This isn’t applicable to US citizens.

 

19 minutes ago, Elmedico said:

judging by the above information that was all that was required. I will be on top of this to find out the correct info though

I would advise to read official instructions for I-130 and any other forms as well. They are very helpful and it would be neglectful to ignore them. 
 

Under special instructions drop down section, on the USCIS website under I-130, it states the following:

You must submit a separate Form I-130 for each child if:

• The relative you are applying for is your spouse;
• Together you have biological children, stepchildren, or  adopted children, and
• You did not file separate petitions for them.

https://www.uscis.gov/i-130
 

 

 

 

[pushbrk 13,002]

4 hours ago, Elmedico said:

Since the daughters are still minors I was told I didn't have to do separate petitions for them. This is disturbing news because we had to wait a year for the wife to get approved. If I have to start over for the daughters, I'm afraid what the timeline will be like. Also I did read the website and I saw no instructions of what or where to submit anything. I will go look again but this process could be a bit more user friendly. 

 

Unfortunately, "was told" is a well known source of misinformation.  The correct source is the I-130 instructions.  Time to become an A-Student of those instructions, file the other two petitions, and wait another year or so, for them to be approved.  Then, you proceed with all three at NVC.  In the meantime, stay in contact with NVC to keep your wife's case open.  They need something from you at least once a year.

 

If you were a green card holder instead of a US Citizen, you could have filed just one petition.  Your failure to study the actual instructions, put you in the place you are.  Don't make that same mistake twice.

[SalishSea 17,981]

12 hours ago, Elmedico said:

Well, actually I have been thru this process before and although it was a long time ago, I am familiar with some of the steps- which is why I felt I could do this again without an attorney. The process has changed and I was not taking advice from just anyone. I asked an official.  But thanks for your input- I will check the guides. I wish there was a phone number so I could speak to an actual person to confirm things.

 

Nothing has changed.   There are no derivatives for spouses of USCs.   K1/K3 doesn’t apply.   Please refer to USCIS.gov for your info-  you’ll be much better off.