AOS Filers - May 2009!

[S.Fu + T.Fu 0]

I have a question that has been bothering me a bit.

I'm not sure how well people know about the difference between Confidential Marriage vs. Public Marriage under the civil court rules. But here goes:

My hubby and I decided to choose the confidential marriage because:

1. Only you and your spouse can request for the marriage certificate and nobody else can unless they have a court order.

We wanted to do this because we feel like it's a lot safer and secure if something this important to us are only obtainable through us.

2. Do not require a witness. All our friends had to work that day and both our family members/relatives are half way around the globe from us. So it wasn't possible for them to attend.

3. You must be living together prior to the marriage.

4. It's a bit more expensive than public marriage.

My story is:

The morning when we were preparing to go to the civil center to get married. My hubby started feeling a bit woozy and kinda sick, but he said he was fine. We went and gave each other our vows. HOWEVER, here's my 'problem' we didn't take any photos with the judge or at the civil center. My hubby was feeling real dizzy so I wanted to bring him home asap and let him rest in bed. He caught the flu that night.

My worries are:

1. We didn't have a witness with us. [Friends busy, co workers at work, classmates in class.... impossible?]

2. We didn't take any photos that day due to the situation I explained above.

3. Since our families members weren't able to be here, we wanted our wedding in 2011, the year, the month and date that we have in mind are extremely important to us and want to establish a wedding ceremony on that day. I wonder if explaining this to the IO will raise more red flags. However, we want to be honest about it.

I understand that the USCIS IO will definitely want to see the pictures of our marriage but we currently don't have any from our civil wedding, since it's a courtship between the two of us.

Let me know what your advice is regarding this situation. It'll be greatly appreciated. :]

[levnd 0]

The day we got married at the courthouse, we only ended up taking a picture of us outside holding our marriage certificate

because the girl who married us said she didn't feel comfortable taking pictures - which is fine. We did however have two

witnesses (our good friends).

I'm sure if you explain the situation at the interview they'll understand. I mean everyone gets sick. It happens.

Lately I find myself reading stuff on the forums and other sites and driving myself insane "well what if this happens "what if they don't like our evidence" I know it's hard not to worry but my husband told me we just have to have faith that the evidence we sent in, will show

how much we love each other.

Edited June 17, 2009 by levnd

[S.Fu + T.Fu 0]

Thanks Levnd. :]

My hubby said the same thing. '_' He said that he wont let anything get in the way of our relationship and our marriage.

I'm the one who is always stressing out and over-reacting to something that hasn't happened it. >< Over-assuming the unpredictable. ^^||

I think I just need to go sit under a waterfall and meditate... [shower is a good imitation XD]

G'luck on your EAD and AOS. Hope you'll get your EAD soon. :]

Best,

T.Fu

[bellavita 0]

Hi,S.Fu+ T.Fu,before I was filling, my lawyer advised that getting a public marriage license is better than confidential one, she said IO may ask more questions if you got confidential marrige license,it's not big deal and not a major point fot a bona fide marriage however,but less question is always better.

If you did have a confidential one,there is nothing to change anymore,just dont worry too much and be more prepared for the interview

wish you good luck!!

I have a question that has been bothering me a bit.

I'm not sure how well people know about the difference between Confidential Marriage vs. Public Marriage under the civil court rules. But here goes:

My hubby and I decided to choose the confidential marriage because:

1. Only you and your spouse can request for the marriage certificate and nobody else can unless they have a court order.

We wanted to do this because we feel like it's a lot safer and secure if something this important to us are only obtainable through us.

2. Do not require a witness. All our friends had to work that day and both our family members/relatives are half way around the globe from us. So it wasn't possible for them to attend.

3. You must be living together prior to the marriage.

4. It's a bit more expensive than public marriage.

My story is:

The morning when we were preparing to go to the civil center to get married. My hubby started feeling a bit woozy and kinda sick, but he said he was fine. We went and gave each other our vows. HOWEVER, here's my 'problem' we didn't take any photos with the judge or at the civil center. My hubby was feeling real dizzy so I wanted to bring him home asap and let him rest in bed. He caught the flu that night.

