sailorgal

22 minutes ago, cdherrera said:

Can anyone tell me if I am in big trouble if I do not have my marriage certificate? I have a I-751 as well as the N-400 pending with my interview on Monday. I cannot find it, but I do have a scanned electronic copy. Will that be enough? I got married in a different state so there is no hope for me getting a new copy in time. 

They honestly did not ask me for any docs, not even my 2019 tax return receipt. Now it might be different with you since you have a joint I-751 N400 interview, so I can't tell you for sure. 

Huh! That is kind of odd that your case's estimated completion is showing up for May 2021 but they are already interviewing you, I wouldn't complain tho. May be you will get approved right after your interview and by next May you will have been a citizen for months  Thanks and good luck to you as well!

5 minutes ago, cdherrera said:

Yeah, maybe a glitch.. I am less worried because I do have proof that I submitted my new address, and since I am still a home owner in the area I still have some connection to there. I'm just going to bring the proof with me the day of the interview just in case. When is your interview? Any clue what happens after that's done?

Good point, I just printed a proof of when I submitted for my change of address just so I have it on me.

My interview is on Sept 23rd, so in a week, at the Raleigh-Durham USCIS Center in North Carolina. I read up some reviews about this particular center and to answer your question about what might happen next - one review said the immigration officer had them take their citizenship oath the same day they interviewed after their interview was done. I don't know how often this happens because I have mostly read about how the IO tells you at the end of the interview if you have been approved, denied, or if they need more evidence from you. If you have been approved, they send your case for administrative processing and from there I could take anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks before you are scheduled to come in for the oath ceremony.

14 minutes ago, cdherrera said:

Hi everyone, I applied May 9th and just received an update online. They are reusing my old biometrics ( I got fingerprinted in November 2019 for I-751) and I have an interview Sept 28th. I'm curious, I moved in the summer and updated my address on the website as we are supposed to. Despite that my notices are being mailed to my previous residence (which is a home I still own, so no big deal) and my appointment is near my old address, which is 4hrs from where I am at now. I certainly do not mind driving there for it, but just wondering if I should be concerned that they will see this as a problem. Since I still own my previous home, I am in the area often. I only moved because Covid changed the job availability for me, and had to take position out of the area. 

Hi there, same thing happened to me. I moved and updated my address but my letters/notices are still going to my old address (which fortunately is my in-laws' address so I just collect my USCIS mail when I visit them). The USCIS website shows my new address as my 'physical address' but still has my old address as the 'mailing address'. I have changed my address before, multiple times actually, and never had this issue. So, a glitch in USCIS's system maybe? Although I did get lucky and they moved my case closer to my address so my interview location is 30 mins away vs almost 2.5 hours of driving had they scheduled it based on my old address. You might be able to update it when you go in for your interview, at least that is what I plan to do.

Hi all, I got my interview notice on Augsut 15. Interview is scheduled for September 23. Case completion ETA is October 2020.

8 minutes ago, arman597 said:

When did you get the Biometrics taken and Did your i751 get approved or is it still pending?

I don't remember when I did my I-751 biometrics were taken, but yes, the conditions on my GC were listed in March 2019 and that's when USCIS had issued me my 10 year GC.

Filed on May 6 in Raleigh, NC. Received my biometrics appointment notification on August 7. I don't see the official letter under my documents tab yet but they said it might take a few days so I don't know when the actual appointment is scheduled for. Estimated time of completion is October 2020.

Awesome! That's good to know.

Thanks for the info. So can I still claim to a be permanent resident, while I am say applying for jobs, in spite of having a conditional GC?

Thanks everyone. We, me and my husband, had no clue that K1 applicants get GC without interview. We were infact getting ready for it.

So when I apply for ROC what happens next? Do I still stay a Permanent Resident after ROC or do I naturalize into a US citizen after ROC?

Hi everyone.

Today out of the blue I receive this email from USCIS that read

There has been a recent processing action taken on your case.

