NEW ZEALANDers heading to the US and their USC spouses - POST HERE!

[JessNZ 3]

You're welcome Jess!

For the consent I think that a signed statement from him should be sufficient, you may need to get a JP to sign/witness it to make it all official. I did enquire when I was going for my visa a few years back, my situation was very complicated at the time and my son and I decided he'd stay to finish high school, now he's old enough that I didn't need to get consent from his father (who I have no clue how to find). I suggest that you email the consulate and check with them what kind of proof they need. They're really helpful and I'm sure will get back to you with something quickly.

Jess, if you need any assistance when you come up here to Auckland let me know, I am literally ten minutes down the road from the Consulate.

Ben

Yay thankyou, you guys are awesome!! I was getting a little nervous with everything so unclear in my head but I feel a lot better now!

[rubyred 0]

hi guys, long time no see! i was so fed up with the whole stressful situation over residency that i kind of avoided this place once i got my conditional GC. i was just happy to be done with it! but now it's time for removal of conditions...

so: i just found out today that i was supposed to advise USCIS of any change of address. i had no effing idea!!! there was nothing about that in the paperwork i received with my GC - i knew that prior to receiving the GC i had to keep my current address updated, but i specifically went looking for info regarding this once i had the GC in hand. NOW i get a letter reminding me removal of conditions is coming up - but of course it was sent to my old address, then returned to sender, then sent out to my current address. so i tried to change it online, and whaddayaknow, the stupid USCIS site is useless (surprise!!) - i filled the form out and hit 'signature' and nothing happened. i've tried it a bunch of times, and still nothing. ugh now i have to do it the snail mail way.

ANYWAY we're just beginning to get our RoC packet together - not feeling too stressed, since we have a british friend who just went through it, and they were fine.

we were in canada recently and on the way back into the US the customs officer gave me the HUGEST (and unsolicited) lecture on getting my ###### together and filing for RoC!!! he noticed the expiry date on my GC and felt it his duty to tell me how i should have already got the forms together and sent them off... my GC expires in november, and this was back in may (hello!! you can't file outside of 6 months before the expiry date!!). i mean, for all he knew i COULD have already sent the stuff, but he didn't actually ASK me, he just started lecturing me. what a #######.

ok, end of ranting. hope everyone here is doing well, and my two pieces of advice for those of you just starting out:

1. read these forums like crazy: just spend 30 mins every day browsing different threads. you'll be amazed at how much you pick up. all the stuff you need to know seems overwhelming but it's NOT, you just have to read read read.

2. DON'T BE STRESSED that you won't get your GC: YOU WILL. seriously, if you relationship is genuine, you won't have any problems getting in here. just fill out all the forms carefully, double check everything (twice).

[Dave_n_Genna 0]

hi guys, long time no see! i was so fed up with the whole stressful situation over residency that i kind of avoided this place once i got my conditional GC. i was just happy to be done with it! but now it's time for removal of conditions...

so: i just found out today that i was supposed to advise USCIS of any change of address. i had no effing idea!!! there was nothing about that in the paperwork i received with my GC - i knew that prior to receiving the GC i had to keep my current address updated, but i specifically went looking for info regarding this once i had the GC in hand. NOW i get a letter reminding me removal of conditions is coming up - but of course it was sent to my old address, then returned to sender, then sent out to my current address. so i tried to change it online, and whaddayaknow, the stupid USCIS site is useless (surprise!!) - i filled the form out and hit 'signature' and nothing happened. i've tried it a bunch of times, and still nothing. ugh now i have to do it the snail mail way.

ANYWAY we're just beginning to get our RoC packet together - not feeling too stressed, since we have a british friend who just went through it, and they were fine.

we were in canada recently and on the way back into the US the customs officer gave me the HUGEST (and unsolicited) lecture on getting my ###### together and filing for RoC!!! he noticed the expiry date on my GC and felt it his duty to tell me how i should have already got the forms together and sent them off... my GC expires in november, and this was back in may (hello!! you can't file outside of 6 months before the expiry date!!). i mean, for all he knew i COULD have already sent the stuff, but he didn't actually ASK me, he just started lecturing me. what a #######.

ok, end of ranting. hope everyone here is doing well, and my two pieces of advice for those of you just starting out:

1. read these forums like crazy: just spend 30 mins every day browsing different threads. you'll be amazed at how much you pick up. all the stuff you need to know seems overwhelming but it's NOT, you just have to read read read.

2. DON'T BE STRESSED that you won't get your GC: YOU WILL. seriously, if you relationship is genuine, you won't have any problems getting in here. just fill out all the forms carefully, double check everything (twice).

Hey Ruby, You can call the USCIS to notify them of an address change. That may be the best way to go for you.

We sent in our RoC and went for the Biometrics (had to miss a day of work and so lost like $200, and then the woman had such trouble taking the fingerprints that it really makes me wonder how she does it for a living!)

