ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresTranslate Dual Language Documents?

All my documents were dual language, German and English, and I never had a problem, neither at the USCIS stage, nor the NVC stage.


Thank you!

Anybody else also have any experience with this?
furbleMaleIndonesia2011-12-22 14:03:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresTranslate Dual Language Documents?
Curious what is everyone else's experience with this.

The marriage certificate here in Indonesia (well it's actually a passport-style book) features both Indonesian and English (and actually some stuff in Arabic too that I think are just prayers). Last week I ended up on the phone with the Immigrant Visa Section of the US Embassy in Jakarta trying to find the answer to this and they told me that if our marriage books were the newer "dual-language" ones then we wouldn't need a translation. Great! Except now I am feeling like this answer only goes for the Embassy in Jakarta at times when the ball bounces into their court. I have to wonder if USCIS will feel the same way when they look at it.

I will also note that that not 100% of these little passport like books are in dual language. Like the cover of the little book says "Marriage Book" but in Indonesian. Basicaly the parts that are in both languages are the important parts that are like a form where it says Name, Birthday, etc... all that stuff is in both languages. The little intro on the inside cover that talks about how great marriage is is in Indonesian. And the Arabic odds and ends here and there are only in Arabic, not even in Indonesian so a lot of local here even have no idea what that says.
furbleMaleIndonesia2011-12-22 13:45:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresNoob Questions Before I Mail in Our Application
Good new regarding my question #4b, I just realized that we do have a Joint account. My wife's name is on my account and Car Insurance card through Allstate in America. I forgot my Agent recomended we add her even though she doesn't have a drivers license as having a wife apparently lowers your rates. My agent also said she should be on the account because it is a California account which is a Joint Property state, and this way she would be protected against claims to the cars which are technically joint property for my wife anyway. So definitely scratch #4b as we have something better to give instead!
furbleMaleIndonesia2011-12-22 21:11:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresNoob Questions Before I Mail in Our Application

Having a child does not demonstrate a bona fide relationship. It does confirm that you've met. Raising the child does demonstrate a bona fide relationship.



S corp = Line 22 on your tax return is the income number.


Very true, and thanks, shouldn't be a problem then.

Hey so you know if on my cover letter I can refer to this as an "Immediate Relative Petition" or better to just call it a CR-1 Petition?

Also do you know if CR-1 is in the same preference category is IR-1, meaning there is no limit per year to CR-1's processed?
furbleMaleIndonesia2011-12-22 13:51:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresNoob Questions Before I Mail in Our Application

IMO, that's not necessary either.


So you think better to leave it alone unless they ask?

My idea was that I didn't want to look like I'm avoiding the fact that we got nothing with both our names on it other than our Baby's birth Certificate, and actually a prenumpt stating that 100% of any property either of us may have in Indonesia is 100% seperate and not joint in anyway. This prenumpt thing is something you have to do here if you marry a local as if you don't 50% of her property automatically becomes your when you marry, which unfotunately automatically forefeights all of the property as it would be illegal for me to have any ownership in any of it.

I think the Baby is pretty strong honestly.

If I want to wait a few more months to file I can include my next tax return which will be joint between us 2 with her new ITIN, but I don't think it's worth the wait.
furbleMaleIndonesia2011-12-22 13:15:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresNoob Questions Before I Mail in Our Application

Unnecessary


Thanks, yea I forgot to say I was considering scratching that one too. I think I'm still going to keep the part about why we have no joint property though, I mean other than our Baby.
furbleMaleIndonesia2011-12-22 11:53:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresNoob Questions Before I Mail in Our Application

Be aware you are not mailing an application for anything. The I-130 is a "petition". When it is approved, your spouse will have the opportunity to APPLY for a visa.


Yea true that.
furbleMaleIndonesia2011-12-22 11:38:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresNoob Questions Before I Mail in Our Application

This will be important when the affidavit of support is submitted. Look through the criteria to make sure you meet the requirements. From what you're saying, you've got what is needed.

For a self employed person the income amount used is line 22 of the most recent 1040 tax return. Unless you have a C corporation, this will likely apply to you.


Corp is a Subchapter S, I got W-2s as I pay myself via payroll and K-1s.

