Dan J

Hello,

I've been searching over VJ and haven't been able to find info that specifically relates to my situation.

I recently married and wish to AOS. I'm already lawfully in the US, on a I-visa, as I've been working over here as a journalist the past two years.

Obviously my wife (the USC) and I live together, and we have for quite a long time.

Is there any unusual provisions that apply when applying to adjust status/EAD when you're already legitimately in the country or is it pretty much the same as a "normal" AOS?

If this has been answered elsewhere my apologies - haven't been able to find it.

Its a little different, there is a guide in the guides section for adjusting from other visa types. You will need to file an I-130 in addition to the I-485 as well as have a full medical.

Right, I have no dependents. Let's say for some reason they don't think I have enough money to support him....will they just request someone else (like my parents) to fill out the form or will the whole application be rejected? That's what I am concerned about?

The required level is pretty low, only 125% of the poverty level for your family. If your income is higher than that, then thats all the documentation you have to provide.

If you had less than than the required level, than you could use a co-sponsor.

A good rule of thumb when buying a house or condo, is to limit your budget to maximum of 3 times your annual salary. This varies a bit depending on how much you can put down, interest rates, property taxes in the particular location you are buying, and expected maintenance, utilities and association dues for the type of property you plan to buy.

At most, Joe should be looking to buy a house at $150,000 or less, but depending where he is living, rent may be the best option.

Why don't you explain exactly what this GOODWILL means...in a practical way.

Are these countries going to join us in a military conflict... are they going to send money to Katrina Victims is this Good-will going to encourage them to vote with us at the U.N.?

You are all for forcing the American tax payer to go into debt to finance "good will".

Can you think of any examples of where this investment has been

repaid in someway?

Apparently you have never heard of public diplomacy.

Speaking of "revisionist history"......

Not one mention of the Social issues which drove (and maintain many to the GOP.

Civil rights is a social issue.

Rescue efforts underway after oil rig explosion in Gulf

An oil rig has exploded 80 miles off the coast of Louisiana, with 12 people overboard and one missing, the Coast Guard said Thursday morning.

Rescue attempts are underway for at least 12 people, Coast Guard spokesman John Edwards told CNN. 13 people were on board the rig total, Edwards said, noting 12 have been accounted for, but one person was missing.

The accident took place 80 miles off the coast of Louisiana on the Vermilion Oil rig 380, which is owned by Houston-based Mariner Energy.

The Coast Guard has multiple helicopters, an airplane and several Coast Guard cutters en route. It's unknown if there are any injuries.

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/09/02/rescue-efforts-underway-after-oil-rig-accident-in-gulf/

Hey everyone

My visa K1 was recently approved so I´ll move to the USA pretty soon and get married there... I so want my mom and my sister to attend my wedding and visit us so they will be applying for a tourist visa.. so do you think it would be okay if I send a letter with my mom for her interview letting the CO know that I went into the US on a k1 and I want my mom visit for the wedding?.. do you think they wil think she just want to tag along and stay in the USA illegally ..?? I could also find a letter from my fiances church saying they are inviting her since my mom is a pastor... and avoid the fact that I am there? let me know what you think...

Your mom will probably have an easier time getting approved than your sister will. Younger people generally don't have as many commitments to their home and would be more likely to stay in the US.

Both of them will have to show ties to Venezuela and that they intent to return after their stay in complete.

As I said, if you can obtain a social security card ( just go down to the local Hispanic Flea Market in town ) you can pretty much do/get anything you want. You'd be surprised how many people get credit/mortgages, are able to buy cars, are able to collect social security, etc.... and this isn't even from people who are dead/young... they could be very well collecting YOUR social security and you don't even know it until you go to collect and are like "#######, why is my amount cut in half."

It really is a jacked up system that is easy to abuse.

From a libertarian perspective, of which you claim to be. Why would it matter if an illegal alien buys a house or car? Thats a contract between that person and the creditor. If they get deported, the creditor is stuck with bad debt, but thats their problem.

Even unemployment insurance (with the exception of the recent extensions since they are tax payer funded) is funded by a premium paid by the employer for each person employed. The benefits are tied to how much that person makes. If the state set up the UI fund correctly, and hasn't been raiding it for other purposes, it works like regular insurance and is self-sufficient.

More Democrats voted against the Civil Rights Act of 1964 than Republicans.

