tolitzpogi

50 minutes ago, vochoa8a said:

Does the stamp hold the same weight as the extension letter? Meaning, will it be as respected as the letter? 

My wife flew back from the Philippines just a month ago and had a I-551 stamp on her passport and didn't bring her extension letter with her. They let her back in with no issue apart from asking about the different last name (her passport still had her maiden name but her ticket and her CA ID had her married name, albeit with the maiden name also spelled out) and asking if she had a marriage certificate with her. She didn't but the officer let her through. However, she had already gone back and forth previously so I don't know if that makes a difference.

Also, her green card arrived a week prior to her return and I was waiting outside the gate with it just in case

Get that Infopass Appointment for the stamp and let the officer know your concerns, and good luck!

When is the GC expiring?

I mailed my stepdaughter's I-751 packet on 05/02/2018 and they received it the following day (05/03/2018) according to the tracking, but they didn't cash the check until yesterday, 06/06/2018. I was almost on the verge of scheduling an infopass appointment at the Los Angeles field office (her GC expires on 06/18/2018), but I'm glad they finally processed the payment. It took more than 31 days in my case so all I could say is hang in there.

Just gonna wait for the NOA1 now... 

The way I filed mine for my wife and two stepdaughters was this way (in order):

• G-1145 - Form for E-notification of Application/Petition Acceptance (should always be on top)

• Cover Sheet

On the the last page of the i-693 which contains a snapshot of what one would see on a DS-3025, is the box checked for "Vaccine history complete for each vaccine, all requirements met."?

I think they go with what is written on the i-693. If the civil surgeon states that all vaccine requirements are met, they will go with that.

You said the box is checked for "U.S. Vaccination Requirements COMPLETE" so I don't think there's gonna be an issue.

Yeah, you shouldn't need AP if you're travelling within the 50 states or any of the U.S. territories (Puerto Rico, Guam, etc).

I think you can still type in "K-1 Visa Holder" in the status field.

Just be ready to answer why it took you so long to get the paperwork submitted IF THEY ASK. Usually they don't ask this unless it has been YEARS since he first entered the country.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the 6-month validity pertains to the the time limit that the person can use the K-1 visa to enter the United States, while the 12-month validity refers to the time limit that it can be used as a requirement for AOS.

If you have not entered the U.S. yet after 6 months have passed after your medical exam, you will need to redo the medical exam and maybe reapply for the visa.

If you have already entered the U.S. but have not filed your AOS after a year has passed after your medical exam, then you will need to redo the medical exam and have it transcribed by a civil surgeon.

Again, someone correct me if I got it wrong, especially with the 6-month thing.

I cannot comprehend why women from the Philippines look for an American, come to America and then cannot wait to go back to their country. They should just stay in their country and find a pinoy to marry.

I haven't been to my home state in over 10 years and I don't sit around complaining about it.

If it is so great in the Philippines, then why leave??

I assume you're not generalizing, because if you were, you'll open a can of worms that'll just get you embarrassed

Weren't you the one who petitioned for her to be with you, which is why she left her country? Or did she force you to have her go there and stay with you against your will?

Stay reasonable and avoid blaming an entire people for your personal frustrations...

If you post in English you'll have a better chance of an answer to your question as others will understand your question and help. Just my thought.

I understand Tagalog, and even I can't understand half of what was said by the OP, lol

I think there may be something here you're not telling us... you may be having constant arguments with her about whatever that might be prompting her to behave the way she's allegedly behaving.

My wife is a firecracker and changes moods faster than I can change my underwear, but I know she loves me and cares for me regardless of our constant arguments. In her case, what she earns at work is hers and hers alone and I don't intrude in her finances, because she sends money to her parents in the PI and spoils her two children here. I have learned not to expect her to share in the bills and contribute to the rent for now (mainly because her paycheck is minuscule compared to mine), and her penchant for shopping for new clothes has often been a sore point for me. But I have learned to weigh in the good with the bad, and in my eyes she has way more positive points, and that's what I think about every time I have the urge to start an argument.

