NM2428

Hey everyone,
 
I've been a long time lurker to this forum and I signed up to inform you guys that my case was just approved. My NOA was June 14 2017 and I filed at the CSC.
My receipt # is WAC17257
 
I was getting anxious because I was using that case tracker app and the 4 or 5 cases before and and two cases after me had been approved 2 weeks ago and mine was stuck at the "Case Was Received At My Local Office" since February 26th.
 
The USCIS website still shows my application as "Case Was Received At My Local Office" but the DHS account shows that my case as approved as well as the card is being produced.
 
My initial interview for the I-485 was very quick. We bought our evidence and picture album and he didn't bother looking at them at all. Just asked me a few things about the form and that was it.
 
Also I didn't get a RFE or an Interview for the ROC.
I did go get an extension stamp in my passport and very nice lady at the desk told me to go ahead and file for the N-400 since they were moving along quickly in my city. I spoke to my wife about it but we decided against it since my ROC was close to being approved. Just didn't want to add anymore delays but now I will be filing my N-400.
 
Just wanted to give you guys some input and I will be glad to answer any questions you guys might have.
 
Stay patient everyone! Your turn is coming up shortly!
 

Well after the case was approved.  We got an update that the card was produced.  Another notice that the card was mailed, then a notice that the green card arrived.  Both my green card and official approval letter arrived in the mail today!  (only 2 days after approval notice)  YAY!!  😍  It's hard to wait for all of us, and quite the process we've all gone, or are going through.   We've learnt a lot along the way!  They are going through the June 2017 ROC filers.  It'll be your turn soon.  Thanks to everyone on here who offer great advice and helped guide us through.  We couldn't have done it without the support system in place here.  Again, Thank-you all.

Congratulations!!!   I’m wac1808****.
 
Was your case transfered?
Did you received a Courtesy copy for 18month Ext?
do you have a lawyer? 
 
 

Well after the case was approved.  We got an update that the card was produced.  Another notice that the card was mailed, then a notice that the green card arrived.  Both my green card and official approval letter arrived in the mail today!  (only 2 days after approval notice)  YAY!!  😍  It's hard to wait for all of us, and quite the process we've all gone, or are going through.   We've learnt a lot along the way!  They are going through the June 2017 ROC filers.  It'll be your turn soon.  Thanks to everyone on here who offer great advice and helped guide us through.  We couldn't have done it without the support system in place here.  Again, Thank-you all.

Well after the case was approved.  We got an update that the card was produced.  Another notice that the card was mailed, then a notice that the green card arrived.  Both my green card and official approval letter arrived in the mail today!  (only 2 days after approval notice)  YAY!!  😍  It's hard to wait for all of us, and quite the process we've all gone, or are going through.   We've learnt a lot along the way!  They are going through the June 2017 ROC filers.  It'll be your turn soon.  Thanks to everyone on here who offer great advice and helped guide us through.  We couldn't have done it without the support system in place here.  Again, Thank-you all.

Well after the case was approved.  We got an update that the card was produced.  Another notice that the card was mailed, then a notice that the green card arrived.  Both my green card and official approval letter arrived in the mail today!  (only 2 days after approval notice)  YAY!!  😍  It's hard to wait for all of us, and quite the process we've all gone, or are going through.   We've learnt a lot along the way!  They are going through the June 2017 ROC filers.  It'll be your turn soon.  Thanks to everyone on here who offer great advice and helped guide us through.  We couldn't have done it without the support system in place here.  Again, Thank-you all.

Well after the case was approved.  We got an update that the card was produced.  Another notice that the card was mailed, then a notice that the green card arrived.  Both my green card and official approval letter arrived in the mail today!  (only 2 days after approval notice)  YAY!!  😍  It's hard to wait for all of us, and quite the process we've all gone, or are going through.   We've learnt a lot along the way!  They are going through the June 2017 ROC filers.  It'll be your turn soon.  Thanks to everyone on here who offer great advice and helped guide us through.  We couldn't have done it without the support system in place here.  Again, Thank-you all.

Well after the case was approved.  We got an update that the card was produced.  Another notice that the card was mailed, then a notice that the green card arrived.  Both my green card and official approval letter arrived in the mail today!  (only 2 days after approval notice)  YAY!!  😍  It's hard to wait for all of us, and quite the process we've all gone, or are going through.   We've learnt a lot along the way!  They are going through the June 2017 ROC filers.  It'll be your turn soon.  Thanks to everyone on here who offer great advice and helped guide us through.  We couldn't have done it without the support system in place here.  Again, Thank-you all.

yes, the stamp is the only thing, until you get your 10 years green card.
 
I've traveled with both, Ext. letter+expired green card and just with the stamp in my passport, recently, in September - not a problem, at all. I guess it depends on the airline. Air Canada, Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, United - they are usually well aware, so maybe next time, if you have to travel,  try to pick one of those.. if you can.
 
