arleygirl

I am a natural born US Citizen and my husband is a permanent resident and we would like to petition his parents. Need help getting started or even knowing if it is something I can do.

My girlfriend is here visiting on a tourist visa. We would like to go ahead and get married and apply for permenant status. We have talked to two different attorneys both in the San Diego area, both experienced immigration attorneys. One told us that we should wait until she has been here for 60 days and then get married and apply. The other told us to get maried right away and just put her address in Mexico on the marriage certificate. Everything I read says to wait until 60 days so they do not think that she came here just to get married. Who is right?

Wait the 60 days or longer. My husband and I just went through this process. He was here on a B2 tourist Visa. We got married just 8 weeks before his I9 expired....submitted all our paperwork 3 weeks after getting married and we had NO problems! Take the time and plan a wedding, even if it's a small one. I think the fact that we had a real wedding, in a real church, with a real pastor, with real guests and real family members was a HUGE help. It definitely added legitimacy to our marriage.

Here is a status update.

We had our interview on Jan 31. Our appointment was at 10:30AM and we arrived around 9:45AM.

We only brought a minimal amount of "evidence" with us. My feeling was that, we are a legitimately married couple and if they didn't want to believe us, they were welcome to stop by and visit us in our 300 SqFt studio apartment. (There's no way 2 people who weren't intimately involved could peacefully co-exist in that small of a space.) Anyway, a good friend of mine is a former Customs and Border Patrol employee and she had told me prior to our interview, that sometimes couples can actually appear like they are trying too hard.

Here is a list of what we took:

Photo Album (including pics from our wedding, my birthday, Christmas, New Years Eve & an assortment of pictures from places we've gone together ie. beach, parks, restaurants, etc.)

Letter from Pastor (This letter was on church letterhead, and he discussed the fact that he preformed pre-marital counseling with us; that he was the one who had officiated our wedding and signed our marriage certificate; and that we attend church together as a couple and have as a couple been involved in various church functions/events.)

Bank Statements & Checkbook (with both of our names on them)

My updated Social Security Card and Drivers License (Showing my name change)

Guest Book from Wedding

Christmas Cards that had been mailed to us.

Full Copy of Submitted Paperwork

Original Marriage License

The agent that did our interview was very pleasant. She had no interest in seeing the Christmas Cards, when I went to get them out, she actually said, "I don't need to see those."

She asked questions, just verifying the information that we had put on our applications. She asked him the standard "Are you a terrorist?" questions.

She did ask me if I had a check stub with me because I had not submitted any with the application, and I told her "No, I did not have one with me. And the reason I didn't submit any with the application package was because the instructions clearly stated that as long as my previous year's federal income tax return paperwork was submitted and showed that I was above the required income level, that while check stubs could be submitted they were not necessary." She nodded her head, said "ok", wrote something down and then moved on to the next question.

She flipped through our photo album and asked who a few people were that were in our pictures.

She only asked one question that we thought was odd. She asked me (I am the US Citizen) if I have ever flown on a private plane. I answered "yes", she asked me when that was. I had to think about it....I have flown on private planes several times in the past, but the most recent time was about 17 years ago.

After that she said that everything looked good, and that as long as nothing came up before the start of the next business day then we should receive our approval letter in 2-4 weeks. I thought that was kind of a funny thing to say...what are the chances that at this point in the process some new, bad, red flag could come up? I mean, at this point, I'm sure they know more about me than I know about myself!

Anyway, my husband was a little anxious after we left, because he was worried that we weren't going to get approved. But I told him to relax, because if there had been even a slight possibility that they thought we weren't a legitimately married couple, then they would have asked us a heck of a lot more questions.

A week later, we received 2 pieces of mail. A letter to me, telling me that my petition for a family member had been approved! And one for him that said "Welcome to the United States of America!" A day later, another piece of mail, this one in a priority mail envelope...his Green Card had arrived!

