MilitaryWife2010

You should try scheduling an infopass... Bring the proof that you've applied to the army and they might stamp you passport.

PS, you should be getting your GC in about 2wks since you got your production order.

OMG> of course my issues will never end. This sounded too good to be truth.

So the thing is - it kinda bothered me that my I-485 says "card production ordered", but the I-130 remained untouched since May 13.

So I called the military line and asked why it was like that. They wouldn't give me any info on the I-130 because I wasn't the petitioner (duh, my husband is at war right now!!!)

So they only agreed to talk about the 485 application. Which they told me show up as "still processing" in "their system". Which system? I thought they had had 1 system. Apparently, not.

I had received an email, a text, and the online USCIS stastus is "card production ordered". the customer service rep told me that it wasn't correct, as my case is still showing as "pending". ANd he said that it might have been a mistake (the status of my 485).

A MISTAKE???

How do you make a mistake like that - to send out an email, a text and update the status online???

Anyone has any idea? I'm deeeeeeeply confused, angry and ready to climb the walls...

hold on, hold on:

Is it for your I-485 or I-765?

You get the same status update for both - the EAD (if you filed for it) and the GC.

Double check which case the update is for....

Just saying.

I got the same one on July 14 for my GC.

Hope you have the same one, but just check again.

Congrats in advance

hey is your husband deployed? if so how was it?

did you bring his birth certificate?

Yes! He's still in Afghanistan (till October 2010), and I just brought in all the originals of what I had sent them with our package.

The IO looked at them all.

ALSO, VERY IMPORTANT>>>

If your spouse is deployed, you HAVE to get his/her deployment orders from the base to prove they're out of the country.

Does anyone know how I can get my Passport stamped with 551 (GC approved) since they didn't make their decision at the interview.

I'm trying to join the army myself, but they need the proof from me that the case had been approved.

Can i just walk in the USCIS with a print out from my case updates with "Card production ordered" and they can give me the stamp in the passport???

Anyone done that?

thanks

hey guys,

I got a "card production ordered email" this morning!!!

Long story (which I will share with you when I get home from work/school), but I guess I'm aporoved!!!

After all this painful waiting!

BTW, the I-130 is still not touched, even thou I-485 is approved? Wierd...

I got a hold of my hubby! Finally! First of all, thank god he's alive.

Now he gave me a new password (turned out he is forced to change it every month or so, that's why i was unable to log in), I printed out what the guy needed and mailed it out today.

I found out that the power of attorney had been assigned to his mom a few months before we got married...

Now waiting for the IO to either resume the case or ask for more (god forbid).

thanks everyone for the support here

Well if they feel that any marriage that a Marine enters into has an incentive for fraud due to doubling of the salaries, the entire US Marine Corps should have all of their marriages investigated, even if the soldiers are married to US citizens. That is the responsibility of the DOD.

The responsibility of the DHS is to ensure that the marriage was not for the greencard.

I'm actually asking for some sort of advice...

Anyone?

Hi all,

So I just had to go to our interview on June 15 in DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES USCIS by myself, since my hubby is still in Afghanistan on his deployment.

I tried to re-schedule - made an infopass appt, explained the situation, but the lady just told me to show up by myself. Which I did, and now I think it was a HUGE mistake!

The interviewer was behaving nicely, but all the time was asking me tricky questions as if trying to catch me on a lie. I have nothing to lie about, but he kept me there for literally 50 minutes. I had a bunch of proof, but he said "Look, I'm not trying to accuse you of any fraud, but we do need to make sure that the marriage is genuine, since marines' salaries double when they marry, which I'm pretty sure you're aware of". I was sooo shocked!

My husband is in the front line right now, I haven't talked to him since April 22nd, and am freaking out, and he has the nerve to say these kind of things??? Sometimes people just blow my mind...

I gave him all kinds of proof (our joint checking, my Tricare insurance through the USMC, lease, pictures, etc). When he looked through my bank statement, and saw only my income deposited, so he inquired where my husband's direct deposit went. I said - he has a separate account that he's had for years with the army, and if I need money, i can go to the bank and withdraw it from that account (which I had to do in April one time).

Now he wants me to print out some paper proving that I have access to that account of my husband. I just tried to log in, and it says "wrong password". And I can't get a hold of my hubby to ask him why I can't log in. I'm given 30 days max to send them the proof, and the faster the better.

They're not even giving me my EAD!!!

He also said that as soon as they get that paperwork, the case would be transferred to their "military unit". What is it? How long do they take?

Has anyone had anything like this happened at the interview when your spouse was not present due to deployment?

Please, help me.

