Dustin and Janen

Did biometrics walk-in today.
-------
N-400: October 2017 Applicants
================================== Dallas/Lewisville, Texas Lockbox ================================== UserName.........|GC-Date.|..Sent..|..Cashd.|NOA.....|Fprints.|In Line.|Int ltr.|Intrvw..|Oath....|Field Office.......|NBC/IOE imadol...........|12/06/11|10/02/17|10/10/17|10/06/17|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Dallas, TX.........| ================================ USCIS Phoenix, Arizona Lockbox ================================ UserName.........|GC-Date.|..Sent..|..Cashd.|NOA.....|Fprints.|In Line.|Int ltr.|Intrvw..|Oath....|Field Office.......|NBC/IOE kallyp82.........|05/10/11|10/02/17|10/03/17|10/06/17|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Phoenix, AZ........| Ladygrace23......|09/25/14|09/29/17|10/05/17|10/05/17|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|San Diego, CA......| ================================== USCIS Chicago, Illinois Lockbox ================================== UserName.........|GC-Date.|..Sent..|..Cashd.|NOA.....|Fprints.|In Line.|Int ltr.|Intrvw..|Oath....|Field Office.......|NBC/IOE ================================== USCIS Online Filing ================================== UserName.........|GC-Date.|..Sent..|..Cashd.|NOA.....|Fprints.|In Line.|Int ltr.|Intrvw..|Oath....|Field Office.......|NBC/IOE Ko_..............|09/23/14|10/02/17|10/02/17|10/02/17|10/25/17|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Phoenix, AZ........|IOE Sherlock23.......|08/03/13|10/03/17|10/03/17|10/03/17|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|New York, NY.......|IOE EXPORT1..........|10/07/14|10/04/17|10/04/17|10/04/17|10/25/17|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Fort Lauderdale, FL|IOE Dustin and Janen.|04/25/14|10/04/17|10/04/17|10/04/17|10/12/17|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|--/--/--|Atlanta, GA........|IOE Instructions for adding/updating yourself (or assisting others) to this list: 1. DO NOT DELETE THESE INSTRUCTIONS. 2. Please use your VJ name to avoid confusion.  3. Please make sure you are using Rich Text Editor as your message setting. 4. Copy this whole section including instructions and paste it to your typing field. 5. Make changes and Reply. 6. Red Font = "I'm A United States Citizen"!
 
Legend: 
GC-Date: The 'Resident Since' Date located on your first green card.
Sent: Date N-400 was mailed to USCIS.
Cashd: Date your check was cashed / credit card was charged by USCIS.
NOA: Receipt Notice Date Printed on your official I-797 notification.
Fprints:  Date assigned for fingerprinting (Bio-metrics). If you do your biometrics via walk-in prior to your scheduled appointment, please enter the date in bold blue.
In Line: Date you received e-notification about the start of your interview scheduling.
Int Ltr: Date you received the official letter in the mail regarding interview.
Interview: Date of your interview.
Oath: Date Oath taken.
Field Office: Your local USCIS office where you will have the N-400 interview.

Did the walk-in bio yesterday as I already posted, but got a status update today. I was expecting it to be interview scheduled but it just says we got everything we need from you and are reviewing your case. 
 
And for another data point the online system says 12 months until interview scheduled and 13 months until completion. 
 
Exact wording from the status update. (No document was attached like past 2 updates):
“As of October 12, 2017, we are actively reviewing your Form N-400, Application for Naturalization , Receipt Number IOEXXXXX. Our records show nothing is outstanding at this time. We will let you know if we need anything from you.”
 
 

There have been many times that she didn't show gratitude and even had attitude with me. When I had those feelings I would just try to tell myself that I don't do things for my wife for gratitude, but instead because I love her. We have to have an understanding of how hard it is on them. Sure things here are likely much better than things were back home in PH, but it still takes time to learn and adjust. We diminish these differences because we view life here as better, so why should it be hard to adjust to. But in reality it is still hard to adjust. Leaving your family, friends, and country behind is not easy for anyone. Some people are able to adjust quicker or better than others. Lifestyle maybe easier here but life is overall more complex here.
If the script was flipped and you were placed in a remote village where everyone spoke a different language (I know our wives know English but it's not their native language), did task you were not used to like daily hunting (for survival not sport) for example, the adjustment would be difficult for most. I just use that example to try to point out potential vast differences.
I've mostly solved (or helped) the "tampo" and sulking issue by showing compassion and love when she acts like that. At times we all feel down an upset about something... just or unjust the feelings are real. Sometimes all we need is someone to not try to prove to us we are wrong and just show compassion for our current feelings. We did pre-marriage counseling when she arrived on the K-1 before we got married. One of the assignments was to read the book "Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Got Married" by Gary Chapman. I really feel like this helped us out a lot and one of the things we use from that book is the policy of never going to sleep mad at each other - it's hard some times, but worth it to try.
My suggestions are don't try to change your wife, but change yourself. At the end of the day the only control we have is over ourselves.
Don't do things for others (wife or otherwise) and expect anything in return - you will be disappointed more often than not.
Have love and compassion for everyone. Especially those you think you should be upset with.
Let things go! If someone does something that upsets you, let it go. Forgive them and forget about it. In the grand scheme of things most of the ####### we get upset over doesn't really matter. So forgive your wife for her tampos, lack of gratitude, etc, etc. And hopefully she will forgive you for the things you have done (don't act like you are a saint none of us are we all do dumb things from time to time).
And from what you have posted I would highly recommend some counseling if you want to save the marriage. From your multiple post on this topic it is clear you are unhappy with your wife's actions and it sounds like the marriage is coming to an end when she goes back home.
Regardless of what happens show your wife the love and compassion she deserves as a human. Don't try to make her life more difficult over petty things.

