W199

The registry of motor vehicles in your State will have a list of acceptable and required documents to get the drivers license. And for sure, a greencard will be fine. If you plan to got for the RealID, you need to carefully prepare for the additional docs needed to prove residency. For example, my registery did not accept the USCIS receipts for proof of address because they said it is part of her visa used to prove her status. They didn't accept the mailing from the social security office, because that was part of the social security card used to prove her SSN. They didn't accept a bill from the gas company, because their stupid system could only add her as "c/o" on the bill.

In the USCIS online account, you can check the status of your case, the history, and the next steps and their projected timelines. When we first applied and got the online account access, the timeframe reported was 2 months. Now, a month later, and having completed the biometrics, it is now projecting 5 mores weeks to the case decision. The is inline with what others have reported for how long it took for the EAD after applying for AOS for the K-1 Likewise, the USCIS account is projecting 5 more months for the AOS. However, its still on the interview, if needed, stage. If they waive that, I would expect it to be only 3 more months

We sent our AOS at nearly the exact same time as you to the Chicago lockbox. It arrived Jan 8. A few days later we got the text messages from USCIS ack the receipt of the AOS, EAD, and AP. About 7 days later we received 4 paper notices in the mail, including one with an activation code for an online account, as a well as an RFE as I forgot to send in my proof of US citizenship for the i-864. I just needed to upload it to the online account. About 1-2 days later from the date of text messages, we got a notice that a biometrics appointment was made for us. A week later we got that notice in the mail. The appointment was for the following week. She did that and now we are waiting. The online account says the AOS and EAD are activiely being processed. And it says the EAD should be complete within 5 more weeks, and the AOS will be complete within 5 months. We did use an agency to do the 52 papers of paperwork ... so I know it was done perfectly, with all the exact instructions on how to include enclose the photos in bags, and many other details. the $600 was well worht it for them to do all the paperwork and provide exact instructions on how to finish it up. USCIS scanned them in and converted all 3 to an online application, hence the online account. The online filing is faster since they don't need to move the paperwork around. In the online account, I even saw the scan of the plastic bags we did with the photos, I suspect you got something wrong and its going to be rejected and sent back to you.

That is correct, you now need to wait for either your EAD, employment authorization, or greencard in order to update your SSA for anything. Then you can go back to the SSA with your marriage certificate, and the EAD or GC, and change the name and remove the restrictions. I'm pretty sure there will be no issue to change the middle name too as long as you did that on your greencard and EAD. The latter is what we did, and I plan to go back to the SSA to change the middle and last name. You also need proof of identity at the SSA office. If her passport is expired, I'm not sure, but I think that could be a problem unless you have another government ID such as a driver's license.

Good point! In my State, you can choose anyone to marry you. All they need to do is to go register for a "1 time officiant" license at the town clerk's office. That license only costs about $25. Then they can sign your marriage license and you are now married! As a side note, I don't know why, but my ex didn't want to do that for me 🤣 But as a bonus the justice of the peace was only $150 (not $300), the prices are regulated by the State. It was well worth it as he also helped craft vows for each of us, and he even recorded the wedding and gave us a copy of the video for free.

The tax savings for filing jointly for me was $30K alone (it was a good year)

Does your fiancee have any income too? If not, then if you do a CR1, you would save a lot of money by filing joint taxes a year earlier. For K-1 vs CR-1, you should also factor in what really matters, The wedding itself and family is very important. Hence, deciding where do you want to get married, USA or Canada, could also be a deciding factor that will be more important in the long run. Not to mention since you haven't know each other long, a longer engagement may be very beneficial to the relationship.

Why didn't you just pay the $300 for an officiant and get married by Dec 31? You would have saved thousands of dollars by being able to file joint taxes together. $300 is nothing compared to the cost for the AOS and everything else you will need. And this all delays getting your employment authorization which is going to be a few thousands at least in lost wages. So the lost savings from joint taxes and employment is huge compared to $300

on the fbi webpage, they provide a link or a list to all the 3rd party agencies that fan take your fingerprints and submit it for the fbi identity record check. Just read all the info on the FBI website to get your record

You can run a FBI "rap sheet" aka identity histoy check ... It only takes about 1 day if you use an agency to run it ... You will need to send the court records showing the disposition of each case.

