brian_mosher

My wife got the NOA that her EAD and AP was approved on 11/2. It's now 11/17 and we still don't have the card in the mail. Any idea how long it typically takes once you get that approval NOA? I'm getting concerned because she has a trip she needs to make back to Mexico in the first part of December and every day that it doesn't come in the mail has been concerning to me.

Thanks,

Brian

We are expecting my wife's AP and EAD back in the next couple weeks as they are currently processing NOAs about 2 weeks back from ours. What exactly has to happen when that comes back before she can travel? Trying to plan a trip home for her in December and don't quite understand what the AP is exactly? Just a piece of paper she has to have with her and she's good from the day we get it in the mail? Or something she has to send her passport in to have it put in like a Visa once approval comes back?

This is kind of a morbid topic, but a conversation that my wife and I were having the other day. She came in on a K-1, we got married, and she's currently in that limbo state where the K-1 90 days passed and we have filed the AOS/EAD/AP packet, but not yet received it back. If I die, what exactly happens with her? Is she able to finish out the process on her own if she were to receive back the EAD and get a job? Does she need to go back to Mexico immediately? I searched and saw some topics where this happened to people, but they mostly seemed like they happened either before the fiance actually got here or when in the period waiting for the GC. Just curious at this point in the process, what exactly would happen, and how that changes as the process moves further along? Totally weird thing to wonder, but I suppose a legitimate thing to want to understand.

I actually got some more clarity on this from the Social Security Office official as I took her back myself to find out why they turned her away when she went by herself. It validated what 'shainawalker' said above. It turns out in order get a Social Security Card or make any changes to it, you have to have some kind of status in the country. Most regular citizens get married and change their name no problem because they are US Citizens. She was able to get her Social Security Card without issue because she did that within the K-1 90 day valid window and that provided some kind of legal status here they could use. Now that she is outside of that and it is no longer valid, and she doesn't yet have the AOS back, she's in this "limbo" where she has no status and they can't make any changes until she does. I've learned way more about our immigration process through this than I ever wanted to know and I completely understand why so many people come to this country illegally. It's so freakin hard to do it the right way. The whole thing is absolutely asinine. Just sitting here waiting for that AOS to come back now since that takes someone 3 months to look at, apparently.

We got married back in July. My wife tried to go to the Social Security Office in August to change her name on her Social Security Card and the person there basically told her that she had to wait util all of the Adjustment of Status stuff went through, which I'm nearly positive is not the case. Has anyone else experienced this? Or did she just get someone that has no idea what they are talking about? I don't want to send her back there again and be told the same thing again.

On a side note, she did not have a driver's license in Mexico. What is the process for her to obtain one here? We live in Florida. Does she have to go to a driving school and take a class like we did in high school? I haven't had a lot of time to research it. Was hoping someone here knew what had to happen. Do we have to wait for any of the AOS stuff to come back, or could she do it now?

Thanks,

Brian

Thanks guys. That's what I was wondering. So let's say something happens where someone has to check her ID ans she gives her passport and the written date on that visa stamp shows 7/26/16 as the expiration, She needs to keep proof of marriage on her that shows that we did get married prior to that date?

I need to know what happens here. The 90 days comes up on my fiance's K1 on 7/26. As expected, it's been a bit of a whirlwind these first 90 days and has flown by and here we are coming up to the end of the period. We actually got married at the courthouse on 7/7 because the actual wedding we are having on 7/30 was going to fall outside of this date. I'm not ready to file the whole packet to apply for her to be able to work and travel yet because there is a bunch of tax information I need to get ahold of that I just don't have available right now. I just want to file what I need to file for the AOS so she remains "legal". I have seen the wait time on getting that ability to work and travel is like 3 months. So what exactly are people having to file after they get married just so they don't go out of status?

Thanks,

Brian

Tomorrow is the day. We're basically coming up with a temporary backup plan for him to stay here with someone, if needed. But we are going to roll the dice and see if the Aeromexico agent will interpret their own rules correctly and let him on. If not, I'll have to come back in a few months and fly something like Southwest out of Phoenix that markets that they are "Pet friendly" and specifically states that they allow that breed in cabin. I checked into some of those transport options that would drive him from Arizona to Florida and it's super pricey because of the distance, as I would have expected. I haven't looked to see about any that will specifically attempt to fly with him yet.

