I 485 - Schedule for interview question

[Cndn 98]

WA state. I opened a bank account with a major bank using my I-797 and my SSN. For K1s getting an SSN right away is essential. I used my certified marriage certificate which had my address on it for my driver’s license.  

Edited June 20, 2020 by Cndn

[Joyoussinger 1,425]

3 hours ago, Cndn said:

WA state. I opened a bank account with a major bank using my I-797 and my SSN. For K1s getting an SSN right away is essential. I used my certified marriage certificate which had my address on it for my driver’s license.  

Exactly, and I apologize! I forgot to mention that we brought my husband's SSN. It's actually the most important thing in opening a bank account. We went to the Social Security office the day after he arrived, with his I-94 and passport. There was no problem at all, and his card arrived within two weeks. 

[GordonRamsey 22]

Missouri, walked into a BoA with my wife. I have no SSN and we had no issues opening a joint bank account together. My passport and Canadian credit card were enough for identification. We also didn't have any major issues adding me to insurance or the lease.

[Loren Y 2,755]

11 hours ago, United940 said:

I'm in florida rn, I opened bank account in Bank of America month after I arrived, even before we got married, I dunno where u got your info about requirements. I had my SSN done month after I arrived tho so it helped. 

I decided not to get my American drivers license since my European works just fine, but requirements were  proof of address, SSN (if you don't have one, reason why, for you you can use your pending AOS reciept) and your passport. 

 

You may want to check on that. Your European license is only valid for maybe 30 days after you take residence. Once you entered on your K1 it looks like, according to the Florida DMV you were required to get a Florida License within 30 days. If you are still driving on your European license, I would get your Florida license ASAP. Not sure when you entered, but if it was more than 6 months ago, you are definitely a resident.

When must a driver get a Florida driver license?

You must get a Florida license within 30 days of becoming a resident. You are considered a resident of Florida if you:

1.  Enroll your children in public school, or
2.  Register to vote, or
3.  File for a homestead exemption, or
4.  Accept employment, or
5.  Reside in Florida for more than six consecutive months.

Current law requires customers to present proof of legal name, lawful presence, Social Security Number and two forms of residential address. If your name has ever been changed by marriage, divorce or court order, then you must present these documents. You will have to provide proof of any and all name changes. To find out more regarding these documents, please visit our What To Bring page.

If you are not able to provide the necessary documents, you may be issued a 60-day temporary permit, providing your out-of-state license is valid or has been expired for 60 days or less. This will permit you to drive for 60 days while you are obtaining the documents.

Also, you can make an appointment. Appointments are recommended, but not required at most offices. Look at the list of offices–some are by Appointment Only. Otherwise, you can go to any office that is convenient.

Click here for a list of fees.

[Scandi 4,166]

The status "Ready to be scheduled for an interview" doesn't really mean anything time-wise. It only means that NBC is done with the pre-procesaing of your case and that you will be schedule for an interview once your local field office is ready to interview you. That can take weeks, months or years. 

 

Once the status changes to "interview has been scheduled" you will receive the interview date and other info needed in a letter from USCIS. 

 

The I-797c is the acceptance notice. That means USCIS has received your case and registered/scanned it into their system.

 

The I-797 is the approval notice, for obvious reasons you won't receive this  notice until your case has been approved (sometime after you've had your interview).

 

And I don't know what bank you're trying to open an account with.. But for me to be added to my husband's Bank of America account right after I entered the US, all I needed was my Swedish passport. I did not have a SSN, nor did I have any US ID of any kind.

Edited June 20, 2020 by Scandi

[United940 3]

6 hours ago, Loren Y said:

You may want to check on that. Your European license is only valid for maybe 30 days after you take residence. Once you entered on your K1 it looks like, according to the Florida DMV you were required to get a Florida License within 30 days. If you are still driving on your European license, I would get your Florida license ASAP. Not sure when you entered, but if it was more than 6 months ago, you are definitely a resident.

When must a driver get a Florida driver license?

You must get a Florida license within 30 days of becoming a resident. You are considered a resident of Florida if you:

1.  Enroll your children in public school, or
2.  Register to vote, or
3.  File for a homestead exemption, or
4.  Accept employment, or
5.  Reside in Florida for more than six consecutive months.