I've now read through much of this forum (great stuff btw) and regarding my initial posting I think I'm going to skip #3, keep #4, and #5 doesn't matter.

I am also going to do my best to make it clear in any where that it makes sense to do so that I am living in Indonesia temporariliy. I also saw that according to the criteria for showing this one way was based on your Visa being clear about being temporary. My current Visa is a Sosial Budaya visa which is actually described by Indonesia as "Classified the same as a tourist Visa although giving permission to temporarily stay up to 6 months for the purposes of vising with friends or relatives (60 days + 4 extensions) with sponsorship from the friend or relative". (Well or somethign really similar to that, as I pulled it out of my head, but have read it many times).

Regarding #1 & #2 I am still looking for wisdom if anyone has any.
furbleMaleIndonesia2011-12-22 11:08:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresNoob Questions Before I Mail in Our Application

You will have to establish a US domicile. See this FAQ for some information that may be useful. >>> http://travel.state....nfo_3183.html#3

*Edit - This is for later on in the process, not the initial filing*


Yea this was something I've been pondering what the deal would be with. It's an interesting situation because I'm not "technically" residing abroad as I'm a tourist here. On that token, according to the link you sent then the best deal is to be clear that I am living here temporarily. Of course I'm going through great efforts to explain how I live here with my wife as that is clearly evidence of a bonafide marriage. Perhaps I reword my writings to say I am temporarily living here with my wife until we can go back to the US together? Any thoughts?

Is my plan of moving in with my parents until we find our own place just not likely to fly in your opinion? Seems ridiculous when technicaly my parent's house is my house since my name is on the Deed.

It seems like a complete waste of money to pay rent on a seperate place in the US that nobody is going to live in until who knows when. Personally I have a problem with lighting money on fire and I hope thats not what they expect me to do.

Would it be better that we apply planning to live at my parent's house indefinitely/long term?

Also you say this is for later on, so is this something we can just worry about later when the time comes? Keep in mind we are applying to Chicago based on my parent's Maryland address, however if I am going to have to piss money away renting some place then it will be in San Diego where we eventually want to go to anyway.

By the way, I am employed in the US. I am self employed, have my own corporation. The entirety of my job / company exists online and is done completely online from anywhere in the world. I am paid in US Dollars and although everything is on the internet all of the transactions take place on servers located in the US. I have W-2 Paystubbs from the corporation and everything. It is a California Corporation.

Edited by furble, 22 December 2011 - 12:44 AM.

furbleMaleIndonesia2011-12-22 00:40:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresNoob Questions Before I Mail in Our Application
So we are about to send in our I-130 et. all for my Wife and before I do so I just want to take a moment to make sure I don't do anything that will uncessisarily complicate things by asking those who have already done this and have a little more experience than me.

Quick Background Info on our case:

Wife is Indonesian, I am American (Natural born citizen). I live in Bali with my wife and our Baby, I've lived here for almost 2 years together with her although we've been married for 6 months. Baby is now 4 months and is already a properly registered dual citizen. Important to note however is on a technicality, I am not a Resident here, but technically a "tourist" as my Visa to Indonesia is a tourist visa which I keep getting new ones as needed. Long story short it's not worth getting a Resident visa for me here, big headache and expensive and we prefer to move to the the U.S. So even though I'm a tourist, I live here, I'm here every day, have been for a while and not leaving till we leave together as a family. In fact I have no place in America other than a storage locker. Unfortunately as a non-resident of Indonesia I have to apply to USCIS in America vs direct to the embassy in Jakarta. We are filing to the Chicago Lockbox beause we are going to be moving into my parents home in Maryland first when we go, of which my name is on the Deed to the house (the 1st name on it in fact) and has been for 10+ years, where we will stay until we find our own place in Sunny California.

All that said, here are my questions:

1. The title of my cover sheet is currently: "CR-1 Spouse I-130 Petition For My Wife". Is it better I say "Immediate Relative Spouse I-130 Petition for My Wife". It seems like CR-1 is more accurate, but whenever I search USCIS's website it just calls everything in this category "Immediate Relative"

2. I have read that certain visa categories are limited per year but the "Immediate Relative" category is unlimited. Is CR-1 still considered part of this "unlimited" "Immediate Relative" Category, although it is really a "Conditional Resident". Can find no clarity on this on USCIS' website.

