2010 United Kingdom AOS Thread

[Nik+Heather 121]

Grrrr.

Well, maybe in 6 months when I apply the newbies will get their act together.

Are there really that many people adjusting from other visas vs the K1? Really? When we're doing it the legal way? Not that you can't do it legally the other way, but not 100% of the cases I'm sure. How frustrating.

Yeah, I can't remember where the source was, but I too was shocked at how under represented we are...I guess a lot of people adjust from student and work visas though as well, which is legal in the strict sense, as opposed to from VWP, which is only legal in the loop hole sense.

[beatlesrebel 0]

From what I've read recently, anyone filing AOS after November 2009 (why it wouldn't have applied to Nich-Nick or Damian&Kelly) has to submit a I-693. Those on the cusp seem to be the ones getting RFEs.

I honestly think they're working at making it more attractive to get married and file for a CR1 rather than a K1. I just think that's irresponsible because people are getting married for the wrong reasons (ease of process and/or cost) and it just encourages hasty/ rash decision making. Had I known the fees were going up for AOS too (I knew about the visa fee) I probably would have changed my flight from Jan 12th to Jan 30th and gotten married Jan 29th, when my divorce was finalised on Jan 28th. Would have been MUCH cheaper, quicker to work, no AOS, no farting around with Civil Surgeon cr*p.... And they wonder why so many people AOS on VWPs.... it's bordering on the ridiculous.

Right, well at least we know there are civil surgeons in the area. *sigh* You're absolutely right, Sundrop. I'm getting tired of it really fast...

[beatlesrebel 0]

Agree with SunDrop - people who send in DS3025 end up getting RFEs for I693 part 1, part 2 (vacc. section only) and part 5 - in specifically worded RFEs despite the DS3025 showing complete history.

Even then, expect an RFE. There was a thread recently about how they are using contractors to open the packages and send off RFEs for anything missing. Unfortunately, as K visas are extraordinarily uncommon (when you take into account all the other AOS categories, we are in the single digit percentages), they are easily confused, and I don't think they even look for our POE packet before shooting off an RFE. People before me have had their medicals "found" again in their actual file, and it happened to us too. I would expect an RFE due to incompetence (or, if I'm nice, poor training), but there are relatively easy ways to fix it. Added bonus: when the guy was poking around in my file for the medical, he approved our AP and EAD, so we were a bit ahead of the curve in that processing time BECAUSE of the RFE.

Thanks for the heads up, Nik+Heather. So, if you do EVERYTHING right and still get an RFE, what the heck are you supposed to do? Just get someone on the phone and demand they look through your file? I really don't look forward to dealing with AOS. lol

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Are there really that many people adjusting from other visas vs the K1? Really? When we're doing it the legal way? Not that you can't do it legally the other way, but not 100% of the cases I'm sure. How frustrating.

There's a bunch. People who are in the US legally to work or study marry USCs and adjust. And there's people who have been on the waiting list for years as relatives whose number finally comes up, and there's refugees, and rich people who start businesses.....well there's a lot of people adjusting and K1s are indeed a small number.

This whole RFE thing bothers me and I've written some letters to USCIS and hope to go in person to Congressman Ron Paul's office. I want to give him some organized information and I'm working on it. The I-693 has been my "thing" since summer 2008 when they first started making changes. I was one of the early rebels who refused to pay a civil surgeon a nickel to copy something off of another US government approved doctor's form. So we didn't do it and got approved. I think alot of people actually don't have all their immunization, and yes they would get an RFE. They think if they got the visa, all is good medical-wise. I think the problem right now is the new contract that was just awarded. It's too coincidental. They have a glitch. So Ron Paul is a medical doctor and lives in my home town is why I chose him to bother with this. I have recently moved to another congressional district, but I hope that I can still get some assistance from RPs office. ( I got a Christmas card and family cookbook from Carol Paul at my new address, so that's a good sign.)

:::breathe::: Rant over. hahahaha

Oh almost forgot to say, I did a spreadsheet for UK AOS and already started a new page for 2010 at the first of the year. You can look at timelines and averages. I've noticed other monthly groups have even copied the format..nice compliment . It's a Google doc and has no login in to view it. And the other UK AOS thread isn't exclusive to 2009...it just got named that. People wander in, hang out, get their green cards and drop out of sight forever. Feel free to post there and ask questions. On page 6 of the thread is a pretty good summary of the AOS application for K1s. The only thing to add is that newish form where you can get updated by email/text that they have accepted your applications. It's the G-1145 and goes on top of your pile.

