pre aos question

[Gary and Alla 3,696]

Because: Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

(IMO there should be no income requirements at all.)

I agree. There should be no income LAWS or regulations. You cannot legislate intelligence and it IS a free country and that means I demand my right to be stupid. It would be very simple to just disallow public aid to family visa beneficiaries and say so up front. Every living thing on the planet knows right from wrong, we do not need a law to say so.

But laws and regulations have nothing to do with responsibility to family and spouse, meeting expenses, providing for a family, etc. Regardless of the LAW, the prinicipal is the same if you cannot afford to get married and have a family....DON'T!!!!!!!! Foreign wives come with extra expense compared to the domestic models but you generally get what you pay for.

[Martyshk 137]

You can get a cash advance on a credit card to pay the AOS. Many credit cards offer checks which can be drawn to pay for things. There is simply no excuse. Review the costs before you begin, discuss them with your fiancee, the way adults in a legitimate relationship discuss expenses and decide how you will pay for everything BEFORE you file the petition. Given the average petition to AOS timefram, $25 per week will be enough to save. If you cannot afford $25 per week BEFORE she arrives and doubles the food bill, electric bil and gas bill, then you cannot afford it afterward.

If you do not have the costs and cannot account for a way to pay them over a 6 month period, then wait until you can. I have no sympathy in this matter, it is known up front and it is a conscious decision. Why would someone decide to do something they cannot afford?

It is not "throwing around" $1010 and I am willing to bet all those people who "don't have the money" will have spent a WHOLE lot more than $1010 during that period on something else they really didn't need. It is priorities. This person will be your spouse for all your life, THEy are the priority, not a new plasma TV or Garmin navigation system or unlimited texting and internet on your cell phone.

Gary, while I agree with you, I cannot speak for anyone but myself.

I have my money put away for AOS. We will gather documents and file it as soon as we are married.

I want to spend the rest of my life with her, so AOS is, yes, a necessary step, an obligatory step.

I've put away that money way before we even sent out petition. And now, I have money saved up for a honeymoon too (which would have to be on American soil, but f it, you know)

[Gary and Alla 3,696]

Gary, while I agree with you, I cannot speak for anyone but myself.

I have my money put away for AOS. We will gather documents and file it as soon as we are married.

I want to spend the rest of my life with her, so AOS is, yes, a necessary step, an obligatory step.

I've put away that money way before we even sent out petition. And now, I have money saved up for a honeymoon too (which would have to be on American soil, but f it, you know)

Youir are a responsible adult and have planned for the future and for the process you entered into. You did the right thing and so should others, it is just the responsible, adult thing to do and if you are incapable of doing reponsible adult things you should not be getting married. Just my opinion. Anyone who thinks NOT having the money for AOS is responsible and adult is free to differ with me.

Really, I think the ultimate solution to this seemingly common problem of irresponsible adults is an up-front payment of the AOS fee(s) for every name on the I-129f, including (and maybe especially) children, at the time the petition is filed and a separate receipt issued that can be attached to the I-485. If the visa is never obtained or if the fiancee decides to bug out and not go through with the marriage, then send a copy of her stamped exit card (I-94) showing she has left the country and get your money back. The receipt for payment could also be attached to the visa application to assure the consulate that this person they issue a visa to WILL be able to follow through with their AOS obligations.

While they are at it, they could just drop all this "poverty guideline" nonsense and implement laws simply disqualifying family visa recipients from the proscribed public benefits until they are citizens.

[baron555 934]

if you cannot afford to get married and have a family....DON'T!!!!!!!!

I'd support this for USC-based marriages also.

[leith@Ievgeniia 8]

outside thinking on this.. would it not make the process much easier of all of us k1's is to make the process include aos to begin with? would it now make live easier and less combersom and time consuming is when they enter usa and marry in the time .....with proof. simply submit and gc released"???

that is right we are talking about our gov't noting that makes since will happen.

in nicer world when k1 is approved and certif. is issued on marry all would be finished.. fees are paid for total package. nice and simple

but we have something longer and more expensive and more gov't workers

well just my though.

it is interesting that there seems to be a whole in the process though.. if somebody wishes to stay home never leave usa and not ever work. they might not have to file aos ... quite interesing.. but i think a good lawyer will cost far more than then 1010 to prove this point though.....

pinny wise pound foolish

[1HappyGuy 45]

The USCIS is the only government agency that I know of that is suppose to pay for itself. Thus,we have the continuing increase in fees. So, to think that they would pass up an opportunity to charge more fees is unlikely.

