C Med

Thank you all so much for your kind words. They are truly appreciated!

We just got home from the interview! It was a beautiful day so we decided to walk around the city for a little while afterward. I think it went as well as can be expected! Here's a rundown of the day!

We arrived at 26 Federal Plaza at around 11AM. We went through the standard "airport" security procedure and headed up to the 8th floor. We checked in at the front desk where we presented our original letter that we received with the interview information. My husband was asked for his green card. He said we lost the card in the hurricane. The woman paused and looked at us as though she was thinking "uh oh". She gave us the paper again and asked us to step aside to the next window where we would receive our ticket. Once we received our ticket, we took a seat and waited. We watched people come and go and basically sweat through our clothes as we waited to be called. A couple sitting in front of us were separated, and when the man came out, he was shaking his head and looked on the verge of tears. His wife went in and the man sat trying to compose herself. My husband and I felt terribly for this man. The wife was in there for about 40 minutes before the husband was called back in with her. We were then called in before the couple came back out. I don't know what happened to them, but I just want to say that I wish them the best and hope that things went well.

We were called in by the interviewer. She was a very friendly woman who walked us back to her office. She asked us for our identification and my husband's green card. We told her that his GC was lost in the flood. Her mouth dropped open and she looked very sympathetic. She said she was so sorry to hear this and asked why we didn't get a replacement card. We explained that we just didn't have the money to replace the card in the wake of the storm and by the time we were on our feet, we figured his 10 year card would be along any day. She nodded and said she understood and was again sorry for our loss. She made a note of this in our file. Then she said she was going to flip through our filed (which was very thick lol) and ask me a series of random questions about my husband. She told him not to say anything.

She asked:

1. What is your husband's full name?

2. What did your husband study in college overseas?

3. What are the names of your in-laws?

4. Where do they live?

5. Where did your husband live overseas? (meaning addresses)

6. How and when did you meet? (When we told her we met in April 2000, when we were just 17, she said she was amazed we had known each other so long and had a quick conversation with us about that in a very friendly way)

7. Describe the meeting.

8. Where did your husband work overseas?

9. Does your husband work now? (This is where it got scary. When I explained my husband wasn't working, and hadn't yet worked in America, she lifted a red pen and started writing in our file. She also looked very uncomfortable. Then my husband explained about the concussion and gave her documentation from the neurologist he had seen. She smiled and looked relieved that he brought that paperwork with him. She made a note that he had suffered a medical issue and that he brought supporting documentation. I think she shaved about 5 years from my life when she lifted that red pen, but all is well that ends well lol)

She asked my husband:

1. What is your wife's full name?

2. What is her date of birth?

3. Where does your wife work?

4. What does she do there?

5. Where did she live when you met? (when my husband gave my address in Brooklyn, she said, I knew you were from Brooklyn, which part? When I told her, she said she was from the same neighborhood, and she had a feeling I was too because of my accent. We then had a brief conversation about the neighborhood, etc.)

6. Where has she lived since?

7. What other places has your wife worked?

8. What are your in-laws' names?

9. Which company does your wife have life insurance with? (He didn't know the answer to this. He said "I'm not sure which company it is, but she's covered through work". She laughed and said, "It's ok, as long as you know it was through her work." I said, "I actually don't know the name of the company either" and she laughed at that as well)

10. What are the names of your landlords?

11. What is the name of your auto insurance? (We actually don't have auto insurance. We have renter's insurance through Geico and she assumed it was auto insurance.)

