MAY 2019 AOS FILERS

[NicholeT 157]

1 hour ago, celie&joseph said:

They asked him if he was going to need a visa to work and he said No that all he needed was an offer letter so he can expedite his work permit. And yes, he has his SSN stamped "valid for work only with DHS authorization"

Thanks! We applied for my husband SSN in April but haven't received anything yet. We're going to the office tomorrow morning hopefully they can tell us something.

[Celie 793]

1 minute ago, NicholeT said:

Thanks! We applied for my husband SSN in April but haven't received anything yet. We're going to the office tomorrow morning hopefully they can tell us something.

Yes! You should have received it by now. We applied for my husbands on the 10th of May and got it like 4 weeks later. Keep us updated on what they tell you!

Edited June 26, 2019 by celie&joseph

[NicholeT 157]

6 minutes ago, celie&joseph said:

Yes! You should have received it by now. We applied for my husbands on the 10th of May and got it like 4 weeks later. Keep us updated on what they tell you!

I thought so too but we were trying to be patient. That's out the window now lol. Yes, I sure will!

Edited June 26, 2019 by NicholeT

[Spardasa 78]

1 hour ago, NicholeT said:

I thought so too but we were trying to be patient. That's out the window now lol. Yes, I sure will!

Get ready for a potential mess.  My wife is in the same boat.  She applied for hers in April, hadn't heard anything, so we went to the office 2 weeks ago.  The employee was dumbfounded as to what was happening as he said everything matched and thought maybe the 2 systems were not talking right.  He took our number and was suppose to make some calls then call us back to let us know.  So far, nadda. 

 

Also I confirmed that they did a SAVE database hit on her as well.  I-94 was a match as well.

 

We plan to go again this Friday, and we're not accepting the 'Let me take your cell phone number and call you back later' ####### again..

[NicholeT 157]

15 minutes ago, Spardasa said:

Get ready for a potential mess.  My wife is in the same boat.  She applied for hers in April, hadn't heard anything, so we went to the office 2 weeks ago.  The employee was dumbfounded as to what was happening as he said everything matched and thought maybe the 2 systems were not talking right.  He took our number and was suppose to make some calls then call us back to let us know.  So far, nadda. 

 

Also I confirmed that they did a SAVE database hit on her as well.  I-94 was a match as well.

 

We plan to go again this Friday, and we're not accepting the 'Let me take your cell phone number and call you back later' ####### again..

Smh that makes no sense. I'm really hoping for the best when we go tomorrow. It's been almost 3 months (original date 4/8) and nothing. We were trying to be patient and not focus on it but we should've heard something by now.

[Liflead 112]

On 6/13/2019 at 1:20 PM, Ryanmaria2018 said:

Since you have some time left before your I-94 expires, have you been down to the social security office and applied for your social security card yet? If you wait till after your 90 days expires you will have to wait till you get a work permit card and that would be anytime between 4-7 months. Best to get that done now and then you are good till your employment card arrives and you can start work right away. 

Well! I thought of applying for social security card but it's of almost no use. Banks usually ask for SSN to open a bank account but I got my account opened without it. Even at other places like library they did not ask for it. Just my passport. And since I am on K1 visa, I don't think I am eligible for social security benefits. So I just decided to get my SSN and card along with my work permit.

[Liflead 112]

On 6/14/2019 at 5:17 AM, TandSarahJane said:

Most banks will allow you to open or be added to a non-interest-bearing account without an SSN.  The reason being there is no income for the bank to report to the IRS because you will not be getting any interest accruals.

I opened both, a checking and a savings account with my bank without SSN. They just asked for identity proof and I showed my passport. Since I don't have a TIN here in the US they asked if I have any tax identification number back in my country which I gave them. They asked me to fill an IRS form that stated these details. It was kinda declaration. It was quick and easy. The bank guy also asked me if I wanna do investments which means that it's just like normal banking.

[dannosaur 11]

Wells Fargo let me open a standard checking account without an SSN. I have it now, and it's seemingly required to get health insurance. At least, my wife's health insurance provider wouldn't let her add me to the plan without an SSN number. I'm told they don't need it, and I've read that others have managed to get insurance without an SSN, but this provider inparticular has a hard and fast policy about requiring it.

 

Only other time I've used it was to get added to my wife's other checking account so we have an account in both our names. The local bank also has a policy about requiring an SSN.

