MJ&YY

The terminology is pretty interchangeable.  The i-485 instructions request the marriage certificate.  That document is generally the stamped/certified copy of the marriage license that was recorded by the county following marriage (for which you need to submit a photocopy).

The terminology is pretty interchangeable.  The i-485 instructions request the marriage certificate.  That document is generally the stamped/certified copy of the marriage license that was recorded by the county following marriage (for which you need to submit a photocopy).

Thank you for the response.  We followed the same procedure you did and got different results.  I believe our problem deals with COVID related times we now live in.  From all that I see we should have been able to get the card issued in her married name.  None the less we have a SS number and will pursue the name change later when and if we ever return to more normal times.  

We managed to change my wife’s name to her married name after arriving on K1 before her i94 expired. I didn’t expect it to actually happen.
 
My wife had a SSN from an earlier time in the US, prior to arriving on a K1 at the end of March. We married a couple days after her arrival and, once we had the marriage certificate, decided to see what would happen if we contacted SS office to change her name. Called the local office and got an appointment for my wife on 4/14 (we mailed AOS that same week using her married name).  The appointment went pretty fast. They scanned what they needed (ssn application, passport, I-94, marriage certificate) and said she’d hear back within 2 weeks or so. 
 
About a week later we received a letter from SS stating they were verifying her information with DHS, which could take up to 4 weeks.
 
We assumed nothing would come of it since we don’t have EAD or GC yet, but around June 15 (well past 4 weeks, haha) we received a letter from SS stating she’d receive a new card soon. The card arrived a day or two later. This all happened before her I-94 expired (this week).
 
Not sure if this is terribly helpful for most K1s since we didn’t have the initial multi-week delay applying for the SSN in maiden name.  I suspect doing this all early in her I-94 period worked in our favor.

We got the notification for Biometrics Appointment on 07/07/2021.
Things are moving in the right direction.

You can find your month’s filing group here and see what others are saying about NOA1 times. We got ours in like 5 weeks.
 
https://www.visajourney.com/forums/forum/131-adjustment-of-status-case-filing-and-progress-reports/

I see one nearest from my location i will go and visit tomorrow. Thank you i really appreciate for all feedbacks 

One thing people should consider when paying by credit card is that it will take a month or so to actually charge the card with current lockbox intake times.  In the event that you have a fraudulent charge occur on your card between filing AOS and the charge processing, your card issuer would likely issue a new card number, likely resulting in the AOS payment failing and application being rejected.  We paid by check to avoid that (admittedly unlikely) scenario since I had to update my card in the past year.

Package arrived at lockbox April 23. Received text message with receipt numbers May 16. Praise God!

Huzzah, the three text messages came in this afternoon! (Strange it was a Sunday, but who really cares) 

Got our hard copies of NOAs in the mail today! Now to wait... 🤪

Received our NOAs in the mail today - that's just a couple days after the texts arrived (Wednesday).  Check cleared our bank account the day after the texts.  NOAs should have arrived yesterday according to Informed Delivery, but our postal worker skipped our street for some reason 😆.

Received our NOAs in the mail today - that's just a couple days after the texts arrived (Wednesday).  Check cleared our bank account the day after the texts.  NOAs should have arrived yesterday according to Informed Delivery, but our postal worker skipped our street for some reason 😆.

Just got our receipt texts (they sent 2 of each, oddly, so 6). Mailed 4/10. 

Just got our receipt texts (they sent 2 of each, oddly, so 6). Mailed 4/10. 

Very good you are on your way now!

Your advice was followed precisely.  
 
Card is in production as of today.  Thanks for the sharp advice.  The couple is overjoyed.  

As far as I can tell, there's really no proof between i-94 expiring and getting the i-797C or whatever.  So, stay out of trouble while you wait .  Hopefully things get moving sooner than later.

Processing payments requires them to have someone open packages and intake documents.  That clearly isn't happening as regularly right now.
 
Someone who filed on 4/6 got receipt texts last night.  Another from 4/1 got receipt texts the other day.  That may give you an indication of what's currently making its way through (though I'm sure there are plenty of others still waiting).
 
 

Finally got all papers done and submitted. So, now its time to start the waiting game with everyone else.

Just got my receipt numbers tonight! sent in April 6th! 

Just got texts Receipt Notice today. Sent my package on April 1st 😊

Hi, 
Here is the instruction from Tokyo embassy. 
Good luck.

It is not needed for now, but to ease your mind go to USCIS website and read about it there. Things have been known to change over night!

@Jackie1011 - as noted above, do not include the i-944.  It has been discontinued.  Link for current information about it:
 
https://www.uscis.gov/i-944