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Hi I'm also an F1 applying for a greencard soon. I am preparing my documents now and I know I need to provide sufficient evidence that I haven't been violating my F1 status, I was wondering if you can tell me if you need to submit your I-20? And were you still enrolled in school when you've applied? The start of fall semester in my school is on the 22nd of this month and I won't be enrolling since I'll be applying for AOS.

Hii!

I didn't need to submit my I-20's.. I don't think I did.

So I sent in my AOS March 1st, and spring semester had already smarted in the beginning of February. I was not enrolled in Spring semester, and a few weeks before I sent in my AOS and a few days before I got married, I went to go talk to my international advisor to tell him that I hadn't enrolled yet (I had still waiting for my student loans to kick in and pay off my previous semester), but that I was getting married to my US citizen husband. He said that all he needed from me was my letter from USCIS confirming my status change, which I gave him and everything was okay. So yea, I was out of status for like.. 2 weeks but it didn't affect anything.

Good luck!!!!!!

You don't have to, but if you're paying for AOS don't be a moron and do it anyway. It's a short form and you never know when you'll need to work or travel (I-131) . You never know what delays may arise. For example I thought my green card would take 6-8 months max but my local field office is behind and now I have to wait 15 months. If I didn't have my EAD I don't know what I'd be doing.

TL:DR if you're paying the $900+ fees to adjust your status, the I-765 and I-131 are included in it for free. Don't be stupid and take the extra 5 minutes and 4 pictures to fill those out.

Agreed

I didn't realize the I-765 or I-131 were included, I thought it was an additional fee. I just started looking into all this and came across this thread.

I noticed this poster didn't mention doing an I-131, is it included with or part of another form?

Thank you!

Hi,

No I did not fill out I-131.

Just I-485, I-130 and I-765

Congrats!!! I am just starting the whole process. Could you please send me copy of your package? I think it will help alot.

email: ahmomarr@gmail.com

Thanks a lot.

Sure thing

Aww congrats. I'm on a similar boat. I got married 2 weeks ago while on F1 visa and I'll be applying for AOS soon. You are giving me so much hope

Yayy!! Good luck! Let me know if there is anything I might be able to help you with!

1. You are not required to have a passport to do Adjustment of Status

2. Passport being expired does not mean you are not in status

3. You don't need to be in status to do Adjustment of Status as an Immediate Relative (which the OP is)

Very true, my passport was expired when I filed for AOS, and I had no problem.

Hopefully he can get his biometrics with his foreign drivers license, otherwise, the OP is just stuck.. :/

thank you for the response and for sharing your experience.

when you went for biometrics did you use an american driver's license or was it a foreign one? my american driver's license was tied to my work visa date and hence its expired.

I used my american driver's license

Why don't you try calling the civil surgeon and see if they will accept your foreign driver's license? When I went in for mine, one of the patients didn't have a driver's license or a passport either and used his student ID, but he was there for other reasons, so I'm not sure if that would apply..

My passport was expired when I sent in my AOS, so that's not going to be a problem. They just need the passport in which you entered the country with

When you go for biometrics, I believe they do need a government issued ID, so since my passport was expired, I used my driver's license. I would just try calling your closest USCIS office and ask.

I really hope that you don't perceive my comments too harsh, just trying to make you aware of how some information you posted could come back and tank your case if eyes from the other side come across this forum.

Hi hi,

I just looked at your timeline, and congratulations on getting your greencard! Quick question, how is it a 10 year greencard? I thought it was normally 2 years and then you had to get conditions removed

Congrats, but...

Getting your license was like getting the stars from the sky? Why so?

Because I lost my passport which had my visa on it, and I also didn't have a social security card. It was only after that I was able to get my license.

I don't know how it is in other states, but Maryland was extremely strict

Congrats. On a side note I can say that US citizens who were born here and have been through the process with a spouse or family members understand the process 100%.

Thanks, I shouldn't have generalized

Hi friends,

I finally got my green card! It arrived through usps yesterday, and I am so beyond emotional and excited as this has been a very stressful journey.

Visajourney helped me a LOT, and I just wanted to pay it forward by listing the entire process.

A little background on me -- I came into the country on a visitor's visa, and then eventually changed my status to F1

Being an F1 student was incredibly hard, not only because of tuition, but because the limitations. Getting my license, for example, was like getting stars from the sky.

Eventually I was able to get my social security card through the school, as I had to do a summer internship.

