C&D

If you have access to USAA, apply for a credit card through them. My husband explained that I had just immigrated and they didn't bat an eyelash. They just asked for my alien number veriifed our address and issued me a $500 credit card. The rep advised me to never put more than $250 dollars on the card and to pay it in full each month. They also added me as a joint holder of his card.

I guess a lot of military folks marry foreign nationals so they are very used to helping the immigrant spouses build credit.

~ Catherine

Well USAA seems to have a problem with me!

My husband is military and has an account at USAA. He could open a joint account and i was added, no problem even when i was still living in France.

I could even open a personal account for myself when i arrived in the US.

USAA doesn't want to give me any type of credit card. I had different answers as to why:

- no credit history

- no income (i'm currently looking for a job)

HOW did you do it???

If welcome letters show married name then green-card should also show married name, if it is wrong, you can file an I-90 to get it corrected, no fee if the error is USCIS.

Note green-card can take some time to arrive. http://www.visajourney.com/news/2009/05/29...duction-delays/

No need to renew passport until it is time to renew it. You simply book any airline tickets using passport name, and you use green-card when re-entering the USA.

Thank you so much!!!!

What is your name on the welcome letter? And what is the DMV idiot telling you that should be on your green-card? Married name or Maiden name?

The DMV should not be telling you what name should be on green-card, if you are married and you want married name on green-card then that is what it should have.

My wife has her married name on green-card, SSN card, and DL. Only her passport still shows her maiden name.

People DO change change their DL to show married name after getting married.

Thank you for answering!

On the welcome letters, my married name was used every time. Does that mean the conditional green card is going to be issued with my married name?

My CR-1 visa was issued with my maiden name though, as i didn't have any time to change it on my passport.

The DMV guy told me the green card had to have my married name so it could match my DL, so the DMV could renew it. If not, they said i wouldn't get anything renewed.

And how am i supposed to change my name on a green card that has not come in the mail yet?? I entered the US on May 12th this year.

I have received the Welcome to America notice THREE times, but still no green card! Is that normal??

Thank you

Hi all

Today i went to change my name on my driver's licence at the DMV, everything went ok, they just needed a certified copy of my marriage certificate.

But then the employee there told me that i HAD to change my name on the green card (my french passport still has only my maiden name on it) for the DMV to renew my driving licence in oct 2010. If not, they would not be able to do anything for me.

PLUS i *think* that i would have to go to the French Consulate in San Fransisco (I live in Wyoming) to change my name on my french passport, so i can change the name on the green card... so i can renew my driving license...

Any suggestions on how to do all this?? I'm lost

Thank you

hi minimule,

I replied to you in the other topic already to tell u that it is impossible to call the embassy and get infos from them by phone. You have to show up there from 9 to 10 am on Fridays. From the moment we got the noa2 ( mid march) it took 3 weeks to get the packet 3 on the mail. The call center (15 euros per call) is useless. I see u just got the noa2 on 06/06... Wait and see if u get pack 3 in the next 2 to 3 weeks... Then u can worry... You can send an e-mail to the immigrant visa section but i don't think they will answer your question :S i'm struggling to get infos from the embassy too...Otherwise the only suggestion I can give you is to go to the embassy on Friday morning but I don't even know if it will worth it

Or an email at parisconiv@state.gov -> They answered me (almost) everytime.

hi minimule,

I replied to you in the other topic already to tell u that it is impossible to call the embassy and get infos from them by phone. You have to show up there from 9 to 10 am on Fridays. From the moment we got the noa2 ( mid march) it took 3 weeks to get the packet 3 on the mail. The call center (15 euros per call) is useless. I see u just got the noa2 on 06/06... Wait and see if u get pack 3 in the next 2 to 3 weeks... Then u can worry... You can send an e-mail to the immigrant visa section but i don't think they will answer your question :S i'm struggling to get infos from the embassy too...Otherwise the only suggestion I can give you is to go to the embassy on Friday morning but I don't even know if it will worth it

It is possible!! Here's the number, usually you have to leave a voicemail (be concise), in english or in french, with your name and NVC case number, and of course your phone number. And they will call you back: 01 43 12 27 87 and i also used 01 43 12 21 79.

