ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
US Citizenship General DiscussionN-400 OCTOBER 2011 FILERS
Hang in there 'lucy4', i'm with you on the same boat, hopefully we will hear something this week

Still no sign of biometrics letter.


jb_vjMaleIndia2011-11-20 11:37:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN-400 OCTOBER 2011 FILERS
Looks like most late October filers @ Dallas, including me, are still waiting for our fingerprint notice :(
jb_vjMaleIndia2011-11-17 22:24:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN-400 OCTOBER 2011 FILERS
Updated JB_VJ's Check-Cashed & NOA date.



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N-400: October 2011 Applicants
=================================

======================================
USCIS Dallas/Lewisville, Texas Lockbox
======================================
UserName............|Sent.....|ChkCashd.|NOA......|Fprints..|Int Ltr..|Intview..|Oath.....|FieldOffice..........|
====================|=========|=========|=========|=========|=========|=========|=========|=====================|
DreamLoverBoy.......|09/30/11.|10/05/11.|10/04/11.|10/25/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Houston, TX..........|
foreverido..........|10/01/11.|10/20/11.|10/18/11.|11/17/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Tampa, FL............| EB: 11/01/11
Zen Den.............|10/03/11.|10/13/11.|10/07/11.|11|01|11.|11/03/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Johnston, RI.........| EB: 10/25/11
flint-35............|10/05/11.|10/11/11.|10/06/11.|11/10/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Orlando, FL..........|
GinFar..............|10/09/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Orlando, FL..........|
NotBonJovi..........|10/12/11.|10/21/11.|10/18/11.|11/18/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Newark, NJ...........|
Mandy2008...........|10/12/11.|10/18/11.|10/13/11.|11/29/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Tampa, FL............|
msnoob..............|10/13/11.|10/19/11.|10/18/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Baltimore, MD........|
Ontarkie............|10/17/11.|10/25/11.|10/20/11.|11/15/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Memphis,TN...........|
elmirakz80..........|10/18/11.|10/25/11.|10/21/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Orlando, FL..........|
marymoon............|10/18/11.|--/--/--.|10/20/11.|11/10/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Jacksonville, FL.....|
Concorduser.........|10/19/11.|--/--/--.|10/24/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Manchester, NH.......|
sleepyhead123.......|10/19/11.|10/27/11.|10/24/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Providence, RI.......|
hondo1z.............|10/21/11.|10/27/11.|10/24/11.|11/22/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Syracuse, NY.........|
TexaswithLove.......|10/22/11.|10/28/11.|10/24/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|El Paso, TX..........|
gwenneh.............|10/24/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Newark, NJ...........|
lucy4...............|10/25/11.|11/02/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|New York, NY.........|
Jb_vj...............|10/26/11.|10/31/11.|10/31/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Baltimore, MD........|
R and F.............|10/28/11.|../../...|11/02/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|.....................|
uk2usa..............|10/28/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|.....................|

================================
USCIS Phoenix, Arizona Lockbox
================================
UserName............|Sent.....|ChkCashd.|NOA......|Fprints..|Int Ltr..|Intview..|Oath.....|FieldOffice..........|
====================|=========|=========|=========|=========|=========|=========|=========|=====================|
kingstonjamaica.....|09/28/11.|--/--/--.|10/04/11.|11/04/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Lee's summit, MO.....| EB:10/21/11
mari&Ryan...........|10/02/11.|10/11/11.|10/05/11.|10/28/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Chicago, IL..........|
goucho727...........|10/04/11.|10/12/11.|10/06/11.|11/15/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Sacramento, CA.......|
machmoum............|10/15/11.|10/20/11.|10/17/11.|11/15/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Seattle, WA..........|
tdegrenier..........|10/20/11.|10/26/11.|10/21/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Tucson, AZ...........|

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USCIS Lincoln, Nebraska Lockbox (Filing Under 319b, 328, or 329 of the INA)
===========================================================================
UserName............|Sent.....|ChkCashd.|NOA......|Fprints..|Int Ltr..|Intview..|Oath.....|FieldOffice..........|
====================|=========|=========|=========|=========|=========|=========|=========|=====================|
Anna C..............|10/15/11.|10/20/11.|10/17/11.|11/25/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Denver, CO...........|
Alice...............|10/24/11.|10/27/11.|10/27/11.|11/18/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Fairfax, VA..........|
jb_vjMaleIndia2011-11-05 10:14:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionN-400 OCTOBER 2011 FILERS
Adding myself, Jb_vj; Sent N400 to Lewisville, TX on 10/26

