lynie

well, i've been absent from VJ for a while. i've tried to catch up with this thread, but i missed a lot! it looks like there's good and bad news out there - good luck to everyone waiting and those with interviews soon.

i found out i had a rare, but treatable, type cancer in july. i had surgery almost 2 weeks ago, which was successful. so i'm recovering and doing well, and just have to have regular testing/follow up. i'm back at work now, and trying desperately to catch up here. but i wanted to check in with my fellow april filers and wish you all well.

i must say, i'm very glad we got our GC, because if anything had come up over the last month, i'm not sure i could have handled it. i think someone was watching out for me.

anyway, i'm going to sign off now so i'll do some work - but i'll come back and fully catch up with everyone's news later this week.

GOOD LUCK OUT THERE!

Shaner's greencard arrived on Saturday!!! I guess we can take a break now for a while. I have no idea what we have to do in 2 years - and I don't care, at least not yet.

Here's hoping everyone waiting gets approvals soon!

Congratulations to everyone who got their EAD/AP/Greencard... even a touch

I applied for a few jobs yesterday evening. I got a mail asking me to schedule a preliminary interview in 3-4 business days. I feel happy that somebody responded atleast... Getting the job will be something else

WOOHOO!!!! congrats!!

I hope this keeps up.

And good luck with the job hunt, parul!!

Someone posted here not that long ago that they received a cancellation notice, didn't go, then later received a denial letter because they neglected to show up for the (cancelled) interview. I would agree that most people here would suck it up and go just in case.

Thanks everyone! It's been a little quiet here, so I was hoping it STARTS GETTING LOUD ON THIS THREAD!!!

Good luck to everyone.

Thanks for all your hard work K&W. I like stats too - numbers rule! I hope things are going well at home for you. I don't think it should have any bearing on your case, and my fingers are crossed on that front and my thoughts are with you and your family.

Lynie

I really don't think they care about rings. There are quite a lot of cultures don't even use rings in marriage, so they really couldn't take that into account. And even here in the states, I know couples that can't afford rings, or don't ever get them because they don't want them. When we had our civil ceremony, the judge asked "are you using rings?" so it's not mandatory.

I don't think it's bad at all. I doubt they'll even notice. And even if they did - you just say you got them later because you just couldn't wait to be married!

Relax and good luck!

I just received this email:

*** DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS E-MAIL ***

The last processing action taken on your case

Receipt Number: MSC0821514478

Application Type: I485 , APPLICATION TO REGISTER PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR TO ADJUST STATUS

Current Status: Card production ordered.

On July 29, 2008, we ordered production of your new card. Please allow 30 days for your card to be mailed to you. If we need something from you we will contact you. If you move before you receive the card, call customer service. You can also receive automatic e-mail updates as we process your case. Just follow the link below to register.

If you have questions or concerns about your application or the case status results listed above, or if you have not received a decision from USCIS within the current processing time listed*, please contact USCIS Customer Service at (800) 375-5283.

*Current processing times can be found on the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov under Case Status and Processing Dates.

*** Please do not respond to this e-mail message.

Sincerely,

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

Yahooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!! I just called Shane, and I think I'm more excited than he is, but maybe that's because I was the one to put everything together. He's excited, but I think he's more into our lawn right now - is that messed up? Whatever - he almost has his GC!!!!

Good luck to EVERYONE and fingers crossed for many happy emails and letters from USCIS. You all deserve kudos and hugs and blessings just for putting up with this situation - but love is worth it, right?

Lynette

this is a bit late, but congrats to english rose and english muffin and everyone else with GCs and approvals. it hasn't been fun, but honestly, i really thought this would all go much more slowly. i'm starting to think we'll have shane's GC in a month. but we got his AP and EAD in hand this weekend. so really we're set to do whatever we want for now.

my fingers are crossed for many more approvals and good news.

Holy shiznit! I haven't been able to get on VJ for a while (i'm happy so many of you are getting EADs/GCs, but man, i hope you enjoyed your time off - this working thing is for the birds!! ).

I'm so happy to see all the great news for so many April filers - CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

I have to update my timeline, but I got emails on Friday that Shane's EAD card was ordered and that his AP was also approved. We have nothing in hand yet, but from what I'm reading here, we may hear that his GC is on its way before we get anything in the mail. Fingers crossed!!

Woot!!! Go April filers! (and everyone else too, I suppose)

First of all - I've been SUPER busy at work and haven't had time to do much besides check in on all your progress reports - congrats to all on all the good news lately. It's been especially great to hear about all the EAD news for those who filed early April. It gives me hope that I'll get help with the mortgage soon!

My husband just called to tell me that we had mail from USCIS saying that his case was transferred to CSC. Woot! The notice was dated June 10th. And for all you Touch-Addicts, I haven't had a touch since just after biometrics, and no emails either - so hang in there everyone waiting for news.