 

It seems that there are ways to live here without an SSN, but it's just a lot easier and less hassle if you have one. Also it's necessary to get a driving license. I know some states won't let you get that either without an EAD, but Utah isn't one of those. Haven't actually gone through with the theory/practical exams yet, but we've already made the enquiries about what they need in order for me to apply.

[NatalieM 9]

hello! I've been reading this forum for a while but felt it's time to comment. We sent our AOS packet on May 17th and our priority date is May 22nd. We received the NOA's on May 25th, which we thought was so fast! We live in a Chicago suburb and sent our packet to the chicago lockbox so that may be why we received our NOA's so quickly. We we haven't heard anything since then and haven't received our biometrics letter even though its been over a month since our NOAs. I called USCIS this morning and the woman told me that processing times for family based applications are 31.5 months...and she said that's why I haven't heard about biometrics. Idk but i feel like she just wanted to get me off the phone and wasn't helpful at all. I'm getting a little nervous because my current EAD (through DACA) expires at the end of November, and not sure if I will have the EAD by then. Thinking I should just renew my DACA.

 

such a stressful time of not knowing when dealing with this!

[Celie 793]

1 hour ago, NatalieM said:

hello! I've been reading this forum for a while but felt it's time to comment. We sent our AOS packet on May 17th and our priority date is May 22nd. We received the NOA's on May 25th, which we thought was so fast! We live in a Chicago suburb and sent our packet to the chicago lockbox so that may be why we received our NOA's so quickly. We we haven't heard anything since then and haven't received our biometrics letter even though its been over a month since our NOAs. I called USCIS this morning and the woman told me that processing times for family based applications are 31.5 months...and she said that's why I haven't heard about biometrics. Idk but i feel like she just wanted to get me off the phone and wasn't helpful at all. I'm getting a little nervous because my current EAD (through DACA) expires at the end of November, and not sure if I will have the EAD by then. Thinking I should just renew my DACA.

 

such a stressful time of not knowing when dealing with this!

Hang in there! There are a few early May filers who are also waiting on their biometrics letter. Is your EAD expiring or your EAD extension? I believe there's an automatic 180 day extension if you are currently waiting for AOS.

 

 

15 hours ago, dannosaur said:

Wells Fargo let me open a standard checking account without an SSN. I have it now, and it's seemingly required to get health insurance. At least, my wife's health insurance provider wouldn't let her add me to the plan without an SSN number. I'm told they don't need it, and I've read that others have managed to get insurance without an SSN, but this provider inparticular has a hard and fast policy about requiring it.

 

Only other time I've used it was to get added to my wife's other checking account so we have an account in both our names. The local bank also has a policy about requiring an SSN.

 

It seems that there are ways to live here without an SSN, but it's just a lot easier and less hassle if you have one. Also it's necessary to get a driving license. I know some states won't let you get that either without an EAD, but Utah isn't one of those. Haven't actually gone through with the theory/practical exams yet, but we've already made the enquiries about what they need in order for me to apply.

Did your wife's HR speak to the Insurance recruiter about it? My HR at first said she probably wouldn't be able to add him, but then she said let me talk to our insurance recruiter and see what we can do but no guarantees. Apparently there's an option to add someone and click no SSN when prompted but it was turned off on my HR person's profile so she wasn't able to see it. After he received his SSN, I updated the records but I was able to add him to that and as a beneficiary to my life insurance policy without a SSN.

Edited June 27, 2019 by celie&joseph

[Ana_and_Derek 49]

I checked my case status online and there's a RFE coming our way... I'll just look at the bright side--at least they have touched my application

[dannosaur 11]

3 hours ago, celie&joseph said:

Did your wife's HR speak to the Insurance recruiter about it? My HR at first said she probably wouldn't be able to add him, but then she said let me talk to our insurance recruiter and see what we can do but no guarantees.

Yep, and there was nothing they could do about it either. The requirement for an SSN was a hard-and-fast rule from the provider. It's no matter anyway, I got my SSN mid May, so once that came through she managed to add me to her health insurance plan without further issues. Still, depsite us finding information saying that health insurance providers aren't supposed to ask for, or require an SSN, some do it anyway. And I guess if you want their benefits, you gotta play by their rules. Such is life!

