Magnolia31

I received my biometrics appointment letter today and it states that I have to go to the New Orleans ASC. The thing is, we live in the Florida Panhandle (Niceville) and figured our local office would be Jacksonville because that's where our neighbours went when they went through AOS (from K-1 like us). Is it normal for residents in the Florida Panhandle to have their biometrics done in New Orleans even if it's not their local office?

Thanks in advance.

Hey,

im living in FWB and just came back from New Orleans.!!The just got my fingerprints,took my portrait photo and my signature.that was it.!!!

Good luck to you.!!!

Awesome, someone in the same boat I am (and near where I live ). Thanks for the reassurance and good luck to you, too!

Oh, one more thing, how was the atmosphere there? Were they nice? Also, my husband is curious as to how your appointment went. What time was your appointment, what time did you arrive and how long did it take? Thanks again and sorry for all the questions.

Whaaaaat? I was not aware of that. I live near Chicago - about an hour away. Does this mean my biometrics appt. can end up being in California or somewhere? How very weird. LOL

Does the divorce have to be final before you apply?

My fiancee said that if he comes to usa on tourist visa and marries me, he can stay? Is that right?

I read some depressing stuff on a petition, but it seemed to apply more to getting the spouse to usa, is this fiancee visa jsut as bad or is it pretty easy? How much money total does it cost if you do it yourself? And is it 4-6 months or so?

So he wants to come to the USA and marry you on a tourist visa even though his divorce is not final? And no, just because you get married does not mean he can automatically stay. he will still have to file for a GC. My friend came to Texas on a tourist visa, got married, tried to apply for aGC, and got deported back to Germany. Doing it this way is risky.

The fiancee visa is not hard to do. There are alot of steps you have to complete and it can seem overwhelming - believe me, I cried a few times out of frustration when reading all the stuff i needed to do .... but it is not hard. i think it took me like 9 months or so to get my fiance visa.

I changed my name after I got my GC they asked to see the card then I had to wait a month while they verify to get the new one without the NOT VALID FOR WORK stuff on it.

OK. So eventually they do take that stuff off of it? Alrighty, I think I will wait then. :-)

I thank everyone for responding. i just didnt know if it was a requirement to change it right away or not. Things have changed drastically over the years! When I got married in 1994 and still lived in Texas, I was told to change it as soon as I got married or I could not use my married name on anything.

OK, I have had my SSN since I was 13 years old. I was previously a legal resident from 1983-2002. So, I have had my number for years. I now have AOS pending and am wondering when I need to change my last name on my SSN. Do I wait until I get my GC or should I do it now? I'm confused.

Mrs Magnolia...

Technically you don't need to change the name on the card at all - If you're not in a hurry to see your married name on it, and don't mind showing your marriage certificate on the odd occasion you need to/are asked, then I'd wait until you get the GC.

OK, I will keep that in mind. The only reason I thought I may need to do it is for tax purposes. I really have no idea how long it takes to get a GC nowadays but back when I was younger, it took a year. When I did my renewal in 1997, it took 18 months to receive it although I had a temporary one until I got the new one. I was just wondering how to d it when we file jointly on the tax return and they see me listed there under my married name, but still under Cockrell if they look up my SSN.

OK, I have had my SSN since I was 13 years old. I was previously a legal resident from 1983-2002. So, I have had my number for years. I now have AOS pending and am wondering when I need to change my last name on my SSN. Do I wait until I get my GC or should I do it now? I'm confused.

do it after the greencard, otherwise it is still temporay and " valid only with work authorization." You would only need to change it again, and I know one can only change their name so many times. Im also waiting for mine to go and change to my married name.

I was a resident back when I was a kid so I had a SSN too...I went and got the name changed 2 wks after I arrived in the U.S....I don't mind that it says "valid with DHS authorization." Not a big deal to show them your EAD in conjunction....way more important to have a vital piece of ID with your married name on it!!

Oh how cool to see someone else in a similar situation. When did you leave the US? Had I known that i would end up in such a huge mess I would have never left in 2002 but I had NO clue! I was always told that my VISA would never expire no matter what LOL.

in some states "valid with DHS authorization" will be on the SSC eventhough you got the GC because it will be only removed when you

become USC, this is what I was told by the officer.

Really? Me or my mom have NEVER had that on our GC. That must be a new thing.

