Overseas- need to recreate lost IV Packet

[JR_CG 13]

42 minutes ago, Family said:

At time of N-400 application and from here on 😂..please present your story in shortcut “ Here is her I-551 proof of status” “ they have not sent produced card yet, some internal delay , Congressman helping out” 

 

And clarify to Congressional Liason that you expect them to get the Embassy/DOS to talk directly to card production unit who sent you email.

 

Apply online for N-400 , you will get case number , after that  ask military helpline to “ check” on and make sure it moves along

 

 

You sound pretty confident about the N-400 so I will go that route as, if successful, it would solve multiple problems at once. 
 

I don’t have family in the states where she can go to ride this out so we will cross our fingers with the N-400 and hope that we aren’t throwing the application fees down the drain. 
 

I appreciate everybody replying. It boggles my mind that the consulate here can’t just spend ten minutes on the phone with me to talk through the situation. My boss has weekly meetings with ambassador so I will bring this situation to him tomorrow (Sunday is the first day of the work week in Saudi) and maybe that will help me get a phone call with the consulate. I hate that it would have to come to that though. 

[JR_CG 13]

8 hours ago, Lil bear said:

There isn’t a packet to be recreated because there never was one. When we entered in 2016 , we carried the “sealed yellow envelope” that contained all the original documentation   It was sent to us when our passports were mailed to us  after the consulate printed the IV foil in them. 
Your wife’s case was fully electronically  recorded. There is no physical packet. Never was. Never needs to be  You were never supposed to get one , all the documentation was online and visible to the CBP officer at POE .. otherwise he couldn’t have processed her into n the US on her visa. 
That’s the “ easy part”. That’s why the consulate says they cant recreate it … its all electronic and should be on the system. They didn’t create it .. It was complete in the CEAC system at the NVC 
I am not sure how to move forward .. Hopefully someone else will chime in .. but i think filling the I90 may ? be a way of getting the system to recognise there is an issue. Maybe. 

 

Do you have e copies of all the documents you uploaded to CEAC? Put them together into zip file and contact your congressional reps again. Start the official request again and send them the efiles. While you can reproduce the paperwork, that’s not recreating the file. The A - file needs to be found / restored/ remade at the NVC CEAC level where it originated..

Now that Congress is past the election,  maybe the representatives will start working again. Make lots of noise often 
 

I do have copies of everything we submitted to the embassy, the I-130, 864, 485 just aren’t stamped at the top. I also recall that they may have been stamping the copies of the birth certificate and such as verified and giving us back the originals. 
That is a good idea to send it to my congresswoman. I would also hate for 20 Jan to roll around and then timelines move even more slowly as the agencies adjust to whatever comes.

[Lil bear 4,258]

15 minutes ago, JR_CG said:

I do have copies of everything we submitted to the embassy, the I-130, 864, 485 just aren’t stamped at the top. I also recall that they may have been stamping the copies of the birth certificate and such as verified and giving us back the originals. 
That is a good idea to send it to my congresswoman. I would also hate for 20 Jan to roll around and then timelines move even more slowly as the agencies adjust to whatever comes.

Your comment about the copies not being stamped highlights the futility of any one other than the file creator.. ie NVC CEAC USCIS … fixing the “lost file” mess.  You and the consulate have no way of proving or ensuring the documents you have or present are actually the same as the ones on the file. You’re  probably getting the run around from the Consulate because, rightly so, it’s not theirs to fix. It needs to go quite a few pay grade  levels above where its stuck now at USCIS.  
 

I agree with filing the N400. Many people do so successfully with lost GC and you have all the documentation needed now (temporary I551) 

You might think about the better of two fall back plans if you do need to get an ADIT stamp…  if this remains unresolved and close to the 12 months mark .. a trip to the USCIS office in the neighbouring country or a quick trip back to the US to get the stamp there. Neither easy nor cheap but may be needed. Better to think ahead now than ignore the possibility 

 

and in times like this, unfortunately, it’s not what you know that matters.. it’s who you know. 
 

stay in touch .. We are all eager  to know how you go with this mess and will celebrate when you get through the system 

 

 

[JR_CG 13]

Her N-400 has just been submitted! Will let you all know how it plays out 🤞🏻

[Family 4,065]

12 hours ago, JR_CG said:

You sound pretty confident about the N-400 so I will go that route as, if successful, it would solve multiple problems at once. 
 

