I-130, AOS, EAD, & I-824 - How my paper works and my list of documents included.

[pixie77 2]

Hi Everyone,

I sent my immigration paper works yesterday and now the waiting game begins . Just thought I’d share how I assembled, organized our documents as a form of gratitude to this forum and its members. I may have not asked plenty of questions, but I was browsing endlessly different member’s stories and experiences. By the way, we didn’t use any lawyer, instead we decided to do it on our own, I particularly did all the browsing on forum, research on different articles and talking/communicating with people going through the same process. If you have any questions you can always leave me a comment on my profile or pm me. I can share with you how I answered the forms, did my cover letters, table of contents, affidavits and labels that I created for my folders. If there’s anyway, I can post them to this site please let me know. I am not an expert nor am I disseminating legal advice. I just did my homework and now sharing it with you. Check my timeline for chronology of events pertaining to my situation.

Key Points:

Joe – Husband - USC

Pixie - B1/B2 Visa - Overstayed

I-94 Expired July 2006

Pixie Married Joe April 10, 2010

Have a daughter back home 9 years old [previous relationship]

Forms Filed Concurrently [At the same time]:

I-130 – for Pixie

I-130 – for Pixie’s daughter

The USC spouse can petition your child/children as long as you can prove that your marriage occurred before the child’s 18th birthday.

[Reference: I-130 instructions under “General Instructions” under “What Documents Do You Need to Prove Family Relationship?” No. 8]

I-485 - for Pixie – Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status

I-765 – for Pixie – Application for Employment Authorization

I-824 – for Pixie’s I-485

I filed the I-824 as instructed on I-485 [Reference: Instructions for I-485 under “Who May File Form I-485?”No. 2 Letter B]. This will inform the US Embassy in the Philippines that I have adjusted status & a visa will be available to my daughter.

Document Assembly:

•

• All folders color coded – [i.e I-130 Red, I-485 Green, I-765- Blue, I-824 – Yellow]
  
• • 2 punched holed the documents
  
• • Used ACCO fasteners to hold documents
  
• • Stapled Checks
  
• • On the memo part of the check, my husband wrote which form was it for.
  
• • Paper Clipped G-1145 on every first page of every form [ optional]
  
• • Used tabs on bottom of pages
  
• • All documents were letter size; if my document was oversized I reduced it to letter size.
  
• • All Photos were placed in a zip lock bag & labeled
  
• • All Photos were labeled with our names and for Joe, his naturalization certificate # aside from his name
  
• • Used rubber band to group & separate folders [i.e [2] I-130 together, & I-485, I-765 & I-824 together
  
• • Used pocket envelopes, to put in forms that are together and labeled accordingly
  
• • I made a photo collage of our dating & wedding photos on MS Word with captions.
  
• • All photos have dates on them.
  
• • We used blue pen in all signatures, so they’d know all are original.
  

This was how each of the front of our folders looked like.

On the Upper Left Corner I wrote Petitioner’s Information – I did this because I read somewhere that usually immigration disassemble your forms, it goes to different places and it will help them if the petitioner’s information is easily seen by them rather than going back to the form and looking again.

Petitioner’s Information:

Prince Charming/Knight in Shining Armor [All names used]

12/25/1965 [Date of Birth]

1234 Handsome St.

Never, Neverland

1000

Passport#:

Naturalization Certificate#: [Whatever is applicable to you]

On the center of the front of our folders I wrote the following:

Form I-130, [Petition for Alien Relative]

Petitioner: Joe

Beneficiary: Pixie

Relationship: Wife

Concurrently filed with the following Forms:

I-130 – Andi

I-485 – Pixie

I-765 – Pixie

I-824

Please note I wrote under the line which forms I am concurrently filing with the form in the folder.

Form I-485, [Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status]

Petitioner: Joe

Applicant : Pixie

The I-485 format was the same with I-765 & I-824 & I also indicated that it’s concurrently filed with the other forms as shown above.

Document List:

Form I-130 – Pixie

1. Cover Letter

2. Filing fee of $355.00 [Personal Check] stapled to Form I-130

3. Passport Photos of Joe & Pixie [Ziplock bag]

4. G-1145 – [E-Notification of Petition] paper clipped in front of Form I-130

5. FORM I-130 – [PETITION FOR ALIEN RELATIVE] of Pixie

6. Copies of Naturalization Certificate & US Passport of Joe [1 should be sent but we decided to send both anyway]

7. Copy of Marriage Certificate between Joe & Pixie

8. Copy of Divorce Decree from previous marriage of Pixie

9. G-325A – [biographic Information]

• Joe

• Pixie + Additional Sheet

10. Affidavits Sworn to or Affirmed by Third Parties [ 5 friends]

11. Joint Financial Resources

• Deposit Account Balance Summary

• Newly Issued Debit Card

• September 2009 to May 2010 Bank Statements

12. Form I-864 – Affidavit of Support of Joe

• December 2009 to May 2010 Pay & Contributions Statements [indicated name of corp. here]

• 2006 – 2009 W-2’s

• 2006 – 2008 Summary of W-2 Statements

• 2006 – 2008 Form 1040 – US Individual Tax Return & Schedules

• 2008 – Form 140NR – Arizona Non-Resident Income Tax Return

• 2008 – Form IT-112-R – NY State Resident Credit

• 2006 – 2008 Form IT – 201 – Resident Income Tax Return [Long Form]

13. 2006 – 2009 Form 1099 – From banks that pay him interest & from his stock brokers

