akdiver

So I'm just now getting Elena's AOS stuff together, and I realize that I'm going to have to file the I-485 (with the $325 fee, and $70 for biometrics... vaseline please!)

Small price to pay for a lifetime of happiness....

and I see that since she had a medical exam within the last year, she doesn't need another one. However, she does need a vaccination supplement. I think we're good on everything except for that.

One problem you will have is finding a civil surgeon to do ONLY the vaccination supplement. They are well known to insist on doing the whole exam (at significant expense), even though you only need the vaccination stuff. You will likley have to "shop around". After calling 5 or 6, we ended up finding one at a "low income" health clinic thing and ended up paying, i think it was $100 or so for the vaccination supplement. MAKE SURE you get it in a sealed envelope, and an additional copy for yourself. The form says right on there this is what they are supposed to do. Insist on it and do not pay otherwise.

When she entered, they kept all her forms at the gate in New York. So now we have no proof of what shots she's had/needs to have now, to give to the civil surgeon who's supposed to sign her supplement form. Does the civil surgeon even need that? How does the civil surgeon determine what shots they need, don't need?

If you have no proof, then you are out of luck. They will likely require her to take everything. Also be warned that some shots are in a series, with a time interval in between. Now, it is too late for you - but I'll throw this in here for anyone else who may be watching. My wife and I got her civil surgeon stuff taken care of early - even before we got married. I seem to remember we got this out of the way within a month of her arriving here. There is no reason to delay this - it's something you can do and get out of the way while you're waiting on other things. My recommendation is to do it as early as possible after your beloved arrives. This way, you have the papers ready to go with your AOS packet as soon as possible. If you wait until after you get married, you can be in for a big delay in filing your AOS (compared to filing the day after you get married).

Should we make an appointment for the civil surgeon now, or should we try to get a copy of her forms, and if so, from where? (Russia govt., or USCIS... maybe Moscow embassy?)

At this point, you will probably save time at the expense of money - just make the appointment and pay for whatever shots they require. You are not likely to get anything from the Russian govt, certainly not the embassy or USCIS. Just bite the bullet and pay up. Keep in mind that the civil surgeon fee will not include whatever shots you need - that is extra.

And just when does all this have to be filed by? Her K-1 expires on the 17th, so we've got a couple weeks, but does the AOS need to be completed and sent in before that, or as long as we've got a copy of the marriage cert, are we legal?

You generally want to do this as soon as possible, for a number of reasons - most importantly, it takes a while. Eligibility for removing conditions is based on when AOS is granted, and eligibility for citizenship is also based on when AOS is granted. So, you want AOS granted as soon as possible, which requires applying as soon as possible. There is no advantage in delaying anyway, so just do it and start the waiting process!

FYI, for us, I sent in the paperwork the day after we got married and we had our AOS interview about four and a half months later - and he said it was the best paperwork he had ever seen (and asked how long I had worked for the government). If your paperwork is missing anything, or requires requests for evidence, or whatever, it can take longer. So triple and quadruple check your paperwork and make sure you have your stuff in order. Make sure stuff is signed, all blanks are filled out (with NONE or N/A as necessary), checks are included, signed, and for the right amount, and so forth. Also, when you file for AOS, also file for the Employment Authorization Document (at an extra fee of course). This will give your wife a permit to work for a year and let her work while AOS is in process. If working is unimportant for her, then don't bother I guess. Finally, if you want for her to be able to leave the country before AOS is granted, then you need to also file for Advance Parole (another extra fee). You can file for AOS, EAD, and AP, all at the same time, if you file them together in the same packet. I recommend this.

Good luck. (:

Cheers!

AKDiver

I want to get a state ID card for my wife so she doesn't have to carry around her passport for ID, because I consider the passport a much more important document, that would be a PITA to lose.

Yes, I understand....but why carry ID at all? If you're driving, then get a DL, otherwise, why carry ID? I dunno...maybe I'm just anti-police-state I guess.

Cheers!

AKDiver (:

I'm russian and my husband is an american/ We are expecting a child and I am wondering what citizenship(s) my child will have. As long as it was born in USA it should have US citizenship but as a child of a russian mom will it have russian, too? Does Russia or USA support dual citizenship? How to travel to Russia later on with my child?

Child will have American citizenship no matter what country child is born in. Father is American, so child will be too.

As for Russia - no idea.

Neither Russia nor the U.S. recognize dual citizenship. My understanding is that they do not really do anything to prevent it, but both require citizens to enter their own country using the passport of that country. In other words, an American must use an American passport to enter America, and a Russian must use a Russian passport to enter Russia, by law. What happens in actual practice may vary.

If you want your child to be guaranteed Russian citizenship, then have the child in Russia. That will take care of it for sure. The downside of course is that child will have the related obligations. For example, a male child will have the military service requirement at the appropriate time, etc.

Good luck!

AKDiver

It's very easy. My wife, who was a travel agent in Russia, did it all the time for people.

Cheers!

AKDiver

Current U.S. policy is that no one has any rights.

