Confused, Married Overstay – I-130?

[LT.Nora 7]

Tick Tock, my answer will be more about the bills and bank accounts

I am not sure which state you live in, but here in California, I was able to get utilities in my name with no SSN (electricity and gas) and also open bank accounts (I have two personal and two joint with my husband). When I called in for the utilities and they asked me for my SSN, I just asked them what it is needed for and what other documentation I can provide in lieu of SSN. So I just needed to go to the office with my ID and all was setup for me. I think they passed a law that utility companies cannot deny you a service if you don't have SSN (might be only in CA, I don't know).

As for the bank account, I know Bank of America, Wachovia (that's what I have accounts with - now Wells Fargo) are a little bit easier to open accounts for foreigners. When they asked me for my SSN, I told them that I am "waiting for it" and what other documents they accept in lieu. They took my passport number and that was it! Later I got some form in mail, and apparently they opened "foreigner's account" for me. Later they asked for my ITIN number for the savings account, but I haven't provided that either. So it has been a year ago and the bank still has no information about my SSN or ITIN and I still have my account.

I did my own research about it and in US they ask for your SSN everywhere. You need to ask why do they require SSN and if the answer does not have IRS in it, you could argue your way for them to accept other things as your ID.

As far as your passport, you can renew it by mail http://www.ppt.gc.ca/index.aspx?lang=eng which you should do ASAP.

I hope that was at least a little help!

[Tick Tock 3]

Thanks for your insight, OCPlastique and Starburst!

Seems I can't edit previous posts, so I am going to re-post this updated checklist to keep track.

USCIS Papers

I-130 - $355.

I-485 - $1010 - I was hoping to file this later, but I guess it needs to be done at the same time as I-130.

I-864 - (Affidavit of Support).

I-864 - Co-sponsor.

G-325A - For me. 3 copies.

G-325A - For my husband. 1 copy.

I-693 - To go alongside I-485. Have regular doctor do paperwork (blood, vaccination, TB test), bring papers to civil surgeon. Make sure to talk to doctor to leave nothing out. Bring all records.

I-765 - Employment Authorization Document (EAD).

Taxes

- Amend instances from "single" to "married filing jointly."

- Tax transcripts.

- Fill IRS form W-8BEN, use in lieu of SSN (no SSN currently) to be added to bank account. Present at bank when required.

Evidence

- Organize, print photos; wedding, trips, when family has visited, pets, with friends.

- Letters of support.

- Get added to utilities as permitted.

Passport

- Must renew. Keeping surname as maiden name; will have birth certificate and marriage certificate to prove maiden and married surnames.

- Change status to married. If keeping as single, it'll probably cause trouble.

- Change address to current US residence, again, keeping old address may cause trouble.

I am concerned that updating my residence and changing my marital status will cause Passport Canada to deny my application for renewal, which would in turn probably cause more problems for immigrating. Might anyone have insight on this?

I am worried about updating this passport information. Since I was not in Canada after getting married, I have not updated anything there. I imagine this will need to be done, but hopefully can be done AFTER things are sorted out after I am given a green card.

Further, I am going to mail my passport and have one of my parents drop it off in person. I know this can be done if a person includes a letter permitting an individual (must be close family) to hand in your application form on your behalf. This would, according to given processing times, save 2 weeks waiting time. 4 weeks if by mail, 2 when dropped off "at the counter". The individual at the counter would be able to look over the sheet and see if everything seems okay, which would certainly put me more at ease than mailing off and waiting without any insight.

Again, thank you all for your advice!

Edited April 30, 2010 by Tick Tock

[EmVee 4]

Tick Tock, my answer will be more about the bills and bank accounts

I am not sure which state you live in, but here in California, I was able to get utilities in my name with no SSN (electricity and gas) and also open bank accounts (I have two personal and two joint with my husband). When I called in for the utilities and they asked me for my SSN, I just asked them what it is needed for and what other documentation I can provide in lieu of SSN. So I just needed to go to the office with my ID and all was setup for me. I think they passed a law that utility companies cannot deny you a service if you don't have SSN (might be only in CA, I don't know).

That's weird, the electric company and cable company wouldn't let me go on the bills because I don't have a SSN. Hmmmm. The gas company put me on a the "spouse of account holder" but that's it.

I did get on his bank account, though. That wasn't really a problem.

[LT.Nora 7]

That's weird, the electric company and cable company wouldn't let me go on the bills because I don't have a SSN. Hmmmm. The gas company put me on a the "spouse of account holder" but that's it.

