KrisandJennie

OP is done with the K-1 process but is now at the AOS stage.

KrisandJennie, your husband's citizenship as nothing to do with how long his AOS process is taking. Has his case got transferred to the California Service Center? That would be an explanation on why it is taking so long. Cases that got transferred there take a long time to be processed, but they are very likely to not be scheduled for an interview. CSC is very busy with AOS cases and sometimes, it takes close to a year before having an answer.

Cases that are processed in a few months are mostly cases that are sent to a local USCIS office and scheduled for an interview.

Also, don't rely too much on the online updates, sometimes it doesn't work or sometimes it is not accurate (e.g. case at initial stage for months, and then one day, update with green card production ordered...)

Call the USCIS to see if you can have some update on your case, if you can put a service request to speed things up, or contact your congressman if nothing moves!

PS: Please, update your timeline so it's easier to answer you, and your profile with "AOS (pending)" so people know you are done with the K-1.

Thank you! My husband has all of the dates at home somewhere so I will try to update my timeline soon! Thanks again!

Not sure why this is showing when you're done?

We're not done. He's in the country and got his EAD but not his green card. That's what I'm asking about.

We sent in everything in April, haven't gotten any RFE's and he is STILL in initial review. I have seen on some people's timelines (albeit, not Scotland) that they get theirs in no more than 4 months. Can anyone help me out with this? Have we been forgotten about?

Just curious what your spouse is doing while waiting for the Green Card?

My (now) wife came over on a K1 Visa, and I'm just shocked at how bad they make it for immigrants. In a nutshell, I'm waiting for the EAD/GC so that she can get a bank/debit card, a drivers permit, a Colorado ID card, and most important a job (not so much for the cash as for something to do during the day). All of these are such basic things we take for granted, and every one of them is almost essential to feeling like you are a part of this country. Luckily I make enough money to more than take care of us, and I live in a downtown area where she is within walking distance of everything. If I wasn't she would go crazy.

Our relationship is strong, and nothing is going to fall apart or anything drastic like that....but the biggest issue so far has just been that she sits at home trying to entertain herself every day. I've gotten her a gym membership, she goes to the library for MS Office classes and some english classes, but not having a job and the satisfaction of doing something and earning a paycheck is killing her esteem and confidence here. Not to mention the whole practice of having to ask me for money or asking me to drive her to do basic things like shop at the store. Of course I'm not withholding anything from her because I understand this is a delicate time (and well, she's my wife and I want to make her happy), but wow I feel horrible for what she's going through with this sometimes.

Just curious - anyone else going through the same thing? What is your spouse doing during this time period?

My husband moved here from Scotland and is VERY used to doing something all the time. When he had to sit on his bum waiting for the EAD, he started going a little batty. It drove him (and by default, me) crazy! He luckily got the EAD in about 6 months and was able to start working. Once he was working, he was so happy!!! He basically would go for runs or hang out with our neighbor (who wasn;t working at the time) until he could start. We also got a puppy so he was able to take care of her during the day. We live in a rural place so he wasn't really able to go anywhere which is what drove him the most crazy. But it will come so don't worry too much!

The statement in your post I put in bold is what you will need to do. Once your husband is a US Citizen, he can come and go as he pleases. Green card holders must maintain residency in the US and moving to Scotland would not do that.

Do you know generally how long it takes to become a citizen? We wouldn't be moving for several years anyhow.

My husband is from Scotland and we went through this process almost a year ago. He hasn't received his green card yet (obviously) but we are thinking about moving to Scotland in a couple of years. Can we do that once he has his green card or do we have to wait until he gets dual citizenship? We would hate to move to the UK and then have him not be allowed back into the country just to do this all over again. Does anyone know what our options are?

1. How you entered the US, in your case K-1.

2. You can put unknown.

3. 3 months to be approved. AP is routinely approved for people with I-485 pending.