Granted, she cooks and cleans the house, albeit not as often as I want to, but she does her part and I always compliment her and praise her on her cooking. She is visibly happier when she talks to her parents and siblings on Skype than she is with me, but that is a given since she knows them way longer than she has known me.

I guess my point is to understand where she's coming from. I don't blame her for wanting to go back to the Philippines, it's another given for those who relocate to another country without the family they grew up with (not just for those from the Philippines), but I guess the tighter the family relationship, the stronger the desire is to reconnect, and Philippine family structures are one of the tightest in the world.

Ultimately the decision is up to you. You have control over the situation and you know best what the current circumstances are. Everyone wants to be happy. She wants to do what makes her happy, so I suggest you do the same as well.

Good luck.

1) how long did it take to get employment authorization and temporary green card for you?

2) should I apply for advance parole with the form of status adjustment as well? How fast you can get it?

1.) My wife did her Biometrics appointment less than 30 days after filing, and then received her EAD/APO combo card 70 days after filing.

(Note that current processing times seem to be taking a bit longer).

2.) There is no additional fees to file it, so I strongly recommend you file it along with your other AOS documents. Some feel that they won't need it but it's best to have it and not need it as opposed to suddenly needing it and not having it

Good luck!

Thank You for your information. My step son was a K-2 to follow and entered the country in March 2016. His mother entered in October of 2015 and we were married in November 2015 and she got approval for AOS in 62 days with no interview.

My stepson has approvals for AP and EAD as of a few days ago. We have had no word on his AOS/GC application with the "Check Case" on USCIS.GOV being down and giving you the "Gray Screen of Death" when there is no information.

Given your scenario with your daughters you described above, did you get a sense that they were testing you for human trafficking? Did your daughters share your or their mother's last name? Given your daughters ages and that they arrived later, it seems to me all the USCIS could think of was human trafficking.

After reading all the advice I can on VJ, I suspect my son will get an interview to check him out since his last name is the same as his biological father and different from my wife's last name (her family name) as is Vietnamese tradition. I suspect they too will question him and us on the line of human trafficking since we are dealing with 3 different last names and 2 different K1/2 entry dates.

If you could, could you list some specific questions that were made in each interview. It may be helpful to my stepson and others who may have to follow in this path.

Hey there

The thought of them testing me for human trafficking never even entered my mind, since the interviewer's issue with my older step-daughter was that she was allegedly supposed to have filed at the same time as her mother. Even after a couple attempts of informing her of the "to-follow" rule, she refused to accept explanations and insisted that my daughter's situation was "strange and confusing." The fact that she asked more for my wife's documents rather than my daughter's led me to believe that this is her first "to-follow" case and she does not know much about that process of separate AOS filings.

This was reinforced by the fact that my younger step-daughter did not have similar issues in her AOS interview, which shows her interviewer was more knowledgeable about the process.

Yours is a different situation compared to mine since both my daughters had their mother's last name, and their father was never mentioned in their birth certificates (i.e. they were designated illegitimate children), and my wife had never been married to their father.

The burden of proof would be more in your case, as you would have to provide more documents and certificates explaining the discrepancy in your stepson's last name. However, you probably already have those documents handy since you would have already showed them during your wife's I-129 petition. If that is the case, you would need to prepare for an accurate and concise verbal explanation of those documents as they pertain to your stepson.

How old is your stepson? Depending on how old he is, there is a definite possibility that he will be asked as well, so it would be useful for him to also be able to explain his relationship to you, your wife, and his bio father. As long as you can clearly explain how he is related to your wife and how he has no more existing relationship with his bio father, you should be good. And make sure your paperwork is complete and bring the originals for good measure.

The AOS interview is usually scheduled about a month (or two at the most) the EAD/AP combo card is received. Good luck!

Give it another week or two at the most. Sometimes they receive the mail but have not registered it on their system... it's probably sitting in some pile waiting for its turn...

