brtlmj

I just can't believe the only thing they will accept- is:

1. A USA birth certificate with raised seal

2. Certificate of naturalization

3. US passport.

This can't be true, but you are right - this is what the website says. Note that a non-citizen CAN get a state ID! I think that whoever prepared the webpage made a mistake, that's all. They can't deny licenses to LPRs, after all!

My husband wasn't even allowed to get a CA ID without having either his greencard, EAD, or I-94 that was good for another 60 days when applying. You just have to wait for EAD or GC. Good luck.

True... California has an official list of documents they will accept, and NOA is not on the list. On the other hand, out of state/country license is valid as long as you are not a resident...

By the way, there is an article about the Real ID act in last issue of "The Economist". Here is one paragraph of it:

On January 25th Maine became the first state to revolt. Its legislature passed a resolution refusing to implement the Real ID Act with near unanimous support. On March 8th, Idaho approved a similar bill. Two dozen other states have measured pending that question the act or oppose it outright.

It's nice to know that sanity sometimes prevails.

When you get the visa do you really have 6 months to come out on it (and then the 90days to get married)? I thought i read somewhere you only had 4 months.

While I haven't seen a law that says "K-1 visas are issued with 6 month validity", I haven't heard of four-month K-1 visa either. Has anyone?

Mine was certainly valid for six months.

When would be roughly the best time to apply for the K1 visa for a wedding in August 2008? I'm thinking September / October would be time enough? I never realised how many RFE's you can get, and how much it may delay the application. I know once you get the visa you have up to 4 months i think to come out to the US on it and then get married within 90days.

You have six months to enter the US and 90 days to get married. Applying in September / October should be fine (in my very humble opinion), but remember - you can always delay the process, but you can't expedite it. It's better to apply too early than too late.

Oh, and be sure to check the timelines for your service center and consulate!

Is it possible to come out to the US for a holiday to visit my fiance while the I-129F is pending, before it gets sent to the US Consulate in the UK?

Yes. It's considered to be risky (just risky, not illegal), but people do it. Take plenty of evidence that your visit is temporary and you are coming back.

Good luck!

I have just past my driving test, but they wont give me a driving licence. I have sent off for my EAD and greencard, but only at the beginning of Jan and havent received them yet. They are stating that my I-94 record states that I am K1 status until 10 Jan 07, which has since past. They want to see my greencard, which of course I wont get for a while. Are they allowed to do this or is this a mistake on there part. I performed my test Kansas city, Missouri.

Your current status is "applicant for adjustment of status". Missouri DMV site states that you are eligible for a driver license. They require:

Immigration documentation indicating status, and

One of the following:

• Employment Authorization Document I-688B or I-766

• Passport

You can use your Notice of Action (you have received it, haven't you?) to prove your status, and you have a passport.

Print the document out (http://www.dor.mo.gov/mvdl/drivers/idrequirements.pdf) and try again. Good luck!

Any amount over 5k use a broker for highest rate/no bank charge. We opted for HIFX, easy to set up an account with them and money transferred into our US bank ac in a couple of days. Keep an eye on exchange rate prior to purchasing the dollars.

YES! Banks may advertise "no transfer fees", but their exchange rates SUCK. That's how they make money, after all.

I am happy with http://xe.com They also offer services like future contracts - pretty damn useful for someone who sells a house in Europe and buys one in the US.

Regarding exchange rates - even professionals can't predict them. For "normal" people, it's an absolute lottery. Usually the best we can do is to spread the risk by exchanging, say, a thousand pounds a week.

What about purchasing an external hard drive, for example and transferring the files on to that? I don't know if that would work...just a suggestion. If you could do that, it would certainly be lighter and take up less space.

It would. Actually, I'd suggest doing both - taking the CDs and a copy on a hard drive. Not in the same piece of luggage. Custom officers are the least of all dangers here

The status question is not all that complex:

You enter with a K-1 visa. The visa is now used and of no use (one minor exception). You are in K-1 STATUS. This status is valid for 90 days no matter what you do or do not do. On day 91, you are 'out of status' unless you have filed I-485.

Sometime in Day 1-90, you marry your USC petitioner. That is lovely, and that keeps the terms of the K-1 *adjustment* rules. On Day 91, you are out of status and married to a USC.

Until you file I-485, you are out of status.

All the marriage does is offer you a path to Permanent Resident status. If married in Day 1-90 (and entered as a K-1), then you can file AOS without an I-130. If you marry on Day 91+, you need to add an I-130. If you marry someone other than your petitioner, you leave the US and start over.

I realize that the instructions are particularly vague. That doesn't mean that the rule is vague, as we know of lots of missing "required" information from the various forms. That's why we talk together here, to help understand the lame instructions. Days out of status are one of these things. Yes, the instructions say 'promptly' but they don't tell you the law of unintended consequences. IF you decide to wait "too long", you jeoprodize your ability to travel in and out of the US, and you may be more vulnerable if you are picked up or questioned by an immigration officer.

Many of us who do not live on the borders are unaware that there are Border Patrol checkpoints well into the US where you will encounter immigration officers who want to see your proof of legal status.

I can't imagine why someone would not want to file their AOS ASAP.

MAKE IT A STICKY! There are so many misconceptions about this subject...

