weebeansy

Congrats Huffy! That was so quick!

I received this email yesetrday so I'm hoping it is good news...

Application Type: I485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or to Adjust Status

Current Status:

On September 5, 2006, a welcome notice was mailed for this case. If 30 days have passed and you have not received this notice. Please call the National Customer Service Center at (800) 375-5283 during business hours.

Hey!!!! That's VERY good news!!! That means you were approved. We received the very same letter and within about a week or so of getting that letter the green card came in the mail!!!!!!!!!! CONGRATS!!!!!

I'm really angry . I just got another RFE, this time to go for a SECOND full medical. I just had one in London in December, then when I got here in January, I got the vaccination supplement from a US civil surgeon. This is crazy. Yet more $$$$ and more time....

That is INSANE!!!!! It almost sounds like their just making up more things for you to do. I wish you the best of luck and hope that all of this insanity ends soon for you. -Weebeansy

My husband just recently was approved for his green card!!! He is 25 years old (will turn 26 in 2 months). I am aware that he is required to register with the selective services. My question is this...on the application form !-485 at the very end near where you sign they make it sound as though all the information will automatically be sent by USCIS to Selective Services...It states:

"Upon USCIS acceptance of my application, I authorize USCIS to transmit to the Selective Service my name, current address, Social Security Number, date of birth and the date I filed the application for the purpose of recording my Selective Service registration as of the filing date."

So to me that sounds as though registration is automatic...should we just go ahead and register him ourselves to be safe??? Thanks, Weebeansy

Hello all,

Glad to hear of all the latest successes on the site!!! Just wanted to report in that Andrew and I had our AOS interview today in Hartford, CT at 10:35am and we were approved....got the stamp in the passport and the works!!! The hardest part was waiting in the waiting area...they called us about 30 minutes late but the nterviewer we had was very cool and laid back and made jokes with us the whole way through. The whole thing seemed so casual, it was great! All she asked was how we met...she didn't separate us and compare answers or any of that. She asked if we were working...about the fact that I'm in grad school and then asked if we were still using my parents as co-sponsors (which we were). Then we gave her a copy of our lease, a copy of our driving insurance with both names and a copy of bank statements showing that we have a joint account and that was all she wanted!!! The interview itself took only about 15 minutes and we were out the door by 11:30!!!!! YEAH BABY!!! No more of this for 2 more years (minus 90 days)!!!! Good luck to the rest of you and don't stress the interview....seriously, it was a piece of CAKE!!!!! -Weebeansy

[quote name='HuffyTheSlayer' date='Jun 23 2006, 11:31 AM' post='26962

"After the 10 or so minutes of me getting my fingers scanned I then stood by a white screen and she took my picture, it didn't actually look too bad for an ID picture."

Good thing the picture turned out well.....that's the one they'll use on your EAD card! Andrew just received his last week!!! Congrats on having the next step of the process out of the way! -Weebeansy

Hi I agree with everything you all say,although I have some independence in my truck we still live 25 mins away from the major town centre. My only friends here are mostly friends of my wife and this will probably the case until I get my ead and get a job. Also with the world cup coming up I'm going to miss going down to the local pub and having some banter with my friends,(I have yet to here anyone on tv discussing it here).

Also this AOS part seems to be even more inconsistent than the K-1 part.

I just want to work and get out and meet other people rather than driving 25 mins away and wandering round home depot talking to myself .

Just a though how about everyone thats intrested in the world cup arrange to meet in chat at a certain time

at night say 9pm to converse on the days games.

Regards Scotty

Hey Scotty,

Andrew is well up for chatting with you about the days games. He's feeling much the same distress over not being able to watch the games with his pals and having the games on at all odd hours. He's wondering in what format you would be chatting? On here? On MSN? He'll be watching tomorrow....so 9pm where???

In other news......Andrew and I just got a notice to report for our interview for our I-485 (application to adjust status) for August 8th!!!!!!! Much sooner than I had thought which is very good. Still no word on the EAD but we're not really expecting to hear back about that until about another month. I've got to admit....I'm really nervous about this final interview...even more so than I was for the K-1 interview. But as Andrew keeps saying, how can they turn us away after coming this far? The only thing that worries me is that I never changed my last name and we don't have wedding rings since we couldn't really afford to buy rings at this point in the game. We're also living with my parents at the moment to help save money so we have no joint utilities or signed leases or anything. We do, however, have a joint bank account and he is also on my car insurance. I also have proof that I have payed for large expenses for him such as college courses. So hopefully that small bit will be enough. I'm just tired of having to "prove" our love...I'm sure you all agree with me 100% on that one.