I view marriage as a partnership and all assets are shared. My wife and I have joint accounts that we deposit to and spend from. It was a little rocky at first since both of us were spending and I was only used to just me spending, but we solved that with a budget. Now we use software called YNAB to track income, expenses, and our budget. If one of us needs to spend beyond our personal monthly allowance we have a talk to see where that money will come from (savings, or another budget category). It's not perfect and sometimes we spend too much without that talk, but we are working on getting better at that. It lifted a lot of the burden from me of keeping track of our joint finances and eliminated the need for her to ask me if she could buy something (I didn't like that question).
My wife had a lot of things to learn when she got here. Driving was one of those things and one of the biggest nightmares for me. It was nearly 2 years of me driving her to and from work making my commute 1 hour instead of 10 mins. We spent a lot of money on driving school and I came close to many heart attacks, but I'm happy to report that she passed the test a few months ago and landed a new job that pays pretty well and she loves. I've made it a point to help and teach my wife the things she may not have known from her life in PH. I provided support and encourage she needed in tough times, like when she was trying to get a new job and was not having any luck and when she didn't pass the driver's license exam. So, to me the couple years of discomfort were worth it.
I recommend the book, The Obstacle Is the Way, for anyone that is facing obstacles or trails (so everyone) to get a different perspective on facing life challenges and why they are actually good! Marrying someone from a different culture is not an easy thing and I know my wife and I still have a long road ahead.

There have been many times that she didn't show gratitude and even had attitude with me. When I had those feelings I would just try to tell myself that I don't do things for my wife for gratitude, but instead because I love her. We have to have an understanding of how hard it is on them. Sure things here are likely much better than things were back home in PH, but it still takes time to learn and adjust. We diminish these differences because we view life here as better, so why should it be hard to adjust to. But in reality it is still hard to adjust. Leaving your family, friends, and country behind is not easy for anyone. Some people are able to adjust quicker or better than others. Lifestyle maybe easier here but life is overall more complex here.
If the script was flipped and you were placed in a remote village where everyone spoke a different language (I know our wives know English but it's not their native language), did task you were not used to like daily hunting (for survival not sport) for example, the adjustment would be difficult for most. I just use that example to try to point out potential vast differences.
I've mostly solved (or helped) the "tampo" and sulking issue by showing compassion and love when she acts like that. At times we all feel down an upset about something... just or unjust the feelings are real. Sometimes all we need is someone to not try to prove to us we are wrong and just show compassion for our current feelings. We did pre-marriage counseling when she arrived on the K-1 before we got married. One of the assignments was to read the book "Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Got Married" by Gary Chapman. I really feel like this helped us out a lot and one of the things we use from that book is the policy of never going to sleep mad at each other - it's hard some times, but worth it to try.
My suggestions are don't try to change your wife, but change yourself. At the end of the day the only control we have is over ourselves.
Don't do things for others (wife or otherwise) and expect anything in return - you will be disappointed more often than not.
Have love and compassion for everyone. Especially those you think you should be upset with.
Let things go! If someone does something that upsets you, let it go. Forgive them and forget about it. In the grand scheme of things most of the ####### we get upset over doesn't really matter. So forgive your wife for her tampos, lack of gratitude, etc, etc. And hopefully she will forgive you for the things you have done (don't act like you are a saint none of us are we all do dumb things from time to time).
And from what you have posted I would highly recommend some counseling if you want to save the marriage. From your multiple post on this topic it is clear you are unhappy with your wife's actions and it sounds like the marriage is coming to an end when she goes back home.
Regardless of what happens show your wife the love and compassion she deserves as a human. Don't try to make her life more difficult over petty things.

There have been many times that she didn't show gratitude and even had attitude with me. When I had those feelings I would just try to tell myself that I don't do things for my wife for gratitude, but instead because I love her. We have to have an understanding of how hard it is on them. Sure things here are likely much better than things were back home in PH, but it still takes time to learn and adjust. We diminish these differences because we view life here as better, so why should it be hard to adjust to. But in reality it is still hard to adjust. Leaving your family, friends, and country behind is not easy for anyone. Some people are able to adjust quicker or better than others. Lifestyle maybe easier here but life is overall more complex here.
If the script was flipped and you were placed in a remote village where everyone spoke a different language (I know our wives know English but it's not their native language), did task you were not used to like daily hunting (for survival not sport) for example, the adjustment would be difficult for most. I just use that example to try to point out potential vast differences.
I've mostly solved (or helped) the "tampo" and sulking issue by showing compassion and love when she acts like that. At times we all feel down an upset about something... just or unjust the feelings are real. Sometimes all we need is someone to not try to prove to us we are wrong and just show compassion for our current feelings. We did pre-marriage counseling when she arrived on the K-1 before we got married. One of the assignments was to read the book "Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Got Married" by Gary Chapman. I really feel like this helped us out a lot and one of the things we use from that book is the policy of never going to sleep mad at each other - it's hard some times, but worth it to try.
My suggestions are don't try to change your wife, but change yourself. At the end of the day the only control we have is over ourselves.
Don't do things for others (wife or otherwise) and expect anything in return - you will be disappointed more often than not.
Have love and compassion for everyone. Especially those you think you should be upset with.
Let things go! If someone does something that upsets you, let it go. Forgive them and forget about it. In the grand scheme of things most of the ####### we get upset over doesn't really matter. So forgive your wife for her tampos, lack of gratitude, etc, etc. And hopefully she will forgive you for the things you have done (don't act like you are a saint none of us are we all do dumb things from time to time).
And from what you have posted I would highly recommend some counseling if you want to save the marriage. From your multiple post on this topic it is clear you are unhappy with your wife's actions and it sounds like the marriage is coming to an end when she goes back home.
Regardless of what happens show your wife the love and compassion she deserves as a human. Don't try to make her life more difficult over petty things.

