A whole load of questions from a newbie

[Jillie 0]

If anyone could even begin to answer some of these questions it would be greatly appreciated. I formulated this gigantic list after carefully combing through the website and anything immigration related. Thank you all so much!

• Do you suggest a lawyer to prepare my paperwork?

• What is an A number?

• What does “touched” mean?

• Is it possible to say my husband will plan to live at a certain address on the I-130 and change it at a later date? If so what form would I use to go about that?

• Can I give out an address on the I-130 but request for any reply documents from USCIS to be sent to a different address since I am out of the country with my husband currently?

• Should I start filling out the forms using my married name or my maiden name since I have yet to change my name back in the states? How do I ask the US for a new SOC card and other US issued documents?

• Do I need to submit a cover letter for the I-129F in a K-3 visa?

• Do I need to submit the G-325A twice, once with the I-130 and then again with the I-129F on the K-3 track?

• While making copies of original documents (birth certificate, marriage certificate, …) do I want notarized copies or just very clear photocopies?

• Is what the website saying about translations stating that my husband can translate his documents as long as he swears that statement listed or is it saying that the certified translator should swear that statement? If my husband can translate should we notarize his translations?

• Now I’m a wee bit confused about the time he can enter the US. On a K-3 track when is the earliest time he can enter? Is it after I get a receipt for the I-130 and then submit the I-129F? Or is there some other mystery time that I can’t find?

• If he is in the US before the I-130 is finalized, will he need to travel back to his home country for his visa interview or can he have one here in the states?

• Is it considered living together if I traveled to Morocco and stayed with my then fiancé for the summer and during that period of time got married? If not then what do I put for the question on the I-130 asking what our last address was?

• Should I send in the I-130 package while I’m still here in Morocco or should I wait until I travel home in case they call?

• Since I am a student should I list my dorm address as one of the addresses I previously lived at?

[Euro 3]

If anyone could even begin to answer some of these questions it would be greatly appreciated. I formulated this gigantic list after carefully combing through the website and anything immigration related. Thank you all so much!

• Do you suggest a lawyer to prepare my paperwork?No only if your case might be complicated E.G deportation-over stay• What is an A number?look it up

• What does “touched” mean?it just means once your registered with the USCIS site you know if somone looked at your case, date changes• Is it possible to say my husband will plan to live at a certain address on the I-130 and change it at a later date? If so what form would I use to go about that?AR 11 i think, but have been wrong before

• Can I give out an address on the I-130 but request for any reply documents from USCIS to be sent to a different address since I am out of the country with my husband currently?NO

• Should I start filling out the forms using my married name or my maiden name since I have yet to change my name back in the states? How do I ask the US for a new SOC card and other US issued documents?up to you

• Do I need to submit a cover letter for the I-129F in a K-3 visa?optional

• Do I need to submit the G-325A twice, once with the I-130 and then again with the I-129F on the K-3 track? YES for both of you x4 pages each, for each petition

• While making copies of original documents (birth certificate, marriage certificate, …) do I want notarized copies or just very clear photocopies?just photo copies will do

• Is what the website saying about translations stating that my husband can translate his documents as long as he swears that statement listed or is it saying that the certified translator should swear that statement? If my husband can translate should we notarize his translations?I dont know !!

• Now I’m a wee bit confused about the time he can enter the US. On a K-3 track when is the earliest time he can enter? Is it after I get a receipt for the I-130 and then submit the I-129F? Or is there some other mystery time that I can’t find? when he has either visa in his passport

• If he is in the US before the I-130 is finalized, will he need to travel back to his home country for his visa interview or can he have one here in the states? he can come on K3 and adjust status , or you can do both & he can return for interview• Is it considered living together if I traveled to Morocco and stayed with my then fiancé for the summer and during that period of time got married? If not then what do I put for the question on the I-130 asking what our last address was? no its not considered living together, your on vacation, right?? so NONE would be a good answer!!• Should I send in the I-130 package while I’m still here in Morocco or should I wait until I travel home in case they call? They wont call

• Since I am a student should I list my dorm address as one of the addresses I previously lived at? If you lived there i suppose you can!!

dang, you need to start reading stuff

Edited June 18, 2006 by euro

[bradentejas 0]

Almost every answer you have is specifically addressed in the instructions for each form and in the Guides listed on this website. Somehow I think that your research and reading was not very thorough...in addition, you seem to be reading into the instructions a bit too much. Just do what the instructions say and do not waver from this.

[Jillie 0]

Thanks for the help. Sorry for sounding like such a novice I've just been reading so much that I can't get straight what requirement goes with what visa and such.

[Euro 3]

Thanks for the help. Sorry for sounding like such a novice I've just been reading so much that I can't get straight what requirement goes with what visa and such.

if you look ^^^^^^^^^ at your post i tried to answer the questions for you,in RED but you must read & read again for it to become clear

Edited June 18, 2006 by euro

[Jersey Girl 2]

Jillie, read the guides before you read the threads, so you can determine your own status. If you're a student who married a Morrocan, you can come back to the States (without him) and apply for K3. You'll be affected by IMBRA and no one can predict how much time it might add.

You could also come back to the States (alone) and apply for CR-1, which may be approved quicker. That doesn't mean he could enter the States quicker, though.

