M_&_R

I got the approval notification on 4/2, the "mailed" notification on 4/3, and the combo EAD/AP was in our mailbox on Friday 4/5. I didn't even use the tracking number, I never thought it would be that fast so I hadn't looked at it yet.

Meanwhile, status on AOS is still at "acceptance". Sigh.

Very, very glad to have the EAD!

M

Status on the EAD updated to "card production" today!

Travel doc also updated, to "post decision activity."

AOS still at "acceptance" (no move to testing & interview yet).

Very, very happy - holy cow do we need the EAD with the baby in daycare!

M

Hello,

I believe it depends on where you filed or your local USCIS office. For example if you are in new york, I know people who filed since last year November/December who haven't received dates for Testing and Interview because of the backlog. You will probably get your EAD approval 6-8 weeks after your biometrics. your testing and interview update could be sooner than that or later than that depending on your local office and the backlog of interviews they have pending. So take your time don't sweat it...it's gonna happen in due time

Thanks for this.

I normally don't worry about it, I'm pretty used to just getting on with life and letting the process take however much time it's going to take. I just saw everybody else getting excited in such a short time that I thought maybe I was missing something.

We're hoping for the EAD pretty soon, it's really difficult for me supporting the family on my own!

Thanks

M

I'm confused reading this thread. It looks like people with dates a lot later than mine are getting hard copy notices and seeing status changes online? Our NOA1 date for AOS from K1 is 2/5/13. Hubby did biometrics on 3/1/13. We haven't gotten anything and none of the case statuses have changed on the uscis site. Should I be worried?

Thanks,

M

No, like totally no.

Mike Smith marries Jane Doe.

Mike Smith can become Mike Doe, Mike Smith-Doe, Mike Smith Doe (no hyphen), or stay Mike Smith.

Jane Doe can become Jane Smith, Jane Doe-Smith, Jane Doe Smith, or stay Jane Doe.

That's it.

Not according to New Jersey. They say if Carlos Vargas Aquino comes here on a K1 visa with a Mexican passport that says Carlos in the first name spot, Vargas in the "primer apellido" spot and Aquino in the "segundo apellido" spot, then his name must appear on his marriage certificate as Carlos Vargas Aquino. When his new wife, 4th generation US Citizen Mary Ellen Smith takes that marriage certificate to New Jersey DMV to change her name, DMV will only permit her to change it to Mary Ellen Vargas Aquino, with two last names. Because that's what's on the marriage certificate for Carlos. And the marriage certificate has to match the passport, per the state's rules for town registrars, so it can't be changed. So the US Citizen is forced to use a two word, unhyphenated last name even though that is non-standard here in the US. That's how it's done in Jersey.

I speak from direct, personal experience 2 months ago.

It's ridiculous, considering if they then get divorced, they both *can* choose any name they want. There's a statute for that. But not for married names.

(eyeroll)

M

The OP in this instance was wanting his wife to take his first name as her last name, and not simply use only one of two last names.

I saw that - I'd use the same strategy - fill out the form with the name you want and see if it goes through. Also wondered whether that was actually the way he meant to say it. Either way though, it doesn't hurt to try.

M

We mailed ours the end of January, they got it Feb 1. I have all 3 hard copies of the NOAs, all dated Feb 5, and the biometrics appointment hard copy (appointment for 3/1). Also, our case status online has been updated. My husband got the email and the case came up "doesn't exist" when I tried to enter the number that day. But a couple days later all three receipt numbers were there.

We're also most anticipating the EAD.

M

I also got different replies depending which person was at the desk - social security changed my name to just his paternal last name, no questions asked. DMV wouldn't do it the first time I went, then did it the second time I went. I just filled out the paperwork with the name I wanted to take. If they put it through, then good. If not, I was prepared to go for the court order later.

M

I wish you all the best. No matter what obstacles anyone puts in your path, keep coming back until you are successful. Kudos to you for blazing the trail.

Regarding the photos, I don't know if you'd want to go this route since you want everything completely perfect, but my fiance scanned his and I printed the photo here. He hasd it taken in Mexico, then scanned it with the highest resolution possible and emailed it to me. I created an 8x10 that included multiple copies of it, being careful to do it to the proper scale. Then I uploaded the file to Walgreens to be printed as an 8x10 photo on their photo machines. I cut it up, and had all the copies I needed in one shot. It worked for us.

