perkuszewski
Registered Users (C)
Thank You for posting all the informations. They are very helpful in may cases, although I couldn't find similar case to mine. Perhaps I didn't research good enough.
So let me start with it. I came to chicago in 2000 on a tourist visa for 6 months. I got extension for another 6 months. After one year of course I didn't leave, so I became "overstayed". That was in 2001. Also during that period of time i was working.
In 2002 i met my wife (US citizen), and in 2003 may we got married, so everything seemed to be just fine. I was told that Our case will be easy and quick. So we went on Our honey moon - driving trough USA. I mean Chicago - California - New Mexico - New York. In New York we drove to Niagara Falls, which was a big mistake.
I hope that somehow You can imagine (for those who didn't go to Niagara Falls) that there is a bridge that takes You straight to Canada. My mistake was to drive trough the bridge. When we entered the bridge, we just paid a fee like on a toll-way. No one asked us for any form of ID or told Us that now you are leaving USA. I just didn't expect to be that way. At least , I though , there should some kind of sign over there. Anyway , my fault, we left USA, got to Canada, where they told us to go back , because i didn't have permission to enter Canada (my wife could easily enter as a US citizen. So on our way back we got stopped. I was interrogated by immigration officers and held in custody for about 4 hours. It wasn't the most pleasant experience, we were told that I'll be deported, that our marriage means nothing, and more similar things.
After-all i was released , with a court hearing for my deportation. We got ourselves a lawyer, and started filling for I-130. our case was moved to Chicago and first hearing we had in august 2003. Luckily, our judge seemed to be understanding , so we were granted with more time. Next hearing in court was scheduled in may 2004.
We hoped by that time our I-130 will be approved. This time we didn't have too much of luck, and we had to ask judge for a postpone. Once again we were granted with more time - now next hearing will be hold in february 2005. So now , we though , by next court we should have our I-130 approved.
In the meantime I was able (with of course help of our lawyer) to get work authorization for a year. That was so great, finally I could find better job and what more important i didn't have to be afraid for a little while (won't be fired because don't have legal papers).
Our I-130 in october 2004 was moved from Nebraska to Chicago to supposedly speed up our case. It looks good on paper only, in real life it doesn't work like that. Our lawyer for requesting to speed up the process, because our hearing date was getting closer.
Just to clarify we have to have an interview for approval of I-130, because of my deportation case. Also I can't apply for I-485 till deportation case will be removed. One more time judge gave us more time - this time only till may 2005. We tried to make an interview trough InfoPass, hoping , that at least we'll bring some attention to our situation. In mean time lawyer sent about 5-7 requests for interview because of upcoming court hearing. The only respond we received was that after april they will start processing our case.
But after april are other months - it could be as well as december. So this time stretching already our judge relation we asked for one more delay, because we had nothing new to show to the judge. Luckily we were granted one more extension with hearing date in february 2006. A week later we received a letter from immigration inviting us for an interview (approval of I-130).
Today on june 8 2005 when I'm writing this short story, we are after the interview. We were approved!!!!! Finally something started moving in our case. Also most likely will try to move our hearing date - so we can get rid of that deportation hanging right over me. Finally we feel more secure, and have much more hope, that everything now is just matter of time and will be just fine. I'm telling You, it's not easy living when You can be deported any time, separated from Your loved ones. We had it for about 2 years now and it's getting better.
I'm about to renew my work authorization tomorrow , so it'll allow me to keep my job. By the way it's very strange , the only reason for me now to have my work permit is because my deportation status.
Now at this point we don't know if we can start applying for I-485 or we have to go to the hearing first. Also I don't know if we have to apply for I-485 in the front of judge (because of deportation).
My lawyer, who is really helpful to us, is unsure what to do. I know that he'll find out the right way for us. Maybe there is someone with similar case, or someone who would like to share knowledge in this matter. I'll be more than happy also assist anyone in similar case if You have any concerns.