There have been many times that she didn't show gratitude and even had attitude with me. When I had those feelings I would just try to tell myself that I don't do things for my wife for gratitude, but instead because I love her. We have to have an understanding of how hard it is on them. Sure things here are likely much better than things were back home in PH, but it still takes time to learn and adjust. We diminish these differences because we view life here as better, so why should it be hard to adjust to. But in reality it is still hard to adjust. Leaving your family, friends, and country behind is not easy for anyone. Some people are able to adjust quicker or better than others. Lifestyle maybe easier here but life is overall more complex here.
If the script was flipped and you were placed in a remote village where everyone spoke a different language (I know our wives know English but it's not their native language), did task you were not used to like daily hunting (for survival not sport) for example, the adjustment would be difficult for most. I just use that example to try to point out potential vast differences.
I've mostly solved (or helped) the "tampo" and sulking issue by showing compassion and love when she acts like that. At times we all feel down an upset about something... just or unjust the feelings are real. Sometimes all we need is someone to not try to prove to us we are wrong and just show compassion for our current feelings. We did pre-marriage counseling when she arrived on the K-1 before we got married. One of the assignments was to read the book "Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Got Married" by Gary Chapman. I really feel like this helped us out a lot and one of the things we use from that book is the policy of never going to sleep mad at each other - it's hard some times, but worth it to try.
My suggestions are don't try to change your wife, but change yourself. At the end of the day the only control we have is over ourselves.
Don't do things for others (wife or otherwise) and expect anything in return - you will be disappointed more often than not.
Have love and compassion for everyone. Especially those you think you should be upset with.
Let things go! If someone does something that upsets you, let it go. Forgive them and forget about it. In the grand scheme of things most of the ####### we get upset over doesn't really matter. So forgive your wife for her tampos, lack of gratitude, etc, etc. And hopefully she will forgive you for the things you have done (don't act like you are a saint none of us are we all do dumb things from time to time).
And from what you have posted I would highly recommend some counseling if you want to save the marriage. From your multiple post on this topic it is clear you are unhappy with your wife's actions and it sounds like the marriage is coming to an end when she goes back home.
Regardless of what happens show your wife the love and compassion she deserves as a human. Don't try to make her life more difficult over petty things.

There have been many times that she didn't show gratitude and even had attitude with me. When I had those feelings I would just try to tell myself that I don't do things for my wife for gratitude, but instead because I love her. We have to have an understanding of how hard it is on them. Sure things here are likely much better than things were back home in PH, but it still takes time to learn and adjust. We diminish these differences because we view life here as better, so why should it be hard to adjust to. But in reality it is still hard to adjust. Leaving your family, friends, and country behind is not easy for anyone. Some people are able to adjust quicker or better than others. Lifestyle maybe easier here but life is overall more complex here.
If the script was flipped and you were placed in a remote village where everyone spoke a different language (I know our wives know English but it's not their native language), did task you were not used to like daily hunting (for survival not sport) for example, the adjustment would be difficult for most. I just use that example to try to point out potential vast differences.
I've mostly solved (or helped) the "tampo" and sulking issue by showing compassion and love when she acts like that. At times we all feel down an upset about something... just or unjust the feelings are real. Sometimes all we need is someone to not try to prove to us we are wrong and just show compassion for our current feelings. We did pre-marriage counseling when she arrived on the K-1 before we got married. One of the assignments was to read the book "Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Got Married" by Gary Chapman. I really feel like this helped us out a lot and one of the things we use from that book is the policy of never going to sleep mad at each other - it's hard some times, but worth it to try.
My suggestions are don't try to change your wife, but change yourself. At the end of the day the only control we have is over ourselves.
Don't do things for others (wife or otherwise) and expect anything in return - you will be disappointed more often than not.
Have love and compassion for everyone. Especially those you think you should be upset with.
Let things go! If someone does something that upsets you, let it go. Forgive them and forget about it. In the grand scheme of things most of the ####### we get upset over doesn't really matter. So forgive your wife for her tampos, lack of gratitude, etc, etc. And hopefully she will forgive you for the things you have done (don't act like you are a saint none of us are we all do dumb things from time to time).
And from what you have posted I would highly recommend some counseling if you want to save the marriage. From your multiple post on this topic it is clear you are unhappy with your wife's actions and it sounds like the marriage is coming to an end when she goes back home.
Regardless of what happens show your wife the love and compassion she deserves as a human. Don't try to make her life more difficult over petty things.

I view marriage as a partnership and all assets are shared. My wife and I have joint accounts that we deposit to and spend from. It was a little rocky at first since both of us were spending and I was only used to just me spending, but we solved that with a budget. Now we use software called YNAB to track income, expenses, and our budget. If one of us needs to spend beyond our personal monthly allowance we have a talk to see where that money will come from (savings, or another budget category). It's not perfect and sometimes we spend too much without that talk, but we are working on getting better at that. It lifted a lot of the burden from me of keeping track of our joint finances and eliminated the need for her to ask me if she could buy something (I didn't like that question).
My wife had a lot of things to learn when she got here. Driving was one of those things and one of the biggest nightmares for me. It was nearly 2 years of me driving her to and from work making my commute 1 hour instead of 10 mins. We spent a lot of money on driving school and I came close to many heart attacks, but I'm happy to report that she passed the test a few months ago and landed a new job that pays pretty well and she loves. I've made it a point to help and teach my wife the things she may not have known from her life in PH. I provided support and encourage she needed in tough times, like when she was trying to get a new job and was not having any luck and when she didn't pass the driver's license exam. So, to me the couple years of discomfort were worth it.
I recommend the book, The Obstacle Is the Way, for anyone that is facing obstacles or trails (so everyone) to get a different perspective on facing life challenges and why they are actually good! Marrying someone from a different culture is not an easy thing and I know my wife and I still have a long road ahead.

There have been many times that she didn't show gratitude and even had attitude with me. When I had those feelings I would just try to tell myself that I don't do things for my wife for gratitude, but instead because I love her. We have to have an understanding of how hard it is on them. Sure things here are likely much better than things were back home in PH, but it still takes time to learn and adjust. We diminish these differences because we view life here as better, so why should it be hard to adjust to. But in reality it is still hard to adjust. Leaving your family, friends, and country behind is not easy for anyone. Some people are able to adjust quicker or better than others. Lifestyle maybe easier here but life is overall more complex here.
If the script was flipped and you were placed in a remote village where everyone spoke a different language (I know our wives know English but it's not their native language), did task you were not used to like daily hunting (for survival not sport) for example, the adjustment would be difficult for most. I just use that example to try to point out potential vast differences.
I've mostly solved (or helped) the "tampo" and sulking issue by showing compassion and love when she acts like that. At times we all feel down an upset about something... just or unjust the feelings are real. Sometimes all we need is someone to not try to prove to us we are wrong and just show compassion for our current feelings. We did pre-marriage counseling when she arrived on the K-1 before we got married. One of the assignments was to read the book "Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Got Married" by Gary Chapman. I really feel like this helped us out a lot and one of the things we use from that book is the policy of never going to sleep mad at each other - it's hard some times, but worth it to try.
My suggestions are don't try to change your wife, but change yourself. At the end of the day the only control we have is over ourselves.
Don't do things for others (wife or otherwise) and expect anything in return - you will be disappointed more often than not.
Have love and compassion for everyone. Especially those you think you should be upset with.
Let things go! If someone does something that upsets you, let it go. Forgive them and forget about it. In the grand scheme of things most of the ####### we get upset over doesn't really matter. So forgive your wife for her tampos, lack of gratitude, etc, etc. And hopefully she will forgive you for the things you have done (don't act like you are a saint none of us are we all do dumb things from time to time).
And from what you have posted I would highly recommend some counseling if you want to save the marriage. From your multiple post on this topic it is clear you are unhappy with your wife's actions and it sounds like the marriage is coming to an end when she goes back home.
Regardless of what happens show your wife the love and compassion she deserves as a human. Don't try to make her life more difficult over petty things.

