Dominican Marriage

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Guille

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Dec 24, 2003
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First and foremost, I want to thank those involved in the creation, maintance and collaboration of this forum, I believe it's superb.

Now to my queri... I married my wife in January of '99 and I am a United States citizen via my mother becoming naturalized in 1983, when I was under 18. I was in the United States Marine Corps when we became husband and wife and she was enrolled in the university in Santo Domingo (Not the one with all the strikes, the other one). I have finished my service in the Corps and my wife will graduate very soon. My original plans were to move to the Dominican Republic once I finished and run the family business. Now I have found as great career in the states and decided to stay for a few more years, but now I am not able to travel as much nor has she ever been to the States. I have heard from various sources that their is a thing called " VISA B", what is it? I filled the petition and necessary documents to have her come to the states in 2000 and have hear no response from Immigration on this matter, other than that it's been received and that they are very busy. I also wrote a letter to my Senator in Rhode Island and his office replied that they would look into the issue. But nothing yet!

What do I do now?
 
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ricktoronto

Grande Pollo en Boca Chica
Jan 9, 2002
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3- nearly 4 years?

And you are looking into it now, well, I bet the files are so old they have cobwebs. If you have a bit of money, I'd go to an attorney who handles immigration matters with whatever you do have and ask him to explain what to do and to inquire. I know these things are slow in all countries but no contact since 2000 is a lot.
 
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blong

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Sep 30, 2003
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Mostly just wait

I really don't have advice for you just sympathy. I too am a US citizen and married a Dominican woman. I know the difficulty in waiting for paperwork to be processed. Unfortunately, my experience has taught me that is really all you can do - wait.

I have never heard of a Visa B, though I have heard of an H1-B visa for nonimmigrant admission to workers of distinguished ability. This is clearly not what you want.

From experience I can tell you that you will hear from a lot of friends and family who feel they are experts in the matter but who really have no clue what they are talking about. You can even get some bad legal advice from some lawyers (as well as good legal advice).

My nonlegal advice, again admittedly unhelpful, would be to just wait and keep in contact with the US Immigration officials. Eventually your paperwork will be processed and your wife will be with you in the states.

good luck and Merry Christmas
 
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ricktoronto

Grande Pollo en Boca Chica
Jan 9, 2002
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Re: Mostly just wait

blong said:


My nonlegal advice, again admittedly unhelpful, would be to just wait and keep in contact with the US Immigration officials. Eventually your paperwork will be processed and your wife will be with you in the states.
Click to expand...

I'd have to think if nothing other than "it was received" is the sum total of 3 1/2 or more years of waiting that this is not normal at all. And lawyers are not out of the question for a simple inquiry if you pick one that has a sole specialty in immigration matters. So advice to recommend waiting even longer seems impractical.
 
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blong

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Sep 30, 2003
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I don't believe he has waited 3 1/2 years. My impression from his post is that the filing of the paperwork was done sometime this year when he changed plans and decided to take a job in the US.

It should take about six months or so if you file an I-130 and follow up with an I-129F.
 
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ricktoronto

Grande Pollo en Boca Chica
Jan 9, 2002
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blong said:
I don't believe he has waited 3 1/2 years. My impression from his post is that the filing of the paperwork was done sometime this year when he changed plans and decided to take a job in the US.
Click to expand...

Not to belabor this any more but he said:

" I filled the petition and necessary documents to have her come to the states in 2000 and have hear no response from Immigration on this matter, other than that it's been received and that they are very busy."

2003 (nearly 2004) - 2000 = 3+ years.

I concur the time period you say sounds typical and that's why this seems so atypical.
 
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Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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I agree with Rick. Guille, if you have been waiting since 2000, it is safe to assume that your papers have been mislaid. I think you should contact them again.
 
G

Guille

New member
Dec 24, 2003
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RickToronto, Blong and Ken. Thank you all for you replies and your points and suggestions will be taken into consideration in my future moves regarding this issue.
I spoke to my wife, obviously, on the 24th after I posted this question. She mentioned that she had received an application and some type of forms that arrived in the mail and she mailed in a $275.00 money order and she said that the papers were addressed to New York. I thought the immigration processing center was in Vermont. That's where I mail my letters. She doesn't remember the form numbers or names, her understanding of the forms is that they are for a Visa. I don't want to harp on how important and vital it would have been for her to call me first or make copies of the documents that she signed. That's neither here nor there and i can't change that now.
To clarify on my initial thread; The acknoledgement of receipt of the petition for immigrant spouse stated that the normal waiting time is anywhere from 365 to 985 days ( 1 yr. to 2 1/2 yrs.). It's been three and I haven't slept on this issue. I have written a letter EVERY month since June of 2003. I received only one reply reassuring that they are very busy and i believe that the events of 9/11 have something to do with the lag on the process.
RickToronto...you know what I'm experiencing right now. I'm catching heat from her family in DR and here in the States and my family is bringing this issue up every chance they get. They have a hard time believing that this process can be so slow.

You are right about them thinking they know everything. "A friend of a friend of a cousin of a friend heard from someone in DR..." is getting to me.

What next?
 
Hillbilly

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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Maybe

Dress Blues, medals aglow and a visit to your Congressman and Senator>??

Really, this is most disappointing....
And we mock Dominican bureaucracy?

HB
 
M

miguel

I didn't last long...
Jul 2, 2003
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Guille said:
First and foremost, I want to thank those involved in the creation, maintance and collaboration of this forum, I believe it's superb.

Now to my queri... I married my wife in January of '99 and I am a United States citizen via my mother becoming naturalized in 1983, when I was under 18. I was in the United States Marine Corps when we became husband and wife and she was enrolled in the university in Santo Domingo (Not the one with all the strikes, the other one). I have finished my service in the Corps and my wife will graduate very soon. My original plans were to move to the Dominican Republic once I finished and run the family business. Now I have found as great career in the states and decided to stay for a few more years, but now I am not able to travel as much nor has she ever been to the States. I have heard from various sources that their is a thing called " VISA B", what is it? I filled the petition and necessary documents to have her come to the states in 2000 and have hear no response from Immigration on this matter, other than that it's been received and that they are very busy. I also wrote a letter to my Senator in Rhode Island and his office replied that they would look into the issue. But nothing yet!

What do I do now?
Click to expand...
Guille. the only thing that I can tell you is that my friend Ramon had the same experience as you. His wife was in DR and he was here. He was an american citizen and was in the Army for 10 years. That did not helped him with the slow process of an immigration petition. The poor soul would send letters to immigration and to politicians for 4 years with hopes of them helping him. All was just a waste of time until I told him to contact his state representative. Within days his state rep told him that his files were nowhere to be found and that he(my friend) needed to go personally to the immigration office and fill out the papers again. After driving 3 hours each way, he did filled the appropiate forms and with the state rep's help, his wife was here in the US within 6 months. Go talk with your state rep and do not mail anything to immigration, you should take it personally even if you have to drive a little bit. It's worth it.
 
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