My husband and I are on the adjustment of status now - and I read that the photos for that are supposed to be no older than 30 days, so we're doing it again. Of course it's a lot easier now that he's right here!

Best of luck.

M

I completely agree. My husband finds it so odd and wrong that I have both his last names now because as you know, that is not the culture and tradition in Mexico. I should have only taken his paternal last name. I have not decided if I wish to pursue the name change through the courts here yet or not. It is a ridiculous, round-about way to have the name I wanted and should have been able to take after I was married.

I am not sure you could get the marriage certificate amended to show only one last name for him since legally he has 2 last names and his full legal name needed to be on the marriage license and certificate. Not sure how the DMV thought you could manage that one.

You're right - the marriage certificate can't be amended, because there is nothing wrong with it. He has 2 last names. The problem is the complete lack of cultural sensitivity in the DMV. He doesn't have one, two-word last name. He has two last names - they are even labeled that way on Mexican ID and entered on separate blanks: apellido paternal and apellido maternal. If DMV chooses to see it as one, two word name, they're simply wrong.

That said, there isn't much I can do to change DMV.

I'm looking at a few options, not sure how it will be accomplished. In the long run, I'll have the name I want. It's pretty unreasonable to insist I pay $200 and wait extra time for it, but if I have to I will.

Just didn't foresee this particular hurdle.

Thanks for the replies.

M

Could you not go through a name change at the local probate court? Married women don't usually need to do that, but it is any option if you don't want both last names forever. DMV will have to honor such a document.

I don't know, I'll have to see what that would cost and how long it would take.

This is bullshit. I read Jay-Kay's reply as well, and it's ridiculous that they won't allow election of a single family name on the event of marriage.

I wrote to my representative in congress and asked him to help me get a driver's license with the correct name on it. If this isn't allowed, it's ridiculous and should be changed. It's not ok to force US citizens who are not attempting to commit any kind of fraud to take two last names if they marry an individual from a country where two last names are customary. If that's the case, the US citizen should have the right to elect the single last name that they prefer to use here, where we use one last name.

Totally out of control.

M

There are a few posts on here from member "IQuit" that states that per SSA you can change your name to any combination of your last name and husband's last name. Whether it be hyphenated, or not etc.

I am confused why the DMV doesn't take your new SS card as a form of ID and proof of your new name. Do you have your new card yet? I might wait until you get that.

I had the receipt from SSA in my hand, and told them I'd come back with the card. They said they don't care, they have to see the marriage certificate in order to make the change, and once they see that certificate they won't do it.

You've given me an idea though - I'm going to research SSA's rules myself. Thanks

M

Moved from Adjustment of Status from Family Based Visas to Mexico, Latin & South America regional forum; topic is not about the AOS process itself.

OP, I have no answers to your questions but I do sympathize with your difficulties with the driver licensing authority. My wife learned first why they are one of the most loathed agencies in the US shortly after she arrived here last year and we tried to obtain a state ID card for her.

Thanks for the support - sorry you had a bad experience as well!

M

My fiance arrived from Mexico last month & we were married on 12/12/12. I am female, I am the USC, I am taking his last name. He is Mexican and has 2 last names, as is the norm there. I am taking the paternal last name, that is the one used when one or the other has to be chosen. Our son already has the paternal last name, I elected it on his birth certificate before we were married and before the K1 went through. My fiance goes by the paternal last name in common use anyway.

This is what happened:

My husband's name is listed on the marriage certificate just as it is on his other ID: HisFirstName HisPaternalLN HisMaternalLN. It was required to match his ID, and it's his full legal name. My name is on the marriage certificate is my birth name, and it's fine.

The day after we got married I went to social security and they had no issue changing my name to MyFirstName MyMiddleName HisPaternalLN based on our marriage license. My husband also applied for his card and got a receipt with the name HisFirstname HisPaternalLN HisMaternalLN. This matches his ID - although our names don't match each other. That's not a big issue at this time.

Then we went to DMV.

First they told him that he needs to provide his Mexican license with a translation - even though they will NOT cross-honor and he has to take the test. And it was NOT being used as one of his "6 points" of ID. So what do they want it for? Why do we have to get it translated and give it to them if they aren't using it to ID him and they won't honor it anyway?

