L & J

same situation, my husband called his brother in Colombia and they sent us his birth certificate with priority mail, it took just a couple of days, then we translated it just one day before the interview, I thought we would never manage to get it so quickly. So maybe if you have a week before the interview, you should try to get it.

You do not need to change the passports. All you have to do is purchase the tickets in the name in the passports. Name on travel document MUST match the name used for ID when traveling. For international flights that is the passport. For domestic flights it is any of the acceptable documents listed on the TSA website. Again the travel document must match the ID used. The only value the GC has is for allowing you to re-enter the US. You cannot travel on it (with the exception of a few countries in the Western Hemisphere) internationally. You should carry a copy of your Marriage Certificate so you can show that the married name and maiden name are one and the same person--you. If you are going to go for USC then you can have your US passport in your married name. Why go to all the trouble of getting your passports changed unless they expire soon? This is very common to have the passport in the maiden name and the GC in the married name.

Dave

thank you

oh boy... with Russians I won't guess... wish you good luck...

Hi, Mila, I'm so happy that at least one russian person answered. Tell me did you travel back to Russia? or change your russian passport after marriage?

p

*** Thread moved from AOS/Family-Based forum to Working & Traveling forum -- situation pertains to travel and passport issues. ***

ok, thanks

If you want to change your passport you can, but you do not need to. All you have to do is make certain the name on the ticket matches the name on the passport. The AP and GC are used to get you re-entry to the US and will be shown to the airline employee to confirm you have the ability to legally enter the US. It is this person that you must be able to mae the connection between your maiden name and married name. That is why a copy of the Marriage Certificate is suggested to be carried.

My wife showed her passport first when returning to the US and when they saw we were together and I had a US passort they have either not asked to see her GC or they ask to see it and don't look at it very long. At the US end she showed them her GC first. As i was not with her, I do not know if she had to show her passport or not. You do not fill out an I-94 when returning to the US, so showing the AP or GC first stops them from asking for it.

The only problem I see is if you change your passport while in Russia and the name on the ticket for the return does not match. You will have to get the airline to change the name on the ticket and that might cost some additional money. If it was me, I would not worry about this. Just make cetain that all airline tickets match the ID being used for check-in and you will be fine.

Dave

Thanks. Maybe you are right that I shouldn't worry so much.

I'm not a Russian, but I read a lot those questions on VJ.

The replies were:

-Always have the same name on your passport and tickets

-Bring your marriage certificate with you (or a copy don't remember).

They will make the link.

Have a nice trip.

thank you kindly. Yes, I also read the same. but I wanted to know some real stories, coz u know Russian laws are very strict.

Hi,

you can phone USCIS, I did so, yes first the system asks you to dial you receit # but I could never do it, so I chose an option "I don't know my number" or I lost my munber, something like this and i got connected with an operator, then I asked the lady if she could check my case status, gave her my number and she checked it for me. My number also starts with MSC, but I can check the status with no problem on their site too. Are you sure you type in not just figures but MSC too?

Hi, I am seeking advice from the Russian people who has been in the same situation.

I received an AP in my new name (my family name + my husband's name). My foreign passport has my maiden name. I am going to travel to Russia and there I want to change my Russian passport. But as for my foreign passport I am planning to change it when I come back to the United States because I will buy the tickets using my maiden name. So my questions are:

1) will i have problems at a check in when leaving Russia? because I will show them my AP with a new name but my passport will be with my maiden name, as well as the ticket

2) what is better to do in this situation? maybe I can change my foreign passport in Russia too, but then how do I change the name in my ticket?

3) will it cause any problems when I arrive in America and the officer will see that AP has one name and passport - an old name?

Please, help, because I am just racking my brain trying to find the best solution

by the way, did you know that you can schedule an interview with an immigration officer and ask them all questions you need, it's called Info Pass

Hi, I'm from Russia too, really happy to meet you, guys.

