ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresCongressional Inquiry
QUOTE (lsma @ Dec 9 2007, 08:45 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Or perhaps not - perhaps we can keep slugging it out here amongst ourselves - what fun!


Oh it is fun watching people argue about things based on a possible misinterpretation of information they don't even know is accurate.
LansburyMaleEngland2007-12-09 13:30:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresCongressional Inquiry
Those links explain it all, almost double the applications and delays on entering information into the tracking system. I would suggest that any information on what is or is not being processed on their web sites is as about as useful as a chocolate teapot. There is no way of knowing if the I-130 haven't been processed or have been processed but the system not updated. I would guess entering that sort of information is at the bottom of the list of priorities.
LansburyMaleEngland2007-12-07 19:16:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresCongressional Inquiry
QUOTE (john & jean @ Dec 6 2007, 05:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
As you might have expected, the ones which have nothing constructive to add try to persuade others that there is we can or should do. This seems to be a problem that one who already has thier S.O. with them, by whatever means they chose would not be concerned with. However, this site has become a very popular place for some egotistical, judgmental people to jump in. I was very recently a victim of such. It is beyond comprehension. If the people here do not have some Knowledge of what you are trying to do, maybe it would be better if they found another passtime. Opinions,everyone has them but they are not generally expressed as such... When we attack each others ideas with negativity it only clouds the issuses. I may be wrong, but, IN MY OPINION, is it not all of us trying to bring our loved ones here. If not then maybe I am needing to look for another place for OPINIONS...John&Jean


If you are not prepared for people to express opinions that disagree with you point of view then why are you here. Most people here at some time of other have endured a separation before both of us got to live together. If we don't like the way the US does things and think it takes to long we have a choice to live in the other partners country. I'm sure that the people processing the applications do so as quickly as possible having a lot of congressmen breathing down their necks will do nothing to help all the people waiting just the selfish few who think they are a special case.
LansburyMaleEngland2007-12-07 14:02:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresCongressional Inquiry
QUOTE (Lansbury @ Dec 6 2007, 03:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
which as the extra delays seem to have been caused by the unexpectedly large number of applications submitted before the fee increase is really an effective solution.


I meant to say isn't really an effective solution
LansburyMaleEngland2007-12-06 20:00:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresCongressional Inquiry
Sounds like a really daft idea to me. Lets inundate them with all these extra calls from congressmen and whoever all the time taking them away from processing the applications.

Now while that might speed a few up who manage that way to jump the queue most will take longer. The only way to speed them all up is to recruit and train more staff and that takes quite a time, which as the extra delays seem to have been caused by the unexpectedly large number of applications submitted before the fee increase is really an effective solution.
LansburyMaleEngland2007-12-06 18:41:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresApproved!
congrats
LansburyMaleEngland2007-12-16 13:31:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresPredicament! HELP!
While she was in the UK she was required to file a US tax return, my wife lived in the UK for 10 years and filed a US return every year. Never had to pay US taxes but was legally required to file the return.

If your wife had been living in the US and exempt from filing a return then she would have been exempt under the same circumstances while living in the UK. But unless that was so you will need a copy of her tax return for 2006.
LansburyMaleEngland2007-12-21 23:14:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresI-130 approved!!!
congrats
LansburyMaleEngland2007-12-21 17:50:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresCR1 question after entry to US.
She will get a two year green card, you will have to apply to remove the conditions 90 days before that one expires, and then after that it is a 10yr card.

The date in her passport is the date which will be on the green card.
LansburyMaleEngland2007-12-27 19:00:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresInterview: Jan 18th. 2008
QUOTE (edchels @ Jan 9 2008, 10:44 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Lansbury @ Dec 31 2007, 02:21 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
You have well cover it, but in reality the answer to your question is contain in the check list of documents the Embassy sent you as being what they required.

That isn't a flippant answer it is what must be taken to the interview. No doubt on the day most of what you have listed above if it isn't on the checklist will not see the light of day. We all take extra documents and proof just in case and it is very rarely needed.

Your previous posts suggest the joint sponsor to be a good idea.


So, Do you think the Embassy in London will accept a joint sponsor this late? My wife sent her affidavit ages ago back in the NVC days! Will the Embassy accept a joint sponsor affidavit at my interview, review it right then and there, and (if all is good) approve my visa?




When you go for the interview you will be called to a window to hand over all your documents. When I had done that I was told they would be reviewed by a Consular Officer and I'd be called for the actual interview when they had done so. That was the first time they had seen any documents which supported our claim to meet the financial requirements for the visa. The time between handing over the documents and being called for the interview was 5 minutes. Those documents only got the briefest of examinations just about long enough to make sure we had filled in all the boxes. We used the assets from our house and all they could have done was look to see if the paperwork matched the numbers required. We did direct consular filing and so no documents in support of my financial sponsorship
claimed on the visa application were seen by the Embassy before the day of the interview.

