EatBulaga

@top_secret @OldUser So we have an update and a question for all who are knowledgeable about passport renewal and name change. The update is that my Filipina spouse received her renewed Philippines passport with her marriage name in the mail. But she is still waiting for the Philippines voter registration. So we are several months away from filing the I-751 for the AOS Green Card. I noticed that the I-485 has a field for the passport number, but the I-751 does not. The question is do we need to update with USCIS her new Philippines passport number before we file for the I-751? Or how do we even update that information with USCIS? Or do we not need to update the passport number with USCIS? Thanks

Yes. You need an SSA account to set up an appointment to your local SS office. https://blog.ssa.gov/save-your-place-in-line-with-mobile-check-in-express/

https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ss-5.pdf Parents SSNs are just identifiers for your application. Yes write them in if you know your parents' SSNs. Yes put your mother's name at her birth. Yes if you have a certificate of naturalization, then you select US Citizen. Yes, best to set up an appointment with the SSO. Depends on the specific SSO if they allow walk-ins. Best to bring your naturalization certificate, ID and old SSC and explain that you want to remove the DHS restriction or to update your status to US Citizen.

Thanks to @top_secret @RufusDawes for the tips above, we went to the Consular Outreach here in Atlanta to update my Filipina spouse's passport name change. We met many fine folks who drove in from all around the southeast just for this outreach. Here are some things that might interest others who may need to do the same. 1) In addition to organizing all the required documents for a passport renewal name change, https://philippineembassy-dc.org/e-passport-renewal/ registering and scheduling is highly recommended and the spots get filled up fast. https://www.passport.gov.ph/ Even though the outreach site says walk-ins for passport renewals are welcome, we met a couple from out-of-state without an appointment and they told them to wait till the end of the day to see if the spots become available. 2) For the "Original or notarized copy of proof that the applicant is still a Filipino and one (1) photocopy. Such proof may be, but not limited to, a green card, visa, notice of action, work permit, or dual IC.", we made 2 photocopies of the green card (front and back), and wrote on top "This is a copy of the actual I-551, Permanent Resident Card" and signed and notarized at a UPS office for $10. Also, took the actual green card for the passport officer to verify as well. 3) The consulate officer will try to push the Philippines voter registration as part of the passport renewal. Technically, that is separate and not required. But bureaucratically, just go along with it because the passport will already take 6-8 weeks. The last thing you want is to piss the officer off to where your passport application goes to the bottom of the pile or lost. The passport officer probably gets more credit for more voter sign-ups. This was what another Filipino told my spouse while waiting in line so she went ahead and registered to vote for the Philippines as well. Plus, the voter registration provides a 2nd valid Philippines ID name change along with the passport. For those who have ever tried to name change in the Philippines, having 2 IDs already makes the next ID change easier. Has anyone else ever experienced this? Or can verify? Or have other recommendations? Thanks.

@Hughughug333 Absolutely ask your husband to use a computer to sign up and learn some online courses. If you don't have a driver's license, study for the written exam. Study Khan Academy's Personal Finance and Financial Literacy courses. You need to understand the US tipping culture, taxes, Social Security, etc. Take this time to learn a skill. Also, try some coupon or cash back, gift cards apps like Ibotta, Fetch, etc., but make sure you don't get more than 600, otherwise, you have to give your SSN and then it becomes work income, which you can not have while AOS. Think of this as a career hiatus that many would love to have.

I don't think @Gabriela Gaghana registered a name change on the Texas Marriage Certificate registering the married name same as the maiden name? If that is the case, they should fill out the I-485 with the same name as what is on the Texas Marriage Certificate to avoid any name confusion later? As @OldUser recommended, to use whatever name is on the Texas Marriage Certificate and do the name change at N-400 may be less confusing?

@hplusj Ask the physician for a copy of the DS-3025, even if you have to pay extra for a copy. When we did the I-693 medical, we provided the copy to the US Civil Surgeon, which she used to determine what else is needed. There is no rule that you have to have a copy of DS-3025, but it certainly doesn't hurt to have a copy included in the I-485 and in our case for the I-693 medical later on.

If you know your case numbers, go to My Account->Add a case to your account. If you do not know your case numbers, you may have to wait for the NOA letters in the mail.

In one of the forms, we had to mark "Yes" to something similar to #25, and mentioned in the additional information about a dozen traffic and parking tickets over a period of 20+ years, many of which were cleared with defensive driving courses. We were never questioned about them. Sometimes just listing any citations however trivial give the reviewer some sense of truthfulness/credibility to the rest of your answers like from 25-86, of which we don't know what access they may have.

