onesassygirl

My divorce was finalized on April 30, 2008. And I have since changed my name back to my maiden name on my driver's license, SSN card, bank accounts, etc. but I have not applied to change my name on the green card. Do I need to have a new green card with my new name to apply to remove the conditions of residence?

I am hoping not because I don't want to pay $290+$80 to change the name on my green card on top of the $465+$80 to file the petition to remove the conditions of residence! And will I have to pay another $290+$80 to get a new green card once the removal is granted?

I lived in the States for the whole year of 2007 (I moved here Oct 2006 so I filed CDN taxes for 2006). I received EI from Canada while I was here in the States in 2007.

Ok, so let me see if I've got this right... I'm still a bit confused. Do I:

A.) File only my US tax return (as there is a section in there where I can put in EI income) AND fill out form 2555ez, or

B.) File a US tax return (leaving out income from EI) AND file a CDN return (only including my EI income)

Also, do we have to file married, filing jointly? My husband and I make too much money combined and would put us in the higher tax bracket. Would it be beneficial for us to file separately? What are the advantages of filing jointly? In the last tax year (2006), I only filed my exit return for Canada and didn't file a US return, and my husband filed in the US married, separately.

I will be filing my first US tax return this year. I received EI from Canada during the beginning of the year and was wondering whether I include that in my US tax return. If not, do I need to file a Canadian tax return just for the EI I received? Will I receive a version of a W2 (I forget what they're called in Canada!) from the EI office? I don't know how this goes!

Hello all,

I haven't been posting in a VJ for a while but I just thought I'd share my interview experience.

We arrived 10 minutes before our scheduled time of 8:30 am. (Husband and I took the wrong exit on the freeway and kicked ourselves because we'd already been to that office twice so we should have known better!). The security guard took our interview notice and handed it to someone at the info counter while we sat ourselves in the little waiting area. We sat and waited for nearly 30 minutes, then the door to the inner offices opened and a lady called out my name.

She took us to her office and were sworn in before we were told to take a seat. She opened my file and asked me my name, address and DOB. Then she went through that list of things asking if I'd committed a crime ever since entering the States, been a part of a Communist party, will engage in polygamy, yadda yadda yadda. To which I all answered "no" to.

Then she asked me a few questions about our wedding, and asked Husband a few questions about himself (where he was born, where he worked, etc.)

And then she asked if we had any joint accounts of any sort since after being married. I gave her joint bank account statements, a utility bill with both our names on it, a letter from my husband's employer stating that I was a beneficiary on his company life and health insurance, a letter from the management of our apartment complex stating that I'd been living with him since so-and-so date and that we'd applied for a lease renewal together (which is currently pending a credit report check). I also gave her a receipt (showing the same address) from the optometrist my husband and I got our eyes checked at together and where we bought glasses and contacts from.

After all that, she asked if we had any questions. Of course I asked, "Are we approved today?" and "Yes" was her answer! I asked her if I'd get a stamp in my passport and she had said no, that the card should arrive in 2 weeks. But that if I had to travel out of the country on an emergency, that I could get an Infopass to get my passport stamped. She advised me to do an Infopass if my card does not arrive in 3 weeks.

I surrendered my EAD card since she did not ask for it. She gave me the impression that I didn't need to... she said that all they'd do to it was destroy it. She didn't ask me for my I-693A Vaccination Supplement (I had originally submitted a DS-3025 with my application). She also didn't ask me for my updated I-864, which was a bummer because I had stressed so much about getting all the supporting documents together. The original I-864 only had Husband's 2005 income tax return and W2 as the supporting document.

And she also didn't even ask to see the photo album I had nicely put together.

All in all, the experience wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Sure I came over-prepared, but I'd rather be that than under-prepared!

together2love,

She's not planning on leaving the country in May.

Yodrak

we'll probably be heading for Guam the beginning of May.

Sorry, just thought that this needed clarification. Jimmy the American, are you intending to go with your husband? If so, you will need the AP that together2love mentioned.

