Here we are, having finished the first leg of our journey to be happily settled with our loved ones. Welcome to US. Some of us are already married and some are in the process of getting married. Once the celebrations are over, it is time to get started with the second leg of our journey .. AOS, EAD & AP.

So here I am.. again requesting all of us from India to share our application process, our doubts & fears, help each other to successfully get through this phase of our journey.

Hi VJfamily,

I am working on the AOS, EAD and AP papers. Since my DS-3025 doesn't contain any entries because of K1 visa, I have to get I-693a done here at Utah through civil surgeon (locator link provided in AOS area). Any alternative we have to this? Senior VJs please guide us.

Nice thread RSA. Am getting ready to be with my hun, But I will join you guys in this second stage soon.

All the best!!!

Manya

Thanks Manya. See you quickly here!

Hi Parul, I saw in the AOS April 08 filers thread that you are almost ready with the package. What did you do for I-693a?

You know, thats the 1 question that has been bothering me... I did not get a DS-3025 in India so now I have to get the vaccinations done here... so I can get a I-693a.. Is it required while filing for AOS or during the medical??
Guess, have to do a lot of reading!!!

You need to file it I-693a alongwith other AOS papers. Otherwise you might get a RFE for vaccination supplement.

"Another reason for a medical RFE.... you are required to have a TB skin test, not just the X-RAY test done in other countries. We got an RFE because of this, so make sure to send the results of a skin TB test if you have not done so already"

Just read this on another thread.... Is this true too???

OK!! so I called up a Civil Surgeon approved by the USCIS/DHS and explained the whole situation to them. They said I can come in any day and get the I-693a and the vaccinations I need without having to go through a medical.. Thats sorted now, PHEW!!!

Great thread... Please count me in as a April '08 AOS filer.

For the background info, my wife is here in the U.S on a K-3 Visa and I just mailed her AOS packet yesterday.

In regards with the medical, even though she had a copy of DS-3025 with her from the medical in India, we just decided to get a "new" sealed envelope that has a newly filled I-693 in it by a USCIS approved panel physician, mostly to avoid a potential RFE or other complications later. I am not saying that NOT getting a new I-693 will surely have a RFE on your way but I guess I wanted to be little over-prepared than otherwise. I tried getting a straight answer for this by doing some reading but dint get any and dint wanted the medical to delay my wife's AOS process.

Anyways, I just mailed the AOS packet (without the AP) yesterday and will let you know of any progress.

Also, congrats and welcome to all who just recently moved from India and good luck for the rest of the process.

Regards,
Pkewl

That's great Parul. I guess I will do the same - plus go for TB skin ( just to be on the safe side of RFE )

Hello Pkewl, itt looks like you are the better prepared one amongst us all ... Good to know that you already filed your spouse's AOS package.

Hey Pkewl, nice to see your post again..... i am glad you are done with the K-3 process. AOS is pretty crazy but it won't be as bad because your spouse will be with you. good luck.

My advice is to call up several of the local civil surgeons and see who will do the I-693A Vaccination Supplement for the least price. Some say you have to do a full medical and charge hundreds of dollars, that is not needed. Usual fees are like from $10 - $40 or so for the I-693A.

Most local USCIS offices are no longer requiring the TB skin test, some are. No one asked us for it (we sent in AOS packet without it, then had it done just in case). But of course better safe than sorry, so have it done if possible.

The vaccinations can be done anywhere where they cost the least, then the proof brought into the civil surgeon to transfer the info to the I-693A. The civil surgeon we used actually sent us to the local govt health clinic to get the vaccinations done, he said because he charged a lot in the clinic!

Some members of VJ could not find an honest civil surgeon (sometimes they all insist a full medical has to be done) so they did it by mail. To have your vaccination information transcribed to Form I-693a, the following Civil Surgeon will do it by phone and fax for a nominal fee ($10 at time of writing) (call up first to confirm what you need to send):

Dr. L. E. Arnold
4534 Westgate Boulevard, Suite 106
Austin, TX 78745
Tel: (512) 444-3131
Fax: (512) 447-4699

Good luck to all of you, for a smooth and quick AOS process!!