[lonesurvivor 48]

18 hours ago, dannosaur said:

Wells Fargo let me open a standard checking account without an SSN. I have it now, and it's seemingly required to get health insurance. At least, my wife's health insurance provider wouldn't let her add me to the plan without an SSN number. I'm told they don't need it, and I've read that others have managed to get insurance without an SSN, but this provider inparticular has a hard and fast policy about requiring it.

 

Only other time I've used it was to get added to my wife's other checking account so we have an account in both our names. The local bank also has a policy about requiring an SSN.

 

It seems that there are ways to live here without an SSN, but it's just a lot easier and less hassle if you have one. Also it's necessary to get a driving license. I know some states won't let you get that either without an EAD, but Utah isn't one of those. Haven't actually gone through with the theory/practical exams yet, but we've already made the enquiries about what they need in order for me to apply.

I opened one with Wells Fargo as well, it was super easy and one of the only ones I went to that allowed me to be added without my SSN. I tried to go to Chase to be added to my husband's accounts but they would not let me without a SSN or greencard. Medical insurance was easy though, we went through an insurance broker who found the ones that allow without SSN. Maybe an option to try. 

 

It seems a driver's license is too hard in most states, feel like most of us have to wait. Hopefully you get to get yours.

 

Just a general question, my state is one of the fastest processing times atm so I am prepared to have an interview by the end of the year. Is medical insurance (+dental), name appearing on car insurance, phone bill, authorized credit card user and life insurance enough? We live with his parents atm so we are unable to get my on the lease, which is my only worry. 

[Celie 793]

16 minutes ago, dannosaur said:

Yep, and there was nothing they could do about it either. The requirement for an SSN was a hard-and-fast rule from the provider. It's no matter anyway, I got my SSN mid May, so once that came through she managed to add me to her health insurance plan without further issues. Still, depsite us finding information saying that health insurance providers aren't supposed to ask for, or require an SSN, some do it anyway. And I guess if you want their benefits, you gotta play by their rules. Such is life!

That is some hot mess. It's mostly due, I'm sure, to them not understanding the conditions coming in with a K visa. But I'm glad y'all were able to get it all worked out!

[Pitaya 2,577]

I am sorry and I truly feel sorry for all of you guys that are in the midst of this ever-evolving immigration nightmare. I keep reading in these fora about good hardworking people that are just trying to do things the correct and legal way in order to be together with their loved ones. Everyday it seems that there is an another announcement from USCIS, another delay....for whatever reason... another turning of the screw. A little more pressure and little less service every day. The USCIS reps prevarications aren't even sounding real any more.  I mean 31.5 months to get your AOS adjudicated, that's over two and a half years??? That nonsense answer has be likened to the stuff that comes out of the north end of a south bound mule. Do they live in Illinois, or think that we live in Illinois? Smoking recently legalized cannabis and off dreaming in never, never land? The entire immigration system is on its last legs. USCIS can continuously reshuffle the files around, or move the 3 shells around (which one are the files hiding under??) Please don't think that you guys going after your AOS are the only ones selected for this "special treatment," these delaying tactics by USCIS are being equally shoveled out to the K1, C/R1, ROC folks, and likely many more visa processes. Just to keep in this cruel game, folks have to continually go back to get extensions on extensions on their now-expired documents, and now-expired extensions. This is pure nonsense.

 

What can we do? Well (I know, it's a deep subject), we need to start holding our Federally elected officials feet closer to the immigration fire. Not just one side of the fence/aisle/whatever, but BOTH parties. They both need to fully comprehend the impending crisis that is looming large on the entire immigration system. The politicos inside the Beltway need to be deluged with communications from their constituents that  the country is in serious need for serious and comprehensive immigration system reform. What needs to happen is the entire Department of Homeland (In)Security needs to be scrapped and start over from scratch. To do anything less, will be akin to applying more bandaids to the old, bald, leaky, tires that are on the old and dilapidated USCIS jalopy as it sputters and spits, stops and stalls, on the road.

 

Why do I care? I have a family that are LPRs with 10-yr GCs. Their GCs are due to expire in about five years. Which is about the time some of you maybe, just maybe, will finally have your AOS process adjudicated. So, my family still has a stake in the system. Sometime around November 2014, they will have to decide whether to jump back into the kafkaesque USCIS fray and file their Form I-90 and fork over a little more than a grand for both of them, or do they want to go home, or go for USC???

 

Wishing you continued luck on your immigration journey.

God bless our republic.

 

 

Edited June 27, 2019 by Pitaya (火龙果)