Kim & Gesner

I am another August filer. We mailed Aug 3rd, received on Aug 6th, but still waiting for NOA1. Hoping it comes soon!! I am glad there are other filers for Aug to connect with!!

Be glad you got your first notice quick. We mailed our packet out 2 weeks ago, it was received 10 days ago (per tracking confirmation) and no NOA1 text/email has come as of yet.

My husband's I-94 expires Sept 2nd so we are praying it comes quick!!

1 am?? I am guessing that is was 1 am where you live and not in the US, lol I give up hoping to see a text/email after 5pm (which is 4pm in Chicago). My husbands I-94 expires Sept 2nd so I am praying we get it before his time expires!

My guess is that they get a lot of these things every day, and if yours happens to end up at the bottom of the pile, it will take them awhile to work their way down to it.

Also, occasionally they screw up the text/email thing so you could get your hard copies first.

Hang in there, you'll hear something soon.

I sure hope so!! We submitted the packets 2 weeks ago tomorrow. The cashier's checks have not been cashed yet. I called my bank to check and neither has been cashed I was thinking surely we would hear something this week and crossing my fingers!!! I can't imagine something went wrong, tracking said it was delivered so I assume it's just sitting there waiting.....

I know its really hard to wait , but when it comes USCIS , no one can give you exact time frame. I think you will be getting your NOA in mail by this week.

Hey, good to know that, I also filed from Columbus,OH. I will keep following up all your updates. Good luck

Dang you received your text quick!!! I hope mine comes soon, just so I know it's accepted.

My texts took 11 days. I still haven't received any paper NOA, although we did get a biometrics appointment notice.

Great!! That makes me feel better to know it took 11 days. I read timelines and see many that receive their texts in 4-5 days and here I am going on 9 and wondering if something went wrong. But thank you! Knowing it can take longer makes me feel much better!

long journey begins :0 goodluck to us all!!

I understand the process is a long wait, that's not what I asked. I am just wondering how long the text/email notification for the NOA1, just so I know they actually accepted the petitions I submitted. I am fine with the wait, just wanting to know they have accepted it. Once I get the NOA1, I will feel much better.

How long does it typically take to receive the text and/or email I signed up for to receive alerts? I know it was just delivered on Aug 6th but I would love to know they received it. It seems most have theirs within a week tomorrow will be 9 business days, I will be fine once I know it's been accepted but wondering how long that typically takes??

Thanks everyone!! I am hoping it won't be a problem and it's only been a week since they received the package so crossing my fingers we get our NOA1 soon!

I was reading on here in another section about the use of expired forms. I went through to check all of mine and all were okay except the I-765. I remember downloading it on this site a few months and started working on it. I later downloaded the other forms and so on and so on and well, to make a long story short, I ended up sending the expired form. (Yes, stupid me. I should have checked). So, the USCIS site says it accept previous editions, is that true or will they actually send an RFE for it? Will they return my entire packet? I haven't yet received a NOA1 but then again I just mailed the packet Aug 3rd. From reading others timelines, it seems they come fairly quick so I am praying ours comes soon!.

Oh the one I sent in was Rev 1/19/11 - the newest one is 4/25/12

Anyway, any thoughts.....knowledge?

I believe most responses will say she will need to return to her home country while you file as because of then intent matter. It appears there was no intent to move here when you married but now you clearly have intent for her to live here so AOS wouldn't really be an option. But I am not as knowledgeable as others and they may have more advice or suggestions for you.

I want to make sure I understand the next steps in the process. We filed last week so the next thing is we should expect a NOA1, correct? After we receive that, we can check filing status through the USCIS website? Do we use a receipt for each petition filed to check status, ie AOS, Peition for Alien Spouse, EAD and AP?

And after the NOA1, we should receive the biometrics appt info and after that we wait for a NOA2? Then interview appt letter (considering all goes well and we receive on RFE's)

Am I correct in all this?

Kimberly

Good luck on your interview! I do believe we will be interviewing at the same Baltimore office when the time comes!! please let us know your experience with them

I live in Maryland and from looking at the biometric service centers for maryland, they are all over 1 hour, closer to 2 hours from me. However, Alexandria, VA is just over the bridge, about 30 minutes away. I wonder if that would be allowed?

You are all good. I did not write anything on our passport photos. I did write our name and date on the proof of meeting in person photo's. You are fine.

I wrote names, locations and dates on the backs of ALL submitted photos in the evidence for bona fide marriage (incuding our first photo together when we met)... but totally forgot the passport photos. I am so glad it's not a huge deal.... I feel like I can sleep well tonight (well if I wasn't working all night, but tomorrow.... SLEEP!!! lol

No biggie. Let that go and focus on something else.

OMG, thank you guys!!!! I was worried and apparently not as mendaciously detailed as I thought I was.

