EmilyM

baking soda and vinegar are great cleaners... I used a baking soda paste to clean my oven when I burned some plastic in it. got rid of the soot and grease and the smell.

vinegar is a cost effective way to clean windows. use vinegar and old newspaper or paper towel. works just as well as windex. and if you have a lick crazy cat like mine who licks the windows at any sign of condensation... then you know you're not harming them.

vinegar can also be used in laundry, and in the toilet (to get rid of smells).

also if you want to reduce the amount of water your toilet uses, fill up an old water bottle (or in my dad's case, an old ketchup bottle) with water and place it in the tank in the back. that way your toilet doesnt waste water when you flush it. (or you can use the motto: " if it's brown, flush it down... if it's yellow, let it mellow" but that doesnt bode well when you have company. hehe)

Hi there,

I'm sorry if this has been asked before, I tried searching but didn't find anything relevant.

My parents sent me my GST/HST credit cheque in the mail (for October - I just got it last week), and I was going to cash it but I read on here that we were supposed to send it back. So I called the international tax line for the CRA and the lady on the line told me to fill out the marital change form, so my address, name and marital status would change... send it in with a copy of my marriage certificate and a letter informing them that I'm a non-resident. Then I asked her about the cheque and she informed me that once I fill in this form they will get back to me with a voucher to mail the money back.

Now, she also said, that whether I keep the money or not depends on whether or not I am considered a resident, and if I was not a resident at the time the cheque was mailed then I would be able to keep it.

I moved here in June on a k-1 visa, married in August, and applied for AOS in September. Does the US consider me to be a resident when I arrived in June?

What did you guys do about this?

I see some have interviews tomorrow and in the coming weeks... Just wanted to say good luck

for those who were wondering, I got my card 10 days after they sent me the first email saying the production was ordered. so I would say give it 2 weeks to come in the mail.

good luck everybody

Hello September Filers! Can anyone tell me how to add the timeline to my responses. You know, the timeline that includes the touches and stuff like that.

Thanks!

Some people do it really fancy, I am not sure how they do that. but I just go to the top of the page where it says "Logged in as:" and where all your control options are, click "my assistant", then "edit forums signature". Then you just add in your timeline as you like. you could go to your original timeline and copy and paste or type it all in. Then when you get some news you'd like to add, just do the same and add a line to the bottom (or top, however you like.)

It will then pop up beneath your responses! good luck!

I received my AP and EAD in the mail today, they are postmarked for the 24th, so I bet they got caught up because of thanksgiving. Its so exciting to get the fruits of our labour!

Now to plan a trip to visit the family sad thing is, I will probably get the GC before that will take place... better safe than sorry!

Good luck everyone

congrats!

i think i like that "bam!!! approval" too..

like they make u get addicted to checkin online everyday..

til u get frustrated cos there's no touch at all..

and then they surprise u with an approval touch..

and then you're like a kid giggly and drooling when u see that approval touch..

and then u wait for the real thing to come in the mail..

and then when u see it in the mailbox..

u rub your hands before u get it in the mailbox..

you'll be like gollum of LOTR.. sayin.. "my precious"..

.

I think I've scared my husband a couple times with my giggly shrieks of excitement that I seem to let out every time I get a good email from CRIS. hehe.

congrats everyone, keep 'em coming USCIS!

Hey! I have a question. It's a frequently asked question. But i'm still worried about what to do...

For Christmas I'll take a plane from Denver to Boston. I read that people put their maiden name on the plane ticket in order to match the passeport name... It makes sense...it's easier! but at the same time, it's lying! I don't want a lie about my name, it's a big thing!Shouldn't I just put my married name and bring my marriage certificate with me and NOAs ?

I know what you mean, I was concerned about the same thing, except I asked PassportCanada. and they told me that until I get my passport changed, I should make all travel plans in the name that is in my passport.

you could certainly try traveling with your noa's and marriage certificate, but you will probably get some hassle. And you shouldn't think of it as lying, your maiden name is still your name, just your old one.

Good Luck!

anyone?

Has anyone ever tried to get a social security number after approval without getting the EAD card itself? I am going to try on Monday. The worst they can do is say no right ?

I thought about doing this as well, in theory it should work. And yep, worst thing that happens is they say no, and you come back when you have the EAD.

Good luck

USCIS authorized Travel Document on 17th and also ordered production of EAD. It says "On November 17, 2008, we ordered production of your new card. Please allow 30 days for your card to be mailed to you. If we need something from you we will contact you. If you move before you receive the card, call customer service. You can also receive automatic e-mail updates as we process your case. Just follow the link below to register.

Congrats!

I got an e-mail this morning, my EAD has been approved, Card production was ordered on Nov 17. Woo Hoo.

Good luck to everyone still waiting, looks like the momentum is building.

awesome, congrats! It's so refreshing to know that they are making progress with the sept. filers!

update for me:

Application Type: I765 , APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION

Current Status: Card production ordered.

On November 18, 2008, we ordered production of your new card. Please allow 30 days for your card to be mailed to you.

Congratulations Tena, and all the other september filers with approvals!

any day now we'll see things start to come in, just have hope and patience

I just check the website now once or twice a week, I was starting to go insane checking it and the mailbox daily, lol.

sounds like everyone has some awesome holiday plans. This will be my first true winter with my husband so its quite the experience, it will be fun to see how his family does christmas, but I am already starting to miss my family. It would be about this time that I would be helping my mom set up our fake christmas tree (mum hates pine needles, and I don't blame her).

