On 4/14/2024 at 1:53 PM, Cisse913 said:

 

 

Congrats on obtaining your Green Card all. Quick question, did your Green Card arrive before your advance Parole application had been approved? I am due to be filing for AOS within next day or so, however weighing up whether to pay the additional $630.00 for advance parole (in light of new filing fees as of April 1st 2024), considering green card may arrive prior to advance parole approval? 

My husband's green card approved while EAD was pending. Then they rejected EAD altogether saying applicant already received immigration status by other means.

Few days later the status changed to green card printed, and we received green card within a week. USPS did screw up a little bit. And we had to go to our post office to fill out details on package delivered but not in the mailbox form. They rectified the issue same day.

59 minutes ago, powerpuff said:

I would. But he can definitely start applying. Hiring takes time so by the time he gets an offer letter, he will probably have the unrestricted card. 

 

The choice is ultimately yours of course. If you’re okay with presenting a GC rather than DL with unrestricted SSN and dealing with the potential scenario I mentioned above, then that is certainly your prerogative. 

He already started interviewing, and they said similar things to come after physical green card.
Now about DL, since his expired, and we need a DPS appointment to get it extended or have road test (which can take months in Austin area; unless we drive several hours for same day appointment)

Is DL the only thing along with unrestricted SSN? Or can he present something like foreign passport? Also, if he gets the temporary DL while we wait for physical one, can he use that temporary DL?

5 minutes ago, powerpuff said:

It’s HIGHLY and strongly recommended to go to an SSA office with a GC to take that language off. Do yourself a favor - when presenting documents to an employer for I-9 purposes do NOT give your GC. Give a DL or a state ID AND an SSN card without the DHS restriction. If you give your GC, it’s highly probable they will ask for reverification when it expires even though it’s illegal for them to do that. There are many threads about this headache on this forum. Save yourself this headache by making that trip to the SSA office.

Do we need to wait few days or right after receiving green card?

Also should we wait for physical social security card without that language for first job?

Drivers license will also take time. The one they issued earlier expired 90 days after his entry.

My husband got social security card while on K1 with married name, which says "Valid for work only with DHS authorization". Now that his AOS is approved and we are waiting for physical green card before he can start to work, do we need to take another trip to social security office before he can officially work?

43 minutes ago, pc09 said:

Hey all! Our GC got approved and have the card in hand now. We are so happy and relieved. 
 

wishing speedy approvals for all. 

Hey. We got approval notice couple days ago. How long did it take you to get the card?

Since Biometrics, received email yesterday saying,

We have taken an action on your case

We keep logging in and seeing absolutely no change. Decision time for EAD is at 1 week now.

Still no luck in EAD under documents.

12 hours ago, tlight0 said:

Did you check under document tab to see if there's a document for EAD approval? Ours showed up the next day after biometrics, but the progress tab only show actively reviewed until the EAD card was produced. 

yup. nothing there.

On 2/23/2024 at 8:20 PM, myloviswhite said:

Here my timeline so far. Hope we will hear back from USCIS soon.

 

✈️ Flight to USA: December 20th, 2023

🏛️ Applied for SSN: December 29th, 2023

📬 Received SSN card: January 8th, 2024

💒 Got Married: January 7th, 2024

📤 Mailed AOS, EAD & AP packages (via USPS Priority): January 18th, 2024 (Phoenix Lockbox)

📥 Packages Received by UCSIS: January 22nd, 2024

💸 Check cashed by USCIS: January 26th, 2024

💬 Received USCIS Receipts via text: January 26th, 2024

📬 Received USCIS Receipts (I-797C) letters: February 1st, 2024

📳 Received Biometric Appointment Scheduled Notification (Case Tracker app): February 1st, 2024

📩 Received USCIS Online Access Code letter: February 5th, 2024

📩 Received Biometric Appointment letter: February 10th, 2024

🗓️ Biometric Appointment Date: February 21st, 2024

📳 Received AOS and EAD are actively reviewed by USCIS Notification (Case Tracker app): February 21st, 2024

Any updates since then?

Biometrics completed on 3/6. I was hoping I see EAD approval, but it still shows actively being reviewed as of 3/6.

Received biometrics appointment today along with online access code.

