simpleLady

hi to all:

i am also a victim of a stupid lawyer too. first of all, we hired a lawyer so that she can help us, it turned out that she is a pain. we hired her first week of november and i gave all the documents needed for the immigration in the second week of November. I was happy when i submitted all the documents to her. I thought that i was in the immigration waiting game already after i submitted my documents to her. In third week of December i called her just to find out what's going on with my paper coz it is been a while that i gave my papers to her. She said that i will recieve my NOA sooner. So i was still waiting. then, it was third week of january my NOA still didn't arrive. so i called them again and she said it will arrive soon. the following day my husband called her and he was so angry and asked her the reciept from the UPS so that he know when the lawyer sent the paper. it turned out that the paper was being sent on the 10th of january. it means that my paper was in lawyers office for over a month before she sent it out. she just took our money and didn't do anything.

Then, my interview notice arrived march 23, 2012. I called the lawyer so that she can gave me any hint on what documents should i bring for my interview. I set up an appointment with her April 13, 2012 that way i still have two weeks before the interview and if my documents were incorrect we still have time to get the correct ones. The day before my appointment, the secretary called and cancelled my appointment with the lawyer because she went to Africa and will be back in April 18. so i set up an appointment again for the following friday April 20. We went to that appointment becuase we hadn't heard from them. When i got there in the office, the secretary told us that the lawyer wasn't there until Monday and my interview was Tuesday. My husband and i was very angry but we could not do anything because my interview was comming up. But i already completed the papers before we went to the lawyer's appointment. i just wanted to make sure if my papers were correct. It ends up that the lawyer was a useless for my application process. we wasted $3,000 on the parasite lawyer.

My advice is do not use a lawyer if you can make it by yourself unless if there are serious problems... Good luck to all

What does this mean?

"The last processing action taken on your case

Receipt Number: MSC

Application Type: I485 , APPLICATION TO REGISTER PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR TO ADJUST STATUS

Your Case Status: Decision

On April 26, 2012, we mailed you a notice that we had registered this customer's new permanent resident status. Please follow any instructions on the notice. Your new permanent resident card should be mailed within 60 days following this registration or after you complete any ADIT processing referred to in the welcome notice, whichever is later. If you move before receiving your card, please call our customer service center at 1-800-375-5283.

During this step the formal decision (approved/denied) is written and the decision notice is mailed and/or emailed to the applicant/petitioner. You can use our current processing time to gauge when you can expect to receive a final decision."

is this an approval or an RFE?(I-130 is approved)

[/quote

same as me. i freaked out because i recieved a new update yesterday said that card/production and today i recieved like this update. I called my husband what was that mean and he said i have to celebrate because they approved my application.... All things we have to do now is to wait our GC. :dance: :dance:

The IO didn't ask anything about my husband's previous marriage. I am single when I marry to my husband. He just asked about the two of us. He didn't even asked for more photos. He asked any documents that have our names on it. I gave him our health insurance, car insurance, lease and joint bank accounts.

Hi VJ's

My worries about this topic is over. i had my interview last April 24, 2012 at 11:30 and i am approved. the officer did not ask for my husband's tax return 2011. now, i am waiting for my card in the mail box. thank you so much for your opinion about this topic.

hi Vj members,

how to display my timeline in all post? thank you

Congrats on your approval!!! Did you have your interview this or last year? You said last April, 2011, I hope you did not have to wait for approval for a year

I'm sorry that is April 24, 2012...

Dear VJ's

i would like to share with you my interview experience in Baltimore. I had my interview last April 24, 2011 at 11:30am. We arrived at the immigration office at 10:30am. our names were called almost 11:45. thanks God that the officer was very friendly. when he called my name he looked directly to my husband seemed like they knew each other. i was wondering why the officer recognized my husband right away. anyway, he brought us in his office and before he let us to sit we take an oath first. then we sat down and i was very nervous my hand was shaking. i could not even sign the paper that he gave us. in the interview process, the officer asked where was our lawyer and my husband answered the lawyer was a sore subject. the officer told us that my documents looked great no problems at all. the IO asked if there are any new information added to our application, i said my new I20 because i moved from the other school to the other school which is near to my husband's house. he said Okay...

then, the officer asked my husband like:

Where we meet each other?

where was the place on our first date?

when is my birthday?

where i was born?

when we got married?

