frank1538

Can you say video games? My step son and step daughter spoke virtually no English when they arrived. One went to ESL classes at Dekalb Tech, and the other got enrolled in the ESOL program at the high school (Cross Keys). Neither is the best program out there, but it was a quick shot that helped both of them get started.

All comes to he who waits. Now on to NVC. Good luck.

Congratulations and best wishes for your new lives together.

I'm confused about the vaccination records part. She handed me what the doctor in shanghai gave her, which was a huge sealed package that has xrays in it (maybe it contains something else)? and some little "record of medical examination" booklet. I see nothing which says anything about her vaccination record. Will the Civil Surgeon just "know" what shots are standard in china and only give her the ones missing or are we missing some document we're supposed to have? And is the US govt supposed to have sent some information about the AOS to my house already or am I expected to just *know* what to do about formalizing my wife's residency? I guess I should be thankful there are sites like these around to help through the confusