I-130 Online Application - Next Steps for I-485 - Question

[ssey 0]

Hello all,

 

Firstly, thanks for all the help in last couple of weeks here, I feel like we are almost ready to apply and figuring out the payment stuff and lockbox locations and final evidence etc.

Our info: I am the beneficiary married to USC, adjusting from F1.

 

If my spouse applies I-130 (and I-130A) online after creating their own USCIS account, I understand I receive a receipt and submit that with the application. 

 

Will the priority date be available in the receipt?

 

Is there anything else I need to fill out or update in any of the forms?

 

Thank you!

 

[OldUser 9,952]

On 7/9/2025 at 9:23 PM, ssey said:

 Will the priority date be available in the receipt?

 

Yes.

 

Why not file all the forms together on paper? That way they're all linked. I-485 etc cannot be filed online as of today.

 

My lawyer filed all forms together when I adjusted status.

[ssey 0]

Hello OldUser,

 

Firstly, thank you for your help throughout to me and to everyone over the years. It is highly appreciated. Me and my spouse is currently California based too!

 

We have been leaning toward submitting our case online because we are dealing with a lot of messy evidence pieces. If we were scanning everything for a paper submission, it would be turning into way too many documents. We have been worrying that if USCIS were the ones scanning the documents, there could be a chance of them putting a file in the wrong place or scanning something incorrectly.

 

I am just starting to look into how the online process works, but we are not fully decided yet.

 

Honestly, I will probably go out-of-status and just leave the country at this point, because every single decision takes days for me to decide. Currently I am stuck at entering N/A to everywhere (I am worried that I should leave some place blank such as middle name etc.) and I am not even sure if I am doing a good job with it...

[OldUser 9,952]

3 minutes ago, ssey said:

Hello OldUser,

 

Firstly, thank you for your help throughout to me and to everyone over the years. It is highly appreciated. Me and my spouse is currently California based too!

 

We have been leaning toward submitting our case online because we are dealing with a lot of messy evidence pieces. If we were scanning everything for a paper submission, it would be turning into way too many documents. We have been worrying that if USCIS were the ones scanning the documents, there could be a chance of them putting a file in the wrong place or scanning something incorrectly.

 

I am just starting to look into how the online process works, but we are not fully decided yet.

 

Honestly, I will probably go out-of-status and just leave the country at this point, because every single decision takes days for me to decide. Currently I am stuck at entering N/A to everywhere (I am worried that I should leave some place blank such as middle name etc.) and I am not even sure if I am doing a good job with it...

Yes, paper submissions are big, that's true. It does require effort, and I knew people who had 1-3 inch thick applications which they put together themselves. Besides being overwhelmed or having to do a lot of work, anything else that stops you from going paper route? I'm not saying this is the only way, surely you can file I-130 online and I-485 on paper. But sometimes USCIS has trouble connecting them if filed separately.

 

Be very careful with leaving the country when out of status. You may get a ban reentering the US for 3 or 10 years, l depending how long your overstay is. Any overstay is forgiven for a spouse of US citizen if you they remain in the US, but not if they leave the US! At that point you may need a waiver and it will add years to your processing time. If you need to leave, leave before you accrue unlawful stay... For consular processing without overstay, it will take 2 years or so to get immigrant visa.