It's up to you how to organize your response and how much you need to explain to be truthful. You may be surprised at how much information the DHS/USCIS/CBP/etc. can access. The interviewer may ask you something they may already know just to see if you will answer correctly?

I would not lie, especially to immigration agents. You never know if they can ask you something that they already know the answer to just to see if you are being truthful.

Have you login to your USCIS account to see which Notice of Action's were sent?

Answer 25 and 26 truthfully, and include explanations in Part 14, Additional Information.

Hello all, I just want to verify for the I-751: https://www.visajourney.com/guides/removing-conditions-permanent-residency/ 1) No passport photos ? 2) No Biometric fee (just 750 total) ? https://www.uscis.gov/g-1055?form=i-751 Thanks much!

A Global Entry is a valid picture ID. https://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/global-entry/eligibility UK nationals are eligible.

Are you CR1/IR1? Is your question about whether you could have provided more info about your US citizen husband to the CFO interviewer? Sure. Why not? But you have to make sure that the information you provide will help your case. CFO is technically to vet or protect Filipino citizens from human trafficking or abusive relationships. However, I don't think the process is standardized and the experience can vary greatly depending on the specific interviewers, so there is no set rule on what information can help specific cases. The advice that was provided to us was to be firm, and consistent and to not be intimidated by the interviewer. Others are welcome to share their CFO experience?

Is the appeal less than 100? At worst, you can file for a whole new Global Entry application for another 100 or 120 (after 10/24) and use that opportunity to add more information about the package or the delayed filing for the AOS?

Yes. Maybe @Killowatts can also pen in the end date as "PRESENT"?

For Part 1, Item 16.b., if you are still working there, then leave blank. For Part 1, Item 17, you can pen in "G2IT" after printing it out. You have to pen sign anyway.

Eligibility Category for Part 2, Item 27 is ( ) (c) (9) Pending Adjustment of Status under Section 245 of the Act https://www.uscis.gov/eadautoextend https://www.uscis.gov/forms/all-forms/optional-checklist-for-form-i-765-c9-filings

Yes, you can claim her on your taxes with SSN when you file next year, or Married Filing Jointed. Yes, the SSN is permanent for her. Did your spouse do a name change on the marriage certificate? If yes, then she can go back to the SSC now before the I-94 "Admit Until Date" to update the name change. The "VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH DHS AUTHORIZATION" can be removed after the I-485 approval by going back to the SSC to update with the green card.

For the instructions for I-485, Part 8, Item 25-45, answer truthfully "Yes" to whichever one is closest to your situation like #25 or #26? And can put in Part 14, Additional Information: "____ had ____ minor traffic violations with the home country law enforcement. The minor traffic violations were cited but not charged. I can provide more details if requested at a later date."

Yes, you can name change on the N-400 form. https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/forms/n-400.pdf In Part 2, Item 3, mark "Yes" for "Would you like to legally change your name?" And put the name you want to be known.

Depends on which airline(s)? I recommend uploading the entry documents information (not just the passport) to the flight reservation. If you can not find where to upload the entry documents with the airline online flight reservation, then you may have to call the airline to specifically ask them to make a note with the flight reservation about the entry documents for the gate agents. Many airline systems will have an extra field textbox for ticket agents to input notes about the special needs of the passenger for the gate agents or flight attendants. When we did it, sometimes they would tell us it was not necessary because they'd seen it before or sometimes they would be typing something in. We did this with all the different connecting airlines for the whole flight. For the K1 visa, you may also want the airline to note that you are buying a one-way ticket since some boarding agents who are not familiar with K1 may want to see a return ticket. Also, I recommend flying with US carriers or major brand airlines just because their gate agents may have more experience with the different types of US entry documents. https://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/822786-scary-experience-australian-airport-cr1-i-551-stamp-worth-a-good-read/?do=findComment&comment=10992400 Those are my little ounce of prevention to avoid a pound of trouble later on.

For photos/images (which are bigger in size), search "compress images" and use the online tools to compress the pics and evidences. Or search "minimize images" and use those tools. You can minimize multiple images by putting several pics together in a document or resize smaller to fit multiple minimized pics together. Then use the Windows Snipping tool to snip out the collage of pics or save as one file and then compress to a tilf or jpg. Maybe 2 such compressed files of collage of minimized pics will fit the submit? Focus on evidence that you met in person within the last 2 years like (hotel receipts, meeting the family, etc.). Did you hand over enough photo evidence at the interview? Like a portfolio of pics, copies of documents, etc.? Did you hand over enough I-134 evidence at the interview? I tend to err on side of caution and over-document rather than less, to the point of what others consider unnecessary, because the cost of prolonged process is too mentally and emotionally taxing to us. The worst if your case is denied, is to go the spousal visa pathway.