You do know that this all goes together with your I-485 packet, yes? You cannot file the I-131 separately.

I was told by our neighbor (who used to be an immigration attorney) that you can, there will just be a fee for it, whereas if we had done it along with the packet, it would've been free. And thanks for the info!

My husband and I want to spend our first anniversary in Scotland with his family and friends, most of whom could not make it to our wedding in the US. Also, my parents and possibly my siblings are coming as well since they have never been to Scotland and would also like to meet the other family members. I'm filling out the I-131 but have a couple of questions:

1) what is the class of admission?

2) what if we don't know the exact date of departure? We know it will be in March but don't know the exact date yet.

3) How long does it usually take for this to get approved/denied?

Update, uddate update!!! I emailed NVC last time I posted, only to get a reply nearly 2 weeks later saying they couldn't help me. Kim (my US fiancee) emailed this week and got a reply within 48 hours! Bonus is that the reply says that my application is now with the US Embassy in London and there is even the LDN reference quoted in the email - major bonus!!! whoooooop whooooop....!!!! Got to say though that the level of communication (particularly NVC) is appaling. Really feels like you are left in limbo once USCIS done there bit. No communication at all from NVC unless you chase them is clearly not acceptable. Waiting now for communication from US Embassy - watch this space, but keeping faith....

The communication from USCIS is definitely appaling. You're definitely getting there, though! My now husband and I filed for K-1 in April last year and he didn't get here until February 9th, HOWEVER, he lived in Malaysia for a few years when he was younger and they took FOREVER to get the police certificates to him (an added 2 months). The worst should be behind you and you will be with your fiance and daughter very soon!! Then you will get to deal with all of the AOS/ EAD stuff (yay). But at least you're together when doing that paperwork!! Good luck and keep the faith!!!!!

Perfect, thank you!!

I'm taking my husband's last name and so far, I have his last name on every form for the AOS/ EAD as my last name. However, my last name hasn't yet been changed with the social security administration. We will obviously be sending in a certified copy of marriage certificate which will have us both with his last name. Will that suffice or should we hold off on sending in the paperwork until my name has legally changed with the SSA? Please help as my husband is going a bit stir crazy at the moment and wants to send everything ASAP so he can work sooner rather than later. Thanks in advance!

Jennie

It took a while for me to send this since we've been spending so much time together, but he's here!!!!! My fiance, Kris, got here on Thursday last week and we couldn't be happier! We've started the marriage counseling with the Pastor at my church and our wedding is in a little over 4 weeks SO HAPPY!!!!! Good luck to you all and thanks for everyone's help when we've had issues with this process. God bless all of you!

<3 Jennie

They told me a week to ten days but I had mine in two - interview Tuesday, visa arrived Thursday!

Good luck.

Nice! Thank you!!!!!!

My fiance's interview is Wednesday!!! We are both SO excited that this day is finally here!!! Can anyone who has been approved in London tell me how long it took you to get the visa in hand?? We're hoping for less than a week (we'd love to be together for Valentine's Day)but I'd like to here from people have been through it rather than guessing. Thanks in advance!

By the time we get NOA2 I will go crazy. it is so sad that our future depends on papers,documents,visas, peoples desicions, people that dont even know our history, our loved onse...It is sad.Hope the time will fly faster for all of us

I posted something similar to this a few months ago and now my fiance's interview is next week!! Time has FLOWN by! It is a painful process but it is worth it in the end. It has been 8 months but that, in hindsight, has felt like only a couple of months. If you can, try visiting each other to break up the time apart. That's what we did and it helped a lot!

can anyone tell me if i should be making plans to be there soon or should i wait.

im at the california service center and i was supposed to have a religious wedding on july the 20 th but now im not to sure.any info would be great!

