Another "check my package contents" thread!

[dentsflogged 352]

Hi folks!   

I know there's many other threads on this one, but I'm paranoid & wanting to get a 3^rd (or 4^th/5^th/6^th) pair of eyes over it all to make sure that we’ve got everything we need!  We've both read and re-read everything so many times now that I think we're convinced that it's wrong. 

 

FWIW we are AOS from ESTA.   I have considered if it's worth putting in some information showing that it wasn't my intent to AOS when I entered the country - proof of all the trouble I went to in order to quit my job (and the money I had to return to them since they over-paid me because of quitting without proper notice as per my contract)/arrange for my apartment to be vacated/cleaned and last-minute care for my pet but I've been told that it's overkill as intent isn't considered by USCIS?

 

Here’s what our package has: 

 

Cheque made out to Department of Homeland Security for $1,760 ($535 i-130 filing fee, $85 Biometrics fee and $1,140 for i-485 filing fee) and G-1145 clipped to the front of the i-130.

 

Overall cover-letter to describe the contents. 

 

Completed I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative) and I-130a (Supplemental Information for Spouse Beneficiary) and supporting documents:

•  Marriage Certificate for Petitioner and Beneficiary.
•  Photocopy of Birth Certificate of Petitioner (to prove US Citizenship)
•  Photocopy of Birth Certificate of Beneficiary
•  Two Passport-style photos each of Petitioner and Beneficiary
•  Initial evidence of bona-fide marriage:
  Records of travel of Beneficiary to visit Petitioner prior to marriage,
  Copy of invitation to family event addressed to both parties at the same address,
  Confirmation of addition of Petitioner to Beneficiary’s retirement fund as the sole recipient,
  Copy of confirmation of Beneficiary being added to Petitioner’s health insurance,
  Receipts for items purchased by Beneficiary for joint residence (appliances, furniture, homewares - Husband was the one who paid the deposit and got the mortgage and my contribution since I can't be on the mortgage is buying appliances, furniture and things like paint and decorations)
  Approx. 6-7 photos taken during the last 2.5 years in various countries/cities during our relationship. 
  Screen-shot from joint bank account opened for household expenses.

Completed I-485 (Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status) and supporting documents

• • Marriage Certificate of Applicant to United States Citizen spouse
• • Copy of US Citizen Spouse’s Passport (photo page)
• • Copy of Applicant’s Passport (all pages)
• • Print out of Electronic I-94 Arrival/Departure record

Completed I-693 (Medical Examination of Aliens Seeking Adjustment of Status)

Completed I-765 (Application for Employment Authorisation)

Completed I-131 (Application for Travel Document)

Completed I-864 (Affidavit of Support)

 

I read in a different thread that we shouldn’t go to too much effort to put into folders or anything because that might get it rejected or delayed if it’s hard for USCIS to rejig the items into the format they want, but we’ve got some plastic sleeves held together with small clips (I’d call them “alligator clips” or “butterfly clips” but I don’t know what they’re called here – small metal clips with arms that fold open/closed that you squeeze to release the clip) to make sure that none of the documents slip out and get mixed up – each different item has a post-it note sticking out with a quick item number/description on it).

Anything I’m missing or have wrong? Anything that's superfluous? 

I’m a little paranoid that I’ve got the fees wrong, but since it’s concurrent filing, I think I worked it out right? 

 

We’re planning on filing by the end of the week (just waiting on the medical report which is this Wednesday) so we have plenty of time to rejig if needed. 

  

[FluffyBalls 52]

8 minutes ago, dentsflogged said:

FWIW we are AOS from ESTA.   I have considered if it's worth putting in some information showing that it wasn't my intent to AOS when I entered the country - proof of all the trouble I went to in order to quit my job (and the money I had to return to them since they over-paid me because of quitting without proper notice as per my contract)/arrange for my apartment to be vacated/cleaned and last-minute care for my pet but I've been told that it's overkill as intent isn't considered by USCIS?

I would not say anything about this unless specifically asked (whether at the interview or thru an RFE).

 

9 minutes ago, dentsflogged said:

Completed I-693 (Medical Examination of Aliens Seeking Adjustment of Status)

There's a good chance you'll have to redo this in some areas where AOS is taking over a year. Most people bring this to the interview.