OK, I have had my SSN since I was 13 years old. I was previously a legal resident from 1983-2002. So, I have had my number for years. I now have AOS pending and am wondering when I need to change my last name on my SSN. Do I wait until I get my GC or should I do it now? I'm confused.

do it after the greencard, otherwise it is still temporay and " valid only with work authorization." You would only need to change it again, and I know one can only change their name so many times. Im also waiting for mine to go and change to my married name.

OK, thank you for the response!

OK, I have had my SSN since I was 13 years old. I was previously a legal resident from 1983-2002. So, I have had my number for years. I now have AOS pending and am wondering when I need to change my last name on my SSN. Do I wait until I get my GC or should I do it now? I'm confused.

Step one: calm down.

Step two: assess advice - and that's all it is - and see what you think about it. Include what you want. Exclude what you want. One member offered his advice. You are free to take it or leave it - but not to freak out about it since YOU asked for advice!

I can't comment on concerns that may be faced by filers from high-fraud countries. I am dealing with a lower-fraud country. Different concerns arise at different Embassies around the world.

At this point, for WHATEVER reason given for not including evidence of financial support, the bottom line is YOU DON'T HAVE TO INCLUDE IT. It will do NOTHING to prove to USCIS what you need to prove. Save it for later, or leave it out entirely. It. Will. Not. Help. You. Get. Approved. At. This. Stage. Period. Full. Stop.

Not trying to be bitchy about this, but it's important to understand exactly WHY you would be including any particular piece of evidence. If it isn't included for a reason, then it shouldn't be included at all.

You need to prove:

1.) that you have met within the past 2 years in person

2.) that you intend to marry.

Past that, you're just stressing yourself out. Money transfers, phone bills, letters, all of these are immaterial to your proof as USCIS requires it.

Really, best advice is to remain calm, read as much as you can, educate yourself, and make your decisions as you will. Cutting and pasting in the guides isn't going to help you.

Good luck.

Wow. I would have to disagree about the phone bills not being bneficial. The guide clearly states that it is proof of an ongoing relationship. And even if they decide not to bother wih it, at least he had this as evidence. My immigration lawyer did my whole K-1 packet and he advised me of what to include for proof of relationship and ongoing relationship, and phone records were included. All I am saying is that it will not hurt anything.

yes i have letters also. thanks for reminding me. see how scatter brained this is making me?

thanks everyone.

You can also print out emails. If she sent you cards or you sent her cards, take them too - attach a sticky not onto it describing the occasion such as card for birthday ... and put the date on it. I had everything you can think of and when i went to my interview, they didn't ask for one single thing! I was kinda disappointedbecause I was a nervous wreck worrying that i didnt have enough evidence.

Do you know how to make an infopass appt.? I went to the USCIS website and clicked to make an appt. I then click where it says In English and the site won't go to anything else - it is unresponsive.

Do you know if I need a receipt number when I make the appt? We filed for AOS a few weeks ago but have not heard anything yet so I don't have that info. I just have no idea what info they will need when I make the appt. I don't want to procrastinate any longer. And yes, he already spoke to everyone in his unit. The General was actually making a few phone calls to try to get some info on what we need to do.

As far as getting help from these people .... well, my husband is now only in the reserves so we dont live on post. We live about 2 hours away and I dont even know any of these people.

How long has your husband been gone?

There should be a expedite in case of deployments possible. Try to get an infopass appointment and you will get the correct information instead of being more confused and scared!

And also, in case you decide to stay in the US while he is deployed ask your husband to explain the situation of AOS to his Colonel.

Because when he is gone and problems pop up regarding the paperwork, they can/should usually help you out (Military is pretty good and helpful!)

My AOS was not approved as well when my husband got deployed. And luckily there were not problems and I got approved a few days after he left!

Good luck to you!!!

When you say make an appointment, do you mean an Infopass appointment? I'm not sure about a military expedite because after reading some of the threads on here where people were in similar situations, they didn't mention it. However, I do think I will make an appointment so I can find out for sure. That way I don't have to worry about it anymore. Thank you for your reply.

I thought that there was a military expedite. If your local office is not too far away, you might want to make an appointment to speak to an Immigration officer.

Thank you for replying! I will do a search for that and see what I can find. I'm so worried and nervous. If it is only good for one year, I think I should stay here. I mean, he will be gone between 18-24 months so it's too long. If I came back before the year is up, I wouldnt know where to go so I decided to stay here. I am just very worried that something will go wrong and I won't get to be here when he returns. I know of a case where someone was in the same situation and her case got closed because she never recieved her interview appointment letter. If that happened to me, I don't know what I'd do!

Anyhow, thanks again and I'm going to find that thread. Hopefully I can find it.

