sweetpiano

If the USCIS considers that her current income is not sufficient and you need co-sponsors, you will be notified sometime between the NOA1 and the interview. This would be via a RFE (Request for Evidence) and you will have a chance to submit I-864 for your co-sponsors in response to the RFE. If they are satisfied with that new evidence, then an interview is scheduled. So, yes you will know ahead of time, but not as early as NOA1.

GOod luck!

I think where it asks for employer information on the I-130 form, that's for the petitioner, i.e. for the US citizen, not for the beneficiary.

I believe he can travel on the H1B as long as it is multiple entry. This is more of a family immigration forum, check out maybe trackitt.com.

How do college students get a credit card in the U.S.?

Something to look into...

I feel lucky to have been able start off my credit history in this country without much trouble. I came as an MBA student back in 2002 and got a checking/savings account with the local university credit union, and a credit card through them as well. The credit limit from the start was $200, but after a year, I worked part-time and they increased it to $500, and after another year I had an internship and real income, and the credit limit was increased to $2,000. The truth is that the initial $200 credit limit did not bother me, my student expenses were not much and I used my debit card to pay for most of the stuff anyway.

While in college, I met my husband and after we got married, he added me to his bank account and credit cards, we now have $12,000 credit limit and I recently checked my credit score - high 700's. We never carry a balance and we have credit cards just to build history, because we don't live on credit.

I think it is much easier to start off banking with credit unions affiliated with universities, they trust you more and offer good deals, and in time will be willing to increase your credit limit.

You are getting very good advice here from Urge To Race and likes2ride. I entirely concur with their advice that your husband file those 2007 taxes asap and send a copy in response to the RFE. As long as no material changes happen, he can always amend his tax return at a later stage.

Right, what I'm saying is that question 24 (which asks for current annual income) is a logical continuation of the previous 2 questions: Q.22 asks for the sponsor's current place of employment and Q.23 asks for the current income from that current employment and in line a) of Q.24 you list what you put in Q.23 - which is income from current employment in the current year.

I beg to differ: Question 24 and Question 25 are two different things. Q.24 asks for current annual income, while Q.25 asks for last three tax years (i.e. 2007, 2006, 2005). See comments below.

They aren't asking for his salary this year (2008). Yes, they are: in Question 24. They want the 3 most recent tax years. That's correct: in Question 25

Put down an estimate of the current (i.e. 2008) annual income based on the employment letter. Multiply the hourly rate by 8 (hours/day) times 250 working days in 2008 (that is, 52 weeks x 5 days/week - 10 holidays). That's assuming your husband works full time (8 h/day), if not then multiply by the actual # of hours he is contracted to work per day.

You will have a chance to put down his 2007 income in question 25 of the I-864. Note, in both questions 24 and 25, do not write Net income, but Gross.

I think you're on the right track - it seems your employer is willing to understand and accommodate your situation. A possible solution would be to continue working but without being paid and thus not part of your employer's payroll. When the EAD comes through, you are re-employed and you have just suddenly got a "bonus" (back-pay for the period when you were not paid). Of course, your employer has to agree to this, there might be some tax implications for them, see what they say.

Yes, NBC = National Benefits Center or the Missouri Service Center (MSC), which is why AOS applications filed with the Chicago lockbox carry receipts numbers starting with MSCXXX... They process first the AOS application and the interim benefits (EAD and AP), after which the AOS gets transferred either to CSC or to the local office for interview. In some cases, the CSC decides an interview is needed after all and transfers the file to a field office.

I'm having a hard time interpreting the Processing Timelines from the USCIS website there is nothing specific for the I-485

adjustment of status for a spouse.

Check out the USCIS processing times for your local office to get an idea of how long it might take to the interview. Note, if you are transferred to the CSC, then an interview is unlikely.