 

 

[eckoin 211]

1 hour ago, FluffyBalls said:

Tere's a good chance you'll have to redo this in some areas where AOS is taking over a year. Most people bring this to the interview.

This has changed, the I-693 is now valid for two years and people on this forum who are way better at interpreting changes than I, recommend submitting the form together with the rest of the package. Must be completed recently--within 60 days of filing AOS if I recall correctly? 

 

@dentsflogged

 

[D&D_NYC 58]

1 hour ago, dentsflogged said:

 

FWIW we are AOS from ESTA.   I have considered if it's worth putting in some information showing that it wasn't my intent to AOS when I entered the country - proof of all the trouble I went to in order to quit my job (and the money I had to return to them since they over-paid me because of quitting without proper notice as per my contract)/arrange for my apartment to be vacated/cleaned and last-minute care for my pet but I've been told that it's overkill as intent isn't considered by USCIS?

I wouldn't bother with this sort of evidence -- it seems superfluous and could complicate things. I agree with @FluffyBalls that you should only provide if requested. As long as you were honest at the PoE about the intent of your trip, it shouldn't come back as an issue (and given that intent is determined the PoE anyway and you were paroled in successfully, you should be in the clear.)

 

1 hour ago, dentsflogged said:

 

Here’s what our package has: 

 

Cheque made out to Department of Homeland Security for $1,760 ($535 i-130 filing fee, $85 Biometrics fee and $1,140 for i-485 filing fee) and G-1145 clipped to the front of the i-130.

This is the correct fee amount for concurrent filing.

 

1 hour ago, dentsflogged said:

Completed I-693 (Medical Examination of Aliens Seeking Adjustment of Status)

Completed I-765 (Application for Employment Authorisation)

Completed I-131 (Application for Travel Document)

Completed I-864 (Affidavit of Support)

 

I read in a different thread that we shouldn’t go to too much effort to put into folders or anything because that might get it rejected or delayed if it’s hard for USCIS to rejig the items into the format they want, but we’ve got some plastic sleeves held together with small clips (I’d call them “alligator clips” or “butterfly clips” but I don’t know what they’re called here – small metal clips with arms that fold open/closed that you squeeze to release the clip) to make sure that none of the documents slip out and get mixed up – each different item has a post-it note sticking out with a quick item number/description on it).

There are quite a few guides online for assembling AOS packets, and most of which will tell you not to bother with folders. I used a combination of paperclips and large clips to hold mine together -- I call them binder clips, but I think we have the same thing in mind. I used small binder clips to hold each separate part of the application together (I-130/I-130A, I-485 with supporting forms), and used one huge binder clip to keep the whole package together and prevent things from slipping out. Paperclips were used to keep smaller pieces of evidence together. I'm only at the biometrics stage, but so far, it doesn't seem as though there have been any issues with my packet. 

[dentsflogged 352]

27 minutes ago, eckoin said:

This has changed, the I-693 is now valid for two years and people on this forum who are way better at interpreting changes than I, recommend submitting the form together with the rest of the package. Must be completed recently--within 60 days of filing AOS if I recall correctly? 

 

@dentsflogged

 

This is what I was advised.  Sadly our office is really slow and I'm 90% sure I'll have to redo the medical, but I'd rather not risk having everything rejected initially for not including it then waiting weeks for an appointment (the closest civil surgeon only works for Immigration medicals once every 2 weeks, and the first available appointment I could get took me 6 weeks only because it was a cancellation the same day I called) while being out of status. 

 

 

24 minutes ago, nerdese said:

I wouldn't bother with this sort of evidence -- it seems superfluous and could complicate things. I agree with @FluffyBalls that you should only provide if requested. As long as you were honest at the PoE about the intent of your trip, it shouldn't come back as an issue (and given that intent is determined the PoE anyway and you were paroled in successfully, you should be in the clear.)

 

This is the correct fee amount for concurrent filing.

 

There are quite a few guides online for assembling AOS packets, and most of which will tell you not to bother with folders. I used a combination of paperclips and large clips to hold mine together -- I call them binder clips, but I think we have the same thing in mind. I used small binder clips to hold each separate part of the application together (I-130/I-130A, I-485 with supporting forms), and used one huge binder clip to keep the whole package together and prevent things from slipping out. Paperclips were used to keep smaller pieces of evidence together. I'm only at the biometrics stage, but so far, it doesn't seem as though there have been any issues with my packet. 