Then they told me that based on my marriage certificate I could only change my name to MyFirstName MyMiddleName HisPaternalLN HisMaternalLN. They didn't care that social security already approved the change to HisPaternalLN, without HisMaternalLN.

DMV told me I have to either take both his last names, or get the marriage certificate amended.

I called the registrar where we got married. She says DMV is full of it, I'm entitled to take HisPaternalLN and not HisMaternalLN. She's calling the state to find out what to do, and calling me back. But she says there is no reason to amend the marriage certificate, because we were both correctly identified on it, it has no errors.

As far as I know, I have the option to change my name to whatever married form I want when I get married. I don't know who DMV thinks they are, trying to tell me what my name has to be when both the local government and the federal government have no problem with it.

If my husband's last name is different from mine & our son's until after citizenship, that's fine, and it's probably easier for the paperwork. But as far as my own name, I've never known my fiance by his maternal last name, I don't want 2 names and all the associated issues, and I want my name to match my son's. I'm pretty upset with DMV right now.

Has this happened to anyone else - USC being "forced" to take 2 last names per the latino custom?

M

We haven't seen each other in over 20 months. He will be meeting our 15 month old baby for the first time (in the morning).

I'm so excited and nervous!

M

My fiance was approved Wednesday and is waiting in Ciudad Juarez for his packet. I think I've refreshed the usvisa-info site about 1000 times!

As soon as he has it in hand I'm booking the soonest flight available, which with connections will take around 10 hours. We haven't seen each other in nearly 2 years & he'll be meeting our baby for the first time.

Gah!!!!!

M

Thank you everybody. He says the interviewer didn't even ask to see his proof of relationship or anything. Just warned him it's cold here in New Jersey! LOL

M

congratulations!! i am happy for you!

however, i cant believe it took you that long... its been really 8 months since you sent your I-129f? I thought the processing times were 5~6 months... oh man...

I went through Vermont, they took forever. I got my NOA2 on September 19th, from there to the interview was less than 60 days. If you go through California hopefully you won't be held up like that.

M

I'm in shock, I've been so afraid of getting a no that I've been in a holding pattern unable to think past today.

Got a text less than an hour ago, he passed the interview and was approved. Will speak to him shortly when he's back at the hotel.

My little boy gets to be with his daddy. Thank god.

M

Stay strong and god bless you for doing the right thing for both your kids and yourself.

M

Hey, thanks for the info. He will be waiting in Juarez, so I'm trying to figure out how to handle hotel reservations when we don't know how long he'll need to be there. His interview is on the 14th, so there are 5 working days before the long Thanksgiving weekend. If he hits that, that's another 4 days, possibly busy ones - they would be in the US, the embassy is closed, maybe people come in there for the holiday, who knows. Just trying to get an idea how likely it is that he'll be stuck there that long.

M

Thanks for the reply - I about gave up on this post!

He'll get to Juarez on Sunday, do the medical Monday and the interview Wednesday. I'm thinking it may be possible to ask the embassy Tuesday if they have the results, and if not, do it over.

There's not a separate fee for it, is there? That might be an issue - if it's part of the visa fee they may not want to do it twice. I don't really want to try rescheduling, in case it affects the interview date, since they were both scheduled together.

Hard to guess what might go wrong.

M

Hi,

My fiance's interview will be 11/14 in Juarez. We would like to have some idea how long he may need to wait there for the visa to be ready. Anyone who went through Juarez - how many days later were you able to pick up the papers?

Thanks,

M

He said I can take my time to save money and move out separately. Then he will come to live with me. Otherwise, he will stay in India until I move out.

At that point what do you need *him* for?

Sorry, not trying to make light of your situation. But it would be really ironic if he insisted you be totally independent now, and then wanted you to let him make the decisions when he got here. Since he wants to make them now & he's not even here yet, that wouldn't surprise me!

best of luck...

M

Hello,

My fiance has a biometrics appointment in Mexico City on Tuesday 11/8. He has an interview scheduled in Juarez on Wednesday 11/14. Is that enough time for the biometrics results to get to Juarez? Do they give you the results to take with you, or is it on a computer, or does it go inter-office between ASCs?

Should he just reschedule and do the biometrics in Juarez? He expects to arrive there on Sunday 11/11 and do the medical on Monday 11/12. I've read people often do the medical 2 days ahead and the biometrics one day ahead, and then the interview, doing everything in Juarez.

Any input is appreciated.

Thanks,

M