Melancholic Mage

@OldUser Ah. Sadly I have pretty much nothing. I'm a clean slate here: I'm living with him and his parents for now until I can get my feet on the ground. Car, job, house, etc. I have no utility bills, no bank accounts (yet). All I have is my passport, my visa, hopefully the USCIS letter including my SSN and my green card, whichever comes first, and that's that. It's looking like I'll have to try and get a joint account to start getting anywhere. Or take out a phone contract or some kind of bill from a provider here while I get my US phone number sorted out. Then I can use it as a possible utility bill of sorts...

Illinois. I've been digging into their requirements but some sources say they stopped issuing temporary visitor driving licenses since July this year, that undocumented immigrants can apply for a license (what the-), and even one that says you need to have been a resident for one full year before you can get a drivers license. It all seems very strange so my digging continues. Thank you, that's helpful. Fingers crossed I'll be one of those who don't need to chase the SSN. I love the library card idea but I know none of those bar the bank account would be accepted. And even then I know it's statements only, not any kind of basic acceptance letter. Surely I need proof of address to open said account so... back to square one? Thank you, glad yours came quickly! Hope mine does too. I was planning to add my name/open a joint account with my husband. Would this solve the address issue without further barriers? Thank you for all your input so far everyone! It's very reassuring.

Thank you all! Must have got wires crossed thinking I had to pay for the SSN and that the visa was only valid for one year. I re-checked my visa and indeed it does state validation for two years, but the officer scratched pen over the text so I had to squint through the ink to see it in my slight defense. Thank you for all the advice. To help others, I managed to find the USCIS page with a calculator to help when filing the I-751. https://www.uscis.gov/forms/when-to-file-your-petition-to-remove-conditions If I input it correctly, earliest I can file is July 3rd 26. So think I'll do it on 4th July 26 for it to be memorable and just to be safe. I'm looking to start my life here by nabbing a state driving license ASAP - would you in your experience recommend waiting for the green card and SSN (figured the letter would help with proof of address too) or just go for it as soon as possible? Thanks once again. Helps knowing I'm not alone figuring things out.

I've finally entered the USA today, October 1st, and I wanted to ask those more experienced about my next moves and to clarify the removal of conditions. I've read the I-751 guide here on the forum but to absolutely clarify, I must file the form 90 days before the end of my CR-1 visa? So this end date would be October 1st 2025 as I entered today, and the earliest I can file is July 1st, yes? And is this file online on USCIS or is this a paper form I need to download, print, then post? The border officer mentioned my Green Card should come in the mail in two weeks, but also said it can take up to two months. If I haven't received it by then I need to chase it up with USCIS. They also mentioned that my visa acted as a temp Green Card, and I can apply for my SSN with it. This confuses me in hindsight as I'm pretty sure I ticked a box during the DS-260 forms asking for a SSN and paid additional. I'm now unsure how to check this. Do I need to apply for one, or should I wait and see if one turns up? And if not, where do I go to chase this up? I didn't have time to ask the officer much due to rushing to catch my connecting flight to the States. Any help would be appreciated, as well as basic advice to settling in. Thanks.

Hello @Patrick P, if it helps I never added any kind of additional relationship evidence to my I-130 when I filed it last year. I simply gave what was asked for and no more. I felt the less documents the better. I brought relationship pictures to my embassy interview in London a few weeks ago but I was never asked for further evidence at any point. Better safe than sorry, so be as prepared as possible, but personally I wouldn't worry about adding pictures at this stage. Not with the I-130 or the DS-260. Hope this helps.

If you re-read your first post you didn't say that, so you can't say 'like I said'. While I have little to no experience with EB1A visas, when I was approved for my own visa at the London Embassy a few weeks ago I asked directly about receiving a packet. The officer told me I wouldn't receive one because I filed my information online. When I go to enter the country in a few days, they can pull up all my information on the system. No packet. I do know K1 visas receive one however. Perhaps EB1A's are also an online-only packet? Either way, never heard of officers confiscating passports. The most they do is send you on the next return flight if they deny entry. Besides that, you certainly have a case if your employer tries for dismissal for events outside your control - and on an EB1A at that? What is your profession? I agree with the others. This doesn't add up.

Hello, I can help give you input as a UK citizen who married a US Spouse and was recently visa approved this month. 1.) I saw others stating the same thing about including relationship evidence, but not once did I include anything on my I-130, DS-260, and not even at my embassy interview in London was I asked for any relationship evidence. I was simply asked basic questions such as how did we meet, where did we first meet, my partner's job, where we got married... I had an envelope of pictures of us together and not once was I asked for it. Myself and my partner actually lived together for 4.5 years in a flat/apartment, and I had evidence as such to this but other than verbally offering it, again, they didn't ask for any physical proof whatsoever. This includes financial where we didn't have shared accounts as my OH was temporarily over in the UK studying on a student visa, so we had no proof of shared income or anything. (I paid our rent and bills from my UK bank account only.) I was still approved. I hope this helps put you at ease, but also remember each case is different. 2.) I can't answer this one in detail but I believe if you have a marriage certificate to include on the I-130, that's about as much proof as I needed and perhaps that will be the same for you. Still, better safe than sorry - some pictures can't hurt. Be as prepared as possible. I wasn't asked for any physical evidence apart from uploading what the forms asked of me. My interview was all verbal affirmations. Nothing additional in terms of photos, shared financial records etc was asked. I hope this helps, and good luck!

