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Tex'n'Brit

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Posts posted by Tex'n'Brit

  1. Hi everyone,

    I received my NOA/Biometrics letter today, which had the right SRC number on it!! Having then signed up for online tracking, I found out my file was transferred to the VSC on March 20th - the same day as Eveline! In fact we've even got the same biometrics date as well - so it's you and me together! :thumbs:

    The VSC's dealing with Feb '07 cases now, so they're only 14 months behind ... Woo Hoo! :blink:

    User Name ............ I-751 Sent ... Check Cashed ....... NOA1 Date .......... Biometrics ........ Approved

    peter ................. 02/20/08 ..... (Mo not cashed) ... --/--/-- ............ --/--/-- ......... --/--/--

    Lau.................... 02/22/08 ...... 03/10/08 ......... --/--/-- ............ --/--/-- ......... --/--/--

    MaryandMian ........... 02/23/08 ...... 03/10/08 ......... 03/14/08 -> VSC ..... --/--/-- ......... --/--/--

    Kalydon ............... 02/25/08 ...... 03/08/08 ......... --/--/-- ............ --/--/-- ......... --/--/--

    Dan&Mitzi ............. 02/26/08 ...... 03/06/08 ......... --/--/-- ............ --/--/-- ......... --/--/--

    qingqing .............. 02/27/08 ...... 03/12/08 ......... --/--/-- ............ --/--/-- ......... --/--/--

    Kathryn41 ............. 02/28/08 ...... 03/10/08 ......... --/--/-- ............ --/--/-- ......... --/--/--

    Shari ................. 03/03/08 ...... 03/12/08 ......... --/--/-- ............ --/--/-- ......... --/--/--

    Jamieswith ............ 03/04/08 ...... 03/11/08 ......... --/--/-- ............ --/--/-- ......... --/--/--

    anya-D ................ 03/04/08 ...... 03/11/08 ......... --/--/-- ............ --/--/-- ......... --/--/--

    Tex'n'Brit ............ 03/07/08 ...... --/??/-- ......... 03/20/09 -> VSC ..... 04/17/08 ......... --/--/--

    Jayde ................. 03/10/08 ...... 03/17/08 ......... 03/21/08 -> VSC ..... --/--/-- ......... --/--/--

    Eveline ............... 03/19/08 ...... 03/20/08 ......... 03/20/08 -> VSC ..... 04/17/08 ......... --/--/--

    Crazy Brit ............ 03/19/08 ...... 03/30/08 ......... 03/24/08 ............ --/--/-- ......... --/--/--

    tamarae ............... 03/31/08 ...... --/--/-- ......... --/--/-- ............ --/--/-- ......... --/--/--

    IMPORTANT!

    Before you edit this list, please make sure that your VJ Text Editor setting is set

    to Rich Text Editor. DO NOT JUST COPY AND PASTE. You can change your Text Editor setting by

    clicking on My Controls at the top of the page, then clicking on Board Settings at the lower

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    I'm sure you've noticed I took the liberty of re-arranging the data a little - I hope you don't mind, but some bits seemed to be getting a bit confusing. For example, it was looking as though Eveline had already been approved! [Oh how I wish that were true!!] I apologise sincerely if I've screwed anything up. :unsure: Please check and amend your details if necessary, or change it all back if you want! :blush:

    Thanks and the best of luck to us all! :)

    Brit

    (AKA Sheila)

  2. Hi folks,

    Just so you know - it is possible to fly with your ticket in your married name (matching your green card) with your passport still in your maiden name. It's vital to take your marriage certificate with both your old and new name on it though.

    I know it's doable because I've done it ... On American Airlines ... Three times so far ... To and from the UK ... Including one round trip this January after the US' new rules came in. :yes: My old passport ran out a month or two before I moved here to get married, so I had to replace it then. That was over two years ago now and it's caused me no problems so far. I probably should get a new passport, but I'm cheap - a name change would cost just as much as a new one!

    I always recommend people should call the relevant airline if they're in doubt about anything and to to check their policy on such things. When I was deciding how to book my first trip back to the UK I also called the immigration office at my airport before I booked. The guy I spoke to also confirmed you can do it either way round, as long as you have all the necessary documents with you.