There have been many times that she didn't show gratitude and even had attitude with me. When I had those feelings I would just try to tell myself that I don't do things for my wife for gratitude, but instead because I love her. We have to have an understanding of how hard it is on them. Sure things here are likely much better than things were back home in PH, but it still takes time to learn and adjust. We diminish these differences because we view life here as better, so why should it be hard to adjust to. But in reality it is still hard to adjust. Leaving your family, friends, and country behind is not easy for anyone. Some people are able to adjust quicker or better than others. Lifestyle maybe easier here but life is overall more complex here.
If the script was flipped and you were placed in a remote village where everyone spoke a different language (I know our wives know English but it's not their native language), did task you were not used to like daily hunting (for survival not sport) for example, the adjustment would be difficult for most. I just use that example to try to point out potential vast differences.
I've mostly solved (or helped) the "tampo" and sulking issue by showing compassion and love when she acts like that. At times we all feel down an upset about something... just or unjust the feelings are real. Sometimes all we need is someone to not try to prove to us we are wrong and just show compassion for our current feelings. We did pre-marriage counseling when she arrived on the K-1 before we got married. One of the assignments was to read the book "Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Got Married" by Gary Chapman. I really feel like this helped us out a lot and one of the things we use from that book is the policy of never going to sleep mad at each other - it's hard some times, but worth it to try.
My suggestions are don't try to change your wife, but change yourself. At the end of the day the only control we have is over ourselves.
Don't do things for others (wife or otherwise) and expect anything in return - you will be disappointed more often than not.
Have love and compassion for everyone. Especially those you think you should be upset with.
Let things go! If someone does something that upsets you, let it go. Forgive them and forget about it. In the grand scheme of things most of the ####### we get upset over doesn't really matter. So forgive your wife for her tampos, lack of gratitude, etc, etc. And hopefully she will forgive you for the things you have done (don't act like you are a saint none of us are we all do dumb things from time to time).
And from what you have posted I would highly recommend some counseling if you want to save the marriage. From your multiple post on this topic it is clear you are unhappy with your wife's actions and it sounds like the marriage is coming to an end when she goes back home.
Regardless of what happens show your wife the love and compassion she deserves as a human. Don't try to make her life more difficult over petty things.

There have been many times that she didn't show gratitude and even had attitude with me. When I had those feelings I would just try to tell myself that I don't do things for my wife for gratitude, but instead because I love her. We have to have an understanding of how hard it is on them. Sure things here are likely much better than things were back home in PH, but it still takes time to learn and adjust. We diminish these differences because we view life here as better, so why should it be hard to adjust to. But in reality it is still hard to adjust. Leaving your family, friends, and country behind is not easy for anyone. Some people are able to adjust quicker or better than others. Lifestyle maybe easier here but life is overall more complex here.
If the script was flipped and you were placed in a remote village where everyone spoke a different language (I know our wives know English but it's not their native language), did task you were not used to like daily hunting (for survival not sport) for example, the adjustment would be difficult for most. I just use that example to try to point out potential vast differences.
I've mostly solved (or helped) the "tampo" and sulking issue by showing compassion and love when she acts like that. At times we all feel down an upset about something... just or unjust the feelings are real. Sometimes all we need is someone to not try to prove to us we are wrong and just show compassion for our current feelings. We did pre-marriage counseling when she arrived on the K-1 before we got married. One of the assignments was to read the book "Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Got Married" by Gary Chapman. I really feel like this helped us out a lot and one of the things we use from that book is the policy of never going to sleep mad at each other - it's hard some times, but worth it to try.
My suggestions are don't try to change your wife, but change yourself. At the end of the day the only control we have is over ourselves.
Don't do things for others (wife or otherwise) and expect anything in return - you will be disappointed more often than not.
Have love and compassion for everyone. Especially those you think you should be upset with.
Let things go! If someone does something that upsets you, let it go. Forgive them and forget about it. In the grand scheme of things most of the ####### we get upset over doesn't really matter. So forgive your wife for her tampos, lack of gratitude, etc, etc. And hopefully she will forgive you for the things you have done (don't act like you are a saint none of us are we all do dumb things from time to time).
And from what you have posted I would highly recommend some counseling if you want to save the marriage. From your multiple post on this topic it is clear you are unhappy with your wife's actions and it sounds like the marriage is coming to an end when she goes back home.
Regardless of what happens show your wife the love and compassion she deserves as a human. Don't try to make her life more difficult over petty things.

There have been many times that she didn't show gratitude and even had attitude with me. When I had those feelings I would just try to tell myself that I don't do things for my wife for gratitude, but instead because I love her. We have to have an understanding of how hard it is on them. Sure things here are likely much better than things were back home in PH, but it still takes time to learn and adjust. We diminish these differences because we view life here as better, so why should it be hard to adjust to. But in reality it is still hard to adjust. Leaving your family, friends, and country behind is not easy for anyone. Some people are able to adjust quicker or better than others. Lifestyle maybe easier here but life is overall more complex here.
If the script was flipped and you were placed in a remote village where everyone spoke a different language (I know our wives know English but it's not their native language), did task you were not used to like daily hunting (for survival not sport) for example, the adjustment would be difficult for most. I just use that example to try to point out potential vast differences.
I've mostly solved (or helped) the "tampo" and sulking issue by showing compassion and love when she acts like that. At times we all feel down an upset about something... just or unjust the feelings are real. Sometimes all we need is someone to not try to prove to us we are wrong and just show compassion for our current feelings. We did pre-marriage counseling when she arrived on the K-1 before we got married. One of the assignments was to read the book "Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Got Married" by Gary Chapman. I really feel like this helped us out a lot and one of the things we use from that book is the policy of never going to sleep mad at each other - it's hard some times, but worth it to try.
My suggestions are don't try to change your wife, but change yourself. At the end of the day the only control we have is over ourselves.
Don't do things for others (wife or otherwise) and expect anything in return - you will be disappointed more often than not.
Have love and compassion for everyone. Especially those you think you should be upset with.
Let things go! If someone does something that upsets you, let it go. Forgive them and forget about it. In the grand scheme of things most of the ####### we get upset over doesn't really matter. So forgive your wife for her tampos, lack of gratitude, etc, etc. And hopefully she will forgive you for the things you have done (don't act like you are a saint none of us are we all do dumb things from time to time).
And from what you have posted I would highly recommend some counseling if you want to save the marriage. From your multiple post on this topic it is clear you are unhappy with your wife's actions and it sounds like the marriage is coming to an end when she goes back home.
Regardless of what happens show your wife the love and compassion she deserves as a human. Don't try to make her life more difficult over petty things.

