Petulc

Not all banks require a SS number to open an account. Many foreigners have local bank accounts. I had one before I immigrated.

For this post my wife with be Miss Doe and i will be Mr Smith.
 
In 2013, i got married to my US wife in Arlington, VA. I then returned home to the UK and started the CR-1 Visa process.
We filed the I-130 and everything else needed to get the CR1 Visa, early on in the process we decided between the two of us that i would be taking my wife's surname, i would no longer be Mr Smith but become Mr Doe and we filed accordingly, putting my name down as Mr Doe on the DS230. I sent our marriage certificate to the UK passport office, the UK DMV and the UK tax office and received my new passport and drivers license back under the name Mr Doe.
In Feb 2014 i moved to the USA, My visa was under the name Mr Doe in my passport that was in the name of Mr Doe, I've been in the US 7 years, my name is Mr Doe, my state driving license, my passport, my mortgage, my bank accounts, insurance and everything else is as Mr Doe, i AM and have been for the past 7 years Mr Doe after legally changing my name through marriage.
My interview at the DC field office (Fairfax, VA) was yesterday at 12:15pm, at 12:45pm a lady (Who we will call Karen 1) came out to the waiting room and called my name. She was polite, asked how i was and led me to an interview rooms. We sat down, she explained she would be conducting the interview and doing my civics test, she said the process shouldn't be more than 30 minutes. She started with the civics test which i passed by answering the first 6 questions correctly. She then asked me to read a sentence on the iPad screen and then to write a short sentence on the screen, which i did correctly. She then opened what looked like my immigration file, a thick brown folder full of paper documents. She started to go through my N400 application, asking several questions like was my address correct, how long i had lived at that address, confirming my wife's name etc etc She then asked when i got married and i said Jan 2013. She looked at the papers and then looked at me and said " So you returned to England for 12 months after you got married ?" I said " yes, i did the CR-1 visa process, that's the correct process to go through after being married in the US, the petition was then filed from the UK" to which she replied, "mmmm that's unusual, most people come over and get married then apply for their Visa here"  i told her i didn't do a K1 but a CR-1. It was at this time that i realized i maybe knew more than she did about the process! She said she had never heard of the CR1 process!!!
She kept looking through my file and reading out aloud, " ok, your I-130 is here, you marriage certificate, your divorce certificate (from previous marriage in the UK) and as she was doing this I'm thinking, what has this to do with things? all this has been checked out and was part of the Visa application process not my N400.
She then stopped at my birth certificate and flipped backwards and forwards between that and my marriage certificate. She then said to me " why is your name now different to your birth certificate?"  I said because after we married i took my wife's surname.  She immediately said back to me, "oh, you cant just do that, that's not allowed,  where is the official paperwork that you changed your name?"  She then said "you should have filled in a DS30" to which i replied, " i did fill in a DS230 and you should have a copy of that in your file"  after looking through the file for several minutes she said there was no DS230 in my file. I said "well the process is the same for the Husband taking the wife's name as it is vice versa, the marriage certificate is proof enough of my name change".  she then started rambling on how DC, Maryland and VA and all the other states have different rules about surnames!! She said " its fine though, she could fill a few forms in on her computer and all i would have to do was get an appointment at the Arlington courthouse, get the papers signed and stamped and then return them in the mail to USCIS and we'll give you another interview!! i KNEW this wasn't correct and i said " I'm sorry but this is not needed, my name has already been changed legally already" She then said she would go speak to her supervisor.
She returned 15 minutes later and said  "yes, its as i thought you will have to do a name change through the courts" by this time my palms were sweating and  i was becoming frustrated trying to explain that she had it wrong, i was polite but firm. I then asked to speak to her supervisor (whom we'll call Karen 2), she said "certainly, I'll go get her". Karen 1 disappeared for 5 minutes and came back saying Karen 2 would be in in 10 minutes. We both sat there in silence until Karen 2 arrived about 15 minutes later.
 
Karen 2 said she had spoke to one of her colleagues and that no one knew exactly what the situation was and should be, i said " there is one person that knows, me!!" between Karen 1 and 2 they agreed that i had to do a name change. I then started to show Karen 2 a copy of my DS230 from 7 years ago on my cell phone, she would not look at it and snapped back at me " I'm not interested in your DS230, that's a Department of State form, nothing to do with this and they have been known to make mistakes"  I was like #######!!! i told her that Karen 1 had mentioned that there was no DS230 in my file and she had been looking for it but Karen 2 was not having anything to do with it!  I then asked what if my wife had taken my name would she have had to go through the courts? She said "no that's normal when 2 people get married, what you have done is not normal and is not really allowed" At this point i was still very calm but inside i was fuming and i thought F**k it, I'm gonna fight my corner and if i piss them off then so be it. She then said, "you will have to change your name through the court",  i said " so what name am i changing it from? Mr Smith does not exist anymore, he hasn't done for 7 years, my passport, green card, bank accounts, mortgage state ID are all in the name Mr Doe and it was changed to that legally in the UK and on the DS230, so how can i change my name and what do i change it to?" she just stood there looking confused and didn't know how or what to say. I then asked her how my Visa and all the correspondence from USCIS was issued and addressed to Mr Doe, where had they got that name from ? again, she couldn't answer and didn't know how to respond.
My questions to Karen 2 went on for over 15 minutes but what seemed like an hour! she was very arrogant and ignorant and didn't want to talk to me, just to Karen 1. 
Then Karen 1 turned to Karen 2 and said ( and this is verbatim i kid you not) "I've just googled it and it says its OK"  Karen 2 said, "what website does it say that on ? is it the courthouse website?" Karen 1 said " no it just says it on google that a man can take the wife's name"  Karen 2 then said to Karen 1, ' OK put it through" and walked off!!!!
 
