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StrawberryKiss

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Posts posted by StrawberryKiss

  1. I hope I get mine this week..I am already stress out of this GC...heard so many horror stories.

    I know what you mean :) I feared the same because I wouldn't have had any kind of tracking in case it got lost in the mail or delivered wrong and accepted by whoever. But everything will turn out alright!

  2. It actually happened to me, too! It said my card was mailed on Jan 23, but even though I have an account on the USCIS website and receive notification e-mails, I never received a tracking number. I received my GC in the mail today. It must be a system error or so.

    If it says it got mailed, it means it was collected by a USPS mail facility (not sure why they would do that on a Sunday though) and then it gets sorted and is on its way to you (according to my tracking history that I looked up using the tracking # on the envelope)! It is 2-day priority mail shipping, so expect the GC to arrive by the middle of the week.

  3. You just need to be a legal resident (have a residence permit, visa or dual citizenship, for example) in Haiti in order to be able to get the medical and interview done there. A visitor visa is would not be enough. But as you said you could get a Haitian passport, so you'd have that citizenship already and it wouldn't be a problem at all. You'd just have to let USCIS and both consulates know about your change of residency, possibly send them all a copy of your new passport.

    As for your concern, I wouldn't withdraw the petition either. As other VJers have pointed out, you still have months of waiting ahead of you and you can try to delay the process as much as it's somehow possible. Visa is valid for 6 months for entry and then you even still have another 3 months to get married, which gives you a huge timeframe to figure things out upon the approval of your visa.

  4. You wouldn't adjust to a K3 but to a permanent legal resident in the US. A K3 is for entering the US with a spousal visa and then adjusting the status to a permanent legal resident.

    If you/your spouse are/is already in the US and entered with a tourist visa, I totally agree with Phy.

  5. It took us 5.5 months to get our NOA2 and then our case was at NVC for another 6 months. Then add another month until the interview took place. The consulate in Frankfurt is never too crowded (except for June/July when all the high school and college students have their interviews as well), so NVC can assign you a slot very quickly (I think my interview was 4 weeks after having our case completed by NVC). The question is how backed up the Service Center and NVC will be at that time...

  6. Ugh, how rude of her! Sorry to hear that. They're not all like that, though. Just gotta keep trying!

    I don't know how they run it exactly. They probably just needed one ID # from you to verify your ID and get access to your file. I guess numbers from ID cards or residence permits would also work. I just always showed the people at the Rathaus my German ID and they asked for my DOB to access my file and then they asked if my registered address was still current concerning the delivery. But they can only see the address you're registered under, marital state etc., not any criminal records. Only the people in Bonn can do that.

  7. It is a bit complicated because the employees in the Rathaus are supposed to let the Bundesgerichtshof know where they need to send the police certificate to and they usually go by the German address that you're registered under (Army bases and APO addresses don't count as German territory and Deutsche Post cannot deliver the mail there because they're not allowed to). Try talking to the employees again, maybe they can find a way.

    If it's not far away you could also appear in person at the Bundesgerichtshof and request the certificate. Or directly mail a written request to them and explain your situation. If you're overseas and apply for one through a German embassy/consulate, they also forward the requests to the Bundesgerichtshof in Bonn, so I don't see why directly sending them a letter wouldn't work out in the end.

    Visitors and mailing address can be found here:: http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/fees/reciprocity-by-country/GM.html#policerecords-1

  8. In the email we got it said 60 days, so calendar days. But that was already at the beginning of last August. I hope for everyone that they didn't change it.

    In fact, having scanned this thread a lot of issues people have raised were questioned at this meeting (such as non-applicable fields being left blank) to which the NVC responded that they wouldn't checklist people for. I really do think we need to start calling and complaining to effect change.

    My husband had complained to NVC about the "misleading instructions" for the AOS forms (talking about leaving non-applicable fields blank). They just said that the forms and instructions are created and released by the Department of State and NVC knows very well that they are misleading with regard to how they are to review and handle the forms, but the only "solution" (according to NVC) was to keep complaining to DOS so they would finally change the instructions. <_<

  9. If other people have gotten a checklist for it, it's very likely that you will, too. You can definitely try calling NVC (which I recommend) and ask if you can bring the document to the interview, but if they actually let you is a different question (and not very likely unless you have gotten checklists before). If they don't, get the necessary document and mail it to NVC ASAP because it takes them another 60 days to review your new documents upon receipt. Good luck!

