March 2017 AOS Filers

[emchappie 119]

Quick question for anyone who has travelled with their EAD/AP combo card..... I'm from the UK, this is going to sound like a stupid question but I'm not going to need a tourist visa or anything like that to travel to the UK, my passport is still good for being a citizen ? 

Also do I need any other documents to be able to get back into the US other than my EAD/AP combo card :)? 

[antoineD 36]

 

15 minutes ago, emchappie said:

Quick question for anyone who has travelled with their EAD/AP combo card..... I'm from the UK, this is going to sound like a stupid question but I'm not going to need a tourist visa or anything like that to travel to the UK, my passport is still good for being a citizen ? 

Also do I need any other documents to be able to get back into the US other than my EAD/AP combo card :)? 

you definitely don't need a visa to go to the UK now.

 

for returning to the us, in addition to your AP card and passport, you shouldn't need anything else, but to be on the safe side, maybe pack a folder in your carry-on with all your AOS supporting docs.

[emchappie 119]

6 minutes ago, antoineD said:

 

you definitely don't need a visa to go to the UK now.

 

for returning to the us, in addition to your AP card and passport, you shouldn't need anything else, but to be on the safe side, maybe pack a folder in your carry-on with all your AOS supporting docs.

Thank you! I didn't think I would need an additional visa to my passport I just need reassurance  

and I just put all my confirmation paperwork in my backpack  

[Californiansunset 332]

15 hours ago, vosovski said:

My wife and I are thinking about finally making a vacation trip outside of USA, and in current situation that we are right now I would like some input from forum members.

 

On September 1st EAD status changed to new card is being produced, so maybe two or three weeks after that we will see the EAD card.

On September 27th we will have our AOS interview. If we receive EAD card by that time, is it going to be taken away at the interview? This is just my guess, but if they do then AOS decision has probably already been made and green card will be issued as a replacement. Is my guess anywhere near close to the truth.

Now in case that my guess is true and they will take EAD at the interview, what happens if we do not receive EAD card before the interview? Is there going to be a second interview to turn in the EAD card, or does EAD card become void assuming positive decision on AOS? If it does not become void and/or it is not taken away at the interview, then would there be a problem if we travel after the interview but before green card is in the mail? Could she be denied entry with EAD in this case?

 

To note, this is only a "what-if" kind of questions. We haven't made plans 100% and are just in process of figuring it out. Good vacation deal was offered to us and if our situation permits it we would love to take the deal.

1. No the EAD card will not be taken away at the interview because you will need it until you receive the greencard to show your ongoing proof of valid immigration status. 

2. You are right, as soon as you get approved for the greencard, the EAD technically becomes void which leaves you in some sort of a limbo if you were to travel abroad with EAD/AP but have not received your greencard yet. Yes, I've read that there might be the chance that she would get lots of problems at the border in this case, but then again I feel like this must happen quite often with people who just get waivers and might be abroad in the timeframe their adjustment gets approved. This must be a grey area but I've read that technically the EAD is void and you would need the greencard to enter, however they should still let you enter if it happens to fall into this odd timeframe... 

3. Also keep in mind that you could potentially get a RFE/RFIE at the interview for missing documents or even renewing the medical (if adjustment is from K1 visa and it's been over a year), so it would take a while until you get the greencard and then it would suck if it gets all of a sudden approved while you are abroad. 

 

Obviously in the best case and likely scenario you will have the greencard in hand two weeks after the interview, it's just the question whether you want to play it safe and not book anything or go with the likely scenario.

 

 

 

[kimy33 19]

1 hour ago, emchappie said:

Quick question for anyone who has travelled with their EAD/AP combo card..... I'm from the UK, this is going to sound like a stupid question but I'm not going to need a tourist visa or anything like that to travel to the UK, my passport is still good for being a citizen ? 

Also do I need any other documents to be able to get back into the US other than my EAD/AP combo card :)? 

marriage certification if you have changed your last name 

[vosovski 33]

17 minutes ago, Californiansunset said:

1. No the EAD card will not be taken away at the interview because you will need it until you receive the greencard to show your ongoing proof of valid immigration status. 