Those were all the questions but she asked me a few, then my husband a few, then back again. She said, "Well, you two obviously know each other very well if you can answer even the most random questions about each other from so many years ago" (we had given each other's addresses from over 10 years ago). She then told us that we were called in for an interview because we failed to send our 2011 tax returns. I explained that was because we didn't have them because of the flood. She said my 2012 records were there but that there was a form missing from them. That's the whole reason we were called in!! Thankfully, in NYC, the IRS building is right across the street from 26 Federal Plaza. So she said, "I hate to do this, but I have to ask you to do one more thing." She said "you should be fine, but we just need those documents for the file". She asked us to go across the street and request our IRS tax statements from 2011 and 2012 and bring them back to her. We told her we would, and she said to my husband, "You should be fine. You will get your green card in 30 - 60 days." We ran across the street, got the forms, and were back within the hour. She came out to the front desk when we came back and looked at the documents. She said "this is perfect" and again said that we should be fine. We thanked her and shook her hand and were on our way.

Considering the fact that my husband didn't even have his green card on him, and isn't working, I don't think it could have gone any better. I was also very relieved to hear that we were only called in because of those missing forms, which they now have. It helps to know that they never questioned the validity of our marriage.

Thank you all so much for all of your support throughout this journey. I won't be 100% relieved until he has that GC in his hand, but I think we'll be ok.

Sorry this is so long, but I wanted to give all information in case it helps anyone else.

Thank you again!!

OK, thank you everyone. We will be leaving shortly for the interview so I will post an update once the interview is complete.

Thank you very much for the advice and for the sympathy for our loss. My husband submitted a statement explaining why we didn't have the GC. I will definitely try to print some previous VJ postings. I don't think we have time to get a POA notarized, but that was a great idea. I should've posted here sooner. In all honesty, I have been in a mental fog since this storm. We were home at the time and we were very nearly trapped and killed. I think the shock of it all is only recently wearing off...and it has been almost 3 years! It was a nightmare experience.

I didn't know I could obtain a copy of the ML online. Do you know where I go to do that?

My husband and I met online 15 years ago. 4 years later we developed a relationship and have been together ever since. In 2011, we filed for a K-1 visa which was approved. He came to America in August 2011, and we were married on 10/7/11. We did not have a big wedding ceremony because we needed to save money for it. We were hoping to have a church ceremony within a couple of years. I didn't change my name and we didn't exchange rings because we were planning to do all of that at the church ceremony. All of our plans were derailed when we lost everything in Hurricane Sandy in October of 2012. Our apartment was flooded to the ceiling and everything we had was destroyed. We needed all the money we had to find a new apartment and replace everything we had. My husband also lost his green card, social security card, and we lost our marriage license. We tried to replace his GC but it was $600, and we couldn't afford it at the time with everything else that was going on. By the time we were on our feet, my husband assumed he would be getting his 10 year card any day, so we never replaced it.

We received an RFE, so we submitted a joint bank statement, joint credit card statement, joint rental lease (which is expired, my landlord never requested a new one), joint medical insurance policy, affidavits, photos, joint tax returns, and life insurance policies. It still wasn't enough because we received a letter asking us for an interview for tomorrow.

My husband and I have a legitimate relationship and marriage. We've been together for 11 years. I am worried about the interview for the following reasons:

1. He doesn't have his green card

2. We don't have wedding bands and I haven't changed my last name

3. We don't have children

4. We don't have any utility bills in both of our names because we didn't think it was necessary

5. We don't have our marriage license (I thought I had a copy in my office but I guess all the copies were in the apartment at the time of the hurricane)

6. My husband hasn't worked in the 4 years he's been in the U.S. First he had a medical issue and now he's having a hard time finding work.

So although I know everything there is to know about my husband and he knows everything about me, and even though our relationship is 100% genuine, I am worried about this interview tomorrow.

I'd love any feedback that anyone might have.

Thank you!!

well the only red flag i think there is is that my fiance included only our photos to the forms he sent. no emails, chats, phone call trails...do u think that is it?

There's no way to know for sure until you receive the letter, but if he didn't send any proof other than photos, then yes, that could be the reason for the RFE. Photos are good but certainly not the best evidence of a relationship. I know it's hard to wait but in the meantime, I would start compiling the additional evidence to support your relationship.