My (wholly uninformed gut) is saying that the fee increases, as it is so large (for the I-129F, it's more than the increases in the previous 20 years combined), are nothing more than a barrier mechanism. A way to keep 6-11 million new recipients of amnesty from bringing over spouses and/or naturalizing too quickly.

Even after the increase, it will still be cheaper to pay the fees than to cross Rio Grande The huge I-129F fee increase may have more to do with the percentage of petitions that are approved and never used.

Luckily, I have already paid most of my fees. I also never had any need to expedite my processing times - we planned well in advance. However, a significant percentage of applicants (all stages of the process) seem to be willing to pay more if it means getting visa/GC/citizenship sooner.

By the way, it's a big day today. I received my first pre-approved CC offer It does not matter that it went straight to my shredder (there is a certain unnamed place where they can stick their "platinum" card with a $200 limit, $70 sign-up fee and $70 annual fee), but hey, it's a start

My license took 4 days to arrive Hope you get yours fast too!

No license here yet It was supposed to arrive within six weeks...

Can we use the I-551 stamp of approval in Luis' passport to apply for a SSN? Or is it absolutely necessary to wait for the actual Green Card before going to the Social Security office?

The stamp is equivalent to GC. The only possible problem is that the person you will talk to at the SS office may not know it.

I just got my K1 today and it should be in my posession by early next week. I want to move the weekend of March 30th. Can I cross the POE & activate the visa with my Fiance? Can I bring my belongings as well?

It's perfectly fine. It's also pretty common.

Geico told me that it was impossible, at least in New York State, to *exclude* your spouse

from your insurance policy.

Interesting. Does it mean that getting married can invalidate one's policy?

My guess would be about a week. Some wait much longer, but it seems to be rare.

Thanks everyone:) one more question is it a week from approval mail? or the welcome notice? I am kinda of confused

I received mine six days after the "card production ordered" email and three days after "approval notice sent" email.

My guess would be about a week. Some wait much longer, but it seems to be rare.

I see three options:

2. Add her to your credit card as an authorized user (this will mean she won't technically have a credit card of her own, she'll just be authorized to use your credit card number with her name on it, and you'll be entirely responsible for her spending).

Thanks for the replies. I think #2 is the worst option becuase it doesn't create her credit history.

To the best of my knowledge, it does. My wife added me as an authorized user and the CC account is now listed as an "account in good standing" in my credit report.

I havent called yet because my husband doe shave the DL yet. But my insurance covers me for any driver that I give permission to.

The same applies for my insurance.

Read the fine print. You are likely to find a sentence or two that say that any driver that is a member of your household has to be explicitly named in your policy.

My wife (the USC) pays about one-third of what I pay for car insurance, and she is the primary driver on our new, more expensive car. In other words, our premiums quadrupled. But, we added a car.

Well, when I first heard of it, I did quite a bit of searching online but couldn't find the info.

However, as a police officer myself, I can tell you that this info is authentic. This information is being broadcasted on the news over here by my superiors so I am not divulging any privileged information.

I googled a bit and I am under an impression that it only concerns St Lucians. Not that it makes it any easier for you...

Good luck!

It has also come to light that beginning January 2008, the US will no longer be accepting non-machine-readable passports at POE.

Can you point me to the source of this information? Thanks!

Yep, one-way ticket is perfectly fine for a K-1 holder. It's also fine for a tourist - been there, done that. I think the only case when you really need a roundtrip ticket is when you are from a VWP country and traveling without a visa.

What are the consequences of being "out of status" if the intended immigrant is married to a US citizen and intends to file the paperwork and will file the paperwork, just not within 90 days? Say within....100 days?

As far as I know, there are no consequences. It's a technicality.

Of course, if someone thinks that marrying within 90 days alone makes him/her legal, and never applies for AOS, (s)he can expect problems down the road...

In theory you have to both marry and file for AOS within 90 days. However, I have never heard of anyone having problems because of sending the AOS papers late. So, don't worry about it.

Not true. The actual language states you must "apply promptly" after you get married. Nowhere does it say the forms must be submitted within 90 days. Only that you must marry within 90 days and apply promptly thereafter. The word "promtly" is vague, but it certainly does not mean you "have to both marry and file for AOS within 90 days."

Cheers.

Here we go again If you do not apply withing 90 days, you are out of status, and illegally in the US. Sure, it will be forgiven when you apply for AOS, but the fact remains.

In theory you have to both marry and file for AOS within 90 days. However, I have never heard of anyone having problems because of sending the AOS papers late. So, don't worry about it.

They will probably start by swearing you in and going through your application, making you answer some questions again (no, Officer, I have never been deported!). Then you will be asked some questions about your relationship (when did you meet for the first time, when did he propose...). If you have any documents with both your names on them - take them. Make a copy of each, just in case the officer wants one for their records. The entire interview probably won't take more than 15 minutes and hopefully at the end of it you will be approved and will get a stamp in your passport.

We took a few photos (old ones, we didn't have any post-wedding ones), statements of our joint bank account, our lease and car loan documents - it was enough.

For example interview questions, look here: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...ge=exampleq#aos Mind you, AOS interviews for K-1s seem to be much easier than average, so you are unlikely to be grilled to the extent that some were.

Good luck!