I view marriage as a partnership and all assets are shared. My wife and I have joint accounts that we deposit to and spend from. It was a little rocky at first since both of us were spending and I was only used to just me spending, but we solved that with a budget. Now we use software called YNAB to track income, expenses, and our budget. If one of us needs to spend beyond our personal monthly allowance we have a talk to see where that money will come from (savings, or another budget category). It's not perfect and sometimes we spend too much without that talk, but we are working on getting better at that. It lifted a lot of the burden from me of keeping track of our joint finances and eliminated the need for her to ask me if she could buy something (I didn't like that question).
My wife had a lot of things to learn when she got here. Driving was one of those things and one of the biggest nightmares for me. It was nearly 2 years of me driving her to and from work making my commute 1 hour instead of 10 mins. We spent a lot of money on driving school and I came close to many heart attacks, but I'm happy to report that she passed the test a few months ago and landed a new job that pays pretty well and she loves. I've made it a point to help and teach my wife the things she may not have known from her life in PH. I provided support and encourage she needed in tough times, like when she was trying to get a new job and was not having any luck and when she didn't pass the driver's license exam. So, to me the couple years of discomfort were worth it.
I recommend the book, The Obstacle Is the Way, for anyone that is facing obstacles or trails (so everyone) to get a different perspective on facing life challenges and why they are actually good! Marrying someone from a different culture is not an easy thing and I know my wife and I still have a long road ahead.

After a 3 hour delay in Manila she is finally on a plane to Atlanta! Delta delayed her connecting flight, so she was able to make it. I was worried she was going to be spending the night in Japan.
She is scheduled to land in Atlanta in 10 hours! I'm sure i'll be very productive at work today. I took the rest of the week off! So excited. But, I only slept 2 hours last night so it's going to be a rough day.

Thanks everyone!

I would say wait until you are both ready.
At the very least wait until after he gets Green Card, so you're not worried about USCIS and baby stuff.
Also, it's a good time to make sure your emergency fund (6-12 months of expenses) is fully stocked. I know mind has taken a beating from the visa process haha.
While you make enough money to support a family you have to consider the worse case scenarios. Like something happens and you are unable to work for an extended time. Or maybe you want to spend more time with the baby and take a few months off work. If he already has good job in his field then these things won't be an issue for you two (or three). Just some things to think about.
Personally I think waiting a year for him to get settled in, get green card, and find job isn't a big deal. We have decided to wait 5 years for kids. I wanted to wait 8-10 years and she wanted to wait 3 years. We settled on 5 years haha. I think we are too young for kids now (I'm 26 and she is 23).
I know you guys can come up with a plan to work for both of you.

Ours did the same thing yesterday. The case creation and updated dates changed to Aug 6th. The status stayed Ready, but the message changed the same as yours.
Today (Aug 7) we had 2 updates. Status still Ready and updated date changed. Then it changed to Administrative Processing, but I think that's normal. The visa was approved at interview. I think either tomorrow or Monday the status will change to Issued. I'm basing that on Robb & Ann's statuses: http://philippinefiancevisa.weebly.com/our-case-status.html. So far ours have been the same.

Why does this question keep coming up? People always answer the same #######. Nothing good comes from this.
But, the truth is we are all different. So, stop trying to figure out why others do the things they do and just worry about yourself.
And as far as the whole green card thing. So what if that is their reason? Karma is a B*TCH.