I just realized I did not write the names on the back of the passport photos. I did put them in a bag and labeled the bag but totally forgot to put the name on the backs of them.

I wonder if I could send them in now? I mailed the packet yesterday!

Also, I just read that the US Citizen needs 3 passport photos on here in a post but in the guide, it only listed ONE for the I-130, I read on a post here somewhere to include 2 of the citizen with the I-485 but in the guide I just read ONE of the NON US SPOUSE - I got the 7 total for my husband but only sent one for me with the I-130.

Should I be looking for an RFE????

http://www.foxtranslate.com/

The worked great for me

I also used Fox, they were great and very accomodating! My husbands birth certificate was hard to read (old copy in French) and we had to go through several drafts before getting it right but Tom with Fox Translate was very helpful!!!

We married May 26th and I went a few days later and changed my social security card, then my driver's license, bank accounts, etc. The only thing I have left to change is my passport but sending that out tomorrow. I wanted to file under my married name so I rushed to change it all lol

After lots and lots of preparation, the I-130 and I-485 is out today!!!!!

even if you don't have financial minglings, at least add the name (or add as an authorized person) on the lease to show that you live together. Also, what about a copy of your driver's licenses showing the common residence? It's not hard to do at all, you just have to go to DMV and change the address.

He doesn't have a drivers license as he is not from here. Our wedding was originally planned for Dec 2012 but in May we eloped. We had planned for him to go back after the wedding but since he is here and still had time before his I-94 expired, we decided to AOS. I wonder if he can get an ID Card?

There are varying schools of thought on 'front-loading' your petition (ie sending in lots of evidence) - some say yes, some say no - keep the rest of your evidence for the interview. Consulates/embassies vary greatly in how much evidence they want to see at interview (Sydney Australia, for example, where I interviewed, very rarely asks to see any further evidence). So personally, I am for front-loading (within reason, of course).

I myself threw pretty much everything I had at them in the intial petition lol! I didn't really know any better (I hadn't found VJ yet when we filed). Like you though, we didn't have much in the way of joint financials (eg bank accounts, lease/mortgage, insurance, etc).

I think what you have is good. Similar to what we sent. One thing though... schools of thought also vary on whether or not you should show Western Union receipts. Some people think that they might be misinterpreted as being a 'pay-off' in order to get a green card. However, if you only have a few one-off receipts, and they aren't on a regular basis, I don't think you would have a problem sending those.

Good luck

Thanks!! I also just realized my current lease expires July 31st and my friend who I rent from said she would be happy to add him to the next lease if we feel it would validate our marriage. She said it's up to me! Either way, she will be working on the new lease this week so I have to let her know ASAP. So yes or no?

We were going through all of the paperwork tonight and I was using a copy of other's "table of contents" as a guideline. So I got to the evidence of marriage and realized since we just married in May, we do not have anything like a lease, bank statements, insurance, beneficiary on insurance, etc because he never intended to come and stay and we originally planned to marry in Dec 2012 but instead, we eloped in May, right before our trip to Texas for my sons graduation. So I am not sure what to show as evidence. Here is what I do have and copied, ready to submit:

10 Wedding Photos (there are no family in the photos since we eloped. It was just him, myself and the minister and his wife took photos)

5 Photos of our visit to Texas right after the wedding for my sons graduation. We have a mix of some with us together, him and my mother, him and my sons. Some are from the graduation, some are all of us in in the pool lounging. Not a lot and now I regret not taking a lot more!! But I have what I have and can't do anything more about it.

1 Photo of us together when we met in Turks and Caicos.

2 Photos of his visit to the US in Dec 2011

3 random photos of us together from March 2012 - present

I have a card from him when I left Turks and Caicos, along with contact info so we can keep in touch.

A birthday card I sent him in October 2011.

Western Union receipts from him sending me money for cell phone bills, lol not that I couldnt pay my bill, he just felt he should help with the bill - a total of like $200

Western Union from his uncle in Florida for $100 Wedding Gift.

A wedding card from his aunt and cousin in New York.

Boarding Passes from all of our trips alone and together. My original boarding passes to Turks and Caicos not that it's important because I didnt know I was going to meet him (but it was my first trip outside the US so I would have kept it anyway lol) - His boarding passes from Turks to DC and DC to Haiti in Dec 2011. His trip to DC in March. Our trip to Texas together in May and return trip in June.

Phone Records from October through December 2011 - I didn't print any after his visit in Dec 2011 but there are hundreds of calls in that time and like 40+ pages, lol apparently we kept in touch but I didn't want to send a book of call logs. Also some facebook chats, I could do skype logs as well I think but these arent really "marriage" evidence so not sure they are relevant.

I think that's all I have. I am not sure what else we have or anything I am not thinking of. Any suggestions or is this enough?