I don’t have family in the states where she can go to ride this out so we will cross our fingers with the N-400 and hope that we aren’t throwing the application fees down the drain. 
 

I appreciate everybody replying. It boggles my mind that the consulate here can’t just spend ten minutes on the phone with me to talk through the situation. My boss has weekly meetings with ambassador so I will bring this situation to him tomorrow (Sunday is the first day of the work week in Saudi) and maybe that will help me get a phone call with the consulate. I hate that it would have to come to that though. 

Am impressed, you are a man of action. Good call. Those N-400 fees will get ‘eyes” on the case, especially the those dedicated to our military. 
 

You can also respond directly to that card production email and send them …

1. Copy of your unstamped docs /forms

2. Copy of your email to consulate for assistance/re upload

3. Copy of email to or from Congressman 

And now get her prints done , at embassy ,see link . You rock ! 

 

https://www.state.gov/global-community-liaison-office/naturalization-of-foreign-born-spouses/ink-fingerprinting-overseas-for-naturalization/
Who to Contact at Post

The Regional Security Office at post normally handles fingerprinting. Send the completed fingerprint cards to USCIS’s National Benefits Center after you have submitted the N400 application and confirmed receipt by USCIS.

Electronic biometrics may be possible at posts with a UCSIS International Immigration Office.

Tips for a Successful Ink Fingerprint

Visit the FBI’s website for the Recording Legible Fingerprints. Read and follow the FBI’s Guidelines for Preparation of Fingerprint Cards and Associated Criminal History Informationand the additional suggestions below:

• USCIS will only accept prints done at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad. Prints done on the local economy will not be accepted.
• The accepted U.S. government form is called the FD-258. Do not use a foreign fingerprint card. USCIS will not accept prints taken on a foreign document.
• Take two complete sets of prints in case one card is unreadable. Rejected fingerprints can cause delays of several weeks to several months.
• The ORI block must be blank. If it is not blank, white it out.
• The A-number should be annotated in the box YOUR NO. OCA (below the CITIZENSHIP box).
• Don’t leave any blanks (enter “N/A” or “none” as needed).
• Be sure the applicant and the official taking the prints sign the application form in the appropriate locations.
• Be sure to request that the person who takes the fingerprints places the FD-258 cards in an envelope and that the embassy seal (a small round ink stamp) is on the flap of the sealed envelope.
• Send the completed cards (in the sealed envelope), to USCIS’s National Benefits Center after you have submitted the N400 application and confirmed receipt by USCIS.

 

[JR_CG 13]

16 hours ago, Family said:

Am impressed, you are a man of action. Good call. Those N-400 fees will get ‘eyes” on the case, especially the those dedicated to our military. 
 

You can also respond directly to that card production email and send them …

1. Copy of your unstamped docs /forms

2. Copy of your email to consulate for assistance/re upload

3. Copy of email to or from Congressman 

And now get her prints done , at embassy ,see link . You rock ! 

 

 

https://www.state.gov/global-community-liaison-office/naturalization-of-foreign-born-spouses/ink-fingerprinting-overseas-for-naturalization/
Who to Contact at Post

The Regional Security Office at post normally handles fingerprinting. Send the completed fingerprint cards to USCIS’s National Benefits Center after you have submitted the N400 application and confirmed receipt by USCIS.

Electronic biometrics may be possible at posts with a UCSIS International Immigration Office.