So here's the spreadsheet UK AOS Timeline

[Justine+David 218]

Thanks for the info Nich

Let us know how the Ron Paul thing works out...I'm a nurse and I still couldn't get over how in the past some people got their chest x-ray and then needed a TB skin test. acslkefjaopsej An x-ray is a 1000x more diagnostic than tuberculin...what a waste of money!

[beatlesrebel 0]

Thank you SO much for your input, Nich-Nick! I really appreciate the fact that you've taken up this "cause"! Thanks for the spreadsheet as well! I'm also curious to how the Ron Paul thing turns out..please keep us updated and good luck!

[Laura & Kyle 16]

I honestly think they're working at making it more attractive to get married and file for a CR1 rather than a K1. I just think that's irresponsible because people are getting married for the wrong reasons (ease of process and/or cost) and it just encourages hasty/ rash decision making. Had I known the fees were going up for AOS too (I knew about the visa fee) I probably would have changed my flight from Jan 12th to Jan 30th and gotten married Jan 29th, when my divorce was finalised on Jan 28th. Would have been MUCH cheaper, quicker to work, no AOS, no farting around with Civil Surgeon cr*p.... And they wonder why so many people AOS on VWPs.... it's bordering on the ridiculous.

I had posted on the 2009 UK forum, and just wanted to clarify that by adjusting from the VWP, you still have to do the AOS, and you have to do the full workup of the I-693 while in the states. We ended up paying just over 400 for it after Kyle had to get an xray due to the tb false positive skin-test. I do feel really bad for those K-1 adjusters who are getting the RFEs. I agree they started with the November/December 2009 filers from what I've seen, and I hope that the USCIS makes a clearer decision on which parts of the i-693 need to be completed, filed, tested, etc. and what constitutes it needing to be completely redone (other than it expiring).

I also kindly ask you to please not stereotype all VWP adjusters. I would think that those of us doing this and being active members of VJ are not trying to advertise this legal route, but are just like the rest of the filers... looking for information, conversation, and a sense of community. I think those of us here at VJ represent a very small percentage of actual filers (in all categories). My husband and I like to read the UK sub-forum and UK threads like this because it gives us a sense of community and we sincerely do care about how everyone is doing throughout this process, regardless of the pre-aos status. I am getting so excited about all those December filers now getting their EAD/APs approved...I'm hoping for ours in the next few weeks. Hope everyone has a great rest of the week with no other RFEs!

[Justine+David 218]

I think SunDrop has a point.

If you intended to get married on VWP, it's illegal.

If you enter the U.S. and have no intention of getting married and do it anyway while having ties to the foreign country like a job, isn't that kind of rash in and of itself? With the divorce rate so high, 3 months seems really quick to get married, since you are supposedly intending to spend the rest of your life with them.

There are some cases, sure, that it works out both ways (legal and rational), but it's probably a very small minority. So, instead of USCIS rewarding those of us who are making smart decisions and do it legally, we're given the headache of all the extra paperwork. Yes, you do go through AOS, but the K1ers ALSO go through AOS, so we're dealt with more paperwork and bureaucracy. And the huge kicker here is that if you get married randomly, you're not punished. However, if you're smart and do research about immigration issues, you have intent and therefore cannot take it as a legal route anymore. There are several people here on VJ who have been waiting for years in order to be with their loved ones...

Long post short, we don't know your story and we're not putting projections onto yours, but as a generalization that is backed by the myriad of posts that people put here on VJ about it. In any case, there is a forum exactly for folks in your situation, right below this one...maybe you can start a UK thread down there? Of course we welcome you here if you want

Wishing you luck in your VJ process!

[Damian&Kelly 16]

Maybe I'm wrong in saying this, but I haven't seen many people get denied when marrying and adjusting from VWP. I think I've seen more denied K visas. And the amount of people I see approved makes me think I spent way too much money on the K-1 process and should have just married when we almost did on his last visit here when we were sick of the distance. I know it's illegal but it seems worth the risk especially with all these RFEs and all this extra money that's going into medicals. I just don't understand why it's so frowned apon if the US really isn't the one doing the frowning, it's people like us (K-1 filers) whove put more money then sense into bringing our SO's over when they can come freely. I understand VJ is only a small percentage of people immigrating but when AOS from VWP comes up everyone goes jumping but in the end, VJ are the only ones holding them back as US approves them.