Thank you for your answer. How long is the advanced parole good for? Do you think it would be wise to make an Infopass appt. to explain the situation and see if they can maybe speed things up? I am just worried that something will go wrong while he is gone.

Advance Parole is good for one year from the date of issue. You have time to apply for, and receive it, before your husband is deployed.... it takes about 60-70 days.... just send your paperwork in asap. If you find you still haven't received it within ~ 2 weeks of when you plan to leave, then you can make an InfoPass appointment. I wouldn't try it any sooner than that because they'll probably turn you away. If you do need to make an InfoPass appointment at that time, PM me and I'll walk you through it.

As to worrying about the AOS interview.... you should be hearing from them within the next few weeks as to when your interview date is or whether you will be transferred directly to CSC (meaning you probably won't have an interview). If you do get an interview, in all likelihood it will be before your husband leaves.

I recall some months ago of another VJ member who had an almost identical case to yours. You should do a search and see if you can find her. Start with key words such as "deploy", "AOS", "AP", and "military".

God bless.

I don't think there is. I called a few immigration lawyers and stuff and they didn't tell me anything about it. I guess I just have to sit here and hope for the best. I dont know what else to do. The army couldnt care less - they've made that clear. He is going to Iraq as scheduled no matter what and they don't give a ####### about what happens to me.

Is there such a thing as miltary expedite for AOS?

Oh gosh, that kinda scares me. I won't even know how to get to my interview. I can't drive and have to go to Chicago - it's an hour away. :*( I dont know anyone here. OMG, I dont know hwat to do.

Sorry to hear that your husband is going to be deployed in Iraq... I hope it isn't for too long and he returns safe and sound to you... I did a little search and found others that were in you position at one time.

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=22697

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=38692

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=59445

I hope you get your interview soon if you don't wish to apply for AP. God bless you and your husband.

Kristina

Thank you for your answer. How long is the advanced parole good for? Do you think it would be wise to make an Infopass appt. to explain the situation and see if they can maybe speed things up? I am just worried that something will go wrong while he is gone.

I am so sorry to hear that, Magnolia. Though I haven't got the answer to your question here's a bump for you. I'm sure the USCIS will make allowances for this type of situation and someone will be along to help you out shortly. You have time to apply for the travel document (Advance Parole) if you'd like to return to your family while you're waiting.

All the best and a safe tour for your husband.

K

What about when you file for AOS and it asks for the A#? My K-1 visa has an A number and I put that on there

That's weird. I got ONE mmr shot and that was it. I passed all my medical stuff so I'm a bit confused.

So I've arrived in the states now on the K1 visa! I have not had my full MMR vacination (need a booster for mumps but have heard that I will need to get the full MMR again here now). I hear that the MMR requires 2 shots - 4 weeks apart. My question is do I have to have had both shots before we send of for AOS? Or would having 1 shot and the date of the next shot be ok? The reason I ask this is because when me and Jamal get married I will be able to get MMR free on his military health care. We will be married around 2 months when I get the 1st shot and if I need to wait for the next one, I will probably be over the 3 month vaild period for my visa. Does anyone have any info or advise for me?? Many thanks.

Hi!

I just have a question regarding AOS because I am so overwhelmed at the moment. We just filed for AOS and my husband just found out he is going back to Iraq in August. What does this mean as far as AOS goes? Am I able to leave the US under these terms in order to go back to Germany to be with my family until he returns? I am assuming that it's probably not a favorable thing to do and I in no way wanna jeoperdize my AOS so I am just making sure.

I am just extremely worried that they will need something that I cant provide them ... and my husband wont be here to get it to them. What i mean is, like something they may need from him. And what about the interview? Don't we both have to be present?

I just got here in March and I am just so upset at the moment with the timing of this whole Iraq thing. I would feel so much more confident and secure IF I already have my visa.

Same here except mine is the MMR shot. Go to a regular DR and get your TD shot. Make sure you have proof of your vaccinations and send it all to the DR in Austin.

And YES, it is all about the money so dont do it if you dont have to. Your TD shot shouldnt be too much - my insurance is covering mine

Thanks for all your help...I cant understand why theyre doin that!probably its all about the money huh!its just way too ridiculous!!!!!!!!!!!

another question : im still lacking another shot which is td,coz it wasnt available in my home country....do i reaaly need to have that shot??/i wonder how much they would charge me

Trust me, if these civil surgeons in my area would do the I-693A without having to do a full exam again, I would have no problem with it. Heck, I have a civil surgeon who is in Naperville right down the street from me. But he wants to do a complete exam again. I can understand why people choose to fax or mail in their documents. I mean, as long as it's legal and is done by a Civil Surgeon, I don't see the problem. I mean, the civil surgeon is going by your vaccination documents ... it's not like he/she is making something upfor you ... know what I mean?

