mymarriagejourney

UPDATE: Our friend has his tourist visa interview in two weeks. I will update his experience for those from Jordan interested in applying for tourists visas.

Thank you to those who have responded. I have convinced our friend to apply for the visa.

He fears a denial would mean that he would have a lessor chance of getting a student F1 visa in the future. He wants to work for 2-5 years in Jordan and then apply to US universities for his graduate education. I don't know if this is a valid fear or not.

If he wants to visit then he has to apply for a visa and see what happens. He is running it tight anyway even if he was successful.

That sucks. We miss him and he misses us. For us to travel to Jordan means multiple tickets, because we have kids. For him, it's one. :'(

High fraud country, fresh out of school, young single male with no ties... unlikely.

The job offer is just an offer. There are plenty of people on here that ditched their jobs once they got here in favour of "sudden change of heart".

Sorry, doubt he'll have much luck.

My husband's best friend (who is also my dear friend that I met when I've visited Jordan) would like to visit after his college graduation in May. He has a job waiting for him starting in September 2013, and he'd like to spend the summer with us.

He doesn't even want to apply for the visa. He says that he will get denied because he is a young single male. Is this true? Is there any way for him to get an approval? I told him if he got a letter on company letterhead from his future employer, that it might help, but he's unconvinced. Maybe he's right, but I knew that this was the place to come to ask...

I am aware of the government stipulated 90 day timeline. But having been scheduled for an interview already I am hoping for a faster issuance! If AOS is approved, does USCIS need to expedite the EAD?

My husband received his green card 2 months after filing and before he received his EAD. Of course, once the green card is in hand, there is no need for an EAD.

Once you file for AOS, you cannot leave the US until you have your green card or until you receive a temporary travel document.

I would really appreciate help with a question that seems a bit subjective.

I married a USC in 2008. I came to the US on an F1 visa in 2009 and have been working towards my degree. As I Canadian I have returned to Canada several times since then, each time re-entering the US as an F1 student and continuing my studies. I plan to visit my family in Canada again very soon, but at this point my wife and I want to file for an AOS. If I leave the US now, even though I would return and continue with my studies, would I have committed visa fraud just because we are intending to file for AOS soon?

I do not feel that I am violating my F1 visa because I plan to finish my studies and to leave when it is up, unless I have filed for an AOS, which we have not yet done. Am I overthinking this? I may be a bit paranoid, but I do not want to do anything stupid or illegal.

Please let me know your serious thoughts on my situation, my wife, myself and my unborn child would really appreciate it!

sincerely,

canuck-in-chitown

We submitted our AOS paperwork the day after our wedding. My husband adjusted from an F1 student visa. We wanted the paperwork out of the way before we left on our honeymoon the next day, and we also wanted the paperwork done before we started our studies again the following month. (Married in July...classes started up again in August.) Timing was a non-issue. We didn't have co-mingling the day after our wedding, but by the interview 2 months later, we had bank statements and an updated lease. We were approved.

I was previously married and it wasn't mentioned in our interview.

Our first interview was Stokes and we were approved that same day. We were interviewed separately about our daily routine. They talked to each of us for about 15 minutes. You can read my review of the interview by checking my timeline link.

Well, I'd asked you specifically how you budgeted for immigration fees with an income of 0, and you answered that you have school grant money. It seems you have re-thought that answer

Not really.

The reason I stated that we budgeted for it is because we had already used some of his family's money for tuition fees and books, which meant that the money coming from our school grants needed to be budgeted for immigration fees. It's half dozen of one or 6 of the other, if you know what I mean. It was a timing thing.

Definitely education costs would include the student's living expenses like rent, food, etc. I'm not so sure a spouse's immigration fees would fall inside those parameters, especially if it was a taxpayer-funded grant.

As I said, the money given to him by his family was more than enough to cover his adjustment of status fees, if the government ever cares to audit our checking account.

For what it's worth, now that he does have that green card, he is also working part-time. He's a full time student and is able to handle part time work on top of it. Maybe I'm a wimp, but I can't! School sucks every last bit of strength and time out of me! (Actually, if I want to give myself some slack...my MBA program is intense and his program is less-so. )

Education expenses also include things needed to live while attending school including rent or mortgage, food, utilities, auto expenses, clothing, computers, etc. You can find that information on the government websites. We put all of our money it one lump, since our money is shared, but if the government wanted to scrutinize every penny we spend, the money from his family was more than enough to cover his adjustment of status fees. He/his family paid for his related visas to come here and travel back and forth...he came on an F1 student visa. They also paid his tuition for a year. He never asked for a penny from me for those things. Now that we are married and he is a green card holder, we take care of ourselves.

Some people cannot tolerate hearing a difference of opinion on anything, and take everything that's said on the board as some kind of personal insult aimed directly at them. Sticking to a protected environment like Facebook, PM or a private group is probably the best for these folks.

