jaysaldi

Thanks. We're thinking she may want to travel to Cambodia within 3 -14 days of her oath ceremony. Hence I thought it would be easiest if I booked the flight in her maiden name which is what her Cambodian passport is under. And then she flies to Cambodia, gets a US passport at the embassy, and flies back to the USA on a ticket in her married name with her US passport. Do new passports issued at embassies take longer than renewal passports?

Thanks. What is the risk that I'm not seeing? She fills out the form, goes the embassy with the naturalization certificate, and she's entitled to a US passport, right?

In my experience, it's faster and easier to get a US replacement passport at an embassy abroad. Takes about ten days. My wife has her N400 interview coming up in a few days. If she passes and gets sworn in as a citizen next month and has a naturalization certificate, can she fly out of the USA on her foreign passport and then apply for a US passport at a US Embassy abroad, rather than trying to get the US passport here in the USA? Is there any downside to doing this? Thanks

thanks we are in the same jurisdiction, we just moved a few miles

My wife filed her N400 in September and her interview is scheduled for next week. In December we changed addresses and she submitted a change of address to USCIS. Should she have also filed some kind of amendment to her N400 to change her answers to "what is your address" and "what is your spouse's address"? We didn't do that. Is there anything she can/should do now? I'll make sure she has a copy of her driver's license and my driver's license showing we both reside at the new address, and copies of some bank statements and credit card statements with the new address. Is she likely to face any problems based on not having amended her answers, and is there anything we can/should do now? Thanks.

Ah, we live in Montgomery County, a 45-60 minute drive from downtown Houston. My wife's interview is next week in Houston. I just assumed the oath ceremony would be in Houston too.

when is your oath ceremony?

I don't know, but can I ask, what date was her interview? My wife is interviewing in Houston next week and I am curious about timeline from interview to oath ceremony. Thanks.

I'm surprised the US immigration lawyer who prepared/reviewed this submission used or approved the language of "formal engagement ceremony" and "celebrate our bond and commitment." I just would have said "engagement party" or at most "engagement ceremony." The words "formal" and "bond" were unnecessary and would tend to do more harm than good, in my opinion.

When I saw "ceremony to celebrate our union" i thought "Noooooo. You had an engagement party to celebrate your engagement." Repeat that until you get it down cold. Engagement party. To celebrate your engagement. There has been no "union" and will be no "union" until you marry in the USA, got it? Don't refer to her as "my wife" anywhere at any time from now until you marry. Do not use or show any photos of her in a wedding dress. I see your attorney has already filed the K1. Did he or she include the wedding dress photos? Perhaps you should discuss with your lawyer concerns you've read that you are now "too married" for a K1 visa. I don't think your K1 application is as doomed as some other posters here do. Engagement ceremonies are common in some Southeast Asian countries and if you DON'T have an engagement ceremony the consular officer may wonder if you are truly engaged. I believe that some of the examples involving people deemed "too married for a K1" were from countries where engagement ceremonies are not common. If you can present this as an engagement party I think you're fine. But I agree with others that your description of this "union ceremony" and the bridal dress photos may be somewhat problematic.

The instructions make sense but they now use a different website to make appointments and they have no appointments available at all the consulate in Houston or in any nearby cities.

My Cambodian wife used her extension letter to fly back from Cambodia a few weeks ago, no problem. Now we want to visit Cancun in September but I am hearing that United Airlines won't let her board a flight to Mexico with the extension letter and expired green card. This may be a recent change in policy by United but I've seen several reports of this in the last 12 months. Compounding the issue is that the consulate in Houston where we live doesn't seem to have any appointments available. Any advice on how she can apply for a Mexican tourist visa if she needs one?

i think what's more likely is that Mexico's published rules are strict -- "no extension letters" -- but their immigration officers are lax. Some airlines follow their letter of the law it seems because of the "possibility" of being fined if Mexico denies entry to the traveler. Some don't.

Well, please read that points guy link from December about someone rejected by United flying on expired green card plus extension letter. What I'm seeing from this thread is that some people flying on some airlines have been permitted to visit Mexico with an expired green card and extension letter, and some have not. The website of the consulate of Mexico in Houston says: EAD cards, I-797 A Forms, Advance Parole Forms, I-20, F-1, TPS, I-512, or DS-2019 are NOT ACCEPTED to enter Mexico. https://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/houston/index.php/visas/visas-english

Am I correct that United won't let my visaless Cambodian wife fly to Mexico on expired green card plus extension letter? https://thepointsguy.com/news/expired-green-card/

Yeah she got the 48 month extension letter today, even though she had 20 months left on the 24 month extension. Texas Service Center I think.

Haha my "informed delivery" email shows a letter to my wife from USCIS today too.

Just to be clear, are you saying that people who already received a 24 month extension letter are getting "replacement" 48 month letters in the mail? My wife just got her 24 month letter in October so are they only sending these out for people whose extensions are close to expiring?

I wanted to follow up with our experience trying to get my wife's biometrics done at a different USCIS office. As mentioned above, we moved from Las Vegas to Texas, submitted the change of address form to USCIS, and a week later they nonetheless scheduled the biometrics for January 3 in Las Vegas. We're visiting Rhode Island for the holidays and weren't able to get to the office in Las Vegas (or Texas). i called USCIS last week and they said the appointment would have to be rescheduled and that I definitely couldn't just walk in to a different office. I told her "OK, don't reschedule it, we'll figure something out" and then she asked me to hold the line while she made notes on my file which I assumed were "Don't let them walk in for biometrics, I specifically told them not to do that." The next day (around December 28) we tried to walk into the Rhode Island office. I explained we were scheduled for Las Vegas. She told me they couldn't help me that day BUT if I returned to the Rhode Island office on January 3 at the date and time on my Las Vegas appointment notice, then they could help me. This of course doesn't make a lot of sense, but I've read other accounts of this online - that USCIS offices will accept you for walk in at a different office if you are there at the correct appointment time. We went back today at the correct appointment time and a different lady was staffing the desk. When she saw the appointment notice she asked "Who's in Las Vegas" and I explained that we were scheduled for a different office but the other lady told us we could come back at the right time, and she started nodding her head as if she was aware of this "wrong office, right time" walk in policy. So then they took my wife's fingerprints and we were out in 5 minutes. This is for I-751, not I-485 by the way.

Reports are that this varies from office to office and many people have been refused

that's an interesting point. does anyone know if that's true. If you go to a different office and have biometrics done does the other office just show a missed appointment?

I read something yesterday on another website where someone said they were told by USCIS they could walk in to any office at the designated date/time. That's why I wanted to know if chances of getting served are better if you are there are the correct time albeit at a different office.

No I haven’t called to reschedule. I’d prefer to keep the appointment and just do it in Rhode Island. We’re planning to be out if the country February -may. I don’t want to postpone this 5 months

Back up plan is call to reschedule. The Nevada appointment is actually 3 hours later with time change if that helps

Thanks. I guess there are a couple of variables here I’d like to get more info on. First, if we go in at the designated date and time, but just to a different office, will we be treated like a “walk in” who has entered out of turn or treated more like a proper appointment holder? Second, if we are turned away and then I call USCIS to reschedule, and I can’t get through before the appointment time (despite the benefit of a 3 hour time change arbitrage) will they really reject the petition and deny rescheduling if I reach them a few hours or days late?