It's never too early to get started on filling out the forms. Follow the links nessmj sent you.

I think you should attach anything they ask for. You can always attach copies and include a note that you will bring the originals with you to the interview if you don't feel comfortable sending the originals. If they have to have the originals, they will probably send you a letter requesting it. I think sending copies is fine because they know you will be appearing at the embassy for the interview. Best of luck.

Our entire case was sent to CSC and everything was approved from there. It took 2 1/2 months to get the EAD, close to 3 months to get the SS card, and almost 9 months to get the Green Card from the time we applied. Hope that helps!

Here are the facts as you have already heard them.

1. She is going to have to divorce her current husband and go back to her home country.

2. You can then file a petition for her. If she takes the steps to divorce and leave the US before she receives her green card, she may have an easier time the second time around for the K-1 visa, but beware. It isn't going to be a straight forward process. A lot of questions will need to be answered, and if she had a relationship for a significant amount of time with the OP, is USCIS going to find your relationship of a few months more concrete? I don't know about that, but I do believe that you will have to provide a LOT of evidence to support your relationship.

But here's something that you may not have yet been told. If her husband finds out about the two of you, he could very well notify USCIS and have her charged with immigration fraud. Then she is in a whole world of trouble. Especially if that happens before she petitions for divorce. I would be very careful with this situation. There is a lot of potential for serious problems with immigration here. Whatever you decide to do, I wish you the best of luck.

I'm in the same boat. Received notification that the case was transferred to California on January 3rd. Nothing. I just looked up my case status on USCIS and saw tumbleweeds floating past my case number. lol

No, we just filed for the AOS. No EAD for a couple of months.

Hi all,

My husband came into the US in August on the K-1 Visa and we were married in October. We filed for the AOS about a week after his I-94 expired but he never applied for his SSN. Now I'm hearing that he won't be able to apply for a SSN since his I-94 is expired. Does anyone know how long we have to wait now until we apply? My concern is that my company is changing insurance policies and he requires a SSN to be on my insurance. I don't want him to be uninsured for a whole year. Assistance appreciated!

Hi everyone. We're filing for my husband's AOS tomorrow and just have two quick questions:

1. What is the A#? Is this the number that appears on the NOA2 for the K1 petition just above the beneficiary's name? The number on our NOA2 starts with A and is followed by nine numbers grouped in three, ex: A 123 456 789. Is this the number we should be entering for "Alien Number" on all of the forms we are submitting for the AOS?

2. There are several numbers on the visa. Which number is the NonImmigrant Visa Number? Is it the number in bold red (a letter followed by 7 digits) or is it the control number?

We appreciate your advice!

Thank you!

CMed

Thank you both so much. You have taken a huge weight off of my shoulders. I was really starting to panic! lol I read in a couple of places that he would be subject to deportation because he would be considered out of status. OK, I can breathe and get back to these forms now. Many thanks.

Hi all,

I'm hoping someone can offer me some information. My husband and I got married on 10/7/11, well within the 90 days of his arrival on the K1 Visa. I am now hearing that the AOS has to be filed withing 90 days, which I wasn't aware of. I thought we just had to be married within 90 days. I'm worried that USCIS will not receive our package within the 90 days. Does anyone know what may happen if it isn't received in time? I'm worried.

I was arrested once while in the US, i was attacked by a neighbor and 2 of his friends as they forced entry into my apartment after a night of drinking. To cut a long story short, due to a misunderstanding of whoever called the police, i was arrested for chasing the attackers out of my home with a weapon. Charge was assault with deadly weapon, but keep in mind no one was physically injured, scathed or even scratched or touched. I got bailed out a couple days later, and got a lawyer, the case was dismissed before it went to court. I think it was made apparent to the police what happened, and the guy had a really bad name at the apartment complex. The complex manager had cancer, and she had a nurse who was deaf attend to her sometimes, the same guy attacked both of them on a previous occasion.

