GC for Parents - AOS and CP - Information Source

Please post your AOS interview timeline even if you have attended the interview so that others waiting can get an idea of how long it would take for their turn



Give these timeline trackers a try.




Quick Look:

New to Immigration?
1. USCIS Website
2. USCIS Abbreviations and Lingo ==> here
3. NBC: National Benefits Center: FAQ
4. What is the LockBox ?
5. Department Of State Visa Bulletin


Getting Ready to File?
1. USCIS Official Forms and Fees ==> here
2. Editable USCIS PDF forms: ==> here (thanks Piyalove!) (use at your own risk)
3. Sample cover letters are attached with this post. Modify to suit your requirement. Always check USCIS website for correct fees.
4. FAQ: I-693 - Medical Examination. Look==>here
5. Ready for your medical? Find a Civil Surgeon ==> here
6. General information on immigration forms ==> here
7. General assembling instructions for your AOS package ==> here and here
8. Not sure if you should submit original or photocopy of a document? Look ==> here
9. Not sure where to send your completed application? Look ==> here
10. Which Service Center does what? Which USCIS office handles what applicaitons? ==> here


After You File:
1. Got your receipt numbers? Check your case status online ==> here
2. What do ASC Codes on your NOA mean?
3. What do USCIS case status messages mean?
4. EAD approval timeline: ==> here.
5. AP Usage Statistics ==> here
6. Planning a visit to your DO? Get INFOPASS appt ==>here
7. Got your EAD and dont have SSN? You can apply ==> here
8. Moved to a new address? Look here


Getting ready for your AOS interview?
1. MUST READ: Interview FAQ. Attached with this post. (Thanks Spaceman!)
2. AOS Interview Experiences: ==> here


Stuck in FBI namecheck/background check/security check?
1. FBI NameCheck Threads ==> 1, 2, 3


General Reading

1. For a list of codes related to "Class of Admission", look at attached document
2. I-485-Standard Operating Procedures(PDF) ==> here
3. Delays in issuing SSNs to aliens by the Social Security Administration ==> here
4. Last Name First, No Joking Matter! Read ==> here
5. Visa Reciprocity and Country Documents Finder ==> here
6. Are you out of status? ==> Look here
 
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Sample Birth and Marriage Affidavits

I have added Sample Birth and Marriage affidavits for anyone looking for content/format. Please see attachments for these word documents.
 
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More on CP

Good Job, needurhelp!
Yes.. we really need a thread of our own, when sponsoring parents as the processing times and the process itself seems to differ (no interview for Parents et all) between Spouse and Parents cases. I hope the Admin/ Moderator will make this a sticky.

I tried to summarize and add a few links on what forms to expect from NVC, if one has chosen the CP route for their parents. I haven't gone thro the CP process as a petitioner yet, but this is just based on my initial research. Folks who have already done CP for their Parents, please feel free to correct or add more info to this.

1) Choice of Address and Agent Form - DS3032
http://foia.state.gov/FORMS/visa/ds3032.pdf

2) IVDS230 (Immigrant Visa fee bill)

3 a) Affidavit of Support - I-864
http://uscis.gov/graphics/formsfee/forms/files/I-864.pdf

3 b) Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration - DS230
http://foia.state.gov/FORMS/visa/ds0230.pdf

In 3 b) only DS230 - Part I needs to be mailed out by the petitioner or the beneficiary (whoever is the Agent) to NVC. Part II of DS230, would have to be taken to the Consulate at the time of interview.

This thread seems to have some useful info on CP, but don't rely on the fees mentioned herein as this is from the past.

http://boards.immigration.com/showthread.php?t=94424

For an idea about CP timeline in India :
http://www.immigrationportal.com/showthread.php?t=201853

I've added some more to this in Post # 25 on this thread.
http://www.immigrationportal.com/showpost.php?p=1353574&postcount=25
 
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NVC Process

I did not find anything on how the process goes for applications that are filed in US but parents live abroad after the I-130 approval. Here is what I know.

1) File I-130 to the service center(California service center in my case)
I'm a US citizen and filed for both parents Aug 31 2005.
2) Wait for NOA - received sometime in sep 2005.
3) Wait for I-130 approval - still waiting - CA service center is processing applications filed on July 19,2005 so approx. 1.5 months to go.
4) After I-130 approval the application will be sent to NVC.
5) For paretns there is no wait time for a visa number.

Now what I need to find out is what happens in NVC?

-What is the process like?
-How many forms need to be filled out?
-What forms?
-Do I as the pettioner fill out the forms? or my parents as applicants?
-How long the process takes?
-If there is no embassy in my parents country who gets to choose which country do they go for interview?

Basically everything after I-130 approval is unknown for me at this point.
Please help and post your experience or knowledge.

Thanks
 
powerman said:
One of my friend father filed for his unmarried daughter, now file came (pd became current) and he started follow-up, now at the stage of submitting for sponsor (I-864), all of sudden (father) he expired, can the daughter use another person (relative) as sponsor? is there any chances left for her?

Thanks and appreciate your reply.

A substitute sponsor is needed in this case. Look here...
http://uscis.gov/graphics/howdoi/affsupp.htm#sub-spon

PLS dont multiple post. I already replied to your question on another thread.
 
