Lessons Learned (Filing I-485 AOS & I-765 EAD)

[Sheriff Uling 3]

Please review and/or make comments/suggestions for others where appropriate...

this should always be on top.

I didn't see this thread when I started my AOS . This could've helped me.

Sorry to know that... By the by for others reading this, please also check out the VJ Guides section in the tabs at the top. I believe almost all of this information is covered in the VJ's AOS instructions.

Cheers!!!

Sheriff Uling

[Marcus and Laura 4]

Buy the Immigration book on Amazon, it helped us no end!

Marcus

[FaithfulandTrue 6]

I learned that I can save a bunch of money on my car insurance by switching to GEICO.

hahahahaha

[R_A 0]

At our interview, she said we were approved and that we should receive the green card in 2 weeks. I didn't know any better, and didn't ask for the passport stamp. Heard nothing for 2 months, and after calling the 800 number (worthless...), they send me a letter saying to wait another 2 months.

Not wanting to wait any more, I made an InfoPass appointment at the local office, and we got the passport stamp right then and there. The online status was also changed that day to say that a Welcome letter was mailed.

I think they screwed up, and just never finalized the appication in the computer, but the office that helped us wouldn't admit to that, and would only say that a supervisor was reviewing it today.

So my advise is, 1) get the passport stamp the minute they say your approved, and 2) if you don't hear anything in due time, get the InfoPass appointment and talk to them face-to-face.

[Helmut & Bee 0]

VJ Family...

We will be filing our AOS and EAD within the next two months. If anyone has any lessons learned from your case, please share your experiece(s).

Thanks and God bless...

Ahmari & Jhen

NOTE: We do not have any specific questions. The directions/requirements are straight forward.

Make sure you have all your paperwork correct before you send it in. Make sure you have copies of everything you send.

It has been a frustrating waiting game. I applied for my wife and daughter. The only NOA received was for my daughter.

See my timeline in my signature.

Good Luck

[beejay 123]

Sorry joint & substitute sponsors need to. I put mine in anyhow!

Ah yes, that's true. Even in that case, the USC spouse still doesn't have to send proof of citizenship, only the co-sponsor does.

We are adjusting status from a K1 visa. When I was putting the packet together I had flashbacks of the CO ripping off all our attachments on our forms during our k1 interview and handing them back to us without looking at them. I think I must have made a mental note: "USCIS hates unnecessary information!" and I tried to avoid sending anything unnecessary or redundant. Because of that I decided that I did not need to send in a copy of my birth certificate as I am the USC and we sent in my birth certificate with our initial k1 petition.

However I received an RFE for that very thing about 2 months into the process. While it may not have been on the checklist they did send an RFE for it.

lesson learned. It's hard to guess beyond the checklist what the USCIS will determine necessary information. All you can do is try to cover your @** as best you can and if you get an RFE it's not the end of the world. Just send it back as quick as you can and hope that everything goes smoothly from there.

and maybe include the USC birth certificate even if you're adjusting status from a K1 and they don't ask for it.

that's my 2cents.

[Asclepius 0]

About the Tip #5 and #6

when applying for the ID and SSN, what about the Last name? i dont think my fiancee can use my last name yet.

does this mean you will have to apply for name change soon?

[RBAL_TN 0]

About the Tip #5 and #6

when applying for the ID and SSN, what about the Last name? i dont think my fiancee can use my last name yet.

does this mean you will have to apply for name change soon?

Your "fiance'" cannot, but your "wife" can. Make sure take a certified copy of your marriage certificate with you. However, SSN will not change the name until USCIS has the name change recorded in their system as well (we found this out the hard way). Otherwise they will issue the SSN in her maiden name.