Cheers!

AKDiver

You can easily solve all your problems. Just send your wife back to Israel. Afterall, when she came here in the first place, you were both planning on her going back, right? Well, once she is back in Israel, file for the appropriate immigrant visa. That way, intent to defraud by misusing a visa really doesn't play into things. Good luck.

Cheers!

AKDiver

Comments like that are uncalled for... It's called freedom of choice

Of course it is. Make whatever choices you want - makes no difference to me. Besides, what I said was that I can understand why someone who is an idiot would want to use such services. I never said that using such services MAKES someone an idiot. Do pay attention, eh?

IMHO, it is not too logical to pay big money for someone else to do something for you, when you can do it quickly and easily yourself. It's like the people who have an uncomplicated, straight-forward case, but feel they MUST hire a lawyer for thousands of dollars to fill out the forms that are typically designed for the 8th grade reading level. Idiots or just absolutely no confidence in their own abilities? Call it anything you want, but I just don't get it.

But hey, I don't care what you do - makes no difference to me. I wish you the best of success and a speedy immigration process with no RFEs (:

Do a search on the features for this site. I figure everyone has right to post as they see fit and those I chose not to read I put on ignore. It is a very nice feature.

Easier to just scroll on by to the next message....but you don't have to look too hard to see I've provided plenty of good advice to people on here - I've got several "thank you for the help" private messages sitting in my inbox as we speak. So, to each their own. (:

Cheers!

AKDiver

Comments like that are uncalled for... It's called freedom of choice

Of course it is. By the same token, it is not too logical to pay big money for someone else to do something for you, when you can do it quickly and easily yourself. It's like the people who have an uncomplicated, straight-forward case, but feel they MUST hire a lawyer to fill out the forms (typically designed for the 8th grade reading level) for them. Idiots or just absolutely no confidence in their own abilities? Call it anything you want, but I just don't get it.

But hey, I don't care what you do - makes no difference to me. I wish you the best of success and a speedy immigration process with no RFEs (:

Do a search on the features for this site. I figure everyone has right to post as they see fit and those I chose not to read I put on ignore. It is a very nice feature.

Easier to just scroll on by to the next message....but you don't have to look too hard to see I've provided plenty of good advice to people on here - I've got several "thank you for the help" private messages sitting in my inbox as we speak. So, to each their own. (:

Cheers!

AKDiver

I've never had any problem with the Seattle consulate and getting a visa. Very fast, very professional.

No idea why anyone would pay some service to get them a visa, unless they are just a complete idiot.

Speaking of which - no news from Cam since his post about boinking the prostitute while he was off to meet the love of his life. I wonder if he came down with some nasty crotch rot or something.

Cheers!

AKDiver

I didn't pay a biometric fee - just the $205. Things seem to be going fine though, my wife had the biometrics and no one had their hand out asking for more money. This was just this month.

Cheers!

AKDiver

We stayed at hotel Delta Gamma when I was there. When my wife went for her interview, she just stayed at a friend's flat.

Good luck!

AKDiver

My wife got a state ID card and driver's license when she first got here. Both expire in somethng like 2010 or so. I dunno why your wife's expires so early. Anyway - ID was not a problem for her. Also, her passport is still good, even if the visa expired. It can be used to prove identity. What does she need an ID for if she is not driving anyway?

Cheers!

AKDiver

I have a question for all citizens of Russia who recently got their green crads. What do you have on the card as your place of birth? One acquaintance of mine recently got hers, and she scared the living hell out of me, because her card stated that her place of birth was USSR, and she said that that's how it's gonna be now.Is it true? Thanks!

My wife's says USSR. Why does this scare the hell out of you??

It is based on what the birth certificate says. The fact that the country no longer exists doesn't matter. If you were born in USSR, then that's what it should say.

Cheers!

AKDiver

We had our biometrics today. Total time inside the building was a little less than 10 minutes. No waiting, no fuss, no muss, no problems.

Cheers!

AKDiver

AKDiver - aren't you the one who made up that whole story about your fiance and how she was a bank robber and was wanted by the FBI??Did you tell her about that little prank??

Of course I did, on both counts. Besides, she was sitting right next to me as I typed it.

But nice try. (:

I would strongly encourage you to follow up on this in writing. Telephone calls do not leave a paper trail, it would be much better that your inquiry be added to the case. I would think sending a letter referencing the case to Moscow, stating that you have not withdrawn your petition, would be a good idea. I would also send it to the NVC in NH to be safe as well.It would also be wise to consult an attorney at this point.

This is all good advice, and I agree. I would also add that you should send an e-mail to the embassy as a start, and let them know what happened, etc. etc. My experience has been they are very quick to answer e-mail, but of course, there is no way of knowing who is actually answering, someone with a clue, or just an email monkey.

Good luck!

AKDiver

You telling me you have never held back something from a loved one until you knew all the facts or had more information?

My life isn't so interesting. There isn't that much to say about it. (:

Cheers!

