frevra

To Everyone Who Has Already Had Their Interview for Change of Status,

My husband and I married in December and filed our papers in January for his change of status. Our question now is if we have to provide some type of evidence to strengthen our case beyond the marriage. For example, should we be putting any bills in his name? We have a joint bank account and we are truly married, but he's worried we should be doing more in terms of collecting evidence. Can anyone comment on this?

Thanks!

Tracey Freyre

I am currently filling out the change of status paperwork for my husband. ON the I-485 form, there is a box on page one directly under "Country of Citizenship/Nationality" box. It asks for the A# (if any). I can't find any information on this "A#" and while there is a number starting with A on my husband's I-94# card, but I'm not sure that is what they are looking for. Does anyone know what number they are talking about? THANKS!

Tracey

My fiance just arrived last week from Cuba on a K1 visa and according to the flowchart on this website, we can apply for his social security card before we actually marry. Before we head down to the DMV and wait forever, can anyone confirm if we need to wait until we get married in order for him to apply? Thanks for any help you can offer on this.

Tracey

Hi all,

My fiance just got his visa (yaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!) and he went to ask about airfare. I know we can't buy a ticket until all his paperwork is done, but I have read on visajourney that some of you were able to buy your fiance's tickets out of Cuba using your credit card from the U.S. He was told from the agencies there that this is not possible. If anyone has done it, could you advise me how? THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tracey

Hi all , we are so Happy! He is waiting for the Carta Blanca, (applied Aug. 27th in Trinidad, Cuba), no damage during Hurrican Gustav, and they did the Vivienda! Hopefully there will be no problems with that! I hope he is here soon so we can have out civil ceremony immediately and start planning for the family reception! I do not know the next steps after he gets here. Hopefully he will get the EAD at JFK. I do not know what Biometrics is ,or if we should gwet a lawyer for the Green Card process. We will get married right away, and I had a horrible experience with my K-1 attorney. Please advise!!!! This site was way more helpful than the lawyer!----Karena y Omar

Karena,

I am in a similar situation, and would like my fiance to go through JFK in order to get the EAD as well. Have you found any direct flights to NY or were you going to have him fly through Jamaica? We have been having trouble finding an option other than through Jamaica. Any thoughts?

Can anyone tell me if they are currently giving those fiances who enter the US through JFK the EAD? Some people have said that it is given here while it's not given in Miami, but I was wondering if any cubans or fiances of cubans who have recently come through JFK have gotten the temporary work permit. Anyone?

Thanks!

Tracey

Does anyone know for SURE whether my Cuban fiance can get his temporary work permit if he enters the country at JFK airport in NY? If so, what does he have to do once he arrives in the airport? We've heard that this is the case, but as I live in California, we'd rather not spend the extra money and put him on the extra flight if it's not true.

Thanks!

today i got the terrible news that my fiance was electrocuted in his own house by terrible wiring while simply changing a light bulb.

we were so close to getting him over here, but now i can only cry and try to hold onto my fond memories.

for some reason today i put on the colors of his santo, and put on the bracelet he gave me and then i got a terrible email from his cousin in spain, who assumed i had already heard, so it was a condolence email, but i had no idea what he was talking about, or at least i was trying to deny that it could be real. then i called his friend in havana and it was all confirmed.

enjoy every day, and share your love while you have the chance.

best wishes to you all in your journey to being united with your loved ones.

rest in peace Alexis Merino Hechavarria, mi hombre, mi amor, mi querido.

please click on my user name, and scroll down to pictures, to have one last look at this beautiful, wonderful human being who has now departed this life.

Barbara,

I am so sorry for your loss. I can't even begin to imagine how difficult this all must be for you. My deepest condolences.

Tracey

To Those of You in the K1 process with a Cuban, or who have already finished...

I just received the NOA2 today, so I'll be sending my fiance in Habana all the documents with a friend of mine who is headed down there. However, I can't seem to find out exactly how much money the medical exam and the two interest section visits are. Can anyone clarify the costs for me? Is the medical exam $400? Is it 400 CUC or dollars? I'm guessing CUC. Is the cost of him picking up the packet from the embassy 123 CUC. What other costs are there? If anyone could help me out, that would be wonderful. Thanks!

Tracey

Here's what I have gathered.

