IWander

8 minutes ago, mam521 said:

You've essentially stumbled upon the reason many people wait until they are eligible to apply for citizenship to change their name.  

My wife changed her name upon marriage and had no issues with SSA getting the card issued in her new name.  We applied for the initial card within 78 days after her arrival and then when she received her GC in her married name, we went back and had it reissued with the married name and had the "Valid for work only...." verbiage removed.

1 hour ago, FlattyPatty said:

Posting in K1 subforum, please move elsewhere if not correct.

 

Got a K1 visa, immigrated, got a SSN, got married, have not applied for AoS yet.

I'm using a new name after marriage so I went down to the local Social Security Administration office to get a name change on my SSN. The clerk told me that she won't process the name change because I first need to get my name change done with "immigration", which I'm assuming means USCIS and the AoS process.

Is there no way to get a new Social Security Card after a K1 marriage but before applying for AoS? We wanted to make this straightforward for insurance, but I guess now I'll have to get on my partner's insurance using my old name, since that's who the card is out to?

Yes but only in your previous name 

1 hour ago, rks_emelander said:

Are updates on the process available online, or is the whole this done entirely through physical mail?

There are very few updates through the process but the USCIS website has the ability to do a search on file status 

1 hour ago, Crazy Cat said:

Not available for online filing:

 

Petition for Alien Fiancé(e) | USCIS

Here is the VJ step by step guide:

 

 

Probably not a candidate for e-file until petitioners learn to stop sending everything including the kitchen sink as evidence 

1 hour ago, Hopeful76 said:

Wondering if anyone has gone through the CFO course for a K-1 visa lately and what are your experiences?  Mainly interested in the types of documentation they will ask for.  I am seeing sites reporting that my fiance may need to provide things like: 

 

1. Affidavit of invitation and support (financial support/safety/medical insurance) written by the sponsoring spouse notarized and authenticated by the Philippine Embassy or Consulate which has jurisdiction over the destination or host country,

2. Declaration of undertaking of travel in letter format to include an itinerary of travel and how to ensure safe travel and stay,  and  

3. Letter explaining why the foreign partner cannot travel to the Philippines.    

 

Has anyone ever actually been asked for any of those above listed items.  I want to be as prepared as possible, but do I really need to go find a Philippines Consulate to notarize a statement of support??

Stop going to those sites.  My wife had none of that 

2 hours ago, jamjam3 said:

Manila

Manila has all instructions available on the embassy website.  When you receive your new case number and the petition gets forwarded to Manila, that is when you start following the instructions 

1 hour ago, widude said:

 NOA, notice of action, I got that. What is the ‘2’ for or mean?

Second one

4 hours ago, OldUser said:

Thank you that's great to know. Do you know how long this has been the case?

Can this change any time?

Changed sometime between my second petition and my third

1 hour ago, jamjam3 said:

I got my NOA 2 what's next?

Wait .  What Consulate?

9 hours ago, DavidTheaDayanna said:

We received DQ notification January 9 from NVC.  Said expect communication from Manila Embassy for visa appointment.

I have read other comments from last year saying there is no back log and it usually takes about 2-3 weeks.

 

Anyone have current experience or info for this?

 

David and Thea

Davao

This thread indicates otherwise

9 minutes ago, flipicaneze said:

 

This is the reason I am going out there to pick my Wife and Son.  My wife cannot take my son out of the Philippines with her Philippines Passport and him having a US Passport.  Vice versa I cannot bring my own son with my US Passport if all he had is a Philippines passport.  (For my situation, this is not a US Border thing, this is Philippines BOI.  Anti-human trafficking efforts.)

My wife just traveled to and from the Philippines with my daughter.  My wife only has a Philippines passport and my daughter only has a US passport.  No questions were ever asked of her by anyone.

52 minutes ago, SP1988 said:

Can you explain a bit more im confused.

 

So on i485 and 765 do i check the box of want a SSN? Or just on 485? And do i do it with my last name?

 

Do i still apply independently for SSN next week with her maiden name? Or not at all and only do it through AOS

It's your choice.  Do you want her to have an SSN NOW or later?  Only you can make that decision 

2 minutes ago, SP1988 said:

So do you recommend not getting it now and checking the box off in the 485 with my last name?

