Starting AOS process

[gary9891 10]

YOU-alone - You will be able to change your SS card to your new name once you get your EAD. You will get a new one pretty fast since you already have a number.

Gary9891 - You can also get a new card with the new name before you apply for AOS if you have plenty of time (at least 2 weeks) left on your I-94 that you received when you entered on a K-1, perhaps this is what happened with your wife?

Yep that is what happened, I remember reading here to get a SSN early and it will make your life easier especially for taxes.

[gary9891 10]

Which SSA office did you go to? May I know, pls? We went to Gatlin office where Orlando residents/applicants applications/inquiries are being processed. Thanks again!

Panama City office. 6 hours from Orlando area.

[I_Am_That_I_Am 46]

Thanks a lot!

Panama City office. 6 hours from Orlando area.

[I_Am_That_I_Am 46]

Hello! Thanks for your quick replies. Well, those pics are approx 3 months old (and i still look the same). I guess i will use them and will submit 6 pcs to be safe. Thanks again!

How long ago were those photos taken? I got new ones taken. I had left over from K-1 too but i didn't want to risk the photos being too old.

I sent separate photos for each of my applications to be safe. Some people have only sent the two photos and been fine, some have been RFE'd so may as well do photos for each application to be safe.

[I_Am_That_I_Am 46]

Hello!

If this is the case, then the more that SSA Orlando office should have allowed me to do Name Change - Arrived here Jan 12, got married Jan 23 and applied for Name Change Feb 8. I still have at least 2 months in my I-94. Nwy, i sent SSA an email and hopefully will get a reply soon.

Thank you!

Gary9891 - You can also get a new card with the new name before you apply for AOS if you have plenty of time (at least 2 weeks) left on your I-94 that you received when you entered on a K-1, perhaps this is what happened with your wife?

[Helen Louise Pile 80]

Hello! Thanks for your quick replies. Well, those pics are approx 3 months old (and i still look the same). I guess i will use them and will submit 6 pcs to be safe. Thanks again!

No, you can't use the same photos. Instructions state that photos must have been taken within 30 days of filing forms. http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-485instr.pdf

I don't know how strict they are about this, but that's the info they have put in the instructions!

Best of luck.

[Joandjo 20]

Dear Fellow VJers,

If my questions have already been answered before, i do apologize but please i need help. My husband and i are starting the AOS paper works and like the K1, i have tons of questions, I hope you do forgive me.

Hubby and I just got married last January 23 here in Orange County, Orlando, FL. In our marriage certificate, my name that appears there is still my maiden name.

Here we go.

1. When filling out ALL AOS forms, I would like to use my husband's last name as my married name. That is allowed, right?

2. The current filing fee for AOS, EAD and AP is $1070, correct? If it's not, pls do advise.

3. I hold an 11-year-old SS card and can only change it under my husband's name after receiving GC. Is this correct? (Went to SSA this morning and wanted Name Change under hubby's last name but this is what the lady there told us. So we came back home with my old SS card).

Anybody here who knows the answer/s, pls share your knowledge. We would really appreciate any help we can get. Thanks a lot in advance!

Chie M.

#3. When My fiance arrived Nov. 30th 2011 we filed for her Social Security office December 2nd 2011, we married Monday December 5th. We received her social secirity card in the mail December 17th. On January 6th we took her card, passport and marriage certificate (completed marriage license) to the Social security office and applied for her name change (into my last name) on Saturday January 21st we received her SS Card with the new name in the mail.

[I_Am_That_I_Am 46]

Good Day! To those who have been replying to my questions, THANK you so much!

I have another question. This is regarding our physical address. We live in a condo/hotel and hubby has been missing mails for the past 8 years using this address. Hence, he is now using/renting UPS PO Box and so far not missing any mail. Can i use this PO Box address when filing AOS?

I'm afraid that if i use our physical/hotel address, i won't get USCIS' correspondences. And i can't afford to miss any. Please advise on what to do.

Thanks so much in advance!

Chie M.

[Dave&Roza 748]

Hello!

If this is the case, then the more that SSA Orlando office should have allowed me to do Name Change - Arrived here Jan 12, got married Jan 23 and applied for Name Change Feb 8. I still have at least 2 months in my I-94. Nwy, i sent SSA an email and hopefully will get a reply soon.

Thank you!

Gary9891 - You can also get a new card with the new name before you apply for AOS if you have plenty of time (at least 2 weeks) left on your I-94 that you received when you entered on a K-1, perhaps this is what happened with your wife?

