Melancholic Mage

Just to add my experience, I entered with my CR-1 in October. For what it's worth, I had an ESTA on the system that was still valid and Dublin was my POE. Being with my US spouse, we asked an officer which line was acceptable to join and they pointed us towards the one for returning US citizens, as @garebear397mentioned with their own partner. At the front we notified the border official of my shiny new visa within my passport. We were then led towards a backroom where a lovely gent ran through some questions, officially stamped my visa, told me when to expect my Green Card, and off we went. Don't worry too much @ChelseaW. There's always someone to ask. Word of advice though, make sure you leave plenty of time between connecting flights. I ended up having to run to catch my plane despite giving myself near 3 hours in-between because of the volume. Though it may have reduced at this juncture in time.

@Tesco I was looking at US Mobile as (to me personally) it seemed like the best out of the bunch I researched. The difference in pricing here compared to the UK is stunning. Wait until you look at bank account fees. In the end, my husband had a spare number on his US plan and we just used that after getting a SIM card from the associated store. I switch to my UK SIM when needed and use very small PAYG transactions to keep it active - I find their international bundles are cheaper. Be warned though, some UK numbers just don't connect even with a UK sim card and one of their international plans. SmilingStone getting a new phone was honestly the most simplest way to go and I'll eventually do the same myself. Keeping old ties is exhausting.

This may help you. Please note this isn't a sponsored source of VJ or its community, just a little digging I did to give you a guideline of what to do. Write a letter to USCIS, include any numbers pertaining to your case, and honestly, pay for expedited delivery. Stop her in her tracks as soon as possible. https://www.lawfirm1.com/immigration-visas-green-cards/how-to-withdraw-sponsorship-for-immigrant-consequences-of-withdrawing-i-130-i-485/ I found this sample letter as well to help: https://www.soundimmigration.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Sample-request-to-withdraw-Form-I-864-Affidavit-of-Support.pdf

Wow. Maybe I should have brought over my own manual from the UK, saved myself the three minutes lol. Back to the topic at hand, the acting examiner told me when we got chatting that the DMV were hiring. Lo and behold, I checked it out and so they are. I plan to apply once I get my license in the mail as it asks for information on it. There's one big problem though: their website requests I upload education documents. I have physical certificates of my high school grades and college degrees which I can photograph and convert into PDF files, no issue I suppose. (See first post for full details.) But whether or not they understand them is another thing. I don't want to upload them only for my application to be immediately thrown away and my chances scuppered before I even get started. In other's experience, should I just go for it with what I have or should I pay to get my grades transcribed to US equivalencies? (Side note, but there is an extra option to upload additional job history and also additional info. I could attach a cover letter explaining I can get my grades transcribed if needed? I have no real contact information for my institutes of study since they've all since long been bulldozed/closed down, but maybe just getting them translated is enough. And apologies as I realise I'm asking what's pretty much already been answered here by a few of you, but I'm more hesitant now that I'm faced with an upload request on an application form and can't explain in person. That considering, it would be helpful to know how others might proceed here. Thank you.)

I'm really sorry to hear what you're going through, @csh2020. There's not much I can say that other user's haven't already, but I wanted to highlight what I found to be the warning signs in your own post. Frankly, it raises more red flags to me than the whole Chinese Dynasty ever did. I'm surprised no one mentioned it, but the biggest one for me was when you mentioned divorce and brought up court, and she immediately reacted by assuming you meant immigration court. Speaking for myself, but no one in their right mind would assume that right off the bat when speaking about a divorce. I would be asking why, what I could be doing better, how we could make things work. If I was faced with what you leveraged at her with my husband, I'd be absolutely devastated. Destroyed. The last thing I would be thinking about, were I in that situation, would be my ability to stay in the country. If anything, divorce typically makes people want to be the farthest apart from each other. Be careful with this woman. The devil is at work with her. Unfortunately, good souls such as yourself are targeted by these kinds of Green Card cons. Have faith you can overcome this, but absolutely seek an attorney. This woman clearly has no interest in anything but her residency status and doesn't deserve you.

@appleblossom I passed today. And I think I broke a new world record by passing in three minutes. Not even joking. No hand signals, no parallel parking, no questions about uphill or downhill even. I left the test centre, stopped at a few Stop signs leaving the parking lot, merged onto the main road with 40/50mph traffic flow as instructed, and the examiner said my merge was 'beautiful' and immediately asked if it was my first time getting a license and if I'd driven before. Guess it was obvious because by the time I hit the next set of traffic lights, he said I passed. I almost lost my grip on the wheel. Unreal lol.