    But, of course, 'your mileage may vary'! :whistle::lol:

    And call the airline about the details they want for this form you're filling in too. They should be able to help if anyone can.

    Enjoy your trip!

    Brit

  3. The problem is that it's such a huge business now which employs so many people, that the companies have to keep driving up premiums to cover the administrative and employee costs associated with providing the insurance coverage in the first place.

    I don't think admin costs are THE problem. I don't have an answer, but would like to share some personal data. I have software to manage medical expenses so I can give you exact dollar amounts easily. My husband died of cancer. In ten months of the year he died, we were billed $448,270.91 (yes, almost half a million). We only paid $3,438.97. I don't have the figures for the two years before that. That's why I pay for insurance.

    Did you know that one round of chemotherapy, that's sitting in the chair one day, costs $8,000-$10,000? Have you seen those commercials where actors say "I'm ready" (for chemo) because they took something like Nulasta to boost their blood count? Did you know that's a shot that costs about $1,500? It's daunting.

    I'm so sorry you lost your husband like that. (F)

    Thank goodness you had insurance - those numbers for just ten months are terrifying. :wacko: We have insurance too, but it makes me shudder even imagining the worry and stress levels involved, even have to look at figures like that would scare me. I find the whole prospect of handling my darling Kyle ever falling ill here very daunting indeed. :( If it's me that gets ill ... well, I think I really might try to catch the first plane back to the UK, if possible - At least I know how everything works there. :unsure:

    I hope life has improved for you since that difficult time. :)

    PS - If anyone hasn't seen Michael Moore's 'Sicko' film (which is mostly about the US medical insurance industry), you might like to get it on DVD ... It's quite revealing/annoying/entertaining, depending on your point of view/politics :)

  4. im back. after reading all you have said and trying to remember the pts brought up i will say this: he had a history of applying for various forms of GC and were denied or pending. also once he received his GC, i have proof we dont live together or share anything in common. i have a 2 mth old by him, i would see no advantage in being the one to leave him, so it can be assumed from the above staements that he did not enter in good faith. also remember the reason ppl are given 2 yr GC, precisely to avoid marriage fraud---something that i was a victim of. ins is quick to not renew any GC if the petioner makes it clear to them that the partner then abandoned her once he received his GC. Sadly this is no game for me, this nightmare is my reality and the only reason im here posting isnt to have fun but rather to show you how honest people get screwed over by ppl so desperate for a GC.

    Hi there,

    Don't worry ... I may be wrong, but I don't think anyone here finds your situation funny. You've been left in a horrible situation by this scumbag and personally I hope he really does get what he deserves.

    I suspect some people here are simply trying to make sure they understand exactly what has happened, what the immigration lady did and what the consequences for both you and the ... 'husband' ... are now. That's all.

    I wish you and your baby a very happy future without any more heartache. (F)

    Take care,

    Brit

  5. There is really nothing special about the I751 package - no notarized statements etc. are needed, only copies of lease/rentals/bank/medical/insurance statements are submitted - you can recreate the packet without much work the way I see it. Good Luck

    Motu -

    I assumed the OP meant the originals of whatever the OP sent have gone astray, which would mean it couldn't necessarily be recreated exactly ... That's how I read it anyway. But of course I may have misunderstood. I agree a similar version would certainly be doable, either using different months' statements or trying to get the relevant companies to produce duplicates, no doubt for a price. (Tammi - thanks for mentioning that the tax man will send copies too!) Unfortunately it would get more complicated if the OP didn't have joint deed/mortgage/lease docs and included one off items such as letters, affidavits, receipts, whatever else. But hopefully the OP only wants the darn thing for its comfort value anyway! ;)

    All the best,

    Brit

  6. Tex'n'Brit, do you have access to your bank account on line? We were able to see when the check cleared our account and view both front and back on line. If not, you might want to check with your bank and see if it has been cashed yet. I suspect that it has.

    Hi Kathryn,

    Silly as it seems, I can never remember how to access the account this cheque came out of ... Tex (AKA Kyle) was away this week so I've had to sit tight and hope for the best until I get him to show me again, hopefully tomorrow.

