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  • Trending Immigration Discussions
      Topic   Popularity Poster
    #1 J2 Visa - US Citizen marrying Au Pair
    - popularity rating: 3198 blank avatar BiscoeBunch
    #2 N-400 USCIS Has been using two names
    Citizenship Discussion
    - popularity rating: 1575 blank avatar TeamBWs
    #3 Receiving the LPR Card after arriving in the US with an IR1/CR1
    - popularity rating: 1408 blank avatar Stanley1234
    #4 I-751 denied and n400 pending
    US Citizenship Progress Reports
    - popularity rating: 1309 Das001
    #5 1st AOS Denied after 3 + years- Going to submit a new one! YEs $$$$ and ????
    Green Card Discussion
    - popularity rating: 1251 blank avatar elkski

  • Community Spotlight
    DV Lottery of K1 Visa - Can I file for both?
    I applied for the DV lottery 2025 and hope to be selected this year. My fiancé and I discovered that there is a fiancé visa for the USA. Do you think if we apply for the K1 visa but are selected for the DV lottery that we can stop the fiancé visa process? What are the timelines and options here :)?
    • 26 replies
    Confused about steps after marriage
    My fiancee arrived last month on K1 fiance visa and we got married yesterday. It seems from what I have seen online that I made a mistake by not getting SSN prior to marriage? I am going to the SSN office on Monday to gather more information... also worried about employment authorization and travel authorization(s). Thanks for any insights!
    • 59 replies
    N-400 interview in TWO days. Last wise words?
    Hey everyone!! My N-400 interview is in 2 days. I am so nervous!!

    Any last words of advice?? Do's and don't? Anything you wished someone had told YOU? Thanks!
     
    • 39 replies
    Divorce from non-immigrant (out of status) and financial responbsibility
    I go to court next month for another hearing... The judge previously said the "Plaintiff was financially obligated to support [my ex] while she resided in the United States." What does that mean?
    • 88 replies
    Recently filed 129F - still so many questions - here's the first
    I am a USC, my partner is Burmese.  We met in Thailand in 2022 and are starting the K1 process but we have soo many questions... Please help! :)
    • 46 replies
    Tourist visa cancelled by CBP agent.  Can we still get a CR1 or K1 Visa?
    Upon my gf's most recent arrival, her tourist visa was cancelled at the airport due to her frequent visits last year and suspicion of working here. She was denied entry and sent back same day. Is a CR1 or K1 visa process an option still? I would appreciate any advice or tips you can provide!
    • 61 replies
  • Recent Immigration Discussions
    1st AOS Denied after 3 + years- Going to submit a new one! YEs $$$$ and ????
    2:35 pm today

    elkski

    blank avatar

    Read 139 Times
    9 Replies



    1st AOS I-485 was filed in 7/21' finally had interview 3 years latter in May 24' We got Denied Aug 24.

    The short story for our denial is: at the disappointment of the interviewing officer who said hardy anyone can fill out this form correctly without a lawyer! the only issue was that the minister didn't put the year on marriage license on the line. " In the year of our lord" he left it blank... our marriage was within 30 days of arrival on K1. The official state seal certifying the marriage certificate was dated and stamped 34 days after arrival.

    So we now can't renew a drivers license or renew ACC health insurance. No work permit or permission to travel. Just hope close family doesn't get sick.

    As suggested we are just going to bite the bullet and start a new I-485 . Wasted 1440$ I believe. We are hopeful the time period of the Utah processing isn't to long. We have heard of 3-4 months?

    Here are my thoughts. Please add any advice.

    I Dont think it would be beneficial to apply for I-131 or 765?.

    We need a new Medical done since it has been 4 years. so a I-693 is needed. Does this mean a new chest xray? we do have the DS-3025 from 3/21'

    We will call for an approved surgeon general appointment Monday.

    IS there any benefit to using the older I-485 form that you can file until Feb?



     
    View Topic

    Consulate sent a document, but we’re not sure what it is
    1:57 pm today

    Kivitan787



    Read 50 Times
    1 Replies



    Hello, so my spouse got their interview for November 25th. The interview went well, even got a verbal approval. But, they were missing 1 medical document which the test takes about 2 months to complete. The test was gonna be ready 1 month after which it did. But well, Christmas time. Medical facility is on vacation till january 6, but they are aware that the test is ready for evaluation. Anyway, today we received an email from US consulate telling us that they have released a document related to the Visa application. How likely to be bad or good news?