I wasn't transferred to CSC, but my interview is in 2 weeks. I got my EAD a few days ago. See my timeline for more info

I have read that the MSC number on the back of the check may or may not be the correct MSC number for your case.

I would try to do an Infopass using that MSC number, explain the situation and see what they say. 40 days is too long to not have received an NOA1.

Congratulations on getting to the end of your K1 journey

Oh, and the Welcome Letter arrives only after AOS is approved.

I did read somewhere that Civil Surgeons do accept verbal declarations of having had the chicken pox. If the particular CS you go to doesn't, for some reason, you could get a blood titer test to prove that he's had chicken pox. This might be cheaper than a vaccine.

Yes, just try to be even more patient while you wait for your Infopass appointment. If they didn't inform you that you were stuck in the FBI name check, then something else probably happened to your file, i.e. it's been sitting on the bottom of the pile on someone's desk or the GC got lost in the mail, etc. Hopefully your Infopass appointment will be able to shed some light as to what happened to your GC. Just sit tight until your appointment. It's no use panicking and worrying further because you can't do anything about it right now!

And yes, do not rely on the USCIS mis-information line again. They don't know more about your case than you already know. Infopass is the way to go if you want "real" answers.

I would list all the addresses you have lived in, even if it was only 2 months. Your visit to the States, I would not count because you only intended to visit, and not actually reside there.

hi there,

my friend fiancee is never been married,and he lives with his dad and his dad have a stable job also,i am not really familiar with the poverty line,required can you guys can give me some more ideas if the income and the other things own by my friends fiancee can reach the required income, does she not denied for some reasons that the income of her fiancee does not reach to the poverty line?pls my dear sis and brod i would be happy if you guys can give me full details...so i can share it to my friend...if that income of her fiancee did not meet the poverty line...okay i am very much waiting for your additional information...and needs to know also what are the best options if that income did not meets....waiting for your advice...

cherry

Hi. I guess you didn't quite understand the first time, but to make it clearer, here it is spelled out:

How many people is the fiance supporting? For example, if he is supporting only himself that makes him a household of 1 person. Now add the fiancee to that: if it's only himself and his fiancee that he will be supporting, that makes it a household of 2 people. Now according to the table posted above, if you live in one of the 48 contiguous states, the poverty line for a household of 2 people is $13,690 (i.e. the fiance needs to be making at least this much to be able to support himself and his fiancee).

Now, the Affidavit of Support requires that the fiance be making 125% of the $13,690, which is $17,113. Is he making at least this much? Yes, he is. In fact, he is making more than enough: $35,000. Hence, this alone should be enough to qualify him to sponsor his fiancee without needing a co-sponsor.

If it's still unclear, please PM me.

I know that in one place on the AOS forms, they ask for her name exaclty as it appears on her visa, does that mean that in other places on these forms she can use her married name?

Yes, use her married name unless otherwise asked.

How can I tell which is the "Alien Number"? there was a number starting with an "A" on my NOA2, but then would I use the same number for the daughter? (I did not get a second NOA2 for the daugther).

Is the number just above/below your fiancee's name? If yes, then that is the A number. I don't know about using it for the daughter. Maybe someone else can confirm that.

Do we have to have an SS number before we can file for AOS??

No.

Do I need to complete SEPERATE I-864's for my fiance and her daughter? (I noticed the form asks for other family members accompanying Pao, so it seems kinda silly to complete 2).

I don't think you need to complete another one for the daughter, but perhaps someone else can confirm this.

What about her passport? If she uses my name to get her AOS, what about the passport? How does she get her name changed on her Thai Passort

Check with the Thai passport agency.

Submit a photocopy of the certified copy (if you only have one copy), and bring the actual certified copy to the interview. If you have several copies of the certified copy, it won't hurt to send one of those in.

You might find the table on this website helpful: http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/07poverty.shtml

Your friend needs to make 125% of the poverty line. And like MRS BILLY BONG said, you need to put into consideration the size of the family.

