agnesb

Hi Everyone,

Just looking for some advice/words of wisdom.

Came to the U.S Sept 2013, applied for SSN in my married name. This was fine. We got married in Oct 2013, and then applied for AOS in November. Received my EAD/AP card around 2 weeks ago. Last Friday, my husband and I went to change my name on my Social Security card. The lady at the SS office said she needed to make sure USCIS would give her permission (wth?) to be able to change my name (even though my EAD is in my married name...) and she said I would have to wait for up to a month because she sent them a letter (I watched her put a photocopy of my EAD and marriage certificate in an envelope). She did, however, give me back from original SSN card with my maiden name. Is this normal? One post I read on VJ had something similar to my dilemma and even USCIS wouldn't verify the name change and they had to wait for the GC to change their name.

This leads on to my next point - I was told by two women at the DMV that I could drive in Illinois on my U.K license until I got my residency( my GC, I assume?). I now want to apply for a Illinois driver's license( because I think it's very iffy and I don't want to be doing anything illegal) but when I called the DMV today, they said my SS card had to be in my MARRIED name, because they wouldn't be able to verify who I was and my EAD is in my married name. Furthermore, I was told my my driving instructor here in the U.S that the driving examiner would need to verify my auto insurance ( I am under my husband's with my U.K license and maiden name) but of course that won't be my insurance and my name won't match up to the SS card once it's changed. The bummer is, the insurance company won't let me take out insurance in my own name because I do not have a valid U.S/IL license. This all feels like a catch-22. Right now, what with being coupled with homesickness and the uncertainty whether or not I can drive is just making me want to pack it all in. I can't work if I can't drive, unless I take a cab, which is expensive in these parts.

Should I have just waited for my GC to start all these name changes and driver's license stuff?

I'm having a bad day

1st part: its normal, it won't take that long and you'll have your new ssn soon.

2nd part, just wait for your ssn in your married name and you'll be fine. Get your husband to change insurance to married name.

Hi im new to this but my fiance is from Colombia and she lived in Venezuela for a few years. she is having trouble getting her police report from there because she told me she has to get it in person and she can not travel to Venezuela because she has no visa to visit anymore. my question is there any other way for her to get a police report from Venezuela? Thanks for the help

As per travel.state.gov:

Police Records

Available. Police certificates (Certificación de Antecedentes Penales, in Spanish) are available free of charge to Venezuelans and non-Venezuelans over the age of 18 who are physically present in Venezuela and have either a national identity card (cédula de identidad, in Spanish) or passport. Applicants must apply in person at the División de Antecedentes Penales del Ministerio de Interior y Justicia, Edificio Paris, piso 5, La Candelaria, Caracas, Venezuela. Venezuelans residing outside of Venezuela can obtain their police certificate by having a close relative resident in Venezuela submit a request (this option is not available to non-Venezuelans).

Alternatively, the any applicant may obtain a police certificate online. Consult the following web site http://www.mpprij.gob.ve/ and select the option "certificaciones para trámites intercionales".

Check if can be ordered online, if not may want to print it from http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/fees/reciprocity-by-country/VE.html#docs highlighting that records are unobtainable for non-venezuelans residing outside Venezuela.

You are free to apply for jobs. In fact you were free to do so as soon as you entered US. You cannot start the employment without EAD but you were and are free to look, apply, interview for jobs.

Btw it normally takes much less than 30 days to receive the card.

As long as you marry you can file at any time but if the foreign fiance wants to work soon after then you want to apply asap to get the work authorization. If you file after 1 year from medical you'll need to have it done again in US by the civil surgeon.

Got an email today indicating my GC went into production, only a few weeks after getting the potential interview waiver letter, nothing too bad

Awww congrats! I guess my file is used as some clerks place mat... Over about 6 weeks since interview waiver letter ;-)

She needs to wait for EAD or GC to have her name changed.