    Weird as it sounds, I really want to know for sure my file's joined the party stuffed in that deep dark Mesquite filing cabinet (only about 30 miles away from me). :yes:

    All the best,

    Brit (AKA Sheila)

  7. HI,

    I lost my copies of my I-751 and my submittals. Is it possible to request a copy of this from the USCIS and how do I do it.

    THANK YOU.

    Sorry to say it's very unlikely you could get a complete copy from them. There's a possibility you might be able to get a copy of something specific, but you would have to call them, or try asking at an Infopass appointment, if those are available in your area. You could try writing to the relevant service center's director, perhaps ... appeal to their humanity, good nature, whatever works! I reckon it might be better to ask for a copy of something specific rather than the whole thing.

    To show miracles can happen ... We screwed up at our AOS interview stage, but we were lucky and had a decent interviewer guy. (I think he and Kyle ('Tex') had both been tankers in the military, or something like that.) Anyway, we were all chatting so much we both forgot to ask him if he could make copies of the tax papers and let us have the originals back. Luckily we remembered the interviewer's name afterwards, so we wrote to him explaining our mistake and asking if he could possibly make copies and return the originals. He actually did help, although he provided copies not the originals, and I had to go back to the center to collect the envelope quietly from the security guard at the door ... B) but if we ever get audited we can show we once had the paperwork now. :huh: That's better than nothing, we hope!

    Anyway, good luck and let us know how you get on. :thumbs:

  8. Just take your GC and your Romanian passport and you should be fine >there is no need for the other documents !

    Have a nice trip !

    Unless you've been able to change the name in your passport, I would agree with the earlier posts recommending you take your marriage certificate as well. (Possibly with a certified Romanian translation as well - although I expect Romanian immigration officers are used to seeing that type of document in English.) Having all three items should make sure there's no excuse for any immigration staff giving you any grief at either airport. :)

    Have a great time. :thumbs:

    Brit

  9. You will still be fine. There have been a number of VJers who, for one reason or another, were late filing by a few days and they have had no problems. I don't anticipate you having any problems either. Good luck. Which Service Center did you file at?

    thanks , vermont .

    Nice to see your quick work adding your info, Michael.

    It really does seem to help people get more and better responses and also build a good rapport with other VJ'ers, specially those who came from/know about the same part of the world, live in/came from the same part of the States, or who are now dealing with the same USCIS 'Service' :wacko: Center.

    All the best,

    Brit

  10. OK ... here's hoping I get this lot set up right ... :huh:

    User Name ........... I-751 Sent ..... Check Cashed ........ NOA1 Date ....... Biometrics ....... Approved

    peter ................. 02/20/08 ..... (Mo not cashed) ..... --/--/-- ......... --/--/-- ........ --/--/--

    MaryandMian ........... 02/23/08 ...... 03/10/08 ........... --/--/-- ......... --/--/-- ........ --/--/--

    Dan&Mitzi ............. 02/26/08 ...... 03/06/08 ........... --/--/-- ......... --/--/-- ........ --/--/--

    qingqing .............. 02/27/08 ...... 03/12/08 ........... --/--/-- ......... --/--/-- ........ --/--/--

    Kathryn41 ............. 02/28/08 ...... 03/10/08 ........... --/--/-- ......... --/--/-- ........ --/--/--

    Shari ................. 03/03/08 ...... 03/12/08 ........... --/--/-- ......... --/--/-- ........ --/--/--

    Jamieswith ............ 03/04/08 ...... 03/11/08 ........... --/--/-- ......... --/--/-- ........ --/--/--

    anya-D ................ 03/04/08 ...... 03/11/08 ........... --/--/-- ......... --/--/-- ........ --/--/--

    Tex'n'Brit ............ 03/07/08 * .... --/??/-- ........... --/--/-- ......... --/--/-- ........ --/--/-- *See Note Below

    IMPORTANT!

    Before you edit this list, please make sure that your VJ Text Editor setting is set

    to Rich Text Editor. DO NOT JUST COPY AND PASTE. You can change your Text Editor setting by

    clicking on My Controls at the top of the page, then clicking on Board Settings at the lower

    left of the page. Under Posting Settings, you will find the drop down box to change the type

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    Options" button. Then go to the most recently posted version of this list and "Reply" to it,

    deleting the "quote" tags. PLEASE DO NOT DELETE THESE INSTRUCTIONS!