How old is the dog? If he's an older dog, it might bet better to leave the little guy with someone in Mexico who will love him and take care of him.

I had to leave my cats when I moved countries, and it just about killed me to do it, but they were old and I decided the stress of a flight would be really hard on them; they lived just fine with my brother for another 3 years.

He's only 2 years old. So he's completely capable of traveling safely. The reason they are restricted breeds from being checked or in cargo is because they don't pressurize those compartments so their breathing problem creates a high risk for death. But being in a pressurized cabin like the rest of us doesn't create any problems for them. What it really comes down to is airline employees not understanding the actual rules because they just see "restricted breed" and don't see that it pertains to being checked or cargo and interpret it as completely restricted. Thanks everyone for the reference articles. What I've basically concluded is we are just going to have to have a contingency plan in case the Aeromexico employee at checkin at the airport absolutely refuses to let him on board. It's going to pretty much be rolling the dice, it looks like.

Why are you still dealing with Aeromexico? Plenty of airlines and options. Move on to someone that cares.

Because I already have a purchased plane ticket with them. And flying out of the airport we are flying out of(Ciudad Obregon) are incredibly limited options. They are nearly the only airline that flies out of here and pretty much everything goes through Mexico City from here.

Well, I thought the crisis was averted, but I'm kind of in limbo right now. The reason I posted this was because when I called Aeromexico to ask about it, the Customer Service rep told me he was restricted and could not fly, checked or in cabin. I checked their website and I see where it shows that pugs are restricted from being checked or in cargo, but says nothing about not being able to fly in cabin. So I called them back and explained this to a rep and he said it would not be a problem for him to fly in the cabin but I first needed to check with American Airlines because I have a mixed airline itinerary and American Airlines is my last leg. I called them, they confirmed, no problem, and I even have a record locator for him. Called Aeromexico back and the 3rd support rep for them tells me there is no way he can fly in cabin, he's a restricted breed. So now I don't know what to think. I guess i just keep calling them back until I get a rep that will confirm for me that he can fly in the cabin? Obviously at least one of them in there believes this is the case. Uggggh

I had not. In what way? Cargo or passenger? I'm on the Baja side of Mexico, so I would need to get to the gulf side of Mexico, assuming they have boats that travel across the Gulf from Mexico to Florida. I think by the time that would all happen, I could probably drive from here to Florida.

I have found myself in quite the dilemma and am hoping someone here has an idea, or has experienced something similar. I'm finally able to bring my fiance to the US from Mexico next week and we have our flights all set. She has a small pug and I figured I would circle back around with the airline and see what I needed to do to make sure he had no issues. I just found out that Pugs are pretty much unable to fly on any airline because of their "pug nose" breathing problems. None of them allow them to fly. Any ideas on how I could get the dog from Mexico to US without us driving it? We are going to be living in South Florida. That is quite a trip that I don't really have the time to be able to take.

Thanks,

Brian

My fiance just received her K-1 visa in the mail today and I am trying to get some things figured out for after she enters the States. It's very possible that shortly after we go to the States(I'm currently in Mexico with her), I'm going to have to come back to Mexico to work in our office here, and she would obviously want to come with me. I'm trying to understand the AOS, EAD, and AP processes on the guides here. I realize the AOS is a pretty long process, but she only needs the AP to travel it seems. We could file for all 3, get the EAD and AP in 2-3 months it looks like, and wait out the AOS time back in Mexico if we had to? I guess my main question is can the EAD and AP run simultaneously, or one has to be after the other? Are we looking at 3 months after we marry for both, or 3 months for one and 3 more months for the other? And I am understanding that her getting that would allow her to travel out and re-enter, right?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Brian

We have been trying to call the 3 clinics on the Embassy page on here all week last week and can never seem to get anyone to pick up. I'm hoping it might have just been due to the holiday, and will try again this coming week, but I saw a note where it says fiance visa applicants are taken from 6AM to 11AM daily except holidays. My fiance's interview is on Tuesday 1/5. We need her to have her medical appointment on 1/4. Do you know if she can just go to one of the clinics in the morning as a walk-in and get it done? Or is it required to have an appointment scheduled?