I posting the response I receive from the Social Security Office when we had a similar problem with the local SS office. Many of the local offices' are not informed that they should issue you a SS number in your new married name after marriage on a K1 Visa. For some reason they think because the names do not match they have to verify the name with DHS, however DHS will state the names do not match. "Because they don't"!! The marriage license is the documentation for the name change. Also many offices tell you that your Visa is no longer valid since you got married??? The visa was no longer valid once you entered the US! It is a one time entry visa and you fulfilled the requirement of the Visa once you were married within 90 days. They seem to be very confused about all of this. Attached is the response I received from SS administration. After many conversations and and trips to the local office, once I supplied this response from SS administration to my locat office they issued the ss# in married name without any problems.
received the following information from the district Social Security office, I forwarded it to our locat office and my fiance received her SS# in the mail. Do not accept the information of your SS administrator if they tell you, you can not get a SS# if you are married on a K-1 Visa and that you have to wait until your AOS. They are not properly trained in many offices.
Thank you for contacting the Social Security Administration.
We suggest that individuals that have entered the United States with non-immigrant status wait at least 10 calendar days before submitting a Social Security number (SSN) application to allow the Department of Homeland Security time to record entry into their database.
An individual that entered the United States with K-1 status applying for a work-authorized SSN must present evidence at one of our offices to establish his or her age, identity, and current lawful employment authorized status.
An individual needs to provide at least two documents as evidence to establish age, identity, and current lawful employment authorized status.
Example: If the immigration document, for example, Form I-94, Form I-551, or Form I-766, is used to establish work authorization and identity, the alien must provide another document to establish age.
We will not assign an SSN or issue a card to an individual who is within 14 days of his or her alien status expiring. Until the 76th day after entry, an individual with K-1 status only needs to provide an unexpired I-94 showing current K-1 status to establish employment authorized status for SSN purposes.
Once an individual who entered the United States with K-1 status has been in the United States 76 days, he or she will need another document, for example, Form I-551, or Form I-766 to establish employment authorized status for SSN purposes.
If a foreign-born person has the foreign birth certificate in his/her possession or can easily obtain a copy, he or she must submit it as proof of age. In some situations, we can accept alternative evidence of age. The alternative evidence of age may be less than a year old, for example, a foreign passport.
The documents acceptable as evidence of identity are based on three factors: (1) the applicant’s age, (2) the applicant’s citizenship/alien status, and (3) the relative value of documents.
Primary Identity Evidence for an alien:
-- Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card (includes temporary I-551 Stamp in combination with an unexpired foreign passport when the I-551 Permanent Resident Card has not yet been issued)
-- Form I-94, Arrival/departure Record in combination with an unexpired foreign passport
-- Form I-766, Employment Authorization card in combination with an unexpired foreign passport
Note: Document must be unexpired
Secondary Identity Evidence for an alien:
-- Unexpired valid U.S. driver’s license (excludes licenses known to be suspended or revoked)
-- U.S. State issued non-driver identity card (issued by the same State agency which issues driver’s licenses/State-level agency with issuing authority over the State’s identity card and not expired)
-- Marriage document showing in addition to the applicant’s name either the applicant’s date of birth (DOB) or age
-- Certified copy of medical record (clinic, doctor, or hospital) or letter providing extract data from the medical record showing in addition to the applicant’s name, the applicant’s DOB, or age
-- Health insurance or Medicaid card showing, in addition to the person’s name, either a photograph of the person or his/her DOB
-- School identity card or record (for current school year) showing, in addition to the applicant’s name, a photograph of the applicant or the applicant’s DOB
-- Life insurance policy for the person showing his/her age or DOB.
Note: Marriage does not affect an individual with K-1 status’s eligibility to be assigned an SSN, or issued a card.
We suggest that individuals with K-1 status apply for a corrected replacement SSN after marriage to update the SSN record to reflect the married name.
We accept all marriage documents issued within the 50 United States, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa.
We can accept a name change document based on marriage as evidence of the new name to be shown on the card, if the new name can be derived from the marriage document.
Any of the following changes to the last name, using the names shown on the evidence, are permitted:
-- bride takes the groom’s last name;
-- groom takes bride’s last name;
-- spouse takes the other parties’ last name;
-- spouse takes one part of the other parties’ compound surname;
-- compound name (with or without hyphen) of each spouse’s original surname for either or both parties
Example:
Lisa Foster submits evidence of the name change event, her U.S. ceremonial marriage to Bryan Lee-Walsh. She wants to change her surname to a compound surname, Foster Lee, with only part of Bryan’s surname. Since this new name can be derived from the prior names shown on the marriage document, the marriage document is acceptable evidence of the new name. We may also change Lisa’s surname to one of the following if she requests it:
-- WALSH,
-- LEE-WALSH (or reverse, with or without space or hyphen),
-- LEE FOSTER (with or without space or hyphen, Foster Lee could also have a hyphen or not have a space)
-- FOSTER WALSH (or reverse, with or without space or hyphen)
-- FOSTER LEE WALSH (in any order, with or without spaces or hyphens)
The marriage document can also be used as acceptable evidence of identity if it shows Lisa’s prior name (Lisa Foster) and either her age, birth date, or parents’ names, and matches the data on the SSN record, and the marriage took place within the prior two years.
This is in addition to proof of current lawful employment authorized status.
All documents must be either originals or copies certified by the issuing agency. We cannot accept photocopies or notarized copies as evidence because we cannot verify their authenticity. The custodian of the record must certify any copies.
The acceptability of a document must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the applicant’s situation and exploring what evidence is available for the person.
If an acceptable evidence document is in a language other than English and no other acceptable document is available, we will have the foreign language document translated by an authorized translator.
We cannot accept an application filing receipt or notice of action as evidence of an immigration document, or an immigration document with a “valid from” date in the future.
Take the required documents to the nearest Social Security office or Card Center. Individuals age 12 or older applying for an original SSN and card must apply in person.
You can obtain the address and directions to the nearest Social Security office from the Social Security Office Locator, which is available on the Internet:
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/locator
We must verify your documents with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) before we issue a replacement SSN card. Most of the time, we can quickly verify your documents online with DHS. If DHS cannot verify your documents online, it may take longer to issue a card. We are working closely with DHS to minimize delays.
All cards are mailed from Social Security headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland to the postal address provided on the application.
An individual assigned an SSN based on K-1 status will be issued an SSN card with “VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH DHS AUTHORIZATION,” printed on the card.
An SSN card having the legend, “VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH DHS AUTHORIZATION,” only means that the number holder cannot use the SSN card as proof of authorization to work in the United States. It does not otherwise affect the validity of the card or number.
When an individual previously issued an SSN card with “VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH DHS AUTHORIZATION” printed on it has been granted permanent residency, he or she can apply for a replacement SSN card that reflects the new immigration status.
An alien granted permanent residency status is eligible to be issued an unrestricted SSN card and will retain the originally assigned SSN.
When am I legally required to provide my Social Security number?
http://ssa-custhelp..../detail/a_id/78

Why does this question keep coming up? People always answer the same #######. Nothing good comes from this.
But, the truth is we are all different. So, stop trying to figure out why others do the things they do and just worry about yourself.
And as far as the whole green card thing. So what if that is their reason? Karma is a B*TCH.