Thank You once again for reading the story.
p.s. I'll keep You updated on our case.
So let me start with it. I came to chicago in 2000 on a tourist visa for 6 months. I got extension for another 6 months. After one year of course I didn't leave, so I became "overstayed". That was in 2001. Also during that period of time i was working.
In 2002 i met my wife (US citizen), and in 2003 may we got married, so everything seemed to be just fine. I was told that Our case will be easy and quick. So we went on Our honey moon - driving trough USA. I mean Chicago - California - New Mexico - New York. In New York we drove to Niagara Falls, which was a big mistake.
I hope that somehow You can imagine (for those who didn't go to Niagara Falls) that there is a bridge that takes You straight to Canada. My mistake was to drive trough the bridge. When we entered the bridge, we just paid a fee like on a toll-way. No one asked us for any form of ID or told Us that now you are leaving USA. I just didn't expect to be that way. At least , I though , there should some kind of sign over there. Anyway , my fault, we left USA, got to Canada, where they told us to go back , because i didn't have permission to enter Canada (my wife could easily enter as a US citizen. So on our way back we got stopped. I was interrogated by immigration officers and held in custody for about 4 hours. It wasn't the most pleasant experience, we were told that I'll be deported, that our marriage means nothing, and more similar things.
After-all i was released , with a court hearing for my deportation. We got ourselves a lawyer, and started filling for I-130. our case was moved to Chicago and first hearing we had in august 2003. Luckily, our judge seemed to be understanding , so we were granted with more time. Next hearing in court was scheduled in may 2004.
We hoped by that time our I-130 will be approved. This time we didn't have too much of luck, and we had to ask judge for a postpone. Once again we were granted with more time - now next hearing will be hold in february 2005. So now , we though , by next court we should have our I-130 approved.
In the meantime I was able (with of course help of our lawyer) to get work authorization for a year. That was so great, finally I could find better job and what more important i didn't have to be afraid for a little while (won't be fired because don't have legal papers).
Our I-130 in october 2004 was moved from Nebraska to Chicago to supposedly speed up our case. It looks good on paper only, in real life it doesn't work like that. Our lawyer for requesting to speed up the process, because our hearing date was getting closer.
Just to clarify we have to have an interview for approval of I-130, because of my deportation case. Also I can't apply for I-485 till deportation case will be removed. One more time judge gave us more time - this time only till may 2005. We tried to make an interview trough InfoPass, hoping , that at least we'll bring some attention to our situation. In mean time lawyer sent about 5-7 requests for interview because of upcoming court hearing. The only respond we received was that after april they will start processing our case.
But after april are other months - it could be as well as december. So this time stretching already our judge relation we asked for one more delay, because we had nothing new to show to the judge. Luckily we were granted one more extension with hearing date in february 2006. A week later we received a letter from immigration inviting us for an interview (approval of I-130).
Today on june 8 2005 when I'm writing this short story, we are after the interview. We were approved!!!!! Finally something started moving in our case. Also most likely will try to move our hearing date - so we can get rid of that deportation hanging right over me. Finally we feel more secure, and have much more hope, that everything now is just matter of time and will be just fine. I'm telling You, it's not easy living when You can be deported any time, separated from Your loved ones. We had it for about 2 years now and it's getting better.
I'm about to renew my work authorization tomorrow , so it'll allow me to keep my job. By the way it's very strange , the only reason for me now to have my work permit is because my deportation status.
Now at this point we don't know if we can start applying for I-485 or we have to go to the hearing first. Also I don't know if we have to apply for I-485 in the front of judge (because of deportation).
My lawyer, who is really helpful to us, is unsure what to do. I know that he'll find out the right way for us. Maybe there is someone with similar case, or someone who would like to share knowledge in this matter. I'll be more than happy also assist anyone in similar case if You have any concerns.
Thank You once again for reading the story.
p.s. I'll keep You updated on our case.
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