Brookeandluuk

Good day to you all,

Does anyone here have an experience with renewing a drivers license in Arkansas? - Currently my driver's license is valid until my green card expired in December 2023, which would be whilst awaiting review of my I-751 case. 

The local DMV tied the duration of my license to the expiration date of my conditional green card. The last time they were giving me a hard time, as they required proof of residence. They requested a document stating how long I would be in the US - it had to have a date on it. They did not accept an NOA for the I-485, which makes me nervous for the I-751 filing. 

Thank you all in advance for reviewing. Any advice is helpful. 

Thank you! @Joyoussinger

Hello all,

Yesterday I have had my AOS interview from a K1 visa and it was all good and approved. It will take some time to receive my welcome notice and the green card in the mail.

When will I be considered a LPR and/or have the rights of a LPR? Is it ever since the interview yesterday? Or will that be when I receive my green card? 

Thank you

For those interested, my green card application has been approved. The interview was very easy and smooth. 

My completed overseas medical (DS-3025) was within a year of filing AOS and therefore sufficient for the approval even though the changed policy regarding covid vaccinations 😁

On 11/29/2021 at 12:32 AM, dhatty said:

I think we are moving to Arkansas!

We are 23 months from when our AOS application was received, and still not even scheduled for an interview. 

I do appreciate your logic, but what I've learned since starting my wife's K-1 application with USCIS in 2018, logic is usually not a component of their methodology or actions. 

I am sorry to hear that it's taking very long. Arkansas is a beautiful state though, you surely are welcome 😄.

Tomorrow I hope to know more. Sometime later I will update on how it went and how the USCIS went about the DS-3025 and the new vaccination requirements! 

21 hours ago, HRQX said:

Here is a similar case:

 

Her case was approved without being asked about Covid vaccine: https://www.visajourney.com/timeline/profile.php?id=358317

Thank you once again, this is very useful! 

7 hours ago, IlyaATL said:

CONGRATULATIONS!!! This gives me hope because we are about to file our AOS from K1. 

 

When I saw this, my first reaction was being pleasantly surprised, but then I thought, "this makes sense".

 

The way I see it, immigration is a pipeline: Application for the visa -> visa interview -> physically arriving in the US -> fulfilling requirements for AOS -> Actually filing for AOS.

 

For obvious reasons, this whole process has been slowed down since March 2020. In my opinion, the actual visa interviews took the biggest hit since most embassies weren't holding any interviews throughout that time. Meanwhile, you had the AOS backlog in the US, but something tells me (and this is speculation) that it generally went faster than the embassies. My theory: There just haven't been far less AOS-eligible candidates immigrating to the US over the past 19 months, and therefore less people filing for AOS. Which may be why you got the interview in only 3 months.

 

But please, share more details as to what you did, maybe there are some clues as to how you got such a lightning-fast turnaround!

I agree with what you are proposing, also I believe that there may be far less AOS candidates than usual due to the stop of visa issuance in some geographic regions due to COVID-19. 

During the entire K1 to AOS process I have followed guides on Visajourney to make sure I fully understood the process and everything that needed to be done. That has most likely helped a lot. 

Furthermore I believe that in Arkansas, where I filed for AOS, will not have nearly as much 'AOS traffic' flowing through the local USCIS service center. I consider myself lucky somehow getting the opportunity to attend the interview this fast.

Hopefully your process will be fast and without any trouble!  

Dear everyone,

Unexpectedly, but very nice, I have received an invitation of the USCIS office to attend my AOS interview only 3 months after filing (K1 to AOS). The letter states the following about I-693:

You must bring the following

'If required, a completed Form-I693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, and/or vaccination supplement in a sealed envelope (unless already submitted). Please see the Form I-693 Instructions for guidance on whether you need a complete medical examination, an updated vaccine supplement only, or neither.'  

