supranatural

AOS was applied for about Oct. 16. Date of NOA1 is Oct. 21. Fingerprinting done 11-14. What kind of notice do you normally get for an interview? 2 weeks? 4 weeks? I thought that most of the time there wasn't an interview, unless things have changed.

My wife just got her AP and she misses her family a lot so we are planning for her to go back and visit. Originally she planned to go end of this month (Jan) and come back in March, then go back for a couple of weeks in May for her annual family hike. I proposed that maybe she should just stay from Jan through May since the original idea would have her coming back Mid March and 5 weeks later flying out again. My main concern is spending large chunks of time outside the US - will this negatively impact her AOS application? She also plans to go back for a couple of weeks at the end of the summer when her family goes to the shore for their annual summer vacation also.

Thank you Kathryn!

We received our Advanced Parole and it is actually 2 copies of the same document as far as we can tell. Is my wife supposed to travel with both copies, or is one supposed to be a backup copy to be kept safe? Does she have to show it to anyone before leaving the US? Or is it only shown upon her return? We want to make sure we do this correctly so there is no issue with her returning to the US.

Also is there a limitation on how long she can stay abroad before returning (of course keeping in mind the expiration date of her AP)?

I'm not sure how AP works. I'm assuming that it's basically for re-entry to the US. In theory then, if my wife were to return to her home country for a visit (she misses it a lot) while I wait for the AP, I could simply mail her the AP and she could present it at port of entry for return to the US. I don't know if this assumption is correct or not. Is the AP required for exit from the country if re-entry is planned?

Just a real quick question and hopefully easy one...when assembling the AOS package to mail in, do you assemble it together with Acco fasteners like the K-1/I129F application or do you just put all the forms loose in the envelope?

In general, for those who are applying for AOS, Part 7 of the I-131 is not applicable. Read the instructions, they clearly distinguish between advance parole and re-entry into the US.

After about 15 minutes of explaining this he accepted it but still insists that we will run into trouble later for not paying him to do a medical exam.

Btw, did you show him the instructions of the I-693, section III, point 2, on page 4?

That's the funny part actually, I printed out the directions and showed him and his nurse what it said. They then asked me for proof that she had a medical and I told them she could not have gotten the K-1 visa without one and that it was turned in at POE and that USCIS would have it in her file.

I decided instead to use Dr. L E Arnold who I just found on this board.

No, we didn't inquire with other civil surgeons. None are in the immediate area. I was just curious what other people did as far as the section for the exam goes. According to the I693 instructions it's pretty clear so I'm not worried about there being "trouble" in the future but I was just wondering what everyone else did...i.e., cross out the medical exam section?

She has her vaccination records which the civil surgeon looked over and then told us what we needed for vaccines. We then had bloodwork done at our family doctor to show she had the required antibodies for all the other diseases. We don't have a copy of the medical she had done in Kiev...it was in a sealed envelope that we gave at the port of entry to Immigration.

My wife and I visited a designated civil surgeon and he is trying to tell us that if we don't get a medical exam with him it will cause problems down the road. According to the instructions for the I693 it says that if my wife is a K1 Visa holder and got a medical exam within the last year (which she had to get for her K-1 visa) she does not have to get another medical exam. The civil surgeon is arguing that we don't have proof of this, and is asking where is our copy of the exam? I've explained it to him that after the exam they gave my wife a sealed envelope which she gave to immigration upon her entry into the country. After about 15 minutes of explaining this he accepted it but still insists that we will run into trouble later for not paying him to do a medical exam. Now, my question is, what does he fill in on the medical examination part aside from the Vaccination portion which is obvious and he will fill it out? Does he simply cross out the sections that he did not conduct?

My wife is very concerned with the safety of this vaccine...is there any way to refuse this particular vaccine? She's been hearing a lot about the adverse effects of it.

No one has an answer?

I have a question - I'm preparing the AOS filing and the Hepatitis B vaccination is required. However, the Hep B vaccine is a 3 part series which takes about 4 months to complete. Does this mean we have to wait for the entire series of vaccinations before we can file for AOS? I noted in the instructions for I693 that:

HHS has determined that a vaccine is "not medically

appropriate" if : (a) the vaccine is not recommended for your

specific age group; (B) there is a medical reason why it would

not be safe to have the vaccine (for example, allergies to eggs

and yeast, pregnancy, hypersensitivity to prior vaccines, or

other medical reasons); or © you are unable to complete the

entire series of a required vaccine within a reasonable amount

of time.

So does Part C absolve us of the need to get the Hep B vaccine or does it at least would it be acceptable if my wife starts the Hep B series?