So based on that I think they will. When you go to hand over your documents they will ask for them in the order they are on the check list. Hand over the ones for the joint sponsor when that part is reached and explain you have included them in case they are needed. On my experience if the figures show your support reaches the required amount that is all they want.

It just may well be the interview is a bit longer and more detailed about your sponsors, and obviously you will not know until you get there, but I think the odds are in your favour of it being OK on the day.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-01-09 14:51:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresInterview: Jan 18th. 2008
You have well cover it, but in reality the answer to your question is contain in the check list of documents the Embassy sent you as being what they required.

That isn't a flippant answer it is what must be taken to the interview. No doubt on the day most of what you have listed above if it isn't on the checklist will not see the light of day. We all take extra documents and proof just in case and it is very rarely needed.

Your previous posts suggest the joint sponsor to be a good idea.
LansburyMaleEngland2007-12-30 20:21:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresCrb Check Uk
If you got a caution you didn't go to court. That is partly what it was intended for to take cases out of the courts, the caution as such would have been "given" by a police officer.

If it was for a recordable offence, ie one for which a conviction would be recorded on the PNC, the caution should be recorded there as well. Quite often that doesn't get done.

Get a police certificate and see if the caution is listed there, if it isn't the only other place there might be a record is at the police station that administered the caution. If it was a reprimand, that is a juvenile matter, and should disappear from the records when the person reaches 17.

Take a look here for more information

http://www.homeoffic...ers/cautioning/
LansburyMaleEngland2008-01-10 18:07:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresMistake on visa?
When you get your visa you have 6 months from the date of issue to enter the US

When you enter the US the visa in your passport is stamped and becomes an I-551 valid for 12 months from that date.

If your first green card is a conditional one it is valid for 2 years, and you apply to remove the conditions just before it expires.

An unconditional green card is valid for 10 years, and then has to be renewed but that is just a formality.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-01-12 11:34:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresMistake on visa?
QUOTE (edchels @ Jan 9 2008, 10:26 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Definitely not a year! In London, its only valid for 4 months (i have heard, i'll find out next friday),


London is the same as everywhere else the visa is valid for 6 months
LansburyMaleEngland2008-01-09 14:34:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresWho to call?
As said the I-551 stamp is your GC for 12 months. When I arrived last November I was told at POE if I hadn't got my GC within 9 months then to follow it up.

The whole system is clogged right up with the application flood they suffered just before the fees went up.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-01-01 16:45:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresI-130 Filed
Hopefully all will go quickly


timeline.gif

that helps others to gauge how long these applications are taking.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-01-10 14:34:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Proceduresi-864
If they have an income which meets the requirements I don't see why being retired would make a difference.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-01-19 12:47:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresFiled I-130 for CR-1. Worried about Marriage document.
I notice you are from Pakistan and said you had a religious ceremony I take it it wasn't in a Church of England. In which case if you didn't comply with other requirements you need to know if the person who conducted the marriage is licenced to conduct legal marriages in England.

In short legal marriages I believe can only be conducted in a Anglican church or by a registrar. The following is an extract from http://www.gro.gov.u...marry/index.asp for people not marrying in an Anglican church or registry office.

"It will also be necessary for both of you to give formal notice of your marriage to the superintendent registrar of the district(s) where you live. A registrar may also need to be booked from the register office in the district where the marriage is to take place in order to register the marriage.

If you have done that then your marriage is legal in England and will be accepted as such by the US.

I used to deal with child abductions and we tripped over the legal marriage problem a lot.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-01-24 18:42:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Proceduresreceived at last !!!
Congrats - but 4 months isn't bad for an I-130 to be approved in the US. DCF via the London Embassy is one of the quickest ways and that takes upwards of 3 months.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-01-26 15:50:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresOk we are getting somewhere! a few questions
In order to be officially cautioned for an offence you first had to have been arrested for it. Could you explain the circumstances I wonder if you mean you just got spoken too without anything officially being done. If you were officially cautioned that counts as a conviction and the USCIS does not recognize the UK concept of spent convictions. A caution for a minor theft probably will not make a difference but there is no guarantee

As to the medical. Your choice but the golden rule is never ever lie about anything to do with immigration. If it gets found out later it is grounds for the visa to be cancelled. Best course of action is get a letter from your GP detailing what you had, how it was treated, the treatment was successful and there has been no relapse for x years and no anticipated likelihood of a relapse. That has been sufficient when others have been in a similar situation in the past.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-01-26 18:13:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresOriginal Marriage Certificate Insufficient but Already filed I-130 - Remarrying soon. What to do next?
QUOTE (Zayd @ Feb 2 2008, 12:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Hi Lansbury,

You have an excellent memory. Thanks for your help. Unfortunately, neither of us are still in the UK. One of her siblings is still in the UK and is working with the Office of Registrars to complete it. We are not sure if we will be successful though so we are trying to cover all of our possibilities to prevent any unnecessary delays. Do you know if we will need to give her sibling power of attorney or anything else we need to do to make sure this is completed properly in the UK?

