meredith and zac

I really don't want to print out 2 years worth of bank statements... how have you guys sent in transaction history for joint bank accounts?

No. Affidavits are not required.

They are not even strong evidence because you can ask someone to write anything or have someone sign something you wrote when you just met them standing on a street.

- You only really need affidavits if you have not got proper evidence spanning 2 years of marriage.

Great, thanks!!

We are starting the process of removal of conditions and I am looking at the USCIS's list of instructions, and it gives a list of documents. It says "the documents should include, but not be limited to..." and one of the things on the list is "Affidavits sworn to or affirmed by at least two people who have known both of you since your conditional residence was granted and have personal knowledge of your marriage and relationship."

Does this mean that affadavits are required? I feel like I read somewhere that affadavits are not considered good evidence, and only need to be included if you don't feel you have sufficient evidence.

Also, if we have the following evidence: Joint tax returns, joint bank accounts, joint car loan, joint insurance policies and a joint mortgage, do I really need to include pictures and christmas cards, etc? I feel like almost silly sending in that kind of stuff at this stage in the game.

Thanks in advance for the help!

Has anyone had any experience with this? My husband got his green card about a month ago and we have been looking for jobs and he finally got one!!! He gave his new employer his brand new SSN that he applied for just a couple of months ago, and apparently they said that it is "not going through the system" so they verified the number with him and are going to try it again. Is it possible that the SSN is so new that it hasn't fully made it into their "system" yet? Did anyone else have this trouble when they got their first job in the US? He is really worried that he won't be hired because of this little problem!!!

I am wondering the same thing. It is the varicella vaccine that I did not get. They told me that I didn't need it for the visa, but that I may need it once I applied for adjustment of status.

Just an update, I have officially been approved! So, for anyone that is wondering, it is ok if you have not had the varicella vaccine.

If my vaccination document worksheey is ticked vaccine history incomplete and then ticked Applicant may be eligible for blanket waiver(s) because vaccination(s) not medically appropriated (as indicated above) but all the boxes are ticked showing the completed series that are required then all the other boxes are ticked Not age appropriate.

so does this mean my DS-3025 is ok?

I am wondering the same thing. It is the varicella vaccine that I did not get. They told me that I didn't need it for the visa, but that I may need it once I applied for adjustment of status.

That's great news. So did your fiance receive a text from DX Couriers?

yep! he got a text the day before it was delivered, saying it will be delivered on this day between these times (and it came on the early end of that) so i guess leave a cell number with the courier as opposed to a land line number!

thank you! this is really helpful!!!

Is it possible to start applying for jobs before getting EAD, then just not start working until you have it? Or is it really not possible to even apply until you have the EAD document in hand?

Ok, so... I just need a clarification here. AP means "additional processing", correct? My fiance just had his interview on the 15th and from what he could tell he was good to go and filled out the mailing information and paid the postage fee... but I just called DOS to check if the visa has been issued yet and was told that the visa was still "pending" and going through "administrative processing." My heart dropped when I heard that because all I could think was AP!!! Does administrative processing means that they just haven't issued the visa yet? We would know if they had to do additional processing, wouldn't we? Like they would have told him at the embassy if they needed something more or had to review something, wouldn't they? I am so nervous...

FALSE ALARM!! not 20 minutes after my freak out, my fiance sends me a message that says "SMS has your US Embassy item 1811114949 set for delivery between 8am and 6pm 18/03/2011" OMG yayyyyyyyy!!!! and holy cow that was super fast!

Ok, so... I just need a clarification here. AP means "additional processing", correct? My fiance just had his interview on the 15th and from what he could tell he was good to go and filled out the mailing information and paid the postage fee... but I just called DOS to check if the visa has been issued yet and was told that the visa was still "pending" and going through "administrative processing." My heart dropped when I heard that because all I could think was AP!!! Does administrative processing means that they just haven't issued the visa yet? We would know if they had to do additional processing, wouldn't we? Like they would have told him at the embassy if they needed something more or had to review something, wouldn't they? I am so nervous...

On this topic... is there anything on VisaJourney about the process to get a US driver's license? I imagine it varies by state, and I am having a hard time finding information on this for my state (Missouri). Does anyone have experience with this? We pretty much just want to know if my fiance would need to just take the "rules of the road" paper test, or would he actually have to take the physical driving test as well? And also, what type of documentation they need to get a license here.

I'm getting a bit fed up now, I obviously picked the wrong line at the supermarket, so to speak. Seems like everyone on here who sent packet 3 on or around the same time as me got their interview dates already, quite a few are next week. All DOS say is the interview date is "pending" Pending what?! That's all the rather unfriendly woman said. I guess it was 4:45 and she was desperate to get home

Ok, so... have you had your medical at least 5 days ago? Have you sent in your packet 3 at least 3 weeks ago? Have you paid your visa fee?

If the answer to all three questions is yes, then your interview should be set any day now, and the DOS can give you this information:

The date the embassy received your medical results, and the date the embassy logged your packet 3. I am assuming that they have both of those pieces of information if they are using the verbage that your interview date is "pending." I head words regarding our interview ("your appointment date has not been sent yet") once all of that information was in the computer.

Call the DOS and ask specifically, "when did the embassy log packet 3?" and "when did the embassy receive my medical results?"

