AOS Filers: February 2010

[John and Camie 39]

Does anyone know if there's any consequences to going to your biometrics late?

My husband has some thing to go to for the unemployment sector tomorrow and it goes till around 12pm, my biometrics is around 11am.

Do you think it'd be a big deal if we were around 2 hours late?

That is a GREAT question. I do recall Danu saying that she had to go back home to get her marriage cert. for her Biometrics (Steph, correct me if I'm wrong, girl!!), and they gave her until 3 p.m. to come back. So maybe they offer a window of time. If you can call ahead and inquire, I would.

[Rhiannercakes 14]

I just read the notice again and it says that if you fail to appear on the date and time they consider your application abandonded.

I guess I better not risk it.

[lizandpat 0]

I just read the notice again and it says that if you fail to appear on the date and time they consider your application abandonded.

I guess I better not risk it.

Do you have another way to get there? It's crazy that they don't give you a bit of leeway!

[Rhiannercakes 14]

No, not really.

I don't have a license.

If I did I'd just drive myself, I know how to get there.

My husband's going to try to leave early tomorrow, even if he misses the end. This came first, he was told about this seminar thing on Tuesday! So it's their fault

[DoneWaiting 15]

Why don’t you try it very early in the morning? You are not walking in early [date] but time due to other circumstances, I am sure it won’t be a such a hassle for them [we hope]

I just read the notice again and it says that if you fail to appear on the date and time they consider your application abandonded.

I guess I better not risk it.

[lizandpat 0]

No, not really.

I don't have a license.

If I did I'd just drive myself, I know how to get there.

My husband's going to try to leave early tomorrow, even if he misses the end. This came first, he was told about this seminar thing on Tuesday! So it's their fault

Hmmm...you can't drive on your Canadian license? Pat's been driving on his Dutch license since he got here...

[Rhiannercakes 14]

I sort of let my Canadian one expire

And I thought about walking in early before 11am... if push comes to shove we might try that instead.

[John and Camie 39]

Why don’t you try it very early in the morning? You are not walking in early [date] but time due to other circumstances, I am sure it won’t be a such a hassle for them [we hope]

Hey, there's an idea! Hello ImWaiting!

I feel you Rhiannercakes. I was not about to put John on a bus and risk him getting lost. I told my boss everything that was coming up the pipeline, so it's not a shock to her that I have to leave in an hour, but I still feel guilty. Hence me trying to do a walk-in. Argh. 'Cause we all know that noon is the PERFECT time to do this ish.

[fPf_iMc 1]

Hi Everyone!

Let me share also my biometrics appointment yesterday. Since my husband and I moved to a new state, we made a change of address and the appointment letter was mailed to the old one. So my husband had to make an infopass to the assigned office in FL (old address) and inquired about how I can make the fingerprints in TX (new address). In short, the guy at the local office just advised that I go to any local ASC office and have my fingerprints done as long as I can show the appointment letter and ID.

Original schedule was March 18. Since my sister and I were in the area last March 16, I went to have a walk-in. I was given a form and had it filled-up. When I was about to do the fingerprinting, the guy doing the computer update questioned my identification. He stopped and asked for another ID showing my married name. I told him I did not apply for a driver;s license yet nor a state ID with my married name. He went to his supervisor and asked her about my situation. A moment later, the supervisor came over and told me to bring my marriage certificate since my last name in my passport is different with my application. She asked how far am I from the office.

A little frustrated, the supervisor asked me to come back the next day and bring the document. So the next morning I went back to ASC. The guard recognized my face and she said that my appointment date is still a day early (March 18). I explained to her what happened yesterday, and she said, we will give it a shot but since they are all busy, she cannot assure I can be entertained. Good enough, the lady at the reception was so nice. She took my marriage license and appointment letter and NEVER looked at the date. She stood up and went to the supervisor. After 20 minutes, the sup went out of the room and called my name. Then she said I can do my biometrics already!

Yey! At last! I think she called the courthouse and verified the document I showed.

The funny thing was the guy who did my biometrics. He was the same guy who questioned my ID the first day. He was nice the next day, and he even showed me the picture he took on the computer. Then after that, he gave me back my docs and said you have a great day!

What a relief!

[fPf_iMc 1]

So for those of you who will still be doing their biometrics, PLEASE BRING ALONG YOUR MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE so that you wont have to come back nor be questioned with your married name upon doing verification of ID. Good luck to all of us!

And by the way, I received another email again today (for the second time although I already have the hard copy notice) stating that my case has been transferred to CSC. Does this mean that there wont be anymore chances that RFE's might be requested? Will I be getting an interview date or I have a chance of a no-interview approval?

[lizandpat 0]

I sort of let my Canadian one expire

And I thought about walking in early before 11am... if push comes to shove we might try that instead.

Oh ok..hehe!

Hey, there's an idea! Hello ImWaiting!

I feel you Rhiannercakes. I was not about to put John on a bus and risk him getting lost. I told my boss everything that was coming up the pipeline, so it's not a shock to her that I have to leave in an hour, but I still feel guilty. Hence me trying to do a walk-in. Argh. 'Cause we all know that noon is the PERFECT time to do this ish.

LOL..Noon IS a very strange time for an appointment...