I am curious - how do you budget for the fees if your income is 0, and without the sponsor paying a single penny ? Somebody must have either a job or some money in the bank.

I get school grants. My husband also gets school grants. We use the money carefully and wisely. For immigration purposes, this is not considered income and cannot be counted. However, it still is below limits for immigration even if it were counted as income. Most students survive on similar dollar amounts and do fine just as we are.

My husband comes from an upper-middle class family and they had some money in an account for him. It wasn't a lot by US standards, but it was helpful, also.

We just made it a priority to budget for the fees. I assume others have done the same. People who live on small incomes, rather transient due to being a student or whatever, or just as a way of life due to circumstances, learn how to do it.

I'm saddened by the number of private emails I have received regarding this issue. Every one of them stated that they were worried about joining the conversation due to the likelihood of being trampled on and belittled by other members for their thoughts and opinions. Sad. Because I've never walked a mile in anyone else's shoes, I try to be an open minded and non-judgemental person. I hope these forums can be also.

My husband's sponsor has never paid a penny for him, and we won't allow that to happen. Even though we are both grad students, we manage on our own.

The petitioner can't include the "probability" of what an immigrant might make once he/she arrives as part of the income/assets needed to meet the affidavit of support requirements.

One full-time worker making minimum wage brings in just slightly over $15,080 - that's not enough to meet the 125% of poverty level ($18,913) for a household of 2 (a minimum which, again, I think is already too low.)

As I said, I don't have a problem with the co-sponsor option - it was the former consular official who thought that was one of the things that should be discontinued. I especially support that option being made available to full-time students enrolled in accredited universities, because I think that clearly indicates they're on a positive path toward a gainful career.

This narrows down the point I was trying to make...very unclearly trying to make, but nonetheless...

It is sad that a person working full time in this country cannot sponsor their husband/wife. I have a bit of a problem with that, I guess, but maybe that's just my own personal issue. Seems unfair to a hardworking American who might not have the ability or option to pursue opportunities or education that allow them to make more than minimum wage. I really hope they keep alternative means of sponsorship available so that all Americans, and not just well-off ones, can be with their loved ones in this country.

hmh33, Brother Hesekiel,

thank you for your replies.

So, my husband is from California and we're now looking for a house to rent just across the border in Mexico. Will that present a problem or is it not important? We expect to sign a lease in a week or so and then that address will go on all the USCIS forms. I believe I don't get stamped into Mexico until around 70 miles south of thr US/MEX border and we are looking for a place within that range....?

Ack. You can't move to Mexico. You have to stay in the US. Otherwise, why apply to become a legal resident of the US?

That scenario is no problem. Two people making the minimum wage (calculating at $7.25 per hour at 40 hours a week) comes out to over $30,160 a year - that's well over the 125% of poverty level for a household of three - $23,863 - which would be the minimum required income for two people to sponsor a third person (the immigrant.)

I don't think $30,160 a year is too low for a household of 3 - I think $23,863 is too low.

Actually, I meant the petitioner working full time at minimum wage with the probability of the immigrant also working full time at minimum wage. I guess I've never calculated it all out. I just know a student's income is ZERO so there was no calculation needed for me. My husband's sponsor makes about $200K a year with a lot in the bank, so his eligibility wasn't an issue. My own eligibility, however, is quite a different issue! Thank goodness for the co-sponsor option!

Agreed

Ditto

Sorry, didn't see the last two posts before I posted our situation again. I will reread the guide and see what else I can get from it. There's so much to read and it's quite mind boggling.

You can file for Adjustment of Status and you enter a new period of legal stay here while the application is being processed. You CANNOT leave the US while the application is being processed. I suggest reading the link carefully and doing it yourself. It's not difficult; it's just tedious and a bit time consuming.

No kidding!

Raising the guidelines is tricky. It's too bad they can't do a case by case analysis. It's one thing if you're a student working at bettering your life and your intended is doing the same. It's another if you're a deadbeat working on bringing another deadbeat into the country.

I knew a couple like this. She lived in free public housing and existed on $100 in food stamps per month. She found some neighbor making $11.50 an hour to sponsor him. Once he arrived, she actually refused to help him to find work. They lasted 2 years after he entered the US. But, even after they divorced, he was never much good at holding a job. Some of that was that she had sort-of brainwashed him into her way of life. He didn't know any other way to live in the US. He's remarried now and the last I heard, he's working, thank goodness.

Anyway, this part of scrutinizing I understand.

But, two hard-working people who happen to make minimum wage at full time jobs should still be able to qualify, in my opinion.

He can adjust status from a student or visitor visa also.

I'm not bragging. I'm trying to explain that I'm not irresponsible and that I have a plan for the future. I have no intention of my dear friend having to support my husband. We may be poor now but we don't have grand plans to live off of the government or be a burden on society.