EminTX

It is arrogant to see cheaters being gifted with something that they clearly did used fraud to get and to think this is wrong? Hhmmmm....
ANY person who comes here on vacation or with the intention to return to their home country needs to be required to do so EVERY time before being allowed to stay. I personally work with several people who have married on a student visa or tourist visa and never EVER intended to leave. If these two options were eliminated, we could reduce the ease of fraud in these two ways that are so common.
I wonder how the stats are in other countries concerning this. How often to people travel to other places on a trip WITH a round trip ticket and decide to just stay forever. It does happen, yes. But it should happen correctly.
If visitors weren't almost expected to try to not leave, it would probably be much easier for my in-laws in South America to visit us. There is an adult person in my family who is developmentally delayed. I would love for him to come visit us with the elderly folks he lives with. Because they are a family unit and it is not a good idea for him to be alone for two or three weeks for them to travel here, they probably won't be able to come ever.
I have a friend who is an expert in wells. He is an engineer and is completely grounded in his life overseas. He has traveled here to lecture and teach his methods to others. Last year he was denied a visa to travel to Louisana to teach for a 2 week conference. He did not overstay before and, if I remember correctly, he donated his earnings to the charity group he was educating. He has a proven track record of being the "perfect" tourist but nope--too much of a risk. GGggggrrrr.....
When fraud is so easy, the rules that allow it are the problem.

BTW...
I have never actually met a single person who met their (now) spouse, fell in love, married in a whirlwind, and stayed legitimately. I think it happens in real life about as often as people win the lottery. On the other hand, I can't count how many people tell me that this is what they claimed so that they could stay here--fraudulently.

BTW...
I have never actually met a single person who met their (now) spouse, fell in love, married in a whirlwind, and stayed legitimately. I think it happens in real life about as often as people win the lottery. On the other hand, I can't count how many people tell me that this is what they claimed so that they could stay here--fraudulently.

I simply don't understand why anyone is allowed to adjust status from being a student or a tourist to stay. If you were REALLY intending to return to your home country, you'd still have to leave to close up your residence there and resolve the open issues in your life. Outside of extenuating circumstances, I can't see that ever being legit. (Students that are here for 5 years--THAT I can understand. People here on work visas that are already here for several years, again, I can understand. Tourists? Never. Short term students? Never.)
Second, anyone that wants to AOS, IMHO should be required to do the same as everyone who follows the rules correctly--return to the country in question and hang out until you get an interview. No exceptions (in general). So many people whine that it is so hard to move to a strange country because they came here as kids or whatever. That is a load of #######--if your parents made a move to a strange country then you can, too. Get in line. Do the same thing as the legit folks.
These two things would probably shorten the numbers significantly and reduce wait times.
I do understand that not every country is safe and that refugees have extenuating circumstances--that is not who I am referring to. I can't imagine why anyone from Canada, for example, would ever be allowed to jump the line without serious proof of persecution. Or England. Or India. Or Nigeria. Or Pakistan. Or Mexico. Or Perú.

What I think is really sad is these people on VJ who you can just tell are being scammed but just won't listen to reason or the red flags.
In my opinion, we should just get rid of AOS all together except from visas in which the person is already been a long term resident. How many sob stories have we seen on here in which someone is being held as basically a slave because their partner refuses to adjust status from their VWP or K1?

Wait til you see the flying cockroaches.

Aside from the obvious (living with your fiance/spouse, meeting their family, etc), what are some little silly, trivial things that you're excited about your new life in the USA?
I'll start off:
- I'm excited to be able to enter contests that are only open to American residents!

They hate America while wearing their Nike sneakers and then head off to their local McDonalds!

7 months if you're lucky. Probably closer to 10. Been waiting almost 6 months for NOA2. 6-7 months from NOA1 to NOA2 seems to be the current average, and then up to a few more months at your local consulate.

