AOS approved!

[Mike and Thanh 0]

got some good news. thanh's aos application is approved. the paper said that she should receive her green card within 3 weeks. an interview wasn't even necessary. what's next? green card is good for 2 yrs only. before the 2 yr deadline, we should apply for what? removal of condition?

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

got some good news. thanh's aos application is approved. the paper said that she should receive her green card within 3 weeks. an interview wasn't even necessary. what's next? green card is good for 2 yrs only. before the 2 yr deadline, we should apply for what? removal of condition?

Congrats!

You submit the I-751 petition to remove conditions in the 90 day period before her 2 year green card expires.

[What's next 1]

in 21 months you're gonna have to do a renewal of the green card. I just went through this and my advise would be put everything in both names. they say they want evidence starting from your marriage not start from when she arrived here. Put her name on your banking accounts, utility bills, magazine subscriptions. if you have a retirement plan or life ins policy, make her the beneficiary. And of course the standard stuff like pictures, tax returns, auto medical dental insurances.

They actually requested more info from us after we filed. Everything is ok now and her new card is being produced.

Attached is a list of what they are looking for. Hope this helps.

I751_documents_needed.pdf

[lindal24 1]

My next step is also removal of conditions...

I have him on my health / life insurance coverage and as beneficiary,

He'll be added to my auto insurance policy sometime next week (he got his license yesterday),

I'll probably add him to my bank account (if it's not too much trouble)

I filed married last year and ammended to filing joint on our tax in 2008 and will do so in 2009.

We'll buy a new car and have that as double registrant

My problem is...if it's so/too much trouble, I really don't want to deal with the hassle.

1. I purchased my home and vehicle before I met him...changing the title & registration is more trouble than I am willing to deal with (esp after having to deal with the tax collector's office about a title transfer for my bro's car last week!)

2. Same thing with utility/other bills as #1- why would I deal with the hassle to "add" a name to the billing?! That's insane if you've ever dealt with companies that have HORRIBLE customer service.

3. Loans I had before I met him are in my name. Why would I, or the loan company change it to a joint loan?!

Basically, why would I have to, or want to change (because of the hassle), except for the fact of having proof for immigration purposes, "ownership" of assets I had before we married?

Would it be okay if we just start new joint accounts now that we're physically together? - Insurance, Purchase of vehicle, etc.?

[vietazn 1]

I plan to do joint accounts on anything going forward, and keeping anything in the past that does not really affect her the same. Which would of course mean leaving the utilities the same, and changing insurance information, opening joint bank account, and adding her as beneficiaries. I don't plan to change past real estate information either.

[lindal24 1]

Good deal...I guess I'm not the only one who's not head over heels for hassle...

[Dau Que 6]

You don't have to add anyone's name to your bank account to prove you two are living together, especially if you're living in a community state. You're assuming the relationship will last definitely. That's a huge gamble, if you ask me.

Most people will resolve to proving their relationship by having children. This method by far will be the strongest evidence. Otherwise, you can prove your residency by putting your name on some of the bills and/or credit card accounts. Start taking pictures of you two together with other people, ie. friends, family members, etc.

Edit to add: and don't do stuff like letting her traveling to Vietnam alone before filing for that 10-year green card. Husband and wife, yet she's traveling alone? No law prohibiting that, but gives an ammunition to the INS to request a personal interview upon applying for the perm GC.

Edited January 23, 2010 by Dau Que

[Mike and Thanh 0]

guess what? we got the green card in the mail today! they said 3 weeks, but we received it today. even faster than the social security card. the removal of condition is down the road. next up should be a driver's license....yikes!