Interview 3 wks. Advice on AOS. Offshore worker

[ianf77 9]

Hi All.

First post so bare with me.

I have received my interview date for the the US Embassy in London on 5th December.

Can you offer general advice on this process. I hope all goes well.

My next question is, I am an offshore worker based in Angolan waters on a 28/28 rotation. Most of my processing has been during time off.

Now, if my visa is approved, once received I will be travelling to the US where we plan to marry soonest (having a justice of the peace ceremony next year).

When we get the marraige certificate and file for AOS in the US, how long do I need to remain in the US till I receive my green card. Is there an option to leave the US for work during the processing.

I am trying to offer my employer some details so we can work out a schedule...............

All advice is greatly appreciated!!!!

Ian

[ama537621 3]

As soon as you get married file the AOS paperwork also file for AP and the employment authorization card. Plan on at least 3 months for the AP and work authorization to arrive. Once you have the Advance Parole you can travel abroad. When you submit your AOS I would write a letter asking for an expedite on the AP paperwork because it would create a financial hardship if you lose your job because of not being able to travel.

http://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/i-131instr.pdf%C2'>

Page 10 are the parameters for an expedite request Instructions. Make sure follow the directions on the form to the letter for the expedite instructions. when you receive your biometrics appointment letter make an infopass appointment for as soon as possible. With an infopass appointment you will easily get inside of the federal building. then you can either walk up and ask if you can do an early biometrics (they are different people than the ones that handle the infopass appointments). If they say no you can always go talk to the immigration official and state the reasons for you needing to do the biometrics early.

I had to do this for my wife on her travel document last year so she could travel with me on my overseas work contract. The process was about 2 months via expedite.

[ianf77 9]

That is a long time for processing the work authorization.

OK...another question.

As I travel a lot with my job...i have 2 passports. If the interview goes well I will have my visa issued too one of them..

If i have the K-1 visa, can I enter on the VWP with another passport?

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

A comment on the biometrics appointment mentioned above in a Federal building. I notice you will be in The Woodlands. Your biometric appointment will be in Houston on Hwy 290. They do nothing but biometrics there so you don't need an infopass appointment to get in the door. You walk in with your biometric letter and they will take you before the day on your appointment letter. We did that three times with no problems at all at that location. Go after lunch when they aren't busy.

It is the Advance Parole that allows you back in the country. If you leave without it, you are abandoning your greencard application. So even if you used a different passport and you left, they can/will deny your greencard. I wouldn't risk it.

It takes 60-90 days to get the Advance Parole and work authorization. The clock doesn't start until you mail in the applications. Yes, request expedite. Once you have done biometrics, you could try to go in person to again ask for expedite. That would be at the big USCIS Houston office near Beltway 8 and the Hardy Toll Road and would require making an Infopass appointment To see an officer.

Unfortunately the K1 visa has downtime when you can't do anything. Had you married first and gotten a spouse visa, you could work and travel out of the US from day 1 of your US entry.

Another tip: Keep a log of every date you enter and leave the US. When (if) you apply for US citizenship, you will have to supply those exact dates as part of the application. Might be hard to reconstruct those dates over several years if you don't log it as it happens.

[h13rma 35]

That is a long time for processing the work authorization.

OK...another question.

As I travel a lot with my job...i have 2 passports. If the interview goes well I will have my visa issued too one of them..

If i have the K-1 visa, can I enter on the VWP with another passport?

I did almost exactly this earlier this year, except we did an AOS rather than the K-1. I also considered using my other passport with the VWP to go back to Angola, but in the end I just waited. As soon as your paperwork has been accepted apply for expediated advanced parole, and get a letter from your company explaining that you are required for a rotational position and will cause company and you a material loss if you cant travel. We also got a letter from our Congresswoman. It took me 28 days to get advanced parole, but you have to factor in the time for paperwork to be submitted.

We had some new starts so one of them filled my rota slot and I came out as his back to back, replacing someone who had blue stamped out.

I wouldn't risk the second passport, I have never worked out if USCIS has linked the two together or not.

Where in Angola are you? I'm off Cabinda till December then Singapore for a bit for a new build.