NO, not a lifetime ban. What would she possibly be getting a life time ban from...
OP, does your fiance get disability? That might be enough of an income , though I do think a co-sponsor is the right way to go.
Alternatively you could marry and then return to Australia and file for the CR-1 which means when you enter the US with said visa you will be able to look for work right away and you will have your greencard without having to adjust your status as with the K-1.
Of course, you may also attempt to use the VWP while your CR-1 or K-1 is pending.
Oh, P.S what is your partners disability if I may ask? My husband and I have not heard of any restrictions for spouses in moving to Australia.

A marriage needs to be based on trust. Your husband is acting like a selfish little boy who loves his car more than he loves his wife. A husband should want his wife to flourish and be successful. Instead, he is letting you live in fear that you might be arrested and letting you unable to be independent in any way since you won't be able to get a job.
What if things genuinely don't work out? With the unlawful presence you have acquired, you won't ever be able to visit the USA on a tourist visa ever again, once you go back to your home country.
I just hate that he is doing this to you and that you are letting him abuse you like this.

Are you freakin' kidding?????? He is the one being selfish.
HOW IS IT LOVE TO MAKE YOUR WIFE AN ILLEGAL ALIEN WHEN YOU CAN MAKE THE ONE PERSON YOU CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT A LEGAL RESIDENT??????
Your husband is an idiot. ICE can arrest you. Why would ICE not be able to arrest you for being illegally in the US? You got papers saying that you are legal? NO!!!!
If you are "lucky" to live in a state that allows illegal aliens to get a driver's license, then that's great. Most states don't allow illegal aliens to get driver's licenses.
Good luck with your choices. Your husband is an idiot at best. He is so selfish. If he didn't trust you, then he shouldn't have petition for you and married you.
Since your idiot husband thinks that signing the I-864 is bad for him. What will change in 1 or 2 years? He will still be signing the exact same agreement.
Tell the idiot that if you get your green card, it will be 3 years before you get your US citizenship. Once you get your US citizenship, the I-864 he signed will end. The longer it takes you to get US citizenship, the longer the I-864 will hang over both your heads.
All of this stupidity can end in 3 years if your husband signs the I-864 now.
--
Sorry if calling your husband an idiot offends you. It offends me more that he would rather his wife (the person he loves the most) live as an illegal alien rather than a normal person.

You need to reevaluate your relationship.
What hes basically saying is I am not committed to you. I am not willing to sign my name on this line, Id prefer to wait a year or two and see how things play out and then if I still like you, perhaps then I'll commit. That is simply unacceptable.
You entered into the marriage in good faith, you left your home in China. You moved across the world for him. And he wants a year or two to see if its going to last before he makes a possible future financial commitment to you?
He obviously cares a great deal about himself and his financial future. And hes clearly not going to risk it by signing something for you, until hes sure. Is that how you married him? Under the impression lets try this out? Or did you think this was it, were both in this forever starting now?
Im really sorry that youre going through this. You need to have a serious discussion with your husband about his commitment level to your marriage and if you cant resolve it to your satisfaction then its probably best to separate. You would have no choice but to return home, because the only way to adjust status on a K1 is to file through your spouse or through a VAWA abuse claim and your husbands refusal to file an 864 is not abuse.

holding a green card is tantamount to you successfully participating in USA society and economy.
Without it, IMO, you've just become a house-slave.

It sounds like you are new to cooking in general. Look for recipes/cookbooks that are geared to kids -- they are typically very easy and crowd pleasers. Don't be afraid to experiment. Keep hot sauce on hand or cheese to modify disasters into things that are more palatable. Talk to grannies who have lived through all economic situations for tips. The ones in your area will have the best suggestions for the stuff you can get your hands on. (I work in a hospital and food is a great topic that is non-emotional to distract my patients while I am doing "uncomfortable" things. People love to talk about their favorite recipes and foods and such. I have picked the brains of people from all over the world for 15 years..heh heh heh. Very mutually beneficial.)
This website is one that my son used when he was learning to cook. The "recipe file" link at the top gives you a good selection of a variety of options with photos along every step to guide you. The comments give gobssssssss of alternatives and ideas.
http://www.cookingforengineers.com/
If, at some point, you can get a job working as a cook in any restaurant, it will serve you for the rest of your life. I worked in a Mexican restaurant when I was 19 and my salsas and guacamole are famous amongst my friends. My son worked in a small Italian restaurant where he learned to make everything from incredible seafood soups to gelatos. This has certainly increased his value when measuring popularity and for his future "job" as husband and father. It really doesn't matter what kind of food you learn to cook as long as you have the time to practice the skills and get comfortable tearing things up in a kitchen. The skills translate across all cuisines and appetites.

