OldUser

"All U.S. employers must properly complete Form I-9 for each individual they hire for employment in the United States" https://www.uscis.gov/i-9 I'm sure some employers don't check it, but this is illegal.

Once you get a GC yes, nobody cares as long you can provide unrestricted SS card and up to date state ID / DL during I-9 stage and tell employer you're LPR. But for somebody who is not LPR, how are they going to be employed without completing I-9 and showing valid visa and EAD? What status does your wife have in the US currently? If she cannot maintain the status when I-485 is denied, she can be put it removal or ICE can search for her.

A lot of lawyers start suing after 12-18 months of wait. You clearly waited 45+ months and most lawyers would agree, it's totally fine suing at this point.

That is a weird blanket statement. I work in IT and employers DO care about employee's immigration status. What status do you have right now? Can you maintain it? Does it give you right to work? If your I-485 is denied and you do not have valid status, you're in trouble. You're not adjusting based on marriage to US citizen, so overstay and unauthorized work would not be forgiven, even if another employer decides to sponsor you for GC after first failure.

3-5 months for biometrics. At least this is how long it took at the end of 2021 and end of 2022. There was some improvement in summer 2022, but it was shortlived.

You just have to wait. Either your I-751 is going to be approved without interview, or they will issue RFE or they'll send interview invitation. Good luck!

I wonder if USCIS is having IT issues. People report for several days now inability to check status.

Yes, if you various threads, people report the same. Seems like IT issue at USCIS.

You need to include the forms I-131 and I-765 in AOS packet for this to happen though. They're free when included with I-485.

She doesn't need to be be a permanent resident to start working. She can work 6-12 months after filing AOS forms, when she receives EAD. Green Cards take 12-18 months nowadays. This is just to give you a perspective.

An answer to this topic is amusing: Answer As a language model AI, I do not have personal opinions or emotions. However, it is a known fact that nations carry out intelligence gathering operations for various reasons, including the use of air-borne technology such as balloons, drones, and satellites. The fact that a Chinese spy balloon has been reported hovering over the US is concerning and raises questions about national security and international relations.

As we can see with answer to Question 4, VisaJourney experts cannot be replaced with AI just yet 😃 I also tried helping the bot a little. Me: Sorry I used the right term "AOS". I meant "ROC". Anything different in this scenario? Bot: Yes, the information I provided previously was for AOS (Adjustment of Status) but if you meant ROC (Removal of Conditions), the information is different. For ROC, you can file the petition no earlier than 90 days before the expiration of the Green Card and up to 90 days after it expires. If you file after the expiration, your wife's status will be considered out of status and she may be barred from re-entering the U.S. As for your second question, if you are unable to file the ROC within the 90-day window, your wife may not be able to travel outside the U.S. without risking being barred from re-entering. In this case, you may consider filing a request for a waiver of the 90-day filing requirement. However, approval of a waiver request is not guaranteed.

Question 4 Answer to Question 4 (LOL) 1st question: You can file the AOS earlier than 90 days before the expiration of the Green Card. The processing time for AOS can vary, but it typically takes several months. 2nd question: To allow your wife to visit home while the AOS is being processed, you may apply for a travel document, such as Advance Parole, which allows her to travel outside the U.S. and return without abandoning her AOS application. However, it is important to note that travel with Advance Parole is not guaranteed and re-entry to the U.S. may still be denied.

Question 3 Answer to Question 3 No, your spouse's child with their ex-girlfriend is not considered your stepchild unless you have legally adopted them. If you have not legally adopted the child, you do not need to include their information on your naturalization application (Form N-400). However, if you did list them on previous immigration applications (Form I-751 and Form I-485), this could potentially cause confusion during the naturalization process. You may want to consult with an immigration attorney for further guidance.

Question 2 Answer to Question 2 The general rule of thumb is that U.S. permanent residents must not be outside the U.S. for more than 6 months at a time, as it can raise questions about their intentions to maintain permanent residency. However, there is some leniency and it's not a hard and fast rule. Being away from the U.S. for an extended period of time, like more than 6 months, could be considered abandonment of permanent residency. In your case, as you have been outside the U.S. for more than 6 months, you could face questions about your intent to maintain permanent residency during the naturalization process. However, being married to a U.S. citizen, owning property, and filing taxes in the U.S. are positive factors in your favor. Additionally, being outside the U.S. for a brief period of time, such as a couple of months, could be seen as a temporary absence. The naturalization process is complex, and the outcome depends on the specific circumstances of each case. It's recommended that you consult with an immigration attorney for personalized advice on your situation.