Current law requires customers to present proof of legal name, lawful presence, Social Security Number and two forms of residential address. If your name has ever been changed by marriage, divorce or court order, then you must present these documents. You will have to provide proof of any and all name changes. To find out more regarding these documents, please visit our What To Bring page.

If you are not able to provide the necessary documents, you may be issued a 60-day temporary permit, providing your out-of-state license is valid or has been expired for 60 days or less. This will permit you to drive for 60 days while you are obtaining the documents.

Also, you can make an appointment. Appointments are recommended, but not required at most offices. Look at the list of offices–some are by Appointment Only. Otherwise, you can go to any office that is convenient.

Click here for a list of fees.

I am not residen't yet. Once I will get my green card I will get Floridian DL, haven't had any problems yet

[Loren Y 2,755]

34 minutes ago, United940 said:

I am not residen't yet. Once I will get my green card I will get Floridian DL, haven't had any problems yet

So, You haven't been in the US longer than 6 months? OK, cool, and your going to have your green card in less than 6 months from your entry into the US ( Possible, but I don't think so). And I haven't had any problems yet is not a reason that is going to hold up in court.  Let me run this one by you as an example.. I am assuming that you are driving a car in the United States, and in the Florida area. Car insurance is a requirement to operate a vehicle in the State of Florida. Now, hopefully you have car insurance ( If not, that's a whole other issue, but you Haven't had any problems yet). Now lets say you cause a vehicle accident, or even worse someone hits you while you are driving and totals out the vehicle you are driving, or even something minor where there is only 3-4 thousand dollars worth of damage. Your insurance company, or the other persons insurance company is going to look at the police report and see that you don't have a valid State license. Now, trust me when I tell you insurance companies do NOT like to pay out money for any reason, so either your insurance or the other parties insurance is going to check your license out, going to see it is a foreign license, and ask ( Or probably check themselves) when you entered the US. IF you entered less than 6 months ago, fine, they will pay out, and everyone is happy, IF you have been in the US for longer than 6 months, you were now operating a motor vehicle without the proper license, and they will not be required to pay out anything as you were not a legally licensed driver. It can turn into a really serious problem very quickly putting you on the hook for all the damages and you ending up in court for years to come. Not saying this is going to happen, but it very easily could, and all because you wanted to save 50 bucks and not get your Florida License ? I don't even think you would have to road test, probably just the simple written test, and get your license. Not only will you be driving legally now, it gives you another very important thing to show you are living together with your wife because your address on your ID's match. This is excellent evidence for the green card interview, a long with joint bank accounts, car insurance policies, etc. Just something to consider, but riding out your European license for the 12-18 months until your green card shows up ( If your lucky that fast), seems like a unnecessary risk.

[United940 3]

1 hour ago, Loren Y said:

So, You haven't been in the US longer than 6 months? OK, cool, and your going to have your green card in less than 6 months from your entry into the US ( Possible, but I don't think so). And I haven't had any problems yet is not a reason that is going to hold up in court.  Let me run this one by you as an example.. I am assuming that you are driving a car in the United States, and in the Florida area. Car insurance is a requirement to operate a vehicle in the State of Florida. Now, hopefully you have car insurance ( If not, that's a whole other issue, but you Haven't had any problems yet). Now lets say you cause a vehicle accident, or even worse someone hits you while you are driving and totals out the vehicle you are driving, or even something minor where there is only 3-4 thousand dollars worth of damage. Your insurance company, or the other persons insurance company is going to look at the police report and see that you don't have a valid State license. Now, trust me when I tell you insurance companies do NOT like to pay out money for any reason, so either your insurance or the other parties insurance is going to check your license out, going to see it is a foreign license, and ask ( Or probably check themselves) when you entered the US. IF you entered less than 6 months ago, fine, they will pay out, and everyone is happy, IF you have been in the US for longer than 6 months, you were now operating a motor vehicle without the proper license, and they will not be required to pay out anything as you were not a legally licensed driver. It can turn into a really serious problem very quickly putting you on the hook for all the damages and you ending up in court for years to come. Not saying this is going to happen, but it very easily could, and all because you wanted to save 50 bucks and not get your Florida License ? I don't even think you would have to road test, probably just the simple written test, and get your license. Not only will you be driving legally now, it gives you another very important thing to show you are living together with your wife because your address on your ID's match. This is excellent evidence for the green card interview, a long with joint bank accounts, car insurance policies, etc. Just something to consider, but riding out your European license for the 12-18 months until your green card shows up ( If your lucky that fast), seems like a unnecessary risk.