My fiance and I filed in the beginning of May and his interview isn't until January 25th (we did have a hold up with Malaysia- he lived there for over a year after the age of 16. We originally planned for a November 5th wedding but had to postpone it and that was a pain in the #######. So plan for at least 8-10 months from beginning to end. But with this process, you have to expect the unexpected. Things can go wrong. We did not foresee Malaysia "losing the paperwork" but they did and that held us up an extra two months. Just be careful. I wish you the best of luck!!!!

Thank you so much everyone for the replies! I wish you all the best of luck!

Thanks!!

My fiance and I are nearing the end of the K-1 (he has his interview in London next Wednesday). He and I were just wondering how long the AOS process takes. We've heard some people say a month tops and others say past 90 days. Anyone who recently got it and can tell us how long it took??

The Dep of State website says "Applicants residing outside Malaysia should contact the nearest Malaysian embassy or consulate in their country of current residence."

There is an embassy in London with counter service (no mail in). Is that who he has been dealing with?

45-46 Belgrave Square

London

SW1X 8QT

Tel: 020 7235 8033

Fax: 020 7235 5161

Link to Malaysian police cert page (London) http://jimlondon.net/kon-goodconduct.html

I'm not sure who he has been dealing with. I know he's talked to both the embassy and a woman in Malaysia. Past that, I"m not really sure to be honest.

My fiance went to boarding school in Malaysia when his dad began working there and since he was 16, he needs a police certificate. You'd think that would be easy, right? WRONG! The UK one came in about 6 days, but Malaysia is taking forever. My fiance sent in all of the paperwork September 6th. They contacted him and told him they received his paperwork but no payment (he did send the payment) so he resent the payment and they confirmed receipt. About 2 months later when he came to visit me in the US, he hadn't heard anything so he called them. They said they never received his paperwork. Then they said they received it but it was wrong. Then they changed their story AGAIN and made him re-submit all over again (which he did on the 14th of November. Now we are still waiting and I'm just starting to feel like it's never going to happen. If anyone has experienced anything like this as weel or has any advice to offer, please let me know! For 8 months I have been pretty patient (at least I've tried to be) but this is just getting ridiculous. It's so close to being done and it just seems as though Malaysia is just taking their sweet old time for something that should be able to be done in a week.

Sincerely,

Losing my mind...

No, it's not too soon to send your I-134 and proofs of income. Has he--

• Mailed in his DS-230 part 1, DS-156, DS-156K, DS-157?
  
• Gotten shots from NHS? (MMR, Tdap or Td or DTP, Influenza)
  
• Scheduled his medical appointment?
  

Those should be done now. London won't be asking for a new letter of intent unless many months go by without him doing his part, ie. sending in those four forms. He doesn't have to wait on Malaysia. Once he has the police certificate and your financial documents, then he can send the DS-2001 to indicate he is ready to interview.

That's what he's waiting for from Malaysai, police certificate. He already has his medical and sent in all the forms, forgetting that he needed the police certificate from Malaysia and they're taking their sweet ol' time. I'll send them to him now then. Thanks!

Mine was several months old and we didn't have a problem. My employment letter and letter from the bank were probably 5 months old.

BTW your time line says your interview was Nov. 22?

I have to take that off, sorry. It was scheduled for then but the Malaysian paperwork still wansn't here so the embassy cancelled the interview and said once he gets the paperwork to call them and they'll get him an interview within a couple weeks.

My fiance is waiting for his police certificate from Malaysia but soon after getting that, we will have the interview.Just wondering since we don't have a date yet, would it be too soon to send him my affidavit of support and letter of intent?? Will the date matter if it's a month or two earlier?

Anything I need to do or should know?? We've already had a delay with Malaysia so I don't want to do anything wrong or miss anything to delay us further.

Thanks for any advice you can give!!

He should of gone to the interview and then he could be approved pending the police certificate, then just sent the cert in when he got it and got the visa a few weeks later in the mail..

The only problem with that is that they apparently give you a timeframe to produce the certificate and if he didn't get the certificate within that timeframe, we could have ended up in a much worse situtaion.