InaneTripe

This is common; it happened to my spouse as well. It takes them a few days or a couple of weeks to finish their processing and to print your visa. Be patient; the site will update soon enough.

After you pay for a service such as the CES Professional Report, you will find a link under "My Dashboard" containing the status of all the documents you've submitted (transcripts, licenses etc). You can upload your passport using this link. I don't think we were able to upload the passport at first; we had to pay for their service first.

We paid for their CES Professional Report have have started the process of submitted the forms and transcripts from her nursing schools and licensing authority. The process could take several months because we have to do everything from the US and most Japanese schools are still paper based for their records.

She is from Japan.

Details for NY are at https://www.op.nysed.gov/professions-index/nursing. Note the different choices depending on whether you are applying for RN, NP, CNS or LNP.

Just echoing what others have already said about looking into the requirements of the state in which you'll reside. Each state has specific requirements regarding foreign nursing license/education credential evaulation, criminal background checks, English proficiency requirements etc. I know because I am now helping my spouse wade through the requirements of the Texas Board of Nursing. Good luck!

USCIS responded today (March 11) with "We need additional time before replying to you with information about your case" in response to my service request dated Feb 14, 2024. They asked me to submit another SR if we don't receive the GC or more updates from them within 45 days. I am thinking this will turn out to be a new biometrics needed type situation.

You can put down "NONE" for this field. That is what I did for my spouse and it was never an issue.

There are a bunch of Japan related groups on the site that rhymes with "Read It" where I see frequent discussions about seeking work there for expats/gaikokujin. I hope things work out for you soon!

I was able to add my spouse to my employer provided health insurance during the annual enrollment period. Our portal only asked for her name and DOB. The provider is Cigna, if it matters.

Civil documents such as the police report and birth certificate are for the foreign beneficiary. See 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 for the official requirements. As the USC petitioner, steps 4 & 5 apply to you. This includes the I-864, your proof of US citizenship and US domicile and marriage certificate. If you or spouse were previously married then a original divorce decree or certified copy must also be uploaded which shows the dissolution of the previous marriage. Good luck!

The final decree of divorce from Georgia is sufficient. However, be sure that your partner brings the certified copy issued by the relevant county or court when they attend their interview. Basically, they need the piece of paper with the raised stamp and all the wording that declares the divorce to be final or absolute. Good luck!

I totally understand the difficulties of living in JST but working American hours. I was lucky because my co-workers are in PT and being an earlier riser, I was able to schedule meetings their afternoons which was ideal for me in Japan. I did my actual work, which requires no back and forth with others, whenever it was convenient in JST. I cannot imagine how we'd have handled the ~17 month wait if this hadn't been possible. The new house and all its attendant expenses is certaintly a concern. Are you considering one of those 1/3 year Japanese spousal visas? They ought to be available in relatively short time provided the Certificate of Eligibility is obtained from the relevant Japanese ministry. And then there is the challenge of job hunting in Japan... All the best in your endeavors!

I see, thanks. My wife hasn't yet received her GC but the CBP officer did write "IR1" in her passport stamp along with her A-number. Fingers crossed that she will get a 10 year GC.

My wife is amongst those who never received her SSN despite having checked the DS-260 entry. You'll find many others here in this situation. We had to visit the local SSA office and submit the SS-5 form with the relevant documentation. The card then arrrived 8 days after the office visit.

Sorry to hear that! I didn't read your follow-up posts. Good luck with your I-90 filing!

This is correct; he will be admitted in IR1 status which will result in the production of a 10 year GC. It would be a good idea for him to mention this fact to the CBP officer upon admission so that they can make the correct annotations on their system and ADIT stamp.

When did you enter the US? If it was more than 4-6 weeks ago then you should go to the nearest SSA office with your passport and IV and check with them.

Use the same account/login that you used for the I-130 petition. That will help ensure you receive email/text notifications from USCIS if you had these set up in your I-130 account.

Just my personal opinion, but I doubt this is a major issue because as an intending immigrant you will have the right to work in any field in the US. If your future plans in the US do come up at the interview, just explain your situation and you ought to be fine. All the best!

Yes!

My marriage happened during the height of the pandemic and by proxy in Japan. To prove that our marriage was "consummated" before filing the I-130, I submitted: 1) Printouts from https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/home showing that my wife entered the US after the marriage to meet me. 2) Copies of her Japan->US itinerary and boarding passes. 3) Pictures of us together in the US with dates and times. 4) Pictures of us together with my brother and cousin. YMMV, but we were never questioned on any of this. My wife is now in the US in IR-1 status.

I, too, am a USC with a Japanese spouse. Take a look at my timeline for some relatively recent dates. Basically, I filed I-130 on 22 April 2022, it was approved on 09 May 2023, and her consular interview was on 05 September 2023. Admittedly, there was an RFE at the I-130 stage and a minor hiccup at NVC which added roughly 4 weeks to our processing time. We basically had to wait for a little under 17 months from I-130 filing to when she had her IV in hand. She quit her job and relinquished her apartment in Tokyo only at the end of September 2023, after she got her IV. I work remotely and could make multiple trips to Japan during those 17 months and stay with her while on visa free 90 day trips. We consciously decided not to have her visit me on an ESTA while the I-130 was pending. We chose to do so because I had the ability to work remotely plus I am very risk averse when it comes to immigration issues. There are also many threads here of people making successful trips on ESTA or B visas with pending immigrant petitions. Read through those and discuss things carefully with your spouse. All the best to you both!

My wife had her scheduled appointment for a new SSN on February 23, 2024. I had already started the SS-5 application online which saved time at the office. They only asked for my wife's foreign passport with I-551 MRIV and admission stamp and gave us a notice telling us the new card would arrive in 2 weeks. My wife's SAVE status showed "Returned to office" for SSA the very same day. The card arrived by mail on March 02, which was 8 days after the appointment. Much relieved that this, at least, is done!

My wife, a trained and practising nurse, is now in the US after I130/consular processing. We answered Yes to the question because she will eventually work in healthcare in the US *after* she clears her NCLEX. When we filled the DS260, she had neither passed the NCLEX or applied for evaluation with the CGFNS and so it felt to be the appropriate choice. As explanation for the Yes, I added "I AM A NURSE AND I INTEND TO WORK AS A NURSE AFTER MIGRATING TO THE US AND PASSING THE NATIONAL COUNCIL LICENSURE EXAMINATION." Sorry for the all caps! Perhaps more knowledgeable members will chime in with their own takes. Good luck!