Did yours try to make you get a complete exam all over again?

I've heard of people on here faxing and mailing their info off to doctor's before to get the record transferred. I don't see what the difference is really. I walked in to do mine and I never even saw the doctor. Hell.. I never even left the waiting room. The nurse receptionist took my info back, and the doctor transferred everything over. They are taking the last civil surgeon's word for it ... not yours.

Mo

Dodgy? I think not.

A bit dodgy that isn't it?

Yes it is! I thank God that I was able to find this on the VJ forum. Whoever shared this DR's name with the forum deserves to be worshipped LOL.

Wow, 10 bucks! That is about the best I have ever heard of. I thought we got off cheap for $70 that included her tetanus shot.

Thank you! I made an appointment with my DR to get the other shot. I also called that DR in Austin that transfers everything to the I-693A form for only $10. I got discouraged at first because I called civil surgeons in my area and they all wanted to charge an arm and a leg AND do a complete medical exam again. Nobody wanted to just give me the missing shot and fill out I-693A. Thank god for this forum cuz after searching forever, I found that DR in Austin. :-)

What if vaccinations are still needed? I got my vaccinations done but there was not sufficient time to get the second MMR because of the interval. So, I was told I could get this done when i get to the states. Now my question is .... I don't have form I-693A - only DS-3025. Do I got o my regular doctor NOW and get the missing shots or will the civil surgeon do it? Im confused.

You have 2 options:

1. Get a regular doctor to give you the required vaccinations and proof that you received them. You'll take that along with your DS-3025 to a civil surgeon.

2. Get the civil surgeon to give you the required vaccinations at the same time they are filling out your I-693A.

I forgot to add that you do NOT have to go to TX for this. You just mail him all the forms such as your DS-3025 and your vaccination/shot record if you got more vaccinations. I need another MMR shot so I am getting that done by my DR. She will fill it out on my vaccination record and that's proof that you had these shots.

HI JUST A QUESTION..ANYONE OF YOU WHO KNOWS A GOOD CIVIL SURGEON HERE IN LAS VEGAS OR HENDERSON AREA..COZ I CALLED 1 OF THEM AND TOLD ME THEY DONT DO TRANSFER THE INFO FROM DS3025 TO I693A..THEY WANT A FULL MEDICAL EXAM AGAIN...I REFUSED TO PAY ANOTHER PRECIOUS AMOUNT OF DOLLARS FOR THAT...HELP

OMG! I had the exact same problem. Forget that! This is what I am doing and you can do it too. Call this DR (civil surgeon in Austin) ... I actually found him on this site!

Phone number: 512-444-3131

He will fill the form out for you for only $10!!!!

It makes me mad that these people are appointed by USCIS but are not following proper procedures!

HI JUST A QUESTION..ANYONE OF YOU WHO KNOWS A GOOD CIVIL SURGEON HERE IN LAS VEGAS OR HENDERSON AREA..COZ I CALLED 1 OF THEM AND TOLD ME THEY DONT DO TRANSFER THE INFO FROM DS3025 TO I693A..THEY WANT A FULL MEDICAL EXAM AGAIN...I REFUSED TO PAY ANOTHER PRECIOUS AMOUNT OF DOLLARS FOR THAT...HELP

Thank you! I made an appointment with my DR to get the other shot. I also called that DR in Austin that transfers everything to the I-693A form for only $10. I got discouraged at first because I called civil surgeons in my area and they all wanted to charge an arm and a leg AND do a complete medical exam again. Nobody wanted to just give me the missing shot and fill out I-693A. Thank god for this forum cuz after searching forever, I found that DR in Austin. :-)

What if vaccinations are still needed? I got my vaccinations done but there was not sufficient time to get the second MMR because of the interval. So, I was told I could get this done when i get to the states. Now my question is .... I don't have form I-693A - only DS-3025. Do I got o my regular doctor NOW and get the missing shots or will the civil surgeon do it? Im confused.

You have 2 options:

1. Get a regular doctor to give you the required vaccinations and proof that you received them. You'll take that along with your DS-3025 to a civil surgeon.

2. Get the civil surgeon to give you the required vaccinations at the same time they are filling out your I-693A.