My worries are:

1. We didn't have a witness with us. [Friends busy, co workers at work, classmates in class.... impossible?]

2. We didn't take any photos that day due to the situation I explained above.

3. Since our families members weren't able to be here, we wanted our wedding in 2011, the year, the month and date that we have in mind are extremely important to us and want to establish a wedding ceremony on that day. I wonder if explaining this to the IO will raise more red flags. However, we want to be honest about it.

I understand that the USCIS IO will definitely want to see the pictures of our marriage but we currently don't have any from our civil wedding, since it's a courtship between the two of us.

Let me know what your advice is regarding this situation. It'll be greatly appreciated. :]

[S.Fu + T.Fu 0]

Hi,S.Fu+ T.Fu,before I was filling, my lawyer advised that getting a public marriage license is better than confidential one, she said IO may ask more questions if you got confidential marrige license,it's not big deal and not a major point fot a bona fide marriage however,but less question is always better.

If you did have a confidential one,there is nothing to change anymore,just dont worry too much and be more prepared for the interview

wish you good luck!!

When I spoke w/ an immigration attorney [before our marriage] regarding the difference between confidential and public marriage he told me it's really personal preference. He understood my situation then and said it doesn't make too much of a difference.

But either way, there is on way that I can change it from confidential to public and we definitely don't intend to do so anyway. We have about 13 list of proofs for the interview of joint accounts, etc. + an album of photos dating back since 2002. We'll see how things go and where it takes us.

-T.Fu

Edited June 17, 2009 by S.Fu + T.Fu

[shee 0]

Hi everyone!

Just a reminder - please update the progress report with all your recent happenings - transfers, card productions, ect..!

It will give those of us waiting some hope that changes will come!

Here is the link:

May AOS filers spreadsheet

Just open it up, and click on the link at the bottom "edit this page"

When you are done simply close the window. That's it!

Thank you!!!!!!

[kellygon 0]

HI EVERYONE!!!

I AM SO HAPPY JUST NOW I RECEIVE 2 EMAILS IN MY MAILBOX ONE FOR MY TRAVEL DOCUMENT APROVED AND ANOTHER FOR THE EMPLOYENT PERMISION APROVAL,

I WAS SO WORRIED BECAUSE I THEY NEVER TOUCH MY CASE........

BUT NOW I FEEL BETTER,

BYE

KELLY

[stardusted 0]

Card production ordered! Good lord, I've been anxious. I think I checked the USCIS site more today than all the days before combined.

[rexalite 0]

Card production ordered! Good lord, I've been anxious. I think I checked the USCIS site more today than all the days before combined.

So for all of you with the happy card production news, are you finding out via email? Do you see a corresponding touch on the same day as the email?

[stardusted 0]

Card production ordered! Good lord, I've been anxious. I think I checked the USCIS site more today than all the days before combined.

So for all of you with the happy card production news, are you finding out via email? Do you see a corresponding touch on the same day as the email?

I'd been checking the USCIS site the entire day and finally it was an e-mail from them that notified me of the approval. There hadn't been a touch since right after my biometrics. I can't add my AP case so have no idea what's going on with that.

[stardusted 0]

Went back to try and add my AP case and finally could, and it was also approved today! Awesome. (I have tickets for home already.)

[levnd 0]

YAY I got the email saying EAD approved & card production ordered!!!!!!!!!!!

soooo excited!!111 :dance:

congrats stardusted on your approved EAD & AP!!!

Wishing everyone who is still waiting to hear something soon!!

[kiwie 0]

Congrats to everybody who has received their EAD card!!!!

I just called USCIS to change my name on my greencard. Cause I wanted to do that during my interview but now that our case has been transferred to California we don't really know if we are going to have an interview!

I forgot all about how frustrating it is to call USCIS and how there are people who have no clue what's going on

but after explaining everything to her 3 times, she finally but in a service request number to change my name in the card!

[cartman1417 0]

is there anyone here who has filed I-130?

if so, can you please tell me wht's the update on ur application.....i received NOA1 on april 24 and recently my case was transferred from CSC to NBC.....

[B&J 0]

is there anyone here who has filed I-130?

if so, can you please tell me wht's the update on ur application.....i received NOA1 on april 24 and recently my case was transferred from CSC to NBC.....

Isn't the I-130 part of the AOS package? I didn't get a NOA for that.

If you meant I-131...I didn't file for that...sorry no answer.