Thanks for your advice on the case. I will follow your advice. You are very helpful.


Thought perhaps you might no longer be in the UK.

I don't know about the power of attorney or if it would be necessary, hopefully the Office of Registrars will advice on what is required.

My bet is the USCIS have no more idea of what is a legal UK marriage certificate then they do a US one. Certainly our one wasn't a legal document, but we were legally married, and not only was it accepted for my visa my wife used it as proof for the name change in her US passport.

However having said that you should take the steps to make sure your marriage is legal by law, and not just in your faith, otherwise at sometime in the future it could cause serious problems.

Edited by Lansbury, 02 February 2008 - 05:18 PM.

LansburyMaleEngland2008-02-02 17:17:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresOriginal Marriage Certificate Insufficient but Already filed I-130 - Remarrying soon. What to do next?
If I recall correctly from the question you posted originally, your marriage is in accordance with your faith, so in the eyes of your faith you are legally married. What you didn't do was have a registrar present or register you marriage to meet the requirements of English law. At the time you were visitors to the UK.

If you are still in the UK why not go to your local registry office explain the situation and ask them what is necessary to make your marriage legal in the UK. My guess is a simple civic ceremony will do it. That way you have complied with your faith and UK law.

When we filed our I-130 we included what we thought was our marriage certificate but which wasn't the legal document. Nobody noticed and it was accepted as proof we were married. My guess, as good as any ones, is let the application carry on and if the certificate you sent is questioned produce the new legal one to support it.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-02-01 15:49:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresUK Police record request from abroad
Yes they will send it overseas. While you have to apply to West Yorkshire it will come from the National Identification Service at Scotland Yard and I know they send them overseas.

Do you have friends or family in the UK who you can send the completed form to and have them put a cheque in with it. If not can you get a bank draft or similar from a local bank in UK pounds. If not can you get the cash in UK pounds and send it by UPS or Fed-Ex, safer for cash than ordinary post.

If you are really stuck and don't want to use cash, I can e-mail my son a West Yorkshire police officer and have him found out, if he can, if there are any other ways you can pay.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-02-14 18:05:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresVermont timelines
I think they mean they are processing I-130 received on or before that date.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-02-20 19:53:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresAfter NOA2? Some confusion.
Why are you using a lawyer. Visa applications through London are very simple and easy to do, unless you have something that will cause big complications
LansburyMaleEngland2008-02-21 19:05:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresCase No finally raised!
The received date is probably the date they opened the envelope the way things are going.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-02-26 20:53:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresDoes anyone know of a good US immigration lawyer in London??
QUOTE (Samanthajayne @ Feb 27 2008, 11:37 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Lansbury @ Feb 27 2008, 01:56 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Samanthajayne @ Feb 26 2008, 04:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
3) I commited a crime of moral turpitude 4 years ago. I was 17, at the time, and I was not arrested. However It was on my record.


In that case was it dealt with by you being summons to appear before a court. If that was the case and you say it is on your record it is no different than being arrested and taken to court.



No, I was never summoned, nor did I go to court. The police officer said I was de arresred, and it doesnt count as an arrest?


Ok if you were de-arrested, then there is no record of that on a criminal record file. A de-arrested is normally done in the street.

If you were never arrested and never went to Court there should be nothing on your record (criminal record file) for that offence.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-02-27 18:05:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresDoes anyone know of a good US immigration lawyer in London??
QUOTE (Samanthajayne @ Feb 26 2008, 04:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
3) I commited a crime of moral turpitude 4 years ago. I was 17, at the time, and I was not arrested. However It was on my record.


In that case was it dealt with by you being summons to appear before a court. If that was the case and you say it is on your record it is no different than being arrested and taken to court.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-02-26 20:56:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresDont know if fellow brits know this
QUOTE (Kezzie @ Mar 2 2008, 08:31 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Sal and Jay @ Mar 2 2008, 10:19 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I found out that you can be paid your state pension even if you emigrate, you can get a pension forcast here http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/pdfs/ca3638.pdf, thought this might be of interest.


Yep and if you have not paid enough NI contributions to get a full UK pension you can ask them to take into account your SSA credits you have earned in the US....

Kez


Better still if you haven't paid enough SSA credits you can use your UK contributions to top it up. You have to have a minimum of 10 SSA credits to do so. The US pays more than the UK when I looked into it.