That's our experience...from start to finish, less than 100 days. If there's anyone out there reading this who is just beginning this process, the one piece of advice I would give is to make sure that you complete the application, go over it multiple times with a fine tooth comb and make sure you include everything they request. (I used to respond to government RFIs and RFPs for a living, so this came natural to me.) If you include everything correctly, then hopefully your experience will go as smoothly as ours did.

Just a little tidbit of info...I filled out the form for electronic notification and included it with our application. I received text messages and emails informing me when our application was received, so I KNOW that the electronic notification request form WAS processed. However, after that, I never received another text or email notification. And the few times I checked online, there was never any info on our application. So if you're not hearing anything, try not to stress about it. Just because it's not updated online, doesn't mean that your status isn't progressing.

Here is a status update.

We had our interview on Jan 31. Our appointment was at 10:30AM and we arrived around 9:45AM.

We only brought a minimal amount of "evidence" with us. My feeling was that, we are a legitimately married couple and if they didn't want to believe us, they were welcome to stop by and visit us in our 300 SqFt studio apartment. (There's no way 2 people who weren't intimately involved could peacefully co-exist in that small of a space.) Anyway, a good friend of mine is a former Customs and Border Patrol employee and she had told me prior to our interview, that sometimes couples can actually appear like they are trying too hard.

Here is a list of what we took:

Photo Album (including pics from our wedding, my birthday, Christmas, New Years Eve & an assortment of pictures from places we've gone together ie. beach, parks, restaurants, etc.)

Letter from Pastor (This letter was on church letterhead, and he discussed the fact that he preformed pre-marital counseling with us; that he was the one who had officiated our wedding and signed our marriage certificate; and that we attend church together as a couple and have as a couple been involved in various church functions/events.)

Bank Statements & Checkbook (with both of our names on them)

My updated Social Security Card and Drivers License (Showing my name change)

Guest Book from Wedding

Christmas Cards that had been mailed to us.

Full Copy of Submitted Paperwork

Original Marriage License

The agent that did our interview was very pleasant. She had no interest in seeing the Christmas Cards, when I went to get them out, she actually said, "I don't need to see those."

She asked questions, just verifying the information that we had put on our applications. She asked him the standard "Are you a terrorist?" questions.

She did ask me if I had a check stub with me because I had not submitted any with the application, and I told her "No, I did not have one with me. And the reason I didn't submit any with the application package was because the instructions clearly stated that as long as my previous year's federal income tax return paperwork was submitted and showed that I was above the required income level, that while check stubs could be submitted they were not necessary." She nodded her head, said "ok", wrote something down and then moved on to the next question.

She flipped through our photo album and asked who a few people were that were in our pictures.

She only asked one question that we thought was odd. She asked me (I am the US Citizen) if I have ever flown on a private plane. I answered "yes", she asked me when that was. I had to think about it....I have flown on private planes several times in the past, but the most recent time was about 17 years ago.

After that she said that everything looked good, and that as long as nothing came up before the start of the next business day then we should receive our approval letter in 2-4 weeks. I thought that was kind of a funny thing to say...what are the chances that at this point in the process some new, bad, red flag could come up? I mean, at this point, I'm sure they know more about me than I know about myself!

Anyway, my husband was a little anxious after we left, because he was worried that we weren't going to get approved. But I told him to relax, because if there had been even a slight possibility that they thought we weren't a legitimately married couple, then they would have asked us a heck of a lot more questions.

A week later, we received 2 pieces of mail. A letter to me, telling me that my petition for a family member had been approved! And one for him that said "Welcome to the United States of America!" A day later, another piece of mail, this one in a priority mail envelope...his Green Card had arrived!

That's our experience...from start to finish, less than 100 days. If there's anyone out there reading this who is just beginning this process, the one piece of advice I would give is to make sure that you complete the application, go over it multiple times with a fine tooth comb and make sure you include everything they request. (I used to respond to government RFIs and RFPs for a living, so this came natural to me.) If you include everything correctly, then hopefully your experience will go as smoothly as ours did.

We received the EAD on january 19! And our interview is in 5 days!

Haven't been online in a while...but here is our update.

