OjosAzules

Wow, Green Card arrived in the mail last night. one week after the email was received. Looks like we're done with paperwork for close to 2 years now which will be a wonderful thing.

thank you everyone for all the help and support you've given us in this forum and in the fiancee visa forum. Please feel free to email me with any questions as well.

...wow, and sometimes things go quickly! We were really amazed to come home yesterday to a green card in the mail. We received an email on wednesday 10/17 that the green card was in production....one week later (yesterday) the greencard was in our mail box.

We have been blessed with some luck here....Just got a email out of the blue that our Green Card was in production.

No interview, no RFE's, no nothing.

I'm not sure what gave us the good luck here. We didnt' apply for EAD or Advance Parole, we included lots of stuff about our relationship, (bank accounts, lease, joint phone bills), we waited 2.5 months to apply from the marriage date.

Not sure if any of that had any effect on the outcome, but it looks like this stage is almost done.

We got a SS card originally in her maiden name, and will need to go change it...hopefully that will not be an issue.

I would be happy to answer any questions about our submissions and what we did or did not include.

You can take your "you have been approved" letter --- letter, NOT email -- to your local district office to try and get the stamp in your passport and then you will be able to travel. Otherwise, wait for the card in hand. It's not worth it to travel without what you need.

Thank you all! Going by the strong advice of the respondants, we will wait til we have the approval letter, make an infopass appointment and then try to get a stamp....

sounds like it's not worth the risk.

Here's a tricky question to which I hope someone might be able to provide some insight-

We did not apply for AP, and our AOS has been transferred to the California service center. Technically, if our case is approved and we get a "in production" email, could my wife travel outside the US and wait for me to bring her the green card when it arrives in the mail? then we could both enter the US together on the way back?

Is there any rule that says you have to wait to get your green card before leaving the country? is there any stamp or anything you get before leaving on the green card?

Thanks!

USERNAME-----------FILED--------RECEIVED--------NOA1-------BIOMETRICS------TRANSFER-------INTERVIEW------APPROVED/STAMP

yassmine2878------06/14/07------06/21/07------07/02/07------07/26/07-------------------06/14/07(DORA)---

P.T.(K2)----------06/22/07------06/24/07------07/05/07------07/23/07----------------------11/15/07---

ericalamb---------06/22/07------06/24/07------07/03/07------07/31/07--

Luz and Robin-----06/23/07------06/24/07------07/02/07------07/25/07----------------------11/01/07---

Nyte--------------06/26/07------06/xx/07------07/02/07------08/01/07--

bostonparis-------06/25/07------06/26/07------07/03/07------07/27/07--

cshell------------06/25/07------06/26/07------07/03/07------07/27/07--

chinohk-----------06/27/07------06/29/07------07/10/07------07/17/07----------------------11/21/07---

MsA---------------06/27/07------06/28/07------07/06/07------07/26/07--

Jup1ter-----------06/27/07------06/28/07------07/06/07------07/31/07--

JohnInSeattle-----06/27/07------06/28/07------07/09/07------07/30/07----------------------10/11/07---

isismendoza-------06/28/07------06/29/07------07/09/07------07/31/07----------------------09/14/07---

jw07--------------06/28/07------06/29/07------07/09/07------07/31/07----------------------11/20/07---

Racer's Girl------06/28/07------07/12/07------07/--/07------07/31/07--

Mandysbaby--------06/29/07------07/02/07------07/12/07------08/10/07--

mrs.song----------06/29/07------07/02/07------07/11/07------08/03/07----------------------10/12/07---

Chelseafan--------06/29/07------07/02/07------07/16/07------08/01/07----------------------10/25/07---