That is a question that you need to answer for your own individual situation.

1 hour ago, SP1988 said:

Hello all hope all is doing well i was wondering if i can get some advice regarding my situation. My fiancee arrived last month on k1 visa and we got married yesterday. It seems from what i have been looking online i made a mistake by not getting SSN prior to marriage? I am going to the SSN office on monday to gather more information but since she will be taking my last name what are the next steps then? Would it be easier if she just keeps her last name?

 

Should i apply for her social now? Or do i check the box for applying for a SSN when i fill out the I-485? Keep in mind i am trying to do the fastest way possible in order for her to get her drivers license open a bank account and work as fast as possible. 
 

also does employment authorization and travel authorization all go together with i485 or are the sent or filed separately?

If you try to get the SSN now, get it in her maiden name and then change the name later.  If you try to get it in a name other than what is currently on file with the USCIS the likelyhood of approval is next to nil 

9 minutes ago, Autumn.Andreea said:

yes, I know it's an estimate, but is the estimate usually accurate? 

Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't 

1 hour ago, trisha_h said:

Hello, new to the site and in the process of compiling items for my I-129F petition to bring my fiance over from the UK! 

 

This is probably a silly question, but when I make copies of my birth certificate, ticket stubs, boarding passes, etc., should these all be in color? And can I just do this on my home printer or should I have better quality copies?

 

Thanks so much for your help! I'm probably overthinking a lot of this but I want to make sure I have everything perfect the first time and minimize delays!

 

EDIT: One additional question! Do all petitions go to the Dallas lockbox? Or are there other locations depending on where you are?

If they required color they would stipulate said requirement in the instructions.

Not only do all petitions go to the Dallas lockbox, all petitions are initially assigned to the California service center 

6 hours ago, Jason R said:

So true!
I still want to write out an expectations list of sorts. I get so many different scenarios when looking through the interwebs lol

 

 

The absolute worst place for immigration advice includes but not limited to fellow filipinas, Facebook, YouTube and Reddit 

6 hours ago, JeanneAdil said:

Coming into Chicago , Adil did not have to pick up his luggage and take it to customs and immigration and recheck it in

the luggage was sent all the way to Nashville from Morocco

when flying back to US from Ecuador and landing in Miami also i didn't have to pick up bags and recheck them

when coming from Peru to us thru Fort Lauderdale,  i had to get bags and have them with me to be xrayed and then they were rechecked

 

seems each airport has its own procedures

I think you need to think again.  If you don't collect your bags after immigration when do you go through customs?  Certainly not at the final destination where bags are all mixed together.  The only exception is when passengers depart from an airport that has a pre clearance process.  

1 hour ago, Redro said:

I interviewed for my CR1/IR1 visa in Korea and the one question they asked was "have you traveled any where in the last 6 months".

I believe it is a fairly standard question. 

You are always allowed to update the DS260 during the interview. 

Yes

28 minutes ago, JeanneAdil said:

I would say no as with any airport it takes at least 20 minutes to taxi in and for customs at IAD ,collect luggage at baggage claim and go thru customs

She needs more time

 

At IAD

 Passengers connecting to another flight will need to re-check their luggage and go through screening by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

 

https://www.flydulles.com/travel-information/international-arrivals

This would be true at any US airport 

You can find average wait times by time of day at each port of entry on the CBP website.

5 hours ago, izzy777 said:

I have the MNL number should I schedule interview from what i hear manila embassy isn’t too great with communication also it says its non immigrant but says to select immigrant on ustraveldocs site

 

 

much appreciated for the help 

The Manila process is applicant directed.  If you do nothing then nothing will happen.  Fill out the DS160, pay the MRV fee and then schedule the interview 

2 hours ago, ZephyrMoon said:

If I, the USA citizen, get a first name change while waiting for I-129f to be approved for my fiancé, will that affect anything? How do I notify USCIS and do I have to show them my updated documents as well?

The petition accuracy is as of the date you signed it.  The US citizen is not under any obligation to update documents during the petition approval process 

Go to the Philippines regional forum for any questions in regards to the Manila process 

Police report is typically not provided at the medical but to the Consulate at interview