Did he talked to my parents often?

what are the names of my parents?

After he asked my husband, he asked me about my husband almost the same questions. he also asked me the part in form 485 where is say's have you ever something which is the answers are all No. i know all the answers of that part was No, but i asked the IO to repeat it for me just to him know that i was listening to him.

All in all the interview was fine. i was just stressing out myself for nothing. the officer was friendly that made me comfortable to talk to him. my husband and him where talking about tubing coz he saw our picture went tubing.

after he asked all the question he wants, he asked me if we do have documents that have our both names on it. so i gave bank statements, lease, health insurance, and car insurance. then The IO said, we were all set and i have nothing to worry my documents looks great but he did not approve me right away coz he needs to send it to their supervisor for approval.

Today, April 26, at 6:30 i recieved text from USCIS that they order my card. God be the glory, i am approve.

To all who are still applying for AOS don't worry to much like i did for nothing. You don't have to worry as long as your marriage is true and complete the documents they need.

If you read the top of the page the OP is applying for adjustment of status not a visa.

I agree, some people here in this furom didn't understand what they are talking about. just making a comment with out thinking.. lol

Almost two and a half years ago, I came to the USA on a tourist visa which was valid for 6 months. During that time I thought I had met the man of my dreams. I assumed I would have to go back to Australia and then come back on a Fiance Visa, but this guy took me to an immigration attorney and we were informed we could get married and I didn't have to return to Australia.

Just before my Visa was due to expire, I brought my two dogs over from Australia and we got married. He turned out to be a scam artist and took all my money and then divorced me, before we had lodged all of the paperwork necessary for the start of the immigration process. I was left almost destitute.

I managed to find somewhere to work in exchange for room and board and in the meantime I met another guy. He turned out to be abusive and violent and kept me almost like a prisoner, I have finally managed to get out, but I am scared and confused. I am heading back to Australia. Now that family and friends back in Australia are aware of what has happened, I now have enough money to also take my dogs back to Australia and through quarantine... a very costly exercise, but my dogs have been the only thing that has kept me going during the hell I have been subjected to.

My question is, I am so exhausted and sick from the stress, I also have had to have two major surgeries since I have been in the USA which I had to pay for, so I have no money left at all. I want to know if the customs people at LAX will interogate me when I go to fly back to Australia due my Visa being expired almost 2 years ago.

I understand there is a ten year ban on me coming back to the USA. I dont care, I hate it here now. I have had a horrible experience and been through hell. I never want to come back to this country again. But I am also not strong enough to deal with any officials giving me a hard time and asking questions about my overstaying my visa. I am paranoid, due to the past events that have happened since I have been in this country and all I want is to go home without being harrassed or judged or even questioned. I am mentally so weak and emotionally so unstable at the moment, that I don't think I could even answer any questions without breaking down and sobbing hysterically.

Does anyone know if they will care about me leaving the country. I just want to be left alone and let be to go home.

I'm sorry to hear that truamatic experience being here. Anyway, i don't think if they will give you a hard time. when i went back home last 2010, they never asked anything from me except the boarding pass. in fact i brought my old I94 with me, and i gave it back to the immigration after i came back to the U.S. and replace a new one. i hope your life will get better in your home country. Good luck

Tax fraud is more likely to be an IRS issue. If you are on that tax return, though, it'll be your problem too.