Good luck everyone!

CONGRATULATIONS! :dance:

Congrats

Thanks English Muffin and English Rose (The Englishes)! I may be an absentee member, but I don't know what I would do without VJ. You are amazing - thank you!

it's hard to help you without knowing your time line. you can check processing times on this site.

First of all - I've been SUPER busy at work and haven't had time to do much besides check in on all your progress reports - congrats to all on all the good news lately. It's been especially great to hear about all the EAD news for those who filed early April. It gives me hope that I'll get help with the mortgage soon!

My husband just called to tell me that we had mail from USCIS saying that his case was transferred to CSC. Woot! The notice was dated June 10th. And for all you Touch-Addicts, I haven't had a touch since just after biometrics, and no emails either - so hang in there everyone waiting for news.

Good luck everyone!

I go with the NO LAWYER philosophy, unless you have a tricky case. Wanna know why? Let me tell you...

I was SO stressed with work and wedding planning and life in general at the time of the K-1 application, I hired one. I don't want to mention the firm name, but it rhymes with Broth & Nassociates... VJ has been more helpful than for my AOS process than the $1800 lawyer was for the K-1, but I didn't find this site until it was too late. If you can be organized and thorough, you can do it yourself.

The lawyer basically acted as a typist (a poor one at that). And they trained people on embassy packets on my case, which cost me over 2 weeks of time with my husband to be while they worked the kinks out - which was so infuriating, it cost me more stress than if I had done it all myself. AND, when I got our Embassy docs filled in from the lawyer, there were multiple typos and errors (I mean, COME ON: "Canada" was misspelled on one form for crying out loud!!!!). And there were inconsistencies I found in our information (like working in one country on one form while he was living in another on another form) - when I pointed them out to the paralegal I was told that it was our fault because it was the information we provided her. So she basically just admitted that all they did was type, and they didn't fulfill the promise made on my retainer agreement to check all information multiple times for any errors or inconsistencies. AAAAARGGGHHHH!! Oh, and I was also told that since they emailed the fillable forms to me - I could just change them myself.

THEN, when I decided at the VERY last minute to meet my fiance for the K-1 interview in Montreal, I called the lawyer's office from the airport to see if they had any advice for me, and I was told that I "likely wouldn't even be admitted into the building." Once again proving how clueless they are... Not one single person at the Embassy, from the security guard to the final officer that approved us - asked me why I was there, or actually, come to think of it, who I was (I guess with all the hand-holding and smooching, they assumed I was his fiance). The first officer we spoke to at the embassy let us know that half the forms we brought, which were provided by our lawyer, were in no way relevant to our case as a K-1. He made the remark - twice - "I hope you didn't pay them a lot!" And the next day, after we were approved, I emailed the lawyer's office to let them know I would be willing to tell them all about my experience so that they could share my knowledge with other clients - and they never contacted me. So, they're fine with providing sub-par service and are banking of people not finding VJ before they sign a retainer.

Whoa, don't get me started on whether or not to hire a lawyer...

Thanks! The county clerks office says that my fiance either needs a social security number OR an alien registration number. Will he get an alien registration number when he comes here?

The A Number should also be on your I-129F NOA2. Here's a pic from the gallery: http://www.visajourney.com/gallery/display...bum=4&pos=0

Good luck!

my husband got his SSN after we got married and before we filed AOS with no problem. all he needed was his I-94.

we married 4 days after he arrived, and he applied for his SSN a week and a half later, and we received it in the mail 2 weeks after that. We filed AOS paperwork after he received his card.

search other threads on this - it is widely discussed (my comp. is slow and i'm having trouble or i'd try to find them). But it is not uncommon for employees at the SS offices to not know their own rules. But, you need to be in the system, which takes about 2 weeks after you arrive. maybe that's the problem - ? I know it's important to wait 2 weeks after your arrival before you apply, and also not to wait until your I-94 is about to expire. Check the FAQs and how to apply for SSN in the guides - it gives advice and examples of what to bring with you when you apply.

good luck.

Like sunnylight said - the important thing is to get married within 90 days of your arrival. You are not illegal as long as you get married within the time frame of your visa. there's no deadline for when you have to file your AOS. Lots of people wait to file the AOS/EAD/AP. It's expensive, for one thing, and it takes a bit of time to get your application together. That being said, it's probably a good idea to file your AOS and work/travel permit applications as soon as you can so you can work and travel (and who knows when they'll increase the filing fee again...).

Oh, and you can't file your AOS before your wedding - your marriage certificate is a big key to your application. You can, however, try to get as much of the supporting documentation together before-hand just to make the process smoother once you are ready to file.

So relax and enjoy your wedding!

Good luck.

[*]Dr Arnold is a female.