Hi All
I have started this thread in this specific sub-forum because I will be using Australian colloquialisms (sayings) and spelling. I don't know whether being from Australia will make any difference,.. whether it be my documents don't need to be translated, or if our people fill in stuff differently (like the medical - explained below).
I started the thread itself though, because can't find any one central page that has ALL the documents for AOS, EAD and AP listed. This list relates to me and my case, but it is also the BASIC list because my case is simple, i.e. I don't have any kids or anything else remotely difficult to worry about. I didn't get any RFE's while doing K1 (here's my K1 thread: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=206016 ), and I'm aiming for the same this time around too. I have read and re-read the instructions several times. I read every line, and not just stuff related to me, just in case it's got a little note (this actually happened on one form) that might affect me. This list is IN NO WAY a substitute for you also reading through the forms, but I hope that it helps you get an idea of when you should start sourcing things (like paperwork for the affidavit of support) and making sure you have everything you need before you get to your applying "deadline".
On that note, there is no "deadline" for applying for AOS, as long as you marry within 90 days of arriving on your K1 visa. However it is recommended that you apply before your I-94 expires as some people have experienced issues with ICE (not deportation, just hassles and on 2 occasions I've read about, being locked up until a judge tells the ICE person they were wrong and being forced to pay fees as well as immediate AOS), but just as many (if not more) have had no issues and applied for AOS years after their I-94 expires. My main reasons for applying ASAP is because I want to work and I personally don't like not being "sure" of my status. Also, if there is a period of 180 days between your I-94 and the date your AOS is processed, you MAY encounter a ban on trying to re-enter the US if you leave and try and use the AP document. For that reason, try and apply for AOS well before 180 days after your I-94 expires... just to be safe.
Also, there is currently only one fee payable, being $1,070.00 for the AOS, EAD & AP (updated 23 Nov 2010: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=5be73dc5cb93b210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=8a2f6d26d17df110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD ). In July 2007 the fee for AOS changed and the rules altered so that if you send the EAD and AP at the same time as AOS (or while it's pending) the fee for EAD and AP are waived. Whether you apply for EAD and AP at the same time as AOS the fee remains the same and whether you think you need them or not, as the fee is waived, it's always better to have than not have, "just in case".
So here we go
Definition of terms:
I-94# - Is the admission/departure number on the I-94 card (full image here: http://www.visajourney.com/gallery/albums/...mmigration1.jpg )
A# number - Alien number - can sometimes be found on your visa under "annotation" starting with A0 then 8 digits. Also found on your NOA2 above the beneficiaries name (image here: http://www.visajourney.com/gallery/albums/...F-NOAs/NOA2.jpg )
AOS - Adjustment of Status - Applied for after entering the US on a K1 visa and marrying within 90 days. Changes status to "conditional permanent resident" and you will be sent a green card. This process takes around 90 days however it can take MUCH longer.
AP - Advanced Parole - Allows you to re-enter the USA while your AOS is pending. You are allowed to leave whenever you want, but doing so without the AP document (or green card) means you will not be able to re-enter. Leaving without it also results in your case being considered "abandoned".
CO - Consular Officer - In this thread related to the person actually processing my documents
EAD - Employment Authorisation Document - Allows you to work whilst the AOS is being processed, as long as you have a SSN of course. Once you received your GC your EAD is no longer needed
GC - Green card - short-form for green card so I don't have to keep typing it
IO - Interviewing Officer - The person who will interview me (if needed). Apparently not every case requires an interview. Lets see if I can be one of the few who don't need one
Non-Immigrant Visa Number - This is the RED number found on your visa (image here: http://www.visajourney.com/gallery/albums/...after_entry.jpg )
RFE - Request for further information - Received if something you mailed in is incomplete or missing. It doesn't cancel your case, just slows things down a fair bit, so doing everything to prevent getting one is your aim
First things first. VJ does have guides:
VJ AOS Guide: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...mp;page=k1k3aos
VJ EAD Guide: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...mp;page=k1k3ead
And also example forms:
Example forms: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...p;page=examples
The guides suggest doing a cover letter. Personally I'm doing a cover letter for each separate case (AOS, EAD and AP). I have read that the CO's don't tend to read the cover letters so really why bother, BUT I'm not doing it for them so much as for me. Filing so many documents means a lot of stuff to remember and I also think it looks neater and prettier. Also, while reading through the instructions I go through and fill in the cover letter with the attachments needed so I don't forget anything.
The USCIS has actually put together their OWN page of tips for putting together a package for mailing: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/men...00045f3d6a1RCRD I haven't decided if I'm going to hole punch yet or just bulldog clip as it seems that while it's appreciated it doesn't change anything so if I have a hole-punch available... maybe.
I ALWAYS go to the USCIS website to obtain forms: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/men...00045f3d6a1RCRD as this way you always make sure you have the most up-to-date form. Also, remember to check the filing location as it may have changed since the form was made. To do this, always make sure you go to the main form page (not the pdf, the place that links you the .pdf) such as this for AOS: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/men...00045f3d6a1RCRD and line four says "Where to file". In this case it tells you it depends on the category you are applying under, on other forms it might say "check the form" or "check the instructions".
As stated on each form, originals are only required when it specifically says "original" (like the forms with official signatures) otherwise copies are sufficient.
--AOS--
- G-1145 – Form for E-notification of Application/Petition Acceptance **See Note 1**
- Payment in the amount of $1,010.00 payable to U.S. Department of Homeland Security
- I-485 - Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, signed & dated #####
- Copy of birth certificate
- Copy of K1 visa in passport
- 2 passport photos (US passport size) - name and alien number printed lightly on back in pencil or felt pen
- Copy DS-3025 – Vaccination record (completed), dated ##### **See Note 2**
- G-325A - Biographic Information, including residence and employment attachments (1 copy as of July 2009)
- I-864 - Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the Act, completed by #####
o Copy Federal income tax return (usually a 1040 or something like that), including W-2, Form 1099s & Schedule for most recent tax year (or IRS tax transcript which I prefer)
o Copy Federal income tax return (usually a 1040 or something like that), including W-2, Form 1099s & Schedule for second most recent tax year (optional)**See Note 3**
o Copy Federal income tax return (usually a 1040 or something like that), including W-2, Form 1099s & Schedule for third most recent tax year (optional)**See Note 3**
o Letter from #####’s employer (optional)
o Pay stub(s) from the most recent six months for ##### (optional)
- Copy of I-797 - Notice of Action, Approval of K1 petition, dated ##### (front & back)
- Copy of Marriage certificate, dated ##### (front & back)
- Copy of I-94 – Arrival/Departure record (front & back)
The two items listed below are on the VJ AOS Guide, however NOWHERE on the forms, or their instructions is it mentioned that these items are required. These items only serve as additional information. You are required to bring your passport to the interview (if you have an interview) so perhaps by mailing this information you might not need to have one. Ultimately more info is better than less info (within reason of course) so it can't hurt. Personally I'll be including them in my parcel (in my attempt to avoid an interview ) but it makes sense that they're not needed as your Alien number is your identifier now (where with the K1 your passport number and then case number were).
- Photocopy of passport biographical details page
- Photocopy of USA entry stamp dated #####
Note 1: This form is now available that requests that you receive and email and text letting you know your application has been received http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/men...00045f3d6a1RCRD
Note 2: There is a huge point of contention on VJ regarding whether or not to send DS-3025 or if you will require form I-693 (immunisations only). The reason for this is, the paperwork clearly states that if you COMPLETED your immunisations PRIOR to your K1 interview in your home country (and thus your medical information is complete in the paperwork you handed in at POE (and subsequently forwarded on)) then only the copy of the DS-3025 is required. HOWEVER some people who assumed their info was complete and sent in the DS-3025 received an RFE requesting they submit a form I-693. Further information is mentioned on this VJ thread: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=101202 So whether you go to the trouble of obtaining one so you don't risk and RFE and thus a slow-down is up to you. Personally I am in the process of calling Civil Surgeons (CS's) in my area to find our their fee. If the fee is reasonable we might do it just so we don't risk the RFE but at the same time i honestly think my form is fine and I have all immunisations filled in, either with dates or "not age appropriate". I'll let you know what I decide and then what the outcome is. Remember though every case is different, no matter how similar they might be.
Note 3: Tax information is only REQUIRED for the most recent tax year. Question 25 on the I-864 still requires that you indicate your earnings for the most recent tax years, whether you provide evidence of this income or not. There are two tick boxes in that question, where you can indicate whether you are only including the most recent tax year, or the three most recent. I personally prefer to send in IRS transcripts so that you are sure that you have not excluded any tax information and I also prefer to send in all three years of tax information just to "be safe". Information for obtaining the transcripts is located here: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/235331-aos-ead-ap-from-k1-the-aussie-way-doc-list-included/page__view__findpost__p__3614293 .
Here is a the Civil Surgeon "phone book" from the USCIS website: https://egov.uscis.gov/crisgwi/go?action=of...office_type=CIV
Here is a VJ thread that lists good CS's and their prices: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...231026&st=0
--EAD--
- G-1145 – Form for E-notification of Application/Petition Acceptance
- I-765 - Application for Employment Authorisation **See Note 1**
- 2 passport photos (US passport size) - name and alien number printed lightly on back in pencil or felt pen
- Photocopy of passport biographical details page **See Note 2**
As we're applying together with the AOS then the following isn't REQUIRED, however if you choose to include it, it's up to you, like i said before, more info is better than less info
- Copy of I-94 – Arrival/Departure record (front & back)
- Copy of Marriage certificate (to show name change) **See Note 3**
Note 1: Being adjustment applicant's, we're under category c9. You will see there's also a category for K1 and K3 visas (a6) but this is for when you're not applying at the same time as the AOS.
Note 2: It actually says "If no prior EAD has been issued, you must submit a copy of a Federal Government-issued identity document such as a passport..." as well as some other examples but personally I think the passport is the easiest one.
Note 3: The next issue for me (being female, married and changing my name) is my passport is still in my maiden name. For that reason it seems to make sense to include a copy of my marriage licence. Although these things are included with the AOS application, they can always shred multiple copies
--AP--
- G-1145 – Form for E-notification of Application/Petition Acceptance
- I-131 - Application for Travel Document (Advanced Parole)
- 2 passport photos (US passport size) - name and alien number printed lightly on back in pencil or felt pen
- Copy of K1 visa (to show present status)
- Photocopy of passport biographical details page **See Note 1**
As with the EAD, this isn't REQUIRED but I will probably include it because the AP form doesn't actually have a space for "prior name":
- Copy of Marriage certificate (to show name change)
Note 1: It actually says "copy of an official photo identification document showing your name, photo, and date of birth". Like with the EAD example, passport is easiest I think
General
An important thing to remember is if you change your address at ANY stage while you are an LPR (or their sponsor) you are required to change your address within 30 days of moving. There are penalties for not doing so. The USCIS has an online change of address service but you STILL need to actually post a form to them. Here's the site: https://egov.uscis.gov/crisgwi/go?action=coa . The reason for the paper form is so it's changed on the masterbase.
The current postal details for these forms (as of 3 Dec 09 ) is:
File at:
USCIS
P.O. Box 805887
Chicago, IL 60680-4120
For courier/express delivery:
USCIS
Attn: FBAS
131 South Dearborn - 3rd Floor
Chicago, IL 60603-5517
I, like most, will be submitting my forms by express mail so I'll use the bottom address
PAYMENT
It's important when writing the cheque that you write:
"One Thousand Ten and 00/100" or it might be returned.
Here is the USCIS link outlining the cheque writing requirements: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/men...00045f3d6a1RCRD because if you're like me, it doesn't make sense to write it that way and I wouldn't have written it like that but their wish is our command
Hope some of you find this useful If I've forgotten something, or stuff doesn't make sense, please let me know
**Edited to add further definitions - 27 Feb 2010
**Address for filing changed and fixed on here - 10 March 2010
**Edited to add Biometrics review link here: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/235331-aos-ead-ap-from-k1-the-aussie-way-doc-list-included/page__view__findpost__p__3909156
**Edited to add - AOS approved 7 July 2010. Without RFE, Without interview. I simply followed the above guide and make sure my documents were completed properly.
**Edited to add - new AOS fees as of 23 Nov 2010: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=5be73dc5cb93b210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=8a2f6d26d17df110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD