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=================================
N-400: October 2011 Applicants
=================================


======================================
USCIS Dallas/Lewisville, Texas Lockbox
======================================
UserName............|Sent.....|ChkCashd.|NOA......|Fprints..|Int Ltr..|Intview..|Oath.....|FieldOffice..........|
====================|=========|=========|=========|=========|=========|=========|=========|=====================|
DreamLoverBoy.......|09/30/11.|10/05/11.|10/04/11.|10/25/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Houston, TX..........|
foreverido..........|10/01/11.|10/20/11.|10/18/11.|11/17/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Tampa, FL............|
Zen Den.............|10/03/11.|10/13/11.|10/07/11.|11|01|11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Johnston, RI.........|
NotBonJovi..........|10/12/11.|10/21/11.|10/18/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Newark, NJ...........|
Mandy2008...........|10/12/11.|10/18/11.|10/13/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Tampa, FL............|
msnoob..............|10/13/11.|10/19/11.|10/18/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Baltimore, MD........|
Ontarkie............|10/17/11.|10/25/11.|10/20/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Memphis,TN...........|
elmirakz80..........|10/18/11.|10/25/11.|10/25/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Orlando, FL..........|
Concorduser.........|10/19/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Manchester, NH.......|
sleepyhead123.......|10/19/11.|10/27/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Providence, RI.......|
hondo1z.............|10/21/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Syracuse, NY.........|
TexaswithLove.......|10/22/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|El Paso, TX..........|
gwenneh.............|10/24/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Newark, NJ...........|
lucy4...............|10/25/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|.....................|
Jb_vj...............|10/26/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Baltimore, MD........|
================================
USCIS Phoenix, Arizona Lockbox
================================
UserName............|Sent.....|ChkCashd.|NOA......|Fprints..|Int Ltr..|Intview..|Oath.....|FieldOffice..........|
====================|=========|=========|=========|=========|=========|=========|=========|=====================|
kingstonjamaica.....|09/28/11.|--/--/--.|10/04/11.|11/04/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Lee's summit, MO.....|EB:10/21/11
mari&Ryan...........|10/02/11.|10/11/11.|10/05/11.|10/28/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Chicago, IL..........|
goucho727...........|10/04/11.|10/12/11.|10/06/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Sacramento, CA.......|
machmoum............|10/15/11.|10/20/11.|10/17/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Seattle, WA..........|
tdegrenier..........|10/20/11.|10/26/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Tucson, AZ...........|


===========================================================================
USCIS Lincoln, Nebraska Lockbox (Filing Under 319b, 328, or 329 of the INA)
===========================================================================
UserName............|Sent.....|ChkCashd.|NOA......|Fprints..|Int Ltr..|Intview..|Oath.....|FieldOffice..........|
====================|=========|=========|=========|=========|=========|=========|=========|=====================|
Anna C..............|10/15/11.|10/20/11.|10/17/11.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|--/--/--.|Denver, CO...........|
jb_vjMaleIndia2011-10-27 18:01:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionPassport Filers 2
Applied May 4th expedited service
Passport book arrived May 12th
Passport card arrived May 14th
CON received May 16th
jb_vjMaleIndia2012-05-16 17:22:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionPassport Filers 2
JB_VJ: got my passport today, quick turnaround even for expidited....4 days from application acceptance to mailing!

Filer:............ Date applied:.......City,State:......Expedited?:......Date received:

Anna C..............01/27/2012.........Cheyenne, WY..........No.......... 02/10/2012
mary&Ryan...........02/09/2012.........Chicago, IL...........No.......... 02/24/2012
anaqueen83..........02/21/2012.........San Francisco, CA.....No.......... 03/10/2012
NotBonJovi..........02/27/2012.........New York, NY..........No.......... 03/26/2012
karin_brenig........03/05/2012.........Fort Wayne, IN........No.......... 03/26/2012
Heliosphan..........03/06/2012.........New York, NY..........No.......... 03/22/2012
huniebee............03/09/2012.........Washington, DC........Yes......... 03/17/2012
MountainClimber.....03/09/2012.........Rancho Cucamonga,CA...No...........03/28/2012
bourne25............03/14/2012.........New York, NY..........No............./../2012
Jupiter07...........03/23/2012.........Columbus, OH..........No...........04/12/2012
uk2usa..............03/26/2012.........Fairfax, VA...........No...........04/11/2011
Luv2travel..........04/13/2012.........Southeast, WA.........Yes..........04/23/2012
HuffyTheSlayer......04/17/2012.........Los Angeles, CA.......No...........05/03/2012
prashp1.............04/18/2012.........Danbury, CT...........No...........05/03/2012
pandawars...........04/20/2012.........Boston, MA............No...........05/07/2012
DAndy127............04/25/2012.........Chicago, IL...........No...........05/12/2012
CB82................04/26/2012.........Orlando, FL...........Yes..........05/05/2012
Pepper..............05/03/2012.........Denver, CO............No...........--/--/2012
JB_VJ...............05/04/2012.........Baltimore, MD.........Yes..........05/12/2012
jb_vjMaleIndia2012-05-12 23:09:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionPassport Filers 2
Adding JB_VJ
Filer:............ Date applied:.......City,State:......Expedited?:......Date received:

Anna C..............01/27/2012.........Cheyenne, WY..........No.......... 02/10/2012
mary&Ryan...........02/09/2012.........Chicago, IL...........No.......... 02/24/2012
anaqueen83..........02/21/2012.........San Francisco, CA.....No.......... 03/10/2012
NotBonJovi..........02/27/2012.........New York, NY..........No.......... 03/26/2012
karin_brenig........03/05/2012.........Fort Wayne, IN........No.......... 03/26/2012
Heliosphan..........03/06/2012.........New York, NY..........No.......... 03/22/2012
huniebee............03/09/2012.........Washington, DC........Yes......... 03/17/2012
MountainClimber.....03/09/2012.........Rancho Cucamonga,CA...No...........03/28/2012
bourne25............03/14/2012.........New York, NY..........No............./../2012
Jupiter07...........03/23/2012.........Columbus, OH..........No...........04/12/2012
uk2usa..............03/26/2012.........Fairfax, VA...........No...........04/11/2011
Luv2travel..........04/13/2012.........Southeast, WA.........Yes..........04/23/2012
HuffyTheSlayer......04/17/2012.........Los Angeles, CA.......No...........05/03/2012
prashp1.............04/18/2012.........Danbury, CT...........No...........05/03/2012
pandawars...........04/20/2012.........Boston, MA............No...........--/--/----
DAndy127............04/25/2012.........Chicago, IL...........No...........--/--/----
CB82................04/26/2012.........Orlando, FL...........Yes..........05/05/2012
JB_VJ...............05/04/2012.........Baltimore, MD.........Yes..........--/--/2012
jb_vjMaleIndia2012-05-06 20:02:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionGlobal entry program

Thanks for the pointer. This is indeed nice for frequent travelers. But if you travel only once or twice a year I do not know if it is really worth it or not.


Agreed, may not be worth it for the occasional traveler, but the application fee of $100 is waived if the applicant is an American Express Platinum cardmember, so if you are one it might not be a bad idea to have this.
jb_vjMaleIndia2012-05-12 23:14:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionI-864 for Sponsor not living in U.S.
Hello Again
You are right in that 3 years will do. Also you will probably find it easier to work forward rather than backward when it comes to the 3 years of taxes. This is basically becasue of 25550EX where you are asked when was the last year you used the foreign income exclusion. By the way please note that you can only use the 2555-EZ for previous years readily if you do not owe anything to the IRS. There is this wierd clause (see pub 519) where you can sue it for previous years if you owe taxes to IRS provided you file before they catch you. Odd I know...

Cheers
Muraari

Hello All
Actually my fiancee is in the exact same position. We only documented her US citizenship a few months ago by applying for a passport based ont he fact that her mother was a US citizen....
Muraari


Hi Muraari

Thanks for the info, you are indeed in the same situation we are. After posting this I called the IRS to see what I needed to file (I was on the phone for 74 minutes!) he basically read me all of the documentation....about 5 minutes of the information was required.

Anyway, I have already completed my 2006 return, just waiting for my SSN to show up (should be this week) and I will then send it in.

He basically alluded to the fact that I would probably only need to file 3 years worth of returns as that is the "assessment period". I'll file the 2006 right away then get to the others, taxes are boring. I've read quite a few USCIS documents stating they will probably only require a transcript from the last tax year, although I do know that they might ask for 3.

What might be of interest, for those of you with basic returns - he told me I need to file a 1040, F2555-EZ and an F8891-for RRSP funds (I took some money out of my RRSP last year and apparently you have to have one of these for each year you contribute or take out money). There are of course variations, all I have is employment income basically and the RRSP and I fit their criteria to use the F2555-EZ as opposed to the full form. The info on their website is pretty straight forward.