On 2/2/2024 at 11:12 AM, OldUser said:

That's true, this is why I said:

 

AOS filers now do not need to include payment for EAD.

On 2/2/2024 at 2:22 PM, fellaamazing said:

Well, I posted separate checks. They could have just sent me credit card authorization back first time and accept it. Now they should return my EAD check.

Out of all the stuff I read, I never read anywhere that EAD is free with AOS. And I thought I did my due diligence.

On 2/2/2024 at 3:46 PM, OldUser said:

I'm not sure this would happen. But keep us posted

On 2/3/2024 at 9:19 AM, Eddie101 said:

I somewhere read they physically destroy the check when they can't use it.

They returned the check along with 4 pages of explanation. Mostly useless. In one page they did mention it will change April first. One of the 4 pages had NOA with rejection letter. Again does not matter, since I got the NOA for both EAD as well as AOS.

The USCIS office shows Lee's Summit, MO, 64002. I assume it's Kansas city office? How is processing time there? on USCIS site it's showing 20 months. But I am assuming based on progress of everyone else, those processing times are not at all for K1-AOS and EAD. Am I correct?

Well, I posted separate checks. They could have just sent me credit card authorization back first time and accept it. Now they should return my EAD check.

Out of all the stuff I read, I never read anywhere that EAD is free with AOS. And I thought I did my due diligence.

First filed in December. Got rejection for mixed payment method (credit card and check). Sent again, which reached January 26th. Fingers crossed

I did receive a rejection letter around January 23rd saying I used mixed method of payment. I used credit card for EAD and check for AOS. Anyways sent again with checks, which reached there on January 26th. Hoping to hear good news soon.

By the way, for all of you getting approvals, which lockbox did you send to? I sent ours to Dallas.

AOS and Work Authorization sent. Received by USCIS on December 22nd (according to USPS receipt). But no NOA1 whatsoever. Credit card/Check not cashed either.

Why?

On 12/18/2023 at 2:19 PM, SalishSea said:

In that case, why did you create this long, unnecessary thread and reprimand those of us trying to help by explaining how this works?

On 12/18/2023 at 2:25 PM, Marieke H said:

I agree. This is a classic example of an OP not asking the right questions and thinking they know the process. If he had asked if the I-693 was necessary instead of asking for civil surgeon recommendations, the thread would have been a lot shorter!

On 12/18/2023 at 2:27 PM, SalishSea said:

Exactly .   Coming in confidently incorrect, and asking VJ veterans offering CORRECT advise to not comment…..   so tiresome.

21 hours ago, Cathi said:

Why ask for advice and then attack everyone who is trying to help? It isn't our fault that you did not understand what you were supposed to do, or that you asked the wrong question. And it's especially not our fault that doctors charge what they charge or that we don't have a specific list of civil surgeons and their exact fees.

Because instructions on this forum are confusing for I-485. This point was tripping me off.

Quote

11.

I-693, Medical Examination of Aliens Seeking Adjustment of Status.I-693, Medical Examination of Aliens Seeking Adjustment of Status. If you are a K-1, K-2, K-3 or K-4 visa holder the I-693 instructions state that you are not required to have another medical examination as long as your Form I-485 is filed within one year of your overseas medical examination. If you are missing any shots from your overseas medical a I-693 vaccination transcription is required to be completed by seeing a Civil Surgeon to have certain portions of the I-693 completed and have the Civil Surgeon certify the form (sealing the original in an envelope and giving you a copy).

When I asked specifically if people who recently went through K1 to AOS recently, they would have clarified it. Veteran members have probably gone through different route and multiple different steps after that to have this particular step much older. Making me confused even more. That's classic example of shoot the messenger (or questionnaire) rather than nicely asking when my question did not provide you clear picture on my circumstance. And this is most certainly not the unique circumstance since forum is full of K1 visa timelines and progresses.

9 minutes ago, Marieke H said:

If you completed your K-1 medical and the DS-3025 was signed off as complete, and you filed your AOS within a year after doing the K-1 medical, you do not need an I-693. This is very clearly explained in the I-693 instructions, on pages 7 and 8 (https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/forms/i-693instr.pdf).