There's no limit. If you apply within a year from medical you'll need to see a civil surgeon to get another full medical examination. If you apply within 2 years you'll need to file and pay for i-130

I think you'll struggle to find retail job that does not require you to work a fair amount of late shifts, weekends and holidays..

Hi all

We received the biometrics appointment letter with an appointment for next week, does that mean we are clear of the possibility of an RFC? Basically want to know if it is still possible to get an RFC? From what I have been reading, it seems like a lot of people get an RFC BEFORE their appointment, once they provide the information, they are cleared for biometrics. Any receive an RFC AFTER their biometrics?

This is for an AOS/EAD/AP combined application, for a current K1 visa holder.

Thanks!

You can receive RFE at any point of the process including during the interview.

That's an excellent idea, and my husband thought of it as well, so I have tried finding something of the sort. I cannot believe they don't need volunteers at animal shelters or homeless shelters! But that's all the replies I have gotten so far...

I believe volunteering helped me finding a job (which I only just got and've been searching since November too). Do a google search for volunteering in your area or check local newspaper for them. Check with local school, church, hospital, museum, town hall. Call and ask to speak to a person that deals with volunteers. I also cannot believe they would pass on a free help opportunity.

With regards to a paid job, I'd skip the immigrant on a green card part. It's now part of the recruitment process for them to confirm you have right to work in US.

I have had similar problem with office jobs just make sure you highlight the experience that matches a job description. Change your resume for a specific job types, don't send a generic one.

If you cannot register online with recruitment agencies go and see them in person!

Good luck, hope you'll find an employment soon.

Hello all-

I know this is going to sound crazy, but because of so many hectic things coming up over the past 2 and a half months, my non US citizen fiance and I only today married- with her visa expiring day after tomorrow. We're hecticly filling out the i485, the g325, etc... but I'm stuck with a few questions.

For one, with the i131, is this needed? It's the form that allows for travel to outside the US. I'd really like to fill that out so she and I could visit Canada together while I work there for a few days, but I don't have official dates for the trip. I understand if I want to take her with me, this form is needed, but how does it get filled out for vague travel plans?

Another thing, we did not apply for anything at the SSA, as we were not intending on immediately changing her last name. Is this a problem as well? Can we still apply for her SSN in a couple days, continuing to use her maiden name?

Is it a big deal if the forms are filed a couple days late, even if we married within the 90 days?

Thanks!

Jeremy

You don't have to rush with AOS, there's no deadline for that. It was important you got married within 90 days.

On I-131 just put Unknown where it asks for dates and duration. This is acceptable for people adjusting from k-1.

As previous posters metioned, you now have to wait for EAD to apply for SSN.

Again, there,s no deadline for AOs so you are absolutely fine. Take your time and make sure you read guides and aos related posts to avoid RFE's.

Good luck.

I know for a fact she'll be able to change her first name during naturalization, I am not sure if that's possible during AOS.

Just want to share some happy news with you my fellow September adjusters... I got a job! So happy that suddenly getting a green card isn't as important now :-)

I am sure this has been asked numerous times and also it is mentioned in the guide as well as on USCIS site but I am still confused about where should I send my application.

On VJ, it says that I485 should go to Chicago lockbox (http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1k3aos) but on USCIS page it states that it should be going to Dallas lockbox (http://www.uscis.gov/i-485).

Has anyone recently filed I485 from DC Metro area? Where did you guys send your application to? Did USCIS receive your package?

Also, I had a question about I693 form. My wife had her medical done in Sydney in September 2013 and we are wondering if we need to fill out I693 form or not. She handed over the brown/yello package to CBP when she first entered states. Do we still need to get medical done again?

Thanks in advance for all your help guys !!

Both advise to send it to chicago. http://www.uscis.gov/i-485-addresses k-1 falls in the first category.

Main sponsor, (in this case your fiancé) always has to provide affidavit, even if doesn't make enough money. The other person will then become a co-sponsor.

Was the photocopy of the decree a high quality copy?

There is no declaration of meeting in person. Its just one or two sentences to answer that question on the form.