My wife and I have arguments every week, lol... It's part of marriage, and not really related to being a K-1. As some have already said, adjusting to a new environment and being away from loved ones that have been with you your whole life can have a significant effect.

It's not the amount of arguments that defines a relationship, it's the number of times you forgive, forget, and move on

Do you mean WHEN YOU enter US first time with Green card, they will send you to the room for further details?

No, only if you have the EAD/AP combo card, not the green card.

Green card allows you reentry with no problems.

20 suitcases... holy moly... is your fiance a fashion model in Russia?

Kidding aside, I admire you for even entertaining her desire to transport that much clothes and personal property to the United States. Most of us would've said "are you kidding?" and tried to convince her to carry one tenth of that. But I guess there's security there, coz if she's willing to bring in that much stuff, then she's preparing for the long haul and saving you a ton of money on new clothes (again I ask, is she a fashion model?).

In any case, good luck and congratulations!

She wouldn;t need to wait a year; she can start school later than the official start of the school year, it may just be a bit harder without orientation, and missing the first few weeks of instruction etc.

That's why I said it would be a bit difficult for her daughter to start school a week or two after she arrives, with no time to acclimate or even get used to the time zone yet

The school year usually starts around end of August or early September. After your K-1 interview, the earliest you can be stateside would be about second week of September, around which the school year should have already started.

It would a bit difficult on the child she starts school while she still has jetlag, so to speak. But that would also mean she will need to wait an entire year before she can go to school. Timing is a bit inconvenient in your case, although I am sure your daughter would be ecstatic about the "no school for a year" proposition... until she gets bored at home after the third month

In any case, good luck on your interview!

Just wanted to share my story of how the K-2 AOS interviews went for my two stepdaughters this year:

FIRST K-2 DAUGHTER

Age at AOS Interview: 17 years old

Interview Location: USICS Los Angeles Field Office

Interview Time: 1:30pm

Her AOS interview appointment was set at 1:30pm, so I was already nervous - I heard that appointments set in the afternoon if the case had some issues. But I was still optimistic and expecting a smooth appointment.

I was very prepared and brought a copy of her AOS paperwork along with some pictures, copies of her bank statements (for minor children), etc. I did the same for my wife's AOS interview last year so I was a bit confident, until they told us to proceed to a separate room for the interview. Alarm bells flashed immediately in my mind and they were justified as soon as we got there.

The lady who saw us was a small woman who looked Southeast Asian (almost looked Filipino) and not very friendly... actually, that's an understatement. It looked more like an interrogation than an interview. My step-daughter was feeling the hostility and became very nervous, and stuttered a bit when answering some questions. Since she was a minor, I volunteered some information that she wouldn't normally know (i.e. the lady asked if she knew what a K-2 was... what the hell!), but she snapped at me telling me to let my step-daughter answer the questions. So I kept my peace and allowed her to move forward with her "interrogation."

It was a very uncomfortable 30 minutes, and I would've gladly suffered through it if it meant she would be approved on the spot, but the lady started questioning why my step-daughter's AOS wasn't done at the same time as her mother. I reasoned that my wife came to the U.S. first and my step-daughter was designated "to-follow", allowing her to finish high school in the Philippines before she came here. The lady started to look confused and said she has never encountered a case where the K-2 dependent didn't arrive at the same time as the mother, nor has she encountered a K-2 whose AOS was separate from the mother. I again reasoned that my wife arrived first and was already an LPR, and that since my step-daughter arrived a few months later, her AOS was naturally separate, with its own set of forms including the affidavit of support. The lady was still shaking her head and said it's the first time she heard of that!

