ealachan

Well, it turned out you all were right. Mark got his bright shiny greencard in the mail today!

Thanks all for your help through this whole process, and we'll be back in a year and a half to start working on the paperwork to lift conditions!

YAY!

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/ here for the timeline.

it's on the same line as the forums and guides etc up the top

Congrats on the approval!

All fixed now! Thanks so much!

Lucky you..maybe your application was transferred to csc..that's why no interview

I DID get a notice saying that it had been transferred to the CSC about 6 weeks or so ago.

I'm so excited now...yippee!!!

Its seems the USCIS has notified you that your EAD, Employment Authorization Document has been approved, and you too, will soon receive that actual card with photo on it. My wife has received hers as well even though we have not had our AOS interview which is this month by the way. Does it say card production for the EAD or PR?

Nope, it's not the EAD. We already got that, plus the email says I-485 in several places on it, as does the website.

Only time will tell - it is possible.

(P.S., The timeline in your signature is great, but it helps others when it is entered in your VJ timeline as well.)

re: timeline - I thought of that, but I can't figure out how to edit it now that the site format has changed...*embarassed*

re: AOS - Mark did say that they took two sets of fingerprints while he was there, and the lady taking them asked him a lot about us and his move over here...maybe that sufficed as the interview?! That would be pretty awesome if that's the case.

Hi All -

We submitted my husband's I-485 and EAD applications back in January. We went to the local office in St. Albans to have his biometrics done at the beginning of February, and he just got his EAD in the mail last week, which was great. However, today I just got an email update from the USCIS website saying:

"On March 16, 2010, 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 at 1-800-375-5283."

It very clearly states that this is in regards to the I-485 application, and lists the I-485 case number. I logged onto the website to see if it would tell me anything further, but it just gives me the same text as the email. He hasn't had any interview...hasn't even had one scheduled...and we haven't gotten an RFE for the I-693 form that we didn't submit. There's no way they could be giving him his AOS without an interview and proof of vaccinations, is there?!

thanks, all....extremely helpful info, and will make my husband feel much better.

Hi All -

We've got our AOS paperwork submitted and have had notices saying it's being processed, etc. We just noticed on Mark's passport that the visa expires on 3/10/10. That's not a concern for us now that we have the AOS filed...right? Figured I'd ask to be safe rather than sorry...

Thanks!

Hi all -

Does anyone have any recommendation for civil surgeons in Vermont? Most of the ones listed on the website say "current patients only", one doesn't answer at all, and another told me that it would cost upwards of $350!!!

Thanks

Shelby

Nope, biometrics is fingerprints and photo... Is the notice for the I-485 or the I-765? Regardless, you will want to make sure you tell them about both pending applications that they will submit the biometrics for both applications rather than make you do a seperate trip.

The notice references both the I-485 and the I-765...so hopefully they're consolidating the appointments. I'll make sure to ask once we're there, of course.

We didn't file the I-693 because the UK didn't have his vaccination records anymore (he's too old) and didn't give us anything to send in...so we're expecting an RFE for that. All th civil surgeons in VT are up that way as well...maybe we can get lucky and get an appointment for 2/2 and get that over with in the same trip...hmmm.

Hi all -

My husband got his letter scheduling his AOS biometrics appointment for 2/2 up in St. Albans, VT. What should we expect for this? Is it just a case of taking fingerprints and pictures and that's it, or is there more to it? Also, we filed for his EAD along with the AOS...does he get some sort of seperate appointment for that? It's a 90 minute drive one way, so we're trying to minimize the trips we have to make, if possible...

thanks, as always!

Shelby & Mark

CBP doesn't normally give back anything from the brown envelope. My husband even asked if they could make a copy of his medical files to give him (since so many medicals were being "lost") and they said no. Knightsbridge gives everybody a copy of their immunization record (Form DS-3025). It looks like THIS.

You might not have much luck getting another copy because Knightsbridge does not keep files on their immigrant visa patients, mainly because it's not an office you will likely be returning to for medical care. You will need something to show a Civil Surgeon if he has had shots. Did he take something from his NHS doctor to the visa medical or did he get any shots at the medical? Typically he would have had to have a recent MMR and Tdap or Td and a history of having chickenpox noted by Knightsbridge. Otherwise there is the requirement for a varicella shot if he hasn't had chickenpox.

Ok...turns out he had asked the NHS for his vaccination records and they told him that it could takes months to get and that they may not be able to get them at all anyway, because the records are so old (he's 35). I find it hard to believe that NHS doesn't have the records SOMEWHERE...but that's apparently what he was told. So currently, he has no proof of vaccinations. We don't mind him having a bunch of vaccinations if necessary...I'm just trying to determine what I need to send off in the AOS package to begin with. If I submit the AOS package without the I-693, the worst that can happen is that we'll get an RFE that we then have a certain amount of time to resolve, correct? Basically, now that he's here and we're married, the prospect of an RFE doesn't scare me nearly as much as it did during the I-129F process. I just want to make sure we're not doing something that's going to get him sent away...lol

edited to add: I just checked the NHS website and it seems that they really DON'T keep vaccination records from childhood for anyone over 25...eep!