    * Mailed USPS Overnight - Thurs 7th March = My 87th day - Yes, I know that's dumb. :unsure:

    1st delivery attempt failed - they 'left notice' - Friday, 8th March; :blink: (Only discovered the TSC clears their PO Box at stupid o'clock in the morning by checking these forums ... after this all went wrong.) It's clearly discrimation against innocent procrastinators! :whistle:

    Green card ran out - Sunday, 9th March; :wacko:

    USCIS signed for my package on Monday, 10th March ... One day late. :crying:

    I'm praying that the cheque gets cashed, as long as that actually does mean I'm safe there in the black hole with you all. :star: I'll update asap.

    Brit (AKA Sheila)

  11. You will be fine. If they have cashed the check it means that they have accepted the application. Tex'n'Brit, there are a number of us who filed around the same time as you did. None of us have received any notification yet at all - no NOAs, no Biometric appointments, no nuthin'. You might want to add your name to the list of Texas filers here: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=118137 and join the crowd. We can all lend our support to each other as well as use each other's timelines as barometers for our own.

    Thanks Kathryn, will do! :thumbs:

    And keep your pecker up, Michael! It would be really helpful if you would complete your profile - adding the bits about what you're filing for and where you're from, where your local office is, etc. That way we can offer you relevant comments without having to pester you for the info and make you repeat all that each time. :yes:

    Brit

  12. "The Joys of the US medical system" doesn't really make sense!!!! There are NO joys!!!

    It British humor - irony.

    I agree that there is little good to be said about the US medical system. Hubby and I are enrolled in his company's health scheme, but it costs us a fortune every month and it still scares me if anything should go wrong with our health. I'm very tempted to try to get back to the UK if I ever fall ill.

    Irony does seem to be such a very British thing doesn't it? After two and a bit years here my new friends/family here still start chuckling or look totally blank/mystified sometimes when some new Anglo-ism slips out or I'm being ironic. It's a shame that people here don't automatically 'get' everything we Brits say. But then again I still don't 'get' everything I hear ... here either, and it does make for some entertaining conversations. Where I live, British accents are pretty rare, so that in itself intrigues practically everyone I meet.

    Luckily my darling (Texan born) hubby is nearly fluent in Anglo and Irony now. :D:luv: In fact he's accidentally (or sometimes on purpose) said a variety of different English-isms at work and naturally they tend to amuse/bemuse/confuse his colleagues! :thumbs:

    Mind you, a friend here claims she heard me say 'fixin to' in normal conversation ... :blink: ... Then again most of my new family and friends are 'leg pullers' like me, so who knows ... If I did, I bet it sounded weird, coming from an ex-pat 'snooty southerner' like me! :lol:

  13. 3 months 6 days here. And this includes wait time for the 221g denial and administrate processing. She got visa approved this morning.

    Good info about not needing any i94 or anything. Ill let her know and tell her to carry on her xrays. She is coming in 2 weeks as well after i flyover and we have a scandinavian spring holiday!!

    Wow, that was wonderfully quick. :yes:

    Perhaps the bods in the USCIS system liked working on your file for the variety - I don't suppose they see too many cases involving Norway! :thumbs:

    I came through JFK and didn't need my x-rays either. I had rolled them up into a tight cylinder and jammed them into my carry on, but if I knew then what I know now, I don't think I would have bothered carrying them - even rolled up they were a pain.

    Congratulations on getting the visa! :dance: Have a great holiday and every good wish for the future. (F)

    'Brit'

  14. I've never heard of anyone having a problem with that issue and personally I can't imagine why it would matter. Obviously the date used must be appropriate for the stage you're at - i.e., after you entered the country/got married when you're applying for AOS, or within the 90 days prior to your first green card running out when you're going for the lifting of conditions, etc. Just make sure all the information on the relevant form is still accurate and be sure to include the newest versions of evidence available - your most recent bills/statements/receipts or whatever.

    Unless anyone else knows different ..?

    The title says it all.

    I'm just wondering whether all the forms have to be dated within one month of the date you send them off.