Tips for a Successful Ink Fingerprint

Visit the FBI’s website for the Recording Legible Fingerprints. Read and follow the FBI’s Guidelines for Preparation of Fingerprint Cards and Associated Criminal History Informationand the additional suggestions below:

• USCIS will only accept prints done at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad. Prints done on the local economy will not be accepted.
• The accepted U.S. government form is called the FD-258. Do not use a foreign fingerprint card. USCIS will not accept prints taken on a foreign document.
• Take two complete sets of prints in case one card is unreadable. Rejected fingerprints can cause delays of several weeks to several months.
• The ORI block must be blank. If it is not blank, white it out.
• The A-number should be annotated in the box YOUR NO. OCA (below the CITIZENSHIP box).
• Don’t leave any blanks (enter “N/A” or “none” as needed).
• Be sure the applicant and the official taking the prints sign the application form in the appropriate locations.
• Be sure to request that the person who takes the fingerprints places the FD-258 cards in an envelope and that the embassy seal (a small round ink stamp) is on the flap of the sealed envelope.
• Send the completed cards (in the sealed envelope), to USCIS’s National Benefits Center after you have submitted the N400 application and confirmed receipt by USCIS.

 

Through her USCIS account we received Notice of Receipt of the N-400 application and part of that notice says that the notice itself automatically extends the I-551 24 months past its expiration date, so hopefully that also works for the temporary I-551 in the passport. 
Following your link to the state dept, they have a lot of helpful information that I haven’t seen before, including a statement that the N-400 can be submitted using the passport temporary I-551, and they recommend using the Washington DC office as they are used to processing expeditious N-400s and are next to a passport facility. I had selected the San Antonio USCIS facility because I think it is likely that we are stationed at Fort Cavazos, Texas next. Not sure if the selection can be changed now, but we will see. 
I will call the Riyadh Embassy RSO tomorrow for fingerprints, or we can possibly drive to Doha’s USCIS office and do the biometrics digitally and maybe be able to give them the documents for the visa packet at the same time. 

[Family 4,065]

9 hours ago, JR_CG said:

and they recommend using the Washington DC office as they are used to processing expeditious N-400s and are next to a passport facility. I had selected the San Antonio USCIS facility because I think it is likely that we are stationed at Fort Cavazos, Texas next. Not sure if the selection can be changed now

Write up a short letter, have wife sign it and upload it as pdf . 
 

Supplemental Filing and Request to Amend/Correct N-400 

‘Case #, A#, Wife’s Name

 

Dear Officer, 

‘This is a formal request to amend above referenced N-400 Application as follows:

‘Page x, Part y, Item x should be changed from Tx to Washington.

 

Kindly note this change is requested in accordance with USCIS  ( see attached, print the relevant section where you read it ) recommended instructions. 
 

 

 

[JR_CG 13]

Update:

 

Even with trying to get my congresswoman involved (Marilyn Strickland’s office never even called back. Each time I call they just say there is a caseworker assigned to it), the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh did nothing to correct their mistake or help us. I will be filing a complaint with the Vice Consul. 
 

We were able to get an appointment with the USCIS Office in Fairfax, Virginia for 12 December after sending a few messages through the online USCIS account. I had to borrow $3,200 at 23% interest to make the trip. Luckily we happened to find unusually cheap flights, but they were still $1,400 and 20 hours of travel each way. 
 

We took everything that we had originally provided to the Embassy: the I-130, I-130a, I-864EZ, the receipts for the fees we paid, original marriage cert, original birth certificate and copies and certified translations (the military has a free translation service through military onesource), criminal police certificates from Saudi Arabia and Ecuador, photos of our relationship, copies of what the clinic gave us from her medical exam, passports, IDs, military orders. 
 

The officer asked if we had the approved I-130 and we did not, so that worried us. He also said we did not need to give him the I-485. 
 

