appleblossom

There was no reason you couldn't leave in 2020, so don't say that in your waiver application. I agree with the above, you were misinformed. Sounds like you need a waiver, so it's just a case of waiting for that to be requested and then getting it started. You can request your passport back at any time. Good luck.

Lagos has one of the worst backlogs unfortunately.

How about Mexico? He can fly there direct from Istanbul.

As I said above, if he tries to apply for a student visa there's a very high chance it will be denied, which then means he's not likely to be able to travel on ESTA/VWP for quite some time either. So if he wants to be able to continue to travel to visit her, I wouldn't risk it personally. I think they just need to forget it for a while, until they are ready to get married. They can keep visiting each other until that point, and then when they're ready get married and your boss can petition him for an immigrant visa. Maybe by then she'll be nearer citizenship so it'll be quicker too.

Just to confirm, you're planning on a few visits together before one to get married? He can fly from other places, there are direct flights to the Caribbean from the UK or various European countries.

I've not actually had any experiences like that in Boston, people here are thankfully much more welcoming. But I work elsewhere, all over the country including in Trump supporting areas, and that's where I've mainly seen it. Most recently I was told to '**** off back to where I came from' in Oklahoma City after somebody asked me for directions and I told them I had no idea as I was from England. Gosh, I wonder why I feel unwelcome?? 😂

It's not BS, and I'd appreciate you not belittling my feelings like that. A year ago I had no issues at all being an immigrant in the US, but it's very different now. The whole culture towards migrants has changed IME, regardless of where we're from or how we got here. His first term hugely restricted legal migration. And he's recently said he'll do the same again, it is not just illegals he's targeting. So even with a green card, I wouldn't feel my status is secure here.

Are you the petitioner or beneficiary?

OK, so about the same as the quick consulates. That's good news, means the backlog must have been cleared and CJ is no longer a super slow consulate! Hope it goes well for your mother, good luck.

They could enter last year as well. Chances are pretty much negligible, in fact results from last year show that nobody from the UK was selected at all last year. But you may as well enter and give it a try! What do you mean you've never been allowed to apply for a work visa? Being British doesn't preclude that? Good luck.

Blimey. When's the actual interview?

He can try, him being from France helps, but not sure it would be enough to overcome him being retired and having a US based gf. Roughly how old is he? When you say retired I'm picturing somebody in his 60's, but of course he could have retired at 25! But he can apply, just bear in mind that if it's refused then he'll have to redo his ESTA and declare the visa denial, which will likely take away the option of the VWP for a while too. It may be easier to just go straight to marriage and an IV application if they're sure they want to get married - might be worth suggesting your boss signs up to VJ herself to get info on all options.

Expedited? That's far quicker than even the quickest consulates like London, Dublin, Frankfurt etc, and most recent threads show a year or so for an interview at CJ!

Ugh, so awful. I'm so sorry that you have somebody in your family like that, but perhaps your fiancé will be the person to turn that view around - I really hope so. Let's hope that in November people can come together no matter what side of the political spectrum they're on, and all of this will start to ebb away.

Which consulate? And which visa - your profile says E-3 (temp work visa for Australians), is that right?

Your employer will provide the lawyer. It's job hunting that you'll need to focus on, if an employer is prepared to sponsor you then there will be a visa of some sort available to you. It may not be an EB immigrant visa, but even a temporary work visa would get you over there to wait whilst your F2B application wait trundles along in the background.

Oh, I see, I thought you were 8 years in. Yes, at the very least, probably longer I'd guess. Them naturalising may make it slower, but you could marry, which is the big advantage in your situation.

You were given this info when you last asked - Has your Dad overstayed since then? Or has he left and re-entered? Follow the VJ guide if you're unsure of anything - at the top of the page. Good luck.

I wouldn't be worrying about photo size, the requirements may change between now and if/when you are selected anyway. You'll be given instructions at the time if it gets to that point. What happened with your court case?

Not necessarily, but that is an option. As I said above, I just don't think I could live in a country that made me feel so unwelcome. Talk of immigrants tainting 'the blood' of America, calling them 'vermin', rounding them up to 'get them out', and now even saying that the 'enemy from within' needs to be removed, if enough people vote for somebody that talks like that then that would worry me. My first degree was in History, my thesis was on Mein Kampf and this is completely echoing that. I just can't understand how anybody could think that's ok. Trump is saying that the US is now an 'occupied country', it's always been a country built on migration but unlike him I don't think that's a bad thing. Despite living in a supposedly tolerant area, being white, and having a green card, that's not a rhetoric I want to stick around for. As @Bunninuts said, the current political climate isn't great for anybody migrating here at the moment. So I'll take my tax dollars and skills (which would be needed less under Donald Trump anyway - I work in energy so another reason to leave!), and go elsewhere. I really feel for the OP, it's such a tough time at the moment for anybody remotely different, particularly in certain states. I just hope their relatives stop being swayed by the anti-immigrant talk, and hope that most of the American people don't share that view.

You’ve only just arrived. Give it time! I’ve been speaking to people with no worries for the past 18 months, it’s only recently that the anti-immigrant hate stirred up by Trump has become evident here. And no, not just illegal immigrants. He’s made it very clear that his intention is to get rid of legal migrants too. I’m not paying any attention to the media, I don’t watch the news here as it’s all so horribly one sided. I’m paying attention to his own words which are sounding more and more Hitler-esque by the day. But all I can do is wait and see what happens in 3 weeks. I won’t be staying if he does get in, I’d feel even less safe/secure then and won’t stay where I’m not wanted.

Could your parent not naturalise for your sake? EB2 or 3 is going to be another 5+ years, probably longer unless you find a sponsoring employer/job offer straight away. You say above you’re 8 years in to your F2B wait? So presumably have done the NVC side of things and it’s not too long until you’ll be eligible for a visa? So that may end up being a lot quicker, and a similar wait for your gf if you marry once you have a GC.

Really sorry to hear this. Have you spoken to them about this? If your family member and friend aren't supporting your choice or relationship, I'd be having a serious talk with them and explaining the impact their judgement has on you. They need to understand that it's your choice, that you're happy, and that if they truly loved you, they'd support you no matter what country your spouse is from. If they aren't prepared to do that, I wouldn't want them in my life personally. It is really tricky at the moment, even as a 'safe' immigrant (white and with a green card) I certainly feel very unwelcome thanks to Trump and his anti-immigrant rhetoric. I avoid speaking to people when I'm out now so that they don't pick up on my accent. If he wins, we're out of here, most other immigrants we know have said the same thing. I just wouldn't feel safe staying which is awful.

Oh yes, stick with Canada then. Much longer in Lagos. See the link I gave you above which tells you what's needed. Not sure where you're seeing 'financial forms and supporting documents'? For EB1 you don't have a financial sponsor.

There isn't an address, but it should have said something like 'Submit financial and supporting documents in one package to NVC. NVC's mailing address can be found at https://nvc.state.gov/mail.' The documents needed are all set out on the NVC website - https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/the-immigrant-visa-process/step-5-collect-financial-evidence-and-other-supporting-documents/step-7-collect-civil-documents.html Also make sure you check the country specific documents list too. Where do you live? You can only transfer somewhere else if you're resident there.