screamneagle

Enviable position to be in! Wish I was there!! Got a while to go yet. Congratulations and bests wishes for a bright and exciting future!!

Been there ... done that! No fun at all!! I'm still hurting! Had to apologize to my hand for writing the checks!

Yea, I'm not saying its cheap! What I'm saying is that the fees keep going up but all the headaches with USCIS stay the same! Nothing changes for the better ... nothing gets easier. If anything, its gets more complicated and frustrating. They seem to raise fees on a whim for no other reason than to raise the fees. Service improves? I don't think so. Ever try to talk to someone on the phone at USCIS? They know they've got you by the short hairs and they're going to milk you for all you're worth. In any event, its all history now. If I had Cr-1'd last year I would probably still be waiting for my wife and her daughter to get here ... and I would have all those new changes and benefits at Guangzhou to look forward to. Seems to be a loose/loose situation no matter how you cut it. The government must have a dark room somewhere where officials just sit and think of ways to squeeze every cent they can out of the working man ... think its called Congress.

Sat down yesterday to go over all the AOS application forms and supporting documentation before mailing them out the Chicago lock box today. Carefully went over all the entries on the I-485 for both wife and step daughter ... Check! Cover letters ... Check! Passport bio pages, visa copy, I-94 front and back ... check! Birth certificate booklet with translation ... Check! Marriage certificate ... Check! 2 photos with names in their little baggies ... Check! The I-864 with supporting documentation ... Check! The I - 765 with supporting documents and photos ... Check! The I - 131 with supporting documents and photos ... check! Everything appears to be complete and in order. Now comes the part that really hurts! Out comes the check book and I prepare to write the two $1,010 checks for each of the I-485s for my wife and step daughter. I think to myself, "Let me go back one more time to make sure that this figure is correct." Yep, I look at a lot of the recent posts and $1,010 is the figure but ... I think ... let me just take a quick look at the USCIS home page to make absolutely sure $1,010 is correct. I go to the home page ... click on fees for the I-485 and there in nice bold letters it reads, "Filing Fee :$985. (Add $85 biometric fee for a total of $1070! WTF!! Now, my question ... is the fee $1,010 or is the $1,070 something new for the New Year? $1,010 was bad enough but now this? It seems every time you turn around these damn fees keep going up ... and I don't mean by just a little bit! Anyone know if this is something new or did I just miss something in the small print?

I had to look at I-485 directions, NO divorce certs needed for AOS, being free to marry was provided for K-1 visa. Note: Photo copies of things like Marriage cert, and I-94 are needed for filing, keep the originals. Got it! Thanks again!! I think I'm good to go.

Great! Thanks, Dan!! This seemed to be the case but I wanted to make absolutely sure before sending in the forms. I will let you know the outcome. Dan, I just had another thought concerning the divorce decrees. I've been divorced twice before. Do I include both of my divorce decrees (as for the interview in Guangzhou) or just the most current? Also, should I include a copy of my current wife's certified Chinese divorce decree with translation (white booklet) as well? What's your thought? I won't even try to assume figuring out the USCIS thought process on this. I'll take the advice of a veteran. I was, in fact, using the VJ Adjustment of Status guide but it seemed to vary from some of the example cover letters I found on both the CFL and VJ sites. That's why I sought clarification on what support documents would actually be most effective in achieving a successful outcome. Thanks again!

Great! Thanks, Dan!! This seemed to be the case but I wanted to make absolutely sure before sending in the forms. I will let you know the outcome.

These questions pertain to a K1/K2 AOS. I have searched the various strings regarding the following questions pertaining to the supporting documents for the I-864 Affidavit of Support and have been unable to find the clear answers.I know that this may seem obvious but I want to make sure that I submit the correct documents in support of this form. The questions are these: 1. I noticed that other have included a birth certificate and copy of the Bio page of the passport with this application.Since this is an Affidavit of Support by the Petitioner, whose birth certificate and passport bio page should be included ... the Petitioner or the Beneficiary? Is this an option or a requirement? 2. Should the Certificates of Divorce for both the Petitioner AND the Beneficiary be included as supporting documents for the I-864? 3. For the I-485 ... do I need to include a 325A for myself as the Petitioner? Do I need to include a copy of my (Petitioner) Divorce Decree again? As always ...thanks in advance for your assistance!

Hello Aiai! CONGRATULATIONS AND WELCOME TO THE UNITED STATE! My fiance and her daughter have also been here one month and they appear to be very happy and adjusting nicely. We wish you all the best for a bright and happy future!