His supervisor was very friendly and said that they will put an add-in into her new passport (her immigrant visa/temporary I-551 was in her original passport which we had to renew because it was going to expire March 2025). The add-in is a USCIS stamp that they write her A# and receipt # into and they gave us an expiration of 11 Dec 2025. It doesn’t look very official so it will probably cause the same problems of every single airline worker questioning the authenticity and calling one or more higher supervisors. The USCIS supervisor was surprised to hear that even her official looking Visa/Temp I-551 gives her problems. He asked which airports we had issues at and we told him it has been every single time to include layovers: Frankfurt, Miami, London Heathrow, Amsterdam, Istanbul, Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, Dulles-Washington, JFK-New York City, Guayaquil. Departing we go early enough and plan ahead for the 30-60 minutes that it takes to argue with the ticket agents, but at layovers she has almost missed a few connections because they still don’t believe her temp I-551 is valid, even though the departure airport validated the documents in the system. Anyways. 

I was worried about being able to attend the appointment with my wife, but the guards at the x-ray machine didn’t seem to care that I wasn’t on the list. We were also worried when her name didn’t get called but then the agents told somebody else that they were running behind and they eventually called her name. 
 

I told the officer that we had some 319(b) questions and he had us wait and 10 minutes later the 319(b) team supervisor came and let us ask him questions which was very nice. 
 

We had sent a message via the USCIS inbox asking for our case to be transferred from San Antonio, TX to their office in Washington DC and we had received a response a couple days later that our case will be transferred to the National Benefits Center in Missouri. The 319(b) supervisor said that’s normal and that once we get a Request for Evidence for fingerprints and return those it can take about ten weeks for the background investigation.

 

I also asked him what happens if the military moves me back to the States before her N-400 is finalized and he said that it will be denied and we will have to start over in the states using the timelines for military of needing three years of residency. For her that will be March 2027 so we are hoping it gets finalized before we move, though we don’t know when that is quite yet. 
 

We have the fingerprint cards done and we received the Request For Evidence on 13 Dec. We just got back to Riyadh so we mailed them today now that we have the address of where to mail the cards. Just to be safe we are going to drive the seven hours to the USCIS Office at Doha, Qatar on 29 December so the prints can be uploaded to the system and verified that they’re acceptable instead of waiting to hear that the cards were smudged and unreadable. 
 

Just now we received a notice that her visa packet recreation was accepted and her permanent green card is being produced, so that is great news. Just wish we had gotten it back in April/May. And that we had applied for the N-400 back in March when she received her LPR status. 
 

Posting all this for any other 319(b) or OCONUS military filers. 
 

Appreciate everyone’s help and will continue to update as the N-400 process develops for us. 

 

Edited December 15 by JR_CG
Redact

[milimelo 4,508]

1 hour ago, JR_CG said:

I also asked him what happens if the military moves me back to the States before her N-400 is finalized and he said that it will be denied and we will have to start over in the states using the timelines for military of needing three years of residency. For her that will be March 2027 so we are hoping it gets finalized before we move, though we don’t know when that is quite yet. 

This part is termed wrong - it wouldn't be military based but regular spouse of USC rule - 3 years married to USC, 3 years LPR (can apply 90 days prior if all other conditions met) and 90 days in the district. 

 

But you definitely want the 319b naturalization done before you move back or it definitely goes away and you have to reapply. 

[Family 4,065]

5 hours ago, JR_CG said:

Update:

 

Even with trying to get my congresswoman involved (Marilyn Strickland’s office never even called back. Each time I call they just say there is a caseworker assigned to it), the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh did nothing to correct their mistake or help us. I will be filing a complaint with the Vice Consul. 
 

We were able to get an appointment with the USCIS Office in Fairfax, Virginia for 12 December after sending a few messages through the online USCIS account. I had to borrow $3,200 at 23% interest to make the trip. Luckily we happened to find unusually cheap flights, but they were still $1,400 and 20 hours of travel each way. 
 

We took everything that we had originally provided to the Embassy: the I-130, I-130a, I-864EZ, the receipts for the fees we paid, original marriage cert, original birth certificate and copies and certified translations (the military has a free translation service through military onesource), criminal police certificates from Saudi Arabia and Ecuador, photos of our relationship, copies of what the clinic gave us from her medical exam, passports, IDs, military orders. 
 