I don't know what advise to give you, actually. When you got married, what name did she put in her marriage certificate? Because when we got married I added my husband's name to my name and now I'm facing the problem of changing my two passports because of it. USCIS sent me a travel document with my new name, coz when I got applied for it I put my new name, but my passport is in my old name, so i don't know if it will cause any problems when I travel to Russia and come back to US using that travel document and my old passport. So, my advise is if you want to keep her maiden name in EAD and AP and in Green card, contact USCIS and ask if you could do it when in the marriage certificate she's got your family name.

as I know, you will need bank statements and other stuff for the interview, not now, i mean not while you are filing your aos application. As for the joint bank account, we also tried to add my name to it but the manager said to wait until i get my work permit or EAD and bring it together with one more ID which can be a library card or a phone account. So, you can find out about it in your bank

The listed processing time is 3 months. https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/processingTimesDisplay.do

To expect it any sooner is only setting up frustration and disappointment.

yes, maybe you're right, i checked it, thnx. For some reason i was sure it's 2 months, saw it somewhere, dnt remember. Well, i've got to wait more, though waiting kills.

and this is what is really strange, why then they approved my AP and sent it to me, though I applied for it much later than for my EAD?

and I have called them, but all they can say is just check my status on-line, which i could do too and tell me what i already know. I thought they have an access to every particular case and can tell more details

anyway thank you, all people who helped me with my question

I think the OP got an old-style paper AP, not a combo card. The paper AP is two identical pieces of paper. The OP applied for EAD first and then added the AP, so it makes sense that they would be separated. OP - It looks like the AP got approved and sent out early, and you'll have to wait a bit more for the EAD card. It still hasn't been 3 months, so I would just be happy you got your AP early. Good luck.

exactly, you're right about old style AP, but i dnt think EAD takes3 months, it's 2

Ahhh ok, now I understand.

What you received were two NOA1 for AP instead of one for each process, right?

You can call with your case numbers at hand and ask or wait a little longer and see if you might get approval for EAD within the next week or so. After all, it's almost November 20th and the Timeline estimate says between the 21st and 23rd!

If I were you, I would call USCIS to the numbers on the NOA1, to clarify the situation and have some peace of mind

yes, i think i'll phone them, thnx

sorry for confusion, the thing is i have just received 2 APs, but i haven't received an EAD yet, only a notification that my applictation for EAD was received. So i wonder maybe there's smth wrong

thnx for paying attention and reading my timeline, you understood it right

I see, thnk you. in the mail i only received a letter that they accepted my documents and receipt #. Is it any use calling them?

Hi, my story is this: I have filed for EAD september 18, according to the time line i should receive it this week, but instead i received 2 identical travel documents (advanced parole), though i applied for them later on october 1. When i checked the status of my EAD, it is still in process, no decision. So now i'm thinking why it takes so long and why they sent me 2 APs?

Hi, thank you for such detailed instructions! The thing is i have already filed my AOS and EAD, but i didn't know at that time that i can file for AP together with all the papers, so i am planning to do it separately. The only thing i didn't understand from your message is an infopass appointment at USCIS. What is it? and i think the best idea is also to make a copy of my old passport and notarize it, so that if i travel with a new passport and AP document there will be no problems.

thanks for help! it was really really helpful. and by the way I am sorry but I am not from Argentina, just made a mistake, i am from Russia

Hi. I guess you still did not apply for the AOS, right? Because you are mentioning that you will submit your form I-131 (AP). Usually people submit that form along with the I-485 (GC) and I-765 (EAD). I did not understand what you meant by inner and foreign passport. Do you have 2 passports right now?

As far as I know, when you renew your passport (the one you got from your original country and obviously the one you used to enter USA) you always renew under the same name of your previous passport. At least In Argentina (where I come from) you do not change your last name to your married name in a passport.

Once you apply for the AOS (AP, EAD and GC) you will receive your AP within 2-3 months. The AP now comes as a combo card (EAD and AP in 1 card), then you can travel to your country using that AP and also take your marriage certificate (original) when you travel, that way they can match your passport (that has your maiden name, the AP (that will have your married last name) and the marriage certificate. Thats what I will do at end of year as I have to go back to Argentina for personal issues and also to renew my argentine passport too! which expires at middle of next year too.

