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psho

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Posts posted by psho

    I-751 August filers, 2010

    in Removing Conditions on Residency General Discussion

    Posted

    So. Last time I posted, we had received an RFE on January 10 -- the USCIS wanted more evidence concerning our finances and residence.

    We were a bit flummoxed, as we don't commingle most of our finances. I was the victim of identity theft shortly before my husband got his fiance visa, plus my credit rating was quite #######, and I didn't want to spoil his chances at credit. (This was a good decision as it turned out, since my husband was able to establish excellent credit and we now have a house of our own! But as he was the purchaser, my name isn't on the deed -- we shall change that soon.)

    I had requested the utility company to add his name to my bill, and despite their assurances, this didn't happen. Thank you very much, PG&E. Feh.

    So we had separate bills to the same address, no shared credit card, my name is not on the mortgage -- we thought it looked dodgier than the situation actually is.

    We did have one shared bank account, opened in May of last year -- our "slush fund" to stow away cash for a nice trip to Hawaii some day. We also had health insurance cards, something from the IRS addressed to the both of us, an application for a property tax exemption that we received in the past few weeks, and itineraries for our trip to DC in October and Michigan in December. They didn't ask for that, but we sent it in anyway.

    In our cover letter, we explained why we don't have our finances commingled, crossed our fingers and sent our additional evidence Express Mail on Monday, February 14. The RFE was due on the 16th.

    Tonight we went to a meeting of our housing association, and when we got back I checked my smartphone -- I had a text from USCIS saying that our status had changed.

    I checked my email, and the blessed "card production has been ordered" message was here.

    YAY YAY YAY!

    We are so grateful to VisaJourney and the community here -- it has saved us much money and lots of heartbreak.

    Thanks to all you, and for those still waiting, stay strong.

    On to citizenship!

    Travel between conditial green card and removing conditions

    in Removing Conditions on Residency General Discussion

    Posted

    Update now that my husband is home:

    This might be an issue specific to people from countries that would normally require visas for where they are going. In our case, Canada requires a visa from Bulgarians. Because he has a green card, he is given the same opportunity as Americans to come and go out of Canada without a visa. As long as he has a valid green card.

    Apparently the people at Air Canada told him he couldn't fly without the stamp in his passport. So he went running (with all his bags, since they wouldn't check them of course) "one mile away" according to him to Customs. He waited for a while, then had to actually argue with them over what the letter meant and when they finally saw his point that he has a valid green card until Oct 2011, they said they didn't have the stamp there. So he goes tearing back to the check-in desk, tells them what the customs guys told him... they don't believe him so they call over to customs (um, couldn't they have done that in the first place?) and finally agree to let him get on the plane.

    In Canada, finally, it was actually not a problem. They saw an expired green card, the looked at the letter and it was fine. Yay, Canadians!

    I guess in conclusion, the only disturbing part of this story is that the actual American customs people didn't know about the letter extension and had to be convinced of its validity.

    SO - if you are from a country that would normally require a visa to visit where you are going, AND you are in the ROC processing limbo, you might want to go ahead and get the stamp in your passport to avoid difficulties. We will before my husband goes back.

    Oh, wait - he just told me he HAS a stamp now, from returning today. It looks the same as his previous ones (his first one with "CR-1 19OCT2010" written in, and another one from last summer that just has "LPR" written in) but this one has something like "ARC" . WTH? Is this the magical stamp he needs? What is ARC?

    Glad your husband got home!

    Could the ARC stamp be Alien Registration Card? (This apparently was an older term for the green card.) I googled ARC + visa and got lots of results about Taiwan (where you require an Alien Registration Certificate), and this result on Wikipedia about Alien Registration Cards:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permanent_residence_%28United_States%29

    It's a mystery!

    Travel between conditial green card and removing conditions

    in Removing Conditions on Residency General Discussion

    Posted

    I read this thread, and several others, so when my husband left for a business trip in Canada, he brought the original of the extension letter with his passport and green card, with back up copies. Just like everyone says.

    So get this - at the San Francisco airport they almost didn't let him *leave* (according to him, I don't know how adamant they were since I wasn't there...) because he didn't have the STAMP in his PASSPORT. They said he wouldn't be able to come back... Annoying! He's on the flight home now so we'll see if they give him a hard time or not. Hope they don't send him back to Canada, haha.

    I'm just very surprised by this. San Francisco *International* Airport! Not like they ever see any immigrants coming through there or anything.:rolleyes:

    How is it possible they don't think the official letter from USCIS is enough? (And isn't he somehow "in the system" as having another year of LPR status if they look it up on their computer?)

    Anyway, no point for this except to relay experience. It never ceases to amaze me how there seems to be no consistency whatsoever with the immigration folks.

    That's interesting. My husband is in the UK right now (he left on November 3). He flew Virgin Atlantic from SFO -- he didn't have any difficulty, but we did notice that the person checking him in didn't ask to see his green card, as they usually do. The clerk did check with a supervisor -- not sure if this is because he didn't check in online or what. (He has his green card and his letter of extension with him.) Who was it who almost didn't let him leave? The airline personnel?