Can I come with? I identify as a short, gregarious U.S. Citizen visa Hobbit (pronouns approve/approval/approved) whose exaggerated white sponsor swagger will be sure to bring all the consular officers to the yard! It means nothing that every other embassy that anyone has ever attended refuses US spouses to join in at visa interviews! Forget domestic violence and marital coersion! We can just break out into song and enchant animals with our Disney-esque ideals to get in! The officers in Manila are sure to welcome us as one big happy family and I'd LOVE a vacation!

So you've had your interview in April but you haven't received your visa yet? Is that right? The medical is only valid for 6 months from the date it was performed. You will have to do it again if it's been over 6 months as it would have expired. Starting all over again I mean as in if you don't enter the USA with your visa before it expires, as well as the medical being expired as well, you'll have to do what's in the link I posted above and request that your visa be re-issued. If the consular officer decides you didn't have a valid reason for not travelling when your visa was valid, you may have to start the whole process all over again starting with the I-130. But I would wait for a more experienced member than myself to confirm that.

I don't believe USCIS would inform you that your medical has expired. Your medical must be within 6 months valid not only the day of your visa interview but also for when you enter the United States. If you still haven't entered the USA you'll have to re-book the medical exam. Was your visa approved? You only have so long to enter the States on it and it will have an expiry date within your passport. Hopefully you can just re-book a medical then enter so long as your visa is still valid. If it's not though and your visa has expired, you will have to do as instructed in this link. https://uk.usembassy.gov/visas/immigrant-visa-faqs/medical-examination-2/

@Cranberry_anon I really feel for you. I recently got my visa approved and myself and my partner submitted all of our documents solo, from our I-130 to our DS-260 (CR-1 visa). We never had any issues. We just combed through the instructions carefully and did what was asked. I didn't find out about this forum until we documentarily qualified and I looked up embassy wait times while waiting for an appointment. I really wish I had! I've had ups and downs on here but 90% of the time the users are very friendly and the advice is invaluable. Knowing someone else is tearing their hair out and swearing at the immigration process actually helps. Makes you feel less alone and trust me, the stress and sheer frustration I went through echoes yours very closely. Have faith. Get rid of Boundless (they should add 'Fees' to the end of their name...) and take the forms by the horns! You can do alone if we did. No matter how bad it gets, just remind yourself other people have managed with much less. My partner would remind me of this and it would help pick me up to keep going. Take care and ask other experienced users if you ever get stuck.

Good question but my two cents is c'est la vie. Riots could happen in a week. A surprise war could break out in a month's time. You could win the lottery then be run down in the street tomorrow. All unpleasant thoughts, but my point is that you shouldn't let life stop you from doing what you want to do. We simply don't know how things will play out. Things happen that are outside our control. Sure, things could develop that you can definitely forecast and try to weather, but I'm confident no matter what the election result you'll be fine. Besides, stopping illegal immigration is a massive plus in my books, and I hope in others too. Good luck @n.samuraibear!

Thank you for that, you mentioned as such in a different thread I believe. I looked into it as a result and my phone doesn't support eSIMs being a Samsung Galaxy S10+. I'll have to look into getting a new phone in the States then porting my UK number to an eSIM to resolve my mobile woes. First thing's first though: getting a State license, a car, then a job to pay for such. Then a home. Then... I don't know. It never ends. Plus side is I have a Starling account and I admit I'm tempted to consolidate my accounts to keep it and only it. Starling are great and good reminder about the text codes not being there. I'm just waiting out my bonus interest with NatWest at the start of the month from my savings account before I consider closing it. That and any outstanding fees I owe from car loans, insurance, etc.

In honesty there's been a tad bit of pressure from my other half's side but it's warranted. My interview was on September 11th and I didn't start making any finalisations or moves until I had my visa in hand on the 16th. So it's short a month by a week or so if you count from my embassy date. Our circumstances are unique however. We don't have any real places of comfort in the UK and hotel costs stack up. We've been somewhat effectively homeless since we received a no-fault eviction notice from our UK flat over a year ago. (Landlord wanted to sell - we couldn't dispute it. The laws do little to protect honest tenants.) My spouse's family have room to accommodate us in the US. Here? It's two adults sharing a single bed when we're not in a hotel. Hence more urgency to get things tied up.

Old enough to know better but young enough that I'm unfamiliar. I invested into pensions in whatever work I picked up from an early age and saved very hard too. I do believe with my last job and with transferring my pensions all into one place as much as I could over a few years, there may be 10k+ in there now. I was planning to move it to a ROPS in America I believe it's called, but I'll keep an eye on the tax forms once I'm in the States. Thanks. Looks like this is a topic for a new thread. It's not the cost (although admittedly I hate paying for anything I simply don't use, however minor) it's the faff on. Having to remember to switch sim cards and make a small transactional message or call every three months is annoying. Then I have to top it up every few years and convert USD to GBP - it's just another niggly irritating sprinkle on top of the immigration shiz sundae. With my flight leaving so soon I don't want to risk switching mobile providers to one that gives me more time between sim card deactivation - however desired. I checked. You have to be in the UK to activate the sim, so if it doesn't port fast enough I lose my UK number. Not worth the risk. I just have to grin and bear it until I can close my accounts and get my UK number transferred to my US one for certain on all my log ins. Just something that takes time while I acclimate to my new life. I'm doing my absolute best to play it safe within the boundaries of my circumstances.