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Feb Visa Bulletin

Feb visa bulletin shows no mercy. The dates for EB3 didn't move at all except India.
The schedule A workers category is gone and don't know if its counted against regular EB3 or they dont have any quota at all.
Also the DOS predicted that there is heavy demand from Mexico and phillipine family based category and it is necessary to put the cut off dates in March. So we will see another retrogression in March VB for EB3 Mexico and Phillipines for family based category. I don't have a clue at this stage about EB categories.
I don't see any good hope until SKIL bill or CIR is passed.

Good Luck.
 
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To Simala2006 and Judex,

I am also a FTJ beneficiary, I've been reading the thread for a while and posted a few comments on here.

For Schedule-A and its FTJ beneficiary, we will have an EX-PHIL category and the embassy manila said that the processing is within the 120 days period after the documents are "documentarily qualified" (the docs are now in NVC), meaning in 4 months we should be in the US "daw". But I've experienced a different scenario and I guess this is because of the retrogression....

Priority Date: Apr 2003
I-824 approved: June 2006
Packet 3 rcvd: July 2, 2006
Documentarily qualified: July 14, 2006
Packet 4: ???????? NOTHING

It has been more than 5 months and still no appointment date, I don't know why. It was really hard...

Actually I've received 2 packet3s from them with the interval of 2 weeks.

I've sent them a letter thru LBC, emailed them but no response yet. Just now I emailed the NVC as it was stated in the embassy's website that if 5 months have passed and still no appointment date, the applicant or the petitioner should contact the National Visa Center in New Hampshire as they are the one determining the appointment. I hope that they will give a positive action on my email.

Judex, were you able to watch Amerika Atbp?

Please pray for us, it was hard explaining to my child why we can't join her father in America yet.
 
chay

your PD is 5 months earlier than mine, Sept 2003, therefore i should prioritize first my Case No.. then wait for my PD.

i haven't watched Amerika Atbp coz of Regional(5) Programing, It's different from Manila TV programing. There's no Amerika Atbp on its time slots, its a different show.

thanks Chay for your infos, it greatly helped me and the other pinoys here...

Judex



chay said:
To Simala2006 and Judex,

I am also a FTJ beneficiary, I've been reading the thread for a while and posted a few comments on here.

For Schedule-A and its FTJ beneficiary, we will have an EX-PHIL category and the embassy manila said that the processing is within the 120 days period after the documents are "documentarily qualified" (the docs are now in NVC), meaning in 4 months we should be in the US "daw". But I've experienced a different scenario and I guess this is because of the retrogression....

Priority Date: Apr 2003
I-824 approved: June 2006
Packet 3 rcvd: July 2, 2006
Documentarily qualified: July 14, 2006
Packet 4: ???????? NOTHING

It has been more than 5 months and still no appointment date, I don't know why. It was really hard...

Actually I've received 2 packet3s from them with the interval of 2 weeks.

I've sent them a letter thru LBC, emailed them but no response yet. Just now I emailed the NVC as it was stated in the embassy's website that if 5 months have passed and still no appointment date, the applicant or the petitioner should contact the National Visa Center in New Hampshire as they are the one determining the appointment. I hope that they will give a positive action on my email.

Judex, were you able to watch Amerika Atbp?

Please pray for us, it was hard explaining to my child why we can't join her father in America yet.
Click to expand...
 
Hi everyone out there!

Thanks Chay for being with us in this thread, for me its good to post for this way somehow will give us all something to verbalize our feelings and fears.. much more we will help others who are in the same situation one way or another..

Kababayan Judex, both you and Chay may be near the fulfillment of this wait for both your PD are current, while for me, its so far-out, really, reading the post of Chay gives me the inspiration to change the way I pray,, it will be more on the passing of this SKIL bill and CIR laws, just as what Kamrans is posting about,, we have to join our prayers for this for it will not only help us and our family, it will benefit everybody out there!

As for me, I am starting to feel again the pain of separation, I will leave for the States by Jan22 and I know it will start the usual feelings of solitude and anxiety.. what I do now, I am spending my quality time with my family and praying a lot more for strength...

Chay, I can feel your difficulty, even now, I have mixed feelings really! Before anything else, let us continue to Praise God for the gift of family and the opportunity of having a chance of going to that promised place, I still believe in miracles! I know, if God has made this open to us, HE will make a way and see us all through! Amen!