2. You are right, as soon as you get approved for the greencard, the EAD technically becomes void which leaves you in some sort of a limbo if you were to travel abroad with EAD/AP but have not received your greencard yet. Yes, I've read that there might be the chance that she would get lots of problems at the border in this case, but then again I feel like this must happen quite often with people who just get waivers and might be abroad in the timeframe their adjustment gets approved. This must be a grey area but I've read that technically the EAD is void and you would need the greencard to enter, however they should still let you enter if it happens to fall into this odd timeframe... 

3. Also keep in mind that you could potentially get a RFE/RFIE at the interview for missing documents or even renewing the medical (if adjustment is from K1 visa and it's been over a year), so it would take a while until you get the greencard and then it would suck if it gets all of a sudden approved while you are abroad. 

 

Obviously in the best case and likely scenario you will have the greencard in hand two weeks after the interview, it's just the question whether you want to play it safe and not book anything or go with the likely scenario.

 

 

 

Thank you, that clears up the situation by quite a bit.

Today we got an update on AP saying that case was approved and right after that EAD case status changed to card has been mailed. I guess in our case those two went along together.

 

So about medical, it has been a year this august 5th. We filed paperwork in March while medical was still within the timeframe, but it was not included in the paperwork (forgot). Then when we got RFIE for financial support, I went over the papers and realized the mistake for not including medical. In RFIE response we included the medical as well and explained that it was not included in original papers filed.

 

Do you suppose we will get RFE/RFIE for the medical at the interview in our case? Technically we followed the guidelines of having valid medical when paperwork was filed, but I don't know and haven't researched what would happen if medical is expired during interview.

 

Maybe it is worth the trouble to get it done right before the interview just in case.

[Californiansunset 332]

5 minutes ago, vosovski said:

Thank you, that clears up the situation by quite a bit.

Today we got an update on AP saying that case was approved and right after that EAD case status changed to card has been mailed. I guess in our case those two went along together.

 

So about medical, it has been a year this august 5th. We filed paperwork in March while medical was still within the timeframe, but it was not included in the paperwork (forgot). Then when we got RFIE for financial support, I went over the papers and realized the mistake for not including medical. In RFIE response we included the medical as well and explained that it was not included in original papers filed.

 

Do you suppose we will get RFE/RFIE for the medical at the interview in our case? Technically we followed the guidelines of having valid medical when paperwork was filed, but I don't know and haven't researched what would happen if medical is expired during interview.

 

Maybe it is worth the trouble to get it done right before the interview just in case.

This is completely up to the interviewing officer whether he/she wants to have a new medical or not. Yours will just have expired so the IO might just let it go and be fine with the 'old' medical. You can read so many cases and won't get a definite answer on the K1 medicals. Some officers go by the fact that as long as you filed AOS within one year of the medical, you are fine and others go by the rule that the interview must take place within the one year timeframe the medical is valid (which is the official USCIS rule). It's the question whether you potentially want to waste a couple hundred bucks to play it safe or rather wait but have the peace of mind that you won't get an RFE for that and can potentially have the greencard two weeks after the interview or not... it's personal preference I guess.

[vosovski 33]

33 minutes ago, Californiansunset said:

This is completely up to the interviewing officer whether he/she wants to have a new medical or not. Yours will just have expired so the IO might just let it go and be fine with the 'old' medical. You can read so many cases and won't get a definite answer on the K1 medicals. Some officers go by the fact that as long as you filed AOS within one year of the medical, you are fine and others go by the rule that the interview must take place within the one year timeframe the medical is valid (which is the official USCIS rule). It's the question whether you potentially want to waste a couple hundred bucks to play it safe or rather wait but have the peace of mind that you won't get an RFE for that and can potentially have the greencard two weeks after the interview or not... it's personal preference I guess.

So there is no definite way to tell. Called up couple office nearby Portland and the lowest price I could find was 315$ with no vaccines. Guess we can take our chances and see what office at the interview says. Thank you again for the insight 

[Californiansunset 332]

40 minutes ago, vosovski said:

So there is no definite way to tell. Called up couple office nearby Portland and the lowest price I could find was 315$ with no vaccines. Guess we can take our chances and see what office at the interview says. Thank you again for the insight 

I saw similar prices for my region (San Diego) and would've also taken my chances and waited for the interview if I hadn't rescheduled my interview anyways... now with a new interview date that is potentially in another 5 months I think I likely will have to renew my medical. 

