Green card through marriage.

[hooligunka 0]

Hi everyone. I've read lots of info about getting green card through the marriage and I still have some questions...

First - where to send i-485, i-130, i-864, g325a and i-765? (as far as I know I need to fill just these forms, right?). Somebody told me that I can't put everything in one envelop and mail it. Could you tell me which documents and copies (such as birth certificate or marriage letter) where to send? I'm divorced and I have my divorce certificate which is translated into English with notary apostil. My husband is self-employed. In i-864, part 6 we have to write down self-employed as ... Is it enough to write contractor or we have to write down full name of company or what?

Documents which I'm gonna send:

copy of birth certificate (both)

copy of passport (both) and my visa (which is expired, however)

copy of my divorce certificate

copy of our marriage letter

g-325a (both)

i-130

i-485

i-864

i-765

i-693 (medical exam)

form 1040 (cause he is self-employed)

w-2 and Form 1099.

Did I miss smth?

and one more question. How to pay? Put money order with other documents in envelop and send it?

Details about me:

I live in TN.

I'm out-of-status now (more then 6 months).

I came to USA with J-1 visa.

[Barbara J 115]

Hi everyone. I've read lots of info about getting green card through the marriage and I still have some questions...

First - where to send i-485, i-130, i-864, g325a and i-765? (as far as I know I need to fill just these forms, right?). Somebody told me that I can't put everything in one envelop and mail it. Could you tell me which documents and copies (such as birth certificate or marriage letter) where to send? I'm divorced and I have my divorce certificate which is translated into English with notary apostil. My husband is self-employed. In i-864, part 6 we have to write down self-employed as ... Is it enough to write contractor or we have to write down full name of company or what?

Documents which I'm gonna send:

copy of birth certificate (both)

copy of passport (both) and my visa (which is expired, however)

copy of my divorce certificate

copy of our marriage letter

g-325a (both)

i-130

i-485

i-864

i-765

i-693 (medical exam)

form 1040 (cause he is self-employed)

w-2 and Form 1099.

Did I miss smth?

and one more question. How to pay? Put money order with other documents in envelop and send it?

Details about me:

I live in TN.

I'm out-of-status now (more then 6 months).

I came to USA with J-1 visa.

http://www.visajourn...ontent/otheraos

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

P.O. Box 805887

Chicago, IL 60680- 4120

Edited April 13, 2011 by Barbara J

[Little_My 464]

First, you should be posting to the AOS from work, tourist or student visa forum - you will get more responses there. You are adjusting your status from the J1, even though you are out of status currently.

YOu send everything to the Chicago Lockbox, together in one envelope. It's preferable to somehow separate the petitions - either by putting them in soft folders, with paper clips, with separating sheets of paper.. whatever you prefer. But all in one envelope, to the same place:

USCIS Chicago Lockbox

For U.S. Postal Service (USPS) deliveries:

USCIS

PO Box 805887

Chicago, IL 60680-4120

For Express mail and courier deliveries:

USCIS

Attn: FBAS

131 South Dearborn - 3rd Floor

Chicago, IL 60603-5517

Note that even though you are submitting the I-130 and I-485 concurrently, they still need to be considered separate individual petitions - meaning that even though they require some of the same supportive documents (passport copies, for example) you need to have separate copies for both forms. It is better to make one list of documents that go with the I-130 and another list of documents that go with the I-485. If you look at the "guides" section here on VJ, it has a very clear list of everything you need for both forms.

You can send a money order or a check. I put two checks, one for $420 for the I-130 and one for $1,070 for the I-485 ($985 for filing fee and $85 for biometrics fee, put together in one check.)

[bestofboston 36]

go to the I130 instructions and follow the directions.

You need to send in the G325 forms for both of you along with proof of relationship, copy of marriage certificate, birth certificate, divorce decree, I-130, photos, etc. Do not send originals of marriage,divorce, and birth certificate. You will need some of that later when it goes to the NVC. Send info to USCIS location in Texas as the directions tell you to do.

It is easy to do on your own. Just follow the directions.

After the USCIS approves it. NOA2 is sent to you and the packet is sent to the NVC

At NVC, you will need to first send in the DS3230. That is the agent of choice like who ever is already living in USA. Typically your husband. Then on the NVC website, you will be okayed to pay for the AOS packet which is your I-864. Once that has been paid, the NVC will approve you sending in the DS230 packet. You will need to send original or certified documents for the marriage certificate, police certificate, etc with the DS230 packet. Some countries have approved the online method (emailing in packet. You need to go to the NVC website to get all the info from them and they also have a phone number you can call but it is hard to get through but worth the wait. They will answer any questions you have.