RhondaM-----------06/29/07------07/--/07------07/16/07------

LV&LC-------------07/02/07------07/03/07------07/12/07------08/06/07----------------------10/11/07---

LovinJA-----------07/02/07------07/03/07------07/11/07------08/03/07----------------------09/27/07---

babyandherboy-----07/03/07------07/05/07------07/13/07------

Nicky44-----------07/05/07------07/09/07------07/17/07------08/16/07--

OjosAzules--------07/05/07------07/06/07-----07/23/07-------08/07/07--------09/07/07

silivake----------07/06/07------07/08/07------07/16/07------08/08/07--

gabytalbert-------07/06/07------07/09/07------07/16/07------08/06/07----------------------10/30/07---

i adore u---------07/06/07------07/08/07------07/17/07------08/08/07--

reeses16----------07/07/07------07/09/07------07/17/07------08/15/07--

DeaniWait---------07/09/07------07/10/07------07/--/07------08/11/07--

SirLancelot-------07/10/07------07/12/07------07/19/07------09/06/07--

Nanusia&Lukasz----07/10/07------07/11/07------07/18/07------08/08/07----------------------11/29/07---

Sonshyne----------07/10/07------07/16/07------07/24/07------08/16/07----------------------10/18/07---

Paulily-----------07/10/07------07/11/07------07/18/07------08/13/07----------------------09/25/07---

Bill and Hayley---07/10/07------07/12/07------07/19/07------08/07/07----------------------10/05/07---

kiwigirl224-------07/11/07------07/12/07------07/19/07------08/08/07--

divs76------------07/12/07------07/20/07------07/--/07------08/24/07--

iya---------------07/12/07------07/16/07------07/24/07------08/14/07----------------------10/16/07---

cdancer57---------07/12/07------07/13/07------07/23/07------08/14/07--

igomo-------------07/12/07------07/15/07------07/23/07------09/19/07--

Cecy--------------07/13/07------07/16/07------07/24/07------08/22/07--

JelloShotGirl-----07/13/07------07/16/07------07/23/07------08/15/07--

CherylandMike-----07/13/07------07/15/07------07/24/07------08/10/07--

Ricardo-----------07/14/07------07/--/07------07/25/07------08/17/07--

Livingwell--------07/15/07------07/27/07------

JamalNTam---------07/16/07------07/18/07------07/27/07------08/14/07--

Skeeter211--------07/16/07------07/18/07------07/26/07------08/17/07----------------------10/25/07---

lirachadsbaby-----07/16/07------07/18/07------07/27/07------08-30-07--

infomon-----------07/16/07------07/17/07------07/26/07------08/18/07--

pushbrk-----------07/17/07------07/19/07------07/27/07------08/15/07--

Sol-de-Verano-----07/18/07------07/20/07------07/--/07-----08/23/07--------08/27/07---

bloom-------------07/18/07------07/--/07------xx/--/07------08/21/07--

Icarus------------07/18/07------07/--/07------07/--/07------08/31/07--

KHagen------------07/19/07------07/20/07------

ajames79----------07/19/07------07/23/07------xx/--/07------08/25/07--

Karin und Otto----07/19/07------07/24/07------08/31/07------09/13/07--

Griffon76---------07/20/07------07/23/07------xx/--/07------08/29/07--

zeeofman----------07/20/07------07/23/07------xx/--/07------08/30/07--

John&Diana--------07/21/07------none yet------09/22/07------

ali1978-----------07/21/07------07/23/07------xx/--/07------08/22/07--

chloe-------------07/23/07------07/24/07------xx/--/07------09/04/07--

Bigb42------------07/23/07------07/26/07------

helzie------------07/23/07------07/25/07------

GARSEMROD---------07/23/07------07/25/07------

dee2701-----------07/24/07------07/25/07------xx/xx/07------09/07/07--

Mattob------------07/24/07------07/26/07------

rno310------------07/24/07------07/25/07------

GabachaYucateca---07/24/07------07/26/07------

Swamped-----------07/24/07------07/26/07------

sk28--------------07/24/07------07/26/07------

Hi Folks,

We just got back from Vacation and I received a notice today that our AOS case was forwarded to California Service Center. Is this typically a good thing?

Any idea what to expect from this point?

Hi Folks,

We just got back from Vacation and I received a notice today that our AOS case was forwarded to California Service Center. Is this typically a good thing?

Any idea what to expect from this point?

I think we've all thought about the English issue, the TV issue, the classes issue.....I'll throw in my 2 cents, and always open to hearing other opinions...

First on classes...

The New york public library has free English as a Second Language (ESL) classes that start every 8 weeks. There is such a strong interest that there is a lottery. We went to the lottery and didn't get drawn for one of the 40 open spots. I encourage everyone to check their local public library to see if they offer something similar. I signed her up for a 6 week class in the mornings at New York University. Not cheap, but I thought it was important for her to have something she goes to do everyday. Something to get up for, people who are waiting for her, something to work towards and be proud of. Psychologically, I felt it was important for her to have that. I work all day, and I work on wall street, so the hours aren't short. Knowing that she had a program she was part of and people other than me to share the experience with was well worth the cost.

Regarding the TV- We actually get the Digital Spanish TV through our cable....and even better, most people have spanish subtitles on many programs of normal TV. I didn't even know we got it, but we just changed a setting on the Cable box and they pop up when they're available. Spanish subtitles on English TV actually help learning because you're hearing and reading. Even if you don't have spanish subtitles, use the English hearing impaired subtitles, it helps a ton for their understanding and learning.

Byron,

Cheaper as in you wont have to pay to ship the documents. Thats what I meant. The 1040 you get from wherever you do your taxes at.

My I134 included the following and had 0 problems

A. 3 years of tax transcripts, 2004, 2005, 2006

B. 3 years of W2's and 1040's

C. Employment letter

D. Last 3 months of paystubs.

If you are going to the interview, no need to send all this paperwork to her. Save your ####### some money man, you'll need it later for the lil one

Byron, I agree with Lucho. I didn't send anything ahead of time via courier because she could just download everything for not much cost. (whatever the printing fee is). Send her the forms via email and say, "print a few copies of theses" and then you will both have the same document. There's really nothing you need to send to her via courier ahead of time if you're going to the interview, and you have a lot of time for that.

I also suggest, make sure you keep her involved in the process. split up the chores and keep a checklist. It'll keep you sane. Make a list of everything you have to do and decide who will do what. You don't want her to feel like she's a passenger here. That's what we did and it worked great. That way at the end of every week you can say, "ok, did you get the xxx document? did you call the lab? ok, I got xxx and xxx" let's move on to this." it really helps keep you sane.

Andrea, yep, I know how to reply without the quotes. Generally, I include the original quote because there can often be several posts after the one I'm trying to respond to. If someone else reads my post, then they don't have to hunt around trying to figure out what I'm responding to or talking about. Assuming, of course, my post makes sense even in context!!

Ditto on the comments from Bill about the taxies and bus system. The taxi rides in Bogota are the same as they are in Buenos Aires and in Mexico. Apparently you take a special driving test to be a taxi driver south of Texas. If you fail, you're hired!!!!!!!! Lorena tells me that you are much better off riding a regular bus (with a Colombian citizen as guide) than riding on the Transmillenio. She says that all the pickpockets and thugs ride the Transmillenio because they know that's where the money is.

I've never seen a Transmilenio station that didn't have Police posted there, but yes, watch out for pickpockets when it's crowded. Rolos are very proud of the transmilenio, and it is a pretty great system. you won't die on it. Taxi drivers in Bogota make New York taxi drivers look like Ms. daisy. (not even morgan freeman!) but they're courteous and pretty cheap.

Well for the record, I really love to travel by bus....but I also love to being a jetsetter!

Only bus I ride is a chiva, vallenato group and all you can drink ron

Now we're talking!

On one 14 hour bus ride through the Andes, From Quimbaya to Bucaramanga, I was trying to pay attention to the movie but kept looking out the window at the wheels that were dangerously close to the edge of the mountain road. "just watch the movie", silvia said as she saw me sweating and constantly shifting my eyes from window to driver. If we go off the cliff, you'll at least want to know how the movie ends. At that moment, I knew I found I found my wife

Lucho, glad you got the aos out before the deadline. I think it was worth it.

Wow! I go away for the weekend and all sorts of topics were covered! This board is turning out to be better than "lost"....you have to DVR a few days worth and then catch up.

Just to summarize what's happened over the past few days-

Buck gets invite to pick up appointment letter

Tony scares the public with tales of horror

Bill (y Bella) freaks out

Lucho hires waitress at mexican restaurant for legal counsel,

Dre makes it through immigration with hubby on arm

Bill finally gets 40 winks

Jediknight turns philosopher

Parkpapa shows his fatalist side...maybe not fatalist...apocolyptic? open for discussion. We could start a board on his comments regarding the certain death of colombian travelers.