I just don't understand how the US wonders why there are so many illegal immigrants as they make the process harder for those who actually are trying to do everything by the book. But it's not just the US as I heard the UK immigration process is due to change big time next year, dreading that in the future.

[SunDrop 59]

I also kindly ask you to please not stereotype all VWP adjusters. I would think that those of us doing this and being active members of VJ are not trying to advertise this legal route, but are just like the rest of the filers...

Hiya

Sorry, I didn't mean to suggest that I believe that AOS from VWPers don't have to jump through some of the same hoops. It was an addendum of frustration because it is, all in all, a less arduous experience if only because you are together during the entire process.

I do believe that it is a case of each to their own, and we decided it just wasn't worth the risk of being denied with no leave for appeal, even though we technically could have AOSed because we genuinely didn't intend to get married during that trip. There were other factors too, such as having a dependent child to consider in it all.

If we'd married during our Christmas trip, we would have saved $455 I-129F filing fee, $700 visa issuance fees (K1 + 1 K2), $75 odd postage costs and wouldn't be facing another fee hike from $1610 for the AOS itself for both of us. Not to mention the fact that we wouldn't have had any additional travel costs and would be together right now, instead of 1000s of miles apart, waiting...

I'm not sure where the suggestion that AOS from VWPers on VJ were any less welcome than petition filers. I'm not technically 'welcome' on this thread, because we're barely a week past NOA1 stage, but as you said, this is a community and whatever these AOSers are going through, we will too eventually.

So long post short (lol Justine!) It's not those who choose the AOS from VWP that I begrudge in any way. It's the fact that the USCIS/DOS are financially penalising anyone who doesn't end up in the position of being able to do it without addressing this loophole. But believe me, if we were better placed to, we would have AOSed from VWP.

[Nik+Heather 121]

This whole RFE thing bothers me and I've written some letters to USCIS and hope to go in person to Congressman Ron Paul's office. I want to give him some organized information and I'm working on it. The I-693 has been my "thing" since summer 2008 when they first started making changes.

Yeah, I really found my battle there too. We've got a good thing going with our rep too. Maybe we can share info and sort of get things going on two fronts? (not that I really feel it will go anywhere - Go cynicism!!)

[tinypyramids 0]

We just filed Sarah's AOS last week, and damn those incompetent and pricey civil surgeons. She went to the closest one, and it took FIVE visits and $285 in order for them to finally give her the I-693 in the sealed envelope. Totally ridiculous. It made us both so angry that I don't think I can even type without exploding.

Well, at least it's filed and all we have to do is wait. Do you need separate biometrics for EAD and AOS? I can't imagine why you would, but I've imagined stranger things from USCIS.

[tinypyramids 0]

Guess I just found out the answer, because we just got Sarah's biometrics appointment letter yesterday and it indicated I-485 and I-765 in the case type section, so it appears to be one for both. Her appointment is March 10th, and it's surprisingly super close to her current volunteer gig.

[nickandkayte 0]

Yeah, I really found my battle there too. We've got a good thing going with our rep too. Maybe we can share info and sort of get things going on two fronts? (not that I really feel it will go anywhere - Go cynicism!!)

I am now in the same issue with my RFE.... Writing to the congressman tomorrow, if anyone has any templates of what we should say that would be great. Basicially they lost my medical at POE and are saying they haven't received my Vaccination updates. BS!! It got there on the 12th to Chicago and I sent a copy to MO which arrived on the 14th. Called Military helpline and they have pretty much lost all our stuff I think...She wouldn't say that but it seemed as though she was suggesting it never got there...Uh huh...

[beatlesrebel 0]

I am now in the same issue with my RFE.... Writing to the congressman tomorrow, if anyone has any templates of what we should say that would be great. Basicially they lost my medical at POE and are saying they haven't received my Vaccination updates. BS!! It got there on the 12th to Chicago and I sent a copy to MO which arrived on the 14th. Called Military helpline and they have pretty much lost all our stuff I think...She wouldn't say that but it seemed as though she was suggesting it never got there...Uh huh...

This is utter ####### and so ridiculous. How do they expect us to get things done if they can't be responsible enough to keep things in order. Ugh. I'm so sorry this is happening to you. I'm starting to get pretty freaked out about having to do AOS when my fiance moves here in April. Hmm a question: if you receive an RFE (or they lose your stuff) and are in the process of getting things sorted out, can the government kick your fiance out if it's past the 3 month timeframe from when the foreign fiance entered the States? I've been wondering that. Please let us know how your issue turns out and keep us updated on contacting your congressman. Good luck!