Silly question---I want to start my timeline. I see some folks have "the date they met", etc. When I went into the tools to add/edit my timeline I don't see where I can enter information like that. Can somebody help me? Thanks

I think you're referring to the timelines showing at the bottom of a member's post? You will have to type up your timeline in your signature. To do this go to "My Controls" (near the top right of your screen), then click on "Edit Signature" on the menu on the left under "Personal Profile", then type up your timeline in the text box.

Just wanted to ask a question about EI timeline.

I filed on February 7th, but haven't heard a thing from them... Should I expect a phone call, a letter, something anything?

Just wondered, cause I'm through the "waiting period", and I should be getting close to hearing something I figure.

Do I just call them?

Thanks guys!

It took maybe 2-3 weeks to hear something from them after I applied.

Yeah, I agree with flames9... it would not hurt to call them. They indeed are friendly and helpful on the phone.

USCIS renewing and greencard rules

I've quoted the bits that I think most helpful to your cousin, and anyone else wondering about the 10 year green card expiring.

Thanks for the info. I'll forward that on to him.

Man.... I sure wish I could be so lackadaisical!!!! I am obsessed with making sure nothing goes wrong with anything relating to immigration stuff. It took too long and cost too much money and too much energy to screw it up at ANY stage of the game.

I know, I'm the same way. But I'm glad that it doesn't seem to be too late for sv102.

I mean, I can imagine maybe forgetting to renew the 10-year card, but letting 5 years pass by to renew it?? I don't get it. Maybe it didn't really matter to him because his mom paid and did all the work for it when he got it. I think he got it when he was 15. But still, it's a responsibility. I mean, I love my cousin, but I will not be too too sympathetic if he has to get deported or whatever happens to people who let their GC expire for a long time.

Speaking of expiring Green Cards...

I have a cousin who got his 10-year Green Card 15 years ago. Yes, it has been expired for 5 years and he has done nothing to renew it (I assume, for no particular reason other than he forgot about it and didn't think it of utmost importance to deal with when he did remember). He has had no problems getting hired with several employers and he does not travel out of the US so it is not an issue for him in this regard. He does not seem to be worried that it is expired; he doesn't seem to think it is a big deal.

Because he has failed to renew it for the past couple of years, does this mean he has abandoned it? Has he lost his PR status?

When I found out about it, and knowing what I know from VJ, I started coaxing his wife to start the ball rolling on renewing his card. I've helped them find the form to fill out and all that but I don't know if they've sent it in yet.

Aww... that is just so adorable. The Siberian breed is very pretty. It makes me wish I had one to keep me company. But I've been traveling around the States with my husband (for his job) and we would have no one to take care of our pet if we got one :-(

I haven't been able to check my mail because I've been out of town since Feb 17 (until March 5th), so I don't know if I've received it yet

Yep, the date will change on the Case Status page.

But isn't that form to be completed and signed by a Civil Surgeon in the US, not a Panel Physician abroad?

But then again, when you get your medical exam done outside the US, its at a place designated by the uscis, so why wouldn't that be ok?

Yes, I agree it would be much easier and cheaper on us. It's like asking, then why can't we just submit the DS-3025? Why do they ask us to see a Civil Surgeon here to get it transcribed? I think I remember seeing this issue being touched before in these forums... not sure if it was here or the AOS forum. I can't find the thread I saw it in, but I think the argument was that Panel Physicians are appointed by the DHS and Civil Surgeons are specifically appointed by USCIS, and they ask us to see a Civil Surgeon here as a check-and-balance to see if the Panel Physicians abroad are doing their job right.

(Someone please correct me if I am wrong).

My NOA1 was Dec. 13 and my EAD was approved Feb. 22 (e-mail notice). They've ordered the production of the card and the notice said I should receive the card in 30 days.

(But I don't know how much use it will be since I have my AOS interview on Mar. 21...)

P.S. See my timeline for touches.