lisakenn

Hey VJ members,

I am hoping some one can give us some advice on what to do. My fiance (husband now) arrived in the US on July 23rd. We went to apply for his SS card on July 25th. When we checked the phone system on the status two weeks ago, they said that they had no record of his application. We marched down to the local SS office (where he applied the next day). The showed that he application was in the system but said they are still "awaiting INS clearance". When the SS representative showed us the info on his screen, next to verification it said "SUSPECT"! Should I be worried??? It has now been about 7 weeks since he applied....

Can anyone offer any corrective action suggestions?

Also, we are about to apply for the AOS:

1) Does he defintely need a SSN in order for it to be processed in a timely fashion?

2) If his EAD expires before the SSN arrives, can we even file a I-765 as a renewal?

Looking forward to your feedback!

Thanks!

You cannot get a SSN until you have a permanent resident card issued to you. We got married in January 2006 and immediately applied for AOS. Once the permanent resident card arrived, I was able to obtain a SSN, but not before. The SS office would not process my request without it. I received my permanent resident card in June of 2006 and went to the SS office immediately, and was isued a SSN by mail in approx. one week then got a job 3 days later.

You should apply for AOS as soon as possible, as it takes awhile for the INS people to process your application...In our case approx. 5 months...I wanted to work before, I got the card, but could not....

We used the services of a lawyer to file, and his instructions were clear and correct.

Best of luck to you and congratulations on your marriage! If you have any questions on the AOS process, email me if you need any help...I just had my 2 year conditons removed and recieved my 10 year card a few weeks ago...

Hey VJ members,

I am hoping some one can give us some advice on what to do. My fiance (husband now) arrived in the US on July 23rd. We went to apply for his SS card on July 25th. When we checked the phone system on the status two weeks ago, they said that they had no record of his application. We marched down to the local SS office (where he applied the next day). The showed that he application was in the system but said they are still "awaiting INS clearance". When the SS representative showed us the info on his screen, next to verification it said "SUSPECT"! Should I be worried??? It has now been about 7 weeks since he applied....

Can anyone offer any corrective action suggestions?

Also, we are about to apply for the AOS:

1) Does he defintely need a SSN in order for it to be processed in a timely fashion?

2) If his EAD expires before the SSN arrives, can we even file a I-765 as a renewal?

Looking forward to your feedback!

Thanks!

You cannot get a SSN until you have a permanent resident card issued to you. We got married in January 2006 and immediately applied for AOS. Once the permanent resident card arrived, I was able to obtain a SSN, but not before. The SS office would not process my request without it. I received my permanent resident card in June of 2006 and went to the SS office immediately, and was isued a SSN by mail in approx. one week then got a job 3 days later.

i am new on the AOS journey..i just want to know ...i will arrive in the U.S. on sept 26 and we'll get married on nov 23. in my case whose under K1, what should i do once i get to the u.s.?

can we file immediately for the AOS then? do i need to deal with the medical?

please enlighten me...is there an instruction like "TO DO'S once the K1 beneficiary gets to the U.S."?

You apply for AOS after your marriage occurs. A medical is necessary and is included with your AOS package. you can find names of approved doctors from the immigration website. We chose to use a lawyer for the simple fact that the stress was alot less and it cost us approx. 1500.00 for his fees and the filing fees. Though now the cost is much higher instead of 350 its 1010 dollars for the filng fee. The 1010 dollars does not cover the cost of the medical, but is just the filing fee for AOS. By the time we were done and my two year conditional status was finally adjusted to full permanent resident we had spent approximately $3,000.00. The removal of conditonal status was the easiest part, and we did not use the services of a lawyer and no interview was asked of us. (i guess we got lucky, but also buying a house together helped I'm sure....)

I know I have been in the position that everyone who is new to the process is in, but after 2 years of dealing with INS I have found that the fear factor that most have dealing with them is largely created by couples themselves. (been there, done that) Just follow the advice on this sight from others who have been there and done that and have the patience of JOB. As long as your documents are accurate and complete, it should be a relatively painless process.

