luckykat

Yeah. When I never thought the green card is literally a green card. I mean, it became a household term already that you would not think of the literal meaning since you always hear it all the time. I would think: Green card = synonymous to US citizenship card, not Green card = green card. Haha. I don't know if you will agree. But that's how I thought about it before.

Previously, it wasn't green, but I guess they decided to change it because everybody was already calling it a "green card".

In keeping with the Permanent Resident Card's nickname, it will now be colored green for easy recognition.

Announcement

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=79bd3893c4888210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=68439c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD

New Features

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=34233893c4888210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=68439c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD

Q&A

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=ab8c3893c4888210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=68439c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD

I got my EAD about 3 months after filing. Had already started looking about a month earlier though, and had a job ready for me by the time I got the EAD. During interviews I just told them that my EAD is estimated to arrive within ___ weeks. You only need the card on the first day of work.

My EAD arrived the day after the third notification.

Thanks nats, EmVee, OC! I'm glad to have this over with, and hope the ROC process is a little less painful. I think by then it will be much easier to prove our relationship, as we'll have even more evidence and such. And hopefully we will be less nervous and therefore look more natural together.

And thank you to all fellow Feb filers as well as all other contributors to VJ whose posts I have counted on for guidance (and time benchmarking!) throughout this whole process.

Edit to add: And good luck OC!!

Had the interview yesterday and was approved.

The IO had a serious look on his face the whole time except on maybe one or two occasions, when my husband cracked a joke. He started off by going through our application and verifying our names, address, etc. Yes, he did ask all those questions on that checklist, and of course I said "no", but he was staring at me so intently that I felt nervous and almost like I was guilty of something. ("Yes, I guess I am a terrorist! I'm sorry!") We showed our joint health insurance, life insurance, mail addressed to both of us, and a stack of pictures (collage style). He really looked at the ones of the courthouse ceremony. We were really nervous (at least I was), so I guess we were pretty stiff and our loveydoveyness didn't show much. However, I think our affection for each other came out when he asked us how we met and then we helped each other tell the story, laughing and joking throughout it. We'd hardly finished it when he turned to his computer and printed out the removal of conditions paper and said we were approved.

Your EAD will get to you on the 9th day start count from your card production ordered day. On May 2nd, right?

Hi Unique, I was going back through the posts (to reread interview experiences) and found I forgot to reply to your post.

You were right!! (although it was Saturday May 1, not Sunday May 2. But close enough!) Thanks for the assurance during my time of anxiety. Khobkhunkha

Starting today, USCIS is issuing new GC model.

http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=79bd3893c4888210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=68439c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD

Thanks for the link!

Hmm.. maybe that's why all the CSC transfers have been held up! Perhaps they had been producing them with the new design and were waiting for the official launch!

I'm in the same situation. My husband owns the house, but it would be really complicated to add me to it, because of the mortgage and how he's currently trying to get it refinanced and all. We're just going to leave that bit alone and hope we get approved on other evidence.

Crossing my fingers to get my EAD today or soon at least!

I want to start looking for a job.

Hoping that you get it soon! However I would suggest starting to look already, because it'll take a while to find one, and to get through the process. Just tell them your work authorization will be coming in the mail, and give them the estimated date. (Since you're a Feb filer it shouldn't take much longer!)

Interesting.. thanks for the link SweetApple!

Hey bro. thanks for the response. I do not know how to fo the timeline but i will try. Yea its def not a denial. I really dont want to come across like I am making a big deal out of this because I know all I have to do is send in the affidavit and im good. My wife was the one that had a hard time and I feel bad for her because I really dont know what her relationship with her mom have to do with proving our relationship. The time he spent quizzin my wife on her mom he could have used to find out more about our relationship. but at the end of the interview he told us that it wad only take a fee day becuz we live 15mins from the center.

Hi luckygoat! Sorry to hear you have to go through this additional hassle. I didn't send in any affidavits at all and am now wondering if I should start asking people!