3. I am submitting (currently) some extra documents beyond what it seems they are asking for which are hopefully helpful to whoever processes our application. In particular I want to submit copies of all of my wife's various identity documents (Copy of her Passport, ID Cards [1 for Indonesia, 1 for Bali], Birth Certificate, Family Record [an Indonesian Thing]) all of which are Indonesian Goverment Doucments, officially transalted, and I've also included copies of the originals. So is there any harm in sending this stuff now? Harm being the keyword.

4. I've inclued some written explanations for 2 items in the packet of stuff I want to send:

a) An explanation as to why we didn't change her last name (well she actually doesn't have one). Explanation is basically that it is a complicated pain in the butt thing to do here and would require us to re-create all of her Identity documents including a new passport, all of which are really complicated and require us to go through a lot of local shinanegans to accomplish and would probably take more than a year to do (at least). I did go on to mention that even though we never "Officially" changed her name that she does use my last name on stuff like FaceBook and restaurant reservations, and we also listed her name with my lastname as her "Other Names Used" on the I-130 and G325A. Our daughter does have my last name, that was fortunately easy to do at the time of birth. I do go on to mention that our plan is that someday in the distant future should she become an American Citizen, at that point we would want to officially change her last name because it would then be more simple to do with the American court system.

b) Regarding proof of Joint property, bank accounts, etc... it is illegal for a foreigner to own any property here or be on a lease, even if married to a Citizen, or as a joint property. Furthermore I can't have my name on a bank account with my "Tourist Visa". I could probably get her name added to my credit card and bank accounts in the US, but upon first inspection it seems like more trouble that it is worth until she has a green card and not worth the time that we should be spending with our baby!

So basically, the question is, is it a bad idea that I bothered to explain this stuff at all rather than just ignore it all together given that we are submitting a massive mountain of other evidence: Our Daughter's birth certificate, affidavits, marriage certificates, etc... Furthermore we have 5000+ photos to choose from for the last 2 years.

5. So in the varous things we've included in the packet aside from the forms themselves, we always write from the point of view of "We" rather than "I". Seems stupid to write "I & My" instead of "We & Our" because we are writing all this stuff together, literally, in the same room at the same place at the same time. We are a family and thus a team. I only ask because technically I think it is supposed to be "I or Me" that is petitioning for my wife and baby.

Sorry if that was a lot of questions and I tend to be verbose. I hope some of you knowledgable people who have already passed this step can share your wisdom and opionions to help out our family. We will be sure to pay it forward and share our own wisdom as it comes. Also any other tips, pointers, or recomendations based on the background we provided would of course be appreciated as well!
furbleMaleIndonesia2011-12-21 23:51:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresI-130 QUESTIONS / MAILING QUESTIONS
Everything that Ryan H just said is also the same advice my Attorney/Consultant guy told me to do.

Only other thing worth mentioning is since you are a Resident of Indonesia you should think ahead about proving you have a Domicile in the U.S. as you can't sponser your wife unless you have a "Domicile" in the us. Another member "Anh Map" sent me this link earlier today regarding the same thing: http://travel.state....nfo_3183.html#3

Are you a resident here (KITAS/KITAP/VITAS) or a B211 tourist (VOA or SOSBUD)?
furbleMaleIndonesia2011-12-22 13:18:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresI-130 QUESTIONS / MAILING QUESTIONS

I am living in Bogor



I still have no idea yet.

All i can think is just put your legal us address......

Then have your parents forward everything to you. But i do not want to say for sure, because I have no idea.

You can attest to the ethics of the Postal service here in Indonesia they are horrid and worthless.

Indonesian post is one of the worst rated in the world lol.


SO I am still Waiting for someone with more knowledge to key in on this topic. as it is affecting more then one person.


Again, I can't say for sure as I haven't done anything yet either, but I do have an attorney involved as a consultant. Perhaps you may want to contact him as well. My situation is a little different than yours as looks like you have a KITAS or some sort of residency in Indo, whereas I'm a Sosbud/temporary visitor, just I keep renewing. Since I'm not a resident here I have to go through Chicago, however if you are then perhaps you are eligible for a DCF filing. I think that sounds easier, but then again I don't really know. My Attorney/Consultant said I should put my parents address as that is where we intend to live in America (until we get a place of our own).