That last paragraph applies mostly for people who moved from one state to another, for example from California to Florida, and once you become permanent resident of Florida you have to switch your Californian license to Floridian.(for various reasons)  But with my current legal status I can still legally use my European D. license and insurance company won't be able to deny anything since license is valid to use. Yes I know that it's very easy to get one and it would cause less confusion for people when they see my EU license, but I don't see a point of getting one rn especially when pandemics shut everything down. 

 

[Loren Y 2,755]

36 minutes ago, United940 said:

That last paragraph applies mostly for people who moved from one state to another, for example from California to Florida, and once you become permanent resident of Florida you have to switch your Californian license to Floridian.(for various reasons)  But with my current legal status I can still legally use my European D. license and insurance company won't be able to deny anything since license is valid to use. Yes I know that it's very easy to get one and it would cause less confusion for people when they see my EU license, but I don't see a point of getting one rn especially when pandemics shut everything down. 

 

OK, I'm no " Expert", but you don't have a timeline, so I am not sure. If you entered on a K1 visa, and are now AOS pending from that status, Bottom line ( And I speak from my LE perspective) doesn't matter where you come from be it a US state or Country, once you live in Florida according to their laws after 6 months you are considered a resident. IF you are here on a student visa or something, that would be treated like a tourist visa, but you are trying to obtain a green card correct? that means becoming a permanent resident of the US, so you are not under any status that would exempt you from this requirement.  The license bureaus are open as of the 3rd of June according to their website. Do what you want, I am just speaking from my experience with drivers licenses from many different states and countries, and I see people driving on all sorts of things, and probably see at least 3-4 foreign licenses a month. I personally don't usually worry about it, as I am sure most other LE officers don't either unless it is a serious offense, but you should verify that you are in fact driving legally here, and that your auto insurance will cover you in case of a incident. Just be careful, because I just don't see if you have been here more than 6 months how you are not considered a resident of Florida based on you entering on a K1, or any other immigrant visa be it CR-1 or whatever. Just be careful is all I'm saying, hate to see your whole citizenship path ruined over a stupid drivers license.

Beginning June 3, 2020, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) will begin reopening offices to serve the public by appointment only. For a limited time, driver license and motor vehicle services will be limited to only those customers who are unable to conduct their transactions through GoRenew.com

 

Obtaining your first license obviously would qualify as you can't do that online.

[United940 3]

22 hours ago, Loren Y said:

OK, I'm no " Expert", but you don't have a timeline, so I am not sure. If you entered on a K1 visa, and are now AOS pending from that status, Bottom line ( And I speak from my LE perspective) doesn't matter where you come from be it a US state or Country, once you live in Florida according to their laws after 6 months you are considered a resident. IF you are here on a student visa or something, that would be treated like a tourist visa, but you are trying to obtain a green card correct? that means becoming a permanent resident of the US, so you are not under any status that would exempt you from this requirement.  The license bureaus are open as of the 3rd of June according to their website. Do what you want, I am just speaking from my experience with drivers licenses from many different states and countries, and I see people driving on all sorts of things, and probably see at least 3-4 foreign licenses a month. I personally don't usually worry about it, as I am sure most other LE officers don't either unless it is a serious offense, but you should verify that you are in fact driving legally here, and that your auto insurance will cover you in case of a incident. Just be careful, because I just don't see if you have been here more than 6 months how you are not considered a resident of Florida based on you entering on a K1, or any other immigrant visa be it CR-1 or whatever. Just be careful is all I'm saying, hate to see your whole citizenship path ruined over a stupid drivers license.

Beginning June 3, 2020, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) will begin reopening offices to serve the public by appointment only. For a limited time, driver license and motor vehicle services will be limited to only those customers who are unable to conduct their transactions through GoRenew.com

 

Obtaining your first license obviously would qualify as you can't do that online.