In the 131 right after Part 3 it says to skip to Part 7 if you are applying for advance parole document but it seems people are filling out parts 4 and 5. Are people also attaching another document for Part 7?

Never mind, I read the directions and it answered my questions...sry lol.

In the 131 right after Part 3 it says to skip to Part 7 if you are applying for advance parole document but it seems people are filling out parts 4 and 5. Are people also attaching another document for Part 7?

Okay I have a sticky question here. I married my wife about 3 days before the expiration of her K-1 visa so we are good there. However I am in the middle of completing and sending in her AOS and Advance Parole. We want to take a trip to the Grand Canyon to celebrate our marriage (i.e. honeymoon)...the last time we traveled within the US the ticket counter checked her ID which was her passport and K-1 Visa. Now of course her K-1 is out of status...will tihis present a problem for her to travel within the US?

Did you marry before the expiration of the I-94? In other words, did you marry within 90 days of her entering the US on the k-1 visa? That's what matters.

Why would the ticket agent check her visa? Once used to enter the US, it's no longer valid. I guess he wanted to see the cool colors. He wasn't checking it for validity or anything. She can travel as long as she has an ID (passport). You definitely want to have your marriage certificate to show that you married within 90 days of her arrival and she's not illegal. And if you didn't marry within 90 days, then you have bigger problems that figuring out if she can travel.

BTW, was your K-1 Visa approved in 21 days?

Yes, we married within 90 days of her entry.

And yes, the Visa was approved in something like 19 days IIRC. It was very fast.

Thanks to all for the replies.

Okay I have a sticky question here. I married my wife about 3 days before the expiration of her K-1 visa so we are good there. However I am in the middle of completing and sending in her AOS and Advance Parole. We want to take a trip to the Grand Canyon to celebrate our marriage (i.e. honeymoon)...the last time we traveled within the US the ticket counter checked her ID which was her passport and K-1 Visa. Now of course her K-1 is out of status...will tihis present a problem for her to travel within the US?

Common knowledge..... From the instructions to the form:

NOTE: If you filed a Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, on or after July 30, 2007, and you paid the I-485 application fee required, then no fee is required to file a request for Advance Parole or for a Refugee Travel Document on Form I-131. You may file the I-131 for Advance Parole or for a Refugee Travel Document concurrently with your I-485, or you may submit the I-131 for Advance Parole or a Refugee Travel Document at a later date. If you file Form I-131 for advance parole or a refugee travel document separately, you must also submit a copy of your Form I-797C, Notice of Action, receipt as evidence that you filed and paid the fee for the Form I-485 required on or after July 30, 2007.

Which instructions is that from? I looked but I can't find it. Thanks.

Ya i have an appt for medical on Fri - if I get nothing from congress person by then I'll just have to bite the bullet. After your RFE's, how long did your green card take? I'm trying to decide if I should pay $300 for the Advance parole

AP is included in the $1010 fee... so there is nothing else to pay..

My son's GC processed about 3 weeks after the medical was submitted

Wait, is that really correct? The AP fee is included in the AOS fee of $1010? I don't have to pay the $305 AP fee? Almost sounds too good to be true...can anyone else confirm this as well? Sorry if I sound skeptical...

I am completing the I-485 for my wife and a field on the second page for the form asks for Non Immigrant Visa number - is this the Visa control number?

Thanks in Advance

Ben

Under customs declaration form, they have a section (question 15) asking Residents (which my fiancee is not yet until she marries me) or Visitors (I don't think she is a visitor) the total value of all articles that will remain in the US. As I understand it, her personal belongins like clothes, cosmetics, etc do not count in this, or am I wrong? Does she have to declare the value of her personal belongings as they will be remaining in the US obviously...

Thanks...but what is the CBP?

Been away for a couple of weeks cause I've been so busy getting the house ready for Valya's arrival in the US.

I just want to make sure I know what's going to happen at the POE. I went through this about 6 years ago with my ex-wife from Moscow, but as she only had basic English skills at the time she could not tell me exactly what happened.

My fiancee will be arriving at JFK airport. She has the sealed packet (the one they tell you *not* to open) that they mailed to her from the US Embassy, the Visa in her International Passport, and her chest Xray (I'm pretty sure they don't need it at POE but I didn't want to take the chance...). Now I know you have to fill out a Customs declaration form and an I-94 form which they hand out to you on the airplane typically. Now what happens with USCIS? Does she give them the sealed packet (and I assume she does not get it back right?)? At Passport control they will look at her Visa, probably ask her what she is doing in the country (marry me of course). I just want to make sure I know what's going to happen so I can make sure things go smoothly for her (i.e., let her know so that she doesn't miss something).

Thanks in advance.

Ben

Congrats! I know the feeling .