Martytb

This whole thing sounds soooooooo familiar. I haven't posted anything in a while (my employer has once again placed a filter on the Internet connection, and I had a habit of visiting here first thing in the morning. My home computer is usually occupied by the wife) but this may give you some hope, and ideas. We went through a similar situation in August. We never received my wife's interview date, and received a denial due to abandonment. We both freaked out and began by contacting my congressman, the local director of the USCIS and both state senators. They were no help at all, and the two offices that responded told us to start over. My lovely wife, who doesn't know as much as Mr. smart-guy-me, told me she was going to the immigration office to get things fixed. At this time we had received a list of things to bring to the daughter's interview, but no letter for the appointment. The same thing happened in my wife's situation. I told her she was wasting her time and probably wouldn't even get in the front door. She went anyway. I am now wearing much egg on my face. She got in, and talked to the officer at the information window. He provided her with the date for my step-daughter's interview, but couldn't quite grasp what Weiping was telling him about her situation. I took the next day off and went back with her. I talked to the same officer who helped Weiping the day before, and low and behold, as soon as he heard my tale of woe, asked me to have a seat and he would check with somebody in another area. He returned 15 minutes later (during his lunch break) and had me sign a form that stated the case was reinstated and my wife would be interviewed at the same appointment as our daughter. Wow, amazing!!!! This guy did, in 15 minutes what 2 senators and a congressman couldn't. We had the interview in September. The reviewer was very kind and courteous, but still requested that I send additional proof of a bona fide relationship. This seemed a little bit much since my wife and I are not young and provided plenty of evidence that the relationship was real. Bottom line, the package was sent registered mail to ensure they received it and we are now awaiting the arrival of two green cards. Happy ending in sight, although I won't breath until they are actually here. DUH! Next time I'll read the whole topic before responding.

Update: Well, the congressman's office was no help except to mail me a new application. It seems the USCIS implied I'm a liar. "If they received the notice of cancellation then they must have received the notice for the appointment". I would agree with them if it where sent registered mail. Then they would have every right to say we ignored the notice. My gripe is once we notified them of the situation (either directly or through my representative, and I did both) they could have reinstated the petition and issued a new interview date. A few key strokes on the PC is all it would take. But, nooooooooooooooooooo!!! I'm not giving up yet. I have contacted both of my senators, and plan on writing a letter to the USCIS ombudsman. Next it's the president!!! I'm beginning to think the mission statement for USCIS is "be as rude, nasty and inhumane as possible, and when given the chance kick em where it hurts the most".

We've waited patiently for a year and a half for my wife's AOS interview. Every morning I would check the USCIS web site to see the status of our petition. It was always the same. "We will contact you if there is any change........" Three weeks ago we received a list of documents to bring to the interview. But, we have no interview date! I became a bit concerned and called the 800 number, worked my way through the menu and received the "no new information is available" recording. Three days ago I received a hysterical phone call from Wei Ping. She told me she received a letter canceling the AOS because we didn't show up for the interview I immediately called the office of my congressman and spoke the lady who handles the immigration stuff for him. She told me this was the second call like this in the past week. I faxed the letter and my own letter to her the next day. I then sent a letter to the director in charge of the office in Orlando. I tried to be civil, but I'm not sure I succeeded. Has this ever happened to anybody else? I am so embarrassed for my government. My wife is disgusted with all the bull__ and errors, and I don't blame her.

I don't believe my wife needs an interpreter. I'm positive she doesn't think she needs one either. But, if many of the other So's are like my Wei Ping their listening skills are still a little behind their reading, writing and speaking skills. The shoe tapping can help relieve a little of the stress for her having to admit she doesn't understand what the interviewer is saying.

That's a good idea. I've used the foot-tapping strategy for many occasions like car buying, and other large purchases where haggling is involved. The wife will get up on cue and begin to walk out, furious at the outrageous amount of money the dealer wants. I hadn't thought to apply it during the interview, but I certainly will now.

Congratulations!!!! If my wife saw this she'd be really really mad. We sent the AOS in June 05, and are waiting patiently for an interview.......well I am anyway. I did contact my congressman's office for any help they can give, but that aint much as we all know.

Thanks tywy_99!!!!! I'm putting together the I-130 and sending it in with the I-485. I'm still scratching my head though. Preparing the I-130 while the step daughter is here already doesn't seem to make much sense. Oh....I'm sorry...there's this paper reduction act in place, so we need to generate more paperwork.

This may be a lame question, but............. How do I (and why do I have to) apply for a visa for my step daughter if she is already here on a K-4? I sent in her AOS and EAP and had the AOS returned. There is no record of an I-130 having been applied for. She was given an EA card, and after a six month wait finally received her SS#. I've been putting this off for a while to make sure she wasn't going to decide to head back to China after being here and finding that she didn't like it. She's 19 and can do as she pleases. I'm not even sure what evidence needs to be submitted with the application, and can't find any info on the USCIS web site. Any advice would be helpful.

Permit me to be ceaselessly trite and say, "I feel your pain!"... but not as much as I feel mine!! B) -good luck to us both 178101[/snapback] Ditto......I keep checking the USCIS website and has had the same results for the past 7 months. The good news is we are now past the 2 year married mark, for what it's worth.

My wife put a credit on my American Express card before we left China. The bank system in China is the pits but with patients it can be navigated. The people in the bank she used wanted to know what city the American Express Bank was located in. I told them New York and fortunatly guessed right. That was after spending a half hour trying to explain how credit cards worked in the US. I tried to use the bank card I have with my credit union, but they would not accept it.

My daughter is 18. She arrived in April, 05 and we enrolled her in the local high school for 11th grade. Fortunatley, she did not complete her middle school in China (she had two months to go). Had she finished she would not have been elligable to attend public shool in Florida. This may not be the case in other states, I don't know. We put her in 11th grade so she could establish a course history and GPA to help her with college, and possible scholarships. Don't think for one minute that she will be playing catchup in the US school system. To her it will seem like a cinch. To date YingLu has a 3.8 GPA and is on the honor roll. I think it's her attitude more than anything else that helps her get A's in American History and her two ESL classes. She pays attention and shows respect to the teachers. Her math class is a breeze. She doesn't use the calculator that we were required to buy. Finishes the problems faster than the kids using them, and blows me away with how much she retains. My advice: Don't finish school in China. Enroll in public school as soon as possible. And, of course, submit for her AOS as soon as possible.

I believe $5,000.00 is the limit.

Fred, A notorial document is any document that is notarized. Any translated document must be notarzed, such as her birth certificate or any divorce decrees.

Welcome Fang Ling. Maybe more of our better halves should come here. The ESL idea would certainly interest my bride.

I haven't visited that part of China yet, but I did get through about 3/4 of book one. The bride has a DVD of some Monkey King cartoons. They are perfect for Saturday morning kid shows.