I was totally honest - I was due to be here for 3 weeks before going back home for some important work events. A week after entry my husbands mother was diagnosed with cancer and her prognosis wasn't good, so we decided that we'd marry & I'd stay so I could get to know her properly just in case the worst happened (she's the last living parent between the two of us, and thankfully so far she's doing OK and has finished chemo and has surgery in a few weeks). I'll keep the records just in case it comes up in interview but won't bother front-loading

Thanks on the other feedback. I think we are talking about the same thing with the clips. 

[dentsflogged 352]

On 1/7/2019 at 12:48 PM, nerdese said:

I wouldn't bother with this sort of evidence -- it seems superfluous and could complicate things. I agree with @FluffyBalls that you should only provide if requested. As long as you were honest at the PoE about the intent of your trip, it shouldn't come back as an issue (and given that intent is determined the PoE anyway and you were paroled in successfully, you should be in the clear.)

 

This is the correct fee amount for concurrent filing.

 

There are quite a few guides online for assembling AOS packets, and most of which will tell you not to bother with folders. I used a combination of paperclips and large clips to hold mine together -- I call them binder clips, but I think we have the same thing in mind. I used small binder clips to hold each separate part of the application together (I-130/I-130A, I-485 with supporting forms), and used one huge binder clip to keep the whole package together and prevent things from slipping out. Paperclips were used to keep smaller pieces of evidence together. I'm only at the biometrics stage, but so far, it doesn't seem as though there have been any issues with my packet. 

One more dumb question as this is (finally!) being mailed tomorrow - can the cheque be for the total amount, or should it be split up? Hubby is overthinking it and insisting it should be 3 cheques, but I'm confident it can be just the one so long as the total amount is OK.

[D&D_NYC 58]

4 minutes ago, dentsflogged said:

One more dumb question as this is (finally!) being mailed tomorrow - can the cheque be for the total amount, or should it be split up? Hubby is overthinking it and insisting it should be 3 cheques, but I'm confident it can be just the one so long as the total amount is OK.

Congrats on finally getting to this point! 

 

I paid by credit card, so I can't speak from direct experience, but I've seen many VJers who sent it as one check. Some people send one check for I-130 and one for I-485 + biometrics. I don't think it's advisable to do THREE separate ones, since the bio fee is technically part of the I-485 application, but other users can certainly chime in with their thoughts. 

 

For what it's worth, when I paid by credit card, I only sent in one form G-1450 for the total amount of $1760, and there were no issues at all. (I'd read a post from one user who sent in multiple credit authorization forms for the different applications and had run into issues, so wanted to avoid that hassle!)

[dentsflogged 352]

3 minutes ago, nerdese said:

Congrats on finally getting to this point! 

 

I paid by credit card, so I can't speak from direct experience, but I've seen many VJers who sent it as one check. Some people send one check for I-130 and one for I-485 + biometrics. I don't think it's advisable to do THREE separate ones, since the bio fee is technically part of the I-485 application, but other users can certainly chime in with their thoughts. 

 

For what it's worth, when I paid by credit card, I only sent in one form G-1450 for the total amount of $1760, and there were no issues at all. (I'd read a post from one user who sent in multiple credit authorization forms for the different applications and had run into issues, so wanted to avoid that hassle!)

Thanks, it's been a slog!  We finally heard my medical was ready to go and MIL insisted that we drive over and collect it (3 hours each direction) rather than waiting longer for it to be posted, so we're all ready to go. 

I hadn't actually considered doing it via credit card, but to be honest that's probably a better/faster option (also means I get instant notification on my phone when it's charged, rather than having to wait for a cheque to arrive and be cashed!)

One more silly question if I may - I notice in your timeline that it shows the notice date for your NOA1 was dated to before the actual date you got it - is that the way it's done - they'll date any notices to the day they recieved them, rather than the day it's all processed/entered into their system? 