Also, we are having a real hard time trying to figure out how we are going to get to Juarez from Ciudad Obregon. I'm not finding any bus lines that go from Obregon or Hermosillo, up to Juarez. Anyone have any suggestions for that? It's so far, I really don't want to drive it.

Thanks!

Brian

Thanks guys. It just makes me sick to my stomach that we're at this point finally and can't lock in a date and just have to keep checking periodically. Do you know how often they release them? Like only once per day, or I potentially should check multiple times daily? That would be pointless if they only refresh the system like once a day, or once a week.

Is this normal? Basically they are telling me that they have zero appointments available and they have no idea when there will be any and to just check back every day for them to release some dates? According to our NOA2, we have until 11/13 to get it done or it expires. Anybody else run into this? Anything that can be done? I'm in freak out mode now because there is no way we can start this process all over again. It's been such a brutal year.

Thanks,

Brian

Thank you guys. That is helpful. I have the letter that was sent from the Consulate that says "YOU MUST BRING THIS LETTER WITH YOU" and has the websites to fill out the DS-160, etc, so I guess we're good there. One other thing as I was looking through the things I need to make sure she has with her, what EXACTLY do they want from my bank? That is something I still need to get. They just want statements for a year, or what?

Thanks again,

Brian

I was notified at the end of July of our NOA2 approval and sometime later in August that it had reached the consulate in Mexico. I'm waiting on my fiance to get her passport, but was just trying to figure out what the last couple of steps are and I'm seeing some conflicting information. I believe i have all of the paperwork I need for her to take to the interview, but what exact steps do we have left when she has her passport in hand? This is what I'm seeing, but I'm not seeing the same information in multiple places so I want to make sure I have it straight:

-Have to fill out the DS-160 online. (this is her information as the one getting the visa, not my information as the US Citizen petitioner, correct?)

-Have to schedule 2 appointments: 1 biometric appointment at some ASC and then the actual consular interview?

-Have to schedule a medical exam. And it sounds like this MUST be done by some specific clinics up in Juarez where the consulate is?

I saw some information about that she was supposed to receive some packet from the consulate in the mail sometime after they received the application. But she never has received anything. But then i saw that all necessary forms should be filled out online. So I'm confused if we are missing something here.

Any guidance on these last couple of steps would be appreciated. We really want to get this wrapped up. Hoping she gets an appointment in Hermosillo to get her passport in the next week or so and we can finish it up.

Thanks!

Brian

I have a strange situation. I'm between places right now, with a signed lease to move into my new apartment at the end of February. Staying with a friend until I can move into that apartment. In the interest of getting my fiance here as quickly as possible and submitting the packet now rather than when I get into my new place, I used what my new address will be on the I-129F so i didn't have to use my friend's address, and then try to submit an address change a month later. I just got my official notification by email and text that they have received the packet and it has been sent to the Texas processing center(boooooo) and that they would mail out the I-797. How important is it that I get ahold of this first one? And I really don't want it to get returned to sender and them hold things up because they think I put an invalid address on the form. It's definitely going to reach that address before I move in.

Any thoughts appreciated.

Thanks,

Brian

Thanks everyone. We had a talk today and decided that our best option is going to be to go ahead and have a legal wedding in Mexico next month for her family, as planned, and just wait and file for the CR-1 then. I can't believe it's going to be another whole year before we can be together, but I guess it's just something that has to be dealt with in this situation. I really appreciate everyone's thoughts on here and I'm sure I'll be asking a ton of questions as I start to file those forms.

Right, but Eric & Idalia, these are US Customs officials making decisions on letting a Mexican citizen come into the US, not the other way around. So from all of the horror stories I have been reading today about people having a non-legal wedding and the customs official getting wind of it and possibly denying it, I'm still not sure it sounds like a good option.

Unfortunately I'm not a legal resident of Mexico. I came back to the States a couple of times during that year and was never there more than 6 months at one time, so I just never went the resident route. Wish now that i would have! Thanks all. I guess I need to get her on getting a passport as I start this process either way. And I'm totally fine with her not being able to work for a period of time after she gets here. That won't be an issue.

#######, what does the passport process entail? Link to that somewhere on this site?