I dont know if this answered your question. Anyways before you travel to your country you can always make an infopass appointment at USCIS to make sure all is alright for your travel (once you get the AP of course).

Let me know if you have any question. Maybe some other person can give you their opinion too.

Hi! I have the following situation: i got married and changed my last name plus my foreign passport expires in july 2013. So, however you put it i will have to change my both passports (inner and foreign), to do it i will have to go back to my country plus i want to go back to see my family. So, i will have to submit form I-131 to ask for advance parole from USCIS to go to my country and come back to US. The question is: if i change my foreign passport will this advance parole be valid with my new passport? or maybe it's better to first change my passport before it expires and then apply for advance parole with a new passport? Then another question arises: when you change your passport do you have to notify USCIS about this?

thanks for reading and participating!

i don't really understand where these $10000 come from, all i see is that somebody is making billions and trillions on this process, of course they don't want to change it, because it became quite a profitable business. but i believe that there are things in life more significant than money.

I see you point. If i show you my biography and the paper that says i have no criminal record, a few pictures with my bf and our telephone and hotel bills, can you believe me judging by all this that we love each other? I mean papers are just papers, how can they judge people and make their decision based on this or based on the interview. The only way they can do it is if they live with these people and see them in everyday life, which is quite impossible. So all this system if you think about it is very imperfect. the only way you can detect fraud or criminals is when u see what they are going to do after the marriage, what were their real intentions, but who can read peoples' mind before they did smth?

BECAUSE EVERY SYSTEM CHANGE AND ENCHANCEMENT COST MONEY. SHOULD THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT TRYING TO BRING SOMEONE THRU THE IMMIGRATION CHNANELS PAY FOR YOUR WANTS.

So who should pay for these 21st century chnages, are you willing to pay $10,000 o have your application processed?

How can the employees of the USCIS distinguish between the real (law abiding citizens) from the criminals (trying to get fraudulent marital Visas)? I suppose there're NEVER anyone in the past who attempted to put up a few years with a USC so he/she can come to the US via a spousal Visa and immediately filed for divorce once the permanent residency had been established.

And by the way, there're millions of Americans available for your love here in the USA. Please don't tell us that you just simply can't find one suitable for your love need. It's your option to go overseas looking for love. But expect the US gov't to spend its time and effort making sure that person (whose love for you is real or not) not laughing at the Us govt and saying "Gee, that country is such moron! They can't tell the difference b/w real love and fake one"

of course you will be reunited, just keep the faith. there were moments when my fiance (now husband) and i felt really desperate about the process too, and we were thinking of hiring an attorney but then we did everything ourselves without any help and it worked out, it took us only 8 month to get the visa! On the other hand one friend of ours is doing it with an attorney and it took him about a year too and he still doesn't know what is happening with his paperwork because the embassy still hasn't sent an invitation to the interview. So, we made a conclusion it's better to go through this hell by yourself without attorneys, it will really save your time and money and whatever the lawyers do you can do it yourself. Don't worry, everything will be fine!

well, i got my visa without problems too, but behind it there was lots of worries and 8 months of waiting for the interview. if i was in charge of this process it would take less time, less paperwork and less money

They do take suggestions from regular people. Periodically they have scheduled input sessions, online, over the phone, via mail, and you can say something. Go to their website and look at "outreach" There are multiple opportunities. Here: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=ea015fc544007210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=ea015fc544007210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD

thnx, i will use you advice

Sometimes I feel like crying just thinking about the process.. I'm working on my packet 3 at the moment. I always think of the worse happening at my interview. My American fiance and I hired a lawyer, and he (lawyer) is lazy I find : \ Anyway, I think my fiance and I will be reunited after an ENTIRE year since he visited me

I hear you...

In spite of all that, I followed the rules and instructions very carefully and my now wife got her visa with absolutely no problems. And this out of Guayaquil, a very tough consulate.

Understand there will always be scammers, you just have to play by the rules and you'll be fine.

yes, it's a pity they don't take into consideration applicants suggestions and don't try to make the process a bit easier for us. thanks for all the comments. I guess we just must keep the faith and wait and wait and wait