karotte

Alright, my husband has a priority date of Dec 3 and we still haven't received word regarding biometrics or otherwise. I'm generally a patient person, but the 2 month mark is coming up, and I'm starting to wonder if USCIS dropped the ball.

I'm crossing my fingers that we'll be lucky, like martingopher. The thought of spending hours on the phone or at an infopass meeting is so unappealing. Any advice? Maybe CSC has just gotten really slow?

We received our NOA1 on Friday, December 12. Check cashed Dec 14. Priority date Dec 3.

Thanks!

I guess we just barely made it into the November group. We mailed the N-400 today, Nov 28. CSC, local office San Francisco.

It really looks like things are moving quickly. I didn't think that our 4 1/2 week vacation starting next week would put us in danger of missing the fingerprinting appt. We'll see.

Thanks!

You may want to look into doctors recommended by the US consulate in Morocco.

http://casablanca.usconsulate.gov/list_of_physicians.html

Good luck!

What a great story!

My (Moroccan) husband and I will be celebrating his first anniversary in the United States (and soon our first wedding anniversary as well). The challenges are well worth it!

Thanks for posting this. We'll definitely have to watch.

Teaching Youness how to drive has been a very trying experience - not because he's a bad driver. I'm sure he's just as good a driver as any other 27 year old who has never sat behind the wheel. Nonetheless, I don't really have the patience for it...which I feel bad about. But we manage.

He gets to teach the kids!

This has already been mentioned, but I was going to second the suggestion to contact AmidEast or the American Language Center in Rabat. There's also an American Language Center in Fez. I would say that it's probably more difficult to secure a position in Morocco from the United States - opportunities there just kind of fall into your lap, in my experience. I had a lot of friends search for employment while there, and most of them found something one way or another. It's also easier if you already speak French!

I never intended to change my name, and I didn't when I got married. My name reflects my cultural heritage and his name reflects his, which I think is great. We'll see what happens when we have kids, insh'allah...

BTW, it was never brought up at our AOS interview.

If I'm not mistaken, this is special registration required for immigrants from certain countries (Arab/Muslim). My husband had a Fin# on his I-94 and once he was here, we registered him again.

Check out USCIS

http://www.ice.gov/graphics/specialregistration/index.htm

When you mail in to register your spouse, make sure to use certified mail, so that you have some proof of having sent it. The officer at our AOS noted that my husband had been registered as required.

Good luck!

We had our interview on 2/15 and were told we were approved, with no mention of a background check. The office said we should receive our card in 2-4 weeks.

Four weeks later, we made an infopass appt to inquire about the status of our card. The office could tell us nothing, and seemed aghast that we were told we'd receive the card in 2-4 weeks. According to her it takes 6months - 1 year. And I'm thinking to myself, "...but what about all those other people on VisaJourney???"

What could be happening here? Lost file? Slow process? Background check? Is there any way of finding out?

Thanks for posting your experience.

My husband and I will be going to our own infopass appt for the same reason tomorrow morning. We haven't received a GC in the last four weeks and he needs to travel in early April. We're hoping for can-do attitudes all around! I don't want to have to get mad or cry.

Anyway, congrats!

Hey,

Don't know if this is the right forum to post in, but you all seem to have experience with infopass and I-551 stamps. My husband had his AOS interview in LA on 2/15, and we were told we'd get the card in 2-4 weeks.

We've been planning a trip back to Morocco for months now (and got AP so it could be done), but I swear the trip has jinxed the GC into NOT arriving. It'll be 4 weeks this Wednesday and still no green card. We're supposed to be leaving on the trip on 3/29.

We have an infopass appointment on 03/16, the day after our 4 week wait for the GC is up. Should we be able to get an I-551 stamp without a problem? Anything in particular we should bring? I'm thinking AP, copy of our invitation to the initial interview, copy of the flights tickets we booked, etc...

I'm hoping we don't end up in the group of mysteriously disappeared green cards, but who knows?

Any advice, suggestions, consolations are appreciated...