My question is should i expect any major delays due to this unfortunate circumstance?

Hope this helps...My fiance is from Ireland, and was arrested for aggravated assault. Now, keep in mind, that the lunatic neighbor who called the police on him, has also called the police on half the people on the street, and has a file as long as your leg at the police station for making false accusations. The police in the area don't usually entertain her accusations, knowing that they are false. In this instance however, rookie cops were sent out to the house, and not knowing ths situation with this woman, they arrested my fiance. He did nothing wrong at all.

Once it was cleared up, my fiance was released, and was told that the arrest would be removed from his record entirely. We were concerned that this would cause delays in our case, at the very least. When my fiance obtained his police cert for the interview, sure enough, it was blank. When filling out the forms in packet 3 however, he was asked if he had ever been arrested, and to explain. Not wanting to lie, he checked that he HAD been arrested and explained. Even though there was no trace of the arrest on his police cert, we didn't want to deny it had happened...just in case.

I attended the interview with my fiance in Dublin, and I was all ready for the CO to ask about the arrest. He never did. It didn't seem to be an issue at all. I think the fact that there was no conviction made the difference.

I know your situation is a little different, but I hope this helps ease your worries somewhat. Either way, every case is different, and what's true for one may not be true for another. If you and your fiance have a legitimate relationship and follow the instructions of USCIS and the consulate to a T (preparing and providing accurate documentation, pictures, etc.) than I think you have little to worry about. Also, the office at the consulate in Dublin is very nice. The interview went a lot easier than I thought it would. I strongly believe that attending the interview with my fiance helped a great deal..so if it is at all possible for both of you to attend the interview in Dublin, I would recommend it highly.

In short, no, I don't think that your petition will be delayed in any way because of the arrest, but you may...or may not...be asked to explain the circumstances at the interview.

Hey everyone! Thanks so much for all of the helpful advice! I've talked to my fiance and my mom and we've decided to push the big wedding back until the end of March. That should be enough time, right?? Once he has his visa, he will come over and we'll go to the courthouse to get married so he can start filing all of his paperwork for AOS and to work and then we'll have the big wedding end of March. How does that sound?? Is it all legal and legit? We want to make sure we don't cut any corners and we dot every "I" and cross every "T".

That sounds like it should be enough time. Most people get married at the courthouse first and then have the big wedding later due to time restraints. Yep, that's all legal and legit! Good luck.

We have already planned the entire wedding and sent out the invites. We were so careful before starting this process, talking to friends who had done it before or who were currently going through it, not to mention talking to USCIS beforehand and we were always told the same thing. It will be within 5 months. I even asked USCIS if I could start planning the wedding for 6 months out of receiving the paperwork and they said yes. Stupid USCIS!!!! If we don't get the K 1 in time, we can still get married (he'll come visit under the VWP) and then he'll fly back to Scotland and we file the I-130. USCIS also told me that he can stay AND file for his AOS while it's all processing but I highly doubt that since we haven't been getting the most reliable info from USCIS... which is stupuid b/c they're, well, USCIS!!!

I strongly advise you NOT to have your fiance come to the US under VWP, get married, and apply for AOS. US Immigration is becoming more and more strict about people abiding by the law. When someone enters the US under VWP, they are saying that they have no intention of immigrating to the US, and are here only for a visit. By marrying a US citizen and applying for AOS without leaving the country under the VWP, you are committing immigration fraud. There really is no other way around it. Yes, some people get away with it, but it happens less and less often. Also, the fact that you and your fiance started a K-1 process and have an entire wedding planned is going to make it very obvious to US Immigration that your fiance used the VWP for purposes that it was not created for. The results can be devastating. He will be jailed, and you can be jailed as well, and then he will be deported and banned from the US. If you then apply for a spousal visa, there is every chance that it will be denied because he has been deported. I know someone who has gone through this, and her marriage resulted in divorce because her husband received a 10 year ban, and she could not move to his country for other reasons.

