Lynkali

What a touching emotional topic, I wish I could actually give useful information! You're very brave and conscientious to sort as much out JUST IN CASE, and I'm amazed at your strength. I do know there is a Widower Guide for adjusting status ( http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/408478-widower-guide/) but since you've already submitted the ROC documents, I have no idea of the process or if there is a guide on this site. I would expect that it would be somewhat like a divorce waiver for ROC -- if the worst comes and your husband has to ROC alone, then he would attend the ROC interview and bring evidence of your good-faith marriage but change the ROC to a widower waiver, much like divorced couples do.
I'm pretty sure your husband would have to wait the full 5 years for citizenship naturalization if you were no longer present. But the 5-year naturalization isn't very difficult and he would not need much proof of a bonafide marriage at that point. Please note, I'm NO expert here other than lots of forum reading. Maybe Hypnos ( http://www.visajourney.com/forums/user/131060-hypnos/) or other longtime experts could chime in?
Obviously the other normal documents for estate planning need to be settled (a will and/or trust, a power of attorney over your estate) but those don't have much to do with immigration, and any estate planning lawyer/agency can help you out with those aspects.
GOOD LUCK and I truly hope this is all just speculation, I wish you the best in your upcoming surgery!

It is somewhat random and dependent on how busy your local service center is. We were K1 and had a very complete AOS package and no RFEs, but because the San Diego office was not especially busy, we got selected for an interview (after a fairly short wait -- interview was only 3 months after filing for AOS). Our interview was almost just a formality, there were no issues at all and we were approved basically just by showing up and talking to the case officer for a little while. Honestly I'm glad we had the interview, as that meant the wait was much shorter and green card was issued very quickly.
At least for K1, other people's files don't get sent to local offices because those offices are overcrowded. Then your file simply sits at the national center for extra months while you wait, and eventually you'll get approval after several more months. Not getting an interview usually means you will have to wait substantially longer for your actual green card.
Getting called for an AOS interview from K-1 doesn't necessarily mean that your package was dubious, it really seems to depend upon how busy the local centers are. Obviously they would also call interviews for less well-documented couples if they felt there were questions to be asked, but MANY people get interviews like ours, for no obvious reasons.

But it looks like your green card is already expired, and that won't work for travelling. In that case you'll need to get a stamp in your passport, since you don't have a paper NOA extension letter. I think an InfoPass appointment is in order, based on other threads I've seen like this?

But it looks like your green card is already expired, and that won't work for travelling. In that case you'll need to get a stamp in your passport, since you don't have a paper NOA extension letter. I think an InfoPass appointment is in order, based on other threads I've seen like this?

Just saying I managed to get all the way through to a citizenship without a joint bank account. It really isn't necessary

As the above poster said, "engaged" just means you're planning to get married. There is nothing official. My fiance and I talked for about five YEARS about getting married and maybe moving to be together, until we finally decided to file the I-129F. We never had one particular day where we said "okay now we're engaged" -- it just developed naturally over a period of months and years. I didn't have or want a ring, and neither did he. We are not religious at all. Other than many conversations, we had no particular "proof" of our engagement.
In the visa process, the lack of an official "date" of engagement and the lack of a ring were NEVER a problem. We did of course both write letters included in the visa packet that said "we intend to marry!" but other than that, we were never asked for any other engagement information. We had not even set a wedding date in particular, just knew we would get married after he arrived.
You're engaged if you plan to marry your fiance. Simply write a short statement saying you are able and very much willing to marry him/her, and you're set!

I have not travelled internationally with a cat, so I can't speak for customs procedures, but for twelve years in a row I travelled back and forth across the USA (California to Wisconsin) twice a year, with a very large Maine ####### (25 pounds!). Always in the cabin, and for the final six years he was diabetic and needed insulin shots! Loved him and he loved visiting family, but it was stressful to travel sometimes.
Some important things (as others have also mentioned):
- use a soft-sided carrier so kitty can get comfortable at your feet. Make sure it fits under seat, obviously!
- put absorbent pads or diapers as liners at the bottom of the carrier, kitties do have accidents on long trips, so treat it like a baby more or less
- you have to take him out of carrier at security, and carrying cat through the x-ray or metal detector is rather fun, everyone around loves to see it
- if you have a layover, find a quiet corner and open the carrier to offer water and/or food - bring a small water dish along
- not sure about internationally, but I always travelled with an up-to-date certificate of good health and vaccination status, sometimes the airline actually did verify it, though not on every flight
- warn your seat neighbors if any are allergic to cats, the flight attendant can help move them away so they don't sniffle too much
- takeoff and landing made my cat very scared, but the remainder of the flight he slept comfortably
- I started off sedating him, but after a few trips it wasn't necessary at all
- airlines vary widely on restrictions, I found United was the easiest to deal with but that was a while ago now, might have changed.
Good luck! Kitty is gone now but he was a great traveller for many years and I wouldn't change a thing, he loved being with my family twice a year, so it was totally worth the extra hassle.
Edit: eek, I guess language filter stripped out the cat breed, I am sorry. The large fluffy cats, like Norwegian Forest Cats. Can't post the second word as I guess it triggers the obscenity filter!

