MARCH 2019 - AOS Filers

[NewCitizen23 313]

4 minutes ago, PaulaMarie said:

Hi everyone! I just want to ask for your opinion/advice is my situation. As for the moment, my AOS/EAD/AP is still in process, biometrics done. Following USCIS processing time, I can get my EAD on July (hopefully). Now one of my problems is that I don't have an identification for my married name. I am not allowed to get a State ID or Driver's license here in CA because my I-94 is already expired. So, I was thinking to renew my passport to my married name in PH-Embassy, but it will take 4-6 weeks to get that new passport, plus they will void (by punching holes) my old passport. Has anyone tried this? Any conflicts you encounter?

Yeah, i did. 

First, you need to go to your embassy with your spouse and both of you have to fill out a form to let your country know that you are married. I don’t know what country are you from but for us it was free. Then I applied for the new passport and I got it only in 2 weeks.

 

Edited May 1, 2019 by Gigi2017

[Shiran 1,134]

1 minute ago, PaulaMarie said:

Hi everyone! I just want to ask for your opinion/advice is my situation. As for the moment, my AOS/EAD/AP is still in process, biometrics done. Following USCIS processing time, I can get my EAD on July (hopefully). Now one of my problems is that I don't have an identification for my married name. I am not allowed to get a State ID or Driver's license here in CA because my I-94 is already expired. So, I was thinking to renew my passport to my married name in PH-Embassy, but it will take 4-6 weeks to get that new passport, plus they will void (by punching holes) my old passport. Has anyone tried this? Any conflicts you encounter?

I have no experience with Philippines, or name change, so take what I say with big grain of salt.

To me, it seems there is rather large risk of you not having any from of ID for 1-1.5 months if you send your old passport (with visa stamp!) out to the embassy. And then your name might not match what is on AoS/EAD documents. To me, safest route is just wait at least until you get EAD. Once you have that, you should be able to get CA State ID, and then worry about name changes. 

 

I know there is a compelling urge to always "do something" to have a sense of progress in the new part of your life, and status, but sometimes safest course of action might be to just wait. Carry copy of your marriage certificate and copy of AoS NOA1 with you in the mean time. 

[PaulaMarie 68]

38 minutes ago, Gigi2017 said:

Yeah, i did. 

First, you need to go to your embassy with your spouse and both of you have to fill out a form to let your country know that you are married. I don’t know what country are you from but for us it was free. Then I applied for the new passport and I got it only in 2 weeks.

 

Do you still have your old passport with you?

[PaulaMarie 68]

36 minutes ago, Shiran said:

I have no experience with Philippines, or name change, so take what I say with big grain of salt.

To me, it seems there is rather large risk of you not having any from of ID for 1-1.5 months if you send your old passport (with visa stamp!) out to the embassy. And then your name might not match what is on AoS/EAD documents. To me, safest route is just wait at least until you get EAD. Once you have that, you should be able to get CA State ID, and then worry about name changes. 

 

I know there is a compelling urge to always "do something" to have a sense of progress in the new part of your life, and status, but sometimes safest course of action might be to just wait. Carry copy of your marriage certificate and copy of AoS NOA1 with you in the mean time. 

Thank you. I know 😫 it's just so frustrating not to have an updated ID.

[NewCitizen23 313]

2 minutes ago, PaulaMarie said:

Do you still have your old passport with you?

Yes, you can keep it but you won’t be able to use it anymore since you’ll have a new one. You’ll have 2 little holes on the old passport.

[Sav&Har 142]

Our case changed yesterday and our interview has been scheduled. I got to wait until I receive the notice in the mail to see the date. 

 

I personally know what is needed, we are a little bit lacking on that regard but just out of curiosity. What documentation most of you have/plan to bring to your Marriage based interview, specially K1 holders?

[Sailormooon 268]

1 hour ago, Sav&Har said:

Our case changed yesterday and our interview has been scheduled. I got to wait until I receive the notice in the mail to see the date. 

 

I personally know what is needed, we are a little bit lacking on that regard but just out of curiosity. What documentation most of you have/plan to bring to your Marriage based interview, specially K1 holders?

I’ve posted here the list of things you can bring to prove your marriage is real, if you click previous I’m sure you’ll find it! It’s on page 74!!! 

 

Everything in that list is what I’m bringing as well as the stuff listed obviously on the interview letter which I have also posted on here 

 

 

Edited May 1, 2019 by Sailormooon

[americaninlove 381]

On 4/30/2019 at 5:57 PM, Shiran said:

I know. I started following your time line early on after joining the forums due to in part some very obvious similarities, and due to you were very active and knowledgeable without being jadedly smug as some "old timers" here. I was hoping for February approval so New Year surprise approval was a bit of a shock. It seems since then timelines got even shorter on 129F side of things. 

I’m a February filer. Cannot believe you filed SIX MONTHS after and are at the same time now. That’s crazy!! So was my time period just super slower than average and now it’s sped back up?