Good luck!!

Ok, I called WES and after at least 15 minutes on hold, i got to talk to an operator regarding the Bologna Process. The first dude on the phone was clueless and kept saying to check their website. I insisted and asked to talk to someone else. The lady after that was categoric: WES DOES recognize european degrees with the Bologna Process.

I'm going to file an application with them, and I hope to get more than with ECE, where my french master's degree was turned into a minor inside a US Bachelor of arts!!

So WES does recognize the Bologna Process.

ECE and Josef Silney & Associates does NOT.

I will update as soon as i have some results, I hope to see a difference!!

It's stressful but really it's just answering a bunch of questions (some were weird for me like, have you ever had leprosy?), get a few shots if you need any and you're good to go if nothing's wrong with your blood draw and X-rays..

GOOD LUCK !!!

I called the university of kansas before and they suggested WES, which doesn't mean they are good.

I got a different question. I always thought they would also do translations, but apperently I was wrong. Do you guys think I'd be better of having my transcripts translated here or in the US. My school here in germany has never been very cooperative and told me that they can't translate my transcripts. I don't know if I could do it myself or if a certified translator has to do it. I'd be thankful for any advise.

Hey there

If you plan on using WES, here's a link to their website FAQ on how you can handle translations with them http://www.wes.org/application/faq.asp#j

I would do it in Germany as it *might* be difficult to find translation services in the US, depending on where you're going to live.

...hey wait a minute !!

I'm back with some news, and i hope this will help people with european degrees!

I've found this review while researching online.

http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/444/RipOff0444546.htm

I guess that is what happened with ECE.

I'm off to research other companies' position on the Bologna Process..

I used joseph Silny & Co. I was very happy with my equivalency. I also needed my credentials recognized here for teaching purposes. You may still have to take your state's teaching certification exam.

Thank you!

my university wanted my high school transcripts!! yes, not the samer as you, but this company I used was excellent, very very fast! I had what i needed back, before they even cashed my check! http://www.educationinternational.org/procedure.htm

I checked my state requirements for the evaluation of credentials and the professional teaching standards board of Wyoming accepts evaluations from the following companies:

American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers

Education Credentials Evaluators (the one i used)

Foundation For International Services, Inc.

International Education Research Foundation

Josef Silney & Associates, Inc. International Education Consultants

World Education Services, Inc.

Has anyone dealt with the above companies before?

flames9, thanks for your feedback! I'm going to contact that company!

I'd just get a second opinion from WES, as much of a PITA as that might be.

I've read really bad reviews of WES.. Did you deal with them?

I'm Derrel 12yr Navy Vet and am looking to marry my fiancee who lives in Spain. I am facing an OCT09-JUN2010 deployment with my ship and will be out to sea on short 2-4week detatchments in June July Aug and Sep. and would like to marry prior to my departure. Would it be unwise to marry on her tourist visa and then begin the follow up paper work since i'll be gone anyway. I truly don't know where to begin with this.

No that's what I would recommend even though it's illegal for her to enter the country with the intent to get married while she's here. She automatically gets the 90 day visa when she enters, and you can start the paperwork as soon as you guys get married.

Do you alreadu have your orders?

Thanks for your service!

No offense, but I would personally not do that (or recommend it), because you are basically committing immigration fraud (if that is the correct term). If they find out your intentions at POE/later, when you file for AOS, you can get into a lot of trouble.

Well there's no way they can prove it... just saying.