Biometrics appointment scheduled for December 7. We successfully walked in and completed biometrics on December 1.

On December 31, we received notice for our interview!!!! We are scheduled for January 31.

Still haven't received notice regarding EAD...hopefully it will be soon, as my husband is getting very antsy to get to work. But at least we have the interview scheduled, so the EAD can't be far!

Congratulations!!! One step closer here.

Thanks! I've seen a lot of people post that they don't think that doing the Biometrics early speeds up the EAD or Interview process, but I feel that if you DON'T do it early, then it for sure WON'T speed anything up. We might as well try!

We got the notice for my hubby's biometrics appointment today! It's scheduled for December 7th, but we will attempt to walk in this next week.

I haven't been online much in the past week, but we received our NOAs in the mail this past Friday!

Checks cashed today! One step closer!

This morning I received our e-notification NOAs! Yea!!! Nice & Quick! I hope the rest of the process continues so quickly!

Got the text today! Case was receieved

Yea!!! Congrats!!!

All of our paperwork was sent out yesterday! Now begins the waiting game!

Got our receipt notices for I-131, I-765 and I-485 dated 10/12/2012. Hopefully we will get our appointment notices soon. It is such a nerve racking wait!

Yea! You're on your way!

Saw on the USCIS website that my wife's AP and EAD have been approved! Hope mine is too considering that I am the primary applicant.

Great news! And so quick! I hope we experience EAD approval as quickly as you did!

It asks for name & addresses of employers for the past 5 years. There is no way to fit the full names and addresses into the space given. Do they need full address or just city/state? Or do I need to submit that information on a separate piece of paper? If I use a separate piece of paper, is there a specific form I need to use to do so?

Thanks!

Civil Surgeon appointment for my husband completed today. We just have to go back on Wednesday to get the TB test read.

Hoping to get the forms all sent out by Thursday.

We had our follow-up appointment with the civil surgeon yesterday afternoon. No problems, paperwork signed and sealed in envelope!

Over the past 2 weeks we have been working on rough drafts of all the forms and getting together all supporting evidence....so last night we filled out final versions of the forms, inserted supporting documentation and put together the I-130 package and the I-485 package.

Of course there are a few post-it flags where we need to include additional information, which I am working on today.

This evening, I will go through the instructions for each form with a fine tooth comb, just to make sure we are not missing anything and hopefully, everything will be sent out tomorrow. If not, forms will for sure be in the mail by Monday!

So ready to have everything sent out so that our free time no longer has to revolve around paperwork!

Hi there. My husband and I are in the process of getting our paperwork ready to send and there are a few things we need clarity on.

He is here on a B2 Visitor Visa.

I am a natural born US Citizen.

We are both currently inside the United States.

We are filing the I-130 package and the I-485 package simultaneously.

If you can help with one or more of the questions, I really appreciate it! Please be sure to specify which question you are answering.

Thanks for your help,

Rachael

Question #1: Regarding line #22 on the I-130 - What do I enter into the blanks for specific City and State?

22. Complete the information below if your relative is in the United States and will apply for adjustment of status.

Your relative is in the United States and will apply for adjustment of status to that of a lawful permanent resident at the USCIS office in:

City:__________________________ State:________________________

Question #2: Regarding Applicant's Residence for the last five years on the G-325A - I am the USC and I have lived all over the place, however, I have always kept one "permanent address" on my state ID. Can I just list the address that I've kept on my state ID & that I've used for the majority of my mail? Or do I have to actually list every address that I've lived at and possibly received a little mail at?

Question #3: Regarding G-325A - I am the USC and I am filing a petition for my husband. In the box next to the signature it says: "This form is submitted in connection with an application for: Naturalization, Status as Permanent Resident, Other (choose one). My guess is that the correct choice is "Status as Permanent Resident", am I correct?

Question #4: Regarding Part 1 of the I-485

Current USCIS Status___________________ Expires on mm/dd/yyyy______________________

Are they asking for his I-94 status and expiration date or his visa status and expiration date?