Receipt Number: MSCXXXXXXXXXX

Application Type: I485, APPLICATION TO REGISTER PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR TO ADJUST STATUS

Your Case Status: Card/ Document Production

On March 11, 2016, we ordered your new card for Receipt Number MSCXXXXXXXXXX, and will mail it to the address you gave us. If you move, go to www.uscis.gov/addresschange to give us your new mailing address.

This step applies to applications that result in an applicant receiving a card (such as a "green card") or other document (such as a naturalization certificate, employment authorization document, travel document, or advance parole). Applications will be in this step from the time the order to produce the card/document is given until the card/document is produced and mailed to the applicant. You can expect to receive your card/document within 30 days of the approval of your application. If you do not receive your document, please contact our National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283.

Our case had been under review since 24 December, 2015 after a response to an RFE and meanwhile the EAD and AP were approved and mailed to me. I had figured I would be hearing something from USCIS soon but not this! I didn't even know this could happen. So how did this happen and what's the catch? Are they sending me a conditional Green Card because the service center that was processing mine was backlogged (like some people commented on previous such posts)? I am looking into being interviewed later? If not, would the interview for naturalization be my next interview with the USCIS?

This is just overwhelming after all the chaos the RFE caused. I'll appreciate any insight. And just for information purposes, I got here on a K-1 visa.

Thanks.

Thank you everyone for helping us out. We're going to follow your advice and redo my husband's paperwork and send in his father's paperwork as my co-sponsor and hopefully everything shallwork out soon. Thanks a lot!

So I don't know where to begin... I am sorry already for a long post

September 2, 2015 I enter States on a K1 visa, me and my husband we get married, October 8 we submit my AOS application, I receive my NOA1 for GC, EAD and AP like a week later. November 2 we receive an RFE for the GC stating my husband's income does not meet poverty guidelines. At first we were confused because he makes way over the poverty guidelines to support a household of 2. They asked us to resubmit his IRS transcripts and since I had his transcripts from my K1 visa interview we did not bother to reapply for his new transcripts and just submitted what I had with me. I realized like 2 days ago when his actual transcripts came in that what we submitted weren't his IRS transcripts at all but his social security papers. In the RFE they ask us to submit his recent IRS transcripts which we have now, and proof of his his assets. Since he doesn't own any assets yet we thought we would ask his father to be my co-sponsor which he readily agreed to be. But my question is;

1. now that we know we submitted the wrong paperwork when we applied for the GC first, will it be okay if we submit only the correct documents for just my husband, ie his IRS transcripts without having his dad co-sponsor me? Will not getting a co-sponsor and just submitting correct documents from my husband be enough? Or will that call for RFE no 2 for not getting a co-sponsor?

2. Does GC RFE halt the processing of the EAD as well? When my GC processing went into RFE stage there was a change of status for my GC on USCIS website saying "Initial Request for Evidence was Mailed" but I saw no such change in the EAD or AP status so does that mean USCIS is still processing my EAD while my GC is in RFE?

Now problem number 2! When I came to the US we had decided to stay in Florida but now our plans have changed and we have decided to move to North Carolina and live closer to my husband's parents. Husband was getting his last pay check for this year on the 18th of December and we decided we would move to NC after he receives the last pay check. Today he went to his manager with his two week notice and the manager, quite rudely, told him they are going to terminate his contract right away today itself. So now husband has no job. He applied for a job at a few places in NC and even got an interview call from one of the places so we're hoping they would take him. In the AOS application we had sent in, we had filed the Affidavit of Support over his old job and also we had forgotten to include a letter from my husband's (then) employer and when I had called up USCIS helpline to ask questions about the RFE the immigration officer I had talked to had told me to include my husband's letter from employer as well when we submit our RFE paperwork though the RFE notice we received doesn't ask for his letter from employer just his IRS transcripts. So here are my questions;

3. is it important to absolutely submit the letter from employer?

4. he doesn't have a job as of right now. So should we still go ahead and submit the RFE paperwork which includes his recent IRS transcripts and his dad's paperwork as my co-sponsor? Obviously can't include the letter from his ex-employer anymore because he doesn't work there anymore.