Just a few months ago or so, after my fiancee got her K-1 visa in hand, she went to the CFO office to re-register her previous "tourist" CFO certificate with QR code to meet in Montreal, to a "K-1" CFO to USA. They took away her online cfo certificate with QR code and issued a very official and impressive looking CFO certificate as well as a similarly official certificate on a sticker, like her K-1 Visa, applied in her passport. Unless this has changed in the few months, they had resumed giving stickers after they canceled the online classes ... Maybe they stopped it again?

At the CFO, there is potentially a long list of documents they may require at their discretion too. Make sure she brings all of them. Then on Monday first thing, if there is no appointment online to go to the CFO, be both of you be properly dressed (check their FB page for their their dress code they just published), and be extremely polite and professional at all times, not rude or raise your voice, but yet beg, plead, cry, and stand firm for an appointment that same day explaining the VISA will expire, non-refundable plane tickets, ... maybe bring a friend from the Manila times or have higher up contacts as a backup plan to further encourage them ... You want to do everything you can not to let that VISA expire ... Good luck, let us know what happens ...

I I am so glad my wife decided to change her last name to mine. It makes it so much easier. It was Trivial to change her name on the AOS package. Then it was alao trivial at the registry of motor vehicles to give them the new last name. They just told me to write down the new last name that we wanted and show them the marriage certificate. makes it so much easier for everything insurance bank accounts, bills everywhere we go we just give them her first name and say “same last name”. This makes it simpler every time we go to the doctor or go places they are confused who she is. There’s no need to change her foreign passpor, we just buy a ticket at her name maiden name. Then for the N-400 we will get a us passport in the new name. there will be no confusion with the future kids last name. My point is that there was no grief or hassle to change the name. Maybe on form we had to write both the name in the new name. And is the tradition of the Filipinos to change the middle name to their maiden name then take on my last name. I don’t think it makes any sense not to change your name just because you think it might be more grief for a hassle you should do what you want for your family and emotional needs because there is absolutely no grief hassle in doing so

They stopped doing online CFO's. Usually it takes some time to get an appointment.

read the instructions.or use a tax SW program.

The RFE from USCIS that I got said IMBRA limits the number of I-129F that may be filed and approved without a waiver. But then the RFE goes to explain that a waiver must be filed if any of the fillowing is true, one of which is 1) If you previously filed more than 2 I-129F applications within 2 years. 2) If you previously had an approved I-128F petition within 2 years. I submitted a waiver with my RFER and it got approved in about 4 days.

You don't need that evidence for AOS, its not listed anywhere and it makes no sense. But you do need this evidence 2 years later when applying to remove conditional status of your greencard. But that is something else. You should go get a lawyer

Did you flee from your fiance or flee after getting married? Did you even get married on the K-1? Something is really suspicious here.

There is no requirement to get it within 10 days. You just need to get it before you get married. And then if you do not, you can get an ITIN number in the meantime to use to file taxes and open bank accounts. It just is more work to get the ITN, so getting a SSN before married is an easier path. When I did a K-1 before, I didn't bother getting a SSN for my spouse. I just got an ITIN an waited for the SSN as part of the greencard processing so that I didn't need to go to the SSN office twice. It was no issues or problems. But now I think they make it a little more difficult to get an ITIN,, by needing to request it during taxes.

That is not true at all. You can still file joint taxes without an SSN. You just need to file it with a request for an ITIN in lieu of a SSN All the tax SW programs like Turbotax walk you through this. Then you can use the ITIN number instead of the SSN to open up bank accounts. Then whenever you get your AOS or EAD, you can get your SSN, you must use it instead of the ITIN.

This is really suspicious. Your spouse will save a lot of taxes by filing married jointly, especially since you have no legal work. To do that, you need a SSN or an ITIN number (if you are not eligible for a SSN) which you can apply for with your joint taxes. The ITIN number can be used for opening bank accounts etc It makes no sense your spouse would file taxes any other way And any legit employer will tell you to get one, google searches and the SSN website will easily how, tons and tons of information ...not to mention your spouse should know very well ...

Before getting married, not before the AOS.

You or your attorney should send details and proof of her criminal background, that she lied on the DS-260, and other lies to USCIS. This maybe useless, but at least you gave it a shot to try to make it more difficult for her to remove conditions, become a USA citizen, etc...

It is not automatic. In my Wife's country, if they suspect you will flee, the prosecutor can go to court and ask the judge for a hold-departure order, but they must present proof that you plan to flee to avoid the court date.

I would think your biggest concern or issue would be on departure. Your ex might have tried to put a hold-departure order in place to prevent you from leaving. But it doesn't seem like that has happened. But perhaps you should verify.