AKDiver

I trust people until they give me a reason not to

And yet you hide this news from her? Sounds like she is the one who may have some misplaced trust.

Yeah, I know you stated your reason....nevertheless, this is a material issue concerning her life and you should tell her ASAP. To do anything less is dishonest, IMHO.

Cheers!

AKDiver

Any idea how long they will hold the visa for pickup?

No, but you can ask them when you pick up the envelope from them. What my wife did was go to DHL the day before, tell them she wants it held there, so they put on the right address and whatever else. You could do the same, and then just ask them how long they will hold, or ask them to hold to a specific date and hope they say yes.

Cheers!

AKDiver

My understanding was that NOA-2 refers only to the approval notice, so I must say your use of it to mean the biometrics letter confuses me. I thought you meant you'd been approved.

Well, my use is probably non-standard then. I was just using 1, 2, 3, as in the first thing they send, the second thing they sent, and so forth. So in this case, I am using NOA-2 and the notice of Biometrics Appointment as being the same thing.

Unless your office is weird, you couldn't get a stamp at the biometrics appointment if you wanted to, because biometrics are taken at an Application Support Center and the stamp is given at a District Office, and I've never heard of them being in the same place. In Newark they were several blocks apart, and here they're in totally different quadrants of the city. (ASC in the southwest and DO in the southeast.)

I guess my office is weird then, because it is the same place. Same building, same floor, just right across the hall from each other. Time to get from one to the other is, oh, maybe 2 seconds at most. As an added bonus, it's all of about two blocks from where I work AND since I have a federal employee badge, I can get in the building without the usual BS of being searched and going through the metal detector. (: Same for the social security office, except that it is also in the building where I work.

In any case, the NOA-1 extends travel and work authorization by a year (or until your application is approved, whichever comes first), so I don't see why you need a stamp anyway. You only need the stamp if (1) it takes more than that to process your case or (2) once the application is approved.

Because I think it is unlikely that the foreign embassy that we want to send my wife's passport to in order to get a visa is going to take our word for it that my wife is really a permanent resident with ability to re-enter the U.S. even though her green card is expired or that the NOA document is proof of such a thing. I know that if I were them, I wouldn't believe us. (:

Cheers!

AKDiver

You can have the package sent to the DHL office in Moscow and held for pickup. I recommend this. My wife did this, got her visa 2 days after interview at the embassy. She just hung out at a friend's flat in Moscow in the meantime. Easy as pie.

Good luck!

AKDiver

As pointed out on here - the notice states what will happen, but the info is incomplete.

We just got our noa-2 biometrics notice today, so this is fresh in my mind. It said if you miss the appt, you can show up any wednesday afterward, at the same time (9am for us), but only up to a certain date. For us, the appt is this week, the cut off date is sometime in Feb 2007. After that date, the app will be considered abandoned and status revoked.

So, you can miss the original appointment, but you have to get it done within a certain period of time, or else.

Cheers!

AKDiver

Oh yeah - you are technically living at a different address (or will be) than the one you gave USCIS. You're supposed to give them your new address, even if it is temporary. Since you are also supposed to list all your addresses on various forms and so forth - you might want to consider giving them the new address as a physical address, even if not your mailing address.

Cheers!

AKDiver

Oh yeah - you are technically living at a different address (or will be) than the one you have USCIS. You're supposed to give them your new address, even if it is temporary. Since you are also supposed to list all your addresses on various forms and so forth - you might want to consider giving them the new address as a physical address, even if not your mailing address.

Cheers!

AKDiver

We received the NOA-2 today. To summarize:

12-Oct-2006 : App Received by NSC

13-Nov-2006 : Check Posted

17-Nov-2006 : NOA-1 Notice date

28-Nov-2006 : NOA-1 Postmarked

30-Nov-2006 : NOA-2 Notice date

5-Dec-2006 : NOA-1 Received

5-Dec-2006: NOA-2 Postmarked

11-Dec-2006: NOA-2 Received. Biometrics appt. on 14-Dec.

The NOA-2 had a completely different LIN than the NOA-1. Is that normal??

The biometrics appointment is scheduled only three days after we received the notice. Glad the mail wasn't any slower, and that we were here to get the notice, and so forth!!

Thinking about asking for "the stamp" for the passport when we go in for biometrics, since we may be traveling soon. Is the stamp good for a year, or only 90 days like the original stamp, or what?

Thanks!

AKDiver

Thanks for replying...

My husband and I are only in this town for graduate school, his parents live back on the East Coast.. We were going to have the mail forwarded to them, since we also don't trust international mail, but I guess if they do say "do not forward" on the envelope that'd be useless.. I guess we'd better have the mail held then. Thanks again.

We got our NOA-2 today. I notice it is stamped (as part of the postage meter stamp from the looks of it), "Return Service Requested". You might want to do some research to see if that, in this case, mail is forwardable or not. It didn't say "DO NOT FORWARD" like some things do, but "Return Service Requested" may IMPLY do not forward. Be sure to check it out.

Cheers!

AKDiver