Another reason why they don't issue greencards upon proof of marriage to K-1's is because not all of them work out. In fact some return without even getting married, while others are doing it just for the GC. After all the complaints the INS/BCIS/USCIS has received on failures of the system after 9/11, nobody is going to allow a flawed system to have opportunities for additional failures.

But, mostly it's about the extra fees.

[leith@Ievgeniia 8]

what i am suggesting is do the same checks as you do now. but do it before. or something like that, simlar to the cr1 process

i guess this is a simplistic approch just dose not make so much since if i can marry a usa woman, divorce 3 days later (like some celebrities did) and marry agian and again and again

we have to do all of this, yes froid is in there. i read the phising qusitions on how to beat the system, it is kinda easy to see.

if i add up the time and cost. it takse on fast track 5 months to get visa, up to 6 months to use visa, 3 months to use visa, and then about 5 months for aos and then 4 years for citizenship

and during any point in this process, our lovely gov't does slow down and months and years to the process that WE are paying for!!!!!

:ranting:

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

After 5 pages of reading and shaking my head, I feel compelled to chime in.

I'm a firm believer in living within one's means. I always saved and continue to save for a rainy day, have an 8-month emergency fund in my money market account and additional investments beyond that. I never owned a new car in my life, never will, but have 7 vehicles. My fun daily driver is a 1962 Volvo PV544 with 300K+ miles that I will use for the rest of my life. I love it! I also have an older Mercedes Diesel sedan with now 186K miles (the family car) that should serve me for the rest of my life, and I have a Cummins-Diesel-powered pickup (a 1-Million mile engine) with 201K miles that will outlast me by decades.

I never financed anything (save for real estate), never bought or buy anything I can't afford to pay for right away. That's what I learned from my parents, and that is one of the greatest gifts they gave me. Our 20 year-old daughter is in college now and works at Starbucks part-time. Of the meager, minimum wage paycheck she gets, 15% goes into her savings account. If she keeps that up, she will be able to retire early as a multi-millionaire.

It sadens me that many people are financially irresponsible and then wonder why they didn't get anywhere in life, while sitting in front of their financed, 50" big screen TV and trying to make the lease payments for their late model car with blingi 20" chrome wheels. Don't give into the lure of clever advertising that wants you to get stuff now and pay for it later, or whenever!

No matter how much or how little you make, spend less and save 10 to 15% and you will get somewhere, eventually. Sam Walton, the founder of WalMart, drove a rusty, old pickup to work when he already was a Billionaire and Warren Buffet, one of the richest man on this planet still lives in the moderate home he bought decades ago.

Before I got married, I was sure I can provide for a family. Everything else I consider irresponsible, often due to young age and "feeling" in love, but it doesn't change the fact that importing a foreign spouse with no money to even go through the necessary process to get her settled in as a lawful permanent resident, able to work and to travel internationally, is just plain irresponsible and selfish.

Think about it!

Edited January 21, 2010 by Just Bob

[clueless_in_usa 8]

There's a reason the system is like it is. The first step, filing the I-129F, is with USCIS to determine eligibility and perform background checks. You pay USCIS for this service, and this service only.

The second part of the process is done by the State Department to issue a Visa. You pay the State Department for this service, and this service only.

The third part of the process is done by USCIS, and it's to determine eligibility to adjust status. You pay USCIS for this service, and this service only.

How on earth could the process be simplified by sending a large chunk of money to (presumably) USCIS, who would then have to pay the State Department, and then refund the AOS portion if things didn't work out for you? That would be a pretty major accounting change, and it would probably result in increased fees.

Of all the parts that are screwed up in this system, the division of duties (and payments for each) are the parts that actually do work. And a nice side benefit is that it lets you start the filing process faster if you're not lucky enough to have a few thousand dollars just lying around when you decide to file an I-129F.