Hi,

We were approved on 2/15 and have yet to hear anything. We're starting to get a little stressed because my husband has an international trip planned and is supposed to leave in 3 weeks. I'm hoping it comes through for us!

Does anyone know if AP can still be used in between being approved (but not having any proof of it!) and actually receiving a green card?

Let me know how things go for you.

Thanks for the suggestions. We haven't received an approval letter and we didn't receive a stamp either. Now I'm wishing I had pressed for a stamp or some sort of proof! We were just so happy to have the interview over with, we didn't think to ask for proof of approval or anything.

Ok, so meanwhile the trip is 3 weeks away on Wednesday. I'm going to give that green card another week to get here, but meanwhile I have to figure out a strategy in case it dosn't. Should I make an infopass appointment? Can they help me? Is the AP worth anything at this point? Any ideas?

Thanks.

Thanks for the suggestions. We haven't received an approval letter and we didn't receive a stamp either. Now I'm wishing I had pressed for a stamp or some sort of proof! We were just so happy to have the interview over with, we didn't think to ask for proof of approval or anything.

Ok, so meanwhile the trip is 3 weeks away on Wednesday. I'm going to give that green card another week to get here, but meanwhile I have to figure out a strategy in case it dosn't. Should I make an infopass appointment? Can they help me? Is the AP worth anything at this point? Any ideas?

Thanks.

It looks like it's a series - there's a new article about the same imam on nytimes.com today.

I'd like to join all the other impatient people out there.

My husband' greencard was approved at his interview on 2/15. We were told he would receive it in 2-4 weeks. It's been 2 weeks, and our online case status still mentions nothing of his approval. Is this normal?

I wouldn't normally care too much, but he is intending on leaving the country for a trip home in 4 weeks. We had everything worked out with AP beforehand, but I'm not sure that we could still use that.

So, any idea how long I should wait before *officially* freaking out?

If you like getting around on your own, I highly recommend picking up a copy of Lonely planet - Morocco. I lived in Morocco for 18 months and toured every corner of the country with the help of that guide.

Like others mentioned, the most popular cities are definitely Fez and Marrakech. I never had a good experience in Tangier, but the hardy might like it. As far as beach towns go, I'd recommend Essaouira in the relative south or Asilah in the north. Both are pretty and mostly quiet. The desert is also really gorgeous, but it totally depends on what you're looking for.

I'd be happy to help if you have any other questions.

Have fun!

My husband also has his permit. Thankfully my aunt agreed to take him on 12 one-hour driving sessions, and he learned a lot! She's calm and patient, I'm jumpy and impatient. Poor hubby, now he's had to deal with me, and I can finally understand how my parents must have felt when i was a novice!

Thanks for this bit, Kiya.

I want to add that I'm so sorry that you're being put through this. All the stress in this process comes from the fact that you never know if you're in the clear, even if your relationship is sound and stable as a rock. I was fortunate enough to have a smooth visa process with my habiba, but who knows if that was all luck and mere coincidence. By the way, my husband (Youness) is also from Kenitra. We've enjoyed the pictures you posted!

Obviously, this kind of situation would make anyone a fighting type - what other choice do you have? Based on that article, it seems like the awareness of the problems within the consular visa system is growing. One can only hope that your contribution to this awareness raising will eventually bring on some change!

Good luck!

We had two letters with us, but our interviewer didn't ask for a shred of evidence. I never removed anything from our huge binder. Maybe he thought the size of the binder was enough proof...

They made me feel more prepared, but in the end we didn't need them.

We made it!

The interview in LA was super easy. Same questions as everyone else has mentioned, although our interviewer tried to be funny in very unamusing ways: "Are you a disciple of Bin Laden? Ha. Ha. Did you mail order your groom? Ha. Ha."

Otherwise, all went well, and we weren't asked for a shred of evidence of any sort. The only information asked of us was my 2005 tax return, as proof that I am earning enough to support my husband. My only suggestion for LA interviewees is to give yourself plenty of time to find the federal building (we took a little detour). There's parking around the corner for $6.60.

Good luck, everyone!