[americaninlove 381]

On 4/30/2019 at 6:21 PM, Bure said:

Status still showing 'fingerprint review was completed' since April 15. 😔

 

On a brighter note, EAD/AP Visa Journey estimates keep drawing nearer.

 

And after passing my driving test, I can't wait to get my license in the mail in two weeks. At least, that will last till 2023.

 

Hopefully, there is a change in my case status before the next two weeks by God's grace.

EAD/AP has been moving nearer but this week moved back a week again 😢 but my husband got his license in the mail last week and he is PSYCHED! First time ever having a license (he’s always lived in a city as an adult) and it’s just nice to have a real US ID and not have to carry his passport around. 

[Shiran 1,134]

11 minutes ago, americaninlove said:

I’m a February filer. Cannot believe you filed SIX MONTHS after and are at the same time now. That’s crazy!! So was my time period just super slower than average and now it’s sped back up?

It looks like you had an RFE that probably added another 30 day or so to your timeline. We got NOA2 in about 4.5 months after NOA1, which is actually slower than some of the folks that were getting approved in February/March of 2019 where times between NOA1 and NOA2 were < 90 days. 

 

The fact that Ukraine is both fast and easy Embassy played in our favour too. We had about 2 weeks delay for personal not Embassy related reasons. 

Edited May 2, 2019 by Shiran

[americaninlove 381]

1 hour ago, Sailormooon said:

I’ve posted here the list of things you can bring to prove your marriage is real, if you click previous I’m sure you’ll find it! It’s on page 74!!! 

 

Everything in that list is what I’m bringing as well as the stuff listed obviously on the interview letter which I have also posted on here 

 

 

I read the list you posted. Maybe it’s just us but we won’t open any accounts together, share a car loan, etc. My house is in my name and I’m not adding him. But I did add him to my insurance, so I guess that’s one thing lol! I’m not worried but it just made me laugh a little. 

[americaninlove 381]

3 minutes ago, Shiran said:

It looks like you had an RFE that probably added another 30 day or so to your timeline. We got NOA2 in about 4.5 months after NOA1, which is actually slower than some of the folks that were getting approved in February/March where times between NOA1 and NOA2 were < 90 days. 

 

The fact that Ukraine is both fast and easy Embassy played in our favour too. We had about 2 weeks delay for personal not Embassy related reasons. 

When we filed in February it seemed pretty standard that people were getting approved in 6 months. Our VJ timeline said 6 months the entire time. I didn’t hear of anyone getting approved in <90 days!! Literally not one person that I saw from the Feb group. We were all around 6 months. Our case seemed to be on the long end for literally every stage (and our RFE was asking for something we had included in our original application...grrr). After we sent in the RFE, people who sent theirs in at the same time were getting approved a week later (and some of those were for criminal records, etc). We waited a MONTH and I finally called, asked to speak to a supervisor, sobbed hysterically until she hung up on me (lol) after she said she would put in an investigation, and the next day we were approved.  I swear our case just got lost on someone’s desk!

[Shiran 1,134]

Just now, americaninlove said:

I read the list you posted. Maybe it’s just us but we won’t open any accounts together, share a car loan, etc. My house is in my name and I’m not adding him. But I did add him to my insurance, so I guess that’s one thing lol! I’m not worried but it just made me laugh a little. 

What I did is open a new joint account, then contacted my payroll provider and had them modify my direct deposit info to split my payroll with small amount going into the new joint account, and the rest of it going into my old account. I also got her credit card from one of my cards, and added her to my medical and as beneficiary for work provided life insurance. 

Once she passes her driving test, I will probably add her to my car insurance. Concerned about what it would do to the premiums though. 

[americaninlove 381]

Just now, Shiran said:

What I did is open a new joint account, then contacted my payroll provider and had them modify my direct deposit info to split my payroll with small amount going into the new joint account, and the rest of it going into my old account. I also got her credit card from one of my cards, and added her to my medical and as beneficiary for work provided life insurance. 

Once she passes her driving test, I will probably add her to my car insurance. Concerned about what it would do to the premiums though. 

Exactly. He’s not on my life insurance or my beneficiary for 401k because I have children. I don’t want to add him to my insurance bc of the premiums. He will get a car on his own when he can get a job. He opened his own bank account. I’m not interested in him being on my credit card account lol. We just are more comfortable keeping our finances separate. I’m not worried as yes this is very real but it just made me laugh. I guess the assumption is just that you do everything together!?! Seems a bit old fashioned to me. 

[Sailormooon 268]

28 minutes ago, americaninlove said:

I read the list you posted. Maybe it’s just us but we won’t open any accounts together, share a car loan, etc. My house is in my name and I’m not adding him. But I did add him to my insurance, so I guess that’s one thing lol! I’m not worried but it just made me laugh a little. 

That’s okay! You can show anything that shows you live together or have a life together. The post says 6 things on that list should be sufficient but you can show things that are not on the list. You can use your wedding photos, or wedding cards, or his letters and bank account with your address on it. Just use your imagination!  

 

 

Edited May 2, 2019 by Sailormooon