4 years ago, I met my now wonderful husband, who didn't really know about my situation. He did know I was an F1 student, but that was the extent, because truthfully, american citizens who were born here don't really understand all this immigration stuff. Fast forward 3.5 years later, I transferred to a 4 year college, and tuition was even more expensive. Somehow we got into talking about loans and how I needed a co-signer, and how hard life is, etc. He had also mentioned that his mother pretty much said 'if you love her, marry her'. He proposed with my dream ring, got married February 12th, and began the AOS process.

I mailed everything (I-130, I-485, I-765) on February 29th, and arrived at the Chicago Lockbox on March 1st.

April 8th - Went to get my biometrics

May 11th - EAD card in production

June 1st - Greencard interview scheduled for June 30th

June 9th - Got EAD in the mail (finally)

June 30th - Went in for greencard interview. Interview lasted less than 1 hour

Online USCIS status changed to Card in production

July 1st - USCIS status changed to I-485 approved

USCIS status changed to I-130 approved

July 7th - USCIS status changed to USPS picked up card

July 8th - GREENCARD IN HAND!

I'm trying to attach my I-485 and I-130 checklist, but it says i'm not "permitted to upload this kind of file" -- if anyone needs it, I can email them to you.

I also have pictures of my packages before I sent them - I can email them to you as well!

If anyone has any questions, don't hesitate to ask! I might not have all your answers, but it may help others going through the same process.

Not true. 1 check, 2 checks, 5 checks, etc. As long as the total was correct there should have been no issues.

oh okay, well never mind then

Hi guys,

My EAD was rejected because I forgot to sign the application ...it also states the payment amount is incorrect but I send AP, AOS, and EAD altogether with a 1070 check.

I will send the application again and this time with more evidence and explaining I had already paid for the three of them, what do you guys think of my cover letter?

Thanks in advance

It could say your payment is incorrect because you wrote a check for $1070 instead of 2 separate checks?

Hi everyone, this is my first post on this forum. I am currently on F-1 status and married a USC. We are planning to file for a green card via AOS. I've been a bit confused as to whether I am allowed to maintain my F-1 status while the AOS application is pending. Is this possible? Also if the AOS is denied, will I be able to keep my F-1 status, assuming I don't leave the country and seek to re-enter?

Hi there!

I was an F1 student, but due to tuition being through the roof expensive, I decided to not register for spring semester a week before my husband and I got married. My international adviser said that as long as I showed them my I-485 approval (the notice saying that USCIS had received my AOS package), I'm all good -- pretty much, as soon as you get that notice in the mail, you no longer are F-1. You're status is "pending"

I did read somewhere that you won't be able to fall back on your F1 if your AOS is denied, but I could be wrong and the person above me could be correct. Google it up

Good luck!

I am a US born citizen and my girl friend has an valid J-1 Visa ( au pair, no 2 yr return requirement ). It is going to expire in like 2 more weeks but her agency has the return flight for mid August as the rules allow for her to stay 30 days past the Visa to get her affairs in order. She is from a country that has a Visa waiver program and she has been approved though I know there is no guarantee of anything at the border. She plans on returning early september to come with me to a friend's wedding as well as travel with me here in the US.

My orignal plan was to have her come back on the VWP and then ask her to get married in those 90 days. The other option I had considered was to get married in the next few days before she left and still had a valid J1 Visa.

So now I am conused on which course of action to take. I had asked on an immigration site for lawyers and all of them didnt say one thing except get a lawyer. I did a phone call with one of them and he said that option 1 was easier. But why? Also I heard that she shouldnt travel in August if I choose option 2 and get married at the court house. I would fill out both the I-30 and I-485 immediately after we got married.

Pros / Cons to both options? She is worried that she may not be able to come back in September if we go the VWP route. The lawyer I spoke to earlier said it may be harder with the J1 Visa and getting married now than getting married if she is here during VWP. I am confused with conflicting messages. Perhaps advice from those that may have experienced it will help me.

Thanks in advance!

-John

Hi John,

so as everyone else already stated, option 1 is fraud because she's coming into the country with the intent on staying forever -- basically coming to the US in bad faith

Get married now and file for I-130 and I-485 and whatever else you need, like I-765 so she can work while she is waiting. - pretty much the best option

As I have read in other posts, your girlfriend can stay in the US while you guys file for adjustment of status - visa overstay is forgiven.