Yes, you may be more heavily scrutinized because of the short time between marriages. In my case I am the USC and I divorced only 3 months before I remarried (was separated long before that, my state has a 1-year waiting period for divorce and then my ex caused a lot of problems to delay it further). I was asked a TON of questions about my ex and my husband was asked a ton about what he knew about my ex as well - and my ex was not on my taxes. But if you have a lot of bonafide evidence you should be able to overcome it.

Was the ex a citizen? Or did your husband petition her as well?

I agree, tax fraud is IRS issue. if it is a fraud he will face the consiquences of it not me because i am not included of it at all. Well, i am just hoping that the IO will not make it a big deal for my application. Because the bottom line of this is wether the marriage is true or not. and i can prove to them that our marriage is true. in addition, i moved from my previous school to another school where is close to my husbands apartment.

I don't think so if there is any problem. Visa is use to enter in the United States, so she is fine to go back to the Philippines.

Thank you....

She is American and they have child with us. My husband got the full custody of a child

Immigration could look at it as a red flag, although I don't think you would get denied for this alone. It's a red flag in that it looks like he is maintaining ties with his previous wife, and so why did he marry you? Possibly for the immigration benefit? Still, that is a pretty big jump to that conclusion.

I'd be more worried about the IRS. If they catch this, he will be facing pretty steep financial penalties, at the least. The government takes a dim view of fraud. However, I am not well-versed in US tax law, having been here only 2 years, so maybe there is something here I am missing.

I would disagree of what you said for the immigration benefit because our married is true and i can prove it to the immigration. If my husband commit that fraud thing i am out of it.

Honestly, I WOULD be worried, both with the IRS and with the interview. Legally he cannot file joint taxes with her if they were not married as of Dec 31st. If anything he should have done it married filing jointly with YOU. She was not his spouse at the end of the tax year, he is committing fraud by filing taxes with her when he has another spouse. It will probably not come up with him ordering his tax transcript, but most likely it WILL come up at the interview.

Personally I think you have a little more to worry about than the immigration interview. Your spouse is by the sound of it knowingly committing fraud, and with his ex wife no less. I'd be more concerned for my marriage than anything else.

All things i wanna do right now is just to pray that the immigration will not make it a big deal. if he commet fraud in his tax that's his i wasn't included in that one. i didn't know that he filed it jointly with his ex wife until after he recieved the money. i really damn in this tax thing. the bottom line is our marriage is true.

He probably did it to take advantage of getting better deductions or something of the sort, which is why he is so paranoid about getting audited.

It is not going to look great, but it isn't a deal breaker. Either way he should get the transcripts.

I don't really know, what his intention of doing that. that is the reason why i am worried about this income tax return thing because i know there is something wrong. i am a kind of person that i want to present the documents perfectly or if not close to perfect.

I think maybe you'd better talk with a seasoned tax expert. Married filing jointly would have to be with you. The only way I could see him using his ex-wife as a dependent is if he filed Head of Household, which he is not allowed to do if he is married.

He may have to file an amended return, preferably married filing jointly (listing you as his spouse, of course), which would look better to USCIS. If they look at his tax return at all.

Honestly, i don't have any idea about tax return thing. according to him he was married to his ex wife until July and we got married october. I don't have a clue why he did it. and yes he is the head of the family.

Are you saying your ex filed his 2011 tax return, putting his ex-wife on there as his dependent? What status did he file under? Married filing separately?

My husband file his tax return and putting his ex as his dependent. i'm not sure but i guess he filed it jointly with his ex wife because his asked for his ex wife's W2.

Wont it be possible to share your worries/questions with the attorney over the phone if you can't meet in person?

Instead of turbo tax print out, order IRS tax returns transcripts. Your husband can walk into the local Baltimore IRS office and have his transcripts printed for him if you think it wont be delivered by mail before your interview date. Another option will be by fax

There is no minimum number of pix to bring, but include your wedding pix, not just vacations. They only get to retain few of them anyway

Also you can include your marriage attestation letter(s) from family and/or friend(s)

All in all, Just thoroughly prepare as though you expect the worst but hope for the best!