5. or should we wait until he has a new job and then fill out a new Affidavit of Support on his new job and send paperwork like pay stubs and letter from employer from the new job, along with his dad's paperwork as my co-sponsor?

6. I think my husband would only be able to get like one paycheck or two before our 87 days to reply to the RFE expire. Anyway we don't wish to wait 87 days to reply to the RFE. So if what I said in question no 4.is not a good idea and we should wait till he has another job then will the USCIS be okay with only 1 or 2 paychecks from his new job to establish that he can support a household of two? Or will they say that since he hasn't been working his new job long enough so they can't establish if he can support a household of two. Of course even if we wait for his new job to reply to the RFE we would still submit his dad's paperwork as my co-sponsor if that would help USCIS establish that I won't go into welfare.

Husband says since USCIS is okay with people moving while their AOS is being processed they obviously know that if someone moves then there will be a change of jobs. So he says it's okay if we go with no 4 and not on a new job but I am not so sure and so I need help.

I am so sorry for so many questions. I am really worried right now with this situation and we really need a way out. Any help will be really appreciated.

Thank you so much!

Oh wow will try that on Monday hopefully they'll let us in. Thank you so much

Hey guys so today I received my biometric appointment letter for AOS. The appointment is set for the 13th of November, 2015 at Application Support Center, Orlando. I'm moving to North Carolina from Orlando, Florida on 4th of November while my husband stays in Orlando and eventually moves to NC probably in December. I have already submitted an address change request to USCIS that shall ensure we receive future notifications from USCIS at my in-laws place in NC but the biometric is set in Orlando. Should I request a reschedule and if I request one is it possible to do the biometric in NC in stead of Orlando? If that is possible I won't have to travel all the way to Orlando for a day for biometric. But if I reschedule would that delay my case?

Thank you so much for your help.

Hi Sailorgal, I believe you can go to the county court where your marriage certificate is filed, and you can have a name change there. It depends per state. I am adjusting at the moment, from K1. And we went through so much for name change. Check with your state regarding the laws of name changing. As we found out here the hard way. We got married, but unfortunately in California it takes 6-8 weeks before we can receive our filed marriage certificate. Unfortunately we couldn't wait that long, as we needed to file it soon or I will be out of status. So after waiting for 5 weeks, we submitted our documents for AOS, AP, EAD with my unfiled marriage certificate. We did consult this with a lawyer, and we were told that it was alright. This was the order of my name that we have submitted.

First Name: Ann Middle name: Jane (second name) Waters (mother's maiden name) Last Name: Doe

Husband's Name:Tim Middle Name: Joe Last Name: Smith

AOS application: Ann Jane Doe-Smith ( I removed Waters which was my mother's maiden name - as in our culture, we add our mother's maiden name to our middle name)

So the trouble started 6.5 weeks waiting for our marriage certificate, we get a call from our notary public, to inform us that LA County Clerk Office just called them, and they cannot file it as they are very strict with name changes, and the proper way of changing my name is that I cannot change my first and my middle name. Only my last name. So imagine our fright, as we have already submitted our AOS documents.

I did call USCIS, I was told that since it wasn't my last name that is affected, that it won't be a problem. I only needed to bring out supporting documents. I also just needed to explain it during the interview.

So after 9 weeks (Yeay LA :0 ) , my marriage certificate arrived and it has 2 pages, the first page is the original one bearing the name I had filed my AOS with Ann Jane Doe-Smith, the second page is where the corrected name is, which is Ann Jane Waters Doe-Smith.

So my advice, check with the county clerk first before doing any name changes, and they are also the ones who can assist you with the name change. Of course this comes with a fee.

I've applied my SSN in my maiden name, as they only accept name change when you have your registered married certificate. We applied for a checking, savings account, joint savings account after I've gotten my filed marriage certificate in my married name.

By the way, regarding driver's license, I believe it also varies per state. We tried to apply for my driver's license, but was shown the way out, since my visa has expired since I came from K1, and the visa expires 3 months after arrival in the US. So now I have to wait for my greencard or the EAD before I can take the written part/ apply for a driver's license. They want a document wherein it states the expiry date of your visa.

