Please some quick questions about adjustment

[StarA 0]

Hi!

All I need is some quick answers....

Been going through the forums here, at least 1 hour now. Been researching in 2 months, either the information im seeking costs or cant be found EVEN though its probably soo easy!!!

I live in california, and im a international student (F-1 student visa from sweden), got here through that legally and my visa wont expire until 2012. Got married to my wife a month ago (she's a permanent citizen).

Now what I am trying to do is, to change status go for citizenship etc etc.

I heard its i-485, i-765 and i-130 something if I remember correctly.

----

1. What forms do I need? adjusting status work permit etc etc etc?

2. In WHAT ORDER should the forms be sent? (cause i heard my wife should send i-130 FIRST then the other forms)

3. How long will THINGS take?

---

One's saying it takes years, one another is saying the work permit will be given after 3 months u sent the application and the greencard given after 10 months.

Please, I tried to figure this out for MONTHS...first time im taking a step and writing in a forum about it...

[Inky 1,110]

It really takes as long as it takes for them to process your information and get things done.. Specially as to how complicated the case is the longer it can take. You will likely have an interview as to your situation ( coming from a student visa )

First of all .. DO NOT LEAVE AMERICA!! if you leave you will be screwed.. to put it lightly.

Here is the guide for what you need to do, its very explanitory! which should be helpfull to you. If you need guides to fill out the actual forms the VJ website has thos as well in the example forms section!

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...page=i130guide2

You will need a payment for the AOS which is 1010$ and also a payment for the I-130 which is 355$.

AOS needs 6 passport photos. Not sure how many the I-30 needs if any but the instructions should tell you.

You will need your LONG FORM birth certificate, im not completely sure on this but I do believe you need a full medical done by a civil surgeon listed on the USCIS website as well.

--sorry forgot to add the order, you send them all together at the same time in the same envelope. We used one of thos security envelopes with the blue printing all on the inside so that people wouldnt be able to see the check / papers in it just for peace of mind. -- if you do not send the forms all at the same time you will run into big big big problems.

Edited November 4, 2009 by Inky

[StarA 0]

Hi thank u so much...

Damn thats a lot of money...1010 + 355 for all of it?? heh jeez.

ok 2 questions,

1. I can go back home visit my family for 3 weeks IF i ask for permition right? Heard you can do that. and that u'r only screwed if u leave without saying anything

2. I got to the link u gave me...seems pretty easy.. But i thought it was 3 forms. Its like 6 forms in there :S

[marie09 5]

Hi thank u so much...

Damn thats a lot of money...1010 + 355 for all of it?? heh jeez.

ok 2 questions,

1. I can go back home visit my family for 3 weeks IF i ask for permition right? Heard you can do that. and that u'r only screwed if u leave without saying anything

2. I got to the link u gave me...seems pretty easy.. But i thought it was 3 forms. Its like 6 forms in there :S

Hey StarA...

Yep lots of money... at least with your visa not expiring for a few years you have a lot of time... Also don't forget to budget for your medical... Mine cost $125 plus an additional charge if you need any additional vaccinations.

One of the forms you'll fill out is the I-131 request for advance parole/travel document... It takes about 45 - 90 days to arrive... You'll need that to get back into the country...

Yep there are a lot of forms! the I-864 (financial affidavit of support) and the I-693 (medical) are part of the I-485... the G-325a you'll need for both the I-130 and the I-485... Plus the travel and ead optional forms...

I didn't look at the link... So ignore me if its already updated but the USCIS brought out a new edition of the I-693 medical form a few days ago. The civil surgeon where you go for the medical should have it, but you might want to print it off the USCIS website to be sure.

Good Luck!

[Inky 1,110]

Hi thank u so much...

Damn thats a lot of money...1010 + 355 for all of it?? heh jeez.

ok 2 questions,

1. I can go back home visit my family for 3 weeks IF i ask for permition right? Heard you can do that. and that u'r only screwed if u leave without saying anything

2. I got to the link u gave me...seems pretty easy.. But i thought it was 3 forms. Its like 6 forms in there :S

You will have to wait untill you get your " AP " card, which is called advanced parole which lets you leave the country and come back etc before you get your green card. if you leave without the AP card then you will have to file a CR-1, the odds of them letting you back in without an AP is slim to none and I wouldnt want you to get stuck far from your wife for a long time!! that would be really sucky.