The SSA is one of those agencies of the US government that hires a bunch of....let us just say they do not train them very well and it is up to us the end user to train them. I would remember your trip to the local SSA office--time, date, the person's name if you can remember that--go to the main SSA website and senf them an e-mail discribing your situation. You should get an e-mail from them that a K-1 visa holder is able to get a SSN and change their name before the GC or EAD arrives. Armed with this I would go back and get the name changed. Of course you can wait until the GC arrives (I would wait that long given this local office. They might tell you that you cannot do anything until the GC arrives even though you can with teh EAD).

Good Day! To those who have been replying to my questions, THANK you so much!

I have another question. This is regarding our physical address. We live in a condo/hotel and hubby has been missing mails for the past 8 years using this address. Hence, he is now using/renting UPS PO Box and so far not missing any mail. Can i use this PO Box address when filing AOS?

I'm afraid that if i use our physical/hotel address, i won't get USCIS' correspondences. And i can't afford to miss any. Please advise on what to do.

Thanks so much in advance!

Chie M.

There is a place for physical address and one for mailing address. Put the PO Box in the mailing address, but the actual physical address where it is asked for. The mail SHOULD be sent to the mailing address.

Good luck,

Dave

Edited February 9, 2012 by Dave&Roza

[I_Am_That_I_Am 46]

Guess i wasn't too lucky then. I'll just wait for my EAD and go back to SSA. Let's see what happens then. Thanks a lot!

#3. When My fiance arrived Nov. 30th 2011 we filed for her Social Security office December 2nd 2011, we married Monday December 5th. We received her social secirity card in the mail December 17th. On January 6th we took her card, passport and marriage certificate (completed marriage license) to the Social security office and applied for her name change (into my last name) on Saturday January 21st we received her SS Card with the new name in the mail.

[I_Am_That_I_Am 46]

Hello Dave! Good Day!

I am holding the complete I-485 Forms (revised 01/18/2011) and there's nothing here that says Physical Address and Mailing Address. There's only ONE part (First/Top Part of page one) says: ADDRESS - Street Number and Name. Hubby and i checked forms 3x just now and there's no part here for other address.

Since it only has ONE portion for ADDRESS, will it be fine if i use our MAILING ADDRESS? It's the only safe address we can use at this time.

The SSA is one of those agencies of the US government that hires a bunch of....let us just say they do not train them very well and it is up to us the end user to train them. I would remember your trip to the local SSA office--time, date, the person's name if you can remember that--go to the main SSA website and senf them an e-mail discribing your situation. You should get an e-mail from them that a K-1 visa holder is able to get a SSN and change their name before the GC or EAD arrives. Armed with this I would go back and get the name changed. Of course you can wait until the GC arrives (I would wait that long given this local office. They might tell you that you cannot do anything until the GC arrives even though you can with teh EAD).

There is a place for physical address and one for mailing address. Put the PO Box in the mailing address, but the actual physical address where it is asked for. The mail SHOULD be sent to the mailing address.

Good luck,

Dave

[Dave&Roza 748]

Hello Dave! Good Day!

I am holding the complete I-485 Forms (revised 01/18/2011) and there's nothing here that says Physical Address and Mailing Address. There's only ONE part (First/Top Part of page one) says: ADDRESS - Street Number and Name. Hubby and i checked forms 3x just now and there's no part here for other address.

Since it only has ONE portion for ADDRESS, will it be fine if i use our MAILING ADDRESS? It's the only safe address we can use at this time.

You are correct. It would seem that all other forms have the physical address and mailing address, but not the I-485, 131 or 765. Not sure why. Sorry, it has been awahile since we filed for AOS and I was last looking at the 751 form--my bad. I would put the mailing address in there or you could put the physical address AND the PO BOX, but check with the postoffice to make certain that if addressed that way it will go to the PO BOX and not the physical address. Our company does it that way.

Dave

[I_Am_That_I_Am 46]

Hello Everyone!

What I'm about to ask may sound stupid but im honestly confused. Sorry.

In Form I-485 it asks for "Date of LAST Arrival" and Form I-765 it asks for "Date of LAST ENTRY into US":

What should be my ans? I arrived here under K1 last Jan 12, 2012. But my last US trip (before K1) was 5 years ago. Should i write Jan 12, 2012 or the date i entered 5 years ago?

Pleas do help. Thanks a lot in advance!

Chie M.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

It literally means what was your last date of entry. If January 12th, 2012 was the last time you entered the US, put that. I'm not sure why you'd put the date you entered five years ago.

[I_Am_That_I_Am 46]

Ok. That's all i need to know. Thanks so much!