Sorry for the lengthy post, but hope my blunders help.

wow I'm so sorry for what you had to go through. Luckily it did not take so long with us the marriage certificate arrived in a week. And yes you're correct about the county court marriage. We did it at Orange County, Florida. Looks like we should make another appointment at the court and check the name check procedure once and for all (last thing I'd want is an RFE!) It's crazy how different people have such different experiences with the system. Every case is different from every other. Also I checked your timeline & it's been 2 months since you sent in your AOS application. Did they not send you even your EAD and AP cards yet? That's aggravating!

Though thanks for the detailed post. And I hope your case starts moving faster. Good lock

Did she perform the marriage ceremony? If so, she was probably a Justice of the Peace or an actual officiant. In the U.S., a notary (Notary Public) can't practice law and can only certify signatures, take oaths, etc. We might be having some confusion in terminology here.

O yes she performed the ceremony i.e. made us take our vows at the court house. I don't yet know how things work here so I think there has indeed been a confusion in terminology from my side.

I'm concerned that the "notary" was practicing law without a license. Go back to the courthouse and ask a legal authority if it's really true that you couldn't change your name upon marriage, with your taking your husband's name.

Do you think so? The lady, I mean the notary, she gave us the marriage license and then also got us married at the courthouse. We had two appointments at the courthouse one for license and one for marriage and she was there both the times and did both the things for us.

Thanks for clearing up the confusion and for the help everyone (: so after reading y'all everyone's answers we've decided to go ahead and apply for my SSN at SSA, Orlando today with my married name (hopefully everything goes well). Then go ahead send in my AOS paperwork in the next 2-3 days and then apply for driver's license after I am confident I can drive in Florida's crazy traffic.

I love VJ and all the members here. All of you have been super helpful throughout the visa process as well the AOS. Thanks again!

ANOTHER DOUBT!

So I am assuming I can just go ahead and start using my married name without getting it officially changed anywhere. But there is this huge confusion regarding what part of my husbands name I get to keep

So me;

First name- Akshata Middle name (father's name) - M123 Last name (before marriage) - K123

My husband

First name - Cory Middle name - G123 Last name - Gib123

I was hoping I could take his first name as my new middle name and his last name as my new last name, as in Akshata Cory Gib123. Can I do that? Or do I have to go like this - Akshata K123 Gib123 or Akshata M123 Gib123?

It does not matter what is says on your marriage certificate. It is a legal name change document which gives you authority to change your name. You do not do anything with your marriage certificate.

You simply apply for your AOS in your married name, as I said earlier.

So without going to DMV and applying for a driver's licence and name change, I can start using my husband's last name just like that is what you mean? wow that sounds good.

So then now when I file my AOS documents I am free to use my husband's last name even though our marriage certificate bears my original name and we have no documents supporting an official name change right? I am sorry if I am sounding repetitive I don't want to mess up the AOS paperwork that's all.

2. You can start using your married name the day you are married. On your AOS forms (AOS/EAD/AP) you will put your married name.

That's the problem right there, we did not get a chance to change my name at the courthouse since the notary who got us married was like go to DMV they change your name we do not. Do you mean I can go ahead, take the liberty of putting my husband's last name with my first name in my AOS forms, without us officially changing my original name at the courthouse or at the DMV?

Thank you so much (:

Ah so you mean we should have filled for our marriage license with my name changed? Would they have accepted that (since my passport carries my original name) and they used the passport to ID me. So do you think we should go back to the court and ask for another marriage certificate with my updated name? Would they give us another certificate with my name updated?
Or if I apply for my green card and EAD with my original name right now and change my name at DMV (like the notary said) could I change my name later over the green card and EAD card? I could change it over my SSN like you said but I'd rather everything bears my changed name rather than 2 documents having my original and other 5 documents my changed name.

I think I will apply for AOS and EAD first so those wordings that you mentioned won't come up on my SSN card.