manozi

What is the expiration date on the I-94?

(Having a timeline here on VJ would help.)

** Moving thread from AOS Forum to "Working & Traveling prior to getting a Green Card" where these types of topics typically go.

April 09, 2010.

It's still valid.

Cheers,

Manol

Hi all,

Just came back from the Social Security office here in San Jose, CA - we went to change the wife's last name to reflect our marriage in January.

However, we were told that she cannot change her current last name to her married last name without presenting a green card (which we don't have yet - we're going through the AOS process as we speak).

We received the acceptance notices (NOA) for her Adjustment of Status (I-485) and her travel and work permits. We have an appointment for biometrics coming up on the 16th of March. She also received her Social Security card (in her maiden name, of course), a few days ago.

In other words, everything is in order - our AOS app. is simply still going through the system - she has her SS card and all.

I don't believe that she needs to have her green card in order to change her name on her SS card - doesn't make sense.

She needs to have SS in her married name, in order to open a joint bank account with me, apply for a driver license, register for health insurance etc. - after all, this is the name she will be using from now on. And we need to take care of those things before we have the actual green card, obviously.

The guides for K-1 (she came in on a K-1 visa) on VisaJourney indicate that she can change her name before she receives her GC, as well.

So, am I right, can she change her name on her SS card as things stand right now?

Seems to me that this is a case of the SS clerk(s) not knowing what they are talking about; but I could be wrong.

I'd very much appreciate any insight.

Thanks for the help,

Manol

A copy of your birth certificate? Do you both file tax returns from the same address? What about bills?

I do have a copy of my birth certificate, with translation (was born in Bulgaria).

Tax returns are also from the same address, yes. And I have included copies of both his and mine for the Affidavit of Support documents.

So, I suppose including the birth certificate, along with the tax returns will be sufficient?

Cheers,

Manol

Hi guys,

My father's submitting an I-864A form for my wife's AOS package in addition to my I-864 form, to help me out as a joint sponsor.

For Question #8 - 'Household Member's Relationship to the Sponsor', it states in the step-by-step instructions:

If you check any other relative except for spouse, you must provide proof of the relationship and that you have the same principal residence as the sponsor.

My question is:

What constitutes proof that we share the same residence and that we are indeed related as father and son?

Want to know what documents/copies of documents to include as proof in the AOS package.

Thanks very much!

-Manol

Thanks guys

Good to know.

As soon as we get our certified marriage certificate in the mail ( a few days) we'll file the AOS package.

Cheers,

Manol

Hi everyone,

My fiancee entered the US on a K1 visa on Jan 9th and we got married last week.

We have all the AOS documents ready for filing, however one thing is holding us back.

We applied for a Social Security Number for her, two weeks after she arrived (as it says in the SSN guide on VisaJourney) but we could not obtain one because someone, somewhere in the USCIS/immigration services hierarchy made some sort of mistake, which resulted in the SSN office telling us that there is a 'mismatch' between her name and date of birth (even though everything looked fine in their files...?). The information she entered on her I-94 when she entered the US is entirely correct, so no idea what happened there.

But anyway, because of this we have to wait for 'up to 4 weeks' for the information to be verified withe the Federal State or Local SSN office...

My question is:

Does she need to have a SSN in order to file for Adjustment of Status or is the SSN optional?

Form I-485 asks for a SSN and the Affidavit of Support (I-864) lists it as optional (says 'if any').

So, can anyone clarify this?

We'd like to file for AOS as soon as possible, for obvious reasons, and waiting for up to 1 month to verify the SSN details seems like a bit too long to wait.

Thanks for any help,

Manol

Thanks guys.

Appreciate your time and answers!

Cheers,

Manol

Hi guys,

We got our K-1 visa recently and we're getting married in a few weeks.

After this, we'll apply for Adjustment of Status and work and travel documents.

However, we're planning two wedding celebrations in Europe this coming summer (one in each country, as I am originally from Bulgaria and she is from Finland). Celebration 1 is in June, celebration 2 in July, and the wife's brother is getting married in end of August (obviously important to be there).

Question is:

Is it OK to be out of the country for 3 months or so, if we are to plan staying in Europe uninterruptedly for all 3 weddings/celebrations?

Or is there a restriction on how long one can be out of the country on an Advance Parole travel document?

Answers are much appreciated.

Best regards,

Manol

Hi Stephen+Elisha,

Thank you very much for the helpful reply!

