Adjustment of Status approval Times

[woki1986 1]

Fiance and I are looking at what we'll need to adjust our status, well, MY status when we get married in July. (I'm still in the UK, we're just planning ahead.)

I'm a bit concerned as under the conditions of the K-1 Fiance visa we have 90 days to be married in and change our status (as I understand it). The marriage part is ok as I'm looking at moving in early June and our wedding is booked for 31st July. I would have 90 days in which to get married, so from that date I would have to be by 4th.. now hang on. 3 months from June would be September wouldn't it? June to July, July to August, August to September. Anyway, how could we reasonably be expected to have received notification of our adjustment within that time if the whole process can take over 3 months or longer to complete?

We're looking into what we'd need ahead of time, obviously some things we won't be able to do as we won't have them.

- Marriage certificate

- Bills with my name on

But... how does that work? I'm worried that I'll have a letter in the mailbox saying I haven't adjusted my status in time and I'm going to be deported (even though I know we'll be on the ball with sending the paperwork off). Would we have to at least have started the process within the three months or have notification of my adjustment?

What has everyone else done in regards to this?

[slangofoil 50]

Fiance and I are looking at what we'll need to adjust our status, well, MY status when we get married in July. (I'm still in the UK, we're just planning ahead.)

I'm a bit concerned as under the conditions of the K-1 Fiance visa we have 90 days to be married in and change our status (as I understand it). The marriage part is ok as I'm looking at moving in early June and our wedding is booked for 31st July. I would have 90 days in which to get married, so from that date I would have to be by 4th.. now hang on. 3 months from June would be September wouldn't it? June to July, July to August, August to September. Anyway, how could we reasonably be expected to have received notification of our adjustment within that time if the whole process can take over 3 months or longer to complete?

We're looking into what we'd need ahead of time, obviously some things we won't be able to do as we won't have them.

- Marriage certificate

- Bills with my name on

But... how does that work? I'm worried that I'll have a letter in the mailbox saying I haven't adjusted my status in time and I'm going to be deported (even though I know we'll be on the ball with sending the paperwork off). Would we have to at least have started the process within the three months or have notification of my adjustment?

What has everyone else done in regards to this?

You don't have to have completed AOS within 90 days. You just need to marry within 90 days and ideally have filed for AOS within 90 days as well, though there are plenty of people who have waited until after the 90 days to file due to unexpected financial constraints (this is not the recommended course, as your legal status would be in a gray area, but sometimes stuff happens).

You will be fine. Do everything as quickly as possible in order to get your LPR status as soon as is feasible, but don't freak out about having to get USCIS' decision within 90 days, as that's not the requirement.

[woki1986 1]

Thank you!

I had a feeling that it was the case. I just want everything to go smoothly. Packing up and moving with my visa is just the start of it all! I've read about some of the problems that other people have had that are either down to missing something simple (which does happen), that costs a fortune to correct... or things being lost. It's very stressful. Anything I can do to make everything smoother would help.

I can imagine the advice is re-read everything twice and check, check, check.

(I just found out that I'd have to sign something at the Select Service System... I can picture getting drafted, now... I wonder how I'd find out if there's a draft.)

[woki1986 1]

Also, I just spotted your signature.

When I was at my interview the interviewer asked when we got engaged formally, and it was after the application started. It might be best to.. well, Be Formal about it so you don't trip up.

[slangofoil 50]

Also, I just spotted your signature.

When I was at my interview the interviewer asked when we got engaged formally, and it was after the application started. It might be best to.. well, Be Formal about it so you don't trip up.

I think it's really just semantics. I planned on citing the "informal" date for our engagement, but I'm taking a trip to see him next week, when I expect to get the whole down-on-one-knee thing. I don't think USCIS gives a hoot when he drops a knee. The sig is more just to tell our "personal" story here on VJ.

[alex and astrid 38]

Fiance and I are looking at what we'll need to adjust our status, well, MY status when we get married in July. (I'm still in the UK, we're just planning ahead.)

