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britsngrits1

Can minor change status while on a visa waiver?

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My stepson came over from England to visit us for 3 months and he is 17 years old. While he was here my husband (LPR) had a brain aneurysm and my stepson has decided he wants to stay here permanently. I called USCIS a couple of weeks ago and an agent said it was OK for him to stay in the US while we file the I-130 & I-485 forms. He has been a huge help with is dad and he doesn't want to leave. 

 

Today his mom in UK received an auto generated email stating his visa waiver was coming to an end so we all started to panic. I called USCIS again today and received a different answer. This agent said he had to leave the country and wait until a visa becomes available. 

 

I know not all of the rules are hard and fast and that people can and have changed status while on a visa waiver in the past. Can anyone point out the specific law/rule so that we can all breathe or does he have to go back? The thought of him having to leave now is awful, he is scared and I would love to offer him peace of mind. He is supposed to fly back this Saturday and that is the last thing anyone wants. 

 

Thank you for any help and advice!

Michele   

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Hong Kong
Timeline

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin/2018/visa-bulletin-for-january-2018.html

 

 

short answer: he needs to go back.  unless you want him to be a deportable illegal alien for these years.

 

Sorry to hear the situation.

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Are you a US citizen? 

Widow/er AoS Guide | Have AoS questions? Read (some) answers here

 

AoS

Day 0 (4/23/12) Petitions mailed (I-360, I-485, I-765)
2 (4/25/12) Petitions delivered to Chicago Lockbox
11 (5/3/12) Received 3 paper NOAs
13 (5/5/12) Received biometrics appointment for 5/23
15 (5/7/12) Did an unpleasant walk-in biometrics in Fort Worth, TX
45 (6/7/12) Received email & text notification of an interview on 7/10
67 (6/29/12) EAD production ordered
77 (7/9/12) Received EAD
78 (7/10/12) Interview
100 (8/1/12) I-485 transferred to Vermont Service Centre
143 (9/13/12) Contacted DHS Ombudsman
268 (1/16/13) I-360, I-485 consolidated and transferred to Dallas
299 (2/16/13) Received second interview letter for 3/8
319 (3/8/13) Approved at interview
345 (4/3/13) I-360, I-485 formally approved; green card production ordered
353 (4/11/13) Received green card

 

Naturalisation

Day 0 (1/3/18) N-400 filed online

Day 6 (1/9/18) Walk-in biometrics in Fort Worth, TX

Day 341 (12/10/18) Interview was scheduled for 1/14/19

Day 376 (1/14/19) Interview

Day 385 (1/23/19) Denied

Day 400 (2/7/19) Denial revoked; N-400 approved; oath ceremony set for 2/14/19

Day 407 (2/14/19) Oath ceremony in Dallas, TX

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Echo what Hypnos asked, Are you a us citizen?

 

Does you husband have sole custody of his son or have the permission of the mother?

 

Note that even with permission of the mother if there is a formal custody agreement then your husband and the boys mother might have to go back to court as he isn’t 18 yet and any agreement still stands. You don’t want to be aiding and abetting international kidnaping even on a technicality.   

K-1 Met:2002 Dating :2003 I-129F Sent : 2013-06-01 I-129F NOA2 : 2013-08-20 Medical: 2013-12-20 Interview Date : 2014-01-22 POE: 2014-02-19 Wedding: 2014-03-18

AOS/EAD Date Filed : 2014-04-04 BioAppt: 2014-05-13 EAD in Production: 2014-07-08 Interview date: 2014-07-14 Green Card received: 2014-07-19

ROC Date Filed: 2016-04-26 Cheque Cashed: 2016-05-10 NOA1: 2016-04-28 Biometrics: 2016-06-30 Approved: 11-08-2016 Green Card Received: 11-18-2016

 

Citizenship Date Filed: 2017-04-18 Cheque Cashed: 2017-04-24- NOA1:2017-04-21  Biometrics: 2017-05-19 Inline: 2017-07-12 Interview Date: 2018-02-13 Oath: 2018-03-15

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Yes, I am a citizen. His husband and I have been married since '05 and he is still a LPR. I just called them again and another agent said his status can be changed while he is here on a visa waiver. However, he did say that it is easier to do it as long as his visa waiver hasn't lapsed. However, even if it has lapsed it is still OK. https://www.uscis.gov/greencard/adjustment-of-status     Due to his father being out of work the last 3 months I can't afford the fees of course. :(  But to get the ball rolling I am going to apply for financial hardship. I-912. 

 

We are hopeful that his father will be able to return to work in February. And above all, we are grateful that he is alive!

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If OP is a citizen, and obviously became the son's step-parent while the child was still a minor, doesn't she qualify to apply for AOS for him? And if they file the AOS immediately (like, today) then he won't accrue overstay?

 

I'm not sure, but that's what a little bit of google searching suggests...

 

Is your timeline updated?


Oath Ceremony Dec 14th, 2018 I am finally a citizen and done with USCIS for good!