Yes, that's the fee...congrats on your wedding date. That's my husband's birthday.

That's cool! Anyway, one of my close friends back in Malaysia will be getting married on the same day too Did anyone here use the help of the lawyer when filing for AOS? The whole process looks quite difficult so I am wondering if we could do it on our own. Anybody here file the AOS whose from Iowa or Omaha? I am just wondering if you could recommend a USCIS Civil Surgeon that is reliable and does not expect you to go through the whole medical exams. Thanks a lot!!!

When you apply for AOS you can find a list of approved doctors on the immigration website, and no, they cannot exclude people from having the exam because the results go with the application package.

We applied with the help of a lawyer, and it was done correctly the first time. The best part is the lawyer knows exactly what documents you need and gets it right without delay or issues. A little expensive, but worth it in the end.

I must admit that the shoe thing drives me crazy as well....and the fact that there is no closet by the front door..strange...I miss money with colour (lol)....and I miss canadian spelling...... ....Peek Frean cookies...

The Great Canadian Bagel....best bagels anywhere.....I miss Canadian television..it would be nice to get CTV..we always got so much american TV in Canada...Canadian Banking system (they still use deposit slips here...go figure...)

Definitely Smarties and Coffee Crisp...Milk in 4 litre bags...(my husband thinks that is sooooo weird...)

The Toronto transit system!! The bus system in California is AWFUL.....

TUCS crackers, Tim Horton's anything , the metric system, peameal bacon (not the "canadian style" bacon available here)

A pre-nuptial can be invalidated if the construct of the contract violates provisions in state statute.

But, that has nothing to do with reading it before signing. Many contracts are invalidated because they violate statutes.

Right on John_and_marlene. I am in a community property state. I had a friend that had his prenupt thrown out because, according to the judge -- state law says half belongs to her. What made you think you could exempt yourself from state law simply by writing on a piece of paper 'I am exempt and don't want to be covered by this law'. Not an exact quote but that was the essence of it. I know each state has its own laws, and each case its own merits. Just food for thought. Statutes are statutes and they apply to all of us whether we want to exempt ourselves or not.

I have to say that I agree with that statement...about the mail...My mom and dad have been married for almost 50 years, and she has never opened his mail for him, and he has never opened hers....its a respect boundry they do not cross...neither one has ulterior motives or hides anything from the other, but that personal boundry is always respected. Each one of us has our own personal boundries, and we all must try and respect each others'........ Perhaps your fiance does not see that she has offended a personal boundry with you...often people do what comes natural to them without considering what the other person finds acceptable......

My finacee and her 11 year old daughter and I arrived here in the U.S. last August 2nd.

The daughter enrolled in school and is doing OK.

I have a on-going 24 year -old business that I have been very successful at. I also own several income-producing real estate properties.

About a month ago, on the advice of my attorney and CPA, I discussed with my finacee about preparing a pre-nupt agreement.

She really suprised me---she became very offfended that I would suggest such a thing. I attempted to explain to her that it would be in BOTH of our interests. She is a university graduate and skilled in the business world, so maybe I mis-calculated her desires, character, or whatever.

Now, I am having very serious doubts about the marriage. Her time in the U.S. is runnning out.

You might be ready to tell me--"why didn't you two talk about this a long time ago?" Well, to me, it makes a heck of a lot of sense to have a prenupt in this day and age in America--especially when both parties have financial interestes (she owns two apartments in her home country) and 1 out of 2 marriages end in divorce within three years in this country.

I tried to explain the benefits of the agreement not only for me, but for HER, also. She told me she would absolutely not read it, but would sign it, and she was very upset about the whole thing.

Her reaction seems so childish to me. Do I want to marry this woman?

Has anyone else been in this situation? Thanks.

