Legal Alien

I see that, doesn't change much though except for maybe processing time, since they didn't file it right away with their paperwork for CR1. If they would have it might not have added much time, if any, to the whole process. Plus if OP is really against vaccines, the waiver or not moving to the USA are the only options.

+1, is that an open group?

I went to my interview that I seemed to have booked way too early (luckily in hind sight since they moved the whole process from Amsterdam to Frankfurt. Germany just a little later!) and had to beg the healthcare center to let me do the medical before that but everything was so tight that the consulate did not have my medical in and I was approved pending medical. They took my passport and a week later my VISA was approved. I am not sure how long you are expecting that waiver to take but if you expect a short time and you can miss your passport for a bit, I would just go to the interview. Unless you suspect a hard denial without it.

What is the waiver request for? I bet that makes a difference.

Nice, so that is about 3.5 months from filing to approval. What state are you and where did you file?

I agree. When in doubt, just state the truth because it will never hurt you more than a lie (that is true for everything btw!). I don't remember the DS-160, don't you have some room somewhere for extra comments/information where you can explain? Otherwise definitely explain at your interview but do not forget to bring all the supporting evidence you have, including copies of passport stamps, marriage certificate etc. Better to be over-prepared (like I was) than to have to wait more months because you didn't have enough paperwork with you. I'm gonna follow, interesting thread.

If you do not want to receive the vaccines then you can apply for a waiver (form-601). That does not add 2 years if you file it right with your i-485 instead of waiting to be denied first. I saw someone recently who had I-485 and i-601 filed simultaneously and had her green card in just a few months. Even after denial I believe the waiver for vaccines takes just a few months to be approved. Form I-601 CAN take long, but it's a form for all kinds of waivers, including criminal records, misrepresentation etc. The vaccine waiver, I was told, is quicker to be approved. Plus don't let anyone scare you out of that process even IF that might take 2 years if you really do not want to take the vaccines! I applied for a vaccine waiver myself but I just filed last month so I can't tell you the outcome yet. Point is though, if you want to file for the waiver, you must be against ALL vaccines and not just 1 or 2. So if you recently had vaccines it will be harder to get your i-601 approved because you would have a harder time convincing USCIS that you changed your mind on vaccines, whether on moral or on religious grounds (but NOT impossible!). But if you have a genuine conviction against vaccines and you can defend your position, then GO FOR IT. Your convictions can't be medical though, they must be moral and/or religious. The waiver is expensive though, I think I paid $1,040.00 just for the waiver. But to me, it is 100% worth it. My beliefs and my health are more important than living in the USA. Vaccines should be a personal choice anyway and never forced on you. I remember my civil surgeon said that as well when I told them at my medical that I refused the vaccines and would file for a waiver. I know the pressure is difficult to deal with and I have seen some ignorant and judgmental comments on this forum about vaccine waivers, but if your belief is genuine, those should not hold you back. IF you wouldn't get approved for the vaccine waiver (and I haven't seen any cases so far that were denied, people just don't like talking about it on here because of the comments they get), then just consider living in your home country, or any other country that is not forcing you to take anything against your will. If you are willing to be refused a green card for the USA for your belief, you have a strong case. If not and you already know you will take the vaccines for your green card if you have to, don't bother filing because if you can't even convince yourself, you're never gonna convince USCIS. Just get the vaccines then. The other option, and that is if you are willing to take the entire list of other vaccines they require (and considering your age that will be more than you might think you need, I was shocked how many I apparently 'missed'), is to have the civil surgeon put with the covid vaccine that you can't have that particular vaccine for medical reasons. Not sure how that works and if they will, but worth looking into.

My checks were cashed last Friday it turns out so NOA's should come soon. 6 weeks looks like.

I've sent in my I-485 on July 3rd, it was delivered on July 5th and I haven't received my NOA either. After reading the thread about the girl being arrested and detained for 5 weeks because she didn't have an NOA for her AOS (although she actually hadn't filed it at all yet) I am just staying at home as much as I can but it's becoming a bit boring! You guys say it should arrive in about 8 weeks so I will give it another 2 weeks before I contact them. My checks have not been cashed either. Does anyone know how to best contact USCIS for this?

But the international documents ARE already in English. Rejecting those would be ridiculous. The whole birth certificate is in multiple languages, what is there to translate?

Hey fellow Dutchie here! No you do not have to have that translated. Your birth certificate, assuming you asked for the international version, is good enough. You are going to the US Consulate (weird they moved that to Frankfurt BTW! I was still able to go to Amsterdam last January), so they will speak English. At the Amsterdam Consulate only one girl spoke Dutch and she was the one checking our documents. The rest were all Americans. I didn't have anything translated since all our Dutch stuff already has translations. The process is not as scary as you think! PM me if you have questions. I was OVER prepared according to the lady at the consulate, haha.

Always answer truthfully and then explain in part 14 or even separate if it's a long explanation.

+1

Oh dear, looks like we're in for a wait...