And of course, I wish you got your approval soon ! Fingers crossed.

Ok, a little backwards, but I’ll accept it. We got my official approval notice today via email and text. AFTER the “green card is being produced” notice 🤪. At the bottom of the card production notice it still said you case is under review. So now it’s official and we wait for the approval letter and new green card to arrive!  Fine by us. As long as they arrive without any hiccups. As you can see in the photo we are a WAC 1726 case number, filing at the CSC. 

Yay!  I recieved a text and an e-mail today stating My new card is being produced.
We filed for removal of conditions June 19, 2017
Bio Apt 7-21-17
March 5, 2018 Case transferred to local office notice.
Aug 20, 2018 appointment at Embassy i55 stamp in passport
Aug 24,2018 Received courtesy 18 month extension letter
No RFE.  No Interview.
Oct 5, 2018 Card production notice  😊   
Now, we wait for it to arrive and be in-hand!
 
Congratulations to all who have been approved & good luck to those that are still waiting!
This site has been a huge help throughout the whole process!  The sample forms and letters, the guides, and the people within this forum.  Thank-you all so, so, soooo much! 
 

Ok, a little backwards, but I’ll accept it. We got my official approval notice today via email and text. AFTER the “green card is being produced” notice 🤪. At the bottom of the card production notice it still said you case is under review. So now it’s official and we wait for the approval letter and new green card to arrive!  Fine by us. As long as they arrive without any hiccups. As you can see in the photo we are a WAC 1726 case number, filing at the CSC. 

Ok, a little backwards, but I’ll accept it. We got my official approval notice today via email and text. AFTER the “green card is being produced” notice 🤪. At the bottom of the card production notice it still said you case is under review. So now it’s official and we wait for the approval letter and new green card to arrive!  Fine by us. As long as they arrive without any hiccups. As you can see in the photo we are a WAC 1726 case number, filing at the CSC. 

Yay!  I recieved a text and an e-mail today stating My new card is being produced.
We filed for removal of conditions June 19, 2017
Bio Apt 7-21-17
March 5, 2018 Case transferred to local office notice.
Aug 20, 2018 appointment at Embassy i55 stamp in passport
Aug 24,2018 Received courtesy 18 month extension letter
No RFE.  No Interview.
Oct 5, 2018 Card production notice  😊   
Now, we wait for it to arrive and be in-hand!
 
Congratulations to all who have been approved & good luck to those that are still waiting!
This site has been a huge help throughout the whole process!  The sample forms and letters, the guides, and the people within this forum.  Thank-you all so, so, soooo much! 
 

You will need to file a us income tax, with foreign income for tax year 2018.  I would recommed that you contact the Canadian employer and ask them to take "non resident" income tax...which is usually a flat rate 25%. I am in a situation where my pervious employer took 35 % and now I am fighting to get the 10% back from CRA.
When you file your 2018 with the IRS, the Canadian income tax will most likely out weigh the US tax owed even with the exchange.

Don't know what kind of issues you'd expect. Canada will probably want their taxes is all I see

My card has been picked up by USPS today according to my online status. I must be receiving it in the next 2-3 days
 
Good luck all CSC filers. It is finally moving..
 

I’m so excited, my case just got approved and my Greencard is on the way 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉 I filed on June 6th 2017 at CSC with a divorce waiver and got approved without interview.
 
I have to thank everybody here in visajourney, I honestly couldn’t have done it without you guys!!!
 
 

oh and I received my 18 months extension letter last week, and I thought it means an even longer wait.  So I was so surprised when I saw the update today!!!

Hi all, WAC1725 here. I received the extension "notification" letter last week, today I received an approval letter! My case status was not updated, nor did I receive any type of email / text. I'll update my timeline when the actual card arrives!

I would just file the letter in my records and forget it.........don't destroy it.

Congrats!!!!  Wow that was a long wait. 

The NOA extension letter extends the status of the green card for one year. For example, if your green card expires in May and you filed for I-751 in February and received the Extension Letter in March, your green card status doesn't expire the following March but expires a year after your green card expires - the following May. If your extended greencard is about to expire or has expired you can obtain proof that you are still a permanent resident by getting the I-551 stamp placed in your unexpired passport, or on an I-94 form that is placed in your expired passport. The I-551 stamp is valid usually for another year, although some offices only extend the status for 6 months. It has an expiry date that is based on the date you get the stamp and not on your green card.
You make an Infopass appointment by going to the www.uscis.gov website, clicking on 'schedule an appointment' on the far right and you can select 'did not receive green card' as a category. There are several options for categories so if you get 'no appointments available' try using a different category. You should be provided with a series of options for dates or at least one date for an infopass. I printed out my confirmation letter but didn't need it. Bring your greencard, your NOA and your unexpired passport. If your passport is expired then bring 2 passport sized photographs and your expired passport. They will check your status using your A number or your case number, stamp your passport with the I-551 stamp, and you are good to go.
My experience was probably the easiest experience I have ever had dealing with USCIS or the Consulates.