I am a US citizen and I will be marrying my non-citizen partner in November of 2016. My partner has been living in the US as an F-1 visa holder for the past 8 years. He has never been out-of-status and his studies in the US will not conclude until the spring of next year, so we do not expect to run into any legal difficulties while filing the I-130 and the I-485.

However, because we have an age gap of 35 years, we have not publicly notified anyone else of our relationship or plans to marry to avoid social stigma. I was wondering if, during the interview with USCIS, we could provide our joint checking account statements, facebook chat logs, saved voice messages and phone records as proof of bona-fide marriage, since our chat logs document a progression of our relationship since 2012 and since we will not be able to physically live together until after my partner finishes his academic studies while I teach abroad part-time on and off (which I assume will not be a liability to proving my domicile in the US, since I pay taxes, have property and bank accounts and visit family every few months). I was also wondering if my individual retirement account, nearing $180,000 would satisfy the affidavit of financial support in lieu of income for a household of 2 (just my partner and I). Thanks in advance!

You definitely need more than just facebook chat logs and joint checking account. I don't think the immigration officer will even listen to the saved voice messages, to be honest.

Do you perhaps have car insurance with both your names on it? You can, of course, definitely provide your marriage certificate after you two get married in November.

When I went in for my interview, I provided: lease, checking/savings account, car insurance, husband co-signing my student loans, proof of travel together (hotel bookings, plane tickets), certified marriage certificate, photos, text messages, and of course, proof of address.

Regardless of the age gap, the immigration officer needs proof that other people -- friends, family -- know about your relationship.

Oh I hope it goes that way for us too! Would you mind giving me a little background info on your situation?

Sure!

Well, my background may be a little different from yours though.

I came to the country as a visitor and then changed my status to F-1, so I didn't really overstay my visit while doing so, as my visitor visa allowed me to stay in the country for 6 months, and I changed my status maybe 3-4 months in.

I feel like every situation varies -- your parents could have come to the states after you wrote on your F-1 application that they were not in the country.

I don't think the immigration officer will grill you too much on your parents.

The only time the IO mentioned my parents was when he asked if my husband had met my family, and then asked where they currently were.

So, don't be too nervous. Just answer truthfully as the IO will be looking at your I-485 application while he/she asks you questions, and check them off as you answer. (At least mine did)

Like someone else advised, don't talk too much. Answer ONLY what the IO asks you.

The immigration officer asked my husband where my parents are right now, and he said they are here in the US. The IO said "oh, they're here in the united states? That's good" and that was that.

Hi thanks for the reply.

I will like you take everything again most people do. They probably ask you do bring those items incase they are missing anything. The only problem anyone has told me is proving we lived together in Brazil we have been married 10 years and lived in Brazil the whole time until Nov 2015 when we came to the states on a visit. I'm not really worried and am not the nervous type. Our only problem is we don't have any documents with both our names on them from the time we lived in Brazil and she is not on our lease here or on my bank account here because she does not have a SSN. We did not apply for a work card for my wife, she is a stay at home mom. I am counting on the fact we have two daughters born in Brazil with dual citizenship to prove legitimate marriage. Like i said I'm going to take the girls with us to the interview. We are trying to get a letter from our friends in Brazil we rented from to help show we lived together but not sure if there is enough time. Even express mail takes a lot of time in and out of Brazil. Interview is on the 25th.of July.

Again Thanks for the response. a

I wasn't able to have my name "officially" on our lease, but they were able to put my name as living with him and what our relationship was. Maybe your leasing office can do the same for you?

Good luck on everything!!

My passport will expire this May and we are still waiting for our interview schedule. I am planning to renew the passport sometime in September. I am hoping to receive my EAD/AP card before the interview so I can apply for DL and SSN.

Just wondering, will an expired passport during AOS interview cause any problem?

Thanks, in advance for responding

Hi Hi

My passport expired back in March and went in for my interview last week.

Immigration officer asked for my passport, but didn't look at it.

NO problem.

If we are both submitting passport copies, do we also need to submit Driver's License ID's? If yes, is it a problem if they show a different address, even though we have been living together and have a lease to prove it?

You don't need to submit your license, but when you go in for your interview, the immigration officer will ask you if you two are living together - same address or a different address. If you guys have been living together for a while, then one of you need to get your address changed because the officer will need to make a photocopy of it.

Just go to the department of motor vehicle website and change your address, they will send you an address card, and you can take that in to your interview.