I must say in wisconsin its a lot colder than vancouver, BC. not really used to that at all. My husband got a kick out of me trying on all the huge winter coats (I'm kinda short so it was pretty amusing to see a small person in this huge coat that's got like 3 layers).

good luck to everyone with the wait, any day now we will start to see changes with our cases!

Not sure if this helps, but I inquired at the local university because I was considering school, and they told me that I had to be a resident for 12 months to get instate tuition, and that I could include the time spent on my K-1 visa and the time while I am out of status/adjusting status. So since I came here in june, I can go to school w/ instate tuition after next june.

Hooray! My hubby got his EAD today! Only 55 days from filing! AND! The USCIS Case status online thing didn't update until today, even though the card was approved on 10/27. Very exciting! Hope you're all doing well!

Congrats!

An update for me, today my case was transferred to the california service center! yay If you can please update me on the table, I'd appreciate it.

good luck everybody!

I know we're all in the same boat, thanks for the support I was just curious if calling them garners more info then the website, thats all. I know its a long waiting game for everyone, and I wish everyone peace and patience!

stupid question: when you call uscis to check the "status" of your case, is it all automated? and is it no more helpful than looking at it online?

just wondering, my case was resumed for the RFE last week but my EAD and AP haven't been touched since September. and I had my biometrics for both AOS and EAD at the beginning of october. I thought I might call them and see if everything was okay if nothing changes in a couple weeks.

A touch is when your case is updated online. For example today I know my case was touched, because in my portfolio it says a new date under "last updated".

Some cases never get updated online, my K-1 visa in the online portfolio still says it has been recieved and that the case is pending. (but its obviously approved.)

You don't have to have email updates to get touches. All that does is notify you sooner when something changes on your case (so you'll get an email a couple days before the notice comes in the mail).

This is just a repost of what I asked a couple of posts ago.

Also, I have a question for everyone, I was looking at the NOAs and I saw that I was assigned a new (and completely different) A#. Has this happened to other people? Is this something to be concerned about?

Thanks

Hm, I don't know about that... hopefully someone on the boards can give you some insight. I looked at my NOA's and my A# is the same, but I came in on a k-1 visa. If you're really worried about it, and no one gets back to you, maybe you can try calling them about it? at least so you don't have to worry about it.

good luck

an update for me:

USCIS/CRIS says that my case was resumed today, which is awesome. I did not get an email about it though, had to look it up myself.

I noticed that a lot of people have been getting RFEs for tax information. What kind of info are they asking for?

My RFE was for my joint sponsor, she forgot to include all of her IRS tax documents, she just had the form and her 1040, but not her w-2 or 1099-R. And we also didn't include any proof of her status as an american, so we had to have a birth certificate or passport page. Basically stuff we should have included if we had read the instructions properly!

I believe right now the RFE's are just for initial evidence, but later on they may scrutinize and thats when you get other RFEs.

Hmmmmmm....I'm a little confused but what else is new.

On Friday I checked the site, out of curiousity, to see if any of my applications had been touched. To my surprise, the AOS had been touched on the 16th. It states that they have sent a RFE.

Today, we checked the mail (only cause when hubby came home there was no power) and found a 2nd NOA for my I-485. My biometrics appointment for the AOS is on October 28 at 12:00 p.m. in Norridge. I'm so thankful that my hubby is off that day and can drive me to the appointment.

My confusion comes cause I've received the biometrics appointment but also will be receiving a RFE? Does this happen at times?

It is my understanding that you can recieve RFE's at any time during the process. I received an RFE after biometrics as well :/

which I sent in yesterday so hopefully in 2-3 weeks my case can get resumed! (so they can undoubtedly send me another RFE, ha!)

also, definitely bring a marriage certificate when you go to biometrics! I decided to bring mine at the last minute and man... I would have been screwed if I forgot!

good luck to everyone!

I had my appt. in St.Paul, MN. I had applied under my married name but in my passport it only shows my maiden name, I had to show a marriage certificate, and they made a photocopy of it. the instructions say bring identification, and if you changed your name that certificate attributes to your ID. so it's definitely good advice to take it along if your name has changed.

I got the very same RFE for Joint sponsors status, If she's got a passport all you need is the bio page. Mine gave me her birth certificate... and then I found out that because she has her married name, we have to apply for a copy of her marriage certificate too! (should come in a week or so, I hope) so I've been waiting for 3 weeks to send the RFE off now. really frustrating, thankfully they give you 87 days to respond!

congrats!

My mother in law gave me her w-2 and a 1099 (plus her tax return things) will that satisfy the requirement below?

"... submit all supporting tax documents (w-2's, 1099s etc)"

and also, she didn't give me a marriage certificate or anything showing a name change but she says if she needs to she will get that, but I can sort of tell she doesnt want to. Will I need this? could she possibly write a letter saying her name has changed and sign it? or do you guys think that we will definitely need a marriage certificate?

We were thinking we could just send in her birth certificate and the other tax documents and see what happens but I don't want to prolong this more than necessary, should I wait an extra couple weeks for her to get the marriage certificate?