Caligirl1

18 hours ago, xillini said:

Yeah I agree, I guess I will just go ahead and start to file N400 by myself.

It isnt that hard

Safe the money for a lawyer, you'll be just fine filing yourself! Almost done with everything 🙌 Good luck!

20 hours ago, CaseyBorne88 said:

Title says it all. Doing last minute document check and realized I don't have CERTIFIED copies! 🫢 Does anyone know a quick fix for this? Will my approval be denied without certified copies? I have the printed versions but not the version mailed from the IRS. Any help would be appreciated!

Every interview is different, but st mine - the officer didn't want a single piece of anything 🤦‍♀️🤷‍♀️

8 hours ago, Adrian L said:

 

I want to know what documents I'll need for each step of the K1 visa process.

For example, I read that I need to write a letter promising to get married within 90 days of arriving in the U.S., but some places don't mention this at all.

Ok- don't look for info allover the place- look on the official USCIS website- everything you need is explained and clear,straightforward. Of course,any questions adress right here, but please don't rely on some other websites. Better safe than sorry😉

20 hours ago, ChloeS said:

Hi everyone,

 

I am currently getting closer to the expiration of my 2-year marriage-based GC (hubby is a U.S. citizen) and will be filing I751. 

Meanwhile, I wonder if I'd be eligible for directly filing citizenship in conjunction with i-751.

 

Here's my timeline:

• Entered the U.S in November 2021 on a K-1 Fiancé visa
• Got married in January 2022
• Received my 2-year GC in March 2023

 

I read through the USCIS website. For marriage-based Citizenship, one of the conditions says:

 

 

• Be a lawfully admitted permanent resident of the United States for at least three years immediately before the date you file Form N-400;

 

Does a "lawfully admitted permanent resident" start from the date indicated on my GC? or starts when I entered the country? The term is not clear to me and would make a big difference as If the case is the latter, I would be eligible for citizenship (November 21 - November 24). Has anyone experienced the same?

 

Thank you for your help.

It starts from getting the greencard

13 hours ago, gregoryagu said:

As noted in my timeline, I submitted paperwork for my wife for the N400 naturalization on July 22 2024.  Shortly thereafter we got a notice that the current bio-metrics were still valid and so that would not be needed.

 

But here we are 4.5 months later and we do not yet have an appointment.

 

Questions about this:  1. I don't recall ever selecting an Office, but I am assuming that the Tampa Office will automatically be used as it is the closest to our address, correct?  In searches I have done, it seems like some of the offices are faster than others, but I don't know that there is any way of changing that, especially at this point.

 

2. I checked the Processing Time on the USCIS site, and this is what it says:

 

So if this is correct, it is going to be April before we get an appointment, correct?

 

3. After the Interview, then there is also the oath ceremony.  I was not able to find an estimate on how long after the appointment this would be for Tampa.

 

4. In times past, we did not really care how long the process took (we have been married 8 years now). However, we recently traveled for 2 months to see her family in Russia, and then another 3 months in South Africa visiting our Church. (A total of 5 months, below the "6 Month Rule")  The concern is that we are going to somehow violate the residency requirements for her Citizenship.  We started the application before we left.  We have lived in the US the entire time, so our "Continuous Residence" requirement is easily satisfied.  The physical Presence requirement is also easily satisfied.  And we resided in Florida for the full three months preceding the filing.  

 

Our plan is to be back in the US and then wait for the interview, and then the oath. And at that point go back to South Africa for an extended for 1-2 years.

 

So if the above estimate is correct, we will need to wait until June for the interview, and then another period for the Oath.  

 

All in all, we would like to have this done as soon as possible so we can finish the work we have started in South Africa (humanitarian work) 

 

Sorry if I am rambling here, but I am trying to put forward as much information as possible.

 

Our other option would be to abandon the N400, and then be abroad as long as we want, and then take it up again after moving to the US.  I don't really see an issue with this because as far as I can tell, the only benefit of naturalization is that you can Vote, and get a US passport.  But the lack of a US passport has not been a hinderance to anything we have wanted to do so far.