Anyhow, just wanted to send out an update as things have finally started to seem to happen again. Also, Andrew just took the Praxis exams today as just one of the many steps in transferring his teaching certification to the state of CT. Just one more small hurdle conquered (assuming, of course, that he passed).

Hope the rest of you are all doing well in your journeys!!!! -Weebeansy

So I'm just wondering how are other people coping with the change of lifestyle here in the US?

I actually thought I was doing pretty well up until recently when I started to feel a bit depressed about how little interaction I get with other people now-a-days. How is everyone else coping with not really having their own friends to have fun with over here? I don't even really get any of my friends IMing me anymore because of the time differences.

Hey Huffy,

My husband Andrew is having much of the same struggles....he's doing as well as he can but has begun to refer to himself as "a growth on my hip" since as he couldn't get a test date for his driver's license until the end of July he can't even get anywhere without my help. Soon though, I'm sure things will get much easier for all of us...keep your chin up....Weebeansy

Hi there folks! As my honey is getting ready for his homecoming I am trying to think of any last minutes details that I need to take care of....I know from reading previous posts that if entering thru JFK one is able to obtain the temporary employment authorization...my question is if my honey would have to ask for it or present some kind of form or is it issued to him automatically???? any ideas...thank you

Hello,

My husband entered the US via JFK on March 5th and was in fact issued the temporary work visa. He did not have to ask for it, they simply stamped it onto the back of his I-94 stub that was stapled into his passport...nothing fancy or complicated about it in the slightest. Overall, he said the whole process of getting through JFK was pretty simple, quick and easy...best of luck to ya!!!! -weebeansy

Hey Pax!!!!!!!! It's almost April!!!!! (not that I didn't think you realized this) You must be getting pumped!!!

As for our visa journey story....the AOS process has officially begun....we submitted our AOS and EAD today and applied for Andrew's SSN yesterday. Let's hope this next part of the ride is a smooth one.

By the way to everyone....we ended up using that civil surgeon in Seattle Washington, OCCUHEALTH for our medical supplement and everything went smoothly. We sent them a money order for $35 and a fax of Andrew's medical history from his Dr. in Scotland and in about 2 weeks OCCUHEALTH had the supplement mailed back to us. The actual supplement is in a sealed envelope as needed and a copy for our records was also included. I'd highly recommend it.

Later, Weebeansy!

Yay! Mark and I got our marriage licence today. So now we're pretty much all set for next week.

And my parents will be in Salt Lake tomorrow!

Congrats to you and your wedding!!!!! Isn't it so much fun going in and asking for a marriage licence. It seems so silly that you need to be "licenced" but we had a great time filling in the little sections for "bride" and "groom." It's basically the first official sort of recognition that you are in fact going to soon be husband and wife! Lots of luck to you!

Many thanks again to you rebeccajo for your help

And Kiki.....yes yes, that's it.....the Simple Minds song. Now come on, go and listen to that track...you've got to admit that the chorus sounds just like, "I love you Kiki!!!!!!!"

-Weebeansy

Hey Kiki, thanks for the congrats! I just had to tell you something I'm sure you'll love. So I was in a pub in Scotland one night when the song "Alive and Kicking" came on...only I didn't know that's what it was called as I started singing along loudly to the chorus with my own version of the lyrics....instead of Alive and Kicking....I'm screaming, "I love you Kiki!!!" at the top of my lungs which is what I always thought were the lyrics. Of course, Andrew found this to be hilarious. I think the song is even by a Scottish band, but could be wrong. So that one's for you Kiki...you can sing my version next time you hear it!

At any rate, IF USING A CO-SPONSOR, don't forget to include proof of their citizenship!! It's one of the last things in the instructions....send your dad's birth certificate. I'm not sure if his 2005 tax return needs to be included or not. I would say yes....and you do know that now for AOS filed after November 2005 you only need ONE year tax returns....not three!

I would say yes get joint bank accounts between now and the interview. We were able to hand them four months worth.

Thanks so much rebeccajo as I'd actually missed that bit about proving the co-sponsor's citizenship! Here's another technical question (I'm just full of questions lately!). All right...for the affidavit...my Dad files his tax returns jointly with my mother but is capable of meeting the financial requirements with just his income alone. So all he should have to do is submit his tax returns for the most recent year along with his W2s (for just one year on the W2s as well?). Well, he decided that it would be easier for him to just have my Mom sign the I-864A form or whatever it is saying that she also agrees to act as a co-sponsor even though he doesn't need her income to meet the requirement. So she signed the forms but I don't have any of her proof of employment or citizenship or proof of her relationship to my father because my Dad figured it wouldn't be necessary since he way more than meets the income requirements on his own. But I'm afraid that won't fly since he's essentially given me half of the required info for if you submit based on just his income and half of the required info for if you consider both parents incomes. I think I'm going to tell him I need his W2s...either that or I have to get the rest of the info for my mother. Does that sound right? Also, I already have three years of tax returns all ready to submit...do you think I should just keep it all as extra info shouldn't hurt or is it best to keep things simple? -Weebeansy

A HUGE congrats to Rebeccajo and Wes.....what a relief it must be to know that you're essentially done with having to "prove your love" to the government. When you think about it, it really is quite demeaning. Anyhow, thanks again for all of your help along the way. You've been another of my great guiding lights.