I'm a bit concerned as under the conditions of the K-1 Fiance visa we have 90 days to be married in and change our status (as I understand it). The marriage part is ok as I'm looking at moving in early June and our wedding is booked for 31st July. I would have 90 days in which to get married, so from that date I would have to be by 4th.. now hang on. 3 months from June would be September wouldn't it? June to July, July to August, August to September. Anyway, how could we reasonably be expected to have received notification of our adjustment within that time if the whole process can take over 3 months or longer to complete?

We're looking into what we'd need ahead of time, obviously some things we won't be able to do as we won't have them.

- Marriage certificate

- Bills with my name on

But... how does that work? I'm worried that I'll have a letter in the mailbox saying I haven't adjusted my status in time and I'm going to be deported (even though I know we'll be on the ball with sending the paperwork off). Would we have to at least have started the process within the three months or have notification of my adjustment?

What has everyone else done in regards to this?

Another thing to remember for AOS - You don't need to put things like joint bills in with your AOS packet, all you need are the USCIS forms, the supporting evidence for the I-864, your vaccination stuff, and your marriage certificate. My husband and I posted out AOS last week, and now, while we wait to be approved, we are doing things like combining our bank accounts, getting my name in the car insurance, stuff like that. That way, if you are called up for an interview, you have the evidence you need to show them.

Edited March 15, 2010 by alex and astrid

[robleftca 0]

Another thing to remember for AOS - You don't need to put things like joint bills in with your AOS packet, all you need are the USCIS forms, the supporting evidence for the I-864, your vaccination stuff, and your marriage certificate. My husband and I posted out AOS last week, and now, while we wait to be approved, we are doing things like combining our bank accounts, getting my name in the car insurance, stuff like that. That way, if you are called up for an interview, you have the evidence you need to show them.

we are starting to fill out our paper work today. I know her status will be invalid before we file the AOS. Her date to be here is March 17th. I don't think we will get done bye tuesday. It take some time getting all this orginazied lol.(my exuse)

Will not filling on her last day of status hurt us?

[sammills89 2]

we are starting to fill out our paper work today. I know her status will be invalid before we file the AOS. Her date to be here is March 17th. I don't think we will get done bye tuesday. It take some time getting all this orginazied lol.(my exuse)

Will not filling on her last day of status hurt us?

My wife and I didn't have the money to send the forms within the 90 days, we ended up doing it about 2-3 weeks later - we put all the correct dates down and my AOS was approved in something crazy like 60 days, so you shouldn't have anything to worry about. Saying that every case is different, try not to leave it too long!

[robleftca 0]

My wife and I didn't have the money to send the forms within the 90 days, we ended up doing it about 2-3 weeks later - we put all the correct dates down and my AOS was approved in something crazy like 60 days, so you shouldn't have anything to worry about. Saying that every case is different, try not to leave it too long!

Thanks for the heads up. We are not trying to wait to long believe me. I hear it everyday from my wife lol. It isn't an excuse but we are short handed at work. When you put in 52 hours in at work in a week for the last two weeks you just want to rest on your day off and spend that time with your new wife lol. I finally had two days off in a row and today i am taking the time to do all this stuff. I can't wait till it is over, many people hope the boarder and do it illigelly and the ones doing it the right way seem to stress soooo much lol.

[NatPatBen 3]

Thanks for the heads up. We are not trying to wait to long believe me. I hear it everyday from my wife lol. It isn't an excuse but we are short handed at work. When you put in 52 hours in at work in a week for the last two weeks you just want to rest on your day off and spend that time with your new wife lol. I finally had two days off in a row and today i am taking the time to do all this stuff. I can't wait till it is over, many people hope the boarder and do it illigelly and the ones doing it the right way seem to stress soooo much lol.

I feel you 100% on that 50+ hrs of work thing. I'm just glad that my new husband is out of town while I'm working so much, so that I'm not ignoring him.

