biggish data

after getting K-3 visa, next steps!!

QUOTE (Haole @ Jun 10 2008, 01:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

K3s can't get SSN without an EAD or green card. Can be a b!tch living in the US without one as they are required to get a lot of things such as a drivers license.

Thanks.

We will apply for EAD and SSN immediately if going K-3 route.

StevenCarmen

Male

Mexico

2008-06-10 14:31:00

after getting K-3 visa, next steps!!

QUOTE (pushbrk @ Jun 10 2008, 01:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (seaweed @ Jun 8 2008, 12:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

- have there been problems in the past when people waited longer than 12 mo. to file?

It's not a cut-off but if your medical is more than a year old when you file AOS, you'll need a new medical. It costs $300 where I live.

Ah, thanks mucho, pushbrk.

So, at the very least, delayed AOS filing adds costs for the medical and the EAD (if desired). That could really add up with our 3 kids !

StevenCarmen

Male

Mexico

2008-06-10 13:54:00

after getting K-3 visa, next steps!!

QUOTE (pushbrk @ Jun 7 2008, 05:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'd wait maybe eight or nine months to file the AOS but not more than a year after the day you had the medical exam.

Hi. I'm interested in this too. I will be posting soon with our story and some questions, but for now, since it came up, I wonder about the time frame for filing AOS once a K3 is issued.

I'm totally new to all this, but from reading up on stuff, I understand that the K3 is for two years with possibility for extension only if the AOS has been filed before two years are up. Where did you get the one-year cut-off? Is there any indication that filing 16 months (for example) after the k3 is issued will be seen/treated differently than filing, say, 11 months later?

Just curious as to how one can know - have there been problems in the past when people waited longer than 12 mo. to file?

thanks,

steve

StevenCarmen

Male

Mexico

2008-06-08 14:33:00

QUOTE (marea @ Jun 11 2008, 07:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE (StevenCarmen @ Jun 12 2008, 12:32 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is an important part of deciding our strategy. We need time for school, but "no child left behind" - so to speak !

K3/K4 is good if you think you should be in US as soon as possible and if you don't like any of the kids to be left behind. K4 wouldn't deport your kids once he reach 21 as long as you filed for the AOS. I've known people that filed IR1 for 21 years above it took them years for them to get to US, I just don't know for age younger than that how fast it is.

Thanks again. After seeing the comments on K3 still only for living in the US (not visiting in transition?) and IR-1 is so much easier and cheaper than K3>AOS>IR-1, maybe I should forget K3. I'm starting to think that I may want to go IR-1 right away but just for my wife.

If so, I wonder should I go ahead and file the 129F in case we change our mind when the time comes.

Then plan to file I-130 for the kids (still not in US) just before 21st birthday of oldest.

How does this sound? Foolish to wait? I just don't like the idea of the kids having greencards, but then not actually living in the US for year or two more. This would go against the spirit of the law and force us to lie.

If we apply I-130 later for them, then the cards may come just when they are ready... ??

I wish it was just possible for family to live in both countries like I do. It's what we really want.

StevenCarmen

Male

Mexico

2008-06-12 12:33:00

QUOTE (mike_2007 @ Jun 11 2008, 12:25 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

actually you should do direct consulate process it's better and alot faster than both,

But is DCF really faster in Mexico? I'm not seeing any difference in the timelines between DCF and US filed for this country. It seems that with their case-load, CDJ consulate is the bottleneck no matter what.

The issues I've identified that are going for and against DCF are:

COST: for - DCF is less expensive - by a huge margin for 4, I guess.

MAIL: against - If filing DCF, we must use Mexican addresses, right? How will we get our critical notices in time (if at all) - like the appointment?

StevenCarmen

Male

Mexico

2008-06-11 11:42:00

QUOTE (marea @ Jun 11 2008, 12:17 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi there Steven I suggest you go for the K3, why because she got 3 kids and one is going 21 in 2yrs. When she/he reached 21 it would be hard for you then to get him/her. With K3 you have to file for K4 for the 3 kids. You need to file I-130 and 129F at the same time. It's a process that some people don't know yet that they could file it simultaneously.