I do not think that it is necessary to "pre-pay" for future services, but the government should require everyone petitioning for a K-1 visa to guarantee the funds, at least for AOS, plus an extra for extra charges, like a new medical. Something like an escrow account that cannot be accessed unless the government authorizes the bank to return the money after the foreign citizen leaves the country if AOS is not going to happen.

A measure like that will also decrease the number of illegals who stay even though they are not legally allowed to stay, because the USC will have an incentive to work with the government to make sure that the non-USC goes home. Of course, there needs to be provisions for abusive USCs ... maybe that extra money can be used to pay for remedial processes on certain cases.

And regarding credit, I think that credit has its benefits if it is used with measure. But I applaud those who manage their whole lives only with cash.

[Gary and Alla 3,696]

Planning and acting like a responsible adult is a good thing, and I'm glad we have the freedom to make that choice. More government mucking about with the process is a bad thing. The government can have my money when we file, not before.

You are right. And to avoid making a huge new beauracracy, just add the $1010 AOS fee to the petition fee (for each name on the petition) and be done with it, AOS included. If you do not go through with it, you forfeit the money. Seems to work OK for the petition, you don't get the money back if you back out then either. Then they can get your money when you file, as you wish.

Green card scammers and traffickers would absolutely love that process.

Why? How would paying more up front help scammers? They are still subject top the same rules and risk more if they are denied.

[Gary and Alla 3,696]

There's a reason the system is like it is. The first step, filing the I-129F, is with USCIS to determine eligibility and perform background checks. You pay USCIS for this service, and this service only.

The second part of the process is done by the State Department to issue a Visa. You pay the State Department for this service, and this service only.

The third part of the process is done by USCIS, and it's to determine eligibility to adjust status. You pay USCIS for this service, and this service only.

How on earth could the process be simplified by sending a large chunk of money to (presumably) USCIS, who would then have to pay the State Department, and then refund the AOS portion if things didn't work out for you? That would be a pretty major accounting change, and it would probably result in increased fees.

Of all the parts that are screwed up in this system, the division of duties (and payments for each) are the parts that actually do work. And a nice side benefit is that it lets you start the filing process faster if you're not lucky enough to have a few thousand dollars just lying around when you decide to file an I-129F.

Try to follow along Mox.

I suggest including the AOS fee with the petition fee (BOTH paid to USCIS). The consulates (state department) can still collect their pound of flesh for the visa, I never mentioned the visa fee and neither did anyone else. A couple years ago the USCIS combined the AP and EAD fees into the AOS fee, even though not everyne wants or needs an EAD or AP, seems to work Ok for the vast majority of people. Why not combine the petition fee and AOS fee together?

I have yet to see a thread saying "We haven't applied for a visa because we can't pay the $131 visa fee" Yet we see, daily, threads where the AOS fee has stopped people from filing AOS. No it hasn't. This is BS, pure and simple. They NEED to pay the $131 and the $455 to get what they want...their "main squeeze" to the USA. Now they are here and, no kidding!, the AOS is "optional" as to when they file so they do the irresponsible thing and put it off which causes problems for their (supposed) "signifgant other".

There is no reason the fees could not be combined easily and eliminate this problem. Nothing would change in qualification procedures.

[Gary and Alla 3,696]

After 5 pages of reading and shaking my head, I feel compelled to chime in.

I'm a firm believer in living within one's means. I always saved and continue to save for a rainy day, have an 8-month emergency fund in my money market account and additional investments beyond that. I never owned a new car in my life, never will, but have 7 vehicles. My fun daily driver is a 1962 Volvo PV544 with 300K+ miles that I will use for the rest of my life. I love it! I also have an older Mercedes Diesel sedan with now 186K miles (the family car) that should serve me for the rest of my life, and I have a Cummins-Diesel-powered pickup (a 1-Million mile engine) with 201K miles that will outlast me by decades.

I never financed anything (save for real estate), never bought or buy anything I can't afford to pay for right away. That's what I learned from my parents, and that is one of the greatest gifts they gave me. Our 20 year-old daughter is in college now and works at Starbucks part-time. Of the meager, minimum wage paycheck she gets, 15% goes into her savings account. If she keeps that up, she will be able to retire early as a multi-millionaire.