It sounds like you have a good boss....the one I have now is very cool and willing to work with me on all this stuff! My last boss...forget it...she was evil...my hubby gave her the nickname of Lady Sauron..hehe!

So for those of you who will still be doing their biometrics, PLEASE BRING ALONG YOUR MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE so that you wont have to come back nor be questioned with your married name upon doing verification of ID. Good luck to all of us!

And by the way, I received another email again today (for the second time although I already have the hard copy notice) stating that my case has been transferred to CSC. Does this mean that there wont be anymore chances that RFE's might be requested? Will I be getting an interview date or I have a chance of a no-interview approval?

Congrats on being able to do your walk-in! You have a very good chance of an no-interview approval but I have heard that they can still issue RFE's from CSC so it's still kind of a wait-and-see thing...

Edited March 18, 2010 by lizandpat

[F & J 21]

Hi Everyone!

Let me share also my biometrics appointment yesterday. Since my husband and I moved to a new state, we made a change of address and the appointment letter was mailed to the old one. So my husband had to make an infopass to the assigned office in FL (old address) and inquired about how I can make the fingerprints in TX (new address). In short, the guy at the local office just advised that I go to any local ASC office and have my fingerprints done as long as I can show the appointment letter and ID.

Original schedule was March 18. Since my sister and I were in the area last March 16, I went to have a walk-in. I was given a form and had it filled-up. When I was about to do the fingerprinting, the guy doing the computer update questioned my identification. He stopped and asked for another ID showing my married name. I told him I did not apply for a driver;s license yet nor a state ID with my married name. He went to his supervisor and asked her about my situation. A moment later, the supervisor came over and told me to bring my marriage certificate since my last name in my passport is different with my application. She asked how far am I from the office.

A little frustrated, the supervisor asked me to come back the next day and bring the document. So the next morning I went back to ASC. The guard recognized my face and she said that my appointment date is still a day early (March 18). I explained to her what happened yesterday, and she said, we will give it a shot but since they are all busy, she cannot assure I can be entertained. Good enough, the lady at the reception was so nice. She took my marriage license and appointment letter and NEVER looked at the date. She stood up and went to the supervisor. After 20 minutes, the sup went out of the room and called my name. Then she said I can do my biometrics already!

Yey! At last! I think she called the courthouse and verified the document I showed.

The funny thing was the guy who did my biometrics. He was the same guy who questioned my ID the first day. He was nice the next day, and he even showed me the picture he took on the computer. Then after that, he gave me back my docs and said you have a great day!

What a relief!

Hi! Just noticed that you were from the Philippines. I have a question - did you follow the Philippine naming convention when you changed your name to your married name?

Maiden name: FIRST NAME / MOTHER'S MAIDEN NAME / FATHER'S LAST NAME

Married name: FIRST NAME / FATHER'S LAST NAME / HUSBAND'S LAST NAME

or did you follow the American naming convention? ( First Name / Mother's Maiden Name / Husband's Last Name )

* Just a note to Michigan filers - we (me and other Michigan filers from our group) had an issue with the name change. They said we were only allowed to change our last name, following the American naming convention. They still processed our application with the name we submitted with the AOS application but they said it would be up to the Immigration Officer if they would use that name or enforce the American way for the green card.

Edited March 18, 2010 by Fatima and Jim

[F & J 21]

So for those of you who will still be doing their biometrics, PLEASE BRING ALONG YOUR MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE so that you wont have to come back nor be questioned with your married name upon doing verification of ID. Good luck to all of us!

And by the way, I received another email again today (for the second time although I already have the hard copy notice) stating that my case has been transferred to CSC. Does this mean that there wont be anymore chances that RFE's might be requested? Will I be getting an interview date or I have a chance of a no-interview approval?

There's a pretty good chance that you won't get an RFE anymore (but not a guarantee) and it's more than likely that you won't have an interview and just receive your green card in the mail after approval.

[fPf_iMc 1]

I followed the FIRST NAME/FATHER'S LAST NAME/HUSBAND'S LAST NAME. Its more convenient for me and for my relatives and friends to still recognize my name. Plus, in my other old ID's such as passport, Philippine driver's license, and PRC , since everything was in my last name (father's last name) then at least, in the future they can all still relate to my full married name.

How about you?

[F & J 21]

I followed the FIRST NAME/FATHER'S LAST NAME/HUSBAND'S LAST NAME. Its more convenient for me and for my relatives and friends to still recognize my name. Plus, in my other old ID's such as passport, Philippine driver's license, and PRC , since everything was in my last name (father's last name) then at least, in the future they can all still relate to my full married name.

How about you?

We (me and other Michigan filers from the January 2010 AOS Filers group) followed that too but here in Michigan, we were told during our biometrics appointments that we have to follow the American naming convention where you drop your maiden last name (father's last name) but keep whatever middle name we were born with (which in our case is our mother's maiden name). I'm really hoping that it won't be an issue during our interview and they'll just let us follow the Philippine naming convention... They did issue my EAD and AP with the name I submitted with the application so I'm hoping the name change issue won't come up during our interview. All of my other documents are already in my married name. It'll be really hard to change them all (especially the military-related documents - my husband is in the Army)

Edited March 18, 2010 by Fatima and Jim