14. Other Relevant Documentation to Establish Marital Union

• Timeline of Relationship, Dating & Wedding Photos

• Wedding Preparation

• Health Insurance

• Airline Tickets of Vacations Together

• Gifts, Letter & Greeting Card

• Emails

If you notice, we only have a joint account. We are not renting so we don’t have a lease agreement, nor do we have a mortgage because he fully paid the house. No utility bills in our joint name because it auto debits on his bank account and also, I’m not really paying or sharing in paying any utility bill. The few things where we have our name together were the transactions/preparations during our wedding and the other evidences we showed on #14. We wanted to add the phone bill but it will be too bulky since our bill statements date back to 2008, we’ll just bring it to the interview just in case. Please feel free to ask me about these. Also, for his Tax documents, I wasn’t able to request for a Tax transcript, I think it’s free but I would have to wait for another 2 to 3 weeks, so I just submitted Tax documents that I think will show relevant information. 2009 Income tax hasn’t been filed yet and so I attached on his 2009 Tax documents the Income Tax Extension Confirmation. Like I said, Please feel free to ask me.

Form I-130 – Andi – [step-daughter - minor]

1. Cover Letter

2. Filing fee of $355.00 [Personal Check] -stapled on Form I-130

3. G-1145 – [E-Notification of Petition] clipped in front of Form I-130

4. FORM I-130 – [PETITION FOR ALIEN RELATIVE] of Andi

5. Copies of Naturalization Certificate & US Passport of Joe

6. Copy of Birth Certificate of Andi

7. Copy of Divorce Decree from previous marriage of Pixie

8. Copy of Marriage Certificate between Joe & Pixie

9. Form I-864 – Affidavit of Support of Joe

• December 2009 to May 2010 Pay & Contributions Statements [indicated Corp. Name]

• 2006 – 2009 W-2’s

• 2006 – 2008 Summary of W-2 Statements

• 2006 – 2008 Form 1040 – US Individual Tax Return & Schedules

• 2008 – Form 140NR – Arizona Non-Resident Income Tax Return

• 2008 – Form IT-112-R – NY State Resident Credit

• 2006 – 2008 Form IT – 201 – Resident Income Tax Return [Long Form]

• 2006 – 2009 Form 1099 – Banks & Stock Brokers

Form I-485 – Pixie

1. Cover Letter

2. Filing fee of $930 + $80 Biometric Fee = $1,010.00

[Personal Check]

3. Passport Photos of Pixie

4. G-1145 – [E-Notification of Petition] clipped in front of Form I-485

5. FORM I-485 – [Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status]

of Pixie

6. Copy of Birth Certificate of Pixie

7. Copy of Non-Immigrant Visa on Passport Page

8. G-325A – [biographic Information] of Joe & Pixie

9. Form I-693 – Report of Medical Examination & Vacc. Record [sealed Envelope]

10. Form I-864 – Affidavit of Support of Joe

• December 2009 to May 2010 Pay & Contributions Statements [indicated Corp. name]

• 2006 – 2009 W-2’s

• 2006 – 2008 Summary of W-2 Statements

• 2006 – 2008 Form 1040 – US Individual Tax Return & Schedules

• 2008 – Form 140NR – Arizona Non-Resident Income Tax Return

• 2008 – Form IT-112-R –NY State Resident Credit

• 2006 – 2008 Form IT – 201 – Resident Income Tax Return [Long Form]

• 2006 – 2009 Form 1099 – Banks & Stock brokers

I-765 – Pixie

1. Cover Letter

2. Passport Photos of Pixie

3. G-1145 – [E-Notification of Petition] clipped in front of Form I-485

4. FORM I-765 – [Application for Employment Authorization] of Pixie

5. Copy of I-94 [Departure/Arrival Record] of Pixie

6. Copy of Non-Immigrant Visa on Passport Page

I-824 – for I-485

I submitted this form as instructed on I-485. I have not attached any documentation here just the form.

I have copies of all these folders. I gathered the original in 1 folder and photocopies in another. In every folder I indicated that each is concurrently filed with the other. This can also be seen on our cover letters, overall cover letters & labels. We mailed our folders yesterday to the Chicago Lockbox USPS Priority mail Certified in a box that measured 15"x12"x10". Our folders didnt fit in the large flat rate box and this was the next size so I just put some papers inside to keep the folders from moving or turning upside down.

Our resources were mainly the Visa Journey Forum & its GUIDES & the USCIS website [www.uscis.gov]. I used GOOGLE to search, and spoke to people that are going through or had gone through the immigration process. I read tons of articles about immigration, you can always make a search on them specific to your situation, some newspapers have archives and you just need to dig deep, expat forum, too. I also went to Barnes & Noble often and read through their legal books about immigration especially NOLO. My aunt is a paralegal, that helped me too. Please read the instructions carefully, if you need to read it over and over, believe me its well worth it because sometimes there are info’s that you’ll miss the 1st or 2nd and sometimes even the 3rd time. I was very ####### and meticulous during the whole paper work process, I think I overdid it but there's no harm in doing so, I guess. As I mentioned, I hope I have helped you one way or another just like this forum has to me and its members.Thank you again & I'll be updating my timeline and will be posting developments here.

[besaangel 17]

Your list looks good, but please reduce your font size for future use...

[pixie77 2]

Ooopssssss...sorry...I'll be more conscious of that next time....

Thanks for letting me know.

[fiestagirl 7]

Wow you sure gave a lot of bonafides! We just sent our packages off and all we sent was some pictures with a timeline and the first page of our bank statement (with no financial information on it) to show we share a joint account.

[pixie77 2]

we just want all areas covered...the bonafides were just supposed to be 3 but we asked another 2 people just in case they wouldn't be able to send it to us on time..but they were all able to mail it to us so we just decided to submit all of it..