As the above poster said, "engaged" just means you're planning to get married. There is nothing official. My fiance and I talked for about five YEARS about getting married and maybe moving to be together, until we finally decided to file the I-129F. We never had one particular day where we said "okay now we're engaged" -- it just developed naturally over a period of months and years. I didn't have or want a ring, and neither did he. We are not religious at all. Other than many conversations, we had no particular "proof" of our engagement.
In the visa process, the lack of an official "date" of engagement and the lack of a ring were NEVER a problem. We did of course both write letters included in the visa packet that said "we intend to marry!" but other than that, we were never asked for any other engagement information. We had not even set a wedding date in particular, just knew we would get married after he arrived.
You're engaged if you plan to marry your fiance. Simply write a short statement saying you are able and very much willing to marry him/her, and you're set!

Thank you, I should have been more clear on that.
Remember that the officer who is going to be adjudicating your case has no idea who your are, knows nothing about your history etc, except for what they see on paper. By front loading the petition, I mean make a clear timeline for them, with supporting evidence.
In my case, since I lacked joint leases and joint assets, front loading meant writing out a personal statement detailing the entire relationship and marriage, and supporting it with substantial picture evidence. My ex and I were lucky to have traveled a lot, and spent all holidays with each others' families, so the pictures were clearly taken in different states, countries and over a span of many years. The pictures I guess provided a way to document the statement. Tax return transcripts, joint bank accounts and joint car insurance, joint health and dental plans helped to show comingling of finances during the time we were together.
All in all, the officer wants to be able to sit down, look at the case and say "this makes sense." Your job in this is to make sure it makes sense.
There is no one slam dunk piece you can give them. They look at the case as a whole, then make a subjective opinion as to whether or not it "makes sense."

Jon and Sol, as much as I enjoyed your first reference to Dan Savage, you outdid yourself on your second post, which I suspect will be received even more obliquely than the first. From my vantage point, your last sentence may be the single most exquisitely ironic post I have ever seen on VJ.
Therefore, by the power vested in me, I thusly present you with a full 10 out of 10 points.

Except, you know, intentionally overstaying and abusing the visa you were lucky enough to be issued, and then suddenly coming upon a legit marriage when it was discovered you were scheduled for deportation.

My my, how times have changed.

You will have to pay the $985 again, yes. I suspect you won't have to pay the $85 biometrics fee since you did that recently, but someone else can verify that for sure.
I am very sympathetic since I can imagine how frustrated and upset you must be, but like the others here, I would say: don't make any immediate decisions. The problems you're facing can be overcome, you just need to know exactly what it is that went wrong, and do better on the next filing. Wait for the denial letter and explain what it was they said you did wrong.
I am not sure about your overstay -- I suppose like Hypnos says, you may be able to visit the USA on VWP again if you leave very soon, but even then I'm not sure, since you did overstay your I-94. I honestly don't know what happens then, hopefully others will clarify.
Just bear in mind that if you do move back to Finland and you want to bring your husband there, you will have to go through a similar process to bring him to live in Finland. My husband and I considered it (before we decided on the K-1 route) and although the financial requirements are less demanding, it's still a LOT of bureaucratic forms and waiting and sitting around on pins and needles before any legal document is given to him (and requires similar proof of relationship and marriage -- more actually since you'll need an Apostille certificate of marriage which the USA doesn't do automatically). It's also worth considering: does he speak any Finnish? Are there realistic chances of him finding a job there without speaking Finnish? Will you have enough to live on given the high rents and the fact that he won't have KELA or any other health/unemployment benefits for at least 6 months, maybe more? It's not something to jump right into -- it's just as daunting for him to move to Finland as it was for you to come here, and actually even more so given the language barrier for him.