As for the 'domicile/residency' issue - we are just going to give them the address we are going to be living at, with my Sister.

Thanks again for the info!


Erin and MuraariNot TellingCanada2007-04-09 23:45:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionI-864 for Sponsor not living in U.S.
Hello All
Actually my fiancee is in the exact same position. We only documented her US citizenship a few months ago by applying for a passport based ont he fact that her mother was a US citizen. In principle since you have been considered to be a US citizen your whole life (whether you knew it or not, its not as if you were naturalized. you are claiming you were a US citizen by birth) , you can be held liable for taxes for a long time by the IRS. But in practise, you should file at least 6 years of back taxes with the IRS. Living in canada its very easy since you get to exlcude most of your foreign earned income, and also the Canada-US tax treaty comes in very handy, and likely you dont own a penny to the IRS. Look for information on the IRS website regarding Form 2555 which is what you will have to use.

We talked ot an immigration attorney and he confirmed this. Since my fiancee was legally obligated to file US taxes as a US citizen, those need to be taken care of first before doing anything regarding immigration. We got those out of the way a few months ago and it was relatively painless but time consuming. We plan to set up an apartment together, and she is moving to the US with a confirmed job offer etc etc all of which play a role in the AOS application. Keep in mind that the I-864 application clearly states that if you havent filed US taxes and are obligated to do so (which is indeed true in our case, and sounds like in your case as well) do those first and then do the I-864. You can do them yourself (which is what we did) or contact someone who specializes in Canada-US taxes: for instance do a google search for Gary Gauvin who is supposed to be quite good and is based out of Texas. Or David Ingram in Vancouver can do some of this too, though I think at much higher cost. By the way I assume you have filed Canada taxes for the past 6 years (or Australian, I wanst sure) which would be necessary to use all of this foegin inclome exclusion stuff.

Anyway hope this helps
Muraari




We have filed an I-130 for my Husband (Australian now in Canada). We have received the NOA. Now it's time to look ahead to the next level of paperwork!

I have seen mention elsewhere that I (a dual Canadian/American Citizen) am going to have to provide 3 years worth of U.S. tax returns? I hope there is some way around this....

I also read on the USCIS website that I might only be asked for the most recent year.

I only had my U.S. Citizenship documented this year (that is a whole other paperwork story), I have never lived in the U.S. and never worked in the U.S..

They don't seriously want me to file a U.S. tax return? If so, should I go ahead and file for 3 years, or just for last year.

Any suggestions?

Thanks


Erin and MuraariNot TellingCanada2007-04-07 20:56:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionNeed help about citizenship
The comment I have to make on this is that while this is an option the N-600 can take a long time to process whereas recognizition of citizenship by the same procedure is a lot faster by applying for a US Passport. We looked into both routes, and in Seattle Erin got her passport within 6 days with expedited processing (even though we were "Reclaiming citizenship" and had very unconventional paperwork) whereas current processing times for an N-600 at that time were over 12 months. The State Department seems to run a lot smoother than USCIS typically. And of course the US passport has been perfectly sufficient for everything as proof of citizenship for Erin from federal grant applications to travel to employment. So I strongly suggest going this route instead of the N-600 (which is more expensive to boot). However refer to the USCIS instructions as well on acceptable documentation for your claim etc.

With regard to taxes, we dealt with this too. There is a "saver clause" which basically says that if you file for your back taxes (typically past 3-6 years. See the US consulate in Frankfurt's website for IRS information on this) which says that even though you are legally penalizable for not filing taxes (since you were "always" a US citizen if your claim was valid) if you file before they catch you, then you wont be held liable. If ont he other hand, they catch you before you file, then I have heard of cases of heavy penanties. Again consult an attorney.

Muraari

QUOTE (lucyrich @ Dec 11 2007, 01:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
The answer is probably in INA 301 (go to the USCIS website, click on "laws and regulations", and click on "Immigration and Nationality Act", and look for "ACT 301". That describes people who were citizens at birth. It may be that you need to find out what the law was at the time you were born.

If you qualify, you can file an N-600 with the USCIS. Describe the details of your situation. If they agree that you qualify, you'll be given a certificate of citizenship.

You can apply for the certificate as an adult. But as time passes, it may be harder to show the evidence of your father's citizenship and residence.