 

 

IR-1/CR-1 Visa:                            

Marriage: 2013-08-05                                   I-130 Sent: 2013-10-07                                                 I-130 NOA1: 2013-10-09                               

I-130 transferred to VSC: 2014-03-12        I-130 NOA2: 2014-03-24                                              NVC Received: 2014-04-07 

Case Number and IIN: 2014-05-05             Sent ENROLL email for EP: 2014-05-06                    Gave email addresses to NVC: 2014-05-08             

DS261 submitted: 2014-05-09                    AOS invoiced and paid: 2014-05-12                           DS261 re-submitted - GRRRR! 2014-05-21               

ENROLL conf. email: 2014-06-05               Submitted AOS documents:2014-06-08                    IV fee email received: 2014-06-23 

IV fee available and paid: 2014-06-24       DS260  submitted: 2014-06-26                                   Case Complete: 2014-07-31                                       

Interview: 2014-09-19 APPROVED!!!          Visa in Hand: 2014-09-24 (Loomis depot)                POE (Pac Hwy Crossing, BC) 2014-11-08 

SSN Card arrived (approx) 2014-11-26     Green Card arrived (approx) 2014-12-17 

Removal of Conditions - I-751:

I-751 Mailed (USPS) Aug 10, 2016             NOA: August 17, 2016 (received Aug 23)                  Biometrics Letter Sent: Sept 23, 2016

Biometrics Letter Rec'd: Sept 30, 2016     Walk-In Biometrics Oct 6, 2016                                    Infopass for I-551 stamp Aug 17, 2017   

Service Request: Dec 27, 2017                   SR Response: Jan 10, 2018 (no prediction)              Senator Inquiry: Jan 5, 2018

Senator Resp: Jan 8, 2018 (60 days)         Service Request 2: Mar 8 2018                                   Senator Inquiry 2: Mar 9 2018

SR 2 Response: Mar 12 (security checks) Senator Response 2: Mar 13, 2018                            Approval (via phone!): Mar 14, 2018

New Green Card Arrived: Mar 22, 2018

Naturalization - N-400: 

Submitted N-400 Online: Feb 4, 2018       Denied for Payment Failure: Feb 8, 2018                     Resubmitted N-400 Online Feb 8, 2018

NOA: Feb 8, 2018                                          Biometrics: Feb 26, 2018                                                Interview: Nov 2,2018 (approved)

Oath: Dec 14, 2018

 

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The good news - he can file for AoS immediately through you as his US citizen step-parent. 

 

The bad news - you cannot receive a fee waiver for an I-485 (as you were planning to do using the I-912). You must pay the entire fee yourself. 

 

And you'd need to demonstrate a minimum income for the I-864 on top of that. 

Widow/er AoS Guide | Have AoS questions? Read (some) answers here

 

AoS

Day 0 (4/23/12) Petitions mailed (I-360, I-485, I-765)
2 (4/25/12) Petitions delivered to Chicago Lockbox
11 (5/3/12) Received 3 paper NOAs
13 (5/5/12) Received biometrics appointment for 5/23
15 (5/7/12) Did an unpleasant walk-in biometrics in Fort Worth, TX
45 (6/7/12) Received email & text notification of an interview on 7/10
67 (6/29/12) EAD production ordered
77 (7/9/12) Received EAD
78 (7/10/12) Interview
100 (8/1/12) I-485 transferred to Vermont Service Centre
143 (9/13/12) Contacted DHS Ombudsman
268 (1/16/13) I-360, I-485 consolidated and transferred to Dallas
299 (2/16/13) Received second interview letter for 3/8
319 (3/8/13) Approved at interview
345 (4/3/13) I-360, I-485 formally approved; green card production ordered
353 (4/11/13) Received green card

 

Naturalisation

Day 0 (1/3/18) N-400 filed online

Day 6 (1/9/18) Walk-in biometrics in Fort Worth, TX

Day 341 (12/10/18) Interview was scheduled for 1/14/19

Day 376 (1/14/19) Interview

Day 385 (1/23/19) Denied

Day 400 (2/7/19) Denial revoked; N-400 approved; oath ceremony set for 2/14/19

Day 407 (2/14/19) Oath ceremony in Dallas, TX

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On 1/18/2018 at 10:58 AM, britsngrits1 said:

He turns 18 in March and is his mother is aware. His paperwork won't be approved by the time March rolls around so we should all be ok on that front. There was no formal custodial agreement between them. 

She may be aware but is she ok with it?

K-1 Met:2002 Dating :2003 I-129F Sent : 2013-06-01 I-129F NOA2 : 2013-08-20 Medical: 2013-12-20 Interview Date : 2014-01-22 POE: 2014-02-19 Wedding: 2014-03-18

AOS/EAD Date Filed : 2014-04-04 BioAppt: 2014-05-13 EAD in Production: 2014-07-08 Interview date: 2014-07-14 Green Card received: 2014-07-19

ROC Date Filed: 2016-04-26 Cheque Cashed: 2016-05-10 NOA1: 2016-04-28 Biometrics: 2016-06-30 Approved: 11-08-2016 Green Card Received: 11-18-2016

 

Citizenship Date Filed: 2017-04-18 Cheque Cashed: 2017-04-24- NOA1:2017-04-21  Biometrics: 2017-05-19 Inline: 2017-07-12 Interview Date: 2018-02-13 Oath: 2018-03-15

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