But the kicker was when she asked if I had my wife's AOS documents. I told her that I did not since my wife already has her green card, and my wife offered to show it to her, but the lady said she needs to verify something since the mother and the child should've filed for AOS together. I showed her our marriage certificate and even her embassy letter and USCIS NOAs showing the names of her two children as dependents. But the lady said she needs my wife's AOS documents. She then said she will need to look it up in their system, and that my step-daughter's approval will be on hold until she can look at those documents. She then gave us a letter showing we attended the interview and that the approval is pending further documents, but it was not an RFE (thank god).

Total elapsed time: 35 minutes.

We walked out of that room wondering what just happened. My step-daughter was asking if the reason she was not approved immediately was that she answered incorrectly, and I told her it wasn't, and explained that we were unlucky to be interviewed by someone who didn't know enough about the AOS process.

Good news was that her AOS was approved eventually - more than three months later... with no explanation as to why it was delayed.

* * * * *

SECOND K-2 DAUGHTER

Age at AOS Interview: 12 years old

Interview Location: USICS Los Angeles Field Office

Interview Time: 10:00am

With our not so good experience with her big sister's AOS interview, I made sure that my younger step-daughter's documentation was front-loaded to hell. I brought her AOS documents, my wife's AOS documents, and even my own Naturalization documents and U.S. passport, in case we encountered the witch lady again. I was carrying two fat folders in my arms filled with those documents and dozens of verification, from pictures to school papers to medical records. I was not taking any chances!

Interview time was 10am, and rumors had it that morning appointments were pretty fast and easy, but I expected the worst. This time our interviewer was a tall, old man who looked Korean, and he was G-R-U-M-P-Y! He wasn't a fan of idle chatter, and was even hesitant to shake my hand. He asked his questions like he was scolding my step-daughter, but I already coached her to keep smiling and answer questions directly. The questions were short and to the point - her address, her age, her birthdate, does she go to school, which school, who her father was, why (the hell) I wasn't her biological father, etc.

The only documents he asked for were our CA IDs, my wife's green card, and my step-daughter's EAD/AP & SS card. He looked at them, stepped out to make copies, came back, returned our cards, and put check marks on documents in a folder. He then signed a letter and told us my step-daughter was approved and to expect her green card in a few weeks. Then, as if as an afterthought, he told us congratulations.

Total elapsed time: 15 minutes.

The K-2 AOS interviews were in direct contrast to my wife's AOS interview, which was very pleasant and cordial, and lasted 8 minutes. Anyway, that's my story and I wish those who will go through the K-2 AOS interview the best of luck.

Just watch out for tiny witch woman and grumpy old fart for those who have interviews in Los Angeles...

The only problem with a walk-in is that you have to be at the USCIS office really really early to beat the long lines, and depending on how busy it is, there is that possibility that they won't be able to see you, anyway.

I agree with P-ana... schedule an infopass appointment at the earliest possible date (even if it's next month), and then do the walk-in.

And I hope your dad's condition improves...

I would recommend scheduling an infopass appointment at the earliest possible day.

https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-processes-and-procedures/travel-documents/emergency-travel

tolitzpogi when your wife enter US with her combo card, did she walk in the tourist line or the Green card line? Thank you!!

No, she lined up at one of the spots reserved for permanent residents and U.S. citizens. She had her two kids in tow (both K2). They were then escorted to a room where "additional verification" is conducted (almost everyone who reenters the U.S. for the first time goes to this room, I heard). There they waited about an hour to be called. I don't know if this was because she also had two K2 children with her in addition to her using her AP for the first time, but they didn't encounter any issues aside from the wait.

Yes, I forgot to mention that you should only be out of the country for a "reasonable" amount of time. My wife was only out of the country for two weeks. Anything past two months can bring up a red flag upon reentry.

My wife was in the Philippines picking up her kids when her green card arrived by mail here in the U.S. She used her EAD/AP combo card for reentry back into the U.S., but I brought her green card to the airport just in case there were any problems.

I guess the point is, the EAD/AP combo card should be sufficient to allow her to get back in, because I would think they checked her immigration status on their system upon reentry anyway and found that she has already been approved for legal permanent resident. But the wait was long and nerve-wracking.