 In June 2021 I have completed my overseas medical and submitted my DS-3025 (with all required vaccinations ticked off) together with my I-485 application. I understand that if AOS is filed within 1 year of my overseas medical, than getting the I-693 is not required. I have not received any RFE regarding the medical. BUT, since October 1st 2021 the vaccination requirements has changed and the COVID vaccination is added to the list. Yet at the time it was not a requirement and is therefore not present on my DS-3025. I have read through the instructions and all I can find is this; 

'Even if a new medical examination is not required, you must still show proof that you complied with the vaccination requirements. If the vaccination record (DS 3025) was not properly completed and included as part of the original overseas medical examination report, you will need to have the Part 10. Vaccination Record completed by a designated civil surgeon. In this case, you must submit Parts 1. - 5., 7., and 10. of Form I-693.'

The DS-3025 was properly completed, but the USCIS has gotten a new requirement in between my completed medical and the interview, but it is within the validity period of the medical. 

Does anyone have any experience on how the USCIS will go about this?

Does anyone know if a new medical OR an updated vaccination record is required before the interview? 

Thank you, all help is appreciated.  

49 minutes ago, Jöla said:

 

I would try to speak to someone higher up in your state's DMV. E.g. a DMV constituent office or something similar. Maybe they can re-issue it valid for one year.

 

I got my DL here in AZ with my I-797C valid for one year from the notice date, even though many people on this forum will just tell you "you're out of luck, should not have done the K-1". That is not just useless, but most of all false advice.

Yes it differs from state to state, and I don't know how yours will handle it but in the end it highly depends on who looks at your case and how much they know the processes and IT systems.

 

Best of luck.

Thank you for sharing your experience! Definetly worth trying. Im surely not giving up yet and see what they can do for me. 

4 minutes ago, arken said:

Driving for up to a year with foreign license is for visitors not 

4 minutes ago, arken said:

Driving for up to a year with foreign license is for visitors not residents.

 

Ah that makes sense.

In general it's wicked how we are both temporary visitor and resident at the same time. We are practically both when waiting to adjust status. Legally in the limbo though. 

Thank you guys for your information. Much appreciated.

If indeed they won't accept any documentation, which most likely they won't at my second try. After my AR drivers license expires, will my valid foreign drivers license be valid again?

It is legal to drive a year in Arkansas with an unexpired foreign international drivers license.

Is there any document one receives after doing the biometrics? Because somehow I must be able to show people here that I am not illegally staying in the United States.

Thank you for your quick responses. I will try to get up there after my current Arkansas DL will expire and than perhaps il be in luck.

Dear everyone,

Last month I have filed for AOS and received I-797c and a interview date for my biometrics. In the meantime I have been bussy arranging my Arkansas driver's license. My written and skills test have been succesfully completed. But today I went to the revenue office and they only gave me a driver's license until the current expiration of my I-94, which is based on my K1 entry (until the 28th of October). They said I needed a I-797A or I-797B. I cannot find any information about how to obtain these documents. Does anyone have any idea? Is it normal to receive a I-797A or B later in the process? 

Will the status on I-94 change automatically later on, when i ring it up at the DHS? 

I'm pretty confused, any help is appreciated.   

It has been done. Sent it today 😁

Dear everyone,

Soon I am filing my AOS package from a K1 visa. I've read the instructions (I-864) about the tax transcript carefully, but i cannot quite understand which documents the USCIS will accept.

The IRS won't let my main sponsor into her IRS account, at this moment she is unable to retrieve the official IRS transcripts from year 2019+2020. The joint sponsor who makes enough money by himself to support me was able to retrieve all IRS transcripts. 

As for the main sponsor; is it possible to file I-864 with 1040 + W2's? will this be sufficient evidence of income?   

The difference between the actual transcript and the 1040 is somewhat unclear to me.

Please let me know if I am missing something here.

Thank you. 

Yes thank you for all of you guys's advice. Better safe than sorry. 2 hours now may safe me weeks or even months on the long run. 