Another Case from greencardmaze. I've already updated the timeline.
DO chicago

i130, i485, i765, i131 sent on december 4th
Rd dec6th
nd dec13th
travel document approved feb. 2nd
Fp code 1 and 3 feb. 16( 4 days after a visit to uscis office in chicago to ask why we havent received finger printing)
work authorization approved march 6th
work document received march 10th
uscis site updated on march 17 saying they received my file for processing and it takes between....etc. which was strange, since they received the file in december, not march.
march 18th, received a letter stating that on march 10th, the application was sent to california service center
 
Yamini Patel said:
Recieved MIL's ds-230 on March 17, 06. Sent completed ds-230 for FIL and MIL on March 20, 06.

Yamini,

Thanks for the update. I was under the impression from one your earlier posts that your MIL's I-130 was approved in end of January. But from your signature, it seems that it was approved on Jan 2nd which is a little over 3 months. That is not too bad. I do hope that VSC starts approving I-130 soon.

Based, on your MIL's timeline at NVC, I think we can have parents complete ds-230 forms with signature beforehand (on downloaded forms). Once we receive the barcodes and forms from NVC, we can attach barcodes on previously signed froms and send them back to NVC. Is that correct?

Or do parents have to sign on the physical forms received from NVC and then send it back to NVC with barcodes?

Please keep us posted with timeline at Mumbai consulate. Thanks.
 
CP forms

visaapplicant said:
Yamini,

Based, on your MIL's timeline at NVC, I think we can have parents complete ds-230 forms with signature beforehand (on downloaded forms). Once we receive the barcodes and forms from NVC, we can attach barcodes on previously signed froms and send them back to NVC. Is that correct?

Or do parents have to sign on the physical forms received from NVC and then send it back to NVC with barcodes?

That's what I thought previously and had also mentioned this early this year in one of my posts.. that we can cut down many weeks in processing time by asking parents to download and sign it and send it to us. But at that time, I did not realize that this is all tied to the "barcode" business. Only when I saw your post some time last month, did I realize that they probably track the Agent form, DS230 with the bar code. Does the bar code have any relevance/ significance - does any one know?

How do you plan to attach the barcode from the NVC form to the downloaded form? Do you think, it is peelable and stickable? If it is, then it should be a easy job. or should we physically cut and paste it :rolleyes:
Anything to cut down the time from our side, we should go for it!
 
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Finally I think my parents I-130 has been approved. I'm not sure yet but when I go online the last modified date is 3/21/06 but the comments are from before. So I don't know what has been modified but I'm pretty sure it has to be the approval. The goos think is both parents case got updated together.
hoooray...

Now when INS sends the files to NVC is there an online status page to track the progress in NVC? or is there published processing times like INS had for service centers?
 
aabraham said:
Finally I think my parents I-130 has been approved. I'm not sure yet but when I go online the last modified date is 3/21/06 but the comments are from before. So I don't know what has been modified but I'm pretty sure it has to be the approval. The goos think is both parents case got updated together.
hoooray...

Now when INS sends the files to NVC is there an online status page to track the progress in NVC? or is there published processing times like INS had for service centers?

Congratulations!
Hopefully it is the I-130 approval, after all the wait...
I don't think you can track the progress with NVC online. But if you look at the timeline of others doing CP, you should get an idea when to expect the I-864, Fee bill etc., which will be the next few steps, in your case.
 
I can't believe this!

I just spoke to my caseworker in the congressman's office...
I requested the status of my parent's cases 2.5 month ago. They sent me the response from the immigration office only about my dad's case being stuck in the name check process. There was nothing for my mom. In the beginning of February I asked the caseworker to resubmit the request about my mom's case status. That did not help, either...
I called the caseworker on March 10. He contacted the immigration office while I was on the phone, and told me that they would review her file and send a response in a week. A week passed...
I called the congressman office again today. They apparently sent me a letter asking to contact them about my mom's case, but I haven't received it yet. Anyhow, the caseworker told me that they got a call about my mom's case, and they were told that her case is tied to my dad's case since they are married, and as long as my dad's case is pending for name check, hers will too. :eek:
I asked him to request it in writing. He said he couldn't assure me that I would get it in writing, but he would try.
I don't know how much longer I can take this. :D :D :D
 
Anahit said:
. Anyhow, the caseworker told me that they got a call about my mom's case, and they were told that her case is tied to my dad's case since they are married, and as long as my dad's case is pending for name check, hers will too. :eek:


This sounds like another USCIS b.s.
Since you sent two independent I-130, and I-1485 it doesn't make any sense to have the two cases tied even though they are married :eek: :eek: :eek:
Let just say, for the sake of exemplification, if your father is going to be deported (God forbidden) they going to deport you mom too, even though her case is crystal clear with no problems whatsoever
:confused:
 
Suzy977 said:
This sounds like another USCIS b.s.
Since you sent two independent I-130, and I-1485 it doesn't make any sense to have the two cases tied even though they are married :eek: :eek: :eek:
Let just say, for the sake of exemplification, if your father is going to be deported (God forbidden) they going to deport you mom too, even though her case is crystal clear with no problems whatsoever
:confused:
Yes, it does sound like it, Suzy. :D
O, I forgot: first the caseworker said "Your father is the main applicant, so your mom's case depends on the outcome of his case". My response was: "What are you talking about? What "main applicant"? These are 2 separate cases." He then said "Yes, but they are married, thus they are tied together".
What can I say? I am getting really tired of this CIS b.s...
 
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