A little tip from a newbie :)

[catrocks 0]

I don't know if any of you have come across this problem but I wanted to share so that I can hopefully prevent extra stress for some people!

Ok, short story, I got my K-1 in July and came to the US in August. We were married September 15th and sent off the AOS package at the end of October (delay was due to our county court never receiving our marriage certificate and us having to run around getting a copy, but that's another story!). On 11/7 we were sent an appointment notice for our biometrics test in Cincinnati.

So, our appointment was yesterday at 2pm. My husband had to take the afternoon off work (and it's a busy time right now so it wasn't very convenient but what are you gonna do!) and we went down with our appointment notice and photo ID (which is what the notice said to bring). In hindsight, I probably should have brought everything I had with me just in case, but since our lawyer did not advise us to bring anything besides what we were told by USCIS I didn't really think about it.

Anyway, the support center would not accept my ID... why?? Because the appointment notice was issued to me in my married name, and my passport/ drivers license are still in my maiden name. We needed to bring the marriage certificate to prove I was the same person.... and of course we didn't think to take it. It's about an hour's drive so there was no way we could get home, get the marriage certificate and make it back down there before they closed.

Luckily the people there were very kind and understanding, and have made our case a priority, so we can go back any time without an appointment and get the biometrics done. Our lawyer says this is the first time this has happened with one of his cases, so I don't know if other people bring their marriage certificates just in case or what! Anyway I just wanted to share this to hopefully prevent it happening to someone else!

Cat

[Liebi 0]

Cat:

They asked me for the marriage certificate as well when I had my biometrics appointment.

To be honest, I think this is a pretty common thing.

Right after we got married I put a copy of it and my NOA in my purse to be in some way able to prove I am not an illegal immigrant if I had ever been pulled over by the cops.

Hope things will work out for you! Good luck.

[catrocks 0]

Thanks! I think I will start carrying my marriage certificate and NOA around with me too! I can't believe I didn't think of it. Grrrrr.

[CB82 0]

I photo-copied both my marriage certificate and the NOA and keep a copy of them in my purse. I'm scared to keep the original in my purse in case I lose it.

[Sprailenes 47]

yea I decided not to change my name at all. Too hectic lol.

Probably not the best way to deal with things, but ya. I just decided to stick with my own.

Edited November 29, 2007 by Sprailenes

[catrocks 0]

I photo-copied both my marriage certificate and the NOA and keep a copy of them in my purse. I'm scared to keep the original in my purse in case I lose it.

I won't have that problem because after all the bs we went through to get the marriage certificate, we got 10 originals from the county court! So far we have used one.....

yea I decided not to change my name at all. Too hectic lol.

Probably not the best way to deal with things, but ya. I just decided to stick with my own.

I'm starting to wonder if maybe I shouldn't have just done that! I like my married name though plus it's easier for people to understand when I say it in my lovely British accent

[Kez/JWolf 6]

Get your passport updated it only takes 2 weeks to get it back and then you have ID in your married name.... that what I did...

Kez