I probably will get downed by many for this remark, but I have to agree with you on this one. The problem is in HOW you went about it. To many, especially women, asking such a thing is usally seen as a sign that you don't trust her....and that, for women is an emotional minefield...

Now, before you jump off the deep end and say "that's it! the wedding is off....you need to sit down together and really discuss your reasons for the request and her reasons for her reaction.......She needs to know that this is not an issue about not believing that the marriage can succeed, or that you don't want to share your life with her.......

I do understand that when you have established yourself, the financial picture and considerations can be quite different than when you start out together with nothing or almost nothing....When I was younger I too would have been offended by such a request, and would have said "if he loves me then why would he ask"....however, after being married (one I thought would never end) and divorced after 15 years, I can certainly see where such financial protection is important...especially for women...I have also seen too many women and men who get divorced and are financially ruined because neither has any protection financially in place......

We all want to go into marriage thinking it will never end and the fairy tale will go on forever...and I bet that if a woman was requesting the same of a fiance to protect HER financial stability should the marriage fail, that the response would be in support of the female.

Certainly, no one wants to think about the cold hard facts, but, they do exist....Love is great, and marriage is great...but things happen........Pre nuptual agreements are not romantic, nor do they claim to be...but just like wills, they protect the parties involved......Having one does not jinx a marriage, or make a statement about a couple's love for one another either...they protect the financial interests of the couple involved SHOULD at the very worst case scenario, the marriage fail....

I came to the United States almost a year ago and got married for the second time...I asked my husband before we married if he wanted a pre nuptual agreement...not so much for me, but for him...He has the most accumulated financially....He is the United States citizen, not me.....He did, for the record, say no, but I would have loved him no less if he said yes.....Perhaps I'm just different than most...

Whatever you do, try to understand why your fiance was so upset with your request....If you both truly love and respect each other, you'll find a way to work it out......I wish you much luck and hope things work out ok for your new family...

File a form I-102 with the government, which Re-issues the I-94 form to those who lose their original, or if they were never issued an original I-94.

Here is a link to the website http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/formsfee/forms/i-102.htm

I entered without a form as well, but I was not required to provide one. I put the same answer you were told to give, and didn't have a problem. This hopefully will solve your problem.

Hi, and congrats on your new marriage.....

I just got married in February of 2006, and my timeline was short, just like yours. We applied in February, and my interview was June, 2006. Yes, this THE ACTUAL interview...there is no second one. Why they put initial interview on the form I'll never know....

I actually had the interview before I had a social security number. This presented an interesting problem, because I wanted to show we had a bona fide marriage. Therefore, whatever you do, (if you haven't already) get your wife added to your lease or house documents, add her to your medical insurance, and add her to your bank account. All of these things can be done without a social security number...I know, because I did it...if the bank tells you no, they are misinformed. You can't open a new account without a social security number, but you can add someone to your account temporarily until they get one. ( US bank did this for my husband and I and gave me a letter stating they were aware of my pending social security number to take with me to the interview) Don't just rely on wedding documents for proof of valid marriage...because of marriage fraud, they look for actual documents that support your claim you are building a life TOGETHER.......

You may have done all this, I just thought I'd let you know if you hadn't. In answer to your question about travel, once you have your interview and have been approved for temporary permanent residency (2 year temporary because of short time of marriage) you will receive your permanent resident card in about 2 weeks, and then you can travel outside of the country. The permanent resident card is what enables you to re enter the United States...since you can't get a passport if you are not a US citizen, it serves as the document you need for travel. You may be approved before your permission to travel outside the United States documents (advanced parole) are ever processed.

Also, they will tell you right at the interview if you are approved, and just like my approval, it will be 2 year conditional, because you haven't been married 2 years yet: then you will have to fill out a new form in about 18 months for removal of conditional status...at that time they look at documents to support your ongoing marriage and that you have actually built a life together...(legal documents such as buying property, life insurance, joint tax returns etc etc....)