All your first quote means is that they want documentes dated since the time your PR was approved. They don't want anything dated before that time.
All they want is some differing forms of evidence that you have a shared life during the period since you were approved for PR. Phone bills in both your name every six months shows that. It shows that you continued to have that shared account during the time period. Same with a credit card.
Each person will have a different types of documents to provide... it is truly unique.. But the documents that they love the most are the following
1) Proof of joint ownership or leasing of property (real or personal) such as house deeds, property tax statements, car titles, car registration documents, etc.
2) Proof of joint financial information (bank statements in both your names, joint credit card accounts, etc)
3) Proof of beneficiary status (having each as a beneficiary on life insurance, 401k's etc. Wills made naming each as executor, medical and financial powers of attorney for each other, etc.)
4) Tax returns filed as married (seperately or jointly) If separately, they both should have the same address.
If you have a few things from each of the first three categories plus the tax returns, you will have little problem being approved either at the SC or during an interview (if you are randomly selected)

I had the great opportunity to have dinner with a director of the VSC Saturday evening. A sit turns out his wife is Russian, came here on a K-1 and is now an aquaintance of Alla. So we had some great conversation. Our next step will be the I-751 and he has worked in his career as an IO who conducted AOS and lifting of conditions interviews and gave me lots of good information on evidence. Here are some things he likes to see and others which are "useless" in his words
Good stuff
Joint bank accounts, joint tax returns, joint ownership of property, cars. Joint leases. Joint insurance. Named as beneficiaries on life insurance and medical insurance. Joint credit cards. Any other joining of financial interests (the theory is that if one is willing to risk your property and money the relationship is more likely valid) Government documents showing common address, drivers lisence, etc. Photos are good, kind of expected, but NOT primary evidence.
Children?
Yes and no. If you just had a child together and the man is nothing more than a sperm donor...no. IF you have children, whether "together" or with a blended family and there is evidence that BOTH participate in the child's development and education, and care that is great! I told him I am listed on all of our son's school papers as parent, I am an emergency contact and I sign all the permission slips, etc. He is covered by my medical insurance. All good stuff. A birth certificate in itself ("Look we have a kid") does not prove a legitmate relationship. It is especially important that the school (an objective 3rd party) recognizes both people as "parents" and accepts this. Medical records for the child showing both people as parents. same reasoning. If a doctor will recognize and treat a child based on their knowledge of both being parents, that is pretty darn good evidence.
Useless or not so useful stuff
Magazine subscriptions together (WHAT??? "Yes, you would be surprised how many couples present a Sports Illustrated subscription as proof") Utilities, cards and letters from relatives, emails, chats etc. Theory? all of these can be easily faked and in themselves prove nothing. Utilities do not verify information before adding someone to an account and hey, it's the electric bill, you are going to pay the electric bill anyway. There is no financial risk involved, no commitment as in joint ownership. Affidavits from friends or family do not have a lot of weight. None of these things are BAD and in conjunction with other evidence are fine, but not enough to prove anything themselves.
This is probably not news to a lot of people, but it was good to hear it from the "horse's mouth" anyway.
Incidentally, I mentioned that we never had a question at any of our interviews and never were asked for any evidence and he said "Sometimes we can just tell. Whatever you did, whatever your body language or how you acted, the IO was immediately convinced you were legitimate" I cannot say what that was, unfortunately.
Another question I asked, actually Alla did since she did not change her name
Does it matter if the woman changes her name?: NO, not at all.
About citizenship (Alla also asked)
Can I be a dual citizen? Answer..."The United States does not recognize other citizenships. You are a US citizen or you are not a US citizen. Once you become a US citizen the United States does not consider you anything else. We will not take your passport from Ukraine and we will not tell Ukraine you are now a citizen of the US. If you want to keep your Ukraine passport and renew it in Ukraine when you are visiting, it is none of our concern"
So the US has no policy and does not recognize any such thing as "dual citizenship" per se, but has no prohibitions from a person being a citizen of another country also, for the US you will always be considered a US citizen
Can I use a Ukraine passport to enter Ukraine and a US passport to enter the US? Yes, no problem.
What about stamps in the passport from the US or Ukraine?: The officers at the POE will ask where you have been, they rarely will look through all your exit stamps and really don't care. They are admitting you to the US, they really don't care if the country you LEFT stamped your passport, the US does not stamp passports on exit.
I ask this because Ukraine does not allow dual citizenship and I do want to keep my Ukraine passport for ease of travel to Russia, etc, and also if we ever decided to return, we have property there, I could easily work, etc. I do not want to do anything wrong and get in trouble here. The US does not care about Ukrainian law regarding citizenship, that's between you and Ukraine, but WE won't tell. Unless there is some order from a court or something, we don't give out that information.