January 2018 AOS Filers

[Journey to Wells 20]

7 minutes ago, Stt said:

Oh no... I'm so sorry you are going through this and also so sorry for your losses having gone through a miscarriage myself I know how hard it can be coping through that. my thoughts to you is to get a really good lawyer asap if u can afford one and start preparing everything you can. I wish you and your husband the very best of luck. I truly hope things turn out favorable both for the gc and ur marriage!

 Thank you, love <3 <3 <3 

[Stt 235]

8 minutes ago, Journey to Wells said:

 Thank you, love <3 <3 <3 

You're welcome! This process is a stressful one so self care is of utmost importance. Take it one day at a time, one step at a time, stop and breathe, don't hesitate to take some time for yourself! Its the only way to sort things out with clarity.

Edited May 19, 2018 by Stt

[janet3 1,170]

11 hours ago, Journey to Wells said:

I'm hoping not for a NOID, as he said we would get up to 87 days to respond. According to google (haha), NOIDs do not have extensions and are always 30 days or less. Fingers crossed! I. Am. Terrified.

Okay....take a deep breath....you can get through this.....

Here's what I would do....

Did they tell you how long it would be before they issued the RFE?

The letter that your mother sent.....was it just 20 pages of a mother ranting or did she provide "proof" of these allegations? You are going to have to address what your mother wrote  (did they let you read it?)

Does the counselor have a time frame for when he/she thinks it will be appropriate for you to live together? Will the counselor write a letter addressing why she/he thought it was appropriate that you live apart and add a projected date of reunification. 

You may want to find a Co sponsor now....it is important  (you will not be able to AOS without it) and it would remove your mother from that part of the equation. 

Did you front load the AOS packet? (My husband came here on a K1...I did not front load...but spent a year proving our relationship before he got here) I would gather all the pictures and receipts you have for the two of you together. 

To prove financial Co mingling I would add him to EVERYTHING I could think of....health insurance, life insurance, car insurance, all financial products....401k, retirement plans, bank accounts....all memberships  (SAM'S club, gym, amazon account)....any bills you have (phone, utilities)

You need to find out from your husband what they focused on during his interview and start addressing those concerns also.

(I'm still confused as to why they conducted the interview the way they did....)

Did they video tape the interview?

 

These are just some of the things I would do to prepare for the RFE.....

 

Edited May 19, 2018 by janet3

[Journey to Wells 20]

2 hours ago, janet3 said:

Okay....take a deep breath....you can get through this.....

Here's what I would do....

Did they tell you how long it would be before they issued the RFE?

The letter that your mother sent.....was it just 20 pages of a mother ranting or did she provide "proof" of these allegations? You are going to have to address what your mother wrote  (did they let you read it?)

Does the counselor have a time frame for when he/she thinks it will be appropriate for you to live together? Will the counselor write a letter addressing why she/he thought it was appropriate that you live apart and add a projected date of reunification. 

You may want to find a Co sponsor now....it is important  (you will not be able to AOS without it) and it would remove your mother from that part of the equation. 

Did you front load the AOS packet? (My husband came here on a K1...I did not front load...but spent a year proving our relationship before he got here) I would gather all the pictures and receipts you have for the two of you together. 

To prove financial Co mingling I would add him to EVERYTHING I could think of....health insurance, life insurance, car insurance, all financial products....401k, retirement plans, bank accounts....all memberships  (SAM'S club, gym, amazon account)....any bills you have (phone, utilities)

You need to find out from your husband what they focused on during his interview and start addressing those concerns also.

(I'm still confused as to why they conducted the interview the way they did....)

Did they video tape the interview?

 

These are just some of the things I would do to prepare for the RFE.....

 

My mother was just ranting. She had no 'proof', but she had specific days and the like (ex: "She called me on Jan 21st hysterically crying"). However, those specific days, as I explained to the IO, either NEVER happened as I hardly ever call my mother--especially with any personal problems--or, she distorted what I said. So like, I could be tearful over my professor giving me an F on a test but she would say I was having a hysterical meltdown because he hit me. 

 

All that we were told was that it would be healthy to have space to receive both individual grief and trauma counseling, and then marital counseling. But we still see each other every stinkin' day! I've asked him however if he would write an affidavit.

 

I'm looking for the co-sponsor. Sigh. If I got a new job and co-sponsored him myself (I just got hired for a 40hr/wk job @ $12.50/hr) but have NOT started it yet (so no pay stubs or tax docs), would they accept me as a sponsor? If I got a letter from my employer stating the hours, the wage, the intent to keep me hired?