Also, knock on wood, the mail has been ok to us, although we rarely use it. We are in Bali though which is a little bit more in this century both technologically and politically. If you do DCF and deal directly with the Consulte then you could use Tiki or something which is supposed to be more reliable (although when we got married the Tiki took forever to get us our prenumpt). There is also FedEx, DHL & UPS in Bali. I don't know about Bogor. Most of them contract out to local couriers anyway though.

Send me a private message if you are interested in a referal to the Attorney. He is not expensive nor does he technically act as your Attorney, but more as a consultant (with a flat fee unless you want him to do more). Frankly I've only posting stuff here because I decided to stop torturing the guy with my maticulous questions and cut him a break since he isn't charging me too much. He has helped me a lot already. He is very affluent in dealing with South East Asia, claims to have done 100s of cases in SEA. Worth a phone call or email at least. Let me know.
furbleMaleIndonesia2011-12-22 11:36:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresI-130 QUESTIONS / MAILING QUESTIONS

anyone?


Hey, where are you in Indo? We are just starting on this, literally days from mailing the I-130 and wondering what you have found out. Perhaps we could compare notes. We are in Bali. Send me a PM if you are interested.
furbleMaleIndonesia2011-12-22 02:18:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresIs Singapore PCC for non citizens required?

Hopefully this will help you get it resolved.

SPF will consider granting COCs to Non-Singapore citizens who are in genuine need of a COC, upon appeal and on an exceptional, case by case basis. When submitting an appeal, the applicant must provide documentary proof that a COC is required and that the requesting authority does not accept a Statutory Declaration. The COC/Records Office (Tel: +65 6557 3985, email: SPF_CID_COC@spf.gov.sg) can be approached on the processes involving the submission of an appeal.


Thanks for this. Hopefully it won't be needed anyway. The real problem is the U.S. Department of State Reciprocity matrix which says that PCCs are available from Singapore which is not 100% accurate. While yes they are available from Singapore, they are only available for Citizens. Meanwhile the U.S. knowingly requires you to get one from every place you were simply at for more than 6 months "if possible". Sing's new policy has been in place for well over a year and the U.S. Dept of state which must have encountered this countless times since then still hasn't updated their site. Hopefully by the time our time comes they will have updated the matrix.

Of course if the tables were turned and the U.S. had a policy to not give out PCCs to non-citiens and a non-citizen needed one I couldn't imagine that without some extremtly high level government approval that one would be granted. U.S. sticks strongly to it's policies, which is a really good thing, but they should expect the same of other countries.
furbleMaleIndonesia2011-12-23 00:31:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresIs Singapore PCC for non citizens required?

My wife ran into this problem last March when we were doing our K1 VISA. She is from the Philippines but had lived and worked in Singapore for the last 18 years. She had to fill out an appeal to get the police report from the Singapore police. It was the only way they would give her Certificate of Clearance.


Wow what a nightmare. Situation feels a little different for us though as my wife was just there on a tourist visa. Every time her tourist visa expired she grabbed the boat back to Indonesia (45 minute ride), then got back on the boat back to Singapore (another 45 minutes) and would get a new tourist visa upon re-entering. Kinda similar to what I am doing now to stay in Indonesia actually. So she was never any kind of true resident of Singapore.
furbleMaleIndonesia2011-12-23 00:24:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresIs Singapore PCC for non citizens required?
So as I've been reading ahead in this forum at one point we will be required to get a PCC for my wife for everywhere she has lived for at least 6 months. Ok so she lived in Singapore for a year about 10 years ago. She was never a citizen of Singapore. Just a sponsored visitor, or tourist essentially by her Singaporean boyfriend at the time.

The problem is however that apparently as of October 18th 2010 Singapore is no longer issuing PCCs. http://www.spf.gov.s.../coc_notice.htm

Has anyone else encountered this situation yet with any other country or better yet specifically involving Singapore? Does NVC waive the need to have a PCC from Singapore since apparently it is unatainable?

Thanks so much to everyone that contributes to this forum btw, and especially to those that moderate and run it. I am finding extremely helpful. I'll be sure to contribute as well and pay it forward.
furbleMaleIndonesia2011-12-22 21:25:00