Hi all - hope everyone had lovely holidays!

We're getting ready to file Mark's AOS, and I'm a little confused about the I-693. He had his medical a few weeks before he entered the US on the K-1, which was less than 90 days ago, so he's exempt from needing another exam according to the USCIS website. If that's the case, do we still need to go to a civil surgeon and have them sign off on form I-693?

Also, Mark says that the only thing he got back from the border control folks (besides his visa and I-94) was his chest x-ray. They never gave him back any of the stuff that was in the sealed envelope from the embassy...so he has nothing telling what vaccines he's had. Is that how it's supposed to be?

Thanks all for your help! It's much appreciated.

Best,

Shelby

Enter "K-1 Visa Holder" as the status and the expiration of the I-94, here's a link to a VJ example form

http://www.visajourney.com/examples/INS-Form-I-485.pdf

Dom

Thanks very much!

Hi guys -

On the I-485, where it asks for your current USCIS status, what does it want? My (then fiance) entered the US on an approved K-1 visa on 10/2 and we got married on 10/10. Also, it asks for an expiration date next to that. does it want his VISA expiration date, or his I-94 expiration date?

Thanks much!

Shelby

Hi All -

We're in the process of getting stuff together to file Mark's AOS paperwork (yippee!!), and I have a quick question: Some of the forms seem to be the same as what was in the K-1 packet (ie: the biographical info sheets, and affidavit of support). Can we just use the same ones, or do we really have to fill them out all over again? I think I already know what you're going to tell me...but it was worth a try...

Thanks much

Shelby

I don't know if I dare to take that risk....thank you for the info, though!

What happens if he goes out of status, though? There must be some kind of penalty or something, right?

cross-posting this from the AOS boards, in hopes someone might be able to help...

Is there such a thing as filing for an extension to lengthen the time we have before we have to file my husband's AOS application? He entered the country on 10/2 on a K-1 visa. we got married on 10/10, and money has become extremely tight due to some unforseen issues. I don't think we're going to be able to scrape up the $$ for the AOS by the time we need to. Is there any way to extend the time we have in order to file it?

Kind of grasping at straws, I know...

Is there such a thing as filing for an extension to lengthen the time we have before we have to file my husband's AOS application? He entered the country on 10/2 on a K-1 visa. we got married on 10/10, and money has become extremely tight due to some unforseen issues. I don't think we're going to be able to scrape up the $$ for the AOS by the time we need to. Is there any way to extend the time we have in order to file it?

Kind of grasping at straws, I know...

As long as it's been at least 2 weeks since entry into the U.S., you can apply for the SSN card any time.

I applied for mine 2 days after our wedding so that I wouldn't have to do a name change, otherwise I would have applied sooner than that.

Perfect. We'll get that in the works while we scrape up enough money to file the AOS stuff. How long did it take for your SSN to come through?

Hi All -

So, now that we're married, we need to file Mark's AOS paperwork. I've had a look at the guides and the AOS process itself seems pretty straight-forward. My only real question is, should we bother to apply for a SSN for Mark now (we can't file the AOS for another month, probably) or is there no real point in doing it until the AOS has been filed? My concern is that, for the AOS, we need continued proof of ongoing relationship, ie: a joint bank account. I can't put Mark on my bank account without a SSN, can I? I know I certainly can't add his name to any of my utility bills without one...so is filing for the SSN now the right thing to do?

Thanks

Shelby

Congratulations!

I agree, the AOS was MUCH easier. I got a little scared reading posts on here and prepared myself for the daunting task but it was actually better. Not as much evidence to give (all of those little snippets like boarding passes, photos, etc) and more focused on forms. Plus you can relax as you're together.

Also, I noticed in your sig that the POE officer at Logan didn't know what he was doing. I wonder if it was the same guy as mine:

He didn't seem to have too much knowledge of the K1 visa and had to look up the instructions - he also recorded me as a F1 visa holder which caused complications later on.

I guess they don't get many K1's in Boston.

Haha...I wonder if he was the same one, too! Mark said he showed him the visa and the guy was like "Oh! Uhhh...hmm. Ok. I need to go find someone who knows what that is."

Congrats!

AOS is much easier than the I129F & K1, IMO. Good luck!

Thanks! We're a little bit confused about the EAD. Can we file that seperately from the AOS stuff and have it come through sooner, or does it have to be filed all at once? Basically, we're trying to minimize the amount of time he's not working, because money will be tight.

Mark got here with no problems, and we were married on Saturday! Now for the AOS...~sigh~...seems like the paperwork will never end!

Congratulations! I got approved in London today and am so looking forward to getting off the aircraft and walking through Logan with the envelope too!

Oh cool! We'll let you know how it goes!