Our interview date was set roughly 4 days after our packet 3 was logged (they had previously received the medical results). I have heard that if packet 3 was logged before your medical results were received, it could delay the time it takes for your interview to be set, but I don't know for sure if that is true or not.

we got ours in just under 5 months (almost two months ago now) but we have friends who are going onto 6 months now (NOA1 at end of october and still not approved yet) so hang in there... maybe another month to 6 weeks for end of november-ers

http://www.murthy.com/news/n_shutdo.html

good description of what would be affected.

this is not good news... from the website posted:

"While the diplomatic and security aspects of the Department of State (DOS) operations would continue, visa applications would likely not be processed in the event of a shutdown. It is anticipated that the consulates will not be open for visa appointments and processing. Thus, depending upon the duration of such an event, individuals could be stranded abroad with no way of obtaining required travel documents. The same is true for the processing of U.S. passports. "

But for those of you still in the USCIS.. you're okay:

"The USCIS is expected to continue to adjudicate benefits applications and petitions. This is possible because these operations are funded by the filing fees that are submitted with the various applications and petitions. "

Embassies and Consulates will not shut down even in a government shut down. The President by executive order can keep certain departments of the government operating regardless, one of which is the diplomatic corp.

Other obvious ones are homeland security, FBI, etc.

Anything to do with security and protection of citizens abroad does not close down.

Many people here think an Embassy or Consulate is strictly there for VISA or relations with another country, when the actual function is to help American Citizens abroad.

makes perfect sense! this is great information... thanks so much for that!!!

I do get a kick out of how the Brits always know what's "proper". If the government shuts down because they don't have a budget, that's a shame in many ways for all who are inconvenienced. Certain adjustments need to be made when dealing with immigration matters. Some of them may feel "improper". That's how the cookie crumbles. We've all been through it and understand the emotion.

i'm not sure what you are trying to say... but i can tell you that i am american and am planning on having a marriage "ceremony" that is as far from "proper" as you can get. my british fiance and i have a plan that he will arrive on april 1st and we will get married on wednesday, april 6th (wednesdays are the only day the courthouse conducts marriages). it will not be the end of the world if something changes this. he would have to pay through the nose to re-book his flight, sure, but that is a risk we take for trying to make a plan. we are planning because we want to be together as soon as possible. of course you make some sort of a plan, why wouldn't you? and if something unexpected occurs, you adapt.

i'm just trying to convey that anyone who is doing more than the courthouse thing needs to do quite a bit more planning than that.. and as you can see, even we, minimalist marriage as it is, have something of a plan. maybe there are a handful of people on this site who waited to book a flight until they had their visa in hand.. after i complete this process, it would be so easy for me to say to someone don't plan anything until you have your visa! but i know that realistically that is very difficult to do. so, i will help them work through the issues instead of throwing stones

oh c'mon.. we know we shouldn't make plans, but everyone does! if you are having a proper ceremony, there's no way it could come together by the 90 day deadline! sure, maybe some people really are doing everything at the last minute... but i would imagine that if you are on visa journey and going through this process, then you are one of the think-ahead, planning types. we have no choice but to make plans.. sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't.. but there's no reason chastise anyone for trying to get all the information they can so that they can have at least some idea of time frames! we are here to support each other, not step on each other, once we have made it successfully through this process. i have been seeing a lot of stepping on other people lately and it is driving me crazy. i imagine that to all of the veterans, we newbies seem like blubbering idiots.. but no one was born knowing everything about the immigration process! we are all blubbering idiots at one time or another...

It's a 2-week extension from March 4th...so til March 18th. You should be good with luck!!

oh awesome, thanks! i hadn't heard the official dates yet, just that they were voting on it yesterday...

I know the threat of a government shutdown has been postponed...but only for 2 weeks! If I can get my NOA2 and clear the NVC by March 18, am I in the clear?

i'm actually worrying about this too... if the band aid lasts til the 15th (our interview date) we might be ok.... but did it go into effect yesterday?

So, if he is not taking a direct flight, how much time would you say is needed for the layover? The info is kind of all over the place on the reviews... we would rather be safe than sorry, but also want to make sure that he isn't stuck sitting at the airport for 4 hours because we thought it might take more than two hours but it only took 20 min!

This may be a stupid question, but we just want to make sure... when you get your visa, do you have to come through a specific port of entry? Or can you just get a plane ticket to any US city?

We paid before they scheduled the interview... I think it's a new policy. You will have to call the embassy and pay over the phone

I agree.. you are not alone! Going through this process is extremely stressful and causing arguments, and we had never really argued before! But yes, getting through it will make your relationship stronger. You know what this stress and arguments tells me about my fiance? That he can argue with me maturely without being mean and hurtful, and that is extremely important to me! I think that communication skills that we are displaying to each other are a huge clue to the future success of your relationship. I feel respected and loved even throughout and after arguments, and if that weren't true it would honestly be a deal-breaker. I know that things are not always going to be rainbows and sunshine in our lives and our relationship. But after going through this, I know that when arguments happen in the future, I won't feel like a smaller person coming out of it, and they we will be able to resolve the problems without harming each other or our relationship. Hang in there!

So, now that we're in the home stretch... I just want to make sure that I make enough money without needing a co-sponsor. I make about $37,000 a year before taxes and it will be just me and him (no children). When I google the poverty line, it says that for a household of 2, the poverty rate is $14,710. So 125% of that is $18,387.50. So I'm good? And you have to make that before taxes, right? I'm just worried, of course! I'm afraid that I am not looking in the right places for information and am going to screw us over just when we are so close!