AOS help

[Horologist 0]

I am requesting help on how to go about doing an adjustment of status. I will try to give as much information as I can. Quick stats, I am a Canadian citizen,Age 43 born British, emigrated to Canada at age 8, became Canadian citizen 1991, Am a Horlogist and AZ<CDL> driver, have done US long haul work.I am mainly wondering if we can do this ourselves or if we should hire an immigration lawyer. Overview of us: My wife and I have known each other for 15 years, back then we where going to marry, but circumstances of life<meddling family, my side> made that not happen.I told her to move on, and she married a guy who would be best described as a jerk. We remained in touch over the years, and knew our feelings for each other where strong, but life had made us go apart. I never married and raised my daughter<who is an adult now> on my own. Less than six months ago she became divorced and I agreed to come down here. It was evident right away that we belonged together. I decided to stay and spend time with her and do a see what happens/what developed. Well we just wanted to be together more and more, not wanting to be apart ever again. Now I did not come here with the intention of being married, and I have family and other ties to Canada. about 3 weeks ago we thought we should just get married and we did this past weekend, a small ceremony by a judge who is a family friend by the lake with some family members present, due to our short notice to family members, none of my family was able to attend.I have read many of the post until my head started to spin, it is so much information and people being contradictory, good stories/bad stories. We live in Louisiana, my wife has a home, a well paying job and comes from a very well to do family<as I do as well>. While I stayed/stay here, I did/do not work as that is illegal, spent my time taking care of home things and working on opening a business here < A watch/clock trade service center>. We are not opening it until I have the legal right to open it, but that does not stop us from getting equipment and converting a workshop on our land to service center. The good thing is I will have a lot of customers and right of the bat I plan to hire an apprentice locally<good for the economy>.A good thing/bad thing about my trade is high demand due to few people doing it. The process of becoming legal here is from what I am reading, stressful and bureaucratic. Any help would be useful. I do not like the can not travel rule, as I miss my daughter and parents/siblings and such, My wife is not into snow and is very close to her family, whom I like and enjoy being around. I guess for me it would be easier to have her in Canada, but you make a choice even if it is bittersweet to be with the one you want to grow old with. Now I have rambled on, I will state my point, How do we go about filing for AOS, what other forms should be filed with it, has anyone had a similar experience? If you need more information I would be happy to give it. It should also be noted I have Aspergers, will that affect the way USCIS behaves? must they be told such? Other than that I am in perfect health for my age.

[YuAndDan 153]

Not a turist visa topic. Moving to AOS from Work/Student/Tourist forum...

[Barbara J 115]

I am requesting help on how to go about doing an adjustment of status. I will try to give as much information as I can. Quick stats, I am a Canadian citizen,Age 43 born British, emigrated to Canada at age 8, became Canadian citizen 1991, Am a Horlogist and AZ<CDL> driver, have done US long haul work.I am mainly wondering if we can do this ourselves or if we should hire an immigration lawyer. Overview of us: My wife and I have known each other for 15 years, back then we where going to marry, but circumstances of life<meddling family, my side> made that not happen.I told her to move on, and she married a guy who would be best described as a jerk. We remained in touch over the years, and knew our feelings for each other where strong, but life had made us go apart. I never married and raised my daughter<who is an adult now> on my own. Less than six months ago she became divorced and I agreed to come down here. It was evident right away that we belonged together. I decided to stay and spend time with her and do a see what happens/what developed. Well we just wanted to be together more and more, not wanting to be apart ever again. Now I did not come here with the intention of being married, and I have family and other ties to Canada. about 3 weeks ago we thought we should just get married and we did this past weekend, a small ceremony by a judge who is a family friend by the lake with some family members present, due to our short notice to family members, none of my family was able to attend.I have read many of the post until my head started to spin, it is so much information and people being contradictory, good stories/bad stories. We live in Louisiana, my wife has a home, a well paying job and comes from a very well to do family<as I do as well>. While I stayed/stay here, I did/do not work as that is illegal, spent my time taking care of home things and working on opening a business here < A watch/clock trade service center>. We are not opening it until I have the legal right to open it, but that does not stop us from getting equipment and converting a workshop on our land to service center. The good thing is I will have a lot of customers and right of the bat I plan to hire an apprentice locally<good for the economy>.A good thing/bad thing about my trade is high demand due to few people doing it. The process of becoming legal here is from what I am reading, stressful and bureaucratic. Any help would be useful. I do not like the can not travel rule, as I miss my daughter and parents/siblings and such, My wife is not into snow and is very close to her family, whom I like and enjoy being around. I guess for me it would be easier to have her in Canada, but you make a choice even if it is bittersweet to be with the one you want to grow old with. Now I have rambled on, I will state my point, How do we go about filing for AOS, what other forms should be filed with it, has anyone had a similar experience? If you need more information I would be happy to give it. It should also be noted I have Aspergers, will that affect the way USCIS behaves? must they be told such? Other than that I am in perfect health for my age.