Andrew and I have just about finished our AOS/EAD packet...we're just waiting for the vaccination supplement to be mailed back. I'm a bit concerned about the fact that I don't stand on my own AT ALL in terms of the affidavit of support but luckily my father was willing to co-sponsor. Another question I've got is...my father has yet to file his 2005 tax returns but since they are still not due is he required to submit those records? Also, would you highly suggest obtaining joint bank accounts for when our AOS interview comes up?

Well, it's back to reality for me after quite the amazing week. I've got to say that married life is greater than I could have ever imagined. I didn't think that having some piece of paper saying that you're married could really change things but somehow it has. I can't even explain it but things are different in the best of ways. We're both just so attentive and so in love. I'm often the sort of person that second guesses things after they're done....especially big things but with the passing of each day I'm only more and more certain that Andrew is the guy for me. He's so amazing.

You know, I feel like we should all have a big party and get together and finally meet one another. It's too bad that we're spread all over the country. Ah well.......back to studying. -Weebeansy

http://www.visajourney.com/forums2/index.p...pic=73057&st=15

Scroll down to kyleers's second post on this page. I think Ewen and I are going to try this.

Pax,

Yet AGAIN, you come to the rescue. I just followed Kyleer's link and called the office in Seattle...Denise was very helpful....alll we have to do is fax the vaccination records from Andrew's DR. (no form DS-3025 needed and all they really care about is MMR and tetanus) along with a money order for $35 and they will fax over EVERYthing you need. They are located in Seattle and are more than willing to fax. This is honestly THE easiest and best solution, I think. I warned her that she may have a few more people calling but she was VERY nice. Good luck guys....Mrs. Weebeansy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is most certainly IS more of a headache than the original application process. But I've got to say that with Pax around everything is made 100,000,000 times easier. Pax, I don't know what I would have done without your help and input throughout this process. Thank you sooooo much. I think that you could honestly make a career out of being a visa advisor or something. You seem to know more than the USCIS people themselves!!! I found that link that you were referring to regarding the whole vaccination supplement and it was VERY helpful...just wish I had known about all of this before Andrew went off to his medical. We're just going to call Nuffield tomorrow and see if they can fax us the DS-3025 form and in the meantime will try to locate a civil surgeon in the area to transfer that info onto the I-693A form (which I spent such a long time trying to find on the USCIS website but I guess it's not there and you must obtain it from the civil surgeon). BLAH! All of this just to prove that he was vaccinated! Ah well....thanks again Pax for taking the time to answer questions that you've already answered a million times before!!!!

Time to stop doing this and get ready for the wedding ceremony....ahhhhh....which is in exactly 1.5 hours!!!! -Weebeansy

Irregardless, yes you need to put the vaccine worksheet and supplement in your AOS packet.

Uhhhh....what exactly is this vaccine worksheet and supplement that you speak of? I found some thing called Appendix A: Supplemental form to I-693. Is that all we need? Andrew never received copies of anything from his medical anything other than whatever was in that mysterious brown envelope that he handed in. So do we have to go find a civil surgeon? Who in the world are they? -Weebeansy

Thanks Pax....and thanks for being so quick to answer as well.....you should see us sitting here....we're buried in piles of forms. This is just silly. All right, so once he eventually has a green card he can come and go as he pleases (provided, of course that he doesn't leave for more than a year)? Another question I've got is...Do we need to worry about submitting any medical stuff for the AOS? It seems as though it's not necessary but then in a few places I've read that you need to submit a vaccination history. Back to the papers....Weebeansy

Oh blimey get off the computer and have some fun! Have a great time tonight

All right, well, I'm afraid we're spending quite a bit of time on the computer today trying to figure out all these forms. Can anyone help? We're trying to figure out if we actually need the I-131 advance parol. When they say it's needed for temporary travel during the application process do they mean until the AOS is approved (hopefully within the next 90 days) and you are officially a conditional temporary resident? Or do they mean until that you can't re-enter the US without this approved form until the conditions are dropped two years from now? Basically we don't plan on traveling outside the US for at least 5 months. So do we need to shell out another $170 or what? Thanks, Weebeansy!!!!!

