UK AOS 2009 Thread

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

It's the second highest pass grade after a first. Equates to about a 3.75 GPA.

Wow. But we already knew our little Magpie was a smart one. Well done, Sunshine girl!

[KnightAndMagpie 7]

It's the second highest pass grade after a first. Equates to about a 3.75 GPA.

Wow. But we already knew our little Magpie was a smart one. Well done, Sunshine girl!

I didn't really prove such in this thread where a missing zero resulted in me making a right silly goose of myself. But :: blush :: thank you!

Magpie.

[pothergavel 0]

Just a quick hello as I prepare to join this thread!

Congrats on the 2:1 Magpie, all the coolest of cool kids get those

Did someone mention facebook?!

[KnightAndMagpie 7]

Just a quick hello as I prepare to join this thread!

Congrats on the 2:1 Magpie, all the coolest of cool kids get those

Did someone mention facebook?!

Yay, I'm a cool kid! Do I get a hat?

Thankums and congrats to YOU on joining us, pothergavel!

And oh my. I still need to find Nich on Facebook, and now I expect I'll be finding you...

Magpie.

[Big Papa Zone 93]

Just a quick hello as I prepare to join this thread!

Congrats on the 2:1 Magpie, all the coolest of cool kids get those

Did someone mention facebook?!

Yay, I'm a cool kid! Do I get a hat?

Thankums and congrats to YOU on joining us, pothergavel!

And oh my. I still need to find Nich on Facebook, and now I expect I'll be finding you...

Magpie.

I found her, no problem. Now AS SOON AS SHE ACCEPTS MY FRIEND REQUEST ( ) I'll hook the two of you up!

[KnightAndMagpie 7]

We're going over the AOS stuff and we've happily already found something which is confusing! On the form I-485 (and the supplementary doesn't apply to us, methinks), under address, it says "C/O". What does this mean? Does this mean my address here, or what it was in the UK?

PDF link to I-485 is here.

Thankums all!

Magpie.

[Big Papa Zone 93]

We're going over the AOS stuff and we've happily already found something which is confusing! On the form I-485 (and the supplementary doesn't apply to us, methinks), under address, it says "C/O". What does this mean? Does this mean my address here, or what it was in the UK?

PDF link to I-485 is here.

Thankums all!

Magpie.

C/O = "care of." Ignore it; leave that line blank.

[KnightAndMagpie 7]

C/O = "care of." Ignore it; leave that line blank.

Ooh -- does that mean I should just fill in the address completely then? Or just not do it at all? USCIS aims to confuse...

Also, under "USCIS status", should I enter "K-1 Visa Immigrant"? It doesn't say anything about it in the instructions (which are happily, 11 pages long).

Magpie.

/edit: Oh! Also, should I fill it out under my married-to-be name? I'm just doing this now so we can just tweak it later...

Edited June 19, 2009 by KnightAndMagpie

[Big Papa Zone 93]

C/O = "care of." Ignore it; leave that line blank.

Ooh -- does that mean I should just fill in the address completely then? Or just not do it at all? USCIS aims to confuse...

Also, under "USCIS status", should I enter "K-1 Visa Immigrant"? It doesn't say anything about it in the instructions (which are happily, 11 pages long).

Magpie.

Magpie luv, it's all in the example form . Just click the "example form" tab up above ^^^^^^ and look at the example I-485 form in the AOS section

Edited June 19, 2009 by Damian P

[KnightAndMagpie 7]

Magpie luv, it's all in the example form . Just click the "example form" tab up above ^^^^^^ and look at the example I-485 form in the AOS section

Oooops. Makes you wonder even more how I got the degree . Thankums, Damian.