Thanks ELW. As usual you are always there to help us out!

Wecome to the thread pkewl and thanks for the info as always ELW

I am just waiting for my SSN card so Daniel can add me to his military medical insurance. That way all vaccinations and the tests will be free, atleast.

So much for the AOS package being ready, hehehe!!!

Hi Neel06... Likewise, great to hear from you again and good luck for the rest of your AOS process...

ELW, as always, thanks for your valuable input. We all appreciate it. I just have a quick question in regards "Most local USCIS offices..." in your post. I am pretty new to this whole AOS process and am currently reading about it but, according to the new AOS guidelines, I mailed our AOS packet to the Chicago Lockbox address. So, by local office, do you mean that after Chicago has processed the AOS packet, they are going to transfer the AOS packet back to my local office for the further processing of it or did you mentioned local office in the context of "old" guidelines, when we had to submit the AOS packet to the local office. I guess I am a bit confused ..lol.

In any case, I guess, my question is, does the Chicago Lockbox office transfer the AOS packet back to the local office or to CSC for the further processing of it?


Thanks, RSA, Parul and good luck to you all too.

Regards.

Ahhh thanks everyone, I try to be helpful.

Pkewl, when writing, "Most local USCIS offices...", I meant when the file is transferred from the Chicago lockbox location to a local office for the interview. Apparently, the very few VJ members who were requested a TB test, were asked to get it during their interview. No one (that I know of) has ever got an RFE for lack of TB skin test when sending in their AOS packet to Chicago.

And yes, our AOS packets are initially processed at the Chicago location, from where we get the NOA1 and sometimes an RFE. Then they are transferred for final approval, either to a local office for interview, or to a Service Center (like CSC), where another RFE might be requested.

Parul, I got my SSN today. On I-693a, my spouse talked to the local civil surgeon from community centre and fixed an appointment on 10th of April. charges will be approx $35 (vaccination cost, if any, are extra) . I don't think I would be going for skin-TB test.

Thanks for the info, ELW.

I also got to know through one of my other friend, whose wife was a K-3 visa holder last year and is local to my area, that his wife's AOS packet was transferred from Chicago to local office for the final approval, though he doesn't remember if it came via CSC or not. He thinks it was transferred to CSC from Chicago and then onto local office. Hope this info helps other VJer's too, hence posting it.

TC everyone and good luck.

Another quick question... how many of you are filing it through your attorney and how many of you are going it alone?

My attorney has raised his fees to $200 per hour. So I am having second thoughts of hiring him.

People who hire attorneys almost always have lots of trouble - they get info wrong on applications and cause endless delays! Go it alone! Because you are NOT alone, it is easy with the VJ Guides and everyone to answer all of your questions!

I think most people do it without attorneys.

Got my SSN card in the mail today....

Congrats!!!

Just a tip for those who are still in the process of filling I-485. Part 3, NonImmigrant Visa Number is the red number (8 digit) at the lower right hand side of the Visa stamped on the passport . I spent nearly half day to glean this info and have it confirmed.

I got one question on I-131. I don't know what to fill for Part 3 and Part 7. The guide is blank on those two parts.

hahahahaha.... I did too and finally figured it out


Part 3 -

1. filled in the date I am planning to travel to India coz I have a definate date for my bro's wedding.
2. 2 weeks, thats how long I plan to stay there.
3. I ticked 'NO'

Part 7 -

All blank coz I have not given any address outside the US.
I ticked 'One Trip' coz thats how many trips I intend to make.

RSA, hope this helps...

Thanks for the info Parul. You have some info based on which you filled it, but I don't. Is it ok if I leave them blank and file the form?

Also do we need to submit the X-Ray taken?

For date of birth certificate should we submit the original or a copy? Also since my original date of birth certificate doesn't contain my name, should I submit any secondary documentation? Just curious as to how you all are doing this stuff?

