LizaG

It's Washington State, if his profile is correct.

Yes. I am gathering proof of residency right now. Thank you!

For almost all the states I have seen, no, they will not accept "AOS pending". They will usually only accept an I-94, EAD, or GC. EAD can be gotten within 3 months of applying, so you will have to wait at most 3 months.

So an EAD could be enough?

What i have read and heard is that you can apply for a drivers license as long as you have a social security number which you can go to the social security office and apply for one

That is the normal case, I know. But I can't just get a SSN until I get my conditional GC.

I have a pending AOS case and have heard about a possibility to get a US driver's license (it would be my first) to drive while it is being processed. Is this true? Just want to check with you guys, have tried to get an answer from the DMV office and they don't seem to be sure somehow. I couldn't get a SSN to drive when I was a student at college here as it was a vocational school and not a standard 4 year college.
As said, I have heard people who did this and basically showed the I-130 form (I believe) and it was totally fine for them to get licensed.

Can anyone confirm this? Would love to not have to wait for my GC to get a driver's license. Thanks!

I'd like to thank all of you for your valuable inputs!

And the Green card processing time is shorter than the fiancé visa one?

Yes, I miss my family a lot but want to do what makes the most sense. And they can always come and visit me I suppose.

And I'm sure they will understand eventually.

If I'm allowed to do the court wedding and then AOS, it's definitely something I'd consider.

Won't the USCIS be suspicious though, since my visa just expired?

Of course I'd be mad. I'm mad that I have to stress about my wedding in the first place! And leave it up to some immigration people.

It's just hard for me to grasp that applying in July is too late when the wedding is in May.. It's over 10 months. That's not so different from a year.

Sure you can do an AOS.

But you won't be able to leave before having a GC in your hands.

Are you sure? From what I have heard, you can't adjust a status that is expired (my student visa), but if I would have done it before it expired it would have been ok. Maybe that is incorrect.

Can't make an AOS because my student visa has expired and I'm on my last few 30-days-to-leave time. So right now I have nothing.

If I change the wedding date and it ends up taking a few months to get the fiancé visa, I'll be a little angry..

if you entered the country as a student, and not with the intent to marry, can you get married and apply for AOS instead of leaving?

I thought of that too and no, arrangements have been made for a wedding date already.

I never expected it to take so long.

Can my fiancé file the I-129F while I'm still in the country on my student visa?

I'm freaking out right now. This is my situation:

Currently I'm in the US on a student visa and just about to leave as I just graduated from college.

My fiancé is American and our wedding is set to a date in May next year. I talked to the american embassy in my country and they said that the waiting time is approximately 1 year!

So basically I won't be able to enter the country in time for my own wedding?!

Usually it takes about 7-8 months apparently, according to their website.

Can someone shine some light on the situation and if there's anything I can do at all.

Thank you.

Sorry for hogging the thread

Just paranoid that someone will come knocking on my door telling me to pack my bags and leave because my visa has expired and I'm still here

It depends a lot on the country or origin, but the beneficiary can visit the US in a tourist capacity while the I-130 is being processed. Filing only the I-130 is recommended as the I-129F can slow down the process.

However, there is no reason that the US citizen needs to move back first. We and other couples have been approved with both spouses residing in a foreign country.

Interesting, I got the advice to absolutely stay in the US while waiting for the approval (I-130 + AOS process)? (my student visa expires in June - getting married in May)

As long as you've submitted your AOS paperwork before the student visa expires, it should be okay. Unfortunately, it isn't a matter of NOA1 or anything - you won't be able to leave the country until the AOS process is complete and you have your green card in your hand.

So what would be my official status while remaining in the US after my visa has expired, while waiting for the GC?

That's what I suspected. So it would be legal for me to stay in the US even when my student visa has expired while we are waiting? What NOA do I have to receive before I'm legally allowed to leave the country?

I'm on a M-1 student visa that expires on June 17th. Me and my fiance plan to have a civil ceremony (court) on May 3rd. I know that it's recommended to file for AOS as soon as we are married and also get the GC process going, but my question is: is it safe for me to leave the US when my student visa has expired (as I planned on before) or should I stick around for the sake of the AOS process? The plan was to visit my family over the summer in my home country. I need to find out faily soon as it is April already. Would love some advice on this. I've read guides but not exactly sure how it applies to my situation. Thank you guys.

I'm currently studying in the US (M-1 visa for 12 months of school). I feel confused about the day I have to be out of the country. On my I-20 form it says "The student is expected to complete studies not later than 06/21/2013" which is my very last day of class. But it also has a stamp with the date "17 June 2013" written on it. This is also on the I-94 form in my passport. I know I have the right to 30 days to leave the country. Which of these two dates should I go after? I do not want to push it by overstaying since I have a fiance here in the US and don't want to get into trouble with the border people.

Very grateful for some clarity. Thanks.

I suspect it's the wonderlic Scholastic Test and there's no way to really prepare for that so that explains it.

Hi guys.

I just got my M-1 visa and will soon travel to the US to start my vocational education. However, the final step in the enrollment process is some kind of entrance/scholastic exam that I need to complete. I am a bit nervous about this and does not know what it contains so can't really prepare myself (I have dyscalculia and exams makes me really uncomfortable).

Since it's a vocational education and not academic, I assume it's not a SAT test? What would happen to my visa if I fail this test? Since it has already been issued.

Hope someone can enlighted me. People who have done this test, please share your experience.

That's what I thought! Thank you, this really calms me down. The school rep is the dean of admissions, so yes she is the only one I've been in contact with and she is on the I-20. She told me to discuss it with the SEVIS people.

I just panicked for while there. Phew.

On the SEVIS student page it also says that a student have 30 days to arrive in the country before the course start.

Yes but they can't expect people to fly half across the world and then start school right away? Isn't that what the "arrive within 30 days prior to school start"-rule is all about?

On the I-20 it says that I have to report to the school no later than June 30th next month and that I have to complete the studies no later than June 21st 2013. The course is one year.

I have a ticket to the US on June 18th.

So my school representative says it's a violation since I will be overstaying my visa time because it's only for a year.

Need help ASAP!

I will be starting school in the US on June 30th. I have a ticket to arrive in the country on the 18th. My graduation is on June 26th 2013.

Now I got an email from my school contact saying that I will be overstaying my visa time and that I need to call the SEVIS/ICE people. Got no answer but I need to know.

According to my embassy's website I get 30 days in 'holiday time' outside of the visa time limit but perhaps I misunderstood or missed some detail about it. That would be unfortunate, since my ticket is non-refundable. Stupid, I know but at the time I was quite sure of the rules.

What should I do?