AOS Green Card through marriage from F-1, Questions about I-20 documents, OPT, and others...

[Singerbrook 2]

Hello and thanks for reading,

I finished my master's degree last year and was granted permission to work for a year through the OPT program. I got married three weeks ago and I am now applying for AOS. I've been a student in the US for a long time, as I did my bachelor's here also. My questions are:

1. I know I have to submit copies of my OPT card and latest I-20 document. Do I need to submit ALL my previous I-20 documents? I must have 4 or 5 copies.

2. Do I have to make copies of my spouse and my driver's license if we already provide passport copies? How about social security cards?

3. We have some utility bills that show both our names, along with our common lease. Should we also add other bills that don't have each other's name on them but that show the same address and apt. number to solidify our case?

Thank you SO MUCH for reading...

Best,
Morgan

[Cheezees 1,514]

Send copies of everything you listed then you won't have to worry about what to send. Good luck!

[Singerbrook 2]

Send copies of everything you listed then you won't have to worry about what to send. Good luck!

I have heard that sometimes sending copies of things that are not necessary can cause REF. Plus, I have to submit the original I-20 document, which means I would send them all original copies.

[Music_en 39]

I submitted only a copy of my last I-20 (the one with the OPT authorization) and as for the petitioners documents I sent only a copy of birth certificate. Some people sent SSC and passport copies. In the instructions it said one of the above so I didn't bother with more. It should be enough.

As for the bills: since we don't have joint bank accounts, bills or lease together (home owner) I send phone logs printouts and some receipts from orders to my spouse's address. Hope this helps. Good luck ?

I have heard that sometimes sending copies of things that are not necessary can cause REF. Plus, I have to submit the original I-20 document, which means I would send them all original copies.

I would advise not to submit original documents unless later required. They don't give you anything back and I've been told you should have all your I-20s even if they are from 6 years ago. But that's what I've heard

[Singerbrook 2]

I submitted only a copy of my last I-20 (the one with the OPT authorization) and as for the petitioners documents I sent only a copy of birth certificate. Some people sent SSC and passport copies. In the instructions it said one of the above so I didn't bother with more. It should be enough.

As for the bills: since we don't have joint bank accounts, bills or lease together (home owner) I send phone logs printouts and some receipts from orders to my spouse's address. Hope this helps. Good luck ?

I would advise not to submit original documents unless later required. They don't give you anything back and I've been told you should have all your I-20s even if they are from 6 years ago. But that's what I've heard

Thank you for taking the time to respond. I'm also afraid of submitting the original I-20 document, but in this USCIS explanation they say that they want the original: https://www.uscis.gov/forms/file-my-application-online-e-filing/how-do-i-know-if-i-need-original-documents

[Music_en 39]

I had not read that. I sent copies of my I-20. I guess if they need the original they'll be sending RFE. However I feel like I've seen others adjusting from F-1 also sending only copies, but I don't want to mislead you so I will stop talking haha

[Singerbrook 2]

I had not read that. I sent copies of my I-20. I guess if they need the original they'll be sending RFE. However I feel like I've seen others adjusting from F-1 also sending only copies, but I don't want to mislead you so I will stop talking haha

I absolutely understand what you mean, I also was told never to send the copy of the I-20 document, and I am VERY torn about it... THANK YOU for taking the time to contribute to this... Wish I had a clear answer for everyone is this situation.

[arken 4,197]

Hello and thanks for reading,

I finished my master's degree last year and was granted permission to work for a year through the OPT program. I got married three weeks ago and I am now applying for AOS. I've been a student in the US for a long time, as I did my bachelor's here also. My questions are:

1. I know I have to submit copies of my OPT card and latest I-20 document. Do I need to submit ALL my previous I-20 documents? I must have 4 or 5 copies.

Just send a copy of your latest I-20 only and copy of your OPT card just to show your legal presence. Original I-20 USCIS is talking about is for cases like when someone is changing from say B1 to F1 where they wanna look at I-20 very closely, even at that time they will be good with a copy. You would be in no problem even if you were staying here illegally. So no need to give a lot of thought on I-20.

2. Do I have to make copies of my spouse and my driver's license if we already provide passport copies? How about social security cards?

Yes, provide anything that helps bolstering your relationship evidence. Do not send social security cards.

3. We have some utility bills that show both our names, along with our common lease. Should we also add other bills that don't have each other's name on them but that show the same address and apt. number to solidify our case?

Include copies of both type of bills.

Thank you SO MUCH for reading...

Best,

Morgan

Edited June 22, 2016 by arken

[Singerbrook 2]

Great, thank you so much for you response. Will do! So, just to make sure, should I send simply a PHOTOCOPY of my latest I-20? Furthermore, the I 485 form states that I should send photocopies of passport pages where I received a VISA. Since I had many visa, (One J-1, two F-1), should I photocopy all of them?

[ElliePro 32]

I sent a copy of my I-20 and didn't get an RFE. Will bring the original to the interview in case they want to look at it. Same with the Passport - I only sent the last (i.e. active) visa page copy.

[arken 4,197]

Great, thank you so much for you response. Will do! So, just to make sure, should I send simply a PHOTOCOPY of my latest I-20? Furthermore, the I 485 form states that I should send photocopies of passport pages where I received a VISA. Since I had many visa, (One J-1, two F-1), should I photocopy all of them?

Yup just a photocopy of latest i-20. The instruction says to include copy of visa pages that are issued within the last year. If you want to include those, no harm though.

[controlla 104]

I never sent a copy of any of my l-20s because the instructions for I-485 did not ask for it. But I sent my current and previous OPT cards plus visa page etc.

[subwayguy 100]

I AOSed from F1. yes , send a copy of all your i20s.

[Bluey 2]

Great to see someone having similar situation as me, except I am on H1B after grad school.

In answering your questions:

1. You need to submit EVERY i-20 even it was from 10 years ago. Just copies are fine, you dont need to send the original copies. USCIS are referring to "solely for the purpose of presentation to USCIS"

2. Driver license and SS card are not needed. Again, NEVER send your original SS card. They only want passport copy and they can pull your record from your SS number. Also, You need to send your copy of EVERY passport page, not just the VISA pages. I had my high school, college, grad school and H1B visa pages. They need to see all of them.

3. Yes send all joint bill possible.

Good luck with your application! Its a long journey.

[Singerbrook 2]

I AOSed from F1. yes , send a copy of all your i20s.

Thank you for your reply. It seems everyone has a different opinion and experience with this one... Some people only sent one, some people sent all of them... I'm lost!

Great to see someone having similar situation as me, except I am on H1B after grad school.

In answering your questions:

1. You need to submit EVERY i-20 even it was from 10 years ago. Just copies are fine, you dont need to send the original copies. USCIS are referring to "solely for the purpose of presentation to USCIS"

2. Driver license and SS card are not needed. Again, NEVER send your original SS card. They only want passport copy and they can pull your record from your SS number. Also, You need to send your copy of EVERY passport page, not just the VISA pages. I had my high school, college, grad school and H1B visa pages. They need to see all of them.

3. Yes send all joint bill possible.

Good luck with your application! Its a long journey.

Thank you for your time and response! It seems everyone has a different opinion and experience with this one... Some people only sent their latest one, some people sent all of them... I'm lost! As people have been saying, it nowhere actually asks for your I-20 documents on any of the forms we are submitting, they only ask for VISA pages. The reasoning is that they only want to know if you are present legally in the country, and therefore they want to see only one. But now I am not sure.

What to do...?