AOS Interview

[-cK- 0]

After 7 months of waiting and with an EAD that's in a LIMBO we finally got a letter informing us of the interview date BUT we have a problem. With the USCIS Local Office in Seattle messing up my EAD (until now we haven't heard from it after 2 infopass) I couldn't get a Social Security Number and we all know that without that my existance here is pretty much useless. How can we provide ENOUGH documents needed to proove "COMMON RESIDENCE" when each time we ask the cable company, mobile company, and other companies that make up the "monthy billings" include me with my husband, they ask for a SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER...heck, I can't even get a crabbing license since they ask for an SSN. The only one we have is our Joint Bank Account which we were able to open prior to the new bank requirements for SSN (They took my TIN instead) though I wasn't approved by the bank to get a credit card or even be an extension to him since I have no SSN. With the lease, our landlord asked for my SSN so they can include me but then again, I DON'T HAVE ONE...so, my name is not there. Our landlord said that he'll just write a letter informing whoever that I'm living with my husband. Surprisingly, my husband was able to include me in our Auto Insurance. Aside from the Joint Bank Acct., State ID/License and the Auto Insurance, I'm also included in his Medical Insurance. So there, that's our dilema...because of a fault of one of their officers...it caused me my EAD which eventually caused my chance to apply for an SSN and practically proove my existance and our co-habitation Anyone who had the same situation??? We would really love to hear your story...

-ck-

[no one 0]

You don't need to prove "common residence" to get your SSN. Try again at the social security office? Or try your luck at another branch?

[de_sjiem 0]

What you have should be fine.. esp. the landlord's letter stating that you live together... I wasn't on any bills when I went for my interview.. I was only on his auto insurance, lease and joint account.. it didn't even come up actually... If you really want more you can ask family members and friends to write letters saying that they have seen you together and know that you are a true married couple, but its really not necessary.. Good luck with your interview!

to echomyst, since she doesn't have an EAD or her green card, she is not eligible for a social security number..

[kim&james 0]

As stated above, what you do have should be fine, from what I have read on here alot of us without SSN are in the same boat and they do not expect those of us without a SSN to have absolutely everything, Im just going to take everything that I have and include some letters from family, photos from family events etc. I pretty much have what you have without the bank account.

Dont worry, relax your nearly at the end for the moment, best wishes.

[Yodrak 7]

-ck-,

In 7 months you haven't received any mail with your name on the envelope? (Not counting mail from the USCIS.)

Yodrak

After 7 months of waiting and with an EAD that's in a LIMBO we finally got a letter informing us of the interview date BUT we have a problem. With the USCIS Local Office in Seattle messing up my EAD (until now we haven't heard from it after 2 infopass) I couldn't get a Social Security Number and we all know that without that my existance here is pretty much useless. How can we provide ENOUGH documents needed to proove "COMMON RESIDENCE" when each time we ask the cable company, mobile company, and other companies that make up the "monthy billings" include me with my husband, they ask for a SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER...heck, I can't even get a crabbing license since they ask for an SSN......

-ck-

[-cK- 0]

echomyst: I got no EAD, for a K3 Visa holder, I need an EAD to get my SSN. SSN, which I can use to actually proove to these billing companies and banks that I exist...

de_sjiem and kim&james: Thanks for the reply...it does get pretty stressful after what happened with my EAD application and how this local office messed it up for me. We don't want them to ask for so much and is pretty much unattainable. Thank you again for the ideas you've given us.