Question #5: Regarding Part 2 of the I-485

The form reads: "I am applying for an adjustment to permanent resident status because:" and then lists options a - j. My husband and I have both read through all of the descriptions several times and we don't feel that any of them apply to us. Which one are we supposed to select for our situation?

Civil Surgeon appointment for my husband completed today. We just have to go back on Wednesday to get the TB test read.

Hoping to get the forms all sent out by Thursday.

Hi there!

My husband and I are in the process of getting our paperwork together and plan to file before the end of October. He is adjusting from a B-2 visa.

Rachael

I met my husband while he was here in the US on a B-2 Visa. We met, dated and decided to get married all within the 6 months that he was here on his current visit.

Now we are getting started on the paperwork for AOS and I'm wondering if there is anything specific I need to be aware of. I see a lot of info on here but not much that is specific to the B-2 Visa....so just checking.

Any input will be appreciated. Thank you!

Ok, I have another question....

We pushed the wedding back a few weeks, so now we are getting married on October 6. This way my family is able to come to our wedding.

My question is this...my fiance is here on a multi-entry tourist visa. Once we are married what are the pros and cons of filing an AOS vs him returning to his country before we file? If we don't file the AOS and he goes back first, will our marriage negatively impact his tourist visa and his ability to come and go here in the US?

Thanks in advance.

OP, I think that many wait awhile to "file" their paperwork due to costs primarily. That is what I have read in my scan of the site. My personal opinion is the sooner the better, plus your hubby won't be stuck in limbo while waiting to file. Remember that once his I-94 expires he is not current and has many more limitations. Once you file he at least is moving towards the ultimate goal. I would say if you have the funds, the income to sponsor (or a joint sponsor lined up) the sooner the better. I would agree with some's posts that you may have more questions regarding your length of courtship at the interview, but as one poster said that is not reason for denial alone..

Ok, thank you for the info. His sister lives here in the states and she is willing to be a joint sponsor, or to help us with the filing fees, if necessary...so we should be good to get everything filed quickly.

A big thanks to everyone! While looking around the forum, I noticed that some people wait quite a long time to file for the AOS...why is that? Is there a benefit? I was planning on just getting that paperwork done and sent out immediately.

I have no idea what OP means, and it has now been used in 3 of the responses. Someone please explain.

And I understand that this may not be an easy thing to go through....tips, like reading other people's experience or waiting longer to get married are what I need and am here looking for. I understand that not all comments may be 100% positive and that's ok.

Please, I appreciate all advice, and if you disagree with the advice that someone has given me, please feel free to post your personal opinion or experience.

It is not my desire to be rude, but this particular thread is so I can educate myself and I have no interest in this thread turning into an argument between people who have different opinions. Thank you.

Thank you for the guidance. Quick question, where on this site would I find where people have talked about their interview experience?

I will be the first to answer this post. There is a mass of amazing information in the guides. The link for AOS is http://www.visajourney.com/content/i130guide2. If you have any questions after reading the guides, etc just ask here and you are bound to have many answers.

Just be prepared, there are many folks on here that will tell you it is "illegal", "immoral" or "wrong" to file in this manner. Just be forewarned and prepared. Under the forums there is a sub forum for those AOS'ing from visitor visa's, VWP etc. This forum may be easier and yield you less of the negative information.

Good luck and congratulations on your upcoming wedding!!

Thank you! I'm wondering, after we submit the AOS paperwork, does he need to leave the US or can/should he stay here beyond Nov 21?

I am getting married next week! My fiance has been here in the USA on a tourist visa for about 4 months. About 6 weeks ago we were introduced by a mutual friend and immediately hit it off.

So, I am an absolute newbie to this. I think we need to apply for an adjustment of status, but I'm not sure and I truly have no idea what I need to do or where to find out what I need. But what I do know is that I need to figure it out!

The date that he is supposed to leave the US by, is November 21 and I would really like it if he didn't have to do that. So if there's someone out there who would be willing to break this down for me step by step, and explain what our options are, I would appreciate it.

Thank you,

Rachael