 

I have added him to everything I possibly can, and I can start getting wills drawn up if I must. However, I was only 19 when we married so I'm still on my mum's health insurance, the car title is in her name so I don't have a joint title or insurance in both our names, haven't even thought about life insurance for either of us (now I have!), and we've only been married since Nov... So not much time for us to get joint stuff. I didn't even get my new SS card to get bank accounts, etc in my new last name until December!

 

They interviewed him and he said he was struggling to recognize me but did not clarify. When I went in, I told them he was struggling to recognize the depressed, skinny, and emotionally unstable wife from his bright, joyful, healthy wife. After the miscarriage, I lost over about 25 pounds and had to get psych help because I was so distraught. So I think me telling them helped clarify some things.

 

They didn't video tape the interview. He just took some notes. And he didn't tell me when he would issue the presumed RFE--just that I would receive one in the mail asking for what they needed. 

 

In my AOS packet, I sent in about 40 photos, a wedding card invitation, affidavit from one of my professor's who was a witness at my wedding (we are close friends), some joint bank statements, and that's about it.

[Lindsayacbeck 14]

I have a question for those who were able to successfully expedite their EAD. My current work authorization expires in three weeks, so my request was based on financial hardship.

I made the request about two weeks ago, and finally got the notice with the fax number last week, so I sent the evidence last week. I also got my Congress person and a senator involved about a week ago, and they submitted requests. Today, when I contacted the Senator and Congress person's offices, they told me that my case had been routed for expedite, which doesn't mean approval. It basically means that they are pulling your case for review. I am just wondering how long I should expect to wait to hear an answer at this point.

Thanks!

[pattyandvern 282]

1 hour ago, Lindsayacbeck said:

I have a question for those who were able to successfully expedite their EAD. My current work authorization expires in three weeks, so my request was based on financial hardship.

I made the request about two weeks ago, and finally got the notice with the fax number last week, so I sent the evidence last week. I also got my Congress person and a senator involved about a week ago, and they submitted requests. Today, when I contacted the Senator and Congress person's offices, they told me that my case had been routed for expedite, which doesn't mean approval. It basically means that they are pulling your case for review. I am just wondering how long I should expect to wait to hear an answer at this point.

Thanks!

Hi  In March thread there is couple of people who recently expedited their ead and it usually takes about 3 weeks until you get notification about card being approved/produced. I am waiting a little over 2 weeks now since I send them fax, on friday will be 3 weeks so we will see if it is accurate  

[Lindsayacbeck 14]

3 minutes ago, pattyandvern said:

Hi  In March thread there is couple of people who recently expedited their ead and it usually takes about 3 weeks until you get notification about card being approved/produced. I am waiting a little over 2 weeks now since I send them fax, on friday will be 3 weeks so we will see if it is accurate  

Thank you for responding! I will check out the March thread and see. 

Did you hear anything from them about the fax being received? I still can't get any information when I call. If it wasn't for the information from my Senator/Congress person, I would have had no idea if they even received the fax. 

[pattyandvern 282]

1 minute ago, Lindsayacbeck said:

Thank you for responding! I will check out the March thread and see. 

Did you hear anything from them about the fax being received? I still can't get any information when I call. If it wasn't for the information from my Senator/Congress person, I would have had no idea if they even received the fax. 

I was worried too that they didn’t receive the fax as I did not hear from them anything after the fax was sent, only the three notifications on the day I sent the fax stating that the request was completed and forwarded to Officer. But somebody told me not to worry as most of Officers do not bother to send you a notification that they received your fax, they just inform you either you got accepted or not when they finish proceeding your case. I guess because of the extended regular ead processing times more and more people are requesting to expedite and they don’t have time for that, I will wait and see and start worry if it won’t come by the end of next week.

[twoDs 590]

Another quick update -- the I-797 for our EAD filing showed up in today's mail, and a second I-797 for the AP was with it!

 

So clearly AP isn't updating on either of the tracking sites, just EAD. Hopefully the card will arrive this week since it

was approved on the 17th. So -- NOA1 was 1/2/2018, EAD/AP notice date 5/17/2018. Finally getting there.

[Marion 105]

2 hours ago, twoDs said:

Another quick update -- the I-797 for our EAD filing showed up in today's mail, and a second I-797 for the AP was with it!