Thank you!

My attorney received an RFE for us today. Nothing to worry about, it's for my Joint Sponsors 2009 Tax Return, we were expecting it anyways. He just hadn't filed his taxes when we filed the package. So I gotta drive from Buffalo to Syracuse over the weekend, to pick the documents up.

Biometrics Appointment is on Monday.

Everything is going well.

Received Interview letter for June 15 at 1:45pm

Hubby is away on deployment, have no idea where to get his deployment orders....

LOL you called FBI?

I'm gonna do the same, I guess.. Could you please PM me their direct phone # that you used?

Spasibo

It helps a lot, you are right. We'll see!

I called FBI and they told me that my fingerprints and background check have been processed and sent back to USCIS. After that they are supposed to send the case to the local office.

Feb. 20, 2010 - Our Wedding!

March 9, 2010 - AOS, EAD, AP package sent

March 10, 2010 - Package received

March 16, 2010 - NOA's for AOS, EAD and AP

March 19, 2010 - NOA Hardcopies received

March 25,2010 - Biometrics Letter received

March 29, 2010 - Biometrics Taken - Walk In

April 1, 2010 - Case sent to CSC!

April 9, 2010 - Originally Scheduled Biometric Appointment

APRIL 22, 2010 - GREEN CARD APPROVED!!

April 29, 2010 - Welcome Notice received

May 1, 2010 - Green Card in Hand

I was just looking through your timeline and noticed it doesn't include interview. You didn't have it?

Why?

I'm curious, because my hubby is deployed to a hot zone right now and won't be back till late fall so I'm just thinking maybe some people don't have to attend an interview. What were yours circumstances?

Thank you

Question for those who has signed up for the email/text updates notifications:

After I've signed up (on the same date I received my NOAs with the case numbers), I did not receive any emails about any of the "touches" that they've done. Is that normal? I mean, shouldn't I have received an email/text when they had mailed out my biometrics letter?

Weird....

I always said and will keep saying that it is not USCIS business to tell you to file "joint" with your husband. If it makes more sense to file "married filing separately" you should do so. You just need to make sure that your spouse and you have the same address on both tax returns.

Obviously if "joint" tax returns would be your only proof of real marriage, so yes, maybe it isn't the best thing to file separately then. But if you have other proof such as joint bank accounts, insurance, bills, car titles etc., tax filing status should not be USCIS concern.

Good Luck!

^ THank you! That's what I think, too. It's just not making sense for me to lose so much on financial aid that I TRULY need simply because of their weird family contribution calculations...

no I'm not going to file as "single", just "married but filing separately"

Yea I guess i need to talk to the councelors...

I read on another forum that a few people had to file separately to get FinAid in general, because when you're married filing jointly, they consider it as a family contribution, which they assume will be a big chunk.

If he won't go to college, see if you can use his GI Bill - you said he was in Afghanistan? Spouses and children can also use it.

I'm still in school (for now in community college), and I will be transferring to a private school next year (Ivy League).

I used their FinAid calculator to estimate how much federal aid I will get if I'm married filing separately, or married filing jointly.

the difference is HUGE!

The cost of attendance is $52,000/year

If married filing jointly - I get $11,000 financial aid.

If married filing separately - I get $48,000 financial aid.

It's stupid for me to file jointly simply to prove USCIS that our marriage is legal. Anyone with me on this?

Will that be a good reason why I'm not going to file jointly, since I heard they consider it to be the best evidence of bonafide marriage?

His salary is not that much higher than mine (I get 30k, he will get 40k this year since he's deployed in Afghanistan), but the fact that we file jointly and EFC (expected family contribution) is MUCH AND MUCH higher. He's saving money to start our family business in a few years, so this money can't be taken into account anyway. We had a few arguments about it with my husband, since he doesn't believe in the best education as much as I do, he hasn't gone to college and is not planning to. But it IS extremely important for me, whereas he only wants to just own a business as a family, that way he's saying I won't have to worry about education...

What to do???

Thanks for the reply!

This morning I came in at 7.40am, they opened at 8am, and I was #6.

At 8.20am they announce that they had gotten new machines last friday and the machines were functioning just fine...until this morning.

There was some security issue at 2 am and the super-smart machines shut themselves down, and no one seemed to know how to bring them back to life.

So the guy said "I'm calling Washington DC right now to find out how to unlock them, we don't know if the machines will be running in 5 minutes or 5 hours". I had to go to work, but I asked the guy at the reception if he could give me a call when the system is back up, AND HE DID in about 3 hours.