This may be helpful to some of you as well. Based on what I read and the IRS help line (for whatever it's worth! I'm not sure much!), my husband (who came in Aug 2005) can be treated as a US resident, can take the foreign income exlusion and can file jointly with me. I guess we have to

"Attach a statement, signed by both spouses, to your joint return for the first tax year for which the choice applies. It should contain the following information.

A declaration that one spouse was a nonresident alien and the other spouse a U.S. citizen or resident alien on the last day of your tax year, and that you choose to be treated as U.S. residents for the entire tax year.

The name, address, and identification number of each spouse. (If one spouse died, include the name and address of the person making the choice for the deceased spouse.) "

I am a nonresident alien. Can I take the foreign earned income exclusion if I meet the bona fide resident test or physical presence test? If yes, what is the tax form used for nonresident taxpayer?

No, nonresident aliens do not qualify for the foreign earned income exclusion. Only if you are a U.S. citizen or a resident alien of the United States and live abroad, may you qualify to exclude a specific amount of your foreign earned income. Refer to chapter 4 of Publication 54 Tax Guides for U.S. Citizens and Resident Aliens Abroad, for limitation that apply. If you are the nonresident alien spouse of a U.S. citizen or resident alien, you can elect to be treated as a U.S. resident in order to file a joint return. In this case, you can take the foreign earned income exclusion if otherwise qualified. Refer to Publication 519, U.S. Tax Guide for Aliens, for detailed instructions on how to make this election.

However, nonresident aliens would be able to exclude their foreign earned income under the dual-status rules. Refer to Tax Topic 852 for dual-status information. A nonresident alien is generally not subject to U.S. tax on compensation for services performed outside the U.S.

References:

Publication 519, U.S. Tax Guide for Aliens

Nonresident Spouse Treated as a Resident

If, at the end of your tax year, you are married and one spouse is a U.S. citizen or a resident alien and the other spouse is a nonresident alien, you can choose to treat the nonresident spouse as a U.S. resident. This includes situations in which one spouse is a nonresident alien at the beginning of the tax year, but a resident alien at the end of the year, and the other spouse is a nonresident alien at the end of the year.

If you make this choice, you and your spouse are treated for income tax purposes as residents for your entire tax year. Generally, neither you nor your spouse can claim tax treaty benefits as a resident of a foreign country for a tax year for which the choice is in effect and you are both taxed on worldwide income. You must file a joint income tax return for the year you make the choice, but you and your spouse can file joint or separate returns in later years.

If you file a joint return under this provision, the special instructions and restrictions for dual-status taxpayers in chapter 6 do not apply to you.

Example.

Bob and Sharon Williams are married and both are nonresident aliens at the beginning of the year. In June, Bob became a resident alien and remained a resident for the rest of the year. Bob and Sharon both choose to be treated as resident aliens by attaching a statement to their joint return. Bob and Sharon must file a joint return for the year they make the choice, but they can file either joint or separate returns for later years.

How To Make the Choice

Attach a statement, signed by both spouses, to your joint return for the first tax year for which the choice applies. It should contain the following information.

A declaration that one spouse was a nonresident alien and the other spouse a U.S. citizen or resident alien on the last day of your tax year, and that you choose to be treated as U.S. residents for the entire tax year.

The name, address, and identification number of each spouse. (If one spouse died, include the name and address of the person making the choice for the deceased spouse.)

Amended return. You generally make this choice when you file your joint return. However, you can also make the choice by filing a joint amended return on Form 1040X. Attach Form 1040, Form 1040A, or Form 1040EZ and print “Amended” across the top of the corrected return. If you make the choice with an amended return, you and your spouse must also amend any returns that you may have filed after the year for which you made the choice.

You generally must file the amended joint return within 3 years from the date you filed your original U.S. income tax return or 2 years from the date you paid your income tax for that year, whichever is later.

Thanks for all the responses - this is really helpful. We'll be going to our AOS interview Feb 15, and I'm just hoping I get my darn W-2s in time to file 2005 taxes. But I've learned how to patiently wait!