 

I think USCIS should waive the second medical for K1 adjustments... it just seems odd to me that we have to already go through the hassle of having a second interview with documents gathering etc. and time schedule conflicts (no vacation around this time) and then even have to worry about spending another $300-400 again on another medical. I'm starting to think that I would've rather had a waiver and just waited a little longer for the approval  

[vosovski 33]

6 hours ago, Californiansunset said:

I saw similar prices for my region (San Diego) and would've also taken my chances and waited for the interview if I hadn't rescheduled my interview anyways... now with a new interview date that is potentially in another 5 months I think I likely will have to renew my medical. 

 

I think USCIS should waive the second medical for K1 adjustments... it just seems odd to me that we have to already go through the hassle of having a second interview with documents gathering etc. and time schedule conflicts (no vacation around this time) and then even have to worry about spending another $300-400 again on another medical. I'm starting to think that I would've rather had a waiver and just waited a little longer for the approval  

I too do not understand the need for second interview for K1 adjustment. Green card that is issued is still a conditional permanent residency privilege, so perhaps it would be more appropriate to have an interview when removing conditions. I mean in first year we haven't really gone through much so interview is just going over application and a conversation. Something that has already been done when getting K1

 

On the other note, I checked Immigration Timelines tab just now and noticed something odd. Processing dates for employment authorization and advance parole are current May18th. This is very close to the date that our RFIE response was received. Add the fact that employment authorization and advance parole statuses changed recently and today. 

 

So if anyone else with RFIE is still waiting, please do us a favor and check processing times tab when status updates. Maybe this is just a coincidence or perhaps there is theme going on. In our case RFIE seems to have reset the timeline for EAD and AP.

Edited September 7, 2017 by vosovski

[Scienceteacher15 48]

10 hours ago, emchappie said:

Quick question for anyone who has travelled with their EAD/AP combo card..... I'm from the UK, this is going to sound like a stupid question but I'm not going to need a tourist visa or anything like that to travel to the UK, my passport is still good for being a citizen ? 

Also do I need any other documents to be able to get back into the US other than my EAD/AP combo card :)? 

To be on the safe side take your I-751 approval letter as well. My husband had trouble with the airline workers not giving him his boarding documents because they were not familiar with AP/EAD combo card which has the small 512b statement last month. They wanted the original letter indicating travel approval.  It was a whole mess where he went to embassy twice for nothing. I called Airline customer service and contacted them via twitter to get everything resolved. Took several days and cost us some money. Once he was back in US he had no problems reentering. The airline gave us a voucher and refunded his paid ticket based on the experience and contacted me immediately once he was en route. I would hate for anyone else to experience that. 

[antoineD 36]

17 hours ago, Californiansunset said:

I saw similar prices for my region (San Diego) and would've also taken my chances and waited for the interview if I hadn't rescheduled my interview anyways... now with a new interview date that is potentially in another 5 months I think I likely will have to renew my medical. 

 

I think USCIS should waive the second medical for K1 adjustments... it just seems odd to me that we have to already go through the hassle of having a second interview with documents gathering etc. and time schedule conflicts (no vacation around this time) and then even have to worry about spending another $300-400 again on another medical. I'm starting to think that I would've rather had a waiver and just waited a little longer for the approval  

I think if you search for "cheapest civil surgeon" online or on yelp - or if you ask other immigrants in your area - they may know. I found someone here in SF Chinatown who does it for $100.

[Californiansunset 332]

4 hours ago, antoineD said:

I think if you search for "cheapest civil surgeon" online or on yelp - or if you ask other immigrants in your area - they may know. I found someone here in SF Chinatown who does it for $100.

But I thought you can not just take any civil surgeon, they have to be USCIS approved?! You can find lists of the USCIS approved ones online and those are nowhere close to $100.

I don't know any other immigrants, all my friends are American and have no clue what I am talking about as soon as it comes to my immigration issues. 

[Ariii 7]

I have to reschedule my interview appointment. Does anybody has experience with it ? What happens if I reschedule? 

[Californiansunset 332]

14 minutes ago, Ariii said:

I have to reschedule my interview appointment. Does anybody has experience with it ? What happens if I reschedule? 

Check out my thread, it should answer all questions you might have. YOu can also just use the search bar on VJ to find a lot of cases of rescheduling their interview.