Ok I hope someone can help you out but if you are married and you want to AOS you cannot go back to Canada to visit til you have AP or GC in hand and that can take 2-4 months to be approved. Your other choice is to go back to Canada and your wife file CR1 spousal visa and you wait for approval benefit is you are granted GC status upon entry and then you can visit your family no problem. Or like you said she move to Canada with you.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

You can file these papers and should be a permanent resident in 3-4 months. http://www.visajourney.com/content/i130guide2

You did not have intent to immigrate when you came here. Yes, you cannot travel until your get an Advance Parole document (which is a temporary measure until you get your GC) or the GC itself. That takes about 3 months. If you can't wait for 3 months, then you can file the CR-1 visa and have an interview in Canada, but you would not be a permanent resident back here for about 10 months (and would have to spend time away from your wife). This is your one special chance to do AOS from in-country.

I wouldn't worry too much - yes this process is bureaucratic and somewhat invisible, but it's not horrible. Don't let the bad stories get to you - most people don't tell the whole truth if they have a bad story.

Asperger's won't be an issue, and no one needs to know. You will have an interview together with your wife at your local office. If you have trouble talking to strangers, then you may consider telling your IO as an aside that you have asperger's, but otherwise, it's a non-issue.

Good luck and congrats on your marriage!

[Horologist 0]

Thank you for the reply. Ok, So we have downloaded all the forms and have a couple of questions. To start this do we send form I-130, I-485 and supporting documents and fees? Should we also file I-131 <for travel>, I-693 <medical>, I-864 <support> I-765 <work>. We are a bit confused as to which forms/fees start the ball rolling. For example, will they ask me to go take a medical or am I to go have one and send that with the I-485 package? Also with immunization records, I am 43, the doctor who would of immunized me is probably dead or retired and I can only imagine the nightmare of trying to hunt down such records, it would most likely mean hiring a PI in England. One issue for Aspergers is I take everything very literal, and from what I read on that link it makes me believe I am to file every single form at once and all supporting documents and a medical. Also I read about having to file a criminal records check on some posts, is this done with any of these forms or something I should get? Thanks for the patience,literal translation of this process makes my head spin.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Being literal will help you in this process. Yes, you file all of those forms at the same time. You are doing what is called a CONCURRENT I-130/I-485 filing. The fee is $420 for the I-130, and $1070 for the I-485. The other forms are free with the whole package. It's like two umbrellas, the I-130 with forms related to it, and the I-485, with forms related to it.

You must go get your I-693 (medical exam) done before you send everything in. You must get a medical examination by a USCIS-authorized Civil Surgeon, not just a regular doctor. The civil surgeon will fill out the form and give it to you in a sealed envelope. You send in the sealed envelope (do not open it) with your 130/485 package. You can find civil surgeons on uscis.gov. The whole medical exam is usually two appointments. At the first they will take some blood, and at the second you will get the results. Just go to the CS, and ask them about the vaccines. They may know that all english/canadian males aged 43 were required to get MMR shots to attend school and therefore be able to sign off that you have that vaccine. They can also test your blood and see what immunities you have. Or, they may require that you get a few shots. Just go to them and follow their advice. My husband's medical was $200, and he needed one shot, so he went to the health department and got it for free, then went back to the CS with the proof (just an example).

You do not need to get any police clearances for this. USCIS will do a background check on you as a part of the process.

So you mail in all your forms in the same envelope to the Chicago lockbox. Then you will get an appointment to get your fingerprints taken at your local office (called biometrics). Then you wait, and your temporary employment document and travel document will be approved sometime. Then you wait some more, and you will get a notice for an appointment with your wife at your local office. At that appointment, they will talk to you and either approve or deny your case (or wait some more). Once you get your GC, you do not need any temporary travel permission or Employment or anything - the GC gives you those rights.

Hope that explains everything for you.

Good luck!