August 2012 AOS Filers

[Frenchican 13]

CONGRATS FOR EADS!

I'm so happy that they started being processed!.

From other timelines, it takes about a week between processing and delivery!

A friend just had her interview las week and sad her EAD came 2 weeks before. so I am hoping we'll all start getting them in the next couple weeks.

I am expecting it to come within a week or two. 30 days seems a bit much.

Am glad that I finally recieved an update after alll this time! Wonder why I haven't got an interview date?

Any Ideas??

Thanks

you were the first filer!! and people after you are having theirs in 10 days. I would definitely call USCIS to check status arguing that, maybe something got lost. maybe they didn't update online ad you're having yours soon and are not aware. or make an infopass.

Edited October 6, 2012 by Frenchican

[ASG04 0]

Am Not a k-1 one filer so am not aware what the delay is aside from my field office possibly being backed up.

I had not once thought something was lost but it has me thinking what if??? I want to believe the system has no flaws but I know that's wrong. I will definetly call!

[Sameh'sHabibi 3]

Every time I hear about one of you getting EAD or interview notices I get so excited! It's like I know it makes us one step closer to ours! Loving seeing all the progress!

[epsonderby 85]

I would love my EAD soon. I have work lined up. Thankfully, I have an understanding potential employer who is in no rush right now.

I swear that once this stuff is all over, life will be good; I can start enjoying stuff without wondering whether I should keep it as evidence for a stranger or whether I should sign up for something in a store so I look like a good married man with junk mail, a card, and everything! I feel a little dirty at the fact I'm being made to artificially record and justify the first few months of my married life. Maybe I'm being too sensitive?

Wells Fargo are being very annoying. I speak to their central customer service department and they told me that we could open a joint account for us without me having an SSN - they have a provision for it in their system, so long as the USC is the main party and they have their SSN. No problem I thought! Went to the branch and guess what? We don't have that provision. I thankfully took the email exchange with central customer service, manager promises to touch base with regional boss, I call many times with manager clearly avoiding my calls, I hear no answer, I now hate Wells Fargo and will place my sizeable savings elsewhere...

Ah, that felt good to rant...

[iaia 8]

For what is worth, the only banks that accept accounts/joint accounts without ssn are bank of America and pnc bank according to my research. We have pnc and we didn't had any issues. A friend of my who is a flight attendant has Bank of America. The other banks require a ssn to open accounts.

[epsonderby 85]

For what is worth, the only banks that accept accounts/joint accounts without ssn are bank of America and pnc bank according to my research. We have pnc and we didn't had any issues. A friend of my who is a flight attendant has Bank of America. The other banks require a ssn to open accounts.

I read here that Wells Fargo also allow banking without an SSN. Their main office also confirmed it. The problem I have found in the US with a lot of things is local operations interpreting global company policy in different ways, especially when there are 2 outlets in one town - madness! I can't remember the last time I experienced such a way of doing business in any other country I have lived in; Russia, Libya, Germany, France, Austria or back home in the UK.

PNC were a bank I tried when I first arrived, but they said they couldn't do it - see what I mean?

There are others that I've learned do it without SSN, such as BoA, but I want Wells Fargo and they said they could do it. I could make my life easy and open an account with BoA, but I don't want to - I refuse to open an account just to tick a box or satisfy a stranger.

[Kim & Gesner 14]

I bank with BB&T (Branch Banking & Trust) and we defintitely have to wait. I am not going to change banks just to open an account he can be on and I will explain that to immigration. I think too mush fishing for one just looks a little "desperate for evidence" to immigration.... for lack of better word. And I definitely do not mean any harm in that statement, I think everyone is fine just waiting to open an account where you already are. Even if Gesi gets his EAD before Oct 16th, there are no guarantees we will have time to go apply for SSN, we will be cutting it so close that I think I will just wait, explain we JUST got it (if we even do before then) and explain that adding him to my accounts and insurance is one of the first things we plan to do!

[epsonderby 85]

I bank with BB&T (Branch Banking & Trust) and we defintitely have to wait. I am not going to change banks just to open an account he can be on and I will explain that to immigration. I think too mush fishing for one just looks a little "desperate for evidence" to immigration.... for lack of better word. And I definitely do not mean any harm in that statement, I think everyone is fine just waiting to open an account where you already are. Even if Gesi gets his EAD before Oct 16th, there are no guarantees we will have time to go apply for SSN, we will be cutting it so close that I think I will just wait, explain we JUST got it (if we even do before then) and explain that adding him to my accounts and insurance is one of the first things we plan to do!

I had the best conversation with the manager of the local BB&T. I was discussing the policy of requiring an SSN to open an account and I mentioned that the Social Security Administration says on their front page that you should never be asked for your SSN in connection with banking. He said that they don't do anything with it and that it just acts as an identifier. I then asked him to clarify his statement and he says they use it to perform a credit check. I then said that the SSA say that's expressly not what an SSN is for. He then went on to say that it's what all the other banks do so it's what his bank's policy is. Lame if you ask me.

I think that in 9 out of 10 cases, the decision has been all but made before you even walk in the door for the interview. I definitely believe they give beneficiaries from certain countries harder times than others just because of stereotypes that unfortunately exist. I think as long as the forms are filled out and you've included the marriage certificate and some other bits and pieces, you're pretty much ok. I think they like to see more at the interview to see if you've at least tried. I think your explanation regarding the lack of Gesi's SSN is logical and practical - can't make something out of nothing, can you?