Also, be aware that this would NOT be applying for new citizenship, but would instead be recognizing your US citizenship that you have held since birth. You may want to consult with an attorney before you do this. US citizens are required to pay taxes on worldwide income, and male US Citizens are required to register for selective service (military draft). That's true regardless of where the US citizens live, and regardless of what other citizenships or nationalities they may have. Assuming you haven't registered for the draft or filed US taxes, you've probably been in violation of these laws if you were a US citizen. I'm not sure what the consequences would be if you now apply to have your US citizenship recognized.

Erin and MuraariNot TellingCanada2007-12-11 17:14:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionNeed help about citizenship
I went through this process for my wife who was born in Canada but her mother was an American citizen. Basically your father needs to haev lived in the United States as a resident for a few years (depending ont he year you were born) and then you can basically go through and apply for a US passport. Your US consulate should be able to help you with this, it is a reclamantion of citizenship based on "jus sanguinis" (right by blood). Here are the rules from the American consulate in Canada. Your individual consulate can help you as well, but they might have additional requirements.

http://www.amcits.co...nship_claim.asp

Please be advised that even if you think you meet these requirments, it is a LOt of work putting together records. Now the problem is if you were born after he renounced his citizenship formally, then you have no claim to uS citizenship. Hope this helps
Muraari


QUOTE (spaniard @ Dec 11 2007, 01:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Hi: I´m a new member of this forum, asd after reading some interesting posts i decided to answer, thanks in advance for your help.

I am a 32 year old spaniard (spain citizen) When I was born, my father was a american citizen (He was born in Cuba, and living in the US since he was 9. When he was 19 or 20 (not sure) he came to Spain to study at the university, and he got married with 23-24 years old (my mom´s guilty for that... ha ha) Till that moment, he was an american citizen, coming back each year on holidays to the US (actually to Puerto Rico) until he renounced the american citizenship on getting married and becoming a Spain Citizen.

¿Is there any chance for me to apply for american citizenship? Can I still do it being an adult. I know I need to prove may dad´s physical presence for ten years,,, Would his college years in Spain be valid for that....

I sincerely appreciate your help.

Cheers.

Erin and MuraariNot TellingCanada2007-12-11 13:40:00
CanadaUS Immigration for Canadians (marriage based)
Hi
A US Passport.
Muraari


Hello All
I am new to the forum and thank you for all the great info. However, I am in a very odd situation and was hoping one of you might be able to help. I am a Canadian Citizen living in Seattle, WA on an H1-B visa. My fiancee is a dual Canadian and US Citizen living in Victoria, Canada. We plan to get married in and then move to Baltimore, Maryland to live together. So this is an odd situation where the US citizen lives in Canada (she was born in Canada and has lived there all her life. The US citizenship is through her mother who was an American), and the Canadian Citizen is in the US on a non-immigrant visa.
1) Are we still eligible to do Direct Consular Filing at the Vancouver/Calgary consulate? If so, am I still eligible to re-enter the United States in the interim period on my current H1-B provided I continue working for my existing employer in the United States?
2) Suppose DCF is not an option for us, I understand we can do the adjustment of status from Baltimore I understand we file the entire application (I-130, I-485 etc.) and send it to the Chicago address. Now does the I-130 get forwarded to one of the service centers? And where does the I-485 get processed? I am trying to judge if DCF is much faster than AOS and I am not too sure what dates to look at.

Thank you very much all and have a very Happy New Year and hope alll your applications go well.
Muraari


Erin and MuraariNot TellingCanada2007-01-03 02:06:00
CanadaUS Immigration for Canadians (marriage based)
Hello All
I am new to the forum and thank you for all the great info. However, I am in a very odd situation and was hoping one of you might be able to help. I am a Canadian Citizen living in Seattle, WA on an H1-B visa. My fiancee is a dual Canadian and US Citizen living in Victoria, Canada. We plan to get married in and then move to Baltimore, Maryland to live together. So this is an odd situation where the US citizen lives in Canada (she was born in Canada and has lived there all her life. The US citizenship is through her mother who was an American), and the Canadian Citizen is in the US on a non-immigrant visa.
1) Are we still eligible to do Direct Consular Filing at the Vancouver/Calgary consulate? If so, am I still eligible to re-enter the United States in the interim period on my current H1-B provided I continue working for my existing employer in the United States?
2) Suppose DCF is not an option for us, I understand we can do the adjustment of status from Baltimore I understand we file the entire application (I-130, I-485 etc.) and send it to the Chicago address. Now does the I-130 get forwarded to one of the service centers? And where does the I-485 get processed? I am trying to judge if DCF is much faster than AOS and I am not too sure what dates to look at.