I did get on his bank account, though. That wasn't really a problem.

That's weird! I just called electricity and gas and told them I moved in into new home and need electricity and gas. I also said that I just came to the country thus no SSN.

Some people that work for those companies really don't know what they are doing; they ask for SSN, well, just because they ask for it

What if I am a tourist and want to rent a home for 6 months? Will I have to stay without water, gas and electricity because I have no SSN?

[ValerieA 350]

Tick Tock, on the off chance you are in Houston - I called a civil surgeon this morning for my medical, and was quoted $100 for the physical, TB, and vaccination record thingy. I am presuming that any updates to my vaccinations will be extra, so I will post my whole thing on the civil surgeon thread on Monday. So, there are good deals out there. If you are in Houston, he is:

Dr. Charles Holmsten

Braeswood Occupational Medical Clinic

7545 South Braeswood Boulevard

Houston, TX

713-777-5200

[EmVee 4]

That's weird! I just called electricity and gas and told them I moved in into new home and need electricity and gas. I also said that I just came to the country thus no SSN.

Some people that work for those companies really don't know what they are doing; they ask for SSN, well, just because they ask for it

What if I am a tourist and want to rent a home for 6 months? Will I have to stay without water, gas and electricity because I have no SSN?

Yeah, my husband really argued with the electric company over it but they were just really unhelpful about it. Lucky we got the gas to list me as a spouse so at least we had one household bill with my name featuring on it!

[Tick Tock 3]

Thank you for the insight, guys!

ValerieA - I am in North Carolina, so while Houston is nowhere nearby, the information on what price you were quoted is greatly appreciated.

When I last looked around for quotes, I was told by a civil surgeon's receptionist that she could not give me an exact price quote because it would be dependent on what tests/shots I would need. She basically said "well, the maximum is $450, but that is for all the work that could be necessary." So, I'll certainly have to call back and be a bit more specific since I had no idea I could go to a regular doctor. I will certainly keep an eye out for your forum post/thread that you make on Monday - I wish you the best of luck!

As for the utilities, I'll just have to wait and see. The cable utilities are under my husband's name, so perhaps he can have me placed on it though I lack a SSN. As for our electricity, the account is actually under my mother-in-law's name because they wanted to charge us just to have it switched to my husband's name. We can check again about switching electricity over, but I'd rather not do this (and spend hundreds of dollars!) unless cable does not work out. Otherwise, we hold no other utility bills at this time.

What if I am a tourist and want to rent a home for 6 months? Will I have to stay without water, gas and electricity because I have no SSN?

OCPlastique, you bring up a very good question and scenario! I can guesstimate possible ways that this could be solved, but have no experience to speak from so it remains a mystery in the end.

[LT.Nora 7]

Thank you for the insight, guys!

ValerieA - I am in North Carolina, so while Houston is nowhere nearby, the information on what price you were quoted is greatly appreciated.

When I last looked around for quotes, I was told by a civil surgeon's receptionist that she could not give me an exact price quote because it would be dependent on what tests/shots I would need. She basically said "well, the maximum is $450, but that is for all the work that could be necessary." So, I'll certainly have to call back and be a bit more specific since I had no idea I could go to a regular doctor. I will certainly keep an eye out for your forum post/thread that you make on Monday - I wish you the best of luck!

As for the utilities, I'll just have to wait and see. The cable utilities are under my husband's name, so perhaps he can have me placed on it though I lack a SSN. As for our electricity, the account is actually under my mother-in-law's name because they wanted to charge us just to have it switched to my husband's name. We can check again about switching electricity over, but I'd rather not do this (and spend hundreds of dollars!) unless cable does not work out. Otherwise, we hold no other utility bills at this time.

OCPlastique, you bring up a very good question and scenario! I can guesstimate possible ways that this could be solved, but have no experience to speak from so it remains a mystery in the end.

The key is not to give any additional information that is unnecessary I always pretend I just came here and I am awaiting for my SSN, in the meantime, what other forms of ID are acceptable in lieu of SSN?

As for the civil surgeon, be careful, as I learned in my own experience, that a man dressed in a white doctor's robe, not always knows it all

A good thing to read: http://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/pdf/2009-vaccination-technical-instructions.pdf and this: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/schedules/downloads/adult/2010/adult-schedule-11x17.pdf

Find out which vaccines are age appropriate for you, so you could determine the price and the doctor wouldn't try to sell you vaccines that you don't need! And call doctors from USCIS website for civil surgeons!