- you can try making an infopass appointment tho and if its an extreme situation such as someone is dying ( i really hope not ) from your family and you have to leave, its possible they may give you a temporary pass but im not 100% sure they would for just a trip somewhere.

http://infopass.uscis.gov/

It is all fairly easy as long as you take the time to go over things very carefully as it can be kind of tricky if you are just going over it really fast.

its quite alot of forms yes but you do need them all ! the two that say optional are the AP card and the EAD card. EAD lets you work before your green card comes. AP lets you travel before it comes. if you dont have to do these and can wait till your green card you dont have to file them but they are included with the 1010$. if you file them after you already sent the aos packet in then you have to pay extra for thos forms. might as well do it for no extra cost! - some of the forms are only 1 page.

[Jon&Lindsey 0]

Got married to my wife a month ago (she's a permanent citizen).

Just checking... your wife is a US citizen not a permanent resident?

[StarA 0]

Hi guys...

Thanx for ya replies......

Inky:

1. AOS is $1010, ok but what forms are AOS ? :/

2. Any advise where I can get one of those envelopes?

Marie09:

1,

OH MY God...$125 ?????? wait is this for the I-693 - Medical Examination ??

I guess it is, but, the new changes... didnt get your point.

i mean, what changes are there in the I-693 compared to the old form?

2. Ok so with all the forms (I-130, G-325a, I-693, I-864, I-485, I-765, I-131A), AND the medical thingy, it will be: $1010 + $355 + $125 for the whoooooooooole thing ? :/

Jon&Lindsey:

Hi =), My wife´s a US citizen

---

btw.....any one of u kinda wiz on the eligibility categories thingy in the i-765 form .......?

[marie09 5]

Hi guys...

Thanx for ya replies......

Marie09:

1,

OH MY God...$125 ?????? wait is this for the I-693 - Medical Examination ??

Yes that was the cost for the medical examination it varies on where you go but I believe around $100 - $200 is average

I guess it is, but, the new changes... didnt get your point.

i mean, what changes are there in the I-693 compared to the old form?

You have to ensure you use the correct edition of each form, otherwise it could be rejected. I'm not sure the exact change to the I-693 form i think it's a different tb testing technique. Just heard they'd just brought out a new form. From what i read they're honoring the old form until the end of the year. Don't worry about it though your civil surgeon should have the current form. Plus they'll likely be pretty knowledgeable on the changes... It's their job.

2. Ok so with all the forms (I-130, G-325a, I-693, I-864, I-485, I-765, I-131A), AND the medical thingy, it will be: $1010 + $355 + $125 for the whoooooooooole thing ? :/

Yep it gets expensive, we budgeted $2000 for it... But it hasn't reached that yet.. But the only additional expenses other than what you mentioned was the passport photos (the post office charged us $75 for 8 - maybe you can find somewhere cheaper?) And vaccinations which I was missing - but since you're in school you'll likely be all set on the vaccination part.

btw.....any one of u kinda wiz on the eligibility categories thingy in the i-765 form .......?

©(9)

Good Luck!!!

[Betti 1]

Hi guys...

Thanx for ya replies......

Inky:

1. AOS is $1010, ok but what forms are AOS ? :/ I-130, I-485, I-131, I-765, G-325 a for USC and you, I-693, can all be found here: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/men...0004718190aRCRD

2. Any advise where I can get one of those envelopes? Just use a normal large envelope if you send via postal service, otherwise the courier can give it to you, e.g. Fedex

Marie09:

1,

OH MY God...$125 ?????? wait is this for the I-693 - Medical Examination ?? I paid $230 for my medical, depends on your civil surgeon what they charge

I guess it is, but, the new changes... didnt get your point.

i mean, what changes are there in the I-693 compared to the old form? Updated form can be found online here: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/men...0004718190aRCRD USCIS changes the forms sometimes and you have to make sure you are sending in the current forms, or else your AOS will be rejected

2. Ok so with all the forms (I-130, G-325a, I-693, I-864, I-485, I-765, I-131A), AND the medical thingy, it will be: $1010 + $355 + $125 for the whoooooooooole thing ? :/

Yes. Even more with the pictures and the money for gas to go to the place where they do the biometrics and the interview.

Jon&Lindsey:

Hi =), My wife´s a US citizen

---

btw.....any one of u kinda wiz on the eligibility categories thingy in the i-765 form .......?

