I-751 January 2018

[zilchfox 296]

19 hours ago, CPanting said:

Can somebody point out the cons (if any) and pros of filing for the N-400 right now VS. waiting for the 10-year green card to be approved.

I am still not sure what to do. I do want to wait to file for my taxes this year before filing for the N-400 if I decide to soon. Thanks!

I think the only con is it can be slower for I-751 to get approved if you also file N-400, as it can result in a combo interview, but if your I-751 was delayed anyways, filing N-400 will give it a push.

[Tom and SooGyeong 87]

3 hours ago, zilchfox said:

I won't be able to submit for a few more weeks as that begins the 90 days for me, but gosh, I've been seeing people send in massive parcels of evidence for I-751. I wish I wasn't so afraid of cameras, the photos of us together are few and far in-between, lol, but we're always together – I'm even meeting him for lunch at work today. I think a massive parcel of like 300+ pages is kind of excessive, though...no? I know when I sent in my AOS, it was just a small packet with like 8-10 photographs together, some other evidence, and never had an RFE and everything was fine.

 

With that said, I guess I got a few concerns:

- My name isn't on the house. At all. The house existed under his and his parents names prior to me even moving here two years ago, and it's stayed like that since then. The moment I was allowed and able to work, I started paying rent to help out with mortgage payments, however under no real contract or documents signed for such. It's been the same address all the way back to the original K1 filing.

- We DO have a joint savings account, but we have separate checkings accounts. We're both with the same bank

- I financed my own car, however he should be on my insurance as a secondary driver – likewise I believe I am also a secondary driver for his car as well as his parents vehicles.

- I have a plethora of credit cards, however he is only an authorized user on one of them, and didn't want to be authorized on the others because he didn't want them to hit his credit (the first time I added him as an authorized person, his credit score dipped). We both have excellent credit.

- I started a business for art and design, and while we plan on working together in the future on it, I am the sole owner of it. The business is registered to the same house address as the original K1 filing.

- Him, myself, and his parents are all on the same phone plan with AT&T since the very beginning. His father owns the AT&T account, however we are both authorized users of it.

- I am paying for both of our iPads and iPhone financing through Citizens One Bank, however his name isn't officially on it at all, just me for all four devices.

- Sadly, we never left the country for any sort of travel to go see my folks back home in Canada, so no evidence of any of that happening. This is all in part due to politics and tightening of border security, and a number of my friends from Canada have already been barred from entering the U.S. for admitting to smoking pot once in their life. While we've never touched the stuff, I'd rather not risk international travel until I am a citizen.

- We filed taxes jointly for both 2016 and 2017, and obviously plan to for 2018, too. In addition, last year I had to sign up for a FAFSA account to sign off as his spouse for him to renew his student loan payments.

 

I personally think we're gonna be okay, but it's just a weird hodgepodge of stuff that's definitely joint, and others that aren't. We're not trying to live within the means that we believe USCIS would be happy, but rather live the way we want to as a happy married couple like anyone else would.

If you are concerned that your hodgepodge of evidence and the perception that there are some ties, but some definitely noticeable points of separation in these layers of evidence, I would recommend three inexpensive additional pieces of evidence that may alleviate any worries, while simultaneously adding strength to your petition:

 

First, if you do not already have one, draw up a will that names the surviving spouse as sole beneficiary in the event of a life ending event. 

Second, grant each other Powers of Attorney. This will allow access and control of those currently disconnected assets/liabilities, such as the homes and credit accounts. 

Third, purchase two basic Term Life Insurance policies, designating each other as the sole beneficiary in the event of a life ending event.

 

Those three things will bridge any gaps in your evidence, and demonstrate criss-crossing financial responsibilities for both assets and liabilities.

(just my ($0.02)

[zilchfox 296]

31 minutes ago, Tom and SooGyeong said:

If you are concerned that your hodgepodge of evidence and the perception that there are some ties, but some definitely noticeable points of separation in these layers of evidence, I would recommend three inexpensive additional pieces of evidence that may alleviate any worries, while simultaneously adding strength to your petition:

 

First, if you do not already have one, draw up a will that names the surviving spouse as sole beneficiary in the event of a life ending event. 

Second, grant each other Powers of Attorney. This will allow access and control of those currently disconnected assets/liabilities, such as the homes and credit accounts. 

Third, purchase two basic Term Life Insurance policies, designating each other as the sole beneficiary in the event of a life ending event.

 

Those three things will bridge any gaps in your evidence, and demonstrate criss-crossing financial responsibilities for both assets and liabilities.

(just my ($0.02)

 

Oh! We already have two of those, this is good to note! I appreciate the response.

[Tom and SooGyeong 87]

14 minutes ago, zilchfox said:

 

Oh! We already have two of those, this is good to note! I appreciate the response.