Even "Amnesty " costs BIG money, take a look at the fee for I-485A, and Illegal that qualified for amnesty would be paying $1010 for I-485, and another $1000 for the I-485A. Note, you are not filing the I-485, it is your spouse and daughter that are applying to adjust their status, you are only providing sponsorship and providing an I-864 for each, you may be filling out the forms and doing the paperwork, however it is they who are adjusting status, not you. Dan: Yes, I know that they are technically filing for the adjustment of status and that I am just helping with the paperwork. Probably a bad choice of words/phrases. Concerning amnesty, I was referring to the blanket amnesty Congress is now considering for illegal immigrants. I work 2 blocks away from the Capital building here in Washington, DC and get all of the latest "buzz" pretty much first hand. I don't think under that type of policy the government will be asking this multitude of humanity to file any I-485's or an I-485A's. Just my own opinion. I can't see how they could afford them! Most are already on food stamps or some other social program to assist them with health care, schooling, day care or in one way or another. Employment comes in the form of "day work" which is usually solicited by standing on street corners hoping some one will drive up an offer them employment for the day. I don't see how these poor souls could be made to pay for ANY type of amnesty. It would probably force them to remain illegal if anything.

David: Thanks for the info. I figured this out after looking at the I-485 again. Since I am required to file a separate I-485 for both the mother and the daughter, neither form should have any "dependents". In both cases the math adds up correctly. A very crafty move by the USCIS to suck another $1050 out of your hard earned cash. They've got a fee for everything imaginable from changing your name to blinking your eyes. When you think about it, might have been better to skip Quangzhou all together ... fly over to China ... get your lady ... fly back to Mexico ... cross the border into the U.S. with all the other illegals ... and then wait for amnesty. Sure would have been cheaper ... and look at all the benefits! Thanks again. Tsap seui take note! Don't think I could have been as tolerant as you in all of this!

I must agree with Randy! I have my K-1 fiancee and her K-2 20 year old daughter here with me now in Virginia. We had our interview in Quangzhou on August 24th and they arrived in the U.S. on October 22nd. The only problem we encountered concerning this issue was that we did not have an "un married" certificate for the daughter. Be sure to have a notarized "un married" certificate in the white book notary form with you when you attend your interview ... they will most surely ask for it! Other than this your "reliable source" is sorely mistaken in saying that K-2, potentially aged-out adult children are routinely denied a visa. There are very knowledgeable people on this site with a wealth of experience under their belts. They have helped many of us through the process. Don't be discouraged! If you hang tough and consult this form often you will most certainly achieve your goal. The priceless information found here is both accurate and without equal. Good luck on your journey. Richard

Thank you, gentlemen! This really clarifies some of the confusion! I will proceed according to your advice and will get back with any additional questions. Thanks again Dan and Carl!

I have gone through most of the AOS topics and strings listed here and have gleaned a wealth of useful information. However, I have not encountered the information I need to complete the AOS packet on which I am currently working... so here goes. My fiance and her 20 year old adult daughter arrived in the U.S. on October 22nd with their POE at JFK in New York (K-1 & K-2). Everything at the airport went off without a hitch. They have been here in Virginia now for almost 3 weeks and I am preparing the AOS packet to go out as soon as we receive our SS numbers and are married. 5 days after their arrival I took them to the Social Security Administration office to obtain their SS numbers. I was told that it was, "too early to file" and that I should come back in 10 days. From that office we went to our local circuit court to obtain a marriage license. We were told that we need the Social Security number in order to file for the license ... you see where this is going? On the morning of the 10th day I arrived back in the Social Security office with my fiance and her daughter to again apply for the SS numbers. After 30 minutes of questions and a lot of confusion my fiance was given a paper that explained that she would receive her social security card in the mail in about 2 weeks. There we 2 women "helping" us who obviously did not deal with the immigration situation very often. Questions were flying back and forth between them and us and we were giving them all the information they requested. Then it came time for my fiance's daughter to apply. Again we went through 30 minutes of confusion just as we had gone through with my fiance. At the conclusion of this process I was asked, "Why does she (the daughter) need a social security number"? I answered that she wanted to enroll in the local community college to take classes in English as a Second Language(ESL)and that she may want to apply for part time employment to help pay for the classes. I was told, "Those are not valid reasons to apply for a Social Security number. The only way she can obtain a social security number is to adjust her status"! I replied that I needed the social security number to adjust her status. After a drawn out exchange of words I was told that the AOS was the only way for her to get her social security number. My fiance's daughter did not receive her number. When we returned home I asked to see both of their passports. I looked closely at the I-94's that were stapled into the books. Both of them have an identical red ink stamp on the reverse side that reads, "Employment Authorized ___". There is absolutely no difference in the stamps on both passports. I assume that this is their EAD and their authorization to work. Why the Social Security office refused to give her a number is beyond me. Any thoughts??? So now we come to the AOS packet and the forms. I understand from a previous post that I need to file a SEPARATE I-485 for my wife and for her daughter. I understand that I will have to pay 2 SEPARATE filing fees for these applications and that they must be sent in separate envelopes with a separate check for the $1050 fee. My questions are these: 1. I file ONE I-485 packet for my fiance/wife AND ONE I-485 packet for her daughter ... correct? 2. Do both of these I-485 packets contain a separate I-765, G-325A, I-864, I-131? (We want to file for AP & EAD) 3. If I list the daughter as a dependent child on item "9a" of my fiance's/wife's I-864, do I file another I-864 just for her daughter listing her as the principle immigrant in "Part 3, item 8" or ? 4. How and in which AOS packet would I file the I-765 for the EAD for the daughter? 5. To simplify, what forms and evidence should be contained in each individual AOS packet? What should they look like and what forms should each contain? My fiance/wife's packet seems clear enough but her daughter's packet is giving me heart burn! 6. Has anyone else had any experience in obtaining a social security number for an immigrant adult child? With having it rejected at the SS office? 7. Can I file for the AOS for the daughter WITHOUT having a social security number? If so, when the green card arrives do I simply take it to the social security office to show them the status has been adjusted and then they will issue her a number or ? I apologize in advance for all of this confusion but it seems that at every "official" office I go to there is a different story. I don't even want to go into the saga of the infopass appointment I went to in order to resolve this issue. Talk about a run-around! I just want to get the daughter her social security number so that she can get into school for the spring semester. As always. any assistance you guys could provide would really be appreciated! Richard

