Lamb_Alley

LOL, I like you idea about the shirt. I managed to get my social security, they only asked for my I-94 from my passport. But without a license, I can tell you - feels like having shackles. I'm hating it and I think I can't drive anymore, after 8 months without a car.

Since you mentioned that you managed to get a SSN. I firstly wish to congratulate you on this tremendous achievement as I, unfortunately have not been able to obtain one, despite having my i-94, my Alien number, my I-797C notice of Action receipts to hand for my AOS - EAD - and AP when i tried.

Further, I think you already know this but just re-iterating, all you need is a Social Security Number and a bank statement or utility bill proving your permanent address and you're good to get a drivers license no matter what State of continental United States you are living in. Did you try that?

Moreover, using your own country's drivers license to drive is a sound option too, the only catch there is that you will need to buy your car insurance on a month to month basis (only some vehicle and driver insurance companies entertain foreign drivers licenses, but the ones who do will play the game their own way so be prepared that it won't be cheap), and each month that you renew, the payment climbs higher and higher for six months until it reaches the cut off point at which the international drivers license is not usable further for driving purpose in the United States Area under the state or federal DMV law (I think its either 6 months or maximum 1 year until when u can drive on your own country's license).

Add me to the list too.

Filed 'AOS - EAD - AP' together on 26th March 2010.

How is everyone managing without Social security cards, DMV driver's licenses, and all necessary authorizations?

I feel i should be wearing a t-shirt saying 'Still Under Initial Review" ..... @lol

I forgot something really important;

Brothers and sisters, whatever i have mentioned in my previous post is a personal experience and an overview of what me and my wife are going through at present(only delivered since it was sought).

Under no circumstance do i claim to be either, an expert or a consultant in such matters.

I do not intend any harm to anybody via my views as expressed above.

My suggestion is solely intended for the viewing pleasure of the interested party and not as any legal advice or suggestion whatsoever.

Any disagreements to my previous post or the above said may be kept to one's self only as i am not interested in hearing what others think.

Good luck to all.

Also I have a question if anyone could answer it. Please do so.... my husband's flight is in 2 days.... inshallah... I was worried about POE and the required documents. The white paper tht we got from embassy has some info... i want to double check....

all he need is that secret envelope, xrays, original documents and some forms tht he fills in the plane? right? I ll appreciate if anyone could answer this.

If he is flying from Pakistan directly to the States with no flight change in Europe (only a refuel somewhere) then his immigration should be done at the port of entry in the USA.

However if he has a stop over somewhere in Europe (Especially, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Dublin) then tell him to be prepared, his immigration might be done before his flight departs for the US. Most of these Airports now have US immigration enclaves within and you get done and dusted beforehand with all your i-94 landing card completion and submission and brown sealed 'SECRET' envelope declarations including finger printing etc.

In all scenarios, tell him to keep his calm, be prepared to tell the whole (how we met, when we met, and jab we met ... including the) wedding story if the visa officer asks, which i'm 90% certain he will be asked. X-rays are seldom taken. I was told to give it to my doctor in the US if i like as it was not needed for my immigration. This process will more than likely take up to 10 minutes max.

Out of all the POEs so far, JFK (NY) has the most probability of issuance of a work authorization stamp upon arrival.

I cannot emphasize enough how important work authorization is to a new immigrant in the US. I do not think most of us understand what us new immigrants will have to go through here. Unless your fiance / wife / Husband (whoever is the US citizen) earns a fortune, there is no other way to survive but to beg in-laws for financial help to get you the couple through this not just for a month or two, but possibly up to a year. And not to mention having to live in basements or with in-laws for at least a year after the wedding just because you can't afford your own place.

Here's what my wife is having to bear just because she is helping me settle down with her in the land of dreams. This is the extra amount she would be paying out of her hard earned basic salary each month.

Last week we got the following done;

Medical insurance; an extra 484 Dollars per month on top of her own payments of 150 dollars. (Blue Cross Blue Shield) - 7608 Dollar total for the year to have us both medically insured.

Car Insurance: 631 extra for this year as i am a new driver in the US despite my 10 year old driving record from Ireland and Pakistan.

I-485 Adjustment of Status application cost: 1014 Dollars.

Rent: 600 dollars for a 1 bed kitchen and bath basement each month. (Previously she was living with parents). Thats 7200 Dollars extra each year.

No chance of a house mortgage yet as one of us (me) holds no prior credit history. Been told to wait a minimum 2 years before coming back to apply for a mortgage.

Add this all up to see for yourself.

SO please understand that a work authorization is utmost important from day one. The new immigrant spouse must work and start supporting as soon as possible.

TRY AND GET A FLIGHT TO JFK (with no stop overs or flight changes in between) AND REQUEST THE VISA OFFICER TO ISSUE A WORK AUTHORIZATION ON HIS I-94 card. Period.

hey everyone- I haven't been online for a while- it was too depressing with the whole AP situation so logged in after a while. My hubby got a call today from Islamabad stating that they want him to email all the phone numbers he has been using for the past 5 years. Has anyone had a similar request? I am just happy to hear something from their side a month after the interview. Even if we do not get the visa issued right now- at least hearing something just calmed down my soul a bit.