Magpie.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Magpie (and anybody else)

AOS/EAD/AP is a new process. K1 is over and done, so with a few exceptions (like your K1 medical) think of this application process like they've never heard of you before. They get applications from people who are in the US on student visas or work visas, not just K1s. So approach the process like you're a new person amonst the masses and not assuming they are looking at your old file. If you want to go by your married name forever and ever, then apply in that name. You have a US address, a husband, a new last name and former name maybe, and are unemployed. So you do a new G-325A reflecting the "new you." Knight has to start over showing he can support you. Maybe some of your K1 supporting documents can be used again (tax return, letter from employer) if they aren't ancient, but you have to provide them again. The example forms are super useful so follow the guides and examples. My list on p. 6 of this thread is just a summary of the big picture, but there's still alot of research and reading to do of the individual pieces. It's a lot of stuff to get together.

If you're lucky, your case will be transferred to CSC and you won't have to interview. But until you know that, put aside bits and pieces of things showing you are a married couple living together. Take a photo at family events and tuck it away in a file. If you get mail or insurance with both your names on it, file it. Just putting away bits as they happen gives you a great starting place should you need to prepare for an interview.

[KnightAndMagpie 7]

Magpie (and anybody else)

AOS/EAD/AP is a new process. K1 is over and done, so with a few exceptions (like your K1 medical) think of this application process like they've never heard of you before. They get applications from people who are in the US on student visas or work visas, not just K1s. So approach the process like you're a new person amonst the masses and not assuming they are looking at your old file. If you want to go by your married name forever and ever, then apply in that name. You have a US address, a husband, a new last name and former name maybe, and are unemployed. So you do a new G-325A reflecting the "new you." Knight has to start over showing he can support you. Maybe some of your K1 supporting documents can be used again (tax return, letter from employer) if they aren't ancient, but you have to provide them again. The example forms are super useful so follow the guides and examples. My list on p. 6 of this thread is just a summary of the big picture, but there's still alot of research and reading to do of the individual pieces. It's a lot of stuff to get together.

If you're lucky, your case will be transferred to CSC and you won't have to interview. But until you know that, put aside bits and pieces of things showing you are a married couple living together. Take a photo at family events and tuck it away in a file. If you get mail or insurance with both your names on it, file it. Just putting away bits as they happen gives you a great starting place should you need to prepare for an interview.

Thankums as always, Nich -- ever armed with the Mallet of Common Sense and Reasoning. I started on the first form, I-485, yesterday, and I've more or less completed it. We're also submitting the marriage license application today, so hopefully we'll hear back from them by Monday. We're going to San Antonio from the 30th to see Knight's younger brother graduate from boot camp (he's going to be an Air Force engineer!) and won't be back until the 6th July, but hopefully we'll have everything together by then.

Just a question -- we have to submit that before the 90-day period is up, right? Because we have to submit evidence that we're married and such. I still have to get my HPV vaccination sorted. I'm also a little confused regarding the biometrics (fingerprinting doodaddy). Do we have to arrange that before, or after we submit the documents? I read the instructions and such, but I just wanted to be sure. It sounds like it's something they do while they're processing all our stuff.

And I'm going to start printing off photos today...we've got lots of me and Knight (if you'd accept Damian's friend request on Facebook, you can see them!). As for documents, I'm sure we can sort out photocopying bills once I'm on his banking plan, too (the bank requires me to have my social security number).

Regarding the work application form, will I need solid evidence of my degree? The problem with this is that the UK likes to be nice and slow with preparing and printing the degrees, so I won't have it until maybe November. Yuck, I don't like that I have to put "unemployed" on my G-325A...it's a furious word. RAWR! UNEMPLOYMENT!

Do you think it's a good idea anyhow to apply for the I-131? It doesn't look like we're going to travel (or afford travel) outside the US for a good while. I was already prepared not to do so.

This is all so daunting. So much paperwork and so much to do...!

Magpie.

/edit: Oh! One more thing -- how do I know whether I can submit the form I got from Knightsbridge or not? Do I have to deal with a civil surgeon because I haven't got my HPV vaccination yet, and have them copy over the information? It seems as though I do...thankums! And apologies for my general cluelessness. I don't want to tread wrongly here.