    Thank you for any information

  15. Hi all,

    I have some questions to ask, (so sorry if some of them are repetitive):

    1) what's the meaning of the abbreviation TSC, which I have seen it here in some messages?

    TSC = Texas Service Center = One of the various USCIS immigration paperwork processing offices' (Which one you need to use is listed in the official I-751 instructions and depends on your address.)

    2) is it mandatory to attach photocopy of passport of the no USA citizen along with photocopy of the 2 year green card, the Form I-751 & the other photocopy docs?

    Nope, the passport is not mandatory, in fact you don't need it at all. You must include a copy of both sides of the relevant green card.

    3)the affidavit letter of support written by a US citizen friend of the couple must be notorized or sworn, or it can be just written & signed by the US friend of the couple without any notorization ? What's the difference (if there is) between notorized or sworn? (sorry I'm confused by that!!!)

    You'll discover there are a multitude of opinions here about the affidavit thing - whether or not they must be notorized or even if you need the darn things at all. However, here's a set of 'Notarial Definitions', quoted from the Texas State Office of Risk Management's 'Notary Public Info For State Employees' web page ...!

    AFFIDAVIT: A voluntary declaration of facts, written down and sworn to or affirmed by the declarant ("affiant") before a Notary Public or other officer having the authority to administer an oath.

    AFFIRMATION: The act of affirming the truth of a document, not an oath. "I solemnly affirm and declare the foregoing to be a true statement." Note that an affidavit may appear in two forms: a sworn affidavit with oath, or an affirmed affidavit with affirmation. Each has the same legal import.

    I really appreciate if you guys can clarify me the above points!

    Thanks in advance!!!! :star:

    Click HERE to read VJ.com's I-751 preparation guide, if you haven't found it already.

    Hope this all helped a bit ...

    Good luck with this next step on your journey! :)

  16. Since my middle name seems to be Procrastinate, I managed to leave mailing my I-751 package until the 87th day ... which also happened to be the very last Thursday before my card ran out on a Sunday.

    I mailed the package using USPS' Express Next Day service on Thursday, March 7th. (My card expiry date was Sunday, March 9th.) I was sure it would be alright. After all, I only live about 20 miles from Mesquite - where the TSC PO Box is - so there's no way there could be a problem ... How dumb was that!!!

    I specified I wanted a signature, so I could track the package and make sure everything went OK ...

    According to the USPS system they tried to deliver my package to the TCS on Friday, March 8th at midday, but I guess everyone there was at lunch because the USPS tried to deliver but had left notice of their failed attempt! Needless to say there's never going to be anyone around to accept any deliveries at the weekend, so it didn't get delivered until Monday, March 10th - one day late.

    I kept a copy of the USPS web page that show all the tracking information - times, places, dates, the failed attempt and who eventually signed for it ... so if I get knocked back I will have something to show the darn thing was definitely there in time even though they weren't there to accept it!

    It's nearly three weeks later and I've heard nothing yet ... So there's nothing for it but to sit and wait to see what happens. :wacko: It's certainly a relief to read that others have been late and not suffered because of it.

  17. I have different problem... I called to Kazakh Embassy in DC and they told me they will not change my passport only if I show copy of my GC and SSN :( and it will take 6 months before I receive new passport... when in Kazakhstan you apply and get it in 5 days :(.... + to get new passport from Embassy you need to have special stamp from Kazakh Home office saying that they agree with your relocation.... so I guess our government still practices Soviet style of migration control... so we will try to get it through Kazakh Embassy and if not will go back to Kazakhstan to get new passport....

    Sorry to hear about that - the immigration process really can suck at times, can't it. Good luck anyway. (F)

  18. Ooops! Mes excuses! :blush:

    It's just I can't resist trying to help fellow VJ'ers avoid nasty USCIS situations if I can. But I really must learn not stick my nose in where it's not needed, eh?! :whistle::lol:

    The whole immigration process never ceases to amaze me and it just seems to get more and more complicated, doesn't it?! Thank goodness I didn't have to mess with anything like you're dealing with - I'm sure I would have had no hair or fingernails left by the time I got here! :wacko:

    Anyway, I still wish you nothing but happiness, and I am officially retracting my nose now ... "As You Were!" :ot2:(F)

    Brit

  19. Perhaps I misunderstand you, but you are applying for a K-1 fiance visa, are you not?

    Don't forget the K-1 Fiance visa is just that - a visa for a fiance to enter the USA in order to get married. If the USCIS find out that you two were already married before you entered the USA using this visa, even if the french 'marriage' is 'just a legality' ... well, you are asking for trouble.