Yodrak: Nope, I never heard anything when it comes to my EAD. I made 2 Infopass...one in August, this one they totally messed it up...the lady behind the counter who for some reason can't converse in English pretty well told me that I wasn't eligible for an Interim EAD because I am married to a US Citizen and was told to wait for my AOS Interview. I was so pissed because she doesn't know what she's talking about. My husband said to not make a scene by asking for the supervisor because she might toss my papers in the trash just to get back at us...hey you knever know...right. Then just 3 weeks ago, we went back for the 2nd Infopass because it's been really 7 outrageous months and still no letter on whether it's approved or not. This time the person said I should've gotten my Interim EAD when I had my first Infopass and that he was puzzled on the reason the pervious Officer told me. Anyways, he said he's going to approve it and all that and that he can't give me an Interim EAD Card anymore since they stop doing it last September. All he can do is Approve it and send it to Chicago. I DOUBT HE DID IT...I keep on checking my status online and guess what...IT DID NOT CHANGE...so yeah, another BS on their part. My husband ask the guy if we can have a refund and he said he can't (which we knew that, my husband was being sarcastic already since their service was crappy). So there, 7 months under K3 Visa...no EAD issued. Another thing, the Seattle Local Office is SLOW their timeline is almost 7 months from the reciept date before you get the Interview schedule.

-ck-

[Killer_Clown_2009 0]

I managed to get hydro and verizon to accept my passport and ontario birth certificate as id. Did you see if they will accept an alternative?

Maybe you should ask someone to mail you a Christmas card to you jointly at your address. Then you'll have that with both your names on the envelope.

You say you have a TIN, did you file taxes jointly with your husband? Bring in the joint tax return if you have it.

If you have auto insurance, medical insurance, joint bank account and state id, and a letter from the landlord that's a pretty good start.

Edited December 1, 2006 by jane2005

[-cK- 0]

jane2005: We do get mail that's addressed to us both, like cards and newsletter from church. Thanks for reminding me about that. With the mobile company, it's under my brother-in-law's name since all three of us are in that Family Plan. We went to the bank today and talked to the banker about it and he said they can only put me as an extension for my husband's credit card but not as "Joint" since they need ny SSN. They can't use my ITIN for that. My husband claimed me in his ITR for 2005, we're including that too. Thank you so much for the reply

----> Oh, we have a dog...does showing the officer that we both own that dog help too??? It's hard for us to have a baby, that's why we got a dog instead (for now).

-ck-

Edited December 1, 2006 by -cK-

[Irisheyes 0]

jane2005: We do get mail that's addressed to us both, like cards and newsletter from church. Thanks for reminding me about that. With the mobile company, it's under my brother-in-law's name since all three of us are in that Family Plan. We went to the bank today and talked to the banker about it and he said they can only put me as an extension for my husband's credit card but not as "Joint" since they need ny SSN. They can't use my ITIN for that. My husband claimed me in his ITR for 2005, we're including that too. Thank you so much for the reply

----> Oh, we have a dog...does showing the officer that we both own that dog help too??? It's hard for us to have a baby, that's why we got a dog instead (for now).

-ck-

You are not trying to prove co-habitation, you are trying to prove a legitimate relationship.......this goes a lot deeper than a shared address. You can use photos from while you dated as well as after you married. Of course you can use joint ownership of the dog. Got tickets or mementos from trips you took, concerts you saw? You can use e-mails sent, birthday/anniversary cards, cards/letters from relatives acknowledging you as a couple. They will also consider how you act together as a couple, you have stories of your life together. These people do this for a living.....it's going to be fairly obvious to them if you are not legit!

I wouldn't worry about it too much, since anything you get on paper after you have been called for interview could be viewed as being just for the purpose of passing the interview anyway. Relax and get what you have on paper together, sit down and brainstorm between the two of you about things you have that show you have been a couple from the beginning.......like the "shoebox" kinda stuff!

[Peikko 1,575]

What you have already is probably enough to be honest. I wouldn't load yourself down with too much stuff.

The inteviewer we had was interested in the joint evidence of co habitation; the rental agreement being in both names, that myself and my son where on my husband's health insurance, that we had a joint bank account. She did not ask for pictures or sentimental momentos.