Hello everyone,

my hubby and I got recently married, I live in France and he lives in the USA. He is in the Air Force and currently completing the training / formation which is gonna lead him to his first deployment. His training should he finished in end of August. Though we do not know when his first deployement is gonna happen we hope it will not be before end of this year / beginning of next year. We do not know either how long our process for visa is gonna take, we are going to file for CR1 as soon as we gathered everything we need, hoping to send package for the end of next week.

On another hand, since I have to still live in France at the moment, I am still renting my own apartment, which represents a severe loss of money (renting aruond Paris is hugely expensive).

So I was wondering if we could apply for an expedite. If we were sure to have the possibility to raise enough money to visit each other and so on it would be different but it is not the case. I would will try to visit in July but I am not 100% sure I will get in the US (if agent at the airport is in bad mood). Anyways, I also kinda fear that by the time the visa gets approved and that I finally can get in the US he is gonna be deployed and so we will have the visa but still wont be able to live together (you know what I am talking about). We -like everyone here- just would like to do the best to be together asap and doing the things right.

Thanks for your help.

hey moonskin... do you have his deployment orders yet so that you can apply for an expedite?

You can still apply for an expedite even if he doesn't have his orders yet.

To DerrelandSandra, your fiancee can always come to the US and you two can get married. It's not illegal as long as you do not stay afterwards and try to adjust status. Your then wife would have to go back to Spain and you would have to file and start the process for a spousal visa. If i understood your post correctly, you two would be apart anyway. I strongly suggest a CR-1 visa as your SO can work upon entry (No AOS/K3) and it's cheaper.

Read the guides you'll find here on VJ, research A LOT and don't hesitate to ask questions.

After you file, you can always apply for an expedite due to your deployment. Read this thread, we talk a lot about it.

Good luck!!

To moonskin Hey fellow french! Even if you don't know when your husband is going to get deployed, he can always request an expedite. Read this thread and you'll find stories of people that had their case expedited with or without deployment orders.

Don't hesitate to ask questions!

Good luck!!

It's not a 'fair' system - I've known practicing doctors who have had to return to medical school once they arrived here in the US. And different 'Evaluation' companies will give different results.

Did you get your diploma(s) evaluated for educational purposes or work-related/professional reasons?

Hi thank you for your fast reply!

Professional reasons. I need to get a teaching certification to resume teaching here in the US.

Do you think i should get my transcripts evaluated by some other companies?

My husband and i were really surprised to learn that absolutely no official governmental institution evaluate transcripts here. Only private companies that don't even contact the universities to check/verify the information you provided...

We are really disappointed.

Hey everyone

I got my french transcripts evaluated by Education Credentials Evaluators and after waiting a long time and doing most of the work myself (like contacting the universities and word-to-word translation) i finally got the results this week.

It was NOT what i expected. In France i got a master's degree in education (with honor) and a bachelor's degree in an asian language.

This organization gave me the lowest GPA score possible and said that ALL my degrees were the equivalent of a bachelor of arts with a major in foreign language and a minor in education...

Do you guys think i was robbed? I feel like all my hard work was put in the trash!

Did some of you go through this kind of situation? Is there a way to fix this?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!!!

We'll call the line in July when he's here visiting for leave, maybe we'll get lucky. :3

Hi

Give your husband the uscis military helpline phone number (1-877-247-4645) and have him try to call and request for an expedite.

It's worth a try!

Good luck!!

hi everyone... how r u all.. i miss talking to all of u here.. joggie, c&d, gullie n rockioe.. n his_wife

ill be having my medical and interview this june... wish me luckk

n

Thank u for all those who help when i was so confused with the expedite....

GOD BLESS U ALL

Congratulations!!