So I went back, didn't have to wait in line, got my fingerprints done, picture taken. It was a breeze! The staff at FAIRFAX USCIS is extremely friendly, corteous and helpful.

Hopefully, my forms will be touched later today or tomorrow...

I completed my walk in biometrics last Friday (23rd april, Des Moines office) the day after receiving the appointment notice scheduled for May 17th.

I took the biometrics appointment notice I got in the mail, as well as my NOA's for receipt of I-465/I-765.

There was no problem whatsoever, I just handed them the paperwork and told them i was there to do my biometrics, and filled out a form, and within 15 minutes fingerprinting/picture taking was done (there was nobody else waiting).

good luck!

I decided to do a walk-in biometrics tomorrow morning instead of waiting till 5/11

What did you guys have to bring with you? My friend just told me that I had to bring all the originals with me. is that true?

is there anything else i should be prepared for?

Thanks

Has anyone done their biometrics at USCIS Fairfax, 5949 w pico blvd, los angeles 90035 location?

I just received an appointment notice for 5/11, but planning on doing a walk-in some morning next week.

Share your experience please

Received 3 NOA's today! yay!

Checks were cashed on 4/16 (pretty quick)

So there's 3 MSC-00-000-00000 numbers for each notice. Which one do I check? lol

Ok, today I was told that sometimes when a spouse is on active military duty, they often don't call you for the interview.

This is really important to know for us, as my husband is on deployment till late fall

Has anyone been in this situation?

How does it work? Am I going to have to go by myself?

Here's what I sent them (will paste my cover letters that indicate the contents).

Please, tell me I didn't mess it up anywhere...I'm soo nervous (my husband is deployed till at least November, and I'm scared to go through this by myself).

United States Department of Homeland Security

Citizenship and Immigration Services

P.O. Box 805887

Chicago, IL

60680-4120

April 7, 2010

I-130 Petition

To Whom It May Concern:

Enclosed please find the following main and supporting documents:

• Payment in the amount of $355.00

•Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative

•Documents establishing petitioner’s US citizenship

-Copy of petitioner’s birth certificate

-Copy of US passport (all pages)

•Certified copy of marriage certificate (signature and seal of the notary on the back)

•Form G-325A, Biographic Information with photo of the petitioner (4 copies)

--2 Photographs with name on back

• I-864EZ, Affidavit of Support

• Tax return for 2009 year

• W-2 form for 2009 year

• Proof of Active Military Duty

-Military ID that expires 09SEP2011

- Notification of Deployment to Afghanistan

•Evidence that bona fides the marital relationship

-Documentation showing co-mingling of financial resources (joint bank account), copy of our debit cards

-Addendum to lease agreement stating that we live together from March 2010

-Joint health insurance (copy of enrollment)

Copies of documents submitted are exact photocopies of unaltered documents and I understand that I may be required to submit original documents to an Immigration or Consular officer at a later date.

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at any time.

Thank you very much for your help.

Sincerely,

Our names

Address

Phone number

Second cover letter:

United States Department of Homeland Security

Citizenship and Immigration Services

P.O. Box 805887

Chicago, IL

60680-4120

April 7, 2010

I-485 Original submission

To Whom It May Concern:

Enclosed please find my Form I-485, APPLICATION TO REGISTER PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR ADJUST STATUS

Contents include:

• Payment in the amount of $1010.00

• Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status

• Copy of Passport

-Biographical Page

-US visa

-Copy of Form I-94

• DS 2019 (Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor J-1 Status)

• Copy of my Birth Certificate

• Form G-325A, Biographic Information (4 copies and 4 continuation sheets)

-2 Photographs with name on back

• Medical Form l-693 (in sealed envelope by the Civil Surgeon)

• Form I-765 Application for Employment Authorization

Copies of documents submitted are exact photocopies of unaltered documents and I understand that I may be required to submit original documents to an Immigration or Consular officer at a later date.

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at any time.

Sincerely,

name

Address

Hello fellow co-filers Today I officially joined the April 2010 group.

We mailed our I-130 (and the I-485) on Friday. Today it was delivered at the Chicago Lockbox....

Waiting starts....

Good luck to all!

Thank you for all your replies!

However I still don't understand what the purpose for the interview is if he's not coming with me (since he just got deployed).

Are they just going to call me alone or wait till he gets back?

Thanks!

Here are ours... we used bits and pieces of the sample and others we had seen... Please be sure to check addresses because some of the new "sending" places may have changed.