To me, this seems like a risk NOT worth taking just to keep a wedding date of November 5th. I know you have already planned everything and sent out invitations, but wedding plans can be changed, and invitations can be revised. What good will a wedding be if your new husband is thrown in jail, deported, and banned from the US soon after? I am not a scare monger, I am being very realistic.

You CAN marry your fiance under the VWP and as long as he returns to Scotland before the 90 days, he will be eligible to apply for the spousal visa. Just keep in mind that if you go that route, you will be apart for awhile. The spousal visa takes longer than the k1 visa from what I hear. So once he returns to Scotland, you're looking at another 9+ months of being separated.

I received my NOA2 4 months after filing the petition. My fiance is from Ireland (which has similar processing times to the UK) so you may want to peek at my timeline. My fiance arrived in the US 7 months (nearly to the day) of our NOA1 date. I think November 5th is going to be a long shot, and USCIS will not grant an expedite request solely because the wait time is interfering with your plans. That I can guarantee.

In the end, it's up to you and your fiance. Weigh your options and see where you both stand. You have several options. The one that gets your fiance here permanently in the quickest amount of time, is postponing your wedding date and waiting for the K1 visa.

I hope this can be of some help. All the best.

Thank you for your replies. We are just concerned because this officer was really rude and impolite with my fiancee that she didnt even ask for any documents or evidence. She didnt even ask for the DHL receipt and this is a problem. This officer seemed not interested at all in what she was saying, totally rude.

I understand your concern, but I don't think she would be denied just because you had a previous wife who received a green card through you. All they are concerned with is:

1. Whether your relationship with your current fiance is legitimate.

2. Whether you can provide for her financially.

3. Whether she is a security threat to the USA.

That's pretty much it. The interview itself can seem very intimidating just because you have so much on the line. Try not to worry too much. Have her send in the forms as soon as she can. Keep us posted.

I hope everything worked out for the best. I don't blame you for worrying. I came through with my fiance yesterday and started freaking out when he was in secondary for longer than ten minutes! Luckily, all went well for him, and I pray all goes well for you too! Keep us posted!!

Wow...nothing is more beautiful than the site of my fiance's visa inside of his passport. 7 months after applying for our k1 visa, my fiance has his visa in his hand tonight, and is coming home tomorrow!! Thank you, God!! We have known each other for 11 years, and have been together for 7 years....so this day is really special for us. It is the end of our long distance relationship, and the start of our forever. Thank you to everyone on VJ who has helped us along the way. To all of those who are still waiting, hang in there. This day will come for you too. I remember reading posts like this one when we were waiting for our NOA2, and just couldn't picture ever posting this myself...yet here it is! The day has come! :dance: :dance:

It has been a long journey, and much has happened in the lives of my fiance and I outside of the visa process that has made being apart all the more difficult. We stayed strong though, because we knew that the day would come when being apart would no longer be a problem. I am here in Ireland with him (I came to attend the interview with him) and tomorrow morning, we will make our way home. No more goodbyes, no more counting the days until we see one another again. (L)

I have posted my review on my fiance's interview here:

http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/index.php?trim=no&cty=&cnty=&page=1&dfilter=5

I was a nervous wreck before the interview, but it was so easy. The CO was great. Thanks again, everyone!

I wouldn't include all of that information. Make sure your fiance is prepared to answer any questions that may arise about your previous marriage, but you don't have to tell the CO more than he wants to know. Keep the form very simple... I, (your name here) am willing, and am free to marry (fiancee's name here) within 90 days of her arrival in the US. Then sign it, and you're done.

Hey Mike,

It sounds like you have everything, but you should also include your last 3 paystubs. That's everything that we had. I don't know if your deposit records show your account balance, but I printed out my account balances from my bank to show current assets. Hope this helps! Good luck.

Thanks for the reply. He had to go back to have his fingerprints re-scanned. We just got back.