OldUser

4-8 weeks is a reasonable turnaround time for USCIs

Sorry to hear it. Yes, credit cards declining is a common issue.

Form I-90 is used to replace GC. It can take a while to get it fixed. No interview will be required as far as I know.

Why didn't you include I-864 in AOS packet? This is a vital form. AOS won't progress without it and certainly cannot be approved. No reason to file I-865 since you haven't established sponsorship yet.

As a sponsor, you need to send I-865 by mail within 30 days of moving. LPR has to file AR-11 online within 10 days of moving.

What do you mean by that? There's several conditions to be eligible under 3 year rule: - Be present at least 18 months as LPR in the US in the last 3 years - Be married to a US citizen for at least 3 years, and the citizen should be a citizen all of those 3 years. Also make sure you live in marital union all 3 years (e.g. not living separately, have long breaks from each other etc) - Not have any trips over 6 months in the last 3 years

As far as I know, you can include step children in the same form as your wife. There's a question on form for each child, whether they're removing conditions too.

I'd think DOS takes care of selecting envelopes and putting mail together. USPS simply collects mail and delivers it. Am I misunderstading the process? I wouldn't think USPS collects stacks of unpackaged passports from DOS and then puts them in envelopes. Knowing how important the document is, DOS should have paid a little more to put certificates in better, larger envelopes and have sticker "Do not bend". But they decided to save money...

Experiences in different field offices vary based on VJ stories I read. Some IOs were excited to see US citizens supporting their naturalizing LPR spouses. And some got worked up and asked questions when USC wasn't present in the waiting area. I'd rather be safe then sorry.

Good luck!

Thank you for reminding. So in essence, only male LPRs between 18 and 25 may be required to go to US military... When it comes to US citizenship, I think the circle is much larger for those who'd be serving the US when required. Theoretically, if I understand correctly, under current law LPRs cannot be forced to dig threnches and do something else for defense reasons. But citizens of all genders may be required to. Hence it is part of oath...

Once you become a US citizen you no longer need to update USCIS about your new address, unless you have an active petition or sponsorship for somebody's immigration. You can download and fill the form SS-5. You can take it to Social Security Administration along with US passport and certificate of naturalization to update your status with them. Once they update the status to US citizen, you will receive SS card without restrictions in your mail.

I know this is common, but is this even legal? I thought employer cannot shift the costs associated with legal fees / filing fees to an immigrant.

Military service is not applicable to LPRs. Getting out of US tax net is easier as LPR as it doesn't require US citizenship renounciation. In addition, it looks like kids (under 16) are still not required to file taxes as they're probably not earning anything just yet. But if they naturalize, they will have to file in few years the moment they get their first job.

It adds responsibility to defend the US in case of military conflict. It requires filing US taxes no matter where you live. So it does take away few freedoms, while giving other opportunities. @mam521 rightfully noted the kids didn't live in the US and it could add challenges to the process.

@mam521 response included vital information, which is proving the kids actually physically resided in the US. You said you were eligible for N-400. Would you mind giving us a little more information? How long have you physically lived in the US in the last 5 years? Did you have any trips over 6 months in the last 5 years? These are some of the question to establish your eligibility.

He should

You need to instruct USCIS by filing G-28 that old lawyer no longer represents you. You will be representing yourself and all paperwork should go to you. Normally lawyers take over the case. I see no value in using a lawyer just to file a I-765. That's easily done with DIY approach. The value is lawyer representing your I-130 and I-485. But that's just me...

While I agree about post it notes... "Do not use highlighters or correction fluid or tape. The scanners we use will not properly read information that is greyed out, highlighted or corrected using correction fluid or tape." Source: https://www.uscis.gov/forms/filing-guidance/tips-for-filing-forms-by-mail

This is normal. A lot of people seen these ghost updates in various cases. It doesn't mean much, I wouldn't worry about it.

1. Yes, they can leave after two months. 2. As soon as they receive GC, but it would help to stay in the US for few months before travelling. 3. Staying out of the US for over 6 months breaks continuous residency for the purposes of naturalization. If they only stayed for few weeks in the US and then left for 7 months, this can raise questions. Staying for over 6 months is undesired. Staying for over 12 months is not recommended. There's greater chance CBP will put them in secondary check after 6+ months trip. There's a chance to get NTA if they spend over 12 months overseas. The best plan is to spend as little time overseas as possible. E.g. it's acceptable to have few trips of 6-8 weeks here and there. But if LPR spends more time outside the US than inside, this leads to issue. Before they leave for longer trip, make sure they establish ties to the US - open bank accounts, enroll in library, get state IDs or Driver Licenses, rent a place, get registered with a doctor. All of this will help proving they're planning to reside in the US. After that they can go for a longer trip to wrap things at home. If they come to the US 8 months later, they should not travel again for a while.

No, didn't have to go twice. Congrats on removing restrictions from SS card. Now you can forget about showing GC to employers 😊

Agreed, this is for beneficiary

Check visa bulletin?

These estimates are known to be largely inaccurate. You'd get a better prediction rolling a dice