military-wife

In California they wouldn't give you a filed copy right away,unlike in other States, even if you got married in the Courthouse. You would still have to wait for 6-8 weeks until it's mailed to you. Have you not tried the Los Angeles County Clerk Office under Marriage Records? Because that's the only number I've called.

Did you not have the photocopy of your marriage certificate? The place where you got married should've given one to you. We got married in a Los Angeles wedding chapel, and they were the ones who told us that we could file using the souvenir copy they gave us. Although we still waited until 5 weeks.

From what the notary clerk told us, marriage certificates are brought to the LA county clerk for filing. But, it takes time as they collect all the marriage certificates, then everything's sent to another department. And then again sent to another department until it is mailed to you. The estimate is about 6-8 weeks but there are some who got their certificates in 2-4 weeks. I guess I was unlucky. Try calling first, in the morning. What the registrar told me was that even if you personally tried to collect your marriage certificate,if it's still not filed then you won't be able to get it. How many weeks has it been?

This is true! We got married and a few days later we had to go to the courthouse ourselves (we live in Virginia). So we got several official copies of the marriage certificate.

If you get married at a venue, you should get it within a week or two. We had our wedding at a Church and the officiant filed it the next day. We got our certificate within a few days (less than a week).

You are not an illegal, if you got married within the 90 days. By the way, you do not need bank statements or anything of that sort. I didn't send any evidence besides our marriage certificate. I didn't get my SSN yet (yikes I know I should have), so I can't get my driver's license or bank account. If I was you, I would send AOS paperwork ASAP, it takes forever for everything to be finalize, especially if it's around the holidays, it's an extra month of waiting.

Getting an interview or a waiver is completely random. I just looked at my case status on USCIS and it says I will receive a notice for an interview and the date. Our case is pretty clear cut.

YES Montreal is like that. It was for me. I had to keep checking a million times a day, even when I was at work. Sometimes people cancel or reschedule their interview so an earlier date can pop out of nowhere. Good luck!

From your timeline, you should get it approved sometime in November. You can expedite the EAD to get it faster. It helps to have a job offer/letter. http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/453753-how-to-request-to-expedite-your-ead-based-on-a-job-offer/

YES! I was thinking that it would get approved late-october, beginning november, but it takes so long to get EAD... It's hard to apply for jobs because many ask if I can legally work in the US and technically I cannot until I have the EAD.

It does say white OR off white background: http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/general/photos.html

Not sure if it will be accepted.. but the dimension of the picture looks good.

I think the background should be white?

yeah all the paperwork could have been easily done by you.. unless there are difficult issues that would require an attorney.

My sister was on a K-3 visa. She filed in February 2013 and was in the U.S. October 2013. It could take up to a year or more. I guess a year is average.

I filed my AOS & EAD in late August, and my receipt notices were issued September 3rd.

I went for my biometrics September 22nd. But nothing has been updated. Both of my reciept numbers are "MSC" but I'm assuming that my I-485 should be moved to my local office? Also i'm in-between Philadelphia and Mt. Laurel, so where will my I-485 go?

Should I contact USCIS for an update? Getting a little worried that i've not heard anything.

We actually filed at the same time and did our biometrics on the same day. I got an update on i-485 (ready to schedule for interview) on October 1st, which says that they sent me a notice (still not received btw). For the EAD, no update yet.. :'( I really want to work.

You're absolutely right about the resident time frame... I didn't think about that. I think I would only be considered a resident once I actually get "permanent residency"... so I should be good. I still do not have my SS card, since I was out of the 2 week time frame (until my K1 expires) and the SS dept. didn't want to issue me one until I get EAD. I'll just get everything done at the same time once I get my EAD.

You can only get one once you are married. You need to go with your husband to get it and have your marriage certificate in hand. It's also possible to get one without your husband present if he's deployed -- there's a form: http://www.military.com/spouse/military-life/military-resources/military-dependent-id-cards.html

Also you should know that when you're married you get Basic Allowance Household (BAH), which increases (more money) since your husband now has dependent (you).

http://www.military.com/benefits/tricare/defense-enrollment-eligibility-reporting-system-deers.html

it's for new residents... I immigrated here late may, but I am going through the AOS process.

