natedog_cool

Finally checking in with an update!

We received our acceptance letter on 2/7/2013 (dated 2/5/2013), and the new green card arrived on 2/8/2013. (I was surprised these were so close together.)

No interview required. Good stuff!

I haven't abandoned this thread - my wife and I just haven't heard anything yet.

Those of you approved - was your online case status ever accurate? Ours still shows "Your case can not be found at this time in My Case Status."

Quick update - we did our biometrics on 7/11/12 at the Salt Lake City USCIS office (which recently moved downtown - much closer to us!).

Our application still doesn't show up online for tracking... that's a little odd.

We got our NOA-1, it's dated: 05/29/2012

Waiting for a biometrics appointment letter now so we can go in early and get it done.

I added myself to the Google Doc. We mailed on 5/24/2012, it arrived 5/26/2012. No check cashed yet...

We got approved! Actually we got approved on Aug 20th. I just forgot to update everyone on this site until the green card arrived.

IF anyone needs to know, the current I-865 only requires you to show 125% poverty level during the previous tax year, not all three. Our original filing only included my tax info (plenty of income in 2009, but 2008 and 2007 were below the poverty line as I was a student). We filled out co-sponsor documentation for my parents "just in case" and took it to the interview - he never brought it up, so I asked him at the end of the interview and he informed us that only the previous year matters.

(I think I remember reading this in the guide/instructions, I just wanted everyone to know that it's true!)

Thanks for all the help - couldn't have done it without VisaJourney. (Also, don't pay a lawyer for the paperwork unless you're both a) rich, and b) busy.)

As you (the above quoted poster) AOS'd and had to file an I-130 you are an entirely different case. That's why there's a separate forum for Family based visa adjusters (k1's etc), and people who adjust from other visas (visitor etc)

Oops, sorry - didn't see that! I always forget that fiancee visa holders have to file AOS like all other people adjusting. (I married someone on an F-1 student visa and we're adjusting visa family-based documents, so I straddle a few forums.)

^ Best to listen to those who know about K-1 visas, and good luck!

I filed on May 3rd 2010. We received biometrics, EAD authorization, and even our interview appointment date in the real mail, but so far, I-485 and I-130 still have NOT been touched online!

Don't fret - I think updating the online status of accounts is a side-thought when processing your application. Ours seems to be progressing perfectly normal (we received an EAD card and will attend the interview next week) and yet still have no online updates.

The more evidence you can include in your original application, the easier your interview will go (based on reading people's experiences here).

We sent:

Checking account statements (both names on account)

Savings account statements (both names on account)

9 pages of pictures taken over 12 months

Insurance policy showing dual coverage

Life insurance policy showing her as my beneficiary

Retirement plan showing her as my beneficiary

Utility bills (gas, electric) addressed to both of us with our current address

You can find great lists of other possible documentation online. Good luck!

The wife and I took a road trip through Colorado and found our appointment notification waiting for us when we came home - August 20th, 11 am! Still waiting on the EAD card to arrive - ordered production on July 14th.

Congrats to those who have finished, and best of luck to the nervous few like myself who are gearing up for the interview.

Poking in to say hello! My wife and I filed for her AOS in May 2010 and today finally saw our first case update - EAD production ordered! That's great news, because she's a student (F1) and wanted to be legal to work this fall as a TA on campus. Whoo!

I am an American citizen. I taught English in China for a year (July 2007 - July 2008) after graduating from college. While there, I met my (current) wife and we became good friends over the course of a few months. My teaching tenure was done and I was offered a job at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City and moved home.

We kept in touch via Skype for a year while I helped her apply to American graduate schools (it had always been a dream of her's but the application process was too intimidating until she met me). She was accepted to many but chose to attend the school offering the best financial aid package which happened to be about 90 minutes from where I live (Utah State University in Logan, UT).

She applied for her F-1 visa, was accepted, and came to the U.S. on July 29th 2009. I flew to San Francisco to pick her up from the airport and escort her to her new apartment in Logan, Utah.

During the year apart, we both dated other people and talked about this openly with each other. We didn't originally have any romantic intentions. However, after I helped her move to Logan, we immediately started a romantic relationship. I spent my weekends driving back and forth to see her. Over her winter vacation, we eloped on Jan 7th 2010. She transferred schools (since I worked for the University of Utah, this just involved calling in a few favors in International Admissions). We kept her I-20 current by transferring it to the University of Utah.

After her I-20 transfer was complete (we felt it was important to maintain status), we filed our I-130 and I-485 in May 2010. She's still a student and anticipates getting her M.S. in Electrical Engineering in May 2011.

My only concern is that during our AOS interview, they will ask how and where we met. I plan on being completely honest (of course), but I'm concerned that knowing each other prior to her applying for an F-1 Visa may set off red flags.

Does anyone have any input on our situation? The University's immigration adviser tells us it's not an issue that we knew each other before she came to the U.S., and she helped us understand the immigration process. But I'm still anxious about the interview (not yet scheduled).

Thanks for any related experiences or advice that will either help put my mind at ease or scare me into preparing for a harder interview than we're anticipating.

You don't need a lawyer, all you need to do is contact the title company that handled your closing. They'll produce an addendum to the deed that adds her name as a legal owner of the property. She doesn't need to be on the loan in order to be named on the deed, so don't worry about the mortgage / bank, just the title company. (Expect to pay $300 - $400 to the title company to do this.)