It sadens me that many people are financially irresponsible and then wonder why they didn't get anywhere in life, while sitting in front of their financed, 50" big screen TV and trying to make the lease payments for their late model car with blingi 20" chrome wheels. Don't give into the lure of clever advertising that wants you to get stuff now and pay for it later, or whenever!

No matter how much or how little you make, spend less and save 10 to 15% and you will get somewhere, eventually. Sam Walton, the founder of WalMart, drove a rusty, old pickup to work when he already was a Billionaire and Warren Buffet, one of the richest man on this planet still lives in the moderate home he bought decades ago.

Before I got married, I was sure I can provide for a family. Everything else I consider irresponsible, often due to young age and "feeling" in love, but it doesn't change the fact that importing a foreign spouse with no money to even go through the necessary process to get her settled in as a lawful permanent resident, able to work and to travel internationally, is just plain irresponsible and selfish.

Think about it!

And one of things I cherish about Alla is she is the same way! If we can't write a check for it, or pull the cash out of our pocket, we don't need it!

[Martyshk 137]

And one of things I cherish about Alla is she is the same way! If we can't write a check for it, or pull the cash out of our pocket, we don't need it!

And call me a kid or whatnot, but I do not share that sentiment.

Given I've only made 1 big purchase in my life just for fun (yes, big effing TV), I saw no issues financing it at 0% for 18 months and paying it off in 4.

I could not afford it right away, but I could easily afford it in 4 payments.

It's all semantics in the end, but yeah, I wouldn't have put that purchase on a credit card that charges APR, for example.

[slim 1,533]

Two of our acquaitances, very whjite Russian women, one a LPR and one legally here on a J1 visa were stopped and detained in St. Albans Vermont because they did not have their passport/green card with them.

That had nothing to do with filing AOS. Anyone can be detained for not having proper ID on their person.

1. AOS is part of the process, you knew that going in

Actually, no I didn't. I was one of the stupid people who thought I was done after the visa and marriage. Only after I'd sent the K-1 paperwork did I realize there was more to it.

3. You had 4-6 months to save the money before you got the visa

Was I supposed to be using the money I was saving for the plane ticket/new housing?

Therefore, if a man is making barely the required 125% over the poverty guidelines, he should think long and hard whether bringing a foreign lady to marry in the USA is the right thing to do.

"Back in my day" the lady could get AOS at the POE and, in theory, start working right away to help pay her own expenses.

if you cannot afford to get married and have a family....DON'T!!!!!!!!

I fully support a 125% law for any new child as well. In my world, you'd have to be licensed parents and then have to apply for a permit for each new kid. Kind of like a deer tag, I guess.

Our 20 year-old daughter is in college now and works at Starbucks part-time. Of the meager, minimum wage paycheck she gets, 15% goes into her savings account. If she keeps that up, she will be able to retire early as a multi-millionaire.

That's pretty admirable that she can pay her own way through school - housing, food, classes, books, etc., all the while saving 15% - while only working part time at Starbucks.

Where is this college, I think I should probably go there too! Sounds like a nice area if rent is that low and food is so cheap that one can completely survive on part time employment at Starbucks alone. - All the while saving 15%.

I have to ask though, why is she going to school if she's going to retire a multi-millionaire just from working part time at Starbucks?

[Gary and Alla 3,696]

And call me a kid or whatnot, but I do not share that sentiment.

Given I've only made 1 big purchase in my life just for fun (yes, big effing TV), I saw no issues financing it at 0% for 18 months and paying it off in 4.

I could not afford it right away, but I could easily afford it in 4 payments.

It's all semantics in the end, but yeah, I wouldn't have put that purchase on a credit card that charges APR, for example.

You do not need to share my sentiments regarding credit. It is your money and your life and (hopefully) the money you make in the future, Spend it as you wish. I was agreeing with "Just Bob" and stating my personal belief and practice, it is not a comment on yours.

I am not a kid, my kids aren't even "kids". When Alla wanted a new sports car we wrote a check for it. Then again we don't even have a TV of any kind...not interesting.