    He flies back the day before Thanksgiving -- if he gets any guff at all, I'll report back.

    I-751 August filers, 2010

    in Removing Conditions on Residency General Discussion

    Posted

    Updating my info -- can't remember when we got the NOA, but we went in for the biometrics in Oakland yesterday. The woman who took the fingerprints told my husband that he'd be getting his new green card "in a couple of weeks" -- WHAT??? Really?

    We shall see!

    California Service Center (21 applicants, 1 approved)

    VJName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics......Approved....Local DO

    SUPERMANBACK.......07/26/10..........08/02/10.......09/03/10........09/09/10....ST. LOUIS, MO

    MARIENMICHELLE.....07/29/10..........08/09/10.......09/14/10........--/--/10....LOS ANGELES, CA

    LILI...............07/30/10..........08/02/10.......08/27/10........--/--/10....SEATTLE, WA

    BRIAN&MEL..........08/03/10..........08/09/10.......08/24/10........--/--/10....

    SWEETPIANO.........08/03/10..........08/13/10.......09/10/10........--/--/--....DETROIT, MI

    PSHO...............08/04/10..........--/--/10.......09/27/10........--/--/10....SAN FRANCISCO, CA

    RMC................08/05/10..........08/09/10.......10/01/10........--/--/10....SAN JOSE, CA

    REALPI.............08/05/10..........08/09/10.......09/03/10........--/--/10....MILWAUKEE, WI

    KGSODIE............08/06/10..........08/09/10.......08/30/10........--/--/10....OMAHA, NE

    MOUNTAIN CLIMBER...08/07/10..........08/09/10.......08/27/10........--/--/10....

    THE2OFUS...........08/08/10..........08/10/10.......09/02/10........--/--/10....MILWAUKEE, WI

    FREEAGENT..........08/09/10..........08/13/10.......09/27/10........--/--/--....CHICAGO, IL

    Z AND S............08/09/10..........08/16/10.......10/05/10........--/--/--....CHICAGO, IL

    MURDOCK............08/09/10..........08/16/10.......10/05/10........--/--/10....LOS ANGELES, CA

    GOUCHO727..........08/10/10..........08/10/10.......09/08/10........--/--/10....

    CAMISTANBUL........08/10/10..........08/20/10.......09/16/10........--/--/--....SAN FRANCISCO, CA

    DANYELYMIGUEL......08/11/10..........08/16/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....DETROIT, MI

    ALI E JEFF.........08/12/10..........08/16/10.......09/27/10........--/--/10....SEATTLE, WA

    MACPARA............08/17/10..........08/23/10.......09/30/10........--/--/--....TUCSON, AZ

    DDKM...............08/20/10..........08/23/10.......09/29/10........--/--/--....TUCSON, AZ

    GINA-S.............08/26/10..........08/30/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....URBANA, IL

    Vermont Service Center (19 applicants)

    VJName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics......Approved....Local DO

    MARKANDLADA........07/29/10..........08/02/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....Charlotte, NC

    BABYBEBITA.........07/29/10..........08/03/10.......09/03/10........--/--/10....

    HELIOSPAN1676......07/31/10..........08/03/10.......09/01/10........--/--/10....

    MURFIE.............07/31/10..........08/02/10.......08/24/10........--/--/10....

    WI751..............07/31/10..........08/04/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

    V&STEVE............08/02/10..........08/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

    MEL AND SYL........08/02/10..........08/06/10.......09/27/10........--/--/10....Tampa, Fl

    PAUL&OLENA.........08/04/10..........08/06/10.......09/27/10........--/--/10....Tampa, Fl

    BUTTERFLY1978CN....08/09/10..........08/11/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....Houston, TX

    RAINBOW007.........08/11/10..........08/16/10.......09/30/10........--/--/10....

    ODOJOE.............08/12/10..........08/16/10.......10/04/10........--/--/10....Orlando, FL

    BOURNE25...........08/13/10..........08/19/10.......10/12/10........--/--/10....New York

    EJBROOKS...........08/16/10..........08/19/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

    SCOTSVISA..........08/17/10..........08/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

    MIKIMIKI...........08/20/10..........08/24/10.......10/08/10........--/--/10....Philadelphia, PA

    JGREENIE...........08/23/10..........08/27/10.......10/07/10........--/--/10....

    MANILA_2005........08/23/10..........08/30/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....Nashville, TN

    SOLIDPOWER.........08/26/10..........08/27/10.......09/27/10........--/--/10....

    STORYANGEL.........08/26/10..........08/31/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....Houston, TX

    IMPORTANT!

    * Make sure that your VJ Text Editor setting is set to Rich Text Editor.

    * Go to the MOST RECENTLY POSTED VERSION of this list (go to the last post and scroll UP) and "Reply" to it, deleting the "quote" tags in your reply.