 

Often they do same day oath ceremony. In my case,I took the oath 2 hours after my interview

8 hours ago, Marshmallow-E said:

Hello, everyone. I applied for I-485 based on a K-1 visa in April this year. A few days ago, I received an RFE asking for additional proof of our married life since the ceremony. In our initial application, we only submitted our marriage certificate and wedding photos as bona fide relationship evidence. The screenshot shows what the RFE is requesting.

 

So far, we’ve gathered the following evidence:

• Joint lease agreement
• Joint auto insurance policy
• Proof of living at the same address (driver’s licenses, pay stubs, bank statements, Costco membership)
• Evidence of being listed as emergency contacts for each other at work
• Additional wedding photos
• Photos from other life events
• Sworn affidavits from my spouse’s family

 

After getting married, my spouse and I have taken on different financial responsibilities. He pays for rent and internet, while I cover auto insurance and groceries. We handle the remaining expenses separately. I added my spouse as an authorized user on my credit card, and he added my name to the internet bills after receiving the RFE. 

 

My questions are:

1. Should we open a joint savings account to strengthen our case?
2. Will actions taken after receiving the RFE raise any red flags with USCIS?
3. Does the evidence we’ve gathered so far seem sufficient for approval?
4. Do we need to notarize the sworn affidavits? We are aware that we should include a government ID for each of them.

 

I’d appreciate any advice or insight. Thank you!

 

You could still provide the bills aboutrent,internet,insurance etc and mark those on the bankstatements incl a short letter explaining the fact about splitting responsibilities- that's what I did and it was more than sufficient 

16 hours ago, EatBulaga said:

It seems a bit inconvenient carrying the extension letter and expired GC around all the time?

It's way more inconvenient to be asked for it- and not being able to show it,don't you think?🤔

8 hours ago, BadAmmoWitch said:

Which policies?

He doesn't have policies, a plan...just a concept of a plan about someshit,basically- he says he wants to "do" a lot....but,he can't just do about anything without congress etc.....

20 hours ago, Rachel n Tyler said:

I've printed it out and added it to my stack of papers, we should be good!!

Good luck for your interview!👍😉

1 hour ago, Crazy Cat said:

***Non-English comment removed.  Please use English in upper forums.  Non-English may be used in regional forums***

Appologies🫣😉

4 hours ago, Noname93 said:

Just checked my mail while at work and saw an envelope from uscis waiting for me. So I immediately checked myuscis, kinda scared since the last time I got a random letter from uscis it was the denial of my first I751. I thought it might be an interview or biometrics notice. Lo and behold, instead I see this.

 

So after almost 4 years, 1 denial, multiple nervous breakdowns and call to uscis that led to nowhere, 2 ADIT stamps, and not a single interview or biometrics appointment (I was sure they would need to redo them since my biometrics are from 2018!), I am finally DONE! Maybe one day Austria will change the law about dual citizenship and I'll apply for citizenship, but for now, I will gladly leave uscis in my rear view mirror.

CONGRATULATIONS 😃 🥳🥳🥳

22 hours ago, powerpuff said:

I received one too last year. Just sent a letter back with a photocopy of my GC and that was it; never got anything else again.

I was able to go on their website and disqualify myself cause of not being a citizen at that time.just takes a minute to do that.

20 hours ago, Crazy Cat said:

Looks like it started in April 2024.  We missed it by 16 months...LOL.

I didn't have that option either,I had to go to their office

4 hours ago, Thandeka said:

Really difficult to say, he had zero interest in looking at any of my documents, he basically looked at his computer all the way through and would ask a question here and there. 

I got the same answer at my AOS interview- and just 20 minutes later,while driving home,got an email about status change: approved 👍  You'll be fine 😉

19 hours ago, leignot said:

Good news, I passed my interview! But I didn't expect this to happen - at the start of the interview my IO explained that he was changing my application to the 3 year rule, rather than the 5 year rule I had applied under (which I qualify for). He said this was "easier" since they only needed to go back 3 years for my travel, work history etc. Thankfully he didn't ask for any additional information/proof - I had already uploaded my marriage certificate just in case.