On the official USCIS (I-485 Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status) website under 'edition date' the following is stated: 

https://www.uscis.gov/i-485

03/29/21. Starting Oct. 13, 2021, we will only accept the 03/29/21 edition. Until then, you can use the 03/10/21 edition. You can find the edition date at the bottom of the page on the form and instructions.

Does this mean that if a application is RECEIVED before Oct. 13th 2021 it should be accepted and then processed by the USCIS? 

Thank you. 

Dear everyone,

Are people who hold a valid K1 visa still exempt from the current regional travel ban in Europe?

Thank you.

On 7/10/2020 at 3:38 PM, Lucky Cat said:

That would not be considered work if it was your residence.  If you were flipping real estate, that would be different.

So flipping a house while waiting on AOS would be considered a way to make profit and is therefore a immigration violation and can cause trouble on the long run? 

12 minutes ago, payxibka said:

All evidence submitted to the USCIS is to be a legible photocopies.   You NEVER send an original document unless theu SPECIFICALLY request it. 

Thank you, it is understood. Luckily I have made copies of the original including the translations, so I should be okay. 

46 minutes ago, Sparkle Sparkle said:

Everything inside that package no longer belongs to you... You are a courier to deliver that package thats all... I advise you get another translation done. 

Thank you, I have photo copies and the original birth certificate, so I think I am in the clear 😁

59 minutes ago, KayDeeCee said:

No. You hand over the sealed envelope packet and it will not be returned to you. It is your immigration file to date, and will be forwarded to the USCIS .

Thank you, that is what I wanted to know. 

Dear everyone,

A simple question; will the 'do not open' package be returned to me after being reviewed by the immigration officer at the port of entry? 

Context: I think my official translation is in the package instead of the copy I have of this. Which may be useful to have for my AOS applicaiton.

Thank you! 

22 hours ago, LukeMIchelle said:

Hey BrookeandLuuk,

 

Hope you figured out everything regarding your appointment. Me and my fiancé are in the same boat. We have been trying to get in touch with the embassy since April 9th but are not getting a response. How long did it take you to receive the email and who did you contact to get this response? 

 

Thanks and good luck!

Hello Luke and/or Michelle, 

I'm sorry to hear you guys are in the same boat! Hope things will change soon for us both. 

I will try and run you through it briefly so you get an idea what I have done, but i cannot gaurantee if it will help you guys or not, I do hope so though!

At the 10th of June I will have my appointment at the embassy. Not sure what to expect still. But we are preparing everything like it is the usual interview. 

I have send the email on wednessday the 12th of May and received word on monday the 17th of may.  A week before I had also emailed with no respsonse. I have also emailed when the visa was about to expire and the day the visa had expired as well. At that time they had tolld me to get back to them when travel would be possible again. 

What I have tried doing is to make sure the general idea of the email was a request and not a question. I have tried doing so by the following: 

- I've put 'Re-issue request K1 (+CASE NUMBER) in the title. 

- briefly explainging the situation and ending with the fact that the visa is requested to be re-issued. 

- added as much case details as possible (like uscis number, NVC number, A-number etc.) 

- stated that the visa is unused, that the situation remains the same, and than requested the reissuance again. 

- I've ended with the following: Please confirm/inform if this email has been received and/or been reviewed.

- than ive added a scan of my unused visa and a copy of my passport.

- and i've send my mail right before 8:00 in the morning. 

This is what had 'worked' for me. Perhaps the things stated above are redundant, but it may give you a good idea and help you with getting in touch with the embassy.  Nothing worse than being left in the dark.

Ps. the Dutch us embassy states that they have fewer personnel than usual, and thus it can take longer to receive a response. 

I think you should be fine with just receiving a text. In our case we never received a NOA1 in the mail but that was because we had misspelled our mailing adress. If you have not done so yet, it might be useful checking with the USCIS (or on the i-129f you send) if they have your correct mailing adress for the NOA2. 

Goodluck!