Hi Kamrans, I haven`t seen the Feb 2007 visa bulletin yet, where is your source? Pls post, thanks so much again!

God bless us all!
Simala2006
 
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Got the February Visa bulletin!

Thanks Kamrans, viewed the February visa bulletin issue, and its truly close for us yet...

Still praying for the best to come! Up to now, we haven`t received our packet 3 yet and no reply from embassy... it seems all of this is at a standstill, there might be some good things coming up... lets think positive! :)

Peace!

Simala2006
 
I feel the pain of all the FTJ beneficiaries specially when they have kids. Laws here in USA dont have any feeling for anyone. These laws needs a complete overhaul.
Anyway just wanted to tell you that FTJ has nothing to do with the NVC. After the I-824 approval the USCIS sends the cable to the local consulate mentioned in the I-824. I am not sure about your case. If its in NVC then its something new for me. Make sure who is dealing with your case. If the case is created in the embassy and you got your packet 3.5 then there is nothing to do with the USCIS or NVC. They are done with your case. Yes you may be stuck in the retrogression based on your PD.
I am getting conflicting information from the lawyer websites and lawyers about schedule A workers. Since I am not a schedule A applicant so someone from Schedule A needs to call DOS and ask about their visa availability to get the official answer. Either this quota is finished or all are going to be counted as a regular EB3 which is stuck at August 2002 right now. It is important to get the answer otherwise we keep on speculating.
Based on the answer from the DOS anyone can estimate the timeline of his/her case.

Good Luck.



chay said:
To Simala2006 and Judex,

I am also a FTJ beneficiary, I've been reading the thread for a while and posted a few comments on here.

For Schedule-A and its FTJ beneficiary, we will have an EX-PHIL category and the embassy manila said that the processing is within the 120 days period after the documents are "documentarily qualified" (the docs are now in NVC), meaning in 4 months we should be in the US "daw". But I've experienced a different scenario and I guess this is because of the retrogression....

Priority Date: Apr 2003
I-824 approved: June 2006
Packet 3 rcvd: July 2, 2006
Documentarily qualified: July 14, 2006
Packet 4: ???????? NOTHING

It has been more than 5 months and still no appointment date, I don't know why. It was really hard...

Actually I've received 2 packet3s from them with the interval of 2 weeks.

I've sent them a letter thru LBC, emailed them but no response yet. Just now I emailed the NVC as it was stated in the embassy's website that if 5 months have passed and still no appointment date, the applicant or the petitioner should contact the National Visa Center in New Hampshire as they are the one determining the appointment. I hope that they will give a positive action on my email.

Judex, were you able to watch Amerika Atbp?

Please pray for us, it was hard explaining to my child why we can't join her father in America yet.
Click to expand...
 
I will do it Kamrans as soon as I will arrive in US come Jan 22!

kamrans said:
I feel the pain of all the FTJ beneficiaries specially when they have kids. Laws here in USA dont have any feeling for anyone. These laws needs a complete overhaul.
Anyway just wanted to tell you that FTJ has nothing to do with the NVC. After the I-824 approval the USCIS sends the cable to the local consulate mentioned in the I-824. I am not sure about your case. If its in NVC then its something new for me. Make sure who is dealing with your case. If the case is created in the embassy and you got your packet 3.5 then there is nothing to do with the USCIS or NVC. They are done with your case. Yes you may be stuck in the retrogression based on your PD.
I am getting conflicting information from the lawyer websites and lawyers about schedule A workers. Since I am not a schedule A applicant so someone from Schedule A needs to call DOS and ask about their visa availability to get the official answer. Either this quota is finished or all are going to be counted as a regular EB3 which is stuck at August 2002 right now. It is important to get the answer otherwise we keep on speculating.
Based on the answer from the DOS anyone can estimate the timeline of his/her case.

Good Luck.
Click to expand...
 
Kamrans: Feb 07 Visa Bulletin Question

On the Feb 07 Visa Bulletin, It is stated:

4. INA Section 203(e) provides that family-sponsored and employment-based preference visas be issued to eligible immigrants in the order in which a petition in behalf of each has been filed. Section 203(d) provides that spouses and children of preference immigrants are entitled to the same status, and the same order of consideration, if accompanying or following to join the principal. The visa prorating provisions of Section 202(e)
apply to allocations for a foreign state or dependent area when visa demand exceeds the per-country limit. These provisions apply at present to the following oversubscribed chargeability areas: CHINA-mainland born, INDIA, MEXICO, and PHILIPPINES.