Thanks!

At the end of the week 7 after my interview i received a phone call from the embassy too, an extremely stiff voiced man spoke without any pleasantries simply confirming with me who i was and then telling me right away that my administrative processing lacks further required documentation ordering that i must e-mail my CV (Resume was the word he used) on the same day in order to process anything any more. He then dictated the e-mail address to send that CV on, told me the file format he wanted it in, and hung up bang on. He didn't even tell me what sort of a CV he actually needed.

It appears that 'they' (you decide who 'they' could be) are trying to find even a slightest fault / error/ or a minor discrepancy in our submitted documents to decline the application, after what happened on christmas day.

Rest assured my friend a visa consul officer is the only citizen after the presidency or the top ranked bureaucracy in the US who is not answerable to anyone, or is not punishable under any section of the US law in any court in the US or abroad for any decision he undertakes regarding issuance of visa to citizens of high alert countries. He/she simply reserves the right to decline applications upon his/her own disposal as and when it suits without acknowledging the true eligibility of the applicant. So basically however 'ODD' or 'Common' request he/she makes ..... must be fulfilled without any further do.

Mind you, DS-156, DS-157, DS-156K, DS-230 Parts 1 and 2, And G325A ...... are all Bio data forms in true fact containing our Resume' / Curriculum Vitae / Biodata ... or whatever they call it in the States and were submitted by almost all of us applicants already during the interview at the embassy. Hell ..... these completed forms even contain more information about us applicants than we actually even know about ourselves. So the question arises why do they further need information from us ...?

I suggest ...... qhayder .... put a heavy stone on your heart to quash the anger and give the embassy what they want.

Assalam o Alaikum Feisal and all friends over this thread,

Been following this AP thread a while now, and i wish to congratulate Feisal not only on getting your visa in Hand finally but also for the tremendous effort you have placed in getting all us AP victims from Pakistan together under the same roof of this thread to share whatever needs sharing.

Its an uphill struggle, a terrible everyday pain that we have to go through all along .... isn't it?

Bitter, and sourly, this menace called wait, it rots our relationships to the extent where even our dearest and our most cherished seem to drift further and farther away each second. This feeling of uncertainty, the excruciating speculation, the sharp pangs in the heart, and the dead legs which fail to support one every few hours forcing us to find a seat quick before we sprawl over the living room floor ..... aaah my dears .... these spasms of severe neck pains, i'm sure will remain an unforgetable memory with us all our lives.

i don't know what will happen tomorrow, or where will it all end for us ....... but to all my dear brothers and sisters out there sharing the same feelings as me .... i wish you best of luck .... i really wish u all the best ..... and even better than it ..... if there was ever such a thing.

God will Shine His blessing on us soon.

Dear All,

I don't quite know for sure if my post will eventually show up on the Ireland Portal or not.

I do however wish to thank all VJ champions for all the support and help i got throughout 'our' journey of K-1 in particular Ireland Portal folks.

Guys i have my interview in approximately 15 hours from now.

As you guys might be able to read through my signature now and see that i am a non-national in ireland.

My chances of getting a visa are perhaps the slimest as i'm not applying from my country of birth and citizenship.

I appeal to all who read this post, if anybody does read it, to please pass a prayer towards me and my sweetheart.

life is giving us this one chance of a better future prospect and that too with the best person one could ever wish to spend his life with. This is it. What more could i ask for?

I'm sad and i'm emotional, and i'm terribly in-coherent when i'm scared, so pardon me if there is anything that cannot be understood in this post.

No matter what happens, no matter what outcome of the visa tomorrow, i wish to thank all for the immense support and help i got from everyone.

We are getting married in february no matter what anyway.

Thank you for reading through this.

Best of luck to all.

Thanks

I just wish ...... someday ..... i could breath openly and without fear once again.

Every second every moment of my life since we decided to undergo this unimaginably excruciating process passes with an anticipation of the most dreadful outcome. I'm sure you guys know exactly how it feels, i'm only trying to put words to it.

What will happen .... what won't .... our lives .... our futures .... our happiness ..... the prospect of having a better life ..... what will it all turn to in the end of this K-1 process?

She has given up so much for me .... yet willing to give up even more so ....everything that she has .... she ever had .... to be with me .... to bring me to this country unknown to me in all respects ... and i accepted this fate .... just for our love ... how will i ever be able to thank her for loving me so much where nothing matters to her but me ......

And yet its only a chance ..... Luck ... Chance .... 'Luck by-Chance' whether this visa thing gets approved or not.

But do you have access to the copy of the cashed check? The case # should be printed on the back.

Thank you.

The number definetly and most certainly exists, i have been checking the application status through it since i discovered it.

But NOA1 is still the issue, we never recieved it.

I have been advised by a few knowledgeful comrades at another forum that getting this exclusive application number which shows at the back of the cheque means one obtained an NOA1 status automatically but the question then arises as to why does an NOA1 status not appear on the screen during online checking of my status.

Only shows application pending, No touches, No progress whatsoever.

Even after more than 60 days.

Didn't they print your case # in the back of the check?

Nope.

We only know that the cheque was cashed thru bank statement.

No other proof.

Lucky some of you guys at least got your NOA1s.