    So for your peace of mind - unless you don't mind lying about your situation to the USCIS from the moment you arrive in the USA - I would highly recommend you do not do anything before you leave France that seems even remotely marriage like. Wait until after you have married your fiance here in the USA ...

    Perhaps you can return to France for your honeymoon and get married again!

    Anyway, it is just my advice, you understand. It's up to you, of course! :thumbs:

    Whatever you decide, I hope you'll be as happy as I am in America!

  20. No, her name on her GC does not have to match her passport at this time. Applying for your GC with your maiden name, especially if it's only good for two years, could possibly cause problems for her when she's applying for jobs, SSN's, bank accounts etc. If you want to get her maiden name changed on her GC before the 2 years, then it's going to cost BIG bucks! So my advise would be to have her GC in her married name. You can change it when requesting to lift conditions by filling out your application with her married name at that time, but before, or after your card has been issued, it's a lot of money to change it.

    When travelling, she would bring her passport from whatever country she is a citizen of. Depending on when it expires, and what her country says insofar as when she can change her passport, you can look into that. For an example, my passport expires next year, and Canada doesn't do name changes anymore, so I'm carrying my GC in my married name, my passport in my Maiden name, and my marriage certificate to show the change of name.

    When booking tickets where you're going to use your passport, you must book your tickets in the name of your passport! Bring a copy of your marriage certificate again, to show the change of name from marriage from what her passport says and her GC says.

    Hope this helps.

    It's a difficult position to be in, isn't it!

    I should tell you that I have flown to/from the US/UK on American Airlines three times since getting married. My ticket was in my married name and my UK passport was (still is) in my maiden name. It was absolutely fine each time. The first time I only had my passport and my marriage certificate - that was OK. The other two times I also took my green card of course. In fact the last time was in January this year, more than two years after marrying and after the US passport ID rules changed. Again, no problems at all.

    My marriage certificate shows not only both my maiden and married names, but also has my current address. Whether the address is important I don't know. I decided I would use my married name so that my ticket matched both my marriage certificate and green card and I hoped that it might make things simpler when returning to my hubby here in the US.

    Still ... rather than relying on us for our personal opinions, I would highly recommend you check with the relevant airline/s to see what they say you should do before booking. (AA's rep said it was OK either way, as long as I took the marriage certificate with both names on it (plus the green card too, if available)). You can also call the immigration office at the relevant airport as well. That's what I did. (The guy in DFW also said it was OK either way.)

    Obviously everyone's experiences with airport/border security and immigration are very different. I think you're in the lap of the gods every time - Even if every document is absolutely in order!

    Whatever happens - Happy travelling!

  21. Just so you know, if you fly with American Airlines to/from London, you can use your old passport in your maiden name if you want. The key thing is to take your original marriage certificate (or an official copy) and hand it over along with your ticket and passport at every inspection point.

    I had to buy a new passport a couple of months before I left for the States in 2005 so now I have one in my maiden name that is valid until 2015 ... I changed my name on my AA mileage account soon after getting married, but I'm a cheapskate so I decided to try to hang on to my new old passport for as long as possible.

    I've booked and flown on American three times since marrying - each time using a ticket booked in my married name. At DFW, Gatwick and Heathrow airports, the initial pre-check-in security processing took a couple of minutes longer than normal while the security staff checked the green card, the ticket and the passport against the marriage certificate to confirm both my names were there and I was me ... and added a note into the computer system. (I've been a useful training exercise a couple of times while junior checkers were shown what to do with me and my paperwork!) After that, the actual check in itself has been totally normal because all the details were already in the system.

    I flew to London and back with AA this January, again using my married name with no problems, even though the US has changed its passport/ID rules.

    Obviously I can't comment on what all the other airlines do ... And your experience and mileage may of course vary ...