 

I wanted to share this since I've mostly heard of the opposite happening in interviews (officers changing a 3 year to a 5 year). But I walked out with my approval and my status is updated to "Oath Ceremony Will Be Scheduled." It was just unexpected! 

Congratulations!

16 hours ago, Thunderbolt said:

Hello,

 

Since my wife is US citizen now the last step is to take her to SSA and update her status. I remember there was a talk somewhere here about doing some form to reflect her status at SS. Which form is that? 

Second thing, her SS card still says Not permitted to work without DHS authorization. How do we change her physical card? Is there another form for it? 

 

Thanks!

Just take the naturalization certificate to social security office- they update the information and send a new card ( same number) without any restrictions. 

20 hours ago, SneakyPete said:

Binder part will be fine. Don't sweat it. They will not refuse it over that. 

I used a binder for every application I-485 , I-751 and N-400 and had no issues. 

1 hour ago, Milka:) said:

I am still not getting answered what I ask. Do I have to resubmit my old evidence alongside my new and current ones? There is nothing listed on my notice under "You provided the following evidence that the marriage was entered in good faith." 

 

Like it just moves on without listing what they already have from me. 

Submit everything you possibly can, yes also the stuff you already submitted 

On 5/1/2024 at 7:15 AM, OldUser said:

You were given wrong information. If you read VJ, you'll see people complaining occasionally that they only see some not all evidence in their account for IOE cases. This proves evidence is scanned. Official guidelines discourage use of highlighters:

 

"Do not use highlighters or correction fluid or tape. The scanners we use will not properly read information that is greyed out, highlighted or corrected using correction fluid or tape."

 

Source: https://www.uscis.gov/forms/filing-guidance/tips-for-filing-forms-by-mail

Ok...well they had no issues scanning mine in. I took the originals to my interview but he didn't need to see them. He told me everything was fine. But yes, better safe than sorry- don't use highlighters.

Just now, Caligirl1 said:

 

I had no issues using those.At the interview I was told, they only scan the forms- not the evidence 🤷‍♂️

18 hours ago, Rocio0010 said:

It's not advisable to use highlighters, because they scan the documents.

6 hours ago, Joyoussinger said:

I would think so. You have lots of other good evidence. I didn't have older bills, either, because I just didn't think to put my husband's name on them at first. Even then, not every company has a way to do that. I think you're fine.

Without the actual bills you could just highlight those payments on your bank statements. I did that and it was sufficient because it was a joint acc 

18 hours ago, Blitz22 said:

Hi everyone, so Im due to send in October my I-751 package and I was wondering if the evidence I have ot gonna be enough and what yall think about it? I really overthink too much and Im just trying to go through the process the best way.

 

So far I have:

Marriage certificate

Last 3 years of leasing apt contract

Last 3 years of renters insurance

Photos together

Affidavits from 2 friends

Joint bank account statements for last 2 years since becoming resident

Tax return with transcript

Car insurance policies for last 2 years

State IDs from both

Utility bills from last 2 years since becoming resident (its alright just to send the 2 years worth of bills after becoming resident or all bills since marriage?) 

 
Thanks for your response

I'd send bill from start of marriage, not all but enough to cover the entire time frame. 

20 hours ago, drchirag said:

Do they ask for old passport?

They didn't want to see my german passport, because they already had copies of it on file.

14 hours ago, ZeeZeeZee said:

Oh my goodness. I mean I'll believe it when the green card is in my hand, but... phew. Thank you both, now I can wait for further updates from USCIS without getting too stressed!

 

Of course instead I have a fun NEW thing to stress about, namely that even though I reported my change of address to them last year I'm pretty certain their files never got updated... so I was counting on making them update my address at the interview. But that one at least I might be able to fix with a phone call.

Congratulations!!😃👍🥳