If you have any questions about what documents to bring to the interview, let me know....there are are so many rumours out there about what you need or don't need, and they want documents that support your building your marriage together (not just wedding photos) when you are applying for AOS alone...They want to see you are starting to build a life together....

Again, congrats and hope this helps...

Hi,

My wife (here on K-1) and I just returned from our 2nd trip to the California DMV office to try to get her a drivers permit.

The first trip, they said she needed to show her NOA that she is in the process of getting her AOS.

Today, we returned with the NOA that says the AOS application was recieved and is being processed, however, DMV says that she needs to have her AOS APPROVED (and/or recieves a new I-94 that doesn't expire in less than 30 days) before they can legally do anything (issue ID Card, permit).

Are they correct on this?

Does anyone have any experience with the California DMV while they were in-between K-1 and AOS?

Do other documents have any additional bearing on this (ie work authorization, travel document)?

This dead-spot of being in-between statuses really sucks!!!

(thanks for all your help!)

I just went through the California DMV, and what you need is a Social Security Number. Any other document will be rejected without it. Once I had it, I presented my canadian passport, marriage certificate, and SSN. That's all they needed. Withouth the SSN you are out of luck in California. No exceptions....Sucks huh...

I just got my interview letter

but am scared a little bit because I don't have no bills together at all. They didn't send my EAD yet so what I suppouse to take with me????

Well anyway am so excited

c u later

I had the same problem when I received my interview notice. I went to the office where my husband rents his apartment, and asked if they could put me on the lease without a social insurance number, or write a letter that stated they were aware that I lived at my husband's address. Because he is the primary renter, they did a credit check on me (which I told them would show nothing) and then let me sign the lease. Also, it is possible to be added to your spouse's bank account without a social. We did this by signing a form at the bank (we are with US Bank) called a W8. So many people are led to believe they need a SSN to be added to a bank account but that is not true...

All we took with us were the lease agreement, health insurance through my husband's work with me added on (including a letter from the medical insurance company stating the date I was added and a photocopy of the medical cards), and the joint bank account confirmation with a letter from the bank verifying its approval. If you have nothing else get a couple of friends to write a letter that states they know you and that you are married and live together, then get them to notorize it.

Hello! Quick question here...

A friend of mine from Venezuela has been to the US for 2 years with a student visa (she goes to college here) but she got married 2 weeks ago with an American citizen. They asked me how I have been doing with my AOS. My case is very different since I arrived with a K-1 visa. So I don't know what to answer to her, and they don't have a clue about where to start. Which should be the first steps for them to take?

Thanks!!!

I just finished applying for permanent residency by AOS after I came to the United States to visit and got married while here. The first thing my husband and I did was consult a lawyer, and because I was legally in the country (as I assume your friend is) but as a visitor in my case, he said that I could just adjust my status and not worry about applying via the k3 process. He instructed me to make sure that I did NOT leave the country for ANY reason, or I would be denied re entry before my petition was completed (unless I qualified for advanced parole, but he did not recommend applying for it unless for a life or death reason)

The AOS procedure is the same as the one the you went through, except she doesn't need to apply for a K3. Some say it takes less time to apply for the K3, but we filed our application on February 26, 2006 and I just completed my interview and was approved on June 6, 2006.

Now, I'm not sure if I got anywhere faster because I hired a lawyer to file the paperwork, but at least we didn't need to worry that paperwork would be incorrect. My lawyer was excellent, and the cost to have him to the paperwork was only 750.00, not including the filing fees of about 765.00

If your friend wants a free consulation with him, he will personally talk with them and not charge for the initial discussion, whether or not they hire his services.

If interested, his website is this....http://www.advancedimmigration.com/ He was very helpful, and answered all of our questions even though we hadn't made any decisions about hiring him. He also allows for a payment plan as well.

Hope this helps