My tip for you is to make yourself familiar with the whole process on www.uscis.gov. You can find all the answers right there. They tell you exactly what to send in and how to organize your AOS package. Good luck!

Edited November 10, 2009 by Betti

[StarA 0]

Hi Betti!

Trust me....

I probably seen every page on that homepage.....just to complicated for me to connect and understand. But thanx for your advise....

[StarA 0]

Guys, first of all thanx for all your advise. Think I have put my self in big trouble.

I sent in all applications, my birthdate is 5 september. But my REAL birthdate is 27 october (same year though).

My parents changed it when we moved from iran (so that I could start school earlier).

Now in the application I sent in a Extract Of the popular Register(original stamped and translated by the goverment of Sweden),

showing the 5 september, my parents name etc, PLUS my birth place.

I also sent in copies of my passport, showing my birthdate AND birth place.

They also have record of my papers when I moved to USA showing the SAME Thing..

STILL........they put a stop on my application cause they need a Birth certificate (Shenasnameh. And my parents name on it, and birthplace.

But on that one it says 28 october, so im screwed. It says the Department of National registration and statistics can get my original bith certificate but I cant use that cause it will still show 28 october, and not 5 september. So I cant say I dont have any birth certificate, cause they will say the Department registration can get it for u.

Only thing i HAVE that I CAN use is my mothers passport, where on one page it shows her children name and where we were born and ONLY what YEAR we were born. But it doesnt say 5 september, and my fathers name is not on it.

What should I do ? Should I just be honest? what are the consequences of that u think? :/

CAnt belive it I mean my passport, and paper from the Goverment of sweden showing EXACTLY what they ask for still their givin me a hard time............

[FortLaudy 10]

Guys, first of all thanx for all your advise. Think I have put my self in big trouble.

I sent in all applications, my birthdate is 5 september. But my REAL birthdate is 27 october (same year though).

My parents changed it when we moved from iran (so that I could start school earlier).

Now in the application I sent in a Extract Of the popular Register(original stamped and translated by the goverment of Sweden),

showing the 5 september, my parents name etc, PLUS my birth place.

I also sent in copies of my passport, showing my birthdate AND birth place.

They also have record of my papers when I moved to USA showing the SAME Thing..

STILL........they put a stop on my application cause they need a Birth certificate (Shenasnameh. And my parents name on it, and birthplace.

But on that one it says 28 october, so im screwed. It says the Department of National registration and statistics can get my original bith certificate but I cant use that cause it will still show 28 october, and not 5 september. So I cant say I dont have any birth certificate, cause they will say the Department registration can get it for u.

Only thing i HAVE that I CAN use is my mothers passport, where on one page it shows her children name and where we were born and ONLY what YEAR we were born. But it doesnt say 5 september, and my fathers name is not on it.

What should I do ? Should I just be honest? what are the consequences of that u think? :/

CAnt belive it I mean my passport, and paper from the Goverment of sweden showing EXACTLY what they ask for still their givin me a hard time............

You got an RFE for a Birth Certificate??

Send the Birth Certificate and try to explain the situation at the interview... that's your best shot... unless you were committing fraud on two identities or something like that you should have no problems I don't think, unless you're using two identities with the 2 different birth dates, this isn't your fault right? send the BC and see what they say about that and if you get a chance to explain, explain!

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

I just finished reading a brand spanking new book on immigration "The Immigrant's Way," written by a highly respected immigration attorney for 40 years. In it was a chapter on a young girl from China who arrived in the US with a visa and applied for AOS, but failed to correct a mistake made in one of her documents earlier. I believe it was the birth certificate. That turned out to be a case of misrepresentation, as the dates later didn't match and she was unable to adjust status, was deported and got a ban on top of it.

I don't have the book here at work, but will look up the chapter and get back to you with more detail when I get home.

[StarA 0]

what the... :S

is it true that I can translate my OWN shenasnameh (BIRTH Certificate) to english ?

I mean..im not a certified translator, i dont have a stamp.

And when sending in the copy of the original, and my translation to english, and my signature, thats enough ??? :S

[FortLaudy 10]

no, you cannot translate yourself. Find a certified translator to translate the Birth Certificate, they do it for a fee. Nobody is saying "that will be enough", but coming clean is always your best bet, especially since this does not seem to be your fault but your parents' fault.