Jen&Carsten

We finally got our biometrics appointment letter a few days ago. I was getting a bit worried. They are sending Carsten to a different state for the appointment- but it is closer than the location in our state.

We just got the NOA! Yeah! (e-mail and text message)

I did not think I would hear anything until Monday earliest. I was surprised, it is after 10PM here!

Add us to the list!

We originally sent our AOS package (from H1-B) on the 16th, but it was returned to us a week later due to a misplaced signature. We resent it on the 23rd.

You would not believe what they did with the very neat and well organized package I sent them. It took me more than an hour to reorganize everything.

Jen

After 4 LONG years and a lot of anxiety and frustration- we finally are ready to file for my husband's greencard.

I have read everything I can find, gathered paperwork, etc., but I still feel like I have a million questions.

I would appreciate any help.

Affidavit of support:

My income is not going to cut it. With my husband's income (intending immigrant) we will exceed the poverty level guidelines easily. I called the IRS today and our tax transcripts are not available for 2010- but I do have a copy of our tax return. Will this be sufficient? Should we include letters from our employers as well? (my husband has only been working in the USA for 8 months, so he has no tax returns for previous years)

Certified copies:

I read somewhere that copies for filing do not need to be certified, but we should bring certified copies with us for the interview- is this correct?

Concurrent filing:

According to the guide it seems that we are to prepare 2 separate packages, one for the I-130 and one for the I-485, but send them to the USCIS together. Is that right?

I think that is it for now- I will sure have more questions later.

Thanks in advance!

Jen

I wasn't prepared for the way he'd react to the change. The first 6 months were amazing as we both were so happy to be together and get married. After that it got rocky as he couldn't work yet and he got bored. He got homesick and missed his friends and family. Once he got a job things changed as he started to rebuild a life here in the US. He still wasn't completely happy. He missed going out for drinks with his friends and playing sports. Just this summer, 2 years here, he has made some friends. He actually met a fellow Englishman and now he plays soccer with them and goes out some evenings. I haven't seen him this happy since we were in England.

My advice would be don't take anything personally. When my husband wasn't happy, I got very upset that I couldn't make him happy. I didn't understand why he wasn't happy to be with me instead of 3,500 miles away. This made tension but we got through it as I started to understand that he was happy with me just missed home. I'd also say give him space as he'll need to take things in his own time and way. Make him feel as at home as possible. I got my husband the soccer channel so he could still watch the English football and I also learned how to make some of his favorite foods from home that he couldn't get here. We also found an English shop that we go to every once in awhile and stock up on some English treats.

One thing we took from being in a LDR was the communication. As we used to talk every day online. I think that's what a lot of couples lack. So we decided we couldn't lose that communication and we treat it like we're still apart. It doesn't matter how much time you spend together there are always interruptions in life. Every night we go for a 15 min car ride or walk and just talk, about anything and everything that's going on. This has become a routine just like talking on skype when we were far. It helps us get through the stresses of every day life and stay as close as ever.

Congratulations on finally being together and getting through the distance! Enjoy every minute together!

Thank you Kelly, that is a lot of good advise, and encouraging! I do tend to take things personally, I can just imagine...

Congratulations to you and Damian on getting his greencard!

I think this is a topic that could probably use its own section...lol.

My Fiance has remarkably been hired on an H1B and will be arriving in the USA in THREE DAYS! We had anticipated dealing with the K3 or K1 process, so this is truly a miracle. We certainly will be filing an AOS after we get married- but this has changed our plans significantly.

As long as the last 3.5 years have felt, it now feels like time if flying and my entire life is about to change. No more sitting in front of the computer for hours, Skype, complaining about missing each other, dreading the time between visits, etc... It all seems incredibly surreal right now. Everything we have dreamed of is about to happen and I cannot even begin to describe how I feel.

I think I have narrowed it down to 2 specific concerns. I worry that he will harbor resentment toward me at some point due to the fact that he is leaving his home, job, family... moving 4,000 miles to be with me. In addition to that I worry that changing the dynamic of our relationship will break it somehow. We have remained strong through the hell that you all surely understand, and for quite some time. I do not want anything to destroy that when we have finally made it this far.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

The K1 requires a I-134 and you need to meet 125% of the poverty level.

You need to proof your income with tax return, letter from the employer, etc. I guess that's when the court order for child support will be counted in.

When adjusting status (after marriage in US) you need to file I-864. But you don't need to adjust status right away, so maybe until then your income situation has improved.

You also can use your spouses assets when you file after living together for 6 months.

The problem with not filing AOS quickly is, that then there is no EAD to work.

Will your fiance be able to work in US when having EAD?

You also need to adjust status after coming into US on a K3.

The advantage of taking the CR1 route is that your spouse doesn't have to adjust status after immigrating. The green card will be mailed automatically and he/she can work.

Wishing you luck.

Sib

Thanks for the info! Do you know how soon he could get a work permit after entry with the K-1? That is important because he will need to quit his job to move here and will not be able to get one here without a work permit. Is the K-1 faster than the K-3?

I am going to e-mail the consulate today and see how they feel about the whole child support order thing and also how they will calculate the 125% with my current income and assets- which by my calculations are just over the 125% line.

If you are not married yet, why are you not thinking about a K1 visa?

The reason I had originally thought that a K3 was the way to go was simply the Affidavit of Support. It will be "easier" for me to prove 100% of the poverty level for the I-134, than the 125% the I-184 requires.

With my assets and income, I can JUST prove 125% now (for a family of 4), I know the guidelines are going to change as of March 1st and will likely raise around 600.00- which I can still prove- barely. That is what scares me. I am too close to the line to feel totally comfortable with the I-184 right now. A sponsor is out of the question.

If I use my child support order to prove some of my income- I will be well over the guideline, but if I use the actual amount I received then it is a much lower amount. I called the USCIS and they said the order was OK, but with my luck the consulate will suddenly decide that they want proof that I received the child support that was in the order.

I am just so scared something will go wrong, I am trying to make sure this entire process is done exactly right. We have waited 2 long, hard years- and it has been hard enough.

I have searched all over the internet for information about what the consulate or the USCIS will expect for proof of income- and have found nothing about child support orders vs the actual amount.

Are you already married?

Please fill out your timeline, that will help others to give you advice.

Sib

We are not married yet- but will be in the next few months. We are working on coordinating vacation time right now. I want to have as much of the paperwork ready as I can, so I can mail it right away after the wedding. I will be sure to post a time line as soon as the package is in the mail.

Hey everyone,

I am new here and have a few questions.

~What is this deal with dropping the I-129 or just sending it directly to the service center after or when you file the I-130? Is this worth the time saved or could it possibly cause even more confusion and delays ? I noticed several people mentioning this recently.

~What are some recent experiences people have had with the Frankfurt Consulate? In particular, do they ask for the I-134 or the I-184 if you are seeking a K3 Visa? I have looked at the reviews for that consulate- but almost all of them are for K1 Visas.

I think those are my only questions so far!

Thanks in advance!

Hey everyone!

I was so happy to find this website that is very informative and has active members. I have spent many nights reading posts and information here that has helped ease my mind tremendously.

It is hard enough dealing with the distance, the prospect of dealing with a seemingly overworked government agency scares the hell out of me to say the least. Having so much information and shared experiences helps a lot.

I sure will have a lot of questions, so thanks in advance to everyone who contributes to this site!

Jen

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