Bill finds "Bogota adjucators guide to uncovering marriage based fraud" and posts questions."

Bogota changes the test

Lucho starts drinking

Buck calls him out on it

WELL! quite a weekend indeed!

A couple of stats to add some fuel to fire that all of you already (admirably) put out.

I love travelling around Colombia by bus, just like Diana, but yes it is dangerous. But not THAT dangerous. It's in the top 5 per capita (number 5 actually) of deaths in non-collision bus accidents (like falling off cliffs) but it's still only 1.2 deaths per million people. Lower than Iceland, barbados, and hungary...and about 1/10th the death rate of Ecuador.

Plane Travel in Colombia is actually pretty good relative to other countries. Colombia is 16th Per Capita, with 1.1 deaths per million people. The US is #1 in totals as you may expect, but it's also #11 Per Capita, more dangerous than colombia which you might not have expected.

What does this all mean? Well between the crashes and kidnappings (I have more on this in more detail than you could ever want) you might take the view that you shouldn't travel at all in Colombia and it's just plain dangerous. Well, here's a competing view....standing still is probably the most dangerous thing you can do. Colombia ranks #1 in deaths by earthquakes by hundreds of times other countries and (per capita as well at 18x more than the number 2). You may remember a few years ago the entire city of Armenia in the coffee district fell and hundreds died. Many places in Santander state have daily tremors. I have travelled many parts of colombia by car, plane and bus and on foot....and I have felt scared many times, some of it justified, some of it probably not. But when your lying on your back in your hotel room looking at the cracks in the plaster, you realize you have no greater control standing still than you do when you're moving.

Thanks for the tips! You guys came in the knick of time....i'm sending the packet out tomorrow....have to avoid the price $ hike deadline. However lucky for us, my parents said that they want to pay for AOS and have a reunion for us this weekend as a wedding gift

I was aware that it could be anyone that can translate the document. I just want to see a rough draft, then I'll do it myself and have my cousin sign it...lol

Maviwaro,

Are you going to sign the translation yourself?? I wouldn't even though I am capable of. It might look funny in the adjucators eyes. Who knows?

Anyone else translate and sign off on it for their SO?

Don't sign it yourself. I've read on these boards that it can't be you. I can't confirm that with established law...but even if you get away with it, why take the risk of raising an officers eyebrow. Have your cousin do it, or your neighbor, or anyone else...

You can still file for the interim benefits. If you apply now, you will pay the current fees - if you apply after 7/30 you will pay the new fees. They will remain separate applications for you since you filed AOS prior to 7/30.

The rolling up of the "interims" is a benefit only given to those who filed AOS after 7/30, paid the new fee and applied for the interims as part of their AOS application. For those of us who have paid for 2 and 3 EADs & AP's it is QUITE a benefit we missed out on

Got it, thank you!

Anyone have any insight here? We Applied for the AOS in early July and have received our NOA. We did not apply for a Travel Document or an EAD because we don't really think we'll need either and we didn't want to add extra costs and administration for something we don't really need. We're prepared to wait out the AOS.

BUT...what happens if we change our mind? Previously you could just apply for a Travel document and pay the fees, but now that it's all being rolled into the AOS form after 7/30 for the "bargain" price north of $1000...meaning (no additional cost for the travel document) what happens if we now just want to apply for a travel document? What fees do we pay?

Lucho, I know this belongs over in the AOS club colombia post, but I see your post here. We did not use a "professional translator". We used a friend that is Bi-Lingual who signed the statement saying that he was competent. It cost us $Zero. The AOS packet that we picked up from our local USCIS office came with a little form that said, that they "changed the policy on the submission of originals or certified copies....and you may submit ordinary legible copies of original documents" you sign it and include it in the packet. so we submitted the birth certificate and translation with no notarization. we included a form signed by my friend...