You will have to pay the $985 again, yes. I suspect you won't have to pay the $85 biometrics fee since you did that recently, but someone else can verify that for sure.
I am very sympathetic since I can imagine how frustrated and upset you must be, but like the others here, I would say: don't make any immediate decisions. The problems you're facing can be overcome, you just need to know exactly what it is that went wrong, and do better on the next filing. Wait for the denial letter and explain what it was they said you did wrong.
I am not sure about your overstay -- I suppose like Hypnos says, you may be able to visit the USA on VWP again if you leave very soon, but even then I'm not sure, since you did overstay your I-94. I honestly don't know what happens then, hopefully others will clarify.
Just bear in mind that if you do move back to Finland and you want to bring your husband there, you will have to go through a similar process to bring him to live in Finland. My husband and I considered it (before we decided on the K-1 route) and although the financial requirements are less demanding, it's still a LOT of bureaucratic forms and waiting and sitting around on pins and needles before any legal document is given to him (and requires similar proof of relationship and marriage -- more actually since you'll need an Apostille certificate of marriage which the USA doesn't do automatically). It's also worth considering: does he speak any Finnish? Are there realistic chances of him finding a job there without speaking Finnish? Will you have enough to live on given the high rents and the fact that he won't have KELA or any other health/unemployment benefits for at least 6 months, maybe more? It's not something to jump right into -- it's just as daunting for him to move to Finland as it was for you to come here, and actually even more so given the language barrier for him.

You will have to pay the $985 again, yes. I suspect you won't have to pay the $85 biometrics fee since you did that recently, but someone else can verify that for sure.
I am very sympathetic since I can imagine how frustrated and upset you must be, but like the others here, I would say: don't make any immediate decisions. The problems you're facing can be overcome, you just need to know exactly what it is that went wrong, and do better on the next filing. Wait for the denial letter and explain what it was they said you did wrong.
I am not sure about your overstay -- I suppose like Hypnos says, you may be able to visit the USA on VWP again if you leave very soon, but even then I'm not sure, since you did overstay your I-94. I honestly don't know what happens then, hopefully others will clarify.
Just bear in mind that if you do move back to Finland and you want to bring your husband there, you will have to go through a similar process to bring him to live in Finland. My husband and I considered it (before we decided on the K-1 route) and although the financial requirements are less demanding, it's still a LOT of bureaucratic forms and waiting and sitting around on pins and needles before any legal document is given to him (and requires similar proof of relationship and marriage -- more actually since you'll need an Apostille certificate of marriage which the USA doesn't do automatically). It's also worth considering: does he speak any Finnish? Are there realistic chances of him finding a job there without speaking Finnish? Will you have enough to live on given the high rents and the fact that he won't have KELA or any other health/unemployment benefits for at least 6 months, maybe more? It's not something to jump right into -- it's just as daunting for him to move to Finland as it was for you to come here, and actually even more so given the language barrier for him.

You have not had a visa approved. You had the I-129F petition approved. That petition approval grants your foreign fiance(e) the eligibility to apply for the K-1 visa at the US consulate in the country in which they legally reside. There are no US consulates in the US. The Dept. of State issues US visas, not your local USCIS office. You must interview at your appropriate US consulate abroad.

We are inquiring as to why would they make him return to Latvia to be interviewed at the US Embassy there?
Because those are the rules.
Can't he get the medical checks here in the states and be interviewed here in the US?
No, there are no US Embassies in the US.
I can't seem to convey to the USCIS phone staff that the trip back to Latvia is unnecessary bureaucratic red tape.
It's your problem not theirs.
He is already here!
Then he will return back.
He is supposed to stay here as a visitor until mid-June. There is no reason to go to the embassy in Latvia.
If he wants a K-1 there is.
Can anyone give me suggestions, directions, similar situations, success stories, contact information?
Follow the rules and stop trying to invent new ones. You will not win this.

You will have to pay the $985 again, yes. I suspect you won't have to pay the $85 biometrics fee since you did that recently, but someone else can verify that for sure.
I am very sympathetic since I can imagine how frustrated and upset you must be, but like the others here, I would say: don't make any immediate decisions. The problems you're facing can be overcome, you just need to know exactly what it is that went wrong, and do better on the next filing. Wait for the denial letter and explain what it was they said you did wrong.
I am not sure about your overstay -- I suppose like Hypnos says, you may be able to visit the USA on VWP again if you leave very soon, but even then I'm not sure, since you did overstay your I-94. I honestly don't know what happens then, hopefully others will clarify.
Just bear in mind that if you do move back to Finland and you want to bring your husband there, you will have to go through a similar process to bring him to live in Finland. My husband and I considered it (before we decided on the K-1 route) and although the financial requirements are less demanding, it's still a LOT of bureaucratic forms and waiting and sitting around on pins and needles before any legal document is given to him (and requires similar proof of relationship and marriage -- more actually since you'll need an Apostille certificate of marriage which the USA doesn't do automatically). It's also worth considering: does he speak any Finnish? Are there realistic chances of him finding a job there without speaking Finnish? Will you have enough to live on given the high rents and the fact that he won't have KELA or any other health/unemployment benefits for at least 6 months, maybe more? It's not something to jump right into -- it's just as daunting for him to move to Finland as it was for you to come here, and actually even more so given the language barrier for him.