FIY -- I did check on the DMV Virginia website, this is what it says:

Within 60 days of moving here, you must obtain a Virginia driver's license. However, if you hold a commercial driver's license (CDL), you must obtain a Virginia CDL within 30 days.

If you are age 19 or older and you hold a valid driver's license issued by a U.S. state or territory, a Canadian province, France or Germany, you may not be required to:

• take the two-part knowledge exam or the road skills test
• show proof of successful completion of a driver education course or hold a learner's permit for 60 days.

However, you must pass a vision screening test.

I couldn't get it within 60 days because I didn't have a SSN yet (yes I know I should have!), and we only got married after 60 days and I didn't want to have change my name again...

It does say "may not be required"... but it's still possible so I don't know. I guess maybe they have a timeframe of how long you've had your license in the foreign country?

Hi

I am currently in the process of AOS (I was on a K-1 Visa).. I haven't received my EAD yet, but once I do receive it, will I have to redo my driver's test (learner's, pratical test etc.)? or will they simply transfer it to an American driver's license?

I have a "probationary" license from Canada, which is basically a driver's license but is issued to driver's who have had their license for less than 2 years (less points too). Americans do not have this, so I am kind of wondering if they will make me redo my test and I will have to pay to do the test.

I live in the state of Virginia.

Thanks!

This is what it says on the myUSCIS - Case status:

As of October 1, 2015, we are ready to schedule your Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or to Adjust Status, Receipt Number MSC, for an interview. We will schedule your interview and send you a notice. Please follow any instructions in the notice.

Is this what you got? According to USCIS timeline for my local office, they are processing December 2014 cases... Why would they update it, if they are not ready for an actual interview?

Thankfully I'll be able to volunteer around the neighbourhood doing different things. And everything is accessible by bike! Thanks for your input!

Your husband is in the military? Me too I am going through the AOS process it's been a couple months now since I arrived in the US (5 months-ish) and yes I am going nuts while my husband works the whole day and has duty

After you file for AOS, it takes awhile before USCIS get back to you but I do suggest getting your dependent ID before your husband deploys... so you have access to military benefits (health care, the commissary, etc.).

I filed in August for AOS and I haven't received EAD temp card to work. I am bored as hell.

I also didn't receive the actual letter for the AOS interview. I have to tell my husband to add me to our apartment lease... but that should be ok and pictures from the wedding and trips. If you do not have a SSN its very hard to get a joint account or anything else for that matter.

You can get your SSN if the fiancé visa expiration date is still valid for over 2 weeks. All you need to do is show your visa.

For your name change -- our court told us that they do not do name changes as well, instead the Social Security office will do it for you. When you get your SSN, show your marriage certificate and on the application form put your married name. Same thing for the AOS form, start signing and using your married name. I had no problem when I went to do my biometrics, the man there just asked me for the marriage certificate to prove that I am married to my husband and I am taking on his name, so in the immigration system I am now known as his wife.

Please do not hire a lawyer! You can do all of it by yourself and save money. The immigration fees itself is already a lot. All you need to do is follow the instructions on the forms and prove that you are in a bonafide relationship.

There's a lot of advise on visa journey. It helped me a lot when I didn't understand some of the points on the forms.

Good luck!

(I did all the paperwork by myself and everything went smoothly. The immigration officer who interviewed me was actually happy that I was so organized.)

Agree

If your wife wants to use your last name, then file with her married last name, and there's a line called "other names" which she needs to put her maiden name. Tell her to use and sign with her married name on all legal forms from now on. That's what I have been doing.

So yes, you should file advance parole since she is planning to go back home, even if it's next summer. Sometimes it takes time for AOS to be approved.

yeah 2 months is unusual. It usually comes in around 2 weeks.

why would you send 2000 pictures? I think 5 or 10 is sufficient. Even 30 is too much. Pictures are secondary evidence. Don't send anything back, unless you get a RFE.

get the SSN as soon as possible before her visa expires. TRUST ME, we made that mistake and now we have to wait until EAD is issued because they will not give me a SSN within 2 weeks (now it is expired).