What does this mean?

Thanks...
 
Procedure to apply for FTJ

Hi, Can someone post here the procedure to apply for FTJ adjustment for status or spouse?

What is the time taken by the procedure if beneficiary belongs to a non retrogressed country?
 
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INA is immigration and naturalization act. Check out the following link where you get all the information about all the sections.
http://www.immigration-usa.com/ina_96_title_2.html

These sections tell us that if the country's visa demand exceeds the limit then they prorate the visa numbers over the fiscal year by using the cut off dates. Right now this is applied on your country too. It also says that the beneficiaries will have the same status as principal applicant.



judex said:
On the Feb 07 Visa Bulletin, It is stated:

4. INA Section 203(e) provides that family-sponsored and employment-based preference visas be issued to eligible immigrants in the order in which a petition in behalf of each has been filed. Section 203(d) provides that spouses and children of preference immigrants are entitled to the same status, and the same order of consideration, if accompanying or following to join the principal. The visa prorating provisions of Section 202(e)
apply to allocations for a foreign state or dependent area when visa demand exceeds the per-country limit. These provisions apply at present to the following oversubscribed chargeability areas: CHINA-mainland born, INDIA, MEXICO, and PHILIPPINES.

What does this mean?

Thanks...
Click to expand...
 
I answered you in private message. Please post everything here so that others can take benefit from your case.
Also whats your PD and EB category. For your information Pakistan is under retrogression in EB3 category. If you are EB2 or EB1 then you are good to go. Let me know if I would be of further help.

Good Luck.


prq20 said:
Hi, Can someone post here the procedure to apply for FTJ adjustment for status or spouse?

What is the time taken by the procedure if beneficiary belongs to a non retrogressed country?
Click to expand...
 
FTJ Process details

Thanks Kamrans for the information. As I am an EB2 applicant and my case has been filed around 5 months ago, I am expecting my GC soon if everything goes well.

Also I am planning to get married before my GC approval. My case is in NSC so it may take another 2-3 months.

Its good to know that FTJ is a different process than FB2 and one can file for spouse even after getting the GC when married even a single day before getting the GC approved.

FTJ process itself takes 8-9 months in case there is no retrogression.

Please correct me if ay of above statements is not true.

I would appreciate if someone can elaborate the whole process, including forms required, steps and documentation / process requirements.

Thanks.
 
Thanks Judex and Kamrans, Following is the detail. Please correct me if something is wrong or missing.

Following-to-Join Benefits for Spouses
Please note: This section is only applicable to lawful permanent residents who did not gain their LPR status as an immediate relative (parent, spouse, or unmarried child under 21 years of age) of a U.S. citizen.
If you were married before you became a lawful permanent resident, and your spouse did not physically accompany you to the U.S., your spouse may be eligible for following-to-join benefits. This means that you do not have to submit a separate Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, for your spouse, and your spouse will not have to wait any extra time for a visa number to become available. In this case, you may simply notify a U.S. Consulate that you are a lawful permanent resident so that your spouse can apply for an immigrant visa. Your spouse may be eligible for following-to-join benefits if your relationship still exists and if one of the following is applicable:

You received a diversity immigrant visa
You received an employment-based immigrant visa
You received an immigrant visa based on your relationship to your U.S. citizen sibling
You received an immigrant visa based on your relationship to your U.S. citizen parent when you were already married

(For information on following-to-join benefits for children of lawful permanent residents, please see Petitioning Procedures: Bringing a Child to Live in the United States.)

If you fall into one of these categories, please submit the following information to the U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services:

Form I-824, Application for Action on an Approved Application or Petition
A copy of the original application or petition that was used to apply for your immigrant status
A copy of the I-797, Notice of Action, for your original application or petition
A copy of your alien registration receipt card or I-551



If the I-824 is approved, the USCIS will notify a U.S. consulate that you are a lawful permanent resident so that your spouse can apply for a following-to-join immigrant visa. Your spouse must then contact the local U.S. consulate to complete the processing.

You should file the I-824 at the USCIS office that took the most recent action on your case.

