December 2015 AOS filer status

[Amhara 460]

I received my approval notice for the greencard today!!! It was a surprise, because I haven't checked my status in a while, they must have worked on it right after I last checked (coping mechanism left over from waiting for approval of I-129f for 10 months), and now the status says "card was mailed on March 28". No interview of anything.

This is all really great, especially since we are planning on travelling in June and I had to send my EAD back because of a typo (missing hyphen). After multiple service requests spelling my name correctly, the approval notice is again missing the hyphen. Such a pain. If the card is missing it too, I will take it to an infopass appointment to ask if it is a big deal. If I had known how hard it is to put a hyphen in a name I would have just kept mine to start with!

Gosh! They still haven't fixed that hyphen!?!?! Grrr! I was reading my husband's NOA2 for the GC and it said we should call if we notice something is out of place. I think we are going to submit the I-90 online tonight and see if that method goes any faster. We will need to mail back the GC at some point, but maybe they will have us mail it when the new one is about to be issued. I'm wondering if they make a decision on the e-filed I-90's before they have you mail back the card.

If you mail back the GC, I suggest you look into getting the I-551 stamp in your passport first, then mail the GC back with the paper that the card is attached to. That way you will have a way of proving your permanent resident status until you get the new card in hand.

Or just keep the one without the hyphen if you face no other problems getting your unrestricted SSA card and regular term DL (if your state has a shorter approval period for the DL for only those with EAD's. For example only one year compared with five years.)

Edited March 28, 2016 by Amhara

[Mena28 35]

Gosh! They still haven't fixed that hyphen!?!?! Grrr! I was reading my husband's NOA2 for the GC and it said we should call if we notice something is out of place. I think we are going to submit the I-90 online tonight and see if that method goes any faster. We will need to mail back the GC at some point, but maybe they will have us mail it when the new one is about to be issued. I'm wondering if they make a decision on the e-filed I-90's before they have you mail back the card.

If you mail back the GC, I suggest you look into getting the I-551 stamp in your passport first, then mail the GC back with the paper that the card is attached to. That way you will have a way of proving your permanent resident status until you get the new card in hand.

Or just keep the one without the hyphen if you face no other problems getting your unrestricted SSA card and regular term DL (if your state has a shorter approval period for the DL for only those with EAD's. For example only one year compared with five years.)

Nope, on the notice it is missing. I wouldn't care, but I really don't want to run into a border control person who does...

Good thinking, I didn't know about the stamp.

Luckily Massachusetts gave me a regular licence just with my Arrival Record, K-1 visa, social security card, and marriage certificate. They didn't even ever see my NOA1.

I filed an e-request for my EAD card having it missing and got a paper letter about 2 weeks later, telling me to send the card back to them with proof of spelling attached to it. they received it on March 19, and I got the I-485 NOA2 today (dated March 24), so I doubt I will hear back from them.

I read about a couple on the forum who had a birthday wrong on the EAD card, did an infopass, they fixed it in the system, and told them to keep the card and not pay for a replacement. Don't know if they attempted to travel with it though. And the GC is my document for like 2 years, so I just hope they got it right this time!

I have driver's license without a hyphen too, because my name had one character too many to fit in the provided space, so I have one name run into the other seamlessly. I have since run into other people who have it like that (with first and/or last names) who are all like "wow, I can't believe they had to do it, but it's been fine".

Oh joy :-)

Good luck getting your husbands name straightened out!

[Roy&Chanel 109]

I am so excited about tomorrow's interview! All well prepared! Will update you guys tomorrow, its gonna be great!

Then I'm off to get a job after and my bridal shoots.

[Roy&Chanel 109]

From what I understand, you need to let the SSA know that you are authorized to work now. You will get an "work authorized by DHS only" card.? Then when you get your GC, you can get the "regular" unrestricted SSA card. Technically, you only need to provide the EAD to prove work authorization according to the Form I-9 instructions.

Great to hear about the GC's coming! Looks like things keep rolling for us December filers!

sorry amhara, need to ask u more details about this, we will need to visit SSA office and apply for an updated SSA card again? I am going to start work after my bridal photoshoots and tea ceremony around May hopefully.

[Roy&Chanel 109]

Good morning VJers! My EAD/AP arrived over the weekend along with my appointment letter for my GC interview next month. I have a meeting with my new employers on the 6th to fine tune the details of my employment and give them my EAD as eligibility to work so I'm spending this next week making sure I have all the documents for the interview in line so I don't have to worry about that AND starting a new job/career in the US!

My question is about my SSN - do I update that now I have my EAD? Or after I receive my GC (assuming I'm approved on the 25th!)? I just want the wording beneath the number removed and I'm not sure at which stage I'm supposed to do that.

Also - to those who have had their GC interview already. The letter asks me to bring "Original and copy of each supporting document that you submitted with your application." What does this mean exactly? Do I basically have to replicate my AOS packet and bring that too? This whole thing seems like such a huge waste of paper!!

hey Hannah, here's what im going to bring tomorrow. its alot but i'd rather bring it.