Edited June 19, 2009 by KnightAndMagpie

[Big Papa Zone 93]

Just a question -- we have to submit that before the 90-day period is up, right?

If you mean do you have to submit the AOS application before the 90 days marked on the K-1 is up, then no, you don't. Many people file after the 90 day period for a variety of personal reasons. Just as long as you were married within the 90 days, it's all good.

I'm also a little confused regarding the biometrics (fingerprinting doodaddy). Do we have to arrange that before, or after we submit the documents?

It's arranged for you by USCIS upon receipt of your AOS file. You are sent an appointment letter.

Regarding the work application form, will I need solid evidence of my degree?

I would have thought so yes, but joking aside lil buddy, it probably won't be worth much at all out here. I know that's hard to swallow, given how hard you've worked for it over the last 3 years, but be prepared for disappointment on that front - sorry.

Do you think it's a good idea anyhow to apply for the I-131? It doesn't look like we're going to travel (or afford travel) outside the US for a good while. I was already prepared not to do so.

Look at it like an insurance policy: what happens if, God forbid, you have a serious family emergency at home? Or one of your closest friends is seriously hurt in an accident or the like? You'd be devastated if you couldn't be by their side, right? The I-131 costs nothing - why not file for it just in case?

[KnightAndMagpie 7]

Thank you so much for the responses, Damian -- as for my degree, well, I could waffle a bit and play on the technicalities of it. Royal Holloway does come under the Looniversity of London, and apparently up here in Alaska, international degrees do count for a bit (or so I hope). I will doubly prepare myself for numerous rejections, though...

So! Looks like I'll be more or less filing everything on the Nich-List. At least the time pressure is off, because we were worried about the fee. He's got a bit of a manky truck at the moment which guzzles a lot of petrol (his old truck, which was a lot nicer, made friends with a thick iron pole), and we might have to replace it. The thing about being up here is a 4x4 or AWD is a must because of the winter, and this country is pretty fond of its older vehicles...the government might pass a bill that allows you to trade in vehicles older than, say, 1994 or something for a coupon of a tidy $4500 solely for a new vehicle, but there's no knowing when that'll be.

Thankums once again -- I luff you guys, you're so good to me . Here, have some cake -- my special nummy marble cake recipe!

Magpie.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Magpie in random order because you asked so much I can't remember it all.

Medical vaccination Knightsbridge stuff--I already answered that here http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...t&p=3037164 Must be sorted before applying. You can do that now before you marry.

Don't lose focus printing pictures. File first. No marry first. Later if you have a cute picture, print it, but just one per outing...like with brother in SA.

Speaking of San Antonio....Road Trip!!! One of our favorite places to go. Meet us there Daymo. Heck, let's have a Texas wedding for the Magpie while she's there. (you can do that you know). Splendid idea, Nich.

---------

Form I-765 the Work Authorization: No degree info needed.

Question 16. Eligibility under 8 CFR 274a.12 ( C ) ( 9 )

Question 17. If you entered the Eligibility Category, ( c )(3)( C) , in item 16 above, list your degree, etc. YOU DIDN'T enter that category so this question does not apply to you. Write N/A in each place. That info is for people adjusting based on employment.

-------

I-131 Travel document. Yes do it for the reasons Daymo said. Before you ask....here's the answers.

Part 2. Pick D

Part 3. Question 1. No immediate plans. Question 2. Short trips (less than 2 weeks) Question 3. NO

Part 4. Purpose of Trip: To visit my family in case of emergency Where: United Kingdom

(skip to part 7)

Part 7. Question 1: More than one trip.

Write a statement to attach at the end that looks like:

I-131, Application for Travel Document, Part 7

Statement of circumstances that warrant issuance of advance parole

I wish to apply for advance parole and obtain the necessary permission to travel to my home country prior to receipt of permanent residency status in the event of emergency or family illness. I do not have any specific plans to travel at this time.

NAME AND SIGNATURE

------------

Edited June 19, 2009 by Nich-Nick