Thanks. I think that whether we use it or not, we will file 129F. And you confirm that we can file 129F with 130. The consulate shows that on their site too. Instead of waiting for I-130 NOA, right ?

But I AM wondering about age-out as Haole commented.

I know there is something that says that children are eligible (for IR-1) if under 18 when married... so I wonder if that is more important and not that k4 is only for under 21.

Perhaps the oldest will turn 21 6-12 months after getting K4, but still be eligible for I-130? This might be ok as she will be in University in Mexico anyway. But would allow her to come with family for initial visits. ???

This is an important part of deciding our strategy. We need time for school, but "no child left behind" - so to speak !

StevenCarmen

Male

Mexico

2008-06-11 11:32:00

QUOTE (Haole @ Jun 10 2008, 11:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Do the DCF IR-1 Fastest. Also IRs get GC and SS card in the mail shortly after arriving at POE

K3 is multi entry but once she gets GC she can come and go as she pleases. Can't get SS card unless she files for EAD or gets GC by doing AOS.
IRs and CRs can come and go also once the they get GC in the mail.

K3 adjusting status filing fee is $1010. Kids under 14 [Not sure about age] cost $600 each.
Hard to beat IRS!!!

Thanks for your response.

It appears that in practice GC allows one to come and go, but may be arbitrarily revoked for any long-term absence, especially one over 6 months and certainly over one year. So, if she spends 6-9 months out of US for first year or two...

K3 is a non-immigrant visa, so, you are not yet required to reside in US, correct?

I don't understand the reference to the IRS

StevenCarmen

Male

Mexico

2008-06-11 11:17:00

US Embassy and Consulate Discussion

Hi all. Great forum. Because of VJ, I feel that we can do it ourselves and be certain that it's timely and right.

I'm Steve USC,my wife Carmen is Mexican. We'll be married 2 yrs this August and are currently both living in Mexico. She has three teenage kids. They are 14/16/19 Oldest is entering the university, the younger two are entering the final year of their respective schools.

We need to mostly live in Mexico for another year or so, then transition to residing in the US, bringing the kids in to right away or perhaps to follow, as appropriate for each. The oldest will probably be in college for years though.

Since I maintain a residence in the US and also qualify for DCF in Mexico, we have more options than most. At first, I had assumed that IR-1 via DCF was the way for us to go, but after considering where we need to live for the next 12-24 months, I wonder if K3 might be more appropriate - a quicker way to get a visa and start the transition, without having to become full-time residents right away. And if K3, maybe file in the US?

It appears that if filing K3 (in US) both options would be open for the future, so if things change (my parents are aging) and we need to transition more quickly, we could ride the IR-1 through instead. But I-129F has to be filed in the US - right?

I've got too many questions for one topic, really, but I'll throw them out to get started:

- am I misinformed on anything here?

- IR-1 or K-3? Considering that we need to take time transitioning (but with earliest first visit to US) wouldn't the K-3 with it's multiple entries be more appropriate than IR-1 ? We have friends who live mostly in Mexico and come and go to the US using their greencards, they say "no problem", but after reading the wording for permanent residence card, it seems that is risky. We do want to follow the spirit as well as the letter of the law, if at all possible !

-Has anyone done K-3 in Mexico? The few Mexico DCFs I found came out as IR-1, but CDJ site does show the option-as long as the 130 has not reached them yet.

-What kind of cost differences am I looking at here? It's huge with 3 kids -right? I've looked at much info, but it's complicated and I still can't sort it out well.

-What about receiving mail? There is no mail delivery here, - we could rent a box, but probably this would be fatally slow in any case. With US filing, it will arrive at my home there and can be relayed to me here by FedEx/DHL....

- Given our circumstance, (age, school etc) how should I do the kids for your recommended approach? I understand that one can start their I-130s right away and pay more upfront, or later and pay even more down the road.