Thank you very much all and have a very Happy New Year and hope alll your applications go well.
Muraari
Erin and MuraariNot TellingCanada2007-01-02 05:38:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionVisa Approved
Thank you Visa Journey for everything. We were approved today at the US Consulate in Paris. It has been a long journey to now. I can hardly believe that it is true. Now just the short wait for the visa to be delivered and Bienvenue aux Etats Unis.
:dance: B) :D
shayreneNot TellingFrance2006-11-29 11:09:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionInterview experience at Paris embassy
Hello Vjers,
I wanted to post our experiences to help others as you have helped us through this process.

Background
Fiance is a French national, but his citizenship is in Togo. We applied in March and our case got recalled in the IMBRA fiasco. Timeline below:

Medical
Fiance did the medical the day before the interview. It is best to do it then so that you can have your results and plus it is alot of running around to different offices. The doctor's office, the place to get the x-ray, the place to get your blood drawn. He returned that afternoon to get his results. The fee was 160 euro and not the 150 euro that was on the embassy letter. He also did his vaccinations earlier. (He did not have his vaccination records so took them all over again) You will need tetanus and MMR (ROR in French)

Interview
My fiance and I arrived at the Paris embassy at 12:40 for his 1 pm appointment. They do not allow anyone in until 1 pm. (All K-1/K-3 interviews are on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 1) We went through security where they take your cell phone and return to you after your interview. There were not alot of people there on this day. My fiance went up to the window to ask a question as to where to go. They told him that they will call everyone up to the window. (Since he was there first, his name was the first to be called).

He went to the first window where they inspected his documents. It really helped that I was there. They asked me for my financial papers. I told them I had the I-864 and the I-134 and which did she prefer. (My fiance's appointment letter requested the 864, which was different from others who had gone through Paris). I gave her the I-134. She gave us back alot of the papers that were extra. She asked me if I had my employee id on me. I did not, it was in my baggage back at the apartment. She also asked me if there was anything else I wanted to add. She did not look at any of our proof of a relationship documents. I guess because I was there.

She asked about the police certificates and the letter of intent to marry. We had prepared 2 letters. She took the one from me to update the old one she had from the first approval. However, she wanted the piece of paper that was included in packet 4 of the letter of intent. (which of course we didn't have). She went to the back and brought another one for him to sign. (BTW it looked just like the letter we prepared)

We went to our seat and waited for him to be called for the interview portion. FI went up to the window alone. They asked him these questions:
How and where did we meet?
What do I do for a living in the US?
What do you do for work in France?
Will your children be coming with you?

The CO called me up and asked me what I did for a living, where we met and how was I going to do since my fiance smokes. (Very weird that everyone asked about his smoking and living in the US as a smoker. They also asked this question at the medical and at the first window at the embassy)

We had gotten the Chronopost envelope that the embassy needed to mail your visa back to you. But it was the wrong size. You need the 2 Kilo envelope with the padding. The CO said that we were approved and to bring back another envelope. My FI did not hear this. When we left the embassy to go to the Post to get the envelope, he hadn't realized that we were approved. When we went back to the embassy and gave the envelope to the first lady, she said we would have our visa in 2 days. That was what my FI needed to hear. :dance:

USA Arrival, JFK POE
Visa arrived in 2 days with the passport, a sealed envelope, and the documents from the K1 petition. His brother and sister could not sign for it, he had to pick it up himself from the Post. We left for JFK on Tuesday on different flights. (Air France was tripping on the price of a last minute ticket, so he flew AA and I was on Air France). He purchased a round trip ticket on AA to JFK and a one way ticket to DC for 3.5 hours later. The POE was quick and he had a long time to wait after this. He said that JFK immigration is very efficient. They let him know where to go from the time he stepped off the plane. They took him to a small office. They informally asked him about me while they processed the paperwork. For example, When we would be married? They also asked him why he came through JFK if Baltimore is his final destination. He showed them his flight info for his connecting flight, which was sufficient. They gave him the work permit stamp on the I-94 in his passport. The immigration/customs took less than 30 minutes.

Hope this helps! Things to remember. Relax! Be patient! Be calm and don't look nervous. I wished we had purchased his tickets earlier so that we could be on the same flight and just changed it later if need be. But I am happy that we are finally together.