Interesting, why do you believe that "an interview is unlikely" my case was sent to California indeed, and more and more I am seeing that interviews don't take place; do you think it happens more often when California is handling the paperwork?

thanks

My understanding is that K-1's who are transferred to CSC from the NBC are approved without an interview. The files of those who are to be interviewed are transferred to the local offices, who then conduct the interviews. This happens for some K-1's and for most of the other visas.

If you say your file was transferred to CSC, then I say congratulations, most likely you will be approved without an interview. Good luck!

Print the completed form and write your name by hand, above and under the line, wherever there is space. How did you tackle this problem in the other forms, BTW?

I was in the US on a J-1 visa back in 2002-2004, but I returned to my country and satisfied the 2 year home residency requirement. I included in my AOS application proof that I resided in Romania for 2 years. So far there have been no requests for further evidence regarding that.

File I-485 concurrently with I-130. The petition establishes the alien's eligibility to adjust status, without it the alien has no right to adjust status.

Guide for concurrent filing

Bafta!

In this link to VJ News, I suspect that the graphs and the data are based on VJ members timelines, so I would take the information with a grain of salt. USCIS receives hundreds of thousand of applications a year, while VJ members are a small proportion of that. And I don't think VJ has access to internal USCIS data to compile such statistics. In any case, a source for the numbers should have been posted along with the article.

I know that this doesn't answer your question and I understand your concern about going to an immigration office with an expired I-94, but why didn't you file the AOS together with another I-130? It looks like they lost the first one and you really should have attached the missing NOA to your AOS package. I know it's another $355 out of the pocket, but some compromises are worth making for the sake of getting things done.

Maybe someone can advise you, who has gone through the experience of showing up at an immigration office with an expired I-94.

Good luck!

I'm having a hard time interpreting the Processing Timelines from the USCIS website there is nothing specific for the I-485

adjustment of status for a spouse.

Check out the USCIS processing times for your local office to get an idea of how long it might take to the interview. Note, if you are transferred to the CSC, then an interview is unlikely.

The processing of your interim benefits (EAD and AP) will be put on hold until they receive a response to the RFE and the case processing resumes.

You should be able to add your cases to your portfolio and activate email alerts when they become viewable, which should happen after biometrics.

Hey, not sure if anyone suggested this already, but you could also bring your child's birth certificate, that way they can see both your and your husband's name on it. What better proof than that!

Good luck!

Most cases are viewable online only after biometrics, at least this has been the experience of most people. Wait until after biometrics.

Moreover, some cases, even when available online, are not always updated. My AP was issued few days ago, got it in the mail, however case status online still is "Case received and pending". Watch your mail and don't obsess over the online case.

There's no money to be saved by not filing for EAD together with AOS, the fee is still $1,010. It also includes Advance Parole. Besides working, the alien should be able to get a driver's license and SSN with the EAD card.

My patience has paid off - I got a CRIS email that the EAD card production was ordered yesterday. This is only half the way though - I'll believe it when I have the card in my hands. After that, my next step is learning to drive and getting my first driver's license. And looking for a job in the meantime.

To all April filers and everyone else still waiting - hang in there. Wishing everyone a smooth process and best of luck!

I think processing for all interim benefits (EAD, AP) is suspended until they receive the response to the RFE, quoting from the RFE letter: "pursuant to Title 8, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 103.2(b )(10)(ii)" (you can find Title 8 CFR online). EAD is suspended for sure, AP not sure?

Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

I would like to submit the I-485, EAD, and Application for Travel together at one time. What are the filling fees for that? Is it $1010? Yes

Also want to know we need to apply for a SSN before we submit AOS package? If not, when do we apply for SSN? No need to have SSN to apply for AOS, I don't think your wife will even be able to get one at this point. She should be able to get one with the EAD card. Inquire with your local SSA office.

My other question is our I-130 and I-129f both was approved same time and I-129F was transferred to NVC first. Is there anything that needs to do with our I-130 at this stage because NVC send IV bill for I-130, or do we just leave that alone and apply for AOS? Don't know, someone chime in?