Finalizing AOS paper work packet - have some questions

[sjfoley1 11]

Hi all, we are finally getting ready to submit my husbands AOS application. I was going through the checklists on the USCIS website to double check we have the appropriate things together - do we need a separate copy of birth certificates, ID's, etc for each form we are sending or is one copy of each enough since it is all getting submitted together? Does this also apply to the passport photos? When we had them done we only ordered the traditional x2 copies for each of us, I hadn't thought about needing multiple copies at the time. Will they consider our packet incomplete if we don't include copies of required items with each form?

 

I was able to get him added to a credit card as an authorized user as my bank will not allow him to open an account, my job will not allow me to add him to my insurance without the green card, and I own a home so we don't technically have anything showing we live in the same residence (but he has lived with me here since he arrived to the US again in April). We have also had him on my cell phone plan and bill since last year. We did at least get a piece of mail showing his name with our address with the credit card he is now an authorized user of. Should that suffice?

 

Should we include screen shots of facebook posts, copies of photos of us together etc?

 

Thanks all for your help, if I think of anything else i'll add it later.

Edited September 22, 2019 by sjfoley1
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[sjfoley1 11]

Thought of something else - we are concurrently filing the I-765 but not the I-131 as we do not have plans to travel out of the country (and he has no reason to travel back to Canada at this point), however we are flying to California in December to spend Christmas with my paternal side of the family. Is there anything we need to file for him to be able to travel throughout the US or will we be okay?

[lonesurvivor 48]

20 minutes ago, sjfoley1 said:

Thought of something else - we are concurrently filing the I-765 but not the I-131 as we do not have plans to travel out of the country (and he has no reason to travel back to Canada at this point), however we are flying to California in December to spend Christmas with my paternal side of the family. Is there anything we need to file for him to be able to travel throughout the US or will we be okay?

I believe you do need a separate set of birth certs (or photocopies) for each package. That was what I did, and I did not get an RFE. Maybe it was not necessary, but  I think it might be because they are their own package (although you file all together). 

 

I can't remember the exact amount for passport photos, but I believe it was 6 overall for beneficiary, 2 for the petitioner (usc). 

 

I think your proof of marriage for now will suffice, it is similar to what I sent. And you could also improve on it for the interview. I would try to pressure your job to add him though, I believe technically he can be allowed but sometimes the person you add is not aware. It sometimes takes a bit of calling/asking around for a lot of us on here to finally add them to our insurance.  You could try opening an account/savings together at one of the easier banks as well like wells fargo. I am added to wells fargo and chase , but for chase it required me to go to a couple branches in order to sort if out.

 

For domestic travel, you should be fine. Be mindful that at some southern areas (and some parts of california), there are internal checkpoints/border patrol will hang around and can sometimes ask for proof of status. I traveled with my husband to Austin while we were processing and I brought all my NOA's and marriage cert. I was never asked for them, but in case you need to prove identity, does not hurt to have. 

[sjfoley1 11]

8 minutes ago, lonesurvivor said:

I believe you do need a separate set of birth certs (or photocopies) for each package. That was what I did, and I did not get an RFE. Maybe it was not necessary, but  I think it might be because they are their own package (although you file all together). 

 

I can't remember the exact amount for passport photos, but I believe it was 6 overall for beneficiary, 2 for the petitioner (usc). 

 

I think your proof of marriage for now will suffice, it is similar to what I sent. And you could also improve on it for the interview. I would try to pressure your job to add him though, I believe technically he can be allowed but sometimes the person you add is not aware. It sometimes takes a bit of calling/asking around for a lot of us on here to finally add them to our insurance.  You could try opening an account/savings together at one of the easier banks as well like wells fargo. I am added to wells fargo and chase , but for chase it required me to go to a couple branches in order to sort if out.

 

For domestic travel, you should be fine. Be mindful that at some southern areas (and some parts of california), there are internal checkpoints/border patrol will hang around and can sometimes ask for proof of status. I traveled with my husband to Austin while we were processing and I brought all my NOA's and marriage cert. I was never asked for them, but in case you need to prove identity, does not hurt to have. 

Thank you! Any idea if it matters if all of the photos do not match, like if we go back to get them retaken and we use the two we have now + new?

 

Also, we will be flying into LAX. We did the same thing last year when my husband (then boyfriend) was here for a few months, but this time December is long past when his B2 visa expires (which is in october). I will just make sure to bring our marriage certificate and NOA once received.

[lonesurvivor 48]

Just now, sjfoley1 said:

Thank you! Any idea if it matters if all of the photos do not match, like if we go back to get them retaken and we use the two we have now + new?

 

Also, we will be flying into LAX. We did the same thing last year when my husband (then boyfriend) was here for a few months, but this time December is long past when his B2 visa expires (which is in october). I will just make sure to bring our marriage certificate and NOA once received.

No, I do not think it matters! Its good to have some spanning your relationship.;

 

Yeah, its recommended we bring the documentation with us, but honestly a slim chance of being asked for it. I used to live in LA and passed through twice through our aos app pending, and I was never asked to show anything even once. 

[azblk 338]

12 hours ago, sjfoley1 said:

Thought of something else - we are concurrently filing the I-765 but not the I-131 as we do not have plans to travel out of the country (and he has no reason to travel back to Canada at this point), however we are flying to California in December to spend Christmas with my paternal side of the family. Is there anything we need to file for him to be able to travel throughout the US or will we be okay?

i-131 does not cost a thing but 2 extra passport photos. It has zero effect on processing time so i just don't understand why you wouldn't file for it. You never know if and when you need it even though at this moment you have no plans.

[sjfoley1 11]

On ‎9‎/‎22‎/‎2019 at 11:20 AM, azblk said:

i-131 does not cost a thing but 2 extra passport photos. It has zero effect on processing time so i just don't understand why you wouldn't file for it. You never know if and when you need it even though at this moment you have no plans.

Yep I understand that - #1 we don't have the extra money to even go out of the country, its all going towards paying for the AOS. #2 my husband only has one surviving parent, and whilst they do live back in Canada they are not on good terms at this time. He has step family which he keeps in touch with but he has literally no reason to need to visit while we are waiting for his AOS.

[sjfoley1 11]

I thought of a couple more things:

 

Payment wise, we are paying by check. Can I make one check for all fees together or do they need to be paid separately?

 

On form I-130 there is a part where it asks which office they were applying at. It is question 61 - is it the lockbox facility or our local field office?

[azblk 338]

2 hours ago, sjfoley1 said:

I thought of a couple more things:

 

Payment wise, we are paying by check. Can I make one check for all fees together or do they need to be paid separately?

 

On form I-130 there is a part where it asks which office they were applying at. It is question 61 - is it the lockbox facility or our local field office?

local office, Yes you can do one check 

[sjfoley1 11]

On 9/23/2019 at 6:52 PM, azblk said:

local office, Yes you can do one check 

thank you!