It takes 5 to 6 months at the USCIS before it goes to the NVC. It takes another 3 months or more to process it at the NVC and schedule an interview at the embassy in your country.

Visa Journey has a lot of good stuff in their forums for each country. You need to get familiar with the USCIS website, the NVC website, the embassy website for your country and visa journeys website.

It is very easy to do if you can follow the instructions.

I had no issues through the entire process.

Oh by the way, my wife will be arriving in my city in less than an hour from her country. We have not seen each other since November.

Good luck

Now I need to leave and go to the airport to pick her up. It is going to be a really great evening for both of us

[Little_My 464]

Bestofboston - OP is not doing CR1. She is already in the US - she entered as J1 exchange visitor, overstayed, has then married a USC and is now adjusting her status from the J1 to LPR. Totally different process. She can be in the US for the whole process, but cannot leave until she has the GC in hand because of the overstay. Leaving would trigger a 3 or 10 year ban, depending on the legth of her current overstay.

NVC is not involved in this process at all, it goes through USCIS.

[hooligunka 0]

Do I have to pay for Biometric services before they call me? again, I need to put it together with any other money orders and docs in one envelop?

[Little_My 464]

Yes, the biometrics fee has to be included in the original package. You cannot pay it at the Application Support Center when you go. Make a check for $1070 - combining the I-485 fee and the Biometrics fee.

Have one pile of papers - I-130 package. On that, attach a cover letter stating exactly what is in that package. On top of that pile, clip the check for $420.

Have another pile of papers - I-485 package. On that, attach a cover letter stating exactly what is in that package. On top of that pile, clip the check for $1070.

Put everything together in one envelope and send everything to the Chicago Lockbox address.

[hooligunka 0]

Wow, so many responses, thank you, guys!

So, I have to make the same copies for i-130 and i-485? I mean, include all my copies (marriage certificate, birth cert. and others) for one form and to make the same for another form? but I still send it in one envelop.. Anyway, it's not a big deal, better to do more than less. Just make sure

But what do you mean - one package for i-485 and another package for i-130? What does it include? The form, copies for it, what else?

I found addresses for some petitions, the same as you gave me. I wanna send to:

USCIS

Attn: FBAS

131 South Dearborn - 3rd Floor

Chicago, IL 60603-5517.

I can send all these documents here, and what will it give me? How faster is it?

[Darnell 8,479]

ya - much overlap between the I-485 and the I-130 -

when COMPILING STUFF for each -

view them as seperate, make EACH petition COMPLETE -

so that WILL MEAN you've got some duplication going on there..

and DO mail it all together in one big packet.

[hooligunka 0]

But I don't have to fill g325a or any other form twice? duplication is just about copies of my documents, right?

[Little_My 464]

Yes, you do. There needs to be a G325-A filled out for BOTH I-130 and I-485 - in practice, you fill it out on your computer, print two copies, sign both, and attach one for each application. For the I-130, the G325A is also needed from the US citizen.

The I-130 and I-485 are two SEPARATE petitions, filed concurrently. Actually, the I-130 is a petition, the I-485 is an application. Though you are filing them together, they need to be able to "stand alone", so to speak.

Go to the VJ guide - print out the list of things needed for each package, and assemble them separately. Do not think of them as one thing - they are separate. They just go into the same envelope.

The additional forms - such as I-131, I-765, I-846 and I-693 are all part of the I-130 package.

[Little_My 464]

..Just a little correction to the previous: Disregard the I-131 application for travel document. Since you have overstayed, that won't be of any use to you. You cannot leave the US until you have the greencard in hand, so there is no reason for the I-131 form.

[hooligunka 0]

Thank you a lot! The guide is awesome, everything explained like for a dumb! And your responses, guys, helped me a lot! It's very useful, especially when English is not your native language...

So, when I send For Express mail and courier deliveries, how faster is that?

[hooligunka 0]

Edited April 14, 2011 by hooligunka

[hooligunka 0]

Btw, do I have send pictures to show that it's real marriage? cause we don't have any joint lease or bills.. I thought I have to bring it to interview, but not to send it with all my paper work..