I'm happy to hear this but also angry since the vaccination was forced on me to enter on CR-1.

@smilingstone Have you tried US Mobile? https://www.usmobile.com/

Thank you, it took quite some time to write up! Please let us know how your appointment goes.

Hello, Lee. Since I've arrived here in October I've gotten my SSN, Green Card, State ID, joint bank account, and passed my written driving theory. This all sounds very easy but I assure you, it hasn't been. It's been grueling. Once I pass the practical driving test, I'll finally be set to apply for jobs and have the means to get there. I'm currently getting real experience on the road as everything is essentially mirrored here and I can only practice on weekends when my other half is free from work. I'm unable to walk or do much of anything without a car. No point doing voluntary work if I can't even get to it. And no networks that I know of. I'm working on converting my UK CV into a US resume these days and gaining the experience needed to pass the physical driving test. I had a full UK driver's license which makes things easier - I know how to drive. But it's very easy to slip up on some of the unfamiliar signs and road systems. Once I get some job offers and interviews, I may post an update or two. But frankly, my opinion of this forum has pretty much declined to really bother documenting how I'm doing anymore.

Thank you @SL2024. It's nice to know my efforts aren't entirely wasted. We are saving for our own home and don't have ownership over bills where we are, hence our personal circumstances being more complicated than others and older folks on here quick to judge. I'm sure we're not the only ones reliant on kind family as a stopgap. In the end, in the mess of everything, it turns out we didn't pay our fee for my green card when we thought we did. USCIS sent us a payment notice, and it was the proof of address we absolutely needed to get everything rolling. We have a joint bank account now, I now have a State ID, and I've passed through my US driving theory yesterday all off the back of it. Mistakes into miracles. I would suggest anyone in a similar position getting set up this way not to pay the green card fee until a notice is sent. It doesn't even delay the green card, which I also now have. Regarding HMRC I reported not having my P45 and explained why. They will ask at the end of the form if you go through it online regardless of the warnings. It took some time and an error on their part making me resubmit the form again, but I got a message on my online account a few days ago saying the tax has been calculated and they owe me half a grand. They should be sending a cheque in the post. (Here or within the UK remains to be seen.) It all got sorted out in the end. But they didn't make it easy. What happened with my employer refusing to give me my paperwork, who's to say. I can't say I care anymore.

@Zikaengee It's definitely two years as stated above. I thought you might like to look at this official USCIS calculator to remove any doubt: just pop in the date on your Green Card and it will tell you the earliest date you can file within the 90 day window. Good luck! https://www.uscis.gov/forms/when-to-file-your-petition-to-remove-conditions

Following up my last post, I received my Green Card today and it's the two years conditional as expected. So more evidence pointing to USCIS error if you have an expiry date outside your filing restrictions. Any update OP?

@laylalex I finally put on some make-up! Did it for Thanksgiving. It looked okay I think... had some nice smoky eyeshadow in the corners of my eyes that bled to silver, with a few hiccups here and there. (Some mineral powder that went, well, everywhere. I'm learning.) But... I ended up looking like a panda at the end. Not sure if it was too much mascara dusting from my lashes, or the eyeliner smudging? But I ended up having black sleep in the corners of my eyes and it just... blotched. Very attractive. And no, I didn't rub at my eyes at all. Only grace was I had glasses on to hide the worst of it, but pretty much hid the rest of the night once I noticed. Also had sister-in-law try some weird nail dip varnish on me and it's all terribly chipped after a few days. Because I'm a heavy-handed working woman who doesn't go give a flying duck about my nails at the best of times: I have a job to do, I do it. And now I can't get this blasted stuff off. Don't think I'm cut out for this stuff. Suggestions going forward?

@banang Here is what I was given to me directly from Visa Medicals and is also what they follow in terms of CDC requirements: https://www.cdc.gov/immigrant-refugee-health/media/pdfs/Vaccine-Requirements-According-to-Applicant-Age-panel-physicians-p.pdf If your Covid jab was over 6 months ago, yes, you will need another one. You can pay Boots for one who will give you a vaccination slip with the date, time, and dose with batch ID listed. They will accept this. If you have not finished your two dose 'course' of jabs for Covid immunity, you will have to do this to fulfil requirements. If you have had zero Covid jabs, you will have to get two or the jab that is a designed single shot to be classed as protected. Otherwise, it's boosters from here on out. Children's ages are listed here. I don't have much knowledge on children and their requirements as I have yet to have any, but they will follow this sheet. Hope this helps.