Now the long road ahead to AOS/EAD/AP.
shayreneNot TellingFrance2006-12-07 14:52:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionInterview in Paris
Felicitations Cecile. Isn't it a great feeling. Bon Chance with everything.
shayreneNot TellingFrance2006-12-07 15:23:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionParis Embassy
Yes, my fiance received an EAD stamp. He didn't have to ask for it. They just stamped his I-94.
shayreneNot TellingFrance2007-01-02 12:11:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionParis Embassy
Although the K-1 is a non-immigrant visa, it is processed with the immigrant visas. The embassy schedules all immigrant visa interviews for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 1.
shayreneNot TellingFrance2007-01-01 19:17:00
US Embassy and Consulate DiscussionTax Form Schedule C Profit & Loss

Texas Bound,

They are looking for your personal total income, Line 22 on the 1040.

This causes consternation to some of the self-employed who want to consider their business' income as their own income. But it's not the business that is sponsoring the immigrant, it's the person. So, as diadromous mermaid points out, it's what carries over to the 1040 from Schedule C that counts. All those business expenses that reduce taxes also reduce one's ability to sponsor an immigrant.

Yodrak


Schedule C only applies to a sole proprietor situation. For those of us "self-employed" and filing as corporations, sub S included, then there's a K1 (tax form) from the business that's reported on the individual tax return.


Sure but that income then flows through Schedule E and then onto the 1040


Being a tax accountant myself, I can tell you that the schedules can be a daunting task for the average lay man especially the likes of those at the Jamaican embassy. So my best bet it to simply take your transcript from the IRS to make the task of negotiating the schedules easy for them. Then attach your copy of the tax return as back up. They will give you back what they do not want. The person who conducted my interview made the comment that the complicated tax returns are sometimes hard to read and she did not know how they expect them to figure out all the schedules cause they are no tax experts. I was in your situation because I have a small business at the side that supplements my income and I just wanted to make it easy for them.
TriniladNot TellingJamaica2007-02-07 11:00:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionUS Citizenship 3 years?
I filed for removal of conditions March of 2008. My wife's temporary green card expired June 7, 2008.
Someone told my wife that she can file for US citizenship after 3 years. Is there any truth to this? I seem to think she needs to wait for the 10 year green card before filing for citizenship. I really need clarification because she wanrts me to send the form and $675.00 away very soon and I think it is premature. I could not reach a living person at USCIS site and did not know where the policy could be located on the USCIS website to find the answer. Thank you for your help.

Edited by Lorenzo, 09 September 2008 - 12:35 PM.

LorenzoMaleUkraine2008-09-09 12:34:00
US Citizenship General Discussionwhat is a permanent resident?
I think this is about as clear as mud to a foreign born US resident. I can understand that my wife would misinterpret the law because I thought her argument was convincing even after I called the immigration attorney. Why can't they just spell it out in black and white and not have someone have to search and pose question online in forums like Visa Journey?
LorenzoMaleUkraine2008-09-29 13:14:00
US Citizenship General Discussionwhat is a permanent resident?
Yes, I filed to remove conditions on March 15 of 2008. Thanks for the clarification.
LorenzoMaleUkraine2008-09-28 15:18:00
US Citizenship General Discussionwhat is a permanent resident?
I have been explaining to my wife about this and I am reading things at USCIS leading me to think I am correct. I want to be sure.

Is she a permanent resident when she arrives on a K1 visa or the 90 days before she receives the 2 year green card?

She was told she can file now as a permanent resident.

She arrived on the K1 July 26, 2005, we were married August 26, 2005 and she received her two year green card June 7, 2006.

I need clarification of this.

Thank you.

Edited by Lorenzo, 28 September 2008 - 12:55 PM.

LorenzoMaleUkraine2008-09-28 12:54:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionDocuments for citizenship at 3 years
I am very angry after reading this thread.
I have been giving USCIS the same documents for 3 1/2 years.
And I was ready to send the N-400, passport photos and a check.
How ridiculous the USCIS can be to ask for this stuff over and over.
LorenzoMaleUkraine2009-03-11 23:05:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionThanks Visa Journey
QUOTE (Brad and Vika @ Nov 14 2009, 09:00 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
What kind of visa for her mom, and how long can she stay (just curious).
Actually, my sister in law filed for her. From what I hear, my mother in law has her 10 year green card already. It helps when both children are US citizens. My wife's sister has already been in the US over 6 years. My mother in law has been here 15 months.

Edited by Lorenzo, 17 November 2009 - 11:52 PM.