Thanks
 
Steps involved

I have posted many times the steps involved in the whole FTJ process. Here is a brief summary of the steps involved:

1) As soon as your I-824 approved you should send the copy of some docs to the local US embassy with a letter to create the FTJ case for your spouse. These docs include I-824 receipt notice, copy of approved notice, copy of approved I-140, Green card copy ,Copy of green card stamp (I-551) on your passport, Copy of marriage certificate and birth certificate of FTJ applicant. Dont wait for them to send you packet 3.5. They will never send you anything until you contact them.
2) They will send packet 3.5. This packet will have all the documentation as what needed to be done and how. As soon as you fulfill all the requirements and send the packet back to them they will send you interview letter which is packet 4. Usually with ISlamabad it happens within 3 weeks.

They will assign you the interview date that will be 4 months from the date they receive the documents. Thats why I told you it will take around 8-9 months for the overall process to get done after your I-824 approval.
Let me know if you dont understand anything or if any further explanation is needed.

Good Luck.


prq20 said:
Thanks Kamrans for the information. As I am an EB2 applicant and my case has been filed around 5 months ago, I am expecting my GC soon if everything goes well.

Also I am planning to get married before my GC approval. My case is in NSC so it may take another 2-3 months.

Its good to know that FTJ is a different process than FB2 and one can file for spouse even after getting the GC when married even a single day before getting the GC approved.

FTJ process itself takes 8-9 months in case there is no retrogression.

Please correct me if ay of above statements is not true.

I would appreciate if someone can elaborate the whole process, including forms required, steps and documentation / process requirements.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
 
i-864 for employment based spouse's interview?

Hi Kamrans et al..
my question is regarding my spouse's IV interview in Chennai.
Do i have to absolutely submit an i-864 (affidavit of support, notarized in USA only) at the time cp interview? which is it? i-864 or i-134??

I do have an updated job offer letter available, but i'm not in the USA right now to arrange for an i-864 (USA notarized) document for my spouse's interview.

Pls. advice.

my PD is april 30 2001 for EB3 india.
gc approved in june 30 2005.
spouse's i-824 approved in august 2006.
IV interview scheduled in Chennai in Jan 2007.
 
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Hi Kamrans,

I have been waiting for visa number for my wife whose FTJ has been approved early 2006. From the visa bulletin, looks like there is no movement atleast for 2007. I am thinking of temporarily moving to India by means of returning resident permit. But when my wife gets a visa number, is it necessary for me to have a job?

a_ven
 
It appears that your wife is a FTJ beneficiary. In that case its always I-134 however some consulates mix it with I-864 which is needed in sponsoring family based categories.
If they haven't specified that they need I-864 then you should carry I-134 with you. Ask one of your friends to get is notorize and send it over to you along with the bank letters etc. Check out all the requirements of I-134.

Good Luck and please post all the information after the interview here that what happened there and what questions are asked so that others can get take the benefit of it.


krocker said:
Hi Kamrans et al..
my question is regarding my spouse's IV interview in Chennai.
Do i have to absolutely submit an i-864 (affidavit of support, notarized in USA only) at the time cp interview? which is it? i-864 or i-134??

I do have an updated job offer letter available, but i'm not in the USA right now to arrange for an i-864 (USA notarized) document for my spouse's interview.

Pls. advice.

my PD is april 30 2001 for EB3 india.
gc approved in june 30 2005.
spouse's i-824 approved in august 2006.
IV interview scheduled in Chennai in Jan 2007.
Click to expand...
 
Yes absolutely as you are going to say that you will provide room and board for your wife for her entire stay in US. US government dont want anyone to come here and become burden on US economy. So it will become a problem. I would suggest dont take any risk. Also your income should be greater than the poverty line to sponsor one person.

Good Luck.


a_ven said:
Hi Kamrans,

I have been waiting for visa number for my wife whose FTJ has been approved early 2006. From the visa bulletin, looks like there is no movement atleast for 2007. I am thinking of temporarily moving to India by means of returning resident permit. But when my wife gets a visa number, is it necessary for me to have a job?

a_ven
Click to expand...
 
I-824 Question

Hi Kamrans, Judex and all,

One can file I-824 for FTJ only after I-485 approval or it can be filed with I-485 filing of principal applicant, before GC Approval?

Can it be filed after I-140 approval?

I checked the current date and it shows around 6-7 months for 824 approval alone.
 
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