If I recall correctly -- and please forgive me if I'm confusing you with someone else -- you initially had your entire packet returned, then you resubmitted in November/December and received a regular RFE, which you responded to. I don't recall if you explained what the RFE was for.
I'm in no way trying to be mean, but I suspect that given two different mistakes already, your denial came because you did not properly respond to the RFE. USCIS does not often give a second chance -- if your RFE response was not correct/sufficient, then your case can be denied.
You'll need to be VERY thorough when you file again -- please post your RFE and what it was you sent in response here, so you can get feedback. Something you're doing is not right (in the eyes of USCIS) and you'll need to figure out what it is before filing again.
In the meantime, yes, as I understand it you can stay here and file AOS again. You won't be able to leave the country and return until your EAD/AP comes through though.

Total process time for us was 9 months. At that moment it felt way to long. I wanted to be with my wife (then girlfriend) and move on with my life.
Now I'm with my wife for 9 months. And thinking back about the waiting period makes me smile. Its was only 9 months over a life time. It's big when you go through it but when its done you moved to the us and life is going on "trust me" its nothing. You survive and it only will make your bound stronger.
Some people are lucky and get approved within 2 months others have to wait a lot longer. There's nothing really we can do about it.

Correction. As a K-1 visa holder she is a LEGAL ALIEN ALLOWED TO WORK. She will need the EAD before she can begin work, but nonetheless she is still legal to work with this authorization.

The OP was a hundred feet from his house. Our mailboxes are about 100 feet from our house -- does my husband have to carry his passport/green card when he walks out to check the mailbox? Or to water the lawn? What about if we greet a neighbor and wander a bit off our driveway in conversation?
I'm puzzled why they didn't volunteer to get his passport from inside the house. I don't like the way the situation went down, but I doubt there was any specific violation on the policeman's side -- he was probably just suspicious (as Harpa said) of late-night odd activity and wanted to nip anything in the bud. Was there a racial component? Possibly, but it's not obvious ... I wouldn't make anything too much of it, but if I were the OP, I would be annoyed and probably start carrying my passport even to our mailboxes.

The OP was a hundred feet from his house. Our mailboxes are about 100 feet from our house -- does my husband have to carry his passport/green card when he walks out to check the mailbox? Or to water the lawn? What about if we greet a neighbor and wander a bit off our driveway in conversation?
I'm puzzled why they didn't volunteer to get his passport from inside the house. I don't like the way the situation went down, but I doubt there was any specific violation on the policeman's side -- he was probably just suspicious (as Harpa said) of late-night odd activity and wanted to nip anything in the bud. Was there a racial component? Possibly, but it's not obvious ... I wouldn't make anything too much of it, but if I were the OP, I would be annoyed and probably start carrying my passport even to our mailboxes.

The OP was a hundred feet from his house. Our mailboxes are about 100 feet from our house -- does my husband have to carry his passport/green card when he walks out to check the mailbox? Or to water the lawn? What about if we greet a neighbor and wander a bit off our driveway in conversation?
I'm puzzled why they didn't volunteer to get his passport from inside the house. I don't like the way the situation went down, but I doubt there was any specific violation on the policeman's side -- he was probably just suspicious (as Harpa said) of late-night odd activity and wanted to nip anything in the bud. Was there a racial component? Possibly, but it's not obvious ... I wouldn't make anything too much of it, but if I were the OP, I would be annoyed and probably start carrying my passport even to our mailboxes.

The OP was a hundred feet from his house. Our mailboxes are about 100 feet from our house -- does my husband have to carry his passport/green card when he walks out to check the mailbox? Or to water the lawn? What about if we greet a neighbor and wander a bit off our driveway in conversation?
I'm puzzled why they didn't volunteer to get his passport from inside the house. I don't like the way the situation went down, but I doubt there was any specific violation on the policeman's side -- he was probably just suspicious (as Harpa said) of late-night odd activity and wanted to nip anything in the bud. Was there a racial component? Possibly, but it's not obvious ... I wouldn't make anything too much of it, but if I were the OP, I would be annoyed and probably start carrying my passport even to our mailboxes.