Also the UK pension is indexed linked if you live in the US so you get the same increases as those living in the UK.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-03-02 14:19:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresIs it true?
They are going to treat everyone the same way regardless of when they filed
LansburyMaleEngland2008-03-12 15:16:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresFiling I-130 while living abroad on student visa
QUOTE (bavlin @ Mar 12 2008, 03:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Shouldn't my address of domicile match the current address on my G325A? I don't want the process to get stopped or denied because I misrepresented my current address. Does anyone have any experience with this?

The afidavit seems straight forward. I think I can figure that one out - maybe relocate ahead of my wife and start work in US.

Thanks for your help.


For the paperwork with the I-130 we showed my wife's address as our address in London.

When we came to apply for my visa we showed her US domicile address as her sons address, she had her Oregon driving licence with that address on as proof of domicile there. The sponsor has to have a domicile in the US, fortunately the London Embassy appears to take a very opened minded view of what domicile means. The sponsor can also have a "temporary" mailing address in the UK.

Have you seen this page http://london.usemba...4_domicile.html

The paragraph defining temporary residence is the one they seem to have a very open and helpful mind about. That opinion is based on mine and others who have posted on VJ personal experiences.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-03-12 17:24:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresFiling I-130 while living abroad on student visa
Certainly under the current rules your are not eligible to go the DCF in London.

As to filing in the US, you would have to use an address where someone can monitor your mail, I would have thought, and use the appropriate center for that address.

As to the Affidavit of Support, that has to be based on US income or income that you will continue to receive once you are back in the US, or assets you can transfer to the US when you move back. If you cannot provide either you would need a joint sponsor in the US. That is not unusual as a lot of us lived in the UK for some years before we came to the US. In our case we used assets so my wife the USC, who had lived in the UK for 10 years, could sponsor me, lots of others have had to use joint sponsors.

Edited by Lansbury, 12 March 2008 - 04:34 PM.

LansburyMaleEngland2008-03-12 16:33:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & Proceduresboth petitions approved
Congratulations
LansburyMaleEngland2008-03-12 13:25:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresChild passport renewal
Which passport office where you going to. Look up on their web site and see what the rules are for that office.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-03-13 13:36:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresPost CR-1 Interview, F,B,I visits my Wife?
I can see from looking at your profile what has sparked the FBI enquiry in a more detailed form then is perhaps normal. It should resolve itself if everything is normal, but unfortunately will take time.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-03-27 12:42:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresMedical appointment,when do I make it?
You make the medical appointment yourself. Instructions normally come with packet 3 if you did DCF, if not when they send the interview date packet. You will need the LND case number.

Take a look here for instructions http://www.visamedicals.info/us.asp

Having had the medical does not effect when the interview will be.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-03-31 16:12:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresAccidental Opening of Yellow packet.
As has been said it needs to be resealed by the Embassy. You should not attempt to enter the US with the envelope open you are very likely to be refused entry if you tried to do so.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-04-08 13:16:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresAre they doing it to make money
QUOTE (travelphil @ Apr 12 2008, 02:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Lansbury,
hopefully, i will get mine approved in few weeks. but it was a very painful process. I read some people even could not finish it. If enough of us chalange them, may be they will listen.
Why don't you call uscis once and tell them that you are concern about the pain they are causing in people's life. On the mean time, let me try if I can bring eough people/ideas to see if we can make an impact.
The difficult thing might not be to make ins listen to us but to make you shut up.


I have called the USCIS when I was doing my visa. However I chose to speak to them politely and voice my concerns backed by reasoned argument. Being rude, making stupid remarks about corruption actually places you below the level of the system.

I'll stick to my way, which resulted in the hold up on my I-130 being cleared the next day, what did you achieve?
LansburyMaleEngland2008-04-12 17:45:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresAre they doing it to make money
QUOTE (travelphil @ Apr 12 2008, 12:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Dude, I dont want to be critical to them either. But I just dont want to sit here and do nothing. I am just thinking what else i can try ... there gotta be something ... for myself and everyone else ... who is suffering because of them....


Can we take it in your work you deliberately hold things up to make more money and you are judging USCIS by your own standards.

If not why do you think other people would behave that way.

I expect the people doing the job are as sick of it as everyone else, being rude and abusive will get you nowhere.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-04-12 15:02:00
IR-1 / CR-1 Spouse Visa Process & ProceduresPOE. With my wife?
QUOTE (lheeanne @ Apr 13 2008, 07:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Yes you can be with her all the time. But not on the finger printing room. Goodluck!


It depends on the POE my wife was present during the whole of my process including fingerprinting.
LansburyMaleEngland2008-04-14 01:38:00