Makes things easier for me

Cheers,

Manol

Hi guys,

Just received the NOA2 for our K1 visa in the mail the other day - a few months early - I was expecting it in November

I'm getting together all of the forms and documents that I need to send to my fiancee in Finland, before she can have her interview.

I have a few different questions, and rather than making separate threads, I thought I'd put them in one.

I'd really appreciate any help and answers!

1) The K1 Visa Guide says to send all originals of the documentary proof submitted for the I-129F originally.

Does this mean I need to send in all the ORIGINAL receipts, plane tickets, hotel receipts etc.?

I thought that photocopies were fine (that's what I sent in for the I-129F petition, and I thought she's supposed to get an exact duplicate of the package I sent for the I-129f, here?)

2) The letter that affirms desire to marry fiancee:

I understand this is a separate letter from the ones (one from her and one from me) that we sent in originally with the I-129F.

Am I the only one that needs to sign and send in this 2nd letter of intent, this time around, or does she need to do the same as well?

Also, is it OK to use the same letter (I used the example letter from this site) that I used for the I-129F, just write in the current date and sign?

Or should I make a new one?

3) The K1 Guide also says to submit proof of ongoing relationship between the time of the original submission of I-129F and the receipt of NOA2.

What would work for proof?

We haven't seen each other since March, so all I can dig up are some Skype and VOIP logs...Would those work?

Definitely don't have any pictures, receipts or other evidence, for obvious reasons.

Would receipt of gift packages mailed between us work? I have some of those...

4) I'm a poor recent college graduate, working at a very low-paying part-time job.

Needless to say, I don't have the sufficient income to send in only my own I-134, so my dad will be co-sponsoring my fiancee - he makes more than enough to be sufficient. I know that we both need to send in an I-134 form and sufficient evidence (checks, tax returns, etc.).

However, I have not worked in the past 6 years (full time student) and have not filed taxes, so all I can include are a few very tiny recent paychecks (started working a month ago....). Would this be sufficient? If not, what else can I include?

I don't think getting a letter from the retail store that I work for, stating that I am a part-time employee would do any good...

Also, I hold down a second job at my school, which is contract-based. I am getting my first paycheck soon, and I was wondering if it would be a good idea to include this job in addition to the retail one, and include paychecks from both? Either way, the money I make is not going to be enough and I DO have a reliable cosponsor, but still...just wondering?

And FINALLY (sorry for all the questions :

Would it be a problem if I was to quit the main job I work at (the part-time retail), soon after submitting the I-134 forms (mine and co-sponsor's)?

The contract position has the possibility into turning into something more, and I will find out soon (but probably after I send in the I-134s). If that is the case, and I get rid of the retail job which I put down on my I-134 to take on the other one, would this present a problem? Again, I do have a co-sponsor, so...

Apologies for making this long - just want to make sure I get all of this right!

I would really appreciate some answers

Thanks in advance to everyone who replies!

Regards,

Manol

Thanks guys!

I have some pics w/ the little lady's family - I'll dig them up and swap them in for some of the existing photos I have.

Appreciate the help!

-Manol

Hey all,

About to send in the K1 package soon - getting everything together.

I got the impression from the K1 Guide on this site, that one has to send in 'physical pictures' - i.e. pictures printed on photo paper. w/ date, location etc. written on back?

All I have are digital photos (I am sure that is the case w/ most everyone nowadays).

Is printing the photos on a sheet of regular paper and listing the dates sufficient?

I am attaching an example image from one of my pages

Insight and advice are appreciated,

Manol

No problem. Good to know where to post such stuff in the future

I will most likely start filing the petition in the next week.

Thanks for the advice again!

-Manol

Thank you, Gary!

Anyone else have any insight on the topic?

-Manol

Hey all,

Greetings to everyone - first post here

Here's the deal:

I will be filing K1 documents for my fiancee, who lives in Finland, soon.

I know that the I-134 (Affidavit of Support) is not needed until the interview stage, but I have 2 question related to it, that I'd like some info on:

1) I am currently looking for work (just graduated from college).

Once I find employment, is there a certain amount of time that I have to have worked at the job before I can file an I-134?

Can I file the form soon after beginning work?

The income will not be a problem - my father will co-sponsor us - just wondering if the fact that I have not worked long at whatever job I land, won't be an issue.

2) As the I-134 is not needed until the interview stage, can I just file documents for my fiancee's K1 Visa, now, without having any work?

The processing time for a K1 visa in Northern California, where I am located, are listed at 6 months, and I will most likely become employed in the next month or so.

Can I file now, and deal with the I-134 when the documents are processed?

I'd appreciate any help and insight!

Thank You,

Manol