Totals are in "Yea-Nay" format:

The original House version:^[11]

• Democratic Party: 152-96 (61%–39%)
• Republican Party: 138-34 (80%–20%)

Cloture in the Senate:^[12]

• Democratic Party: 44-23 (66%–34%)
• Republican Party: 27-6 (82%–18%)

The Senate version:^[11]

• Democratic Party: 46-21 (69%–31%)
• Republican Party: 27-6 (82%–18%)

The Senate version, voted on by the House:^[11]

• Democratic Party: 153-91 (63%–37%)
• Republican Party: 136-35 (80%–20%)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_Rights_Act_of_1964

go home and get your shine box

Do you really think the Democrat part of today is the same as it was in 1964?

If you pay attention to the party identification trends, you would see that areas that had identified themselves are Republican, became Democrat, and vis versa.

So that mean what again? ?

All I'm trying to figure out is if my request for expedite haas been approved.

Priority Date has more meaning for other family petitions. Spousal petitions have no cap and are effective immediately. For other family members, the priority date would determine the wait time to be eligible for a visa.

The visa bulletin, published monthly, has the priority dates for each category: http://travel.state.gov/visa/bulletin/bulletin_1360.html

I understand. I suspected it would be restrictive in those circumstances. I'm as well doing my Masters in my home country...? A taught Masters is 7,000 EUR over here. I think it would be more expensive in Canada? Is it likely I'd have any advantage with a Masters to enter the US?

With the H1B route, holders of Masters and PhD degrees fall under a separate cap than those with bachelors degrees. Which also tends not to fill up as quickly.

No. She has no green cards through marriage.

She did her Masters in Canada and subsequently got sponsored by an employer to work in the US, upon graduation.

Until she becomes a citizen, there is no way she can sponsor you directly. At this point, she can only get a green card through a marriage to a citizen. Only after 3 years with a green card would she be eligible for citizenship.

Is it easier to get sponsored when someone completes their education in Canada? Is there an advantage?

The only advantage is a practical one. You would be closer to the US which may make finding an employer to sponsor you somewhat easier. You would still need to qualify like everyone else.

I know absolutely nothing of this world of marriage scammers. And since my wife and I are being punished because of these folks (and the stupidity of the consulate monkeys), I'd like to know what goes on.

How do they set this stuff up?

How much money is in it?

Is it anything like in the movies, where they get someone into the U.S. and then the person works as a slave for several years to pay it off?

It seems like a bunch of rubbish to me. I do know that Taiwan and Vietnam have a huge marriage thing going on -almost all the flights between the two countries are filled with marriage-brokering folks in various stages.

It varies by country. In the case of Vietnam it has to do with family relationships. The US only allows immediate relatives to be petitioned for, and often with long wait times.

Setting up a marriage for a relative is a way around those restrictions. This is why questions of how the couple was introduced are important.

As far as money, I've heard numbers of between $5000-10000 quoted. Thats what the USC is paid for the marriage.

The indentured servant thing happens too, but more often then not, through container ships across the pacific.

People looking inward, or to a higher power, for answers, is not the same as a "Theocracy".

How long will it be before answers are to create a religious council as the puppetmaster behind a "democratic" government. I think Beck has more in common with Ahmadinejad than he realizes.

Seems like a fairly pro-American message to me.

Is theocracy American? Considering that you would have to throw away parts of the Constitution to achieve it?

My sister is still on the J1 Visa for a second consecutive year. It may be 5 years more until she becomes a US citizen. Perhaps this route would be more efficient as opposed to the sibling category, assuming the latter takes up to 10 years to process…

J-1 visa is a non-immigrant visa. Does she already have a green card through marriage?

Yes, I was thinking about this route. Unfortunately, it seems extremely difficult to convince a prospective employer to sponsor me. To succeed, I would need a really good qualification with solid work experience. I’m actually starting my Masters this September; its 1 year course. I’m doing it here in Ireland. However, my sister did hers in Canada and I’m in a dilemma whether I should do it somewhere closer to the US. Would an employer sponsor me to enter/get a job if I have an MSc from a University closer to US soil?

F-1 student visas have the option to convert to H1B once your education is complete and you find a sponsoring employer. However, to apply to a university in the US as an international student, you will need to show that you have enough money/assets to cover tuition and room and board. For a public university, this is around $25,000-$30,000 per year depending on the school.

