Bahrainexpat

Update, card produced on 3-Feb! Starting to think this is legit!

I submitted the family based AOS package(I-485, I-864, I-765, I-131) for my wife in November 2022, USCIS received on 14.Nov.2022. She entered the US in September 2022 via K-1(we both lived/worked in Bahrain) and we married the same month. I didn't expect to hear anything soon except maybe approval of the I-765 sometime this spring. To our utter shock, we received an email yesterday that USCIS had taken action on our case. We logged in the morning shortly after that email and didn't see anything. Our case still had the 'we are actively reviewing your case....' status for the I-485 and I-765. I logged in again last night and entered the receipt number for our I-485 and it indicated our case was approved on 31.Jan.2023. Sure enough, in the documents section was our I-485 approval. We did not submit an expedite request. Bear in mind, we just submitted our case in November 2022. We did biometrics on 6.December.202, but had no interview. Does this ever happen? I am highly suspect there is an error or glitch here. Until I see the ‘card is being produced’ it’s just really hard for us to mentally process. My other question is, after I-485 approval what is the typical timeline to receive the green card in the mail? Our notice indicates we can’t submit an inquiry to follow up until 90 days after the approval notice.

Good to know, thank you.

The question was intended to ask if my spouse can earn income from interest from a CD, bond or capital gain from a stock if they purchase one. Would that be an issue if the cds, stocks or bonds were purchased in her name since she is not a citizen or green card holder? She has a SSN.

Yes, the income(interest and capital gains) earned from instruments like CDs, bonds or stocks.

Yes she has her SSN, sorry, forgot to mention that. We obtained her SSN the day after POE and had name changed last week after we married using our certified marriage certificate.

My wife and I married on 30-Sept-2022 after she arrived via K-1 visa in mid September. We yet to file AOS, as I am starting a new federal job next month and want to wait to file due to having an up to date I-864. I am considering buying some CDs and bonds in my wife's name, will that be an issue as she hasn't completed AOS and doesn't yet have EAD?

What if my wife is still a nonresident alien? We married on 30-Sept after she arrived on a K1 fiancee visa on 16-Sept. We have not yet filed AOS, but will be soon. Can she purchase an I-bond? On the treasury direct website it does not require them to be a permanent resident. It requires them to have a SSN(she does have), be 18 years old, and be legally competent. https://www.treasurydirect.gov/indiv/help/treasurydirect-help/faq/

Good news, we applied for our SSN on 19-Sept, and they were able to verify us in SAVE-ASVI. We received the SSN in the mail a week later. Also, we married on 30-Sept and applied to change her name on her SSN on 11-October, the SS office was great, they just reverify all original docs again(passport, I-94 and certified marriage certificate). Super smooth.

My fiancee(K1) and I will be arriving in the US from Bahrain(we both lived and worked here) on 16-September(Friday), and want to apply for a SSN as soon as possible. My question is, if we are able to print off an I-94 from the CBP website after our arrival does that mean we are in SAVE-ASVI? The SSN SS-5 guidance from VJ says to wait 14 days to ensure we are in SAVE-ASVI, but I want to apply for the SSN prior to our wedding on 30-September. Is the 14 day requirement still set in stone? I looked in the forums related to this topic and didn't see anything newer than 2018, so I want to check if anyone has updated info that is more recent. Some people are saying they successfully applied for their SSN as soon as they got here. Thanks in advance.

Thank you all for the feedback. The person who posted it included a picture of the stamp from St Lukes. It’s why I checked here.

My fiancé had her medical exam for her K1 visa completed on 10-Aug, once she gets her medical clearance does the hospital need to stamp her passport? I read on some FB K1 visa forums this was needed for those in Manila. We are in Bahrain and I want to verify with experts here whether that is a legitimate requirement.