     
    View Topic

    I-751 denied and n400 pending
    12:53 pm today

    Das001



    Read 187 Times
    7 Replies



    I got my conditional green card in 2017. Applied i751 in 2019 - applied n400 on July 2021 and passed n400 interview in Jan 2022 with no decision at interview. Got i751 interview in oct 2022 without spouse. Spouse didn t attend and i751 got denied in Feb 2023. But n400 decision is still pending. Submitted divorce (uploaded on n400 application online) divorce decree in November 2023. I didn t submitted i751 divorce waiver yet. Keep getting i551 ADIT stamp every year. I don t know what should I do ? My n400 is still pending no decision is made. Keep calling USCIS and same answer as usual case in progress. Didn t receive any request for evidence from them. So my n400 decision is pending since January 20222. Any thoughts on it?



     
    View Topic

    J2 Visa - US Citizen marrying Au Pair
    9:08 am today

    BiscoeBunch

    blank avatar

    Read 246 Times
    13 Replies



    Hey all,

    To make a very long story short - I am a US born citizen (26) and have met a really sweet lady (27) who is an Au Pair from Brazil. We both have same religious beliefs/convictions, family/life goals and we have really clicked and would like to marry someday. Our plans are to get married in brazil BUT with concerns of getting her back to the USA after the wedding ceremony has made us think it may be better to marry here in the states first and then have a celebration ceremony in brazil. We are currently in the process of flying her parents to the states so they can give us their blessings before any engagement/married certificate happens. We've been doing a lot of research on the process for a CR-1 visa can be pretty complex and we have a lot of questions - some listed below.

    Info:

    • Her visa is J2 and is valid until end of January 2026. It does not have 212(e) requirements.
    • She currently lives about 2hrs from me and her Au Pair Contract ends at the end of December 2025. The host family has been great and friendly (I'm actually joining all of them on a small family trip in a few days).
    • Our thoughts would be to get engaged and married sometime April-June 2025 in hopes that she would have a green card end of 2025 or early/mid 2026. (This might be a really optimistic timeline for a green card)

    Questions:

    1. On average how long would a change of status take for a J2 Visa via CR-1 take? - we will be married, name change, shared bank account, shared utility bills to home address, car insurance, etc... everything you'd do in a marriage.
    2. Will she be able to travel to other countries once the CR-1 is filed? - I've read about "advance parole" but I am unsure of the details or limitations.
    3. If I file for CR-1 and all the additional forums to change her visa status - does she stay in the states while she waits for her status to change OR does she have to leave the USA in January 2026 when the visa ends? (Hearing lots of mixed responses to this)
    4. If we aren't approved by the time of the ceremony in Brazil, are there any Visa recommendations to get her back to the states? B2 is "non-immigration" so we've had concerns it may be a little hit-or-miss, especially due to the obvious fact she is trying to "migrate".

    We do know of another Au Pair from brazil who married a US citizen a few years ago and their process took about 5 months while she was still here in the USA. Is that abnormally fast?

    Hope you all have had great holidays,

    Thank you!



     
    View Topic

    Request for Assistance with Adding Newborn to EB2-NIW Case
    5:38 am today

    Dr. Linky



    Read 93 Times
    2 Replies



    I am the principal applicant for an EB2-NIW petition. My I-140 was filed in August 2023 and approved by USCIS in March 2024. Following this, my case was transferred to the NVC, and my dependent (spouse) and I paid and completed our DS-260 forms. Our case became documentarily qualified (DQ) in June 2024.

    On December 2024, my son, was born. I now need to add him to our immigration case, but I am concerned about how this may impact our processing timeline. As an Iranian national, my designated embassy for consular processing is in Ankara, Turkey, where additional delays are already common due to the absence of a U.S. embassy in Iran.

    The key issue is whether adding my son now will reset our DQ date, causing a delay in our processing. Since our priority date is nearing "current" status, this is a significant concern for us. Specifically:

    1- If we notify the NVC about the birth of my son now, will this generate a DS-260 for him, and will it reset the DQ date for the entire case?

    2- If it is better to wait until our priority date becomes current and get the invitation letter, what is the proper procedure? Should we notify the NVC before the interview, or should we inform the embassy directly during the scheduling process?

    Given the critical timing and the potential impact on our case progression, I would greatly appreciate any advice or guidance on the best course of action to minimize delays in our immigration process.

    Thank you for your time and consideration.

    Best regards,



     
    View Topic

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      The chest Xray did not go well for our CR-1. The doctor informed us that we can still go to our Visa interview at Manila Embassy while waiting for the sputum test, is this true? We are still not sure that we have an appointment, we scheduled it on ustraveldocs, but still haven't received a confirmation and have tried their help phone line & email - to no avail. 
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    • Journeyvisa2016

      Hi all
      Got an email asking for me to update my status, which I did in 2021.
      I am a US citizen as of 2021.
      Anyone looking for answers to questions about similar situations that I experienced, please feel free to reach out.
      All the best to you all.
       
      Kareema
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