It said:

I the undersigned ____declare herewith that I have full command of the Spanish and English Languages, That I have performed the attached translation of the Spanish Certificate of Birth, consisting of 1 page in its entirety and to the best of my knowledge the wording and meaning of the english translation correspond in full to that of the original Spanish text.

----signature

-----Witness

Reading through other people's posts in the AOS forum, others did something similar.

Yup I knew that would bite me in the #######. I was aware about the translation pero se me paso. I guess all the excitement of getting approved made me forget afterwards

you got a PM girl

Gracias

Congratulations to everybody on everything! This thread is filled with good news today.

Lucho, I can hear hearts breaking from here now that you're off the market. And shame on you for laughing at the court house. I had a huge lump on my throat when we got married because that is not how I wanted my "wedding" to be. I sure hope I can get married some time soon in Colombia, the bad thing is planning it from here since I know my family there will be useless.

Anyway, again congratulations to everybody!

Diana

Lucho, we did the same thing in April. It makes life so much easier. Planning wedding from another country = headache. It was our plan, our plan changed.

Byron- How Pregnant is she? You have a lot to think about. Baby born in the US would be a US Citizen. But are you sure she is ready to have the baby in a new country far from her family and friends? Even if she is, you need to Make sure you talk through this situation before going further. The only date that you can be sure of (mas o menos) is the birth of the baby. Write this day down on a piece of paper in front of you and work backwards from there. The next thing to write down is how long before she gives birth she can travel, up to the doctor, but usually about 8 weeks. work back 8 weeks from your day you wrote down. This is your deadline to have everything approved with Visa in hand. any hiccups, and it's back to day one.

Remember, if she is pregnant, she can enter the US same as before once you have the K1 visa. Being pregnant is not evidence of anything except being pregnant, so I don't think it helps a case. Once the baby is born, she can't just enter with a K1 and a baby in her arms. you will need the K2. You can't apply for a K2 without a baby, and you only have a 6 month window for her to enter once the K1 visa is approved.

Don't panic, but you need to do the calculations now about what is possible and what is not possible.

Let's say she's 2 months pregnant, and she can travel up to 8 weeks before. That gives you until December to have a visa in hand. It's doable, but you will need to be on the ball by having a Ob/Gyn ready to take all the tests and records from colombia that you'll have done so far. This is ALL contingent on your fiance willing to have the baby away from her family.

You need to separate the inevitable from the plannable and figure out your plan. Your world has changed bro.

I think the embassy knew that they would have collectively broken all our hearts if you didn't get the visa this time We're so happy you'll be joining us over on the next step of wild and crazy times aka AOS. Great thing about AOS is you do it from the same place, so no matter how annoying it is, you're together.

We talked about the NOA possibly showing up today!

You're my benchmark Tony

We had a Great time Sunday, great to finally all meet

Who would ever have thought this would be such a stressful journey. In the US, you can pretty much count on what is said and what will be done. In Colombia....................you have to pursue all and figure that nothing will be done

Buck,

I think you will change your mind about 5 minutes into SS, DL, and AOS.

Here, Here! The fun is only beginning Buck

Ripley's believe it or not: We were waiting in line at the New York City USCIS office for our number to be called to go to one of those little windows, there were probably 200 people waiting to be called. As you may expect in nyc, I would estimate 90% were immigrants from Spanish speaking countries. NOT ONE person working in any of the 10 windows spoke spanish. Every 5 minutes they would say, "does any one in the audience speak spanish and english that could help translate" My favorite part was that they kept saying "audience" like we were all there to see some kind of immigration show.

Came home to the NOA today! Finger print appointment on august 7th. Things moving along.

YES!!!!!!!!!!! We got our approval, visa on Wednesday. I wont say visa in hand until it is.

Im on a reallllyy slow connection so Ill give you details tomorrow when I get home.

lol

dre

CONGRATULATIONS!!!! Can't wait to hear the details. You are an inspiration to anyone on this sight who's situation didn't go perfectly as planned. With every step you said, "ok, whats next"" congrats.

Thanks OjosAzules!!!

Now, does anyone have the link to locate the civil surgeons? The only link I found has a phone # that gives you recorded info on the civil surgeons.

https://egov.uscis.gov/crisgwi/go?action=of...office_type=CIV