- What will the differences in interview process be? Two interviews (hopefully in Spanish!) for everybody if we do K3/K4 > AOS? One in CDJ and the other - in USA? Only one interview with IR-1, right?

Any general comments are greatly appreciated as well. Sorry for the long post.

StevenCarmen

Male

Mexico

2008-06-10 23:38:00

IR-1 / CR-1 in Ciudad Juarez

QUOTE (Djortiz @ Jun 1 2009, 10:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

good luck to you all too! looking forward to reading about yourallls experiences in Juarez!

We went through CDJ in March for my wife and are going again next week for my daughter. I wrote it up on another forum and will copy it over to this thread for you.

Here:

Mexico - Our March 5 2009 appointment

We got into CDJ on a Monday afternoon for a Wednesday appointment. They say to arrive one or two business days before, and I can confirm that having only one day for the exam is stressful. If anything goes wrong with the Medical, you have a problem for the appointment. It all went well, but next time, for the kids, we will leave at least two days for the exam. There had been a rumour that they would close the clinic Tuesday, but they did not.

OK. The next day at 7:30 am we went over to the Medical exam place next to the consulate. There used to be two, but it now appears there is only one company authorized or in place. We brought all the required documents, the appointment letter, birth certificate etc. My wife went in and I waited outside as they don't allow the spouse inside.

The guards said it would be several hours, so I waited. But what I didn't know is that inside, they split those waiting into two groups and sent one group over to their clinic by the old embassy. They loaded everybody onto a tourism bus in the back and took them away. I waited and waited and then finally my wife called me from the hotel. She was back. Even though she had shots documented, it ended up costing more than the $350 she had, and since I was nowhere nearby, some kind people (thanks!) lent her the money so that she could complete the process. I paid them back at the hotel.

Well, we had to go back in the afternoon to pick up the results. The ones they examine at the new clinic just go there for results. We had to go to the old clinic. They had a bus waiting at the new clinic for our group and we all rode over together to the old clinic to pick up the x-rays (which you don't need) and the envelope, which you must keep sealed and turn in at the appointment.

At the old clinic they gathered everybody around them and called names. When my wife picked up her envelope for the medical exam, they called her name and she went and got it from them and we got on the bus to go back.

Before the bus left, she asked the people next to us if the name on the outside of the envelope was the doctor's name or what? They said no, it's supposed to be YOUR name ! She went uh-oh! I've got somebody else's results and they've got mine.

She ran back inside and luckily got it sorted out right away. That could have been a show-stopper the next day - for TWO people.

So check your envelope from the exam when they give it to you; don't open it, but look for your name on the outside !!!

Interview:

The next day her appointment was for 7:45 am. The guards had told us to appear 20-30 minutes before the appointment time, so we did. When we got to the line, (not a true line, but where they wait to be called) I asked what time they were calling and was told they were already up to 8:45 by then. So, we went to the very front and showed the letter. Since she was already due, they let Carmen go right in. She waited for a while, watching the screen for her number and window. They called it and she went up and submitted the whole packet to the person. They asked her some simple questions about her birth date and my name, my father's (joint sponser) name and that was it. She went to another window and paid. Then she was told to wait again. Finally, she went to another window where an officer asked her a few more questions. They noted that she had kids and asked if they were mine. She said no. They said, oh, then your case is complicated, you don't have any divorce papers. Carmen said "no, it's simple - I have never been married before, but I had children. I raised them myself." They accepted that and had her swear the truth at some point, she signed the DS230 pt II and then was sent to go pay for the new DHL fee to have the visa sent across town. Some new strategy to speed things up, I imagine. They said to call DHL at 4pm. She was out of there by 11 am.

We went back and relaxed ! Checked online and DHL had it, so we took a taxi over there and picked up her packet and passport with the visa in it.

The next day we went over to the assigned bridge. It is noted on the packet they give you where to cross. We walked up to the office and they sent us to a far window to wait. Somebody came out and called her into the offices. She came out after a minute and then they called her again. They reviewed the packet, including photos etc and then said she was approved. I guess they stamped her visa , I forget. They were formal, but courteous. We went across and that was that !