I don't know if you can do DCF (Direct Consular Filing) in Morroco or how long you'd need to live there to become a qualifying resident. There are more knowledgable people here who know.

Your issue, regardless of which visa to apply for, is to build a body of evidence that proves you can support him financially. Personally, I'd get back to the States pronto, get a steady job, and apply for K3. It covers all the bases, and you'd be applying for CR-1 at the same time. You can go forward with whichever one you think is best for you.

Meanwhile, fasten your seatbelt, because you're in for a journey of many months. Use your time in ways that will guarantee your success.

Edited June 18, 2006 by Jersey Girl

[shirlJ831 0]

I know when things are "new" you have a ton of questions I think we all did and do. I learned take one step at a time. This is a long process. I lived in Canada and entered the US on a K3 visa. i got married Oct 03 and it took 8 months for me to get to the US. Welcome to VJ and good luck

[Reba 2]

• Do you suggest a lawyer to prepare my paperwork?

not unless your spouse has a criminal record should a lawyer be necessary. Save the money for a nice holiday

• What is an A number?

this is a number that USCIS puts on all us Aliens. but not til we get our visa

• What does “touched” mean?

once you've submitted a petition and received the Notice of Action (NOA) you can register at the USCIS website and watch the progress of your petitions. Sometimes your profile will update with no specific reason, and its generically called "touched"

• Is it possible to say my husband will plan to live at a certain address on the I-130 and change it at a later date? If so what form would I use to go about that?

if you the petitioner move before the process is completed, you need to notify USCIS with form I-865. If your husband moves before he's got the inerview notice from the consulate, I believe he would need to notify the consulat. I don't think there is a form for that, just a letter and/or phone call with his file number should suffice. He won't have a consulate file number tho until the consulate has received the approved petitions from USCIS

• Can I give out an address on the I-130 but request for any reply documents from USCIS to be sent to a different address since I am out of the country with my husband currently?

I think that would just confuse them. Have someone pick up the mail at your US address and forward it to where you are

• Should I start filling out the forms using my married name or my maiden name since I have yet to change my name back in the states? How do I ask the US for a new SOC card and other US issued documents?

You can use your married name on the petitions. As for changing your name back here in the US, I think you can probably just check the respective websites for information, and then send name change forms with a photocopy of your marriage certificate

• Do I need to submit a cover letter for the I-129F in a K-3 visa?

its a good idea, just to be sure they know its for a K3 visa. They have been known to get confused and start tossing petitions back and forth from service centres. Just make sure to keep copies of EVERYTHING you ever send them!

• Do I need to submit the G-325A twice, once with the I-130 and then again with the I-129F on the K-3 track?

Yes. 4 copies for each of you for each petition

• While making copies of original documents (birth certificate, marriage certificate, …) do I want notarized copies or just very clear photocopies?

photocopies are fine. They'll ask to see the "orginals" at interviews

• Is what the website saying about translations stating that my husband can translate his documents as long as he swears that statement listed or is it saying that the certified translator should swear that statement? If my husband can translate should we notarize his translations?

AFAIK a notary cannot notarize anything but signatures that were signed in their presence. If your husband is fluent in English and can adequately translate his foreign documents, that should be fine. If you're worried perhaps find someone else who could translate. It doesn't have to be a professional translator, just someone fluent in both languages

• Now I’m a wee bit confused about the time he can enter the US. On a K-3 track when is the earliest time he can enter? Is it after I get a receipt for the I-130 and then submit the I-129F? Or is there some other mystery time that I can’t find?

He cannot enter until he has a visa stamped in his passport. This will be several months down the road, and he will have an interview at the US consulate in his country

• If he is in the US before the I-130 is finalized, will he need to travel back to his home country for his visa interview or can he have one here in the states?

If you get the K3 and he goes to the US with that, you have 2 choices. Wait for the I-130 to complete and he can return to his home country for CR1 interview, or you can change course once the I-130 is approved and notify USCIS by letter that you wish to apply for Adjustment of Status in the US. This will save the trip back and an interview will be had at the USCIS district office for both of you

• Is it considered living together if I traveled to Morocco and stayed with my then fiancé for the summer and during that period of time got married? If not then what do I put for the question on the I-130 asking what our last address was?

you were there on vacation only, unless you had permanent resident status in Morocco by going thru the Moroccan immigration process. You would put your last/current address in the US for you, and his current address in Morocco for him

• Should I send in the I-130 package while I’m still here in Morocco or should I wait until I travel home in case they call?

they don't call. They mail.

• Since I am a student should I list my dorm address as one of the addresses I previously lived at?

I'm not sure how they consider campus addresses. You could put that, as well as your home address. When we filled ours out, my husband had 2 addresses, mainly because his neighbours where he lived at the time were in the habit of stealing his mail so he had most important stuff sent to his parents address, but he lived in a different town. You could do similar, and put your permanent address and your campus address. Include an explanation supplement on a separate sheet of paper if needed for more space

good luck!

[simple_male 1]

Your questions are well answered. Please don't hesitate to ask questions. Do lots of reading on this website in order to get yourself familiarize with I-130, I-129F (K-3).

About A Number: Usually, a naturalized US citizen has one, but a born US citizen has not. If you do not have any A number, you can just write "NONE." Do not leave any space blank.

Edited June 19, 2006 by simple_male