A lot of you may have heard about Chat GPT, AI software. I tried asking it questions around immigration for fun. Here are examples Question 1 Answer to Question 1 To bring your family members to the US, you will need to file a separate I-130 petition for each family member. For your unmarried brother above 21 years old, you can file an I-130 petition for him as a "brother or sister of a U.S. citizen." For your married brother, his wife and two kids, you will need to file a separate I-130 petition for each of them. You can include his wife and two children as "derivatives" on his I-130 petition. After the I-130 petition is approved, the next step is for the family members to go through consular processing and obtain immigrant visas. This process can take several months to complete. It is advisable to consult with an immigration lawyer or a qualified representative to assist you with the process, as well as to help ensure that the I-130 petitions are properly prepared and filed. This can also help reduce the risk of delays or denials.

I have pending I-751 since November 2021, 24 month extension. No sign of 48 month extension yet.

Yes

That's why she was so keen introducing herself 😆 Actually, a good question: aren't they required by law to give their full name? At my AOS interview, IOs name was displayed on his table at all times. Maybe it's a diffent standard depending on whether a lawyer is present 😅

The questions for you to think about: 1. Do you have any property in Laos? 2. Do you have business in Laos? 3. Are you about to inherit something in Laos? 4. Do you travel to countries visa free that Laos offers (US passport offers access to way more placea) 5. Is loss of citizenship automatic? Or even if you notify it takes time and will of officials to renounce your Laos citizenship? 6. Any penalty in law for dual citizenship? I can see one obvious downside of losing Laos citizenship - on USA passport you will need visa to visit family and friends back in Laos. If you have property, business or about to inherit something - losing Laos citizenship would be a downside. Do you know for sure loss of citizenship occurs in practice and what does it take? For example, I know some countries do not allow other citizenships, but involuntary loss is almost never enforced. Even when somebody notifies the government, they have go through lengthy procedure lasting several years and president of the country personally has to sign decree to take citizenship away, which happens to 1% of those who emigrated and naturalized elsewhere. Another thing to remember, until you renounce or lose Laos citizenship, you will be their citizen. Even with US passport. You cannot ask US embassy to help you in that case if Laos detains you for example, or doesn't let leave the country. This quote "INVOLUNTARY: The following are grounds for involuntary renunciation of Laotian citizenship: Person voluntarily acquires a foreign citizenship, though persons in this situation should not assume Laotian citizenship would simply be lost by default." suggests to me you will remain Laos citizen once you naturalize in the US until you undergo a special prodecure to document loss of citizenship in Laos. Also, US would not tell Laos you naturalized. It's up to you to follow Laos laws and not to do anything illegal.

Usually the local office is in the nearest big city you live close to. It's normal for I-751 to move around once you file N-400.

@joonieh The IT market is not as it's best shape now, but things may change in the future. Also, a good engineer is still valuable to many companies. He can try researching common job boards (LinkedIn, Dice, Indeed). He may find some recruiters he can work with by poking around and sending resume to jobs. If he's good at interviewing and solving coding problems he can try applying directly with big companies (ByteDance, Facebook, Microsoft etc.). They sponsor H1Bs, though not sure how easy it is in current market.

LPR = Lawful Permanent Resident. E.g. green card holder. When your dad gets GC, he can file for unmarried son. You need to double check visa bulletin to find out how long it would take for F2B category. It looks like currently it's taking about 13 years, if I read correctly. Cases filed before 22 OCT 2011 are processed now. Either way there's not going to be quick immigration for your brothers, no matter who sponsors them. It just may be several years shorter if dad sponsors. Alternatively, your brothers may want to try obtaining work visas with potential green card sponsorship in the future by employer.

Your father should sponsor them. - Unmarried brother as soon as father is LPR and brother remains unmarried - Married brother when your father becomes a US citizen You as US citizen can sponsor siblings too, but it's probably going to be quicker if your father files, especially for unmarried brother.

Just USCIS IT system unavailable. Try later.