The officer will also change your address on his computer as well.

just had aos interview yesterday, my visa was already expired ,married my husband 2015.

he only asked for a id so I gave him license. he didn't look at passport or anything else

he stamped my interview letter "scanned" and told me okay you will receive gc in 2 weeks

status on website didn't change still shows the interview date

is this normal?

I went for my interview last thursday and I didn't get approved right away or stamped -- immigration officer asked for my passport but didn't look at it.

He gave me a letter stating that my case is being held for review, which pretty bummed me out, but I think it was because I hadn't changed my address prior to the interview. The immigration officer changed my address during the interview and photocopied my new address card.

A few hours after I finished my interview, I checked my online status and said that my card was in production, and when I checked again on July 1st, it said that my i-485 was approved. So I think every interview varies.

When I got my EAD mailed, the last status update was that it was mailed, it never gave me a tracking number, like other people have. So I'm sure it's normal, don't worry too much!

Happy for you. Congratulations. I got approved last Thursday, he gave me the approval letter. But still didn't get anything yet.my status online still the same. I don't know why

Hi maestro!

I got approved last Thursday as well! It's so exciting -- my online status got changed to card being produced the same day and then changed to case approved on July 1st.

Just waiting for the card to get mailed now..

Hello and thanks for reading,

I finished my master's degree last year and was granted permission to work for a year through the OPT program. I got married three weeks ago and I am now applying for AOS. I've been a student in the US for a long time, as I did my bachelor's here also. My questions are:

1. I know I have to submit copies of my OPT card and latest I-20 document. Do I need to submit ALL my previous I-20 documents? I must have 4 or 5 copies.

2. Do I have to make copies of my spouse and my driver's license if we already provide passport copies? How about social security cards?

3. We have some utility bills that show both our names, along with our common lease. Should we also add other bills that don't have each other's name on them but that show the same address and apt. number to solidify our case?

Thank you SO MUCH for reading...

Best,

Morgan

Hmm, I didn't send any of my I-20's. Just my OPT and previous EAD, and all went well.

Did my interview last Thursday and got approved the same day

Hey everyone

My wife's AOS interview is coming up I know I should bring everything I sent in the I-485 package. On the Interview notice form they list everything to bring my only doubt is "All documents establishing your eligibility for Lawful Permanent Resident status" What else could they want that I have not already sent? I don't want to show up without something she needs.

Thanks

Hi!

So I didn't read everyone's response, but I'm here to tell you exactly what I took to my interview. (My interview was on June 30th, last Thursday)

Although the check list tells you to bring in "all documents", the immigration officer that interviewed my husband and I had a file with everything I had sent in (I-485, I-30, I-765)

I did want to be thorough and take everything I had, I just ended up spending money on the same exact pictures and photocopies I had sent the first time.

Like, although I had already sent in a certified copy of my marriage certificate, the checklist said to bring every bona fide evidence. The immigration officer already had the first certified copy I sent, so he didn't need another one.

He didn't take anything else from me, except for an affidavit my friend wrote about my relationship with my husband, our lease with both our names on it, car insurance with both our names on it, and bank statement with both our names out it (documents I hadn't sent in previously)

Of course, be sure to take her I-94 and her work permit, if she got one, because if your interview goes well, the officer will most likely take the I-94.

The officer took my I-94, but he didn't take my work permit. -- I think he didn't take it because he asked about my job and my husband said that I had a job interview lined up for later that day. The immigration officer wished me luck on that, so maybe he didn't take it from me because he figured I'd need it soon? Plus, apparently the green card takes up to a month to get mailed after getting approved.

Anyways, after the interview, the officer game me a paper saying that my application is being held for review, which pretty bummed me out because I wasn't sure what that meant. But then I went to uscis and tracked my case and said that my card was sent to be made, and then on July 1st, my form I-485 was approved, and they'd mail me an approval notice.

So, I'm rambling on, but I wanted to share.

Good luck!!! :) And don't be nervous. My immigration officer was super nice and laughed at my jokes

Hi friends,

I just finished my GC interview, which I think went pretty well.

However, the immigration officer gave us a document saying that my case is being held for review. But he did take my I-94, but not my EAD.

Can someone give me some insight of why maybe it is being held review?

PS: the immigration officer had to update my new address on his computer, maybe that's why it's being held for review? I don't know

With you overstaying your visa and attending school, would that be considered as intent? Like, did your family come to the states with the intent of staying here forever? I think that's one of the main questions immigration officers ask