    * Please DO NOT change the font, font size, add colors, stuff like that.

    * Please PREVIEW before posting to make sure it is properly formatted.

    * Please check that you have not deleted anyones NAME & DATA.

    Date of I-751 = The Date you sent your application

    NOA Date = The Receipt Date on your original NOA letter

    Biometrics = The Date of your biometrics appointment

    Approved = The Date your case was approved

    * Please Capitalize your VJ Name when adding it to the list

    * When you're on this list, please come back to update your information accordingly*

    * If you cannot add your information yourself, please ask another VJ member to help you do so.

    I-751 August filers, 2010

    in Removing Conditions on Residency General Discussion

    Posted

    California Service Center (3 applicants)

    VJName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics......Approved....Local DO

    LILI...............07/30/10..........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....SEATTLE, WA

    BRIAN&MEL..........08/03/10..........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

    PSHO...............08/04/10..........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....SAN FRANCISCO, CA

    Vermont Service Center (4 applicants)

    VJName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date......Biometrics......Approved....Local DO

    HELIOSPAN1676......07/31/10..........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

    WI751..............08/01/10..........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

    MEL AND SYL........08/02/10..........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....

    MARKANDLADA........08/02/10..........--/--/10.......--/--/10........--/--/10....Charlotte, NC

    IMPORTANT!

    * Make sure that your VJ Text Editor setting is set to Rich Text Editor.

    * Go to the MOST RECENTLY POSTED VERSION of this list (go to the last post and scroll UP) and "Reply" to it, deleting the "quote" tags in your reply.

    * Please DO NOT change the font, font size, add colors, stuff like that.

    * Please PREVIEW before posting to make sure it is properly formatted.

    * Please check that you have not deleted anyones NAME & DATA.

    Date of I-751 = The Date you sent your application

    NOA Date = The Receipt Date on your original NOA letter

    Biometrics = The Date of your biometrics appointment

    Approved = The Date your case was approved

    * Please Capitalize your VJ Name when adding it to the list

    * When you're on this list, please come back to update your information accordingly*

    * If you cannot add your information yourself, please ask another VJ member to help you do so.

    AOS FILERS - March 2008

    in Adjustment of Status (Green Card) from K1 and K3 Family Based Visas

    Posted

    Just got notice that our interview has been scheduled in Seattle (well Tukwila, WA) for Friday, October 24th! YAY us! OK I am totally nervous now...Any adivce would be GREATLY appreciated!

    Thanks much!

    Annette

    Do you have your evidence together? It's always helpful to get it sorted in the days before you have the interview, so you aren't in "panic mode."

    I wouldn't be too nervous -- you've just been selected as "quality control" -- it's not a fraud interview.

    I've been reading other folks' recent experiences, and it seems that the drill now is that the USC gets most of the questions. So you probably know the names of your spouse's family and how you met and who attended your wedding (these were the questions I was asked).

    Good luck!

    AOS FILERS - March 2008

    in Adjustment of Status (Green Card) from K1 and K3 Family Based Visas

    Posted

    Hello Everyone!!! Got my interview scheduled on OCTOBER 10, 2008 in LA.

    YAY...CONGRATS MALAKAS...AND BEST OF LUCK. OURS IS COMING SOON....CAN'T WAIT....

    Hi YG and Mat,

    Please share your interview experience with us please? Thanks

    Hi there...we sure will! It's coming up pretty soon...Friday to be exact.

    psho,

    We are also thinking of taking BART. We have our interview in San Francisco on Friday, where did you get off? Is it a really long walk?

    Thanks,

    -YG

    It's a few blocks away from either Montgomery Street BART or Embarcadero BART. We walked from Embarcadero so we could walk past the crazy parrots that live in the park.

    So we walked up Drumm Street to Clay, and then right on Sansome.

    http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&...012081&z=16

    Visa Waiver Program still in operation

    in United Kingdom

    Posted

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_Sy...l_Authorization

    The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) is a requirement issued by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff which requires airline passengers from visa-waived countries (most of Western Europe, Australia, Brunei, Japan, New Zealand and Singapore) to register with the U.S. government in advance of travel to the United States.[1]

    Passengers have been able to sign up since August 2008, but the travel authorization will not become mandatory until January 2009.[2] Once screened, passengers are exempt from screening as their records will be kept on file for two years.

    Opponents claim the new rules will delay last minute business travel.

    At the behest of the Spanish government, the name of the rule was change from ETA (electronic travel authorization) to ESTA because of concerns about the Basque separatist group who also goes by ETA.[citation needed]

    The Australian equivalent is still called ETA[3]. It is also generally called a visa, or electronic visa.

    The US version is not called a visa by the US, therefore still no visa is officially needed, but an appoved application to visit the US several days before is needed, which is very close to a visa requirement.

    As opposed to the $131 processing fee for a visa, ESTA is currently free of charge, but this may change [4]

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