I would suggest to NOT make a list of all your meetings. USCIS only cares about one meeting; you do not get extra credit for additional meetings.

The problem in listing tons of meetings is that you confuse them and your evidence supporting the meetings is not adequate.

List one meeting, especially the one that you have solid evidence of that meeting. Save the multiple listings for the interview.

Totally agree. Just state when you met first and that you've been maintaining ongoing relationship since and you met in (Place) on (Date) recently- supported by evidence.

Me too, and for the same reason.

Same here!

Hi folks,

Can I first say how much of a relief it is to have found such a site and community! I have learnt so much and had my mind put at ease with regards to many issues (mostly being able to travel to the US while the whole K-1 process is underway -- we all know how unclear or ambiguous already these matters can appear).

My enquiry related to the declaration we're expected to include in our I-129F packages. I have attempted to find examples of such a declaration, basically just for a template of how to go about composing the declaration. Should it be to-the-point and approached from a 'timeline' basis, keeping unnecessary detail to a minimum, or should it read as more of a journal? I don't really know how best to approach this.

Apologies if this has been covered elsewhere, but I haven't been able to find anything on it using my -- albeit limited -- searching skills.

Any help and advise would be absolutely marvelous.

Thanks!

Do you mean the answer to the question on how you met within last 2 years?

Some use timeline, this is especially recommended if know each other for longer than couple of years, just highlighting dates and places of all the trips.

Some just put couple of sentences like... We first met in London in July 2011 and have been dating since. We last met in in New York in January 2014.

Some provide a 1-2 page love story.

What's most important is to support whatever you write with a solid proof of actually meeting in last 2 years.

Whats the requirements on getting a FLA ID , or do you have to wait till you get your EAD to get your ID

http://www.dmv.org/fl-florida/id-cards.php

Ok...I'm starting to get the USCIS blues again. A lot of the September filers I know of have already gotten their waiver letter or an interview. We are STILL sitting in limbo. Any advice out there?

In addition, your husband needs to remove conditions on his green card before it expires and that definitely involves an interview and having to have documents proving bonafide relationship. I am not sure how would that work for someone living abroad...

My husband came to the US on a K-1 visa and we've been married and filed the Adjustment of Status, EAD, and I-131 AP all together. Now, we may be in the situation that we have to return to his home country for some time to live/work. After all this effort, I don't want to abandon his Adjustment of Status. If we stay overseas for more than 1 year using the I-131, can we extend it for a longer time? Any information at all or other's experiences would help. We don't want to begin this process all over again but we will most likely be out of the US for at least 2 years... Please help.

If your husband leaves Us for longer than 1 year then green card application will be considered abandoned and you'll have to fill a spousal visa whilst abroad to get your husband entry back to US.

We had only secondary proof of 2 photos and a printout of booking in both of out names. If the person looking into your case has some common sense (i.e you live 50min apart) then you should be ok without RFE. If they ask for more, maybe having credit card/bank statement showing cash withdrawals or payments near the other location?

I really do apologize if this has already been posted prior. My fiance is in England and I, in the US. I was curious of any questions in the interview, if anyone remembered some? I'm one of those over achievers and like to be prepared

I keep watching that "90 day Fiance" show thats on TLC here in the states and these people have only met for a grand total of 6-12 days and have got approved for the visa. My fiance and I have been together weeks upon weeks together and I'm still worried, mainly because I'm a worry wart, and stress about everything, and frankly this is the most important thing to be is to be with my fiance. We will be sending our information off in March so any tips, or advice would help.

Thanks yall, in advance!

Take Care

Read london specific embassy reviews for idea about the interview. Its very simple and stress free in most cases.

http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/index.php?cnty=United+Kingdom&cty=&dfilter=5&topic=K1+Visa

Also have a look here http://www.visajourney.com/consulates/index.php?ctry=United%20Kingdom&cty=London and here http://www.visajourney.com/portals/index.php?country=United%20Kingdom if you havent yet.