K1 Visa AOS

[MissRyleeee 0]

So, I am just prepping myself for when/if I recieve my K1 Visa. My appointment is on April 28th.

I am just concerned about what is the first thing I should do when I enter the US?

Should I apply for a SSN with my maiden and then get married and then get a new one with my new surname?

How do I apply for AOS?

When should I do it (how far into the 90 days)?

All this seems so confusing and I am not prepared. I have a little bit of an idea on what to do, but I am confused.

Any help would be appreciated!

-Rylee

[VFittipaldi 30]

• First you should apply for a SSN. Apply with your maiden name to avoid later complications like your I-94 record not matching your name. (withing a week or so when you enter, this is not a rule but it is better to do so)
• Get married (within 90 days of your entry, super important)
• Go back to Social Security office and change your name (Before your I-94 expires to avoid complications)
• Apply for AOS by reading and following the Guide on Visa Journey and post questions here.
• There is no specific date you need to apply by, the sooner the better. Some people wait a year or years to apply for AOS. The 90 day rule is strictly to get married. It is not a date by which you must apply for AOS. The fee is $1070 so some people need the time to save up the money. In my opinion you should apply asap because it takes a very long time and on an expired I-94 and a foreign passport you can do very very few things.

Hope this helps.

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

Applying for the SSN in the maiden name, whether it is before or after marriage, can typically avoid unnecessary hassles from SSA workers when they see your name does not match what is in the system. Some will allow you to change it with the marriage certificate, as they should, but others will tell you that you need your EAD/AP in your new married name first. They want the official government ID to show the married name. SSA workers are quite inconsistent in what they do and ask for, mainly because a lot of them do not know their own requirements and procedures for the SSN.

There is no time limit/deadline in which to file for AOS. As long as you married within 90 days then you are eligible to file based on your approved I-129F petition and fulling the requirements of the K-1 visa. However, you will be out of status and begin to accrue unlawful presence between your I-94 expiring and filing for AOS. Once you file for AOS, you then enter a period of authorized stay while waiting for your green card approval.

Print out your I-94 info > https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/request.html

Follow this guide for getting the SSN > http://www.visajourney.com/content/ssn

Follow this guide for AOS > http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1k3aos

The fees are listed here > http://www.uscis.gov/i-485

The fees for the I-765(EAD-work authorization) and I-131(AP-advance parole for travel) are waived when filed with a pending I-485, so include both of those too. It takes about 60-90 days to receive the EAD/AP combo card, which will allow you to work(along with an SSN) and re-enter the US when traveling abroad while waiting for the green card approval.

You need all the supporting documents for each form as well, so read the instructions for each one. You can also search here on VJ for what to include with each form if you get stumped. There are also example forms here on VJ you can look at when filling out the forms. They can be helpful.

Oh, and here are the details you need about whether or not you need to see a civil surgeon > http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/428381-i-693-report-of-medical-examination-and-vaccination-report/?p=6206232

~ Moved from K-1 Process to AOS from Family Based Visas - topic is AOS, not K-1 ~

Edited April 1, 2015 by KayDeeCee

[NM2428 12]

Kinda of off topic, but...I have received the receive the EAD/AP combo card. I am filling out some banking papers and was asked what my status is withing the US. At this point, I am kind of confused about that. What do we put down? Non-resident alien??

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

Yes, you are currently a non-resident alien, but you can also describe yourself as an adjustment applicant. Your status is kind of limbo right now awaiting the approval of your permanent residency.

[NM2428 12]

Ok. Prefect. Thanks. I think it was the information and classificationin regards to taxes etc that confused me. When filing taxes here I read you would put immigrant alien. It being an application for a Canadian LIRA account for a transfer from my Canadian OMERS I should be fine putting nonimmigrant alien as my status? At least I hope so...Just trying to do it right. This grey area in between stuff, is for the birds! Loll

[CowBoE 429]

So, I am just prepping myself for when/if I recieve my K1 Visa. My appointment is on April 28th.

I am just concerned about what is the first thing I should do when I enter the US?

Should I apply for a SSN with my maiden and then get married and then get a new one with my new surname?

How do I apply for AOS?

When should I do it (how far into the 90 days)?

All this seems so confusing and I am not prepared. I have a little bit of an idea on what to do, but I am confused.

Any help would be appreciated!

-Rylee

KDC provided pretty comprehensive answers.

I just wanted to add that, it's probably the easiest to

1) Take your I-94 and passport and apply for SS card with the maiden name within few days of POE

just to get that out of the way. My wife (fiancee at the time) received it in 5 working days.

2) Some counties may require (or at least the clerk could demand) the SS number for marriage license.

And you will need SS card to open any bank accounts. So it's good to get SS card ASAP after POE.

3) As KDC mentioned, some were able to change the SS card to married name after marriage,

but many others, like my wife, were denied until they get EAD or Green card.

Once she received the EAD card, we were able to get the last name changed.

4) You might also want to get the state ID (vs. driver's license) right after you get the SS card.

Because there are many places where they ask for US picture ID and it'll come handy.

Edited March 30, 2015 by DualityOneness

[NM2428 12]

I would also ask how soon after you cross the border are you getting married? Our wedding was only two weeks after my arrival. In our case we waited until after the wedding before getting the ssn or drivers license and then applied for the aos with the married name and new ID numbers. I must say though I needed a passport and a piece of mail addressed to me at my U.S. residence as proof of me living here. Thank goodness I had registered for a store mailing list. Who knew it would be such an crutial piece of mail. So oerhaos register for a mailing list and have mail delivered to yoh at yohr US address. Anyways. I also needed my driving history. Perhaps contact your licensing office now and have them mail you your driving record and history ahead of time. Once I had all this plus my marriage certificate. I was able to get my drivers license in my married name. I found it super easy to obtain my SSN overall. Fillout the SSN application form have your drivers licence - your old one works, your passort and in my case- my marriage certificate. I obtained my social security number in my new married name. If your wedding date is a ways off. Then yes you'll have to applly for your ssn and drivers license in your maiden name, the chNge them after your wedding day. I hope this helps. Good luck!

[MissRyleeee 0]

I entered the US exactly a week ago today, and I am still having troubles figuring out this whole AOS thing.

I guess the reason why I am confused is because I am getting mixed answers...

So the first thing i should apply for is a SSN, right?

Then after i get married, what is the FIRST form i have to fill out and send in?? for example; Form i-765? Form i-485?

Please help

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

SSN before or after marriage, and before or after AOS. The SSN is not required for either of those. However, you can get the SSN after entry while your I-94 is still valid, so why not go ahead and get it as soon as you can?

The guide lists everything required for AOS. They are mailed together. > http://www.visajourney.com/content/k1k3aos

[VFittipaldi 30]

I entered the US exactly a week ago today, and I am still having troubles figuring out this whole AOS thing.

I guess the reason why I am confused is because I am getting mixed answers...

So the first thing i should apply for is a SSN, right?

Yes, that is correct

Then after i get married, what is the FIRST form i have to fill out and send in?? for example; Form i-765? Form i-485?

Then the first thing is to go back to SS office and change your last name on your SS card. This of course if you changed your name. if you do not go back to the SS office soon enough they will not want to change your name because of the I-94 expiring and so on.

After that you fill out form I-485 and form I-765 and all of the supporting forms and other things that go into the package.

Please help