1) K1 I-129F exact copy that I have submitted in case they want to see how we met etc

2) K1 Notices and letters from the embassy and USCIS

3) All original Notice of actions, I-94

4) Adjustment of status, EAD, Travel Document application (the whole copy of file that i submitted for AOS)

5) Updated AOS file for interview with the list of things they want, including the new tax returns, new W2s, lease agreements, bills, photos, more copies of birth certs, citizenship from spouse, pay stubs, employer letter (Updated), insurances, car.

6) My educational certs and my original documents (make sure all are in english, if you do not have them, get it notarized)

[CharlieTanger 76]

hey Hannah, here's what im going to bring tomorrow. its alot but i'd rather bring it.

1) K1 I-129F exact copy that I have submitted in case they want to see how we met etc

2) K1 Notices and letters from the embassy and USCIS

3) All original Notice of actions, I-94

4) Adjustment of status, EAD, Travel Document application (the whole copy of file that i submitted for AOS)

5) Updated AOS file for interview with the list of things they want, including the new tax returns, new W2s, lease agreements, bills, photos, more copies of birth certs, citizenship from spouse, pay stubs, employer letter (Updated), insurances, car.

6) My educational certs and my original documents (make sure all are in english, if you do not have them, get it notarized)

Make sure you bring photos from during and AFTER your wedding day. Very important - they do ask for those photos. Photos with your spouse's family during/after your wedding is great evidence, according to our USCIS RFE.

Make sure to list who is in the photo, along with relation and dated.

[HGord 22]

Make sure you bring photos from during and AFTER your wedding day. Very important - they do ask for those photos. Photos with your spouse's family during/after your wedding is great evidence, according to our USCIS RFE.

Make sure to list who is in the photo, along with relation and dated.

Thanks both of you for your help! Let us know how your interview goes today!!

We didn't have many people come with us to the courthouse (literally his dad and sister) although we did have photos, and plan to have a larger ceremony back in England when we can afford it/can organise it without the pressures of a 90 day window. Does anyone know if this will fly with the interviewer?

[CharlieTanger 76]

Thanks both of you for your help! Let us know how your interview goes today!!

We didn't have many people come with us to the courthouse (literally his dad and sister) although we did have photos, and plan to have a larger ceremony back in England when we can afford it/can organise it without the pressures of a 90 day window. Does anyone know if this will fly with the interviewer?

It'll be totally fine. Just bring what you have. They'll see you aren't lying there. You still have photos.

[Roy&Chanel 109]

Hey guys, I just finished my interview. The officer didnt look or ask for photos at all but I offered to. I took some out but he didnt look at it. He only looked at lease agreement, tax returns 2015 filed jointly, joint and individual bank accts, my ssn and asked my husband about my parents names which he forgot. I was asked a bunch of questions like what we answered on ds160. When the question bout prostitution I was like Whatttttt! Anyway he gave us a paper pre printed stating its under additional review. So fingers crossed! Other than that we were asked like how we met, who goes for who etc. I brought so many files and he didnt take any of it.

No worries Hannah cos my traditional tea ceremony will be in may, my hubby and I only had registration and a small dinner with friends.

[Roy&Chanel 109]

The officer told us that its going to take 2-6 months to process. But now I just received an sms and I went to case status to check, it says card is being produced, does that mean good news?

[TandL 5]

The officer told us that its going to take 2-6 months to process. But now I just received an sms and I went to case status to check, it says card is being produced, does that mean good news?

congrats that absolutely means good news, it has been approved and is under production.i have my interview on friday and i hope it goes well too, a question please, when they review all those documents like the lease and all other evidences do they take a copy of it or just a review and give them back to u?

[Roy&Chanel 109]

The officer reviewed and didnt take any, but he did mentioned its required for roc

[Roy&Chanel 109]

Just received another update, I logined and check again, it says case was approved and will send me approval notice. Shouldnt this be before new card is being produced? But anyway its good news!

[Amhara 460]

sorry amhara, need to ask u more details about this, we will need to visit SSA office and apply for an updated SSA card again? I am going to start work after my bridal photoshoots and tea ceremony around May hopefully.

There are three different types of SSA cards:

1. NOT VALID FOR EMPLOYMENT
2. VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH DHS AUTHORIZATION
3. ~NO RESTRICTIONS OR NOTES~

A K-1 entrant without EAD/AP (before marriage) gets number one. After the EAD/AP, you get number 2. After the GC, you get number 3.

I don't think you are required to go from number one to number two, but it's a typical step. In fact, I don't think you are required to go from number one to two, but the SSA wants to know your immigration status and that may cause problems with the Form I-9 check process.

[HGord 22]

Just received another update, I logined and check again, it says case was approved and will send me approval notice. Shouldnt this be before new card is being produced? But anyway its good news!

Congratulations! Must be such a relief! And thanks for all the info - definitely reassuring!