I suggest you read this article by Dennis Prager. He tells it from a man's point of view.

http://townhall.com/columnists/DennisPrage...the_mood_part_i

I think part 1 and Part 2 of that article has some really good perspectives on the males point of view of things. I see a lot of modern women on here talking about "you don't have to do what you don't want to and all that." But just remember a marriage is about compromise...BOTH parties have to be willing to make changes. Trust me a lot of women would love to have an affectionate man like yours...enjoy it while it last.....because once the "honeymoon" phase wears off you'll probably be posting...my husband is not affectionate anymore posts. I would just say if you continue rejecting him and he continues to feel rejected then that will just create more problems. Just be wise about it....I know you not going to be in the mood all the time..just consider what message continuously rejecting your husband sends to him. That is why he is asking if you love him, are you cheating, etc. Every man would wonder the same thing if his wife refuses sex to him on a constant basis. Now when you REALLY have to worry is when you deny him and he is like "ok" and it does not bother him anymore. That is what you will create if he continues to feel rejected. Because that is when he is going to have the wondering eye....men's hormones are WAYYY different than woman....our hormones have NOTHING to do with feelings, love or emotions (although they can be when we are in love as your husband is with you). That is why a man can have sex with a woman and have no feelings whatsoever about it at all.....these are natural GOD given desires that men have and if we were not given these desires the world would be under-populated.

So you have 2 choices:

1. Listen to all the other modern women on here and "Don't do nothing you don't want because its YOUR body."

or

2. Really sit down and have some serious conversations with your husband about how this situation makes him feel....how it makes YOU feel....and come up with some kind of compromise like 2 married adults.

I agree with Doctor J's point of you (except for the 'hormones have nothing to do with feelings' part; men are not animals for god's sake!).

To the OP: You're married now. It's not about YOU anymore, it's about your marriage, and making your partner happy. Just talk to him about it and don't forget to listen to what he has to say. Respect his feelings as much as you want him to respect yours.

Get some counselling if that can help... And have a good time!!!

I have a question. I applied for a military expedite yesterday and I got this email yesterday evening. My question is does this mean my expedite is approved and my case should be finished in 30 days. Or it will take 30 days to approve the expedite?

On 05/15/2009 you, or the designated representative shown below, contacted us about your case. Some of the key information given to us at that time was the following:

Caller indicated they are:

-- Applicant or Petitioner

Attorney Name:

-- Information not available

Case type:

-- I130

Filing date:

-- 04/24/2009

Receipt #:

-- WAC-XXXXXXXXXX

Beneficiary (if you filed for someone else):

-- Information not available

Your USCIS Account Number (A-number):

-- 000000000

Type of service requested:

-- Expedite

The status of this service request is:

Your I-130 petition will be requested and placed in line for adjudication. Please allow 30 days for processing.

If you have any further questions, please call the National Customer Service Center at .

I agree with His_Wifey. Keep calling and try to talk to a supervisor

Good luck!

hi joggie n his_wife we got our noa2 yesterday

how many days will i wait to email/ call the nvc to ask if they recieved our case? and inquire for an expedite (can i call or should my fiancee call?)

and if we email nvc...what do we need to attach? do we need to attach his deployment letters (USCIS did not asked for any papers.. they just asked my fiancee some questions.. then we recieved a mail from uscis (may12) stating that they will review our expedite request.....and on may 13 we recieved our noa2 via email)

THANK YOU FOR ALL UR HELP

Hi L_O_V_E

Congrats on your NOA2!!

Well i called NVC pretty much everyday and talked to an operator to know if my case had arrived or not. Put NVC phone number on speed dial, you'll use it A LOT.

However i'm not sure about expediting NVC for a K1 visa: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...c=43385&hl=

But have all your docs to submit to NVC ANDyour embassy ready AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

GOOD LUCK!!

Thank you for your feedback, i really appreciate it!

Hello!

I'm moving by myself next tuesday to the US. My family won't help and my husband is gone in pre-deployment training and won't be able to welcome me in our home in Wyoming. I'll move with a few suitcases and a cat.

Do you guys have any last minute advice for a smooth move and POE (Chicago O'Hare)?

I'm really stressed out as i'm dealing with all this pretty much alone. I just want to make sure i don't forget anything!