Just wanted to write in quickly to say that Andrew arrived safe and sound on Sunday night. His POE was JFK and he did in fact receive the temporary work visa.....and.....we're getting married tonight!!!!!!!! Wish us luck....Weebeansy!

I just wish there was something I could do. I wish I could afford to take a few days off from work to go over and help him (I can't). And I just worry that he's going to be coming over here and feel completely uncomfortable and un-at home, and I feel so overwhelmed, trying to make that not happen...

I'll be so glad when this is over (the separation, that is). I've about had it.

Hey Pax,

I'm totally with you on that comment. Jaf is arriving in the US in only 4 days and I'm so excited but at the same time I almost feel like I'm housing this secret guilt and almost feel as though I'm being entirely selfish for being so excited and happy for him to just get here when he's going through a process of saying good-bye to his family and friends and everything familiar just to be with me. That makes me feel so incredibly special and just reaffirms how much I already know he loves me but at the same time it puts so much pressure on you....even though I know it's not the case I feel like it's all up to me to try to make the transition for him here as smooth and enjoyable as possible when in reality I know that it's not going to be easy, especially for the first few months when he can't work or drive or do much of any living at all. So while I'm all excited, I know that he's feeling this incredible mix of sadness and excitement and nervousness and just every possible emotion all mixed into one. I also feel a bit guilty to be stealing him away from his family and friends....they're all very happy for us and have been very supportive but I feel like a thief....taking him over here to be all mine. So yes, it's definitely hard. But I know that when I finally see him and we fall into each others arms and know that it's not for some temporary span of time and can just be together and do simple things like brush our teeth together every night....it will all be worth it...Beansy

Thanks for your good wishes. Yes, I thought I might be pregnant, but waited until I went to the UK with my husband for his interview to take the test. We took it after he was approved, and were both very happy (if nervous). The little one is due in mid- September. I was so excited for hubbies arrival today I could barely sleep last night. I am leaving for JFK in a couple of hours.

As for the UK visa process- I got both a UK fiance visa and a UK spouse visa (also known as Limited Leave to Remain). You must apply for a UK visa in your country of origin. It takes either one day or four- five days, depending on how you choose to do it. You can apply on line, get all your paperwork in order, choose your interview day and then go in person and receive your visa that day. Or you can apply on line, get all your paperwork in order, mail it in, and receive your visa via courier four or five days later. Approval rate for US marriages is something like 98%. Proof of your relationship (or marriage), proof of your finances to support you in the UK until you find work (you are allowed co-sponsors and they can either be US or UK citizens), proof of both your own and your spouses citizenship, those are the basic requirements. It is SO easy and stress free in comparison to the US type. (which is why we originally headed in THAT direction) I got my UK fiance visa in about 4 days. I went to the UK, got married, and then changed my visa to a LLR in a few hours in Liverpool. I am pretty sure you are allowed dual citizenship. I'm really happy that our little baby (who we refer to as "Keanu" after The Royle Family) will have automatic dual citizenship. Most of the world will be available to him without torturous visa issues to deal with- lucky kid huh?

Hey shakysgirl,

Thanks for the info....I can't believe how easy it is to get a UK visa!!! So basically what takes a minimum of 4 to 5 months here takes a maximum of 4 to 5 days for the UK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Amazing!!! Well that's good to know. On a side note....I can't even possibly imagine the anticipation and nervouness that you must have been facing on the day of the interview....and how much your life had changed at the end of that day. I mean, in literally one day an entire family was placed in your hands...that's so beautiful and sweet and scary and just amazing. Life really is a journey, isn't it? Thanks again, Weebeansy

Hey Shakysgirl.

I saw in your profile that you have already been through the UK visa process....just out of curiosity what is that like/exactly what does it entail? Also, is it still possible to have dual citizenship? I always thought it was but someone recently told me that the US will now revoke your US citizenship if you try to file for a dual citizenship if you weren't born in the US originally. Just thought I'd ask someone with experience. And good luck with the one in the oven!!!!! -Weebeansy

Weebeansy...he's a K-1 visa holder till marriage.

A 'applicant to adjust status' after you have filed the AOS but before approval.

A 'conditional permanent resident' after AOS is granted.

Thanks rebeccajo....Gosh, I really love the great amount of support you get on this board....it's not often in life that you can ask a question and get a solid, straight-forward answer...I really appreciate it!!!!!! -Weebeansy

Hello all....Quick question

I'm trying to register Andrew for a few courses that he needs to take this summer in order to be able to teach here come September...

With the K1 visa is Andrew considered an alien temporary? Or a conditional alien permanent? Or are you only a conditional alien permanent once you've been married and have the AOS approved? It's all so technical and BLAH! Either way, I like how they call him an alien as though those Brits are some crazy beings from out of this world!

By the way, Happy Valentine's everyone!!!! -Weebeansy