The Medical Exam required by the US is done at only certain hospitals/clinics in Cuba. I don't know that the first exam has a price to it. I think it's just a medical service that they go in and request and it's free in their system. (?) (There is another later exam required by CUBA for the Cuban Exit Visa that is $400 or $450 not sure CUC or $$)

Picking up the packet is free.

When he has the interview, I believe it is $131 US or $121 CUC. Something like that.

After the interview, when he has the visa from the US, he has to do the cuban process:

Apply for exit visa which will then include the Carta Blanca is I think $150CUC. But that is highly rumored to be about to change. As part of that, they had to do what some call the "Fake Medical" which is required by Cuba, but all you do is go to some bank/office and pay the $400 or $450 and they give you a stamp on some official paperwork. They never actually see a doctor! Again, this part might be about to change. Rumors were hot on it last week but no news this week.

Other parts of the Cuban Exit Visa are the Carta de Liberacion (letter from his job), and Vivienda (visits to his home for the state to confiscate whatever he has when he leaves).

Too many damn steps. hopefully they will indeed do away with some of the exit visa process.

Thanks!

To Those of You in the K1 process with a Cuban, or who have already finished...

I just received the NOA2 today, so I'll be sending my fiance in Habana all the documents with a friend of mine who is headed down there. However, I can't seem to find out exactly how much money the medical exam and the two interest section visits are. Can anyone clarify the costs for me? Is the medical exam $400? Is it 400 CUC or dollars? I'm guessing CUC. Is the cost of him picking up the packet from the embassy 123 CUC. What other costs are there? If anyone could help me out, that would be wonderful. Thanks!

Tracey

you do not need to go to Cuba if you have already met him and have the edvindence. But i do recommend you going to Cuba for the interview, everything will be so much simplier for him, if you are there. Best of luck, and keep us updated. Edwin&Mary.

Thanks for your reply. You don't think it will be a problem if I go illegally? Do you know anyone who has gone for the interview (illegally of course) and hasn't faced the fine?

Tracey

This question could really be for anyone, but particularly those involved with Cubans... What is a reasonable number of emails for my fiance to bring to the Embassy once our petition gets there? This would be for the proof of ongoing relationship. We have plenty of photos, phone bills, etc. but he seems to thing that he should print out tons of emails (we have on average 3-4 a day over the course of 9 months). Can anyone tell me what they're looking for? Do they want a thousand emails? What's a reasonable amount? Thanks!

In response to your question, there's no magic number....at any rate, the more the better. My fiancee selected three or four for each month we had been corresonding so that they see continuity. Of course, you got to choose the best ones....In our case, she sends and receives email through a neighbor that has a computer; so just make sure that your name and your fiance's name show up in the subject title, etc...

David

Thanks so much! That's helpful.

Tracey

This question could really be for anyone, but particularly those involved with Cubans... What is a reasonable number of emails for my fiance to bring to the Embassy once our petition gets there? This would be for the proof of ongoing relationship. We have plenty of photos, phone bills, etc. but he seems to thing that he should print out tons of emails (we have on average 3-4 a day over the course of 9 months). Can anyone tell me what they're looking for? Do they want a thousand emails? What's a reasonable amount? Thanks!

It is not required by US law that you meet his family. Only him..which you have done and have proof of.

Thanks for the input!

I guess this is to those of you involved with Cubans, or those of you who have done the K1 for a Cuban national. My fiance (cuban) and I met in Colombia while I was working there and he was visiting. We spent 3 months there together before he went back to Cuba. Now we are in the K1 process, and he has heard that it looks bad if I have never met his family. On the other hand, I can't go to Cuba legally (I'm currently trying to get a license). So my question is, does anyone know whether it is necessary for me to go to Cuba in order for us to get the visa if we meet all the requirements of having seen and spent time together within the past year and have all the required evidence to prove it? I obviously can't go illegally and then use that to show that I've met his family, so it would depend on whether or not I get the license. Can anyone clarify this?

Can anyone help? My fiance is Latino and we are not sure of how he should fill in the final box of the G-325A form where it says,

Applicant:

Be sure to put your name and Alien Registration Number in the box outlined by heavy border below

Where it says Family Name, he wants to put both his last names. Should he just use one--his father's? Or is it okay for Latinos to use both their family names?

Thanks for the help anyone can provide!

T