Juarez is pretty scary, average of four or five people are murdered everyday there. The new consulate is in a nice area by a huge modern shopping mall, which should help some. Anyone going there, be careful, don't go out at night. The taxi drivers and general population are friendly and helpful. Prices were fair and the food very good.

Anyone going to CDJ, if you have any questions, feel free to contact me and I will be glad to help.

Steve

StevenCarmen

Male

Mexico

2009-06-02 19:02:00

Anybody? The consulate review page would get the right people but I see that it is not for asking questions.

If nobody from Mexico sees this, or can answer my question, are there any hints for how to get help at this site? Am I on the wrong forum?

Calling the CDJ consulate is literally impossible for me without traveling some distance.

StevenCarmen

Male

Mexico

2008-06-14 12:57:00

QUOTE (shadtov @ Jun 13 2008, 04:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm wondering, if your wife is from a small enough town, could she ask the postal carrier what he suggests and then ask him to keep an eye out for her package? Of course, that would mean that she would need to know the carrier to trust him...

I hope someone else pipes in. You could post this in the ciudad juarez thread under consulates. Most of the folks are applying for fiance visas but they had to use the mail system, too.

Good idea for posting for the CDJ thread. I was wondering how to get to "puros Mexicanos"!

The closest thing down here to "postal carriers" are the characters who try to extract a living by occupying the post office in the nearest town (about 40 minutes away). I think they make some money by selling postal boxes and some more by charging ransom for arriving packages or just keeping them. Beyond that, they could care less about mail. It annoys them if you try to ask them questions.

That's rural Oaxaca. Very different from the other Mexico. The government is composed of hungry dogs or fat cats only! Maybe a bribe would work....
but we're not really into that...

StevenCarmen

Male

Mexico

2008-06-13 16:23:00

Actually, "Arroyo Numero Tres S/N, ....etc the S/N means "sin numero" or "without number"

StevenCarmen

Male

Mexico

2008-06-13 16:08:00

I'm about to file an I-130 /129F /325a.

I've been searching and going over the advice for dealing with a problematic mailing address (no delivery) for my spouse in Mexico and it seems clear that either:

1) It's reasonable to use a postal box for your mailing address in certain places so your mail will get delivered. But always use her physical address for residence.

2) It's a bad idea to use a PO Box because they don't accept them. The Consulate's delivery service will find you anyway.

That is, both opinions are strongly held, it seems. Can anybody who filed while at a rural Mexican residence shed any light on this? I can imagine that this answer varies from country to country and even depends on the area of the country as to whether it gets delivered.

And will USCIS have a problem with this address considering it's long and has no street or number? My wife's address (as on ID) is "Arroyo Numero Tres, Santa Maria Tonameca, Oaxaca, Mexico.

Thanks,
Steve

StevenCarmen

Male

Mexico

2008-06-13 15:57:00

DS230 required documents for step children

QUOTE (huhtaman @ Jun 2 2009, 01:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hello All: Do i need any other document besides their birth certificates for the DS-230 ? Will they reference the original marriage certificate in my wife's file ???

Thank you

Hoot

Hi, not sure how your situation might vary, but I can tell you how our DCF in Mexico was.

For our daughter, besides the 230 and BC,
I sent in a copy of our marriage certificate with each beneficiary's packet - I believe that each child is a seperate file and they probably want it in the file as proof of relationship.
I-864 for you and any joint sponsers for each beneficiary and supporting documents that requires (see 864 instructions), like tax returns, etc
ID; they need to see a copy of the passport bio page or other acceptable photo ID for each beneficiary. Ask them what ID is acceptable if you don't have a passport yet for the kids.

Also you may need to send that signed form with the list of documents to have checked off. I don't know if it's the same for your location

Steve

StevenCarmen

Male

Mexico

2009-06-02 16:59:00