We buy organic milk and it seems to have a longer shelf life then regular milk

What if you called your fiancee "Sister" or "Auntie"? What if you called her "Mommy"? "Daughter"? Those would indicate very specific relationships to ANYone looking in from the outside. So does any word that is reserved for spouses. The titles you use for each other really do state your relationship.
Because we here are all subject to being examined under a fine microscope, we have to be a bit above reproach. If you are not spouses, don't use incorrect terms. It may seem sweet and you are excited about it, but really, a high fraud country doesn't need much to suspect you are liars. And demonstrating a lie in your terms of affection is certainly not going to help your case.
Hope for the best and be prepared to admit that you were wrong to use incorrect terms to describe each other if questioned. Please follow this up in a few months and when your AOS interview is complete to let others know IF it was addressed at all.
Something that you may not be aware of is that in many places, common-law marriages are absolutely legal and acceptable. Here in my own state, it is still used by many people. Here is some information from an official site: http://www.co.travis.tx.us/dro/common_law.asp

Matt, the word "lie" only has one definition when it comes to being un-truthful. If lieing is how you or others live your life so it maybe, but don't use it as an excuse to get what you want.
Don't make lieing an ok source of survival. White lie, Blue lie, Green lie, small lie, big lie or half truths are all the same.

With the exception of GROUND TRAVEL to countries that accept the Green Card as a means to ENTER (Canada and Mexico) you never use the green card except to ENTER the USA. Canada and Mexico have no problem with the extension letter and neither does any US port of entry.
You had bad information.
It is possible that someone tried to enter another country using a green card and extension letter and that was not accepted because they needed a visa, NOT because of the extension letter (or green card). So what? Permanent residents need visas whereever they needed visas before. You do not need a visa to enter your home country.
The astounding thing here is that you had an infopass appointment and instead of ASKING the Immigration Officer, who would be very informed about the situation, you assumed that USCIS issues junk documents and lied to them to get something YOU thought was better. Seriously? You think you have a better grasp of this than USCIS does or that the US government is issuing documents to its residents that are worthless?
Good grief.

you are confused. the GC and letter are for you to RETURN to the US...your home country could care less. Like the poster above me, I have never heard of anyone being denied entry with the extension letter. People really need to stop listening to rumors and here-say from friends and family, and get the real facts and use common sense before lying to USCIS

Good luck!! If you CAN don't track it soo much it's like watching paint dry it takes time and not always the same amount of time.. haha

Okay, I get that in Tagalog there's no similar term so using the term in their NATIVE language is one thing, however using an English word means they should use the English word as the English word is defined. It is a title. It is not simple "a word" or a "term of endearment". They have been using this English word incorrectly, it shouldn't be encouraged just because everyone else does it. They should be corrected like any other time someone uses a word incorrectly.
When speaking another language they can't just decide what a particular word means or pick the closest word because it makes sense in their language. They should use the word as it is intended. This is a good habit to get into if they want to associate with other people that speak English otherwise they will just look stupid. I assume they have a word to mean "future" (or something similar to future)? So they should be calling them future husband or future wife, not simply husband and wife as that assumes a depth of relationship that DOES NOT exist.
So again, a HUSBAND is married man. A WIFE is a married woman. Just like when people call me Tony's "girlfriend" I correct them. I am his wife. I am married to him.

How did you get approved already if your interview isn't until next month?