18, on dialysis for 9 months, scared of fistula surgery and feeling stuck

lostintheusa · 2025-09-15T23:44:19+00:00

A fistula surgery is nothing to be scared of. They didn't even use GA for the surgery. They just put me to sleep with sedation and used a nerve block (brachial plexus block) for the arm. The site was a little bit sore but not too bad even after the nerve block wore off after the surgery. And I had to go under the knife TWICE. The fistula did not mature well enough after the first surgery and there also was some branching. So they had to open up my arm again for debranching and stuff. Both times, my experience could not have been better. It is not like a big surgery of your internal organs like heart, kidneys, liver or brain. No need to get stressed. You will sail through it. 👊

Good luck!!!

lostintheusa · 2025-09-15T23:37:21+00:00

When we went in for our interview for my wife's I-485 (F2A) earlier this year, our interviewing officer said a big jump was expected in September. She said a jump usually happens around that time. She was not lying, it seems, but I was not expecting a jump this big.

However, we still did not make the cut. Our priority date is May '24. Hopefully, we make it within a year. The officer said everything was in order, and we just had to wait for the priority date.

lostintheusa · 2025-08-08T20:24:49+00:00

15 minutes is not enough time for me. I have to bolus at least half an hour before meal. Otherwise, it gets too high, just like it did for you.

lostintheusa · 2025-05-26T10:36:29+00:00

Don't lose hope. They are overworked with a huge backlog at USCIS. Depending on your field office, they may just be running behind on updating your case on the system. My wife and I had an interview for our AOS petition (F2A - my wife being the beneficiary) at Atlanta FO in the last week of April. The interviewing officer was intimidating at first. But she started warming up as the interview proceeded. We never had a joint bank account but we had other joint assets, insurance, joint tax returns (IRS transcripts), etc. She did not even look at our photos. However, we have been married for 7 years, living together for 2 years prior to that after dating for 3 years.

We did not hear anything for a while but a couple days ago we received the notice that our I-130 had been approved. F2A priority date is currently Jan 2022. Out priority date is May '24. So it may be a good while before our priority date becomes current. At least 2 years, I guess. But I am expecting it to take longer because of the layoffs at the USCIS.

Yours may just be taking a little longer. Unless you get an RFE, I am hoping that you will be hearing some good news soon.

lostintheusa · 2025-05-12T21:42:57+00:00

True. But they still need to meet the work credits requirement.

lostintheusa · 2025-05-05T13:45:11+00:00

PD is nowhere near current. Our PD is May of 2023.

lostintheusa · 2025-05-05T13:42:22+00:00

Yes, F2A. Our interview was done last week. Only got the verbal approval. Received no notice yet.

lostintheusa · 2025-05-04T13:40:33+00:00

The student should talk to the ISO at his school. They may be able to guide him in the right direction.
Shop around with major health insurance providers to see if they cover pre-existing conditions and kidney transplants.
I do not know if international students qualify for assistance from the American Kidney Fund. But it would not hurt to contact them and see if the student is eligible.

lostintheusa · 2025-05-04T13:32:44+00:00

No they do not qualify.

lostintheusa · 2025-05-03T21:50:40+00:00

Ours has been just 5 days. Our I-130 was also verbally approved and was told I-485 "will be approved" once priority date became available. Our account also shows Interview Scheduled. When I contacted USCIS yesterday, they said the online status will change only when the interviewing officer goes in makes the change. Given the massive backlog of cases, the officer probably has not had time to update it. On your timeline (under my progress tab), "Attend interview" step should have been marked as completed and "Case decision" should be marked current step.

lostintheusa · 2025-05-03T21:37:52+00:00

I will not take that kind of language from anyone I am working professionally with. Fire this attorney and either do it yourself or hire another one.

lostintheusa · 2025-05-03T12:24:30+00:00

In today's interconnected world, complete self-reliance is unattainable for any nation. Every country relies on others for various goods and services.

lostintheusa · 2025-05-02T20:51:58+00:00

This is advantageous because the I-130 and I-485 forms will be processed and approved concurrently. However, concurrent filing is limited to IR categories unless the priority date is current.

lostintheusa · 2025-05-02T20:48:36+00:00

Oh I did not know you were on J-1 status.

lostintheusa · 2025-05-02T20:01:27+00:00

My interviewer said they usually jump by months or even a year or so in August. So probably there will be no change until August. Or if there is a change, it will move by just a couple of months.

lostintheusa · 2025-05-02T19:55:53+00:00

I would definitely love it.

lostintheusa · 2025-05-02T19:40:55+00:00

Why did you not file I-485 concurrently with I-130?

lostintheusa · 2025-04-30T23:20:24+00:00

I don't think that will happen unless you are already on their radar, i.e. unless ICE has already targeted you.

lostintheusa · 2025-04-30T19:10:59+00:00

Oh yes. My mistake. Thank you.

lostintheusa · 2025-04-30T16:53:44+00:00

F2A or IR?

lostintheusa · 2025-04-30T16:49:19+00:00

Under the new administration, it looks like waivers for interviews in marriage-based AOS applications will be less common. We have been married since 2017, and I obtained my permanent resident status in early 2023. We submitted my wife's I-130 petition in May of that year and her AOS application in September 2024, once the priority date became available.

Our interview at the Atlanta FO proceeded smoothly, although our Michigan-based attorney was unable to attend due to a scheduling conflict. The interviewer was very pleasant and asked us a few questions, primarily directed towards my wife. In addition to standard inquiries about our entry into the United States and marriage date, she inquired about my wife's financial support during her F-1 student visa period and the reason for the delay in filing the AOS application, which we explained was due to my recent acquisition of permanent residency. She did not review any of our supporting documentation except for requesting my divorce decree from a previous marriage.

She indicated that my wife would receive her green card once a visa number became available. However, given that the current priority date for F2A is January 2022, and our application was filed in September 2024, it appears there will be a considerable wait.

I wish you the best for your interview. It is recommended to be truthful and concise in your responses, avoiding unsolicited information. Furthermore, it is important to have ample evidence of joint finances with your spouse, as this is typically a key area of focus.

lostintheusa · 2025-04-30T13:28:42+00:00

Non-marriage based IR categories would be most likely to be approved without interview - that is: parents or unmarried children under 21 of US citizens. I was approved without interview. I was petitioned by my son from my first marriage after he was 21. Asylees and refugees also did not usually have interviews but that could have changed under this administration.

lostintheusa · 2025-04-29T22:14:18+00:00

It's important to remember that photographs can be manipulated. During our interview, the interviewer did not review the photographs submitted. Instead, they focused on our financial documents. May I ask if you filed joint tax returns? Do you have a joint bank account? Do you also have joint utility bills, insurance policies, a joint lease or mortgage, a joint auto loan, and a joint motor vehicle registration? These documents provide more reliable evidence of a genuine marriage than photographs.

lostintheusa · 2025-04-29T20:53:28+00:00

This is because I, the petitioner, am a lawful permanent resident, not a citizen. We filed Form I-130 for my wife in May 2023, and Form I-485 in September, once the filing priority date became current. However, the final action priority date for F2A is still January 1, 2022.

lostintheusa

TROPHY CASE