Certainly. If you already have two of those, then you are better prepared than you thought. Just be sure to include that evidence in your petition packet. 

I also agree with your earlier statement about the size of some of the petitions mentioned in this forum... Way Too Large. 

USCIS needs quality verifiable evidence. If you submit that, then rest easy. Quality proof is far stronger than quantity proof. 

Also, you should not fear traveling out of the country. My wife and I have traveled to South Korea together twice with her expired GC and extension letters, (both 12-month and 18-month), and she made a month-long solo trip and back. Border control simply asked to see her GC and and extension letter, and once she presented them, she was waived through without question. 

[mrandmrsBRS 116]

Do I really need my passport once the 18 month letter expires? My paSport is expired and it would cost me a little over $200 to get a new one and I don’t have that kind of money right now 😪

[TabeaK 517]

Happy 1 year filing anniversary! I am so over this waiting...maybe another 6 months? I just hope the GC shows up before my 18 month extension letter expires...

[Damki 1]

47 minutes ago, TabeaK said:

Happy 1 year filing anniversary! I am so over this waiting...maybe another 6 months? I just hope the GC shows up before my 18 month extension letter expires...

Happy anniversary, is your NOA 01/09? I am asking because my receipt number starts with WAC180705xxxx, which is kinda odd and it has been mixed with other forms. 

[NikV 44]

1 hour ago, TabeaK said:

Happy 1 year filing anniversary! I am so over this waiting...maybe another 6 months? I just hope the GC shows up before my 18 month extension letter expires...

My guesstimate says we should start seeing some movement for our cases in late march 2019

[mrandmrsBRS 116]

That’s what I hope too. 

[mrandmrsBRS 116]

Interesting, a few people in the I-751 november 2017 thread got approved!

[YecaCruz 379]

Just scanned Green card, Marriage license, mike's Birth Cert, my birth cert, '16 and '17 irs tax returns + w2s, Car titles + registration, health care directive, durable poa, and beneficiary docs for online filing in preparation for N400. So far they're all pdf and I'm hoping the files won't be too big to upload them.

 

Woot. C'mon taxes, I need them w2's to git'r'done and file! 

Edited January 9, 2019 by YecaCruz

[D.Ba 85]

On 1/6/2019 at 11:11 AM, mrandmrsBRS said:

Do I really need my passport once the 18 month letter expires? My paSport is expired and it would cost me a little over $200 to get a new one and I don’t have that kind of money right now 😪

Very likely we will get the green cards before the end of the 18 months, but I personally would go INSANE without a German passport that makes sure I can move around the world freely. I am just about to apply for a new one in my new name (yes, I know, you should NOT wait 3 years to do that...), and no, it is not convenient to have to go to Las Vegas or Los Angeles just to leave your fingerprints and drop your documents (if you live in Arizona), in addition to the cost, but even if you have the new greencard, how will you get into Germany if you have to? Or any other country, for that matter?

 

Oh, and by the way, expect AT LEAST two months to receive your passport, since they are done in the Bundesdruckerei and have to be mailed etc. pp.

 

And, since we are Germans and love the bureaucracy: As a German citizen you are obliged to always have a vaild Personalausweis or passport.

Edited January 9, 2019 by D.Ba
addition

[NikV 44]

2 hours ago, D.Ba said:

Very likely we will get the green cards before the end of the 18 months, but I personally would go INSANE without a German passport that makes sure I can move around the world freely. I am just about to apply for a new one in my new name (yes, I know, you should NOT wait 3 years to do that...), and no, it is not convenient to have to go to Las Vegas or Los Angeles just to leave your fingerprints and drop your documents (if you live in Arizona), in addition to the cost, but even if you have the new greencard, how will you get into Germany if you have to? Or any other country, for that matter?

 

Oh, and by the way, expect AT LEAST two months to receive your passport, since they are done in the Bundesdruckerei and have to be mailed etc. pp.

 

And, since we are Germans and love the bureaucracy: As a German citizen you are obliged to always have a vaild Personalausweis or passport.

exactly. your passport defines your identity as a global citizen. 

[Tom and SooGyeong 87]

On 1/6/2019 at 11:11 AM, mrandmrsBRS said:

Do I really need my passport once the 18 month letter expires? My paSport is expired and it would cost me a little over $200 to get a new one and I don’t have that kind of money right now 😪

  If I may offer a word of caution:

When your 18-month extension letter date expires, the requirement to remain in country while your petition is processing is, you must make an infopass appointment to your local USCIS office and get an I-551 stamp in your passport. They WILL NOT stamp an expired passport. You must therefore have renewed your home country passport prior to that. If money is not currently available, you may need to borrow from family and friends, as it is a Requirement, should your Extension letter expire before your conditions are lifted. 

 

[LizB0322 28]

I submitted my N400 tonight 🤞🏼