[Tick Tock 3]

Thanks for the links, OCPlastique!

I did have a medical exam, however the form is long since expired because we were unable to send out an AOS package at the time. I never received a copy of the I-693, for some reason. I ended up opening my expired envelope to see what was included.

I will have my TB and Syphilis tests redone at a local office as they are from 2005. I will have to get a clear answer about my Varicella vaccine; it was marked on the old I-693 but I was given no written proof on actual immunization records. Aside from Varicella, I believe I am up to date on vaccines - thank goodness they removed the HPV vaccine!

[LT.Nora 7]

Thanks for the links, OCPlastique!

I did have a medical exam, however the form is long since expired because we were unable to send out an AOS package at the time. I never received a copy of the I-693, for some reason. I ended up opening my expired envelope to see what was included.

I will have my TB and Syphilis tests redone at a local office as they are from 2005. I will have to get a clear answer about my Varicella vaccine; it was marked on the old I-693 but I was given no written proof on actual immunization records. Aside from Varicella, I believe I am up to date on vaccines - thank goodness they removed the HPV vaccine!

If you had your TB test back then when you had your medical exam, and it was positive, you don't need to get it done again. Because once you are positive, you are positive for life (I was told, that before having TB skin test ever again, I should tell the doctor that it was positive, so they would not do it again, because the reaction would be even worse). I had x-ray done and I had no signs of TB, so all clear.

As for varicella, in one of those links, it says, that oral approval is fine. So if you remember for sure you had chickenpox when little, you tell them so and they will mark it. My mother couldn't remember if I had it or not, and I didn't want to have varicella vaccine if in case I got it already (I heard that you may get pretty bad rash if you get it when you had it already) so I got a blood test done, and it said that I am positive for varicella antibody, which means no shot is necessary.

You need to require a copy of the final I-693 before it is going into an envelope. This serves as your immunization record. So since you opened the sealed envelope, take that with you to the doctor and show them what shots you had.

the HPV vaccine was a biggest nonsense ever! I had one shot done out of three and it made me really sick!! And a week later they stopped requiring it..

[Tick Tock 3]

Yes, I did have my TB test back when I had my first medical exam. It was negative, with no swelling whatsoever to the test site. To that extent, I should be safe for a re-test if they do ask me to take one, but I will take my prior results with me in case it can offset the test.

Time to phone my parents; I can't remember if I had chickenpox and I'm sure I asked my mother before the medical exam (but I have a shoddy memory!). I'll have to call her and ask so that I do not end up having to take any extra vaccine - especially with the possibility of rash if already exposed. Worse-case scenario is that I'll have to have a blood test done. Thanks for the insight!

I will definitely take the old I-693, my Canadian vaccine records, and US vaccine records too.

I was rather scared about the HPV vaccine and I am glad that it is no longer required. I'm sorry to hear that you had an adverse reaction to it and I hope that you were able to recover quickly. I am hoping that a similar situation for vaccination will not occur in the future.

[Tick Tock 3]

To update, and in the off chance that someone may benefit from this information.

Tuberculosis and Syphilis test results are only valid for 12 months, according to the CS office I phoned.

For anyone who may be in reasonable driving distance...

Dr. Allen R Edwards, Hart Industrial Clinic

2850 Tate Boulevard, S.E., Hickory, NC 28602

(828) 326-7000

Charges $47 simply to fill out the I-693.

TB test: $10

Syphilis test: $34

Hopefully these will be the only fees/work required, whenever I do get a chance to make the appointment.

First and foremost, I must get this passport application sent off.

[tru_loves_journey 117]

To update, and in the off chance that someone may benefit from this information.

Tuberculosis and Syphilis test results are only valid for 12 months, according to the CS office I phoned.

For anyone who may be in reasonable driving distance...

Dr. Allen R Edwards, Hart Industrial Clinic

2850 Tate Boulevard, S.E., Hickory, NC 28602

(828) 326-7000

Charges $47 simply to fill out the I-693.

TB test: $10

Syphilis test: $34

Hopefully these will be the only fees/work required, whenever I do get a chance to make the appointment.

First and foremost, I must get this passport application sent off.

Hi, What was your total payment to the CS the day you went? We will be going next week to this same CS. Thanks so much

[NancyNguyen 1,657]

This thread is 2 years old, please don't confuse others with grave digging. Please email the poster!

[tru_loves_journey 117]

This thread is 2 years old, please don't confuse others with grave digging. Please email the poster!