 

So clearly AP isn't updating on either of the tracking sites, just EAD. Hopefully the card will arrive this week since it

was approved on the 17th. So -- NOA1 was 1/2/2018, EAD/AP notice date 5/17/2018. Finally getting there.

Did you expedite your case? Just wondering... I am a Feb 3rd filer. Trying to feel the vibe in this group and see if I can expect something sooner than later...

[Catseal 268]

2 hours ago, twoDs said:

Another quick update -- the I-797 for our EAD filing showed up in today's mail, and a second I-797 for the AP was with it!

 

So clearly AP isn't updating on either of the tracking sites, just EAD. Hopefully the card will arrive this week since it

was approved on the 17th. So -- NOA1 was 1/2/2018, EAD/AP notice date 5/17/2018. Finally getting there.

Same notice date, we got our letters today too! And AP did not update online either for us. Looking forward to our visit in my old home next week now. 😍 

[cpthk 1]

3 hours ago, twoDs said:

Another quick update -- the I-797 for our EAD filing showed up in today's mail, and a second I-797 for the AP was with it!

 

So clearly AP isn't updating on either of the tracking sites, just EAD. Hopefully the card will arrive this week since it

was approved on the 17th. So -- NOA1 was 1/2/2018, EAD/AP notice date 5/17/2018. Finally getting there.

Do you mean the EAD approval letter?

[LabOz 915]

On 5/17/2018 at 8:05 AM, 11111 said:

Hi everybody,

I just received my greencard and wanted to share my experience as it might be useful for some of you!

Filed from K1 on January 8th

AOS interview May 5th

Greencard received May 16th

 

Interview went well but officer said that my K1 medical exam was expired and I needed a new one. I told her it was supposed to be good for 1 year (I had the exam in October 2017 and it expired 6 months after in April 2018, right before my interview). She insisted that the medical exam for K1 and AOS are different and I would need to take another one. She was going to double check with her supervisor but it was likely that I will receive an RFE. I told her I saw that 1 year rule on a form and she asked what form, but at the time I didn't remember.

We left the interview and my husband was a bit mad because I should have known better and I should have done the medical! I argued that if I didn't think I had to do another medical exam, it was for a reason (as I did a lot of research on this entire process)! So I dug around, remembered, and found the official instructions on form I-693 stating that K1 visa holders with a medical exam less than 1 year old do NOT need to take it again. (see page 7 on official instructions: 3. What if I am a K nonimmigrant visa holder and already had a medical examination overseas?).

I showed it to my husband and he told me to go back, find the officer and show her that document (we were already back home at that point!). I didn't think arguing with the officer would be a good idea, but I also didn't want to wait another 2 months without working and spend another $400 on a medical exam I didn't need. So I printed the forms, went back to the building ready to wait and catch the officer between 2 interviews. I got lucky as she was finishing up an interview right when I stepped into the room! She saw me and asked what I was doing back here, so I asked her if she would take 2 minutes to talk to me when she got a chance. She told me to wait a moment, she finished with the couple and was ready to see me. She said her supervisor confirmed that I needed another medical exam, so I showed her the official instructions explaining why I didn't take another one and that I was a bit confused. She read it and said that she agreed with me but she would have to double check with her supervisor and that he would be the one deciding. I left feeling like at least I tried everything! She was also very nice and understanding.

Few days later my case was approved with no RFE and I received my greencard yesterday!

 

It does seem like USCIS officers AND supervisors are not aware of all the rules, so don't be afraid to have backup documents with you and (nicely) argue your case! It saved me 2 months of waiting and $400!

 

Hope this helps! Good luck to you all!

Wonderful post. Glad you stood your ground.

Lesson for all

Thanks

Steven

[cpthk 1]

19 minutes ago, LabOz said:

Wonderful post. Glad you stood your ground.

Lesson for all

Thanks

Steven

Congrats. May I know your priority date? I am also at Seattle, WA, so I guess my interview date should be relative to your timeline. Thanks.

[DanielTan 21]

Just got a notice today saying my EAD card is being produced!!!!!

 

NOA1 - Jan 11st

No RFE

Approval Notice - May 22nd

 

I filed with the AP but they havent given me any updates on that. Im hoping it is coming with the EAD. Ill let everyone know once I receive it physically. 

 

On a side note, on the USCIS website it says that my AOS application was last updated on March but I havent gotten an interview date or letter or anything. 

 

Good luck to everyone! You are almost there.