 

So either your K-1 medical was incomplete, not properly signed off, you filed your AOS very late, or whoever told you that you need an I-693 is wrong. It is generally recommended to make sure to complete the K-1 medical to avoid having to redo the medical in the US. There are only a few cases where it would make sense to not complete the K-1 medical (for example, postponing certain vaccinations due to pregnancy).

 

For the record, I did the K-1 and AOS. But everyone else here also understands this process. It is not that complicated and the instructions are very clear.

This sounds much better. The medical records from panel physician in India does not anywhere say incomplete or anything. So I am assuming I should proceed with applying without any additional I-693?

Admins! Please update my title to include K1->AOS only! I think my thread is getting advertised in all the wrong places.

11 minutes ago, JeanneAdil said:

depends on how complete it was done in your country/ u were in control and if u had gotten all the vaccines ,  USCIS could have said no I 693 needed 

 

and your case will go no further till the office gets your I 693

 

They said medical is valid for a year. But I keep reading about partial I-693. Anyways don't need to sound rude, but I expect only messages from people who did K1-AOS, or experts who know full details. But I am getting comments from people all around, eventhough it is AOS from K1 and K3

39 minutes ago, OldUser said:

You can be unhappy with that, but as you can see, in reality it is what is. Good luck with the search! US medical system is very expensive.

When they say your medical will remain valid, that means it should remain valid and not cost full to do it all over again! The expense is not at all about immigration. It is doctor's private practice expense.

1 minute ago, OldUser said:

That's a fair price to be honest. I did my exam in 2019 and it was around this price. It's great you can still find somebody willing to do the exam for this price, considering inflation in the last 5 years. Just do it. Whoever does it for $150 is a rarity. They may not do it correctly, which will cost you more in the end (delays, RFEs and potentially another exam).

Are you kidding me? Do you understand the K1-AOS process?

The medical exam for K1 is still supposed to be valid. They are not required to do full exam. Just a portion of I-693 needs to be filled. And no, it's not justified to charge that much for it.

I started calling each and every civil surgeon listed in Austin TX area. but majority of them are asking for $400-$600 for complete exam. Nobody want to listen to partial exam since medical was already done in India.

Can we come up with a list of Civil Surgeons that don't charge more than $150 for completion of exam for AOS. Not full exam?

On 11/17/2023 at 9:34 AM, Verrou said:

1. enter US with K1 visa with current name

2. apply for SS with his current name. note he cant work without an EAD. he need to have EAD to work and not just SS. just marry with USC didnt give him right to work until he got his EAD

2. get marry in the US

3. file AOS with new married name ( means all application will filled out with new name). his current name become maiden name. attached marriage certificate, that's legal document that acknowledge he take ur last name. bear in mind, he cant change his first name with that married certificate. he can only take ur last name because it considered not a "name" change

4. he will get EAD/GC with his current first name + ur last name. he can use that to apply for DL, etc

5. in the mean time he can use his new american first name that he pick, socially, just not legally. i never changed my name at all when i married my US spouse. not even take his last name too. but when i applied for job, i put his last name on the resume because my last name is foreign and i didnt get any single call from hiring manager because of that. the moment i put his last name on my resume, companies start to call me believe it or not. when a company finally hire me, i gave them my EAD with my legal name obviously, and by then they dont care because they indeed want to hire me. i use my husband's last name for everything like dry cleaning, ordering food bla bla bla. 

6. no need to change his passport with new name, because he doesnt need too. thousand people did this without an issue

7. wait till naturalization and he can change his first name, middle name, last name whatever he wants without cost

Question on Social Security card. What should I fill in section 5?

If we put that, do we need to provide any additional documents other than stamped arrival on passport along with K1 visa?

1 hour ago, discoverusa said:

This is so true about sounding or presenting less foreign. Once I dropped my foreign degree from my resume I got a lot more calls from recruiters. Also, I think my foreign degree also aged me (think age discrimination). Once I left my US University only on the resume I got a lot more calls and invites for interviews. Sad, but true. 

When I changed my name 10 years ago, I started receiving thousand times more calls. However in IT field, myself being from Pakistan and my degree from university there , 100% of time gives me rejection, no matter if I scored 100% in the programming tests and have 100% great answers in interviews. Both by white and Indian hiring managers.