[Kim & Gesner 14]

I think that in 9 out of 10 cases, the decision has been all but made before you even walk in the door for the interview. I definitely believe they give beneficiaries from certain countries harder times than others just because of stereotypes that unfortunately exist. I think as long as the forms are filled out and you've included the marriage certificate and some other bits and pieces, you're pretty much ok. I think they like to see more at the interview to see if you've at least tried. I think your explanation regarding the lack of Gesi's SSN is logical and practical - can't make something out of nothing, can you?

Very true! I hope our interview goes smooth. Gesi speaks 4 languages, english being the 4th. I do just fine understanding him but sometimes he has a hard time understanding others, esp with american slang. He doesn't quite understand everything at times. We have been going over the AOS questions posted in the guide section and I am glad we have because some things on there he has to have explained. I think when people ask things too fast, he doesn't pick everything up. But I take my time and explain things.

[epsonderby 85]

For us it's this big thing and for them, well I imagine they see plenty each day and they know in their head what they're looking for; natural body language, little or no prompting and solid answers to questions, especially why something couldn't be done or will be done.

I have no idea what my IO might ask me. I haven't thought about it for fear of it freaking me out. I just know what evidence we have, and why we have it and also what we don't have, and why we don't have it.

We're staying with the father-in-law right now, purely because he insisted it would be the logical and practical thing to do. Why pay rent when you can stay with me and relax a little he said. I think family helping family is great and something I'm not overly familiar with coming from a tiny and pretty independent family. It's also useful as he's our co-sponsor, so I can remind him of the bits he need to get together. He's written a letter, not an affidavit, stating that we're living with him until the immigration process is all over and we know where's we're going and what we want to do. He takes care of the bills, he's added me to the cell family plan and that I help out around the house and yard by ways of recompense.

Other than that, we have a couple of cards from family members regarding the wedding and some postcards from my folks whilst on their recent cruise around the Med. I've been added as a cardholder on her CC account and we have some pictures. Other than that, nothing. I plan on taking some emails, skype logs and other bits and pieces (Amazon receipts for gifts for my wife and my step-daughter). We both tried writing to each other whilst I was in Russia, but that didn't work as mail didn't get to me and mine didn't get out of Russia!

What do others think about taking kids to an interview? I want to take my step-daughter to show the IO we're a family and I hate to leave her with others because I don't want her to feel left out, but I'm not sure if they might think I'm trying too hard?

[Timon 26]

Hey guys, hope everyone had a pleasant Saturday. Anyway I got a text update today about my EAD card production. congrats to everyone else who got updates.

iaia: Is there anyway you can get to your FILs house to pick up that stuff yourself? I can only imagine how annoying it must be for you cuz I feel like pulling out my hair for you just knowing that they're dragging their feet so much. Tax transcript don't take thy long to get to you geez. Maybe tell him you have to get the info out to USCIS earlier than the time in which they gave you and see if that would get him to speed up the process.

[Timon 26]

For what is worth, the only banks that accept accounts/joint accounts without ssn are bank of America and pnc bank according to my research. We have pnc and we didn't had any issues. A friend of my who is a flight attendant has Bank of America. The other banks require a ssn to open accounts.

I also have Bank of America but I do have an itin so I guess that don't count

[huongkhin 9]

When I was at the interview, the IO asked for the bank statement. He didn't look at it, just need a copy to put it in our file. But it sounds like he expected us to have one.

Opening a bank account doesn't cost anything. Especially with most bank now, if you keep $500 daily balance, it's free. Nothing to lose.

Lawyer is expensive. I didn't want to take a change, skip something that can be done and end up paying a fortune to fix it.

[Kim & Gesner 14]

When I was at the interview, the IO asked for the bank statement. He didn't look at it, just need a copy to put it in our file. But it sounds like he expected us to have one.

Opening a bank account doesn't cost anything. Especially with most bank now, if you keep $500 daily balance, it's free. Nothing to lose.

Lawyer is expensive. I didn't want to take a change, skip something that can be done and end up paying a fortune to fix it.

I have a bank account, I am just not going to open another just solely for the purpose of adding him to an account when I can wait until his EAD comes in and we can get his SSN and add him to my already existing account. My direct deposit goes into my account which is also linked with my job so I get special "perks" for working for a "contracted employer" so I am not going to change that. I have read over and over that USCIS understands that newlyweds will not have a lot of joint accounts and when you consider that we just decided to push the marriage up and eloped, we were not really prepared for all of this. I think I submitted plenty of evidence of our relationship. ROC I have been told is where they want to see the comingling of finances, moreso than now.

Maybe I am being naive but I really think we will be fine. I do not think I am going to need a lawyer to fight me not having him on my banking account or health insurance at work when his EAD went into production 10 days before the interview.....

Edited October 7, 2012 by Kim & Gesner

[huongkhin 9]

Having another checking account doesn't make you change anything on your current checking account. I have a full-time job and a small business on the side. I have more than 4 checking accounts, few saving accounts and credit cards. All have theirs own purpose.

I don't want my wife's pay check to to to the checking account that I get my pay check. The date she got her SSN. I asked her to go open her own checking account. The account we have together, we will contribute to that and pay for things that we use together. I want my wife to be both financially independence and we will be financially involved at the same time.