Hey everyone!

I've been in the States for 3 weeks now and I got my welcome letter last week.

I have a problem though and was hoping someone on here could help.

I'm pregnant (due date is Sep 17th) so I should see a doctor like asap, but I still didn't get my SSN number.

Can I get health insurance without it? If yes, what's needed for it.

My husband is a US Army veteran. Do I have any rights on getting my health insurance through the VA, and is it possible to get it without my SSN number since I'm not sure I will get that number on time?

Thank you in advance for your time and patience.

Ivy

If you get private health insurance at this point, its unlikely that it will cover any pregnancy related expenses. I don't know how the military health insurance benefit applies to families, but you may want to look at this: http://www.tricare.mil/mybenefit/

Hello everyone,

I am new here. I am originally from Ireland and I would love to work and live in the US. My sister currently lives and works there. I also have family connections there (my aunt lives in America). I visited the US in the late 1990's and loved it so much. I'm 25 and would like to permanently settle in the USA, maybe meet someone and enjoy life thereafter. I have just completed my degree in Pharmaceutical Science.

I suppose you have few options. Starting with family visas:

If you were married or engaged, you would be able to get a visa within about 6 months to a year. Your green card would be conditional for the first two years.

With a family visa, only your sister can petition you if she is a citizen. As a sibling, you would be in 4th priority category and would be looking at nearly 10 years to get a priority date.

You make possibly qualify for an H1B visa. You would need to find an employer in the US willing to sponsor you, but that is one the only visas considered dual intent, which means you can also immigrate after a period of time.

I still have one unanswered question...

My hubby is in Canada right now. Should he be in the US when he starts this whole process?

Doesn't matter where he is.

Thank you for all the kind words, we applied for AOS in August, she won't get her GC until January 2011 most likely. So why won't there be a waiting/processing time next time around? Is it because she was already approved once through the I129F process and she is now married to me, a US citizen?

K-1 is technically a non-immigrant (with immigration intent) visa. Which is why AOS must be filled in order to get a green card. Since you are already married, if you were to return you would do so with an immigrant visa.

Are you visiting the US while a K-1 visa is processing?

In one way, this is a noble idea, si man, but not so much (or at all) if it's meant to counteract what Arizona is doing, no man. There may be alternative ways in which the community can show its appreciation to LPRs.

I haven't rechecked the rules lately, but I seem to remember that it's OK for LEGAL residents to vote in local (or non-Federal) elections. However, I wouldn't want Mrs. T-B. to do this until she's a USC. Fortunately, she has no interest in politics that would impel her to want to vote, no man.

I wonder how many driver's-license places unknowingly offer voter registration to LPRs when the LPRs get their first driver's license? That's a recipe for potential disaster, si man.

Regardless of the outcome in Portland, plenty of illegals will end up voting in November, whether through amnesty or fraud, sigh man.

There are a few places that allow LPR's to vote in local elections, but not very many. There is no federal law preventing localities from enabling LPR's to vote in local elections.

Fairness is living my life how I see fit without government or nosy moral idiots telling me how to live my life/taxing me to death where i cannot.

Just because your life may suck, doesn't mean your entitled to any part of mine.

Once you get rid of taxes and government, the only way you can stop other people from taking your stuff is to have a bigger army than they do.

Interesting! I didn't know people got paid for internships. I thought internship was someone volunteering, but for a specific amount of time and with a strict schedule.

As far as volunteer work-- churches, habitat for humanity, that kind of thing?

It wouldn't be possible for the beneficiary to go to a privatized company and offer to volunteer there with no pay?

If you are interning at a non-profit that's OK as its basically the same as volunteering. But a for profit company can only offer a unpaid internships if its part of an educational program and there is no promise of a position afterward. I'm sure it happens anyway as some people are desperate to break into an industry or company. But they cannot legally do so.

As far as volunteering find something you are passionate about. http://www.volunteermatch.org/ is a good place to start.

Internship at a private company has to be paid unless its part of an educational program. Without an EAD, you wont be able to do that.

But volunteering, taking classes or enrolling in college are all good options. You may pay higher rates at a public college unless you have resided in your state for a year or more. You also will not be able to qualify for aid or subsidized loans until you are at least a permanent resident.