Few Questions before I-485 submission

[arowana 0]

Hello,

My fiancé arrived on 2/19/24 and we got married on 3/19/24. It took the longest time to get our I-94 but we finally have that and we're ready to submit our I-485 and had a few questions:

1. Cover page: Is there a standard for what the cover page should look like?
2. Non-Immigrant passport: It's asking for my wife's passport copy. Can I just submit the bio page with all the information or should I make copies of the other pages with other country entry stamps (I will be including her K-1 visa page separately)
3. Marriage certificate: Do we really need a certified copy of our marriage certificate or regular copy will suffice?
4. I-693: I'm confused on whether we need this or not (She did her medical examination abroad in December 2023). My fiancé at the time said they took her medical paperwork at the port of entry (Newark) along with her original birth certificate (I'm a bit lost on how we would retrieve this? She mentioned that they will pass to the CDC. Maybe at our AOS interview?)
5. Should we bind the I-485 and I-864 with paperclip, binder clip, or something?
6. We are not planning to submit I-765 nor the I-131 (because once the green card is received, she wouldn't need to, right? And we don't have plans to travel until she receives her green card).

 

Thank you!

Edited June 13 by arowana

[OldUser 6,624]

2. When my lawyer filed AOS, they submitted scans of all passport pages.

3. Submit certified copy, it's easy to order many more.

4. Can submit later if receive RFE. Was the medical completed with all vaccinations? Is it still valid?

5. Read https://www.uscis.gov/forms/filing-guidance/tips-for-filing-forms-by-mail

6. It can take a year or longer to get GC. No plans to work meanwhile? What if somebody gets sick back home, would the spouse be OK not leaving the US? It's not like you can get EAD / AP quickly. It takes months.

 

 

Edited June 13 by OldUser

[J.M. 230]

I-485 Documents:

G-1145 if you want email/text notifications

2 passport photos with name and A number on back

Wife's Passport bio page copy

Wife's Birth Certificate copy

Visa Page/Entry stamp copy (likely on adjacent pages)

I-94 printout

NOA2 for I-129f

Marriage Certificate, certified preferred

DS-3025 Vaccine Worksheet.  You will not have possession of the I-693.

 

Cover page is your choice.  It is a handy way to make sure YOU don't forget anything.

I also encourage I-765 if wife has any plans to work within the next year.  It's not that much more ($260 if concurrent with I-485).

I separated the I-864 from the I-485 with a 2nd brief cover sheet.

 

[K1visaHopeful 2,813]

2 hours ago, arowana said:

 

1. Cover page: Is there a standard for what the cover page should look like?

Not really but you can Google examples and create your own version that suits your extremely individual situation. 

2 hours ago, arowana said:

1. Non-Immigrant passport: It's asking for my wife's passport copy. Can I just submit the bio page with all the information

Yes.

2 hours ago, arowana said:

1. or should I make copies of the other pages with other country entry stamps (I will be including her K-1 visa page separately)

No. Just the K1 visa page seperately. 

2 hours ago, arowana said:

1. Marriage certificate: Do we really need a certified copy of our marriage certificate or regular copy will suffice?

No. USCIS does not say you need to submit an original or certified copy of the original. Follow the form instructions. 

Instructions state clearly to submit photocopies unless ASKED for an original so a photocopy of the original or a photocopy of the certified copy is fine. 

2 hours ago, arowana said:

1. I-693: I'm confused on whether we need this or not (She did her medical examination abroad in December 2023). My fiancé at the time said they took her medical paperwork at the port of entry (Newark) along with her original birth certificate (I'm a bit lost on how we would retrieve this?

(The BC? You can't. She'll have to order another one.

Why did she provide CBP with her BC?

They were to look at her Passport and visa and collect the sealed visa envelope only.)

2 hours ago, arowana said:

1.  She mentioned that they will pass to the CDC. Maybe at our AOS interview?)

The sealed envelope goes from CBP to DHS and is stored in her A file until interview. 

 

I693 is not needed IF:

1. Her DS3025 Vaccination record is MARKED complete and IS complete. 

Review hers before you photocopy it for your I485 packet.

2. She FILES I485 within one year of the date she did her overseas medical. 

Apart from your individual USCIS adjudicator NOT understanding that (which happens at an alarming rate) and issuing an RFE LATER for an I693, if you can say yes to #1 and #2, it's not needed to submit with I485. Ensure you've read the I693 instructions, they do well at explaining how a K1 does not need an I693.

2 hours ago, arowana said:

1. Should we bind the I-485 and I-864 with paperclip,

Yes.

2 hours ago, arowana said:

1. binder clip,

Yes.

2 hours ago, arowana said:

1. or something?

See the USCIS Form Filing Tips webpage to learn what not to do. 

 

2 hours ago, arowana said:

1. We are not planning to submit I-765 nor the I-131 (because once the green card is received, she wouldn't need to, right?

That's correct however if an emergency happens and she needs to work (ie. You pass away/ get sick and can't work) she can't without authorization. If she needs to leave the country, she won't be able to do that either. 

Or DRIVE in most states either. 

 

Check how long her I485 wait is currently and see if it's feasible to not apply for them BOTH. 

 

ALSO, I strongly suggest it be her decision as she will be the one stuck at home for up to 2 years without the rights to be an adult and consider how you'd feel if you were in her shoes. 

2 hours ago, arowana said:

1. And we don't have plans to travel until she receives her green card).

 

Thank you!

Again, if someone gets sick abroad, she won't be able to go.

Emergency Parole may be available but only if it's a parent, sibling or child and it's usually only granted after they have already passed on.

[OldUser 6,624]

38 minutes ago, J.M. said:

I also encourage I-765 if wife has any plans to work within the next year.  It's not that much more ($260 if concurrent with I-485).

+1

 

$260 can be earned very quickly by your spouse so EAD will pay itself off. If your spouse receives it in 6 months, they can work for 5-6 months while waiting for GC. And get DL etc

[OldUser 6,624]

21 minutes ago, K1visaHopeful said:

 That's correct however if an emergency happens and she needs to work (ie. You pass away/ get sick and can't work) she can't without authorization. If she needs to leave the country, she won't be able to do that either. 

Or DRIVE in most states either. 

 

Check how long her I485 wait is currently and see if it's feasible to not apply for them BOTH. 

 

ALSO, I strongly suggest it be her decision as she will be the one stuck at home for up to 2 years without the rights to be an adult and consider how you'd feel if you were in her shoes. 

Again, if someone gets sick abroad, she won't be able to go.

Emergency Parole may be available but only if it's a parent, sibling or child and it's usually only granted after they have already passed on.

If it was up to me, I'd include the fees for I-131 and I-765 in I-485 fees and make them mandatory. There's many stories of people living in misery and financial hardship for few years as well as missing the important events (illnesses or deaths of close ones overseas) because no forms were filed...

[K1visaHopeful 2,813]

2 minutes ago, OldUser said:

If it was up to me, I'd include the fees for I-131 and I-765 in I-485 fees and make them mandatory. There's many stories of people living in misery and financial hardship for few years as well as missing the important events (illnesses or deaths of close ones overseas) because no forms were filed...

I agree with you completely but unfortunately we aren't at that point yet but I wish we were. 

It has to be the immigrant who makes these kinds of decisions though. 

It's THEIR mental state we are talking about here. They have to know how long they are expected to let life standstill. They must educate themselves. 

(I belong to many VAWA groups and the amount of immigration abuse that occurs is crazy simply because the immigrant did not educate themselves on THEIR process).