But I also see cases where people received their NOA in 3 days. Actually the majority gets them quicka dn I see green cards received in as quick as 2, 3, 4 months.

Subscribing to this thread! I filed my I-485 together with my I-601 (waiver for vaccine requirement) on July 3rd, they received it on July 5th. Nothing yet. I also checked the box for the SSN number and card, I am curious how long it might take to get that. I am reading quite some quick decisions on AOS after K1 so that is promising.

I'll send you a PM!

No, as I explained in my original post. My medical is all good and complete, with the exception of the vaccinations. If all CS's would force you to have a full medical, what would be the point of having one overseas? Or of the box on the I-693 that says I only have to do the vaccinations and then the CS only has to fill in certain spots? He or she is not signing for the complete I-693 but only for the vaccinations they gave to complete my medical. But what I wonder is if I even need an i-693 at all, since I will be sending my (incomplete) ds-3025 with my AOS and a form i-601 for a vaccine waiver. So it seems like a waste of time for both myself as well as the doc to go there so he or she can check the box that I didn't get any vaccinations to complete my ds-3025. I can see going there if you DO get your shots and have that signed, but I am not getting the shots so it seems to me that if you have an incomplete ds-3025 you send in i-693 IF you get your shots here, but you send in a waiver instead of i-693 if you are not getting the required shots. I hope someone knows if that is correct. I would think that there is no use for USCIS to request a signed i-693 for the vaccinations from me after I have already sent in the waiver form? I can't find that information. It would be ridiculous to get a full medical again that I had just a few months ago at a civil surgeon in The Netherlands. If they can't be trusted, then what is the use of a civil surgeon? Could have just gotten one at my own GP then.

I am not sure if I have to file I-693 with my AOS. I completed my medical in The Netherlands in January with the exception of my vaccinations. I had my vaccinations as a child but not after 1990 and I do not intend to get any on religious grounds so I will file form I-601. Do I still need a civil surgeon to sign I-693 for me? Seems a bit redundant since they will not perform a medical exam on me, neither will they be completing my vaccinations. Does anyone know? I called one CS so far to ask but the woman on the phone kept insisting the doctor wouldn't sign anything unless I paid $500+ and get a full medical exam again. That seems strange, why get one overseas at all if that would be the case? I am not sure now if I should just send in form I-601 with my AOS or if I need the I-693. I did read I could send I-693 in later if needed. Any information would be appreciated!

So I dare to update now because I just got updated by CBP. I called CBP and the officer was very nice, sounded like they were a bit annoyed the package wasn't taken when I arrived and I got the feeling it happens more often. I explained I had no idea I had to hand it over (I didn't, had no idea that was all originals, I come from digital Holland and thought this was just a copy for when they would check me at the border) and I also said I was dumb enough to open it. I was told they understood and that I could send it in or bring it in person so they could process it correctly for me. As I am not close to the airport I decided to send it in with FedEx overnight (which is why I didn't update yet because it was nerve wrecking and I wanted to make sure it arrived in good order first!) together with my i-94 and passport/visa copy. I got the officer's name and an address and email address and was promised that the officer would personally handle it for me and let me know when it was received and taken care of. I just received the email saying that everything was received in good order and that it will be correctly processed and sent to USCIS. I am so happy this is fixed, my stress level was through the roof. I must say that I have had contact with CBP four times now. Back in the Netherlands when I had questions about shipping my belongings, when arriving in the USA, on the phone with CBP at a local airport to get a phone number that would actually give me a human officer instead of a robot and now with this and they were very nice and very helpful on all four occasions going out of their way to help me out. I am not used to that in The Netherlands. So thumbs up for CBP.

I looked online for the number of my consulate, turns out the visa stuff is not handled in Amsterdam anymore but the Dutch need to go to Frankfurt Germany now. So that gave me more stress! But I just got off the phone with CBS at Detroit Airport and they couldn't be nicer and more helpful. I will update when it's handled!

I get that it's a huge issue when entering the country, but I've already been admitted and passport stamped, i94 on file. I'm pretty stressed out now.

I am in the USA currently on a K1 Visa and I did not get a COVID vaccine. You don't need any vaccinations for your K1 visa, but you need them for your AOS. If you are against ALL vaccinations you can file a waiver with your AOS (form i-601, $1040 extra) based on your religious belief and/or moral convictions. You can't pick and choose and take all other vaccinations at your medical exam but not the COVID ones. https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-9-part-d-chapter-3

I am not sure if I have an issue now. I arrived in the States on a K1 in April, got married last week and am about to send in my AOS. I never received a copy of my medical exam and I still had the sealed envelope I got from the consulate with my paperwork that they did not ask for at the POE so I opened it to make copies of my medical exam. Then I got stressed and searched this forum and saw I should have brought it in still (sealed) and that they can only be resealed by the consulate which is now thousands of miles away. What do I do? What are my options? Does anyone know what I should do?

That is not how I read that. I read there I need to show passport + visa + I94 and the mentioned visas need additional forms. How do you read K1 visa holders are not accepted?