The officer asked if we had the approved I-130 and we did not, so that worried us. He also said we did not need to give him the I-485. 
 

His supervisor was very friendly and said that they will put an add-in into her new passport (her immigrant visa/temporary I-551 was in her original passport which we had to renew because it was going to expire March 2025). The add-in is a USCIS stamp that they write her A# and receipt # into and they gave us an expiration of 11 Dec 2025. It doesn’t look very official so it will probably cause the same problems of every single airline worker questioning the authenticity and calling one or more higher supervisors. The USCIS supervisor was surprised to hear that even her official looking Visa/Temp I-551 gives her problems. He asked which airports we had issues at and we told him it has been every single time to include layovers: Frankfurt, Miami, London Heathrow, Amsterdam, Istanbul, Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, Dulles-Washington, JFK-New York City, Guayaquil. Departing we go early enough and plan ahead for the 30-60 minutes that it takes to argue with the ticket agents, but at layovers she has almost missed a few connections because they still don’t believe her temp I-551 is valid, even though the departure airport validated the documents in the system. Anyways. 

I was worried about being able to attend the appointment with my wife, but the guards at the x-ray machine didn’t seem to care that I wasn’t on the list. We were also worried when her name didn’t get called but then the agents told somebody else that they were running behind and they eventually called her name. 
 

I told the officer that we had some 319(b) questions and he had us wait and 10 minutes later the 319(b) team supervisor came and let us ask him questions which was very nice. 
 

We had sent a message via the USCIS inbox asking for our case to be transferred from San Antonio, TX to their office in Washington DC and we had received a response a couple days later that our case will be transferred to the National Benefits Center in Missouri. The 319(b) supervisor said that’s normal and that once we get a Request for Evidence for fingerprints and return those it can take about ten weeks for the background investigation.

 

I also asked him what happens if the military moves me back to the States before her N-400 is finalized and he said that it will be denied and we will have to start over in the states using the timelines for military of needing three years of residency. For her that will be March 2027 so we are hoping it gets finalized before we move, though we don’t know when that is quite yet. 
 

We have the fingerprint cards done and we received the Request For Evidence on 13 Dec. We just got back to Riyadh so we mailed them today now that we have the address of where to mail the cards. Just to be safe we are going to drive the seven hours to the USCIS Office at Doha, Qatar on 29 December so the prints can be uploaded to the system and verified that they’re acceptable instead of waiting to hear that the cards were smudged and unreadable. 
 

Just now we received a notice that her visa packet recreation was accepted and her permanent green card is being produced, so that is great news. Just wish we had gotten it back in April/May. And that we had applied for the N-400 back in March when she received her LPR status. 
 

Posting all this for any other 319(b) or OCONUS military filers. 
 

Appreciate everyone’s help and will continue to update as the N-400 process develops for us. 

 

Impressive and concise details.
 

You are the secret ingredient that will make this work out according to plan. ..
Insisting, securing an info pass AND flying cross continents for a chance at one on one contact w USCIS is all YOU. kudos ! 

‘You took a chance , funded the trip ..but iit paid off, Big Time.

They accepted your recreation docs on the spot and actually took action to notate and correct her file. It may have happened at some point ( ex w military helpline giving you a call back , direct contact w the caseworker at congressional office and ) but that would have taken days/months and endless barrage of emails . 

 

You managed to get through to the 319(b) supervisor and handled yourself with poise , power and grace. Many would be foaming at the mouth in  ( warranted ) righteous indignation.

 

Do the FOIA , it will be FREE. That generic disclaimer about assessed fees is never really put in effect for individuals asking for their file. ..just do it now before admin changes.  If by odd chance you are quoted a fee, you can opt to decline w no ill effect. 
Would be interesting to unravel their blunder. ..even if only to report issue to ombudsman for system vulnerabilities.

Is there a chance you can give your commander a heads up and describe the mess..It’s a sympathetic story. Who knows , he may extend your stay til wife is sworn in
 

 

Edited December 16 by Family