Back on the forum and hope to join this group as my husband should be here in May. Congrats on your progress everyone!

Welcome back nksj. We are waiting for many of our co-travellers who are yet to come back to this thread after their sucessfull K1 etc.

RSA, no need to submit the X-Ray. No one wants it.

Don't send the original birth certificate, send a copy. We sent secondary evidence too, just in case (we didn't have a birth certificate so sent the 10th class certificate and the birth Affidavit from him mother).

Thanks ELW. Right now, I plan to do the following ( with reference to my questions posted earlier)

1) I-131. Part 3 and Part 7
Put some future date and one paragraph explanation

2) X-Ray
I am not including X-Ray

3) Originals
I am not sending DOB originals. Instead I am sending a photocopy. Since I don't have my name on the DOB, as secondary documentation I am sending a photocopy of my 10th class marksheet and my Utah state ID.

I am still skeptical about enclosing the 10th class marksheet photocopy since the explanation is in Hindi and the values are filled in English. Looking for reasons to avoid it altogether.

Latest update: I filed my AOS, EAD and AP on 29th April. The cheques aren't encashed yet and I am waiting for the NOAs.

Update: Received my NOAs for AOS, EAD and AP on 12th May. All were dated 8th May.

Good for us!! Seems like everything is going fine...
I got my Biometrics Appointment letter on May 9th.. Appointment at 3 pm on May 20th...

Hi everyone!!! Glad to see everyone is progressing well... My wife and I are going to kick off the whole AOS process this week.. Its been a really busy couple of months for me at work and didnt have the bandwidth until now...

a few questions:

Does my wife need a SS# to start the process?
Is there a place on visajourney with the whole flow and what is needed?

thanks

No cjindia, she will not need a SS# to start the prcess.
Go to Guides... It will tell you the whole AOS process..
BTW, welcome back and all the best

thanks! I just went thru the guide.. it doesnt seem that bad. I think I should be able to do it in the next day or so....

Update: today i.e, 28 May going for the 3:00 PM biometrics appointment at local office SLC.

All the best... Although this is by far the easiest of all the proceduresthat I have been through so far

True. I arrived there one hour in advance. They took my fingerprints right away. It was an easy 15 min process. I guess now begins the next phase of awaiting process.

Just a quick EAD related update in my wife's AOS: Got an EAD card production ordered email from CRIS on 05/30/08.

I haven't received any transfer to CSC email/mail so am still a bit skeptical about this whole AOS process and how long its going to be for us but when we have an EAD in the hand, it will go a long way to give us (my wife and I) some much-needed psychological relief

Good Luck to all of us waiting.

Thats great pkewl
Don't worry about how long it will take.. You both are together and thats what matters

Amen Parul... Yes I do agree 100% with you on that my wife and I are together and that's way more important for us... Thanks for your kind words and I wish you (and e'one here waiting at whatever stage) a VERY GOOD LUCK

I will update again when we get the EAD card at home in the mail. Thanks again.

Regards.

Click to view attachment

Us at Manish & Manya's wedding

Beautiful couple, aren't they??

Parul, I am getting error when I click on the above photo.

Hey guys. How is everyone.

Well we are still waiting for something good to happen with our AOS. the last touch we received on the AOS was March 17th

there is no transfer no interview letter..........

I have seen people who filed month later getting their greencard. what is this all depended on? local office? random?

Got an email from CRIS today...
I-485 transfered to CSC on June 6th

Sorry neel06, again you are delayed! All I can think is maybe you are stuck in name check. Hope not. Did you call up the non-information line at USCIS to ask if they have any info on your case? If it is name check they have to approve within 6 months or there are steps you can take to speed it up. Good luck!

CONGRATS DanielParul, with the transfer you will hopefully get the approval soon, without interview! That is perfect because of Daniel is getting deployed and there won't be a problem with an interview date.

Thanks ELW.. It is a relief. I did not want to go for the interview on my own even though the USCIS understands what deployment is, its still USCIS and I am wary