Um, by the way, you wouldn't happen to be drinking at the moment, would you? Just noticed your last post has a few more typos this time

Yay! We finally have a progress reports sub-forum of our own now!

CPT is Curricular Practical Training, which allows students to work off-campus while they are students. (Try googling "CPT international student" and you'll see lots of university websites explaining what it is.) I think it's just for F-1, but I think J-1 has something called "academic training".

I talked to my university's international center and they said they wouldn't change my J1 status - so from their side everything would be fine.

I'm an F-1 student, and my international student office said the same, that they wouldn't change my status until I had the green card. Actually, some of them had differing opinions. One said they would still consider me until I give them a copy of my permanent resident document, another said I could stop being an international student when I want to (just give them NOA1 copy), and another said it's a gray zone and it all depends on me.

So for me, I took advantage of my F-1 student status and filed for CPT while I was waiting for my EAD.

Seems like most of March filers never really got their EAD before they got their interview notice. Seems like they just make you wait till you get your GC. This sucks big. It sucks going to job interviews (which is already hard to come by) and having to tell them you probably have to wait for a work permit for at least 2 months. Employers don't want to wait that long.

Are you still in valid F-1 status? You might be able to apply for CPT, which will allow you to work while still maintaining student status. I think I saw one of your previous posts that you're graduating in May, but if you really want to do this, you can apply for a class during the summer and remain eligible for CPT. This is what my international student adviser suggested to me when I asked her about working while waiting for my EAD. (I'm graduating in June.) Fortunately for me, my EAD arrived 2 days before my job started, but if it had been delayed I still would have the CPT.

No AP?

We are not going to apply for the I-131

Congrats to all approvals and cards being received!

I can't believe my luck! EAD arrived on Saturday, first day of work on Monday.. yay!

What my husband did was before we send out the packet, he scanned everything and now we have a PDF file of the whole packet. All we have to do is print out a set. In addition to that we're bringing our 2009 taxes.

However, as EmVee mentioned, and as I've read from other people's experiences, they probably won't look at it if you already sent it in. I try to be prepared for everything though.

I meant basically a copy (with originals) of everything you sent in with the application.

Its funny because I still dont have any updates for my advance patrol from the frist day, yet I received it. lol

Oh, btw my AP arrived on the same day as the EAD. However, my AP status is still in "Initial Review" even though the EAD status was being updated as it was coming along.

Ok if you guys could just look over my list and tell me if i have everything right so that if i am missing something i just fix it tomorrow.

Joint cable bill,health insurance,car insurance,vet bills,e-mails and pictures

Both our Birth Certificates

Marriage Certificate

Pay stubs (couldn't submit any when i sent forms)

I feel like i am missing something if you guys could help me out that would be very helpful!!!

Thanks!

As lucky goat mentioned, don't forget your passport (+visa), I-94, etc. Do you have all the tax return stuff as well?

Good luck!!!

My EAD arrived yesterday. I look.. different. But at least not hideous like I was fearing.

Has anyone got there EAD in the mail yet? I still haven't received anything saying whether mine was approved or not.

Mine arrived in the mail yesterday! Yay!

Good thing 'cuz I have a part-time job that starts tomorrow (though I was prepared to whip out my CPT authorization if it had been delayed)

I'm checking my status online everyday anxiously, as I have to start a job end of June... I had to negotiate really hard for them to wait for me for 2 months. I REALLY hope things come through by then!

I hear ya!

Second status update on the EAD (card production again). AP was touched as well, but still in "Initial Review". Is this normal?

No pun intended, I was answering the OP question but based on luckykat's reply to my post, I was trying to explain that I was not questioning their decision to file for CPT but simply explaining that its not needed and was not personally attacking luckycat...

Understood, and sorry for any confusion.

In regards to the CPT, I am being as conservative as I can. Before I applied, I consulted with my International Students Office and explained my situation and this was considered the most appropriate solution. I also had nothing to lose except the $20 for late add, which is worth my peace of mind. Now I don't even have to wait for the EAD.