LorenzoMaleUkraine2009-11-17 23:49:00
US Citizenship General DiscussionThanks Visa Journey
Don't know the best place to post this so I am putting it here since we have reached the last step.

My wife was naturalized back in July.

Nice to know Visa Journey was there every step of the way.

My wifes mother arrived in August, her brother is the only relative left in Ukraine. I don't know if we will need any more visas for awhile. Maybe if her brother decides to come for a visit or to work.

My stepson is over 18, so if he wants to become a citizen it is really his choice. I hope this will happen. If he returns to Ukraine he may be forced to enter the military.

Thanks for the help.
LorenzoMaleUkraine2009-11-12 12:39:00
US Citizenship General Discussionit ain't over until it's over
I seem to remember reading an article by an immigration attorney saying that you should not expect to be through with immigration even when you obtain your US citizenship. I thought it was an interesting article and was hoping he was incorrect. My wife received her naturalization last July, but her son is still a citizen of Ukraine. He is 19 now so this is his choice.

Do any of you have a reference to the article? Wish I would have bookmarked it.
LorenzoMaleUkraine2010-03-30 08:48:00
CanadaCR1 MTL Waiting to Interview
Thanks trailmix!! smile.gif
amberlynnFemaleCanada2007-10-31 19:24:00
CanadaCR1 MTL Waiting to Interview
Hi,

Could you please add me to the list too? Thanks!

Amber
amberlynnFemaleCanada2007-10-30 18:51:00
CanadaWhat to say in coverletter for I-864
Hi Parinita,

My cover letter looked something like this:

I-864 Cover Letter


My address here

National Visa Center
ATTN: CMR
32 Rochester Avenue
Portsmouth, NH 03801-2909

December 3, 2007
Nature of the submission: I-864

To Whom It May Concern:
Enclosed please find my Form I-864, Affidavit of Support, and supporting documents.
Contents include:
- BARCODE SHEET
- I-864
- Original copies of IRS Tax Return Transcripts from the last three years
- Letter of employment
- Copy of recent pay stub showing current earnings for the year as of November 30, 2007


Copies of documents submitted are exact photocopies of unaltered documents and I understand that I may be required to submit original documents to an Immigration or Consular officer at a later date.

Signed,

Amber L. Mullis




I also put post-it tabs with a description on each form. I hope that helped smile.gif
amberlynnFemaleCanada2007-12-06 13:50:00
Canada6 months minus day
QUOTE (MissStacey @ Dec 14 2007, 10:42 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Len_and_Bren @ Dec 13 2007, 05:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (carslo @ Dec 12 2007, 09:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Hi,

If I go to the USA for 6 days in January, 11 days in March, and then from July 15th to January 4th, 2009 (the six month stay) is that okay? I was wondering if the 6 months minus a day is cumulative or just counts if in a lump sum?

Thanks,
Carslo


Each entry is separate. Enjoy the trip!

Is it? I always thought it was within a years time frame.



Yeah, that's what I thought too. I had an experience, but it was with Canada. The customs agent had asked me how many times I had been to Canada this year and if the total time equaled 6 months.

Edited by amberlynn, 14 December 2007 - 11:21 AM.

amberlynnFemaleCanada2007-12-14 11:19:00
CanadaGood luck tomorrow Ladyjane!
WOW, I am so sorry you guys have to go through this LadyJane .... sad.gif

I guess I better tell the Husband to start preparing his CV.....

I wonder what they will surprise us with next
amberlynnFemaleCanada2008-01-18 16:43:00
CanadaGood Luck michellea Jan 29th-Montreal
Good luck!!!
amberlynnFemaleCanada2008-01-28 14:42:00
CanadaInterview in Montreal
Congrats!!!!! That's wonderful news!!!!
amberlynnFemaleCanada2007-12-19 19:54:00
CanadaVancouver Interview Review
Congrats! Wonderful news!
amberlynnFemaleCanada2008-02-12 07:50:00
CanadaFriday Interview!!!!
Good luck! smile.gif
amberlynnFemaleCanada2008-02-19 14:43:00
CanadaGood luck trailmix!!!
Congrats!!!! smile.gif
amberlynnFemaleCanada2008-02-19 14:47:00
CanadaAPPROVED IR1!!!!
Congrats!!! smile.gif
amberlynnFemaleCanada2008-02-22 14:48:00
CanadaFeb 22/08 CR1 interview in Montreal
Congratulations! smile.gif
amberlynnFemaleCanada2008-02-26 08:58:00