Goodluck!!!

Thank you classybee for your reply. the problem is the lawyer is out of the country and will come back next week. the secretary wont discuss the documents because according to her she is not allowed to discuss any legal documents. In addition, my husband wont go to the IRS office because he is scare if the IRS will audit him.

Dear Members,

i am frustrated today because my lawyer cancelled my appointment with her tomorrow. I am excited to talk to her about my documents that i will have to bring during the interview if it is valid or invalid. She rescheduled us by next week but my husband have work next week, so we won't see her until the day of my interview. Right now, i need your brilliant advice on some of my documents that i worried about. First, I am worried about some of the documents that i have, his income tax. He filed it electronically like turbo tax. I wonder if the immigration will accept the income tax return printed out through the turbo tax website. Second, my husband got divorced last july 2011 and we got married october 2011. and then, my husband filed his tax and his dependent was his ex and not me. Do you think we will have a problem in this matter? third, the photos that i am taking during the interview are the same of what i sent to them. Do you think those photos that i sent to them are fairly enough. The photos that i sent are our vacations with his family while we were dating. The other documents we have to prove to the IO are joint accounts, i'm a beneficiary in his health insurance, car insurance, and in our lease i am just an occupant. i need your opinion about this matter...

love simplelady

I would advise just cooling down and waiting.

1. She may come back...some ladies just need to have some time to reflect on the relationship.

2. You haven't got your interview appointment yet so you have no idea how long you have to wait it out...you're jumping the gun a bit.

If she does come back to you I would advise being a little more easy to get a long with. . You obviously need her to stick with you if you would like to remain in this country. Relationships work and it's not over till the fat lady sings.

The people saying its over just because she has taken off for a few days may not understand the dynamic of your relationship or her specific personality...even in the worst of circumstances relationships are still reconciled with time and effort.

The reason the divorce rate is so high is because not enough people understand that marriage is not all roses and is nothing like dating or the honeymoon. Marriage is about making a decision that this is going to be your companion forever...if you have an argument you work it out. You don't quit your marriage...what do you think till death do us part is all about?

Hope that she comes back and try to work things out.

I definitely agree of what you said. People here in VJ's some of them are not helping for the good of others. they are just thinking the worst.

thank you everyone. i will go down to the court this week to get a certified copy....

Hello everybody,

My interview will be in two weeks from now and i started to gather all the documents that the immigrantion need. I am confused about Certified Copy of Marriage document. What is that mean? i have the original with me. what will i do for it? should i go to the court and get a certified copy of my Marriage certificate? do you have some idea about this matter, please help me...

That's great! Consider yourself lucky, because according to what I gather from various sources Baltimore, MD is processing October, 2011 AOS applications.

Also, this is my individual opinion, the way you fill out your app makes difference.

Some apps get processed faster even if the local office is the same.

I hired attorney who filled the I-864 incorrectly , got RFE and re-submitted copy of an incorrect original page of the same form. I had to re-submit my own response. Now I wonder what other parts he filled out sloppily

Finally, place of birth may make the difference. I was born in, lived for 20 years and am Citizen of Pakistan.

And I am Muslim - I go to local mosque every Friday and pray 8 times a day.

I am sure that doesn't speed things up a lot.

But all being equal, you are very lucky to be interviewed that fast. Baltimore does not process cases in 3 months like other local offices do, they have higher than average load (though not as slow as NY and some other offices I heard of).

A wrong information in your application is a big deal for them. that is why i had to be careful when i filled my forms up. thanks god that my application is moving faster than what i thought...

I am mostly worried because I am Muslim and my wife is not.

Would our relationship be questioned on account of my being a Muslim?

This is very important, I hope someone gives valuable advise.

I don not think it is anything to worry about. As long as you are not a Muslim you should be good to go

Do not worry about the religion thing because i don't think the USCIS will make a big deal for that, as long as you showed them that your marraige is true.

Religion is not an obstacles...