Overall Cover Letter:

United States Department of Homeland Security

Citizenship and Immigration Services

P.O. Box 805887

Chicago, IL

60680-4120

December 26, 2009

Immediate Relative (Spouse) Family Based Adjustment of Status Application with Concurrent I-130 Filing

To Whom It May Concern:

Enclosed please find the following contents:

• I-130, Petition for Alien Relative and evidence

• I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status and evidence

• I-765, Application for Employment Authorization

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions. Thank you very much for your help.

Sincerely,

Kyle (VWP Spouse) Laura (USC Spouse)

Addresses

Phone Numbers

Email Addresses

I-130:

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

P.O. Box 805887

Chicago, IL

60680-4107

December 26, 2009

Nature of the submission: I-130 Petition

To Whom It May Concern:

Enclosed please find the form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative for Kyle Gordon Savage-Lowden, and supporting documents.

Contents of packet includes:

• Payment in the amount of $355.00

•Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative

•Documents establishing petitioner’s US citizenship

-Certified copy of birth certificate

•Certified copy of marriage certificate

•Certified copy of divorce decree from petitioner

•Form G-325A, Biographic Information with photo of the petitioner

•Form G-325A, Biographic Information with photo of beneficiary

•Evidence that bona fides the marital relationship

-Documentation showing co-mingling of financial resources (bank statement)

-Photographs

Copies of documents submitted are exact photocopies of unaltered documents and I understand that I may be required to submit original documents to an Immigration or Consular officer at a later date. Please feel free to contact me, if you have any questions. Thank you very much for your help.

Sincerely,

Laura

Address

Phone Number

Email

I-485:

]United States Department of Homeland Security

Citizenship and Immigration Services

P.O. Box 805887

Chicago, IL

60680-4120

December 26, 2009

Nature of the submission: I-485 ORIGINAL SUBMISSION

To Whom It May Concern:

Enclosed please find my Form I-485, APPLICATION TO REGISTER PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR ADJUST STATUS

Contents include:

• Payment in the amount of $1010.00

• Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status

• Copy of Passport (Biographical Page and Entry Stamp)

• Copy of Form I-94

• Copy of my Birth Certificate

• 2 Photographs with name on back

• Certified Copy of Marriage Certificate

• Copy of divorce decree for USC spouse

• Form G-325A, Biographic Information

• Medical Form l-693 (in sealed envelope by the Civil Surgeon)

• 1-864 Affidavit of Support

- Federal Income Tax Return for the past year, including W2

- Copy of Pay Stubs from past 7 months

• Form I-765 Application for Employment Authorization

Copies of documents submitted are exact photocopies of unaltered documents and I understand that I may be required to submit original documents to an Immigration or Consular officer at a later date. Please feel free to contact me, if you have any questions. Thank you very much for your help.

Sincerely,

Kyle

Address

Phone Number

Email

Hello everyone!

Maybe this topic already exists somewhere, but I just spend over an hour searching for it. The pinned threads seem a little too old (from 2007) and as I know some important rules changed in 2009-2010.

I'm a little confused about the AOS package. I just found out that I need to mail 4 copies of G-325A for both of us, and before that I thought it just had to be 1 for each. I stumbled on this info on some other forum, so now I'm not sure what other copies (and how many of them) we need to mail... Don't want to make mistakes in this fragile process, so please help!

Here's my story:

I came here on a J-1 work and travel visa (no 2 year rule applies) in 2007. Visa expired in 2007 and I don't have any status now. I have an SSN, employed, paying taxes, abiding by law otherwise.

Met my hubby in January through my coworker - her brother is my husband's best childhood friend. So we liked each other and started dating. He is a Marine, so he lived Mon-Fri on the base, and came over to my place for the weekend since week three.

We got married in mid-march. It was VERY spontaneous, because we were dating for only a few months... He did mention before that he would love to marry me one day, but nothing serious was planned. He was going to be deployed for over 6 months, so just a week before deployment on a Friday night he invited me to Vegas to party before deployment, and proposed to me next Sat morning. I wasn't sure if I wanted to jump into this so early, but he was really concerned about my expired visa and it bugged him (because he has his standards etc). So he pretty much told me that he would have peace of mind if I could become legal while he's away. Now he's gone (left the U.S. last Wednesday night) and I'm trying to figure out what and where to send... He filled out his I-130 and the affidavit of support, his G-325A, applied for my military ID, but it looks like there's so much more to include..

Please, give me a checklist of everything that goes into that packet.

Also, I'm not so sure about the interview process - he's not coming home until about November! What do I do?

Also, some people are talking about "cover letter". Nowhere in the USCIS instructions I found this suggestion...

How many pictures do we send for each of us?

What supplementary paperwork (and pictures) shall I put in the envelope?

Please, help!

Thank you and Happy Easter!