  10. You always go into secondary after handing over your sealed brown envelope and passport to the CBP officer because they need to take your fingerprints with ink and you have to sign a particular form. Then you proceed to the baggage claim area, pick up your suitcase(s) and go through customs.

  11. I just put some pictures in an envelope and on the back of the picture put the date and location of where the picture was taken.

    Yeah, that's how I did it as well :) Didn't include any pictures when filing the I-130, but brought a bunch to the interview (the CO didn't want to see any though). OP, also list all the people who are in the picture on the back of it, e.g. parents-in-law, relatives from both families, common friends (especially in pictures from family gatherings like the wedding, Christmas, etc.) - just providing some extra evidence that each of you has met the other person's family and friends ;)

  12. I was unable to find documentation anywhere on a government website about this "year" that you're referring to, except on dmv.com, which clearly states on the top of the page "DMV.com is a privately owned website that is not affiliated with any government agencies." Do you have a source?

    Sorry, I confused it. The "one year rule" only applies to people just staying for up to one year, e.g. exchange students, visitors (didn't get my info from DMV though):

    http://www.germany.info/Vertretung/usa/de/03__Konsulate/Boston/03/00/Fuehrerschein__Umschreibung.html

    http://www.germany.info/contentblob/4221308/Daten/4214991/Fuehererschein_USA_PDF.pdf

    http://usa.angloinfo.com/transport/driving-licences/exchanging-a-licence/

    Not sure if it applies to your wife since her first application for a DL would also be tied to her I-94/Non-Immigrant Visa. At any rate, the employees of DPS know about the respective laws that apply and can give you the best advice of what to do. She can definitely exchange her German DL and it's just a matter of time until the dated bank statement arrives in the mail.

  13. I have also received my debit card in the mail, but unfortunately, such undated letters are no real statements as you already mentioned, so I am still waiting on my dated bank statement for my checking account as well. Mine always gets mailed on the 17th business day of the month (using Wells Fargo). And according to the pdf chart, you also need a SSN when applying for a DL.

    Based on what I read, it sounds like you will have to re-apply when she gets the EAD or Green Card because her K-1 visa foil in the passport doesn't really count to them. However, due to the reciprocity law, she can use her German DL for a year upon arrival without having to exchange it or apply for a Texan DL immediately.

    Applying for just an ID is pretty easy: http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/DriverLicense/applyforID.htm

    I got one back when I was an exchange student. Just walked in there, stood in line and filled out/signed some forms. It maybe took 15 mins.

  14. She can exchange her German DL with a Texan one! They have a reciprocal program and she must neither re-take the practical nor theoretical test (see bold paragraphs): http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/DriverLicense/movingtotexas.htm

    But: When you apply for a Texas DL the first time, you also have to prove that you have been a resident for at least 30 days (besides the proof of legal presence). See: http://www.dps.texas.gov/internetforms/Forms/DL-57.pdf

  15. No worries.

    My visa also says "shortened due to medical" because I got my medical done 3 weeks before the interview. Your visa could technically have been issued/printed on Dec 24 because the consulate in Frankfurt is not closed on that day (yeah they actually work, I just looked up their holiday schedule - I was surprised, too). But my envelopes had dog ears (inside and outside) as well.

    You just need to fill out the US customs form before entering, that's all. All the CPB officer asked me was what my husband does for a living, what kind of stuff I was bringing with me into the US (if any cigarettes, coffee, etc.), if his address was still current and how much money I was carrying with me. Nothing too serious. They might ask you when you intend to get married ;)

  16. Yes, unfortunately.

    "The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requires that women who are pregnant and required to have a medical examination in connection with the issuance of a visa, and are examined in a country currently using the 2007 TB Technical Instructions must have a chest x-ray examination conducted. Pregnant women will have to provide the panel physician with consent to conduct the chest x-ray. For the health of the applicant and her unborn child, CDC instructs panel physicians and laboratories to provide abdominal and pelvic protection with double layer, wrap-around lead shields when they receive the chest radiographs."

    Reference: http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/immigrate/immigrant-process/interview/prepare/medical-exam-faqs.html

  17. I just went through Dallas-Fort Worth as my POE a week ago. Immigration took 10-15 mins and customs another 10 mins (no lines anywhere) -- in case you're considering DFW since I see you're from Austin. However, my flight was also delayed due to weather conditions and other things, but as A_&T_ already mentioned, it really depends on the line.

    Plan accordingly and keep possible delays that can shorten the layover in mind as well as the line for immigration/customs. I'd say she should at least have 3 hours as a layover even if she then spends most of her time sitting around and waiting for the next boarding. Better be safe than sorry ;)

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