[D&D_NYC 58]

Credit card was super easy, and as a bonus, we used my husband's card that gets really good cash back/points, which felt good (almost like we get a little something back for these exorbitant fees!) It was also reassuring to be able to get that automatic update that the card was charged, instead of waiting for a check to cash. I know they haven't been accepting credit cards for AOS for long, but we didn't encounter any problems -- just clip the form to the top of the application where you would have put your check.

 

As for the NOA, I think the date on the notice is the date it's generated. The date I received it only corresponds to how long it took to get to me via mail. My I-130 and I-485 NOA1s also had my priority date, which was 12/03/2018, the date my petition arrived and was accepted at the Lockbox. 

[dentsflogged 352]

On 1/17/2019 at 5:07 PM, nerdese said:

Credit card was super easy, and as a bonus, we used my husband's card that gets really good cash back/points, which felt good (almost like we get a little something back for these exorbitant fees!) It was also reassuring to be able to get that automatic update that the card was charged, instead of waiting for a check to cash. I know they haven't been accepting credit cards for AOS for long, but we didn't encounter any problems -- just clip the form to the top of the application where you would have put your check.

 

As for the NOA, I think the date on the notice is the date it's generated. The date I received it only corresponds to how long it took to get to me via mail. My I-130 and I-485 NOA1s also had my priority date, which was 12/03/2018, the date my petition arrived and was accepted at the Lockbox. 

You're right, credit card was super easy. 

Package arrived at Chicago on Friday afternoon. I'm currently keeping myself occupied with finishing painting the house we bought and just moved in to so I don't keep obsessively checking the credit card statement to see if it's been charged. I'm so paranoid that we missed something important in the forms or something and they'll reject it out of hand so I'm just trying really hard to chill out until I see the charge and can relax a little.

[Chocobo 196]

1 hour ago, dentsflogged said:

You're right, credit card was super easy. 

Package arrived at Chicago on Friday afternoon. I'm currently keeping myself occupied with finishing painting the house we bought and just moved in to so I don't keep obsessively checking the credit card statement to see if it's been charged. I'm so paranoid that we missed something important in the forms or something and they'll reject it out of hand so I'm just trying really hard to chill out until I see the charge and can relax a little.

Fingers crossed that time passes quickly for you!

 

It took Chicago about 5 days (business days), to charge my card, so try not to worry if you don't see anything until the end of the week.  Plus with the insane cold, it's possible that offices may be closed (causing further delays).  

[dentsflogged 352]

20 minutes ago, Chocobo said:

Fingers crossed that time passes quickly for you!

 

It took Chicago about 5 days (business days), to charge my card, so try not to worry if you don't see anything until the end of the week.  Plus with the insane cold, it's possible that offices may be closed (causing further delays).  

The cold is insane!  We decided to move when it was -26*C (well, thats when we COULD move) and I swear I wanted to die every time I had to go carry something else out to the truck!

Seriously hoping they just charge me soon so I can stop worrying! 

[D&D_NYC 58]

1 hour ago, dentsflogged said:

You're right, credit card was super easy. 

Package arrived at Chicago on Friday afternoon. I'm currently keeping myself occupied with finishing painting the house we bought and just moved in to so I don't keep obsessively checking the credit card statement to see if it's been charged. I'm so paranoid that we missed something important in the forms or something and they'll reject it out of hand so I'm just trying really hard to chill out until I see the charge and can relax a little.

Congrats! I know it's a great weight off your chest to have the package out there, even if it is totally anxiety-inducing. I had a similar feeling of dread that I'd get some sort of outright rejection, but so far so good. It took four days for them to charge our card (mailed on a Saturday, card charged the next Tuesday), though of course I only asked my husband a week after mailing, at which point he told me it had already cleared a few days prior!

[dentsflogged 352]

2 minutes ago, nerdese said:

Congrats! I know it's a great weight off your chest to have the package out there, even if it is totally anxiety-inducing. I had a similar feeling of dread that I'd get some sort of outright rejection, but so far so good. It took four days for them to charge our card (mailed on a Saturday, card charged the next Tuesday), though of course I only asked my husband a week after mailing, at which point he told me it had already cleared a few days prior!

Oh so anxious! 

Probably worse because I'm planning on flying in 2 weeks (which is after my i-94 status has technically expired) and I really want to have my NOA1 with me before I go anywhere close to an airport!