Actually, unless there are 2 Dr. Arnolds at that address, I think he's a he. When I used that office to get the supplement completed, i wanted to make sure it was legit as well (i felt secure with all the posts here , but felt like it would be silly not to investigate on my own before sending cash to Texas), so I looked up the name on the Blue Cross site, and googled the name. There's a Dr. Lloyd E. Arnold at that address in Austin (and he's rated quite well as a care giver on several sites, btw).

Regarless of gender - this is definitely legit, and probably the best deal out there to get this form. All the local civil surgeons I called in my area wanted from $100 to $300 just to fill the darn thing out. And Dr. Arnold's office had our forms back to us in less than 2 weeks - well worth the wait for the savings.

Good luck!

Can I get a Woot? WOOOOT!!!

We got all 3 NOAs in the mail yesterday, and when I checked my bank account this morning, our check was cashed yesterday too! May 8th is my new favorite day.

Ooh - I need to update my timeline and then try to figure out how to find my case online (but i'll probably have to wait on that from what I understand here). I'm so excited. My immigrant hubby doesn't quite feel the excitement as much as I do, but I think that's because I put the package together over so many hours/days/weeks that it was like my baby. Not that he's not happy, but he's not hyper like I am about it.

Good luck to everyone!

Lynette

(I probably belong in the May thread, but I started here, and here I'll stay until you kick me out.)

did you check out the sample form? i think 16 is where you indicate that you are C9 (i found information on that in the form's instructions), and i don't think 17 applies to you.

good luck.

I don't really have a concrete answer for you, but we were in a similar situation. Hubby was arrested when he was 14 for stealing a bathing suit. No charges were filed, and his record has since been purged. We couldn't get a record of the purge (a purge is a purge according to the RCMP in Canada - it's GONE) - and we couldn't get anything from the court saying the charges were dropped since charges were never filed. What we did was attach a statement to the I-485 saying exactly what happened, and why we couldn't get any documentation. Hubby signed the statement and we had it notarized (not that a notary really means anything, but I work with notaries and we figured it couldn't hurt).

The honest answer to the question the form asks, in both our instances, is yes - so I would answer yes. And if there's no documentation you can obtain from the local police, just explain in an attachment to the form what your situation is. But maybe someone else has a better answer...

Good luck!

wow, that's a tough one. remember you are in love and you are lucky. it took us 2 and a half years before we were really together (our longest stretch together after meeting was a month, which is more than many people here on VJ, but so much less that those without immigration woes (I like to call them The Norms)).

now that we're together for real and forever, i can say that it is SO wonderful. every minute is like a gift, and in a twisted way, it's a gift other people don't have. i don't see us taking each other for granted any time soon, or hopefully ever. because all we have to do is look back and remember all those times when all we had was the phone line and we remember how lucky we are.

hang in there - it is worth it. and you WILL make it.

uh oh...i am getting nervous about this 1099 form now.

my husband is not self employed, so we didn't include one.

does every applicant need to include this form?

i sure hope we don't get an RFE because of it.

You only have to include the 1099 if one was received. I had one, not for being self-employed, but for bank interest(not much, but enough to count as income, i guess). Not everybody gets them, so no worries (hopefully!). So if your husband didn't get one, or have to include one with his FTR filing, you're all set.

1. For the G-325A, it is to be filled out with her information. So on that 4th line, you are putting yourself as her husband (the US citizen) along with your corresponding information.

2. I don't know the answer to this for sure, but I'm guessing it would be a bad idea to black anything out. Let's be honest - they know everythying about you anyway, what's the diff?

Good luck!

Did you send the 2007 W2 (statement of earnings from employer) and/or 1099s (other records of earnings from banks, etc)? That's all I can think. Good luck.

Thanks for replying. As luck would have it my husband just called from work and he also believes they want the W2. I have no idea why he didn't give me one to send with the initial application, but we'll save that conversation for when he gets home!! The I-864 is the only thing I asked him to do, I did everything else. Typical!

Good - that's an easy enough fix, I guess. I hope all else goes smoothly.

Funny, my hubby is the applicant, but his mind and body go numb whenever he even has to THINK about anything paperwork-related. So, I too gave him a list of what I needed and took the reigns. I guess since he came here to be with me, that's fair enough.

Don't be too hard on him!

We got an RFE.

But I'm not really sure what they're asking for so if anyone can help I'd appreciate it. The RFE is for 'all supporting tax documentation submitted to the IRS for the most recent tax year'. With our application we sent them a copy of the tax return that was filed last month. What else could they want from this year? I don't know anything about US taxes and my husband is at work right now and uncontactable. Any help would be appreciated.

Gillian

Did you send the 2007 W2 (statement of earnings from employer) and/or 1099s (other records of earnings from banks, etc)? That's all I can think. Good luck.