K-1 visa is considred to be non-imigrant visa tho

[Loren Y 2,755]

59 minutes ago, United940 said:

K-1 visa is considred to be non-imigrant visa tho

Your K1 visa was canceled when you came thru POE and you became governed by the period of authorized stay on your I-94 form. You had 90 days from entry to marry to meet this requirement. Your I-94 was good for 90 days, and then when the date on that passes you are technically out of status until you file for AOS. Now once you file for AOS and receive your 797c notification you are given a period of authorized stay until the petition is adjudicated. So in all reality after the I94 expires you are out of status, but staying with the approval of authorized stay, you are not under any type of Visa status anymore as that expired with the date on your I-94. The K1 is a weird hybrid Non-Immigrant visa with immigrant visa properties, so it make it kinda confusing and not really make much sense. I mean, like you said it is a non-immigrant visa, but when you interview for it the interview is conducted by the Immigrant Visa Unit at the embassy( See the confusion). You are currently in the US under a period of authorized stay, not under any visa status. Now, how many people are well versed in this other than ICE or CBP ( Even their knowledge is questionable), is pretty minimal, so I am sure you will be OK. 

[Fr8dog 312]

I have been kicking this issue around my friends here in Virginia. Some work for insurance companies, some work for banks, some are state troopers, some are local cops (a bunch are firefighters, but that is not relevant I guess).

Anyways, The K1 is the odd one out and nobody is able to come up with a complete solid answer as to what is and what is not legal and what is and what is not an option. Between many evenings of discussions, followed by many hours of asking questions to their supervisors, we came up with the following.

 

Bank account:

You are legally staying in the US and the bank only has to cover that base. SSN and I-797 (or I-94 when you do it earlier) are enough for them to cover their behind. Some banks want to be difficult about it. Find another bank.

 

Car Insurance:

Most insurance companies allow incidental drivers on their policy. If you live with the policy holder, it is hard to be considered incidental. You can be added to a policy with foreign or US license. Both are perfectly acceptable and you are than covered.

 

Drivers license:

Federal law requires you to be legally admitted into the country. States can check this using the SAVE system. The I-797C is good enough for that, but they need to find the correct code. States are allowed to make their own rules so if they do not list the I-797C in their list of accepted documents, you most likely have to wait. EAD/AP and Greencard are always accepted and most accept the K1 + I-94 but you run the risk of getting one with the expiration date of the I-94

 

Driving on a foreign license while waiting on your AOS to be approved:

Most states require you to have a local license within a certain amount of days after becoming a residence of that state. By not issuing a license because of a missing residence document (greengard/EAD) they are basically stating you are not a resident of that state. Therefor you can drive on your foreign license.

 

That is as close as we can come. Problem is that nobody ever considered the K1 when states where forced by the federal government to only issue licenses to legal residents.

[Buster & Hitch 58]

Hi! I'm in Florida and just got my license with my EAD card, I-797 from my travel document application, and letter that my social security card arrived in. I'm from Canada and found info saying I could drive legally on my Canadian license for up to a year, not sure if it's different for Europeans. The info I could find said it was best to wait until I had my EAD card to prove that I am living here for a specific period of time since I don't have my green card yet. They only issued me the license until my EAD expires, then I will have to renew the license once I have the new EAD or green card, whichever I get first. I'm in St John's county and called the tax collector's office which issues the licences here and got a very helpful person on the other end who brought me through all the things I needed to bring in to ensure I'd be approved. I would encourage you to call your local office, it was super frustrating for me to try to cobble together info from online sources and they were able to clarify everything in one 5 minute conversation.

 

Also, my online status has said "Interview Ready to Be Scheduled" since February 7th, so I'd get ready for a looooonnngggg wait for that interview notice haha. At this rate I'm not sure I'll have mine before 2021.

[Daria O. 3]

I got my state ID with form I-797 for EAD.They verified me in SAVE system so I went there 2 times. For now I’m just waiting my card in mail. 

I have been trying to join my husband’s bank account or lease agreement, but  without this no one will accept me. They don't allow my passport here as proof. I am in  Michigan State. Everyone needs to provide American documents with a picture. 
Banks Chase and PNC. ☹️
 

Edited June 24, 2020 by Daria O.