I did not have any bills in our joint names either. Although there is no way of proving it, I gained the impression that the interviewer was as much interested in the way we interacted as a couple/family (my son, 7 was at the interview as well) as the documented evidence.

We were both asked some basic questions about our relationship and that was pretty much it.

I would imagine that you are only given a really tough grilling if there is something suspect about your application or you don't behave like a couple. However, I don't know for sure as I don't work there

I know it's easy for me to say, but try not to get too stressed about it. You are a genuine couple, the interviewer will see that.

Good luck

[SENKA 0]

You should be able to get a joint Costco card and if your husband applies for Costco Amex credit card, he can also add you as a secondary user on his account, and I don't believe that they asked me for my SSN when we did that. Also, water company added my name without asking for SSN.

Good luck

[Yodrak 7]

-ck-,

I asked you about receiving any mail with your name on it not from USCIS.

Notwithstanding what Irisheyes wrote - it is a good point they make - evidence showing a common address does have some value (a shared residence can be one element of a shared life). It is not essential to have mail addressed to both names in order to demonstrate a shared residence, mail addressed in either name to the same address works also.

At the same time, there are perfectly good reasons why a bona fide couple may not share a residence. So don't be overly concerned about evidence that you don't have, work with the evidence that you do have.

Yodrak

....

Yodrak: Nope, I never heard anything when it comes to my EAD. I made 2 Infopass...one in August, this one they totally messed it up...the lady behind the counter who for some reason can't converse in English pretty well told me that I wasn't eligible for an Interim EAD because I am married to a US Citizen and was told to wait for my AOS Interview. I was so pissed because she doesn't know what she's talking about. My husband said to not make a scene by asking for the supervisor because she might toss my papers in the trash just to get back at us...hey you knever know...right. Then just 3 weeks ago, we went back for the 2nd Infopass because it's been really 7 outrageous months and still no letter on whether it's approved or not. This time the person said I should've gotten my Interim EAD when I had my first Infopass and that he was puzzled on the reason the pervious Officer told me. Anyways, he said he's going to approve it and all that and that he can't give me an Interim EAD Card anymore since they stop doing it last September. All he can do is Approve it and send it to Chicago. I DOUBT HE DID IT...I keep on checking my status online and guess what...IT DID NOT CHANGE...so yeah, another BS on their part. My husband ask the guy if we can have a refund and he said he can't (which we knew that, my husband was being sarcastic already since their service was crappy). So there, 7 months under K3 Visa...no EAD issued. Another thing, the Seattle Local Office is SLOW their timeline is almost 7 months from the reciept date before you get the Interview schedule.

-ck-

[-cK- 0]

Thank you guys. We feel more comfortable now. I guess what we have is what they'll see during the interview. Yordak, I do get mails (since I subscribed to magazines when I got here) and you're right...we shouldn't be sweating it. Thanks again...

You are not trying to prove co-habitation

Thank you for your reply, we do have pictures and tickets...I saved them all. You gave me another idea for that. Also with proving co-habitation, I was using the term that the USCIS used in the letter they sent me. It was specifically mentioned there. Good thing I also saved the letter we got from USPS when inform them or our change of address.

-ck-

Edited December 1, 2006 by -cK-

[Irisheyes 0]

Thank you guys. We feel more comfortable now. I guess what we have is what they'll see during the interview. Yordak, I do get mails (since I subscribed to magazines when I got here) and you're right...we shouldn't be sweating it. Thanks again...

You are not trying to prove co-habitation

Thank you for your reply, we do have pictures and tickets...I saved them all. You gave me another idea for that. Also with proving co-habitation, I was using the term that the USCIS used in the letter they sent me. It was specifically mentioned there. Good thing I also saved the letter we got from USPS when inform them or our change of address.

-ck-

Well of course co-habitation when trying to claim a legitimate relationship is a good thing, all I was trying to say was don't panic, there are other ways to prove a legit marriage. I don't think you have anything to worry about anyway. Good luck!