[woki1986 1]

I think it's really just semantics. I planned on citing the "informal" date for our engagement, but I'm taking a trip to see him next week, when I expect to get the whole down-on-one-knee thing. I don't think USCIS gives a hoot when he drops a knee. The sig is more just to tell our "personal" story here on VJ.

Well... We applied in June 09 after I'd been there and we met again in October 09, and I formally proposed on one knee then, even though we were informally engaged before that. If that makes any sense. The Embassy didn't like that at all.

[woki1986 1]

I can't wait till it is over, many people hope the boarder and do it illigelly and the ones doing it the right way seem to stress soooo much lol.

That's what bugs me... If I were going from say, Mexico to the USA and disappeared... I'd probably worry about immigration catching me eventually but apart from that what would I have to lose? (And for your info, I'm not even thinking of doing that, because firstly I'm in England, and I'd never thought about it. Just an example )People like us doing it properly find it stressful going through the process, can be patronised by people (like someone who was treated like a six year old at POE...), go through the stress of applying, interview, moving... But we do it properly because why bother doing it any other way.

I think I can remember reading somewhere that you can apply to stay in the USA if you've been illegal for a certain amount of time? If that is the case, how is that even fair? Considering the heartache of long distance relationships and the financial cost of the whole process of doing it properly...

It's stressful and I've not even moved yet I think it'll be better once I get moved.. but anyway

/rant.

[slangofoil 50]

Well... We applied in June 09 after I'd been there and we met again in October 09, and I formally proposed on one knee then, even though we were informally engaged before that. If that makes any sense. The Embassy didn't like that at all.

What do you mean they "didn't like it"? You got the visa didn't you? Anyway why even mention that to them? Like I said, they don't need to know when the man gets down on a knee. That proposal is just for "us". We made the decision to file for a K-1 and marry each other on Jan 6. End of story. Not everyone has a formal proposal at all. Just like not everyone has a big wedding with a white dress and 200 guests. IF they ask for details we'll be honest and say, as unromantic as it is, that we were talking online and just decided on it together. Immigration is not romantic. Anyway we have a well-documented relationship of 4 and a half years, including co-habitation. It might be different if we had just met less than a year ago and only ever seen each other once or twice.

[woki1986 1]

What do you mean they "didn't like it"? You got the visa didn't you? Anyway why even mention that to them? Like I said, they don't need to know when the man gets down on a knee. That proposal is just for "us". We made the decision to file for a K-1 and marry each other on Jan 6. End of story. Not everyone has a formal proposal at all. Just like not everyone has a big wedding with a white dress and 200 guests. IF they ask for details we'll be honest and say, as unromantic as it is, that we were talking online and just decided on it together. Immigration is not romantic. Anyway we have a well-documented relationship of 4 and a half years, including co-habitation. It might be different if we had just met less than a year ago and only ever seen each other once or twice.

Well, they asked when we got engaged, specifically, so I had to tell them. The interviewer hesitated before she gave me it, so it was almost like she didn't want to give it to me. We decided on it together as well before we started applying, but I wanted to make it 'official' so I did when we saw each other the next time, which was October. (And that's exactly what I told them.) The interviewer said that if we weren't formally engaged at all she would have refused the application.. so..

Either way, yes I got the visa and for that I am thankful, we can carry on with the process and look forward to our life together.

Immigration isn't exactly romantic, no, but you can make it more so... the wedding would be even if it's just you both, witnesses and the person marrying you. If you want a small wedding or a big one, fair enough.

[Elghazi2008 4]

Thanks for the heads up. We are not trying to wait to long believe me. I hear it everyday from my wife lol. It isn't an excuse but we are short handed at work. When you put in 52 hours in at work in a week for the last two weeks you just want to rest on your day off and spend that time with your new wife lol. I finally had two days off in a row and today i am taking the time to do all this stuff. I can't wait till it is over, many people hope the boarder and do it illigelly and the ones doing it the right way seem to stress soooo much lol.

My husband and I did not file until 6 months after we were married. Don't sweat it. Not a big deal as long as you fulfilled the marriage requirement within those 90 days.