I was in there just over 2 hours, LOTS of questions and conversations between me and both Karens that I've forgotten and I cant even remember the amount of times i asked things and they didn't know what to say. I left the office happy but totally frustrated and shaking!
if i had just left it and taken their word for it or not stood up for myself i would have not been approved!!
 
So my Oath is next Tuesday and I'm looking forward to it but the whole things left a real bad taste in my mouth:( My wife says i should write a letter of complaint, im just gonna move on but i wanted to vent through this forum that has been a great wealth of information over the past 7 or 8 years,
 
Thanks
K & S DOE!!!
 

MOST utilities will only allow one name on the bill.  Send what you have, and don't worry about what you don't.  We had NO utilities with both names - only our cellphone bill with two numbers (and one name for each number).  You do not have to explain.
 
Sukie in NY

Ive not ever delt with USCIS but after doing so i hope some future reform comes about. 

You seem very focused on naturalization, and not on your marriage. Don't you want to live with the person you married? Wasn't that the whole point of marrying and applying for a visa?
Focus on your marriage, and on how you can build your relationship. Seeing each other more often than once a month would be good, not necessarily for naturalization but for your marriage. When the time comes that you can apply for naturalization, you can see where you are and if it makes sense to apply. 

Ok so im still months old in the US so if we live together maybe a year before applying for citizenship? Will that work?

Being married to a US Citizen does not give you any status,  most people want to adjust so amongst other things  they can work, drive etc.

Your marriage, your choices. But would you rather she finds out from you or from someone else? I’m not talking about traffic tickets. I’m talking convictions. If she subsequently found out you hadn’t told her that, she would naturally wonder what other secrets you were hiding. 
 
FWIW my husband’s crime was committed in 1991. We met in 2012. Over 20 years later. We have told each other everything. And I was still asked about it at the interview.

Oh yeah, bad woman to leave you in such a mess..
 
File now, you can give USCIS the death certificate later. The poor woman isn't even dead yet, geez.
 

She couldn't do that now due to the Covid-19 and we don't know when this is gonna be gone.... Now we have the 2016 and 2017 transcripts can we just go ahead and upload the two then I can go with 2018 transcripts to my interview after the pandemic 

You are the QUINTESSENTIAL liberal supporter.  You will remain blind to facts and loyal to your candidate.  I see this a lot, and I fail to understand how people can behave thusly.  Really is mind boggling.

no............bernie, don't quit!  we're getting used to how your presidency will be, with all of these empty shelves!

Hi everyone, good evening. 
 
After 2 years and 7 months I'm back to share how my situation took the direction that the Lord saw fit for me. 
 
I tried to seek help from many professionals and people that could throw some light in my situation and help me find the better direction with some advices. Although I was told that my marriage was "unpleasant" and not abuse. 
 
The Lord in His infinite wisdom helped me to find what would be best for me. 
 
2 years and 7 months ago I applied for VAWA by myself, I since I could not find someone willing to help. I provided all supporting documents for my case. I did the best I could. In 01/13/2020 I received a RFE requesting a background check from Spain. I provided such document and in 04/03/2020 my case was approved. 
 
I encourage all of you who are hopeless, and have been on a situation like mine, do not despair, for the Lord hear your prayers and he will guide you through dark times. 
 
If anyone need help with anything, hit me up and I'll try my best to help. 
 
God be with you and bless you all!!

Stupid question but maybe I missed something. Your passport doesn't show entry and exit stamps? 

These visas are for family reunification. If the petitioner dies there is no reunification, thus no reason to be able to immigrate 

Just send a cover letter that says exactly what you said to us here - that you and your spouse, for the reasons you listed, are primarily cash users.  Since you have other stuff to send, that should help explain the bank statement issue.  They can see the cash withdrawals on your statements.
 
Good luck!
 
Sukie in NY

June or July at earliest 

This has postponed my wedding. Fiance was due here Saturday from the UK for our April 3rd wedding. We saw this coming but were still hoping he'd make it here. Trying to pick new dates now...

Many people make this exact mistake, they think 90 days is the same as 3 months, and therefore overstay their ESTA or send their ROC too early.

There have been numerous cases posted where people have mailed their I-751 a few days before the 90 day window opened......and their packages were rejected.......waiting until after the 90 day window opens makes little difference in the processing time.

I did answer your question. Read the I-751.  If she can remove conditions after an annulment then it doesn't invalidate her green card. 

Completely off-topic, but 5-10 HOURS..EACH DAY!? How on earth did either of you manage to have a life...or sleep?  

If they would deny people because they met online or because of poor English, then oh boy 90% of k1 and cr1 should be denied. 

Looking at your post history I’m guessing it’s because you have met once in 6 years. Any CO would struggle to accept that was a bona fide marriage. You also didn’t send much evidence with your I-130. Did you send more after you got the RFE? 
 
I know flights are expensive and time off work is limited but within 6 years you would have been expected to have met more than once - especially for a difficult embassy such as Pakistan. 

Have you thought about talking to your wife and asking if she will leave? From your tone it sounds like you want immigration to get rid of your wife for you.
 
It's highly doubtful ICE will make your wife a priority when there are an estimated 11 million people living out of status or illegally. USCIS is not Amazon where you get to return the package if you're not satisfied.