GREAT JOB! CONGRATULATIONS!!

Oh, too bad! Would have been nice!

Hey, Amaro! My lady and her daughter also arrive at JFK POE on the October 22nd! What is your flight number? Maybe we can hook up for the wait at immigration. Their flight is Air China 981 due into Terminal 1 at 14:20. Let me know!

CONGRATULATIONS and way to go!

CONGRATULATIONS and all the best to you! I will soon be facing this next step. My lady and her daughter arrive this Friday and I will immediately plunge into the forms for the AOS. Here we go again!

Visit CFL everyday and do alot of praying,, best of luck to you both I agree! A boat load of prayers is very beneficial during this period of the process ... that plus a lot of patients! Go easy on your fingernails too!

Congratulations and best of luck to you both!

Great Job! Congratulations to you both!! Bet you're glad this part of the process is behind you!!!

Don't you just hate when that happens! Makes you feel like you want to lean over the top of the seat and give the person a shot in the head!

The only problem with purchasing your own water or soft drink is that lately, as you are walking down the boarding ramp to board the aircraft, they have stated to spot check your "carry on" bags for liquids. They ask some people if they have water but they also pull some people to the side and check check their bags. There was a table on the ramp near the inspecting officers filled with unopened bottles water, soda and orange juice. They've got you coming and going. Just a "heads up".

I do not know if this had anything to do with it but the instruction sheet my lady received in her P4 packet listed somewhere close to 15 documents that it said, "Bring to the interview". We had every one of the documents listed plus duplicates, all the passport photos and everything else we thought we needed to be successful at the interview. Nowhere in the documentation that was sent by the consulate was there any mention of a notarized un married statement for a female child over the age of 20 years. It was clearly stated on my initial I-129F and all the P3 documents that there was a child almost 20 years old that needed a K-2 to accompany her mother to the US. Again ... no mention of the need for a notarized un married statement. When the actual interview was just about completed, the VO asked my lady's daughter how old she was. She replied that she was 20 years old and that is when the notarized un married statement was asked for. My lady had her P4 packet with her and showed the VO that this was NOT one of the documents or pieces of evidence listed to bring to the interview. She was told that the consulate would not issue the visas without the notarized un married statement. My lady then asked if we could obtain this document in Guangzhou. She was told that it must originate from the daughter's home town of Chengdu. Well that was 2 and a half hours away by air so it wasn't going to happen on the day of the interview. When we got back to the Tian Yi apartments, the Yang's ask how the interview went. We explained what had happened and they offered to take the document to the consulate for us after we sent it to them. Mr. Yang's wife wrote out what needed to be included in the language for the power of attorney document. It was in Chinese so I didn't understand it. We arranged to have the document made immediately upon our returned to Chengdu and have it sent via EMS along with both passports to the Yang's. The consulate would mail the visas to the Yang's and they would forward them on to my lady in Chengdu via EMS. This is exactly how it all went down. The fee the Yang's charge for just forwarding the visas is 300 RMB. If you need them as the power of attorney, the fee is 1000 RMB. Hope this helps clarify the situation. I guess we were lucky in any event. I am just grateful that this phase of the process is over.