VJ has this: http://www.visajourney.com/content/examples with example forms.
They don't have cover letters for the AOS process but I amended to suit my circumstances/needs.
I have attached examples but these aren't perfect yet, just for ideas.
Cover Letter _AOS_ for VJ.pdf
Cover Letter _AP_ for VJ.pdf
Cover Letter _EAD_ for VJ.pdf
**Edited to update with current AOS address for K1

It is true that they ask for NVC Letter, but their web site clearly said "if available". So, you will not have any issues doing medical without NVC email.
We got our case number on a Friday and my fiancée flew to Manila Sunday and did Medical Exam Monday and Tuesday. They did ask for NVC letter, but she told them I got the MNL# over the phone and we didn't receive the NVC letter yet. They just said okay make sure your MNL# is correct. I think they are only asking because I bet someone gave them the wrong MNL# and it caused issues at the Embassy.
Our case is already at the Embassy and we still haven't received an email or physical mail from NVC. When I called them for MNL# they confirmed my email and phone number.
I'd say go for Wednesday like you are planning and if you get something from NVC Monday or Tuesday great print it and bring, but otherwise don't worry about it. As long as your fiancée is confident the MNL# is correct and she knows that the NVC letter is optional per their web site she will be fine.
Good luck
Edit: here is the wording on their web site

... someone got up on the wrong side of the snow bank.