Now just waiting for them to remove the conditions already so we can get on with our happy lives together. I can't wait for this stage to be over, and just stop thinking about immigration.

Do we have to continue to contact the USCIS with our new addresses even after receiving the 10 year GC?

Edited July 27, 2011 by Dave_n_Genna

[cdneh 3,112]

Meh.

I had the note come to tell me to get busy thinking about ROC. It was sent to my old address. Sent back to Homeland Security. Then sent here to the right address...by..you guessed it..Homeland Security! So, although I did send them the address change last year in May...they are asking me to send one again, this time to Kentucky?!?

I swear these people are in business to keep me in a state of confusion!

[Michelle Kauffman 0]

Hi Guys,

Yes i'm back here for the same reason, ROC.

I'm confused, I thought we couldn't send in our paperwork until 3 months before our green cards expired.

And I'm sure I had my fingerprints taken when we did the AOS paperwork, do we have to have them taken again?.

And, do they really want $590, I was so sure I had read somewhere that it was $185 but of course last time I looked was probably over a year ago

Thanks for your help again, I know I can get the right answers here

Michelle Kauffman (Saunders)

[rubyred 0]

it really is $590 and we do have get our biometrics done again (no idea why - probably an excuse to charge more money). you can get organised early, but you're not allowed to send in your paperwork till you are within 90 days of your GC expiration date. if you haven't looked at the forms already, they are super easy and quick to fill out, and then you just have to supply a bunch of evidence (joint lease, bank accounts, photos, affidavits).

when they receive your application, they send a notice as a receipt that also grants you a one year extension on your GC, so don't stress if you haven't been approved or don't get your biometrics appointment by the time your conditional GC expires.

[cdneh 3,112]

I actually have to leave the state for biometrics, if you can imagine anything so silly. Kim (Kim&Chris) has had hers done and had to make the trek.

Like they've changed...lol...I'm losing track of how many times somebody has taken my fingerprints the last few years.

I'll be filing shortly. I'm in the window now, so I need to stop procrastinating and get on with it.

[kelzm 0]

And then if you decide to become a citizen - guess what? You have to get those biometrics done again!

I applied for mine 90 days before my 3 year anniversary of being a permanent resident. Had to pay another fistful of dollars, get biometrics done again, submit proof of marriage AGAIN. I had my citizenship interview last week. I passed my civics test and english test no problem. The problems were that my interview was a week before my 3 years were up so he couldn't make a decision then. But the icing on the cake was that after flipping through my file and muttering things like 'Can't use that', 'Nope', 'Sigh', he told me that he did not have time to review my proof of marriage and he very likely would not approve my application and would ask for more evidence. He didn't know what he would need so I'd have to wait for a letter, which he wouldn't get around to till the end of this week, if he had time.

Brilliant.

[Michelle Kauffman 0]

And then if you decide to become a citizen - guess what? You have to get those biometrics done again!

I applied for mine 90 days before my 3 year anniversary of being a permanent resident. Had to pay another fistful of dollars, get biometrics done again, submit proof of marriage AGAIN. I had my citizenship interview last week. I passed my civics test and english test no problem. The problems were that my interview was a week before my 3 years were up so he couldn't make a decision then. But the icing on the cake was that after flipping through my file and muttering things like 'Can't use that', 'Nope', 'Sigh', he told me that he did not have time to review my proof of marriage and he very likely would not approve my application and would ask for more evidence. He didn't know what he would need so I'd have to wait for a letter, which he wouldn't get around to till the end of this week, if he had time.

Brilliant.

Geez,that all sounds kinda stupid. How much does citizenship cost?

[kelzm 0]

It costs about $660 if I recall.

I just got a case status update today of a request for evidence. I'm very frustrated right now. The rest of this process has been so simple.

[Michelle Kauffman 0]

It costs about $660 if I recall.

I just got a case status update today of a request for evidence. I'm very frustrated right now. The rest of this process has been so simple.

It seems kinda crazy to me to be questioning it all so much now, you'd think they'd ask they hard questions at the beginning of the process, not the end.

[kelzm 0]

Especially frustrating as I had to do this all a year ago when I got my 10 year green card. Oh well. I can only do so much I guess, the rest is just waiting and hoping.

[cdneh 3,112]

Especially frustrating as I had to do this all a year ago when I got my 10 year green card. Oh well. I can only do so much I guess, the rest is just waiting and hoping.

Well, if nothing else, we are all getting used to the wait and hope thing. I hope it all goes well, and that you just can send off whatever else they think they need

[kelzm 0]

If you're thinking of going for citizenship I highly recommend waiting till 5 years is up, rather than using the 3 year marriage rule. If it wasn't for my son I wouldn't have done this as early as I have.

[Michelle Kauffman 0]

If you're thinking of going for citizenship I highly recommend waiting till 5 years is up, rather than using the 3 year marriage rule. If it wasn't for my son I wouldn't have done this as early as I have.

Why wait?