    However, as long as the US or UK don't change the rules again, and while AA sticks with its common sense approach to this issue (and I stick with them for the airmiles) ... I've got no intention of forking out such a ludicrous amount of money for no good reason.

    There endeth the essay! :blink:

  22. I can't help shoving the kitten in amongst the pigeons. :devil:

    I've flown to and from the UK (between both Gatwick, Heathrow and DFW) via American Airlines three times since getting my 2 year green card using a ticket in my married name and a passport in my maiden name.

    I changed the name on my AAdvantage mileage account just after getting married. When I booked my first trip back to the UK a few months later I called AA and asked which name to book in, bearing in mind my AA account and green card are in my married name but my passport was (and still is) in my maiden name. The rep said using either name was OK, but it would be better to use the name that matched my AA account and also the green card. As long as I had the original marriage certificate with me on the trip it would be fine. So (admittedly with some trepidation) I decided to book in my married name - I wanted to be sure I would be able to get back into the US without difficulty since my ticket would match my green card.

    So - as you know - when checking in these days there's a pre-check in security check desk in front of each airline's own check in desks ... At the pre-check in desk at DFW, the security staff simply compared the names on my marriage certificate with those on the ticket, passport and green card to confirm I was (and still am, I hope) the same person, added a note on the computer system to that effect and on I went. (In fact I have been a useful training exercise at DFW and Gatwick because a couple times newbie checkers have been shown how to handle my situation!) The actual airline check in processing has been quick because the information is all there in the system already.

    I'm pleased to say that check in has been this easy every time, both in the US and the UK.

    The last time I did this was in late January this year - after the US passport rule changes came in and just over two years after we got married. Passing through US immigration, all they ever wanted to see each time was my green card.

    In case you're wondering why I'm still doing this two years later ... My old UK passport ran out just a few weeks before I moved to the US, so of course I had to buy a new one and it's valid for 5 years. If it was free, or cheap to change a name, that would be different, but a simple name change costs just the same as a full renewal, and I'm stingy and just not prepared to fork out yet more money unnecessarily, so I'll keep on doing what I've done for another couple of years or so, unless either the USA or UK change their travel laws again in the meantime.

    I guess I should make the following disclaimer ... :whistle:

    The above is a description of my experiences when flying with American Airlines to/from either Gatwick/Heathrow - DFW only. You should probably call the relevant airline yourself and then make a decision for yourself!

    Happy journeys!

  23. Hi Mohamed,

    What the others have told you is right - You do have a new 90 day period to get married after you arrive in the USA.

    The USCIS also expects you to file your application for 'Adjustment Of Status' (AOS) within the same 90 day period, but you must have a copy of your new marriage certificate for the application package. So why not try to prepare the AOS package before the wedding so you are ready ... get married ... add some wedding pictures and a copy of your marriage certificate, send it off immediately (or after the honeymoon, if you have one). Then you can sit back and really relax for the first time in months! If the USCIS does not receive your AOS application within 90 days of your arrival, you are officially 'Out of Status' - who wants that?????

    I know it all seems like a rush to get everything done now your visa has arrived ... But do try to send off the AOS application within the 90 days if you can. Some cities take many weeks to return a marriage certificate to couples after their wedding, but that's the only good reason I can think of for a late application.

    One last thing - I notice you mentioned your wife and child ? If you are coming to the USA on a K-1 visa it is for fiances to enter the USA to get married ... it is not intended for husbands/wives to use .... It is much safer to call each other fiance, just in case it confuses the USCIS.

    Anyway - Congratulations on your visa, by the way! :energy:

    =====================================================================

    thanks for ur help

    but should i apply adjust of status be sep16th or i will have new day after 90 i enter usa?

  24. Another thing I find is almost impossible to find unless you can go to a specialist foodie shop and pay through the nose ... decent bacon that actually has some meat included in it. The stuff they call bacon here is just wafer thin slices of streaky fat and water. What's that all about? The nearest thing I can find easily is the round 'Canadian Bacon', it tasts OK and it's OK for some things, but it's just not the same as the real thing and wouldn't work for lots of recipes since it's already cooked. :(

    Oh for a real fried egg & crispy bacon butty on warm fresh bread! :P

    All the best,

    Sheila

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