All, I am in the process of assisting my beneficiary fiancé to schedule her visa interview here in Bahrain where we both live/work. The cgi federal website they use on traveldocs seems to be a bit buggy. I jumped the gun a bit and made a profile using my own email as petitioner, but she also made one using her email(beneficiary). So that created an IT issue where the system thinks there are duplicate profiles with the same info, specifically I am trying to correct 'country of birth' on my beneficiary/fiance's profile to match her passport, as it defaults to the country where the embassy you're using(Bahrain), and she is from the Philippines. I updated all of the info on my own profile to remove any identifying information tied to her, but her beneficiary profile gives an error when trying to change 'country of birth' claiming it matches my own profile of info. There is no option to delete my own login profile(at least not from what I can see). We submitted a 'provide feedback' trouble ticket this evening through the cgi system under her login. My question is, how quick in your experience are the people who run the cgifederal system to respond/correct any IT issues? The email we received says 1-2 business days, just want to verify that is correct.

If you are filling out the I-134 and are not the beneficiary, you don't need to identify Beneficiary's assets or income as they are not the one to be supporting themselves, so $0 for both on part 2 line 17 and 22 is correct. You are the one to be financially supporting them(or joint sponsor) until and if they start to work upon employment authorization. As for Part 3, question 15, I entered my salary income that matched my signed salary letter from my employer. I understand the wording on it is confusing. But it's just asking what your income is.

A signed letter from my employer on company letterhead indicating my salary, status of my job(temp or permanent), and hire date. I also included IRS tax return transcripts for previous 3 years, pay stubs for previous 6 months and any bank/investment statements to substantiate my assets if I listed them. This is what my attorney requested. Whether that is overkill or inadequate, not sure yet as we haven't gotten to interview stage yet.

That is a good point, it is largely dependent on the backlog of the embassy/consulate your case will be sent to. But even the most backlogged embassy for K1 visas(Philippines) has really worked down a significant portion of their K1 backlog so cases are not stuck at NVC as long as they were during the depths of the pandemic. Barring another global black swan event like the recent pandemic, 2 years from petition to visa issuance isn't likely for recent filers, even Philippines.

I wouldn't say at least two years. I was 13 months to NOA 2, and case is in transit from NVC to embassy now at the 15 month mark.

It's provided above. My case went 'In Transit' on 30-June, so just waiting on my embassy now as it has been closed the last few days due to the Eid Muslim holiday. We've drafted our I-134 with all requisite evidence along with the DS-160 with assistance of my immigration attorney.

For subsequent posts for NOA2 to NVC to embassy in future months, I would suggest adding a line that NVC no longer answers the phone as of 23-May-2022. This post doesn't address that.

If I were you with your NOA1 date, I wouldn't expect to hear anything from USCIS until mid to late October 2022.

Mine says the same thing, I believe we are to disregard that verbiage, NVC's portion of the process is done for K1 once they send your case. Your consulate/embassy will communicate next steps.

I was referring an employment opportunity in the US for myself as petitioner. We both live and work in Bahrain, and I want us to leave here together. I can leave anytime I want for the US, but want to wait to leave for the US until her visa is issued. I obtained an expedite request approval based on my(petitioner) next job in the US. My apologies if I implied the job was for my fiancee/beneficiary.

Finally have a NVC case id number, and even better, got an approved expedite from NVC to embassy as of 28-June-2022! I submitted an inquiry both to my local embassy in Bahrain and NVC on 21-June-2022 to obtain case id number in order to request an expediate from NVC to my local embassy based on a pending job offer in US that needs me to start as soon as I can. On 27-June-2022 NVC responded from 'NVC expedite' email on info they needed to make an expedite request(found out here they didn't need NVC case id number to make the request). I made the expedite request from NVC to embassy on 27-June-2022 per their instructions. I heard back from NVC on 28-June-2022 and they provided NVC case id number and a notice that they were reaching out to my local embassy on whether the embassy would approve the expedite. Minutes later also on 28-June-2022, I received an email from my local embassy that they had received an email from NVC for expedite request. My embassy said they would accept the expedite request and informed me to wait until they get the physical file from NVC for further instructions. As of right now case is 'At NVC' but hope to see 'IN TRANSIT' based upon the expedite request and approval soon!

The wait is driving me bananas! But thank you for the info, I know we are close (NOA2 6.May.2022). Checking my spam folder multiple times a day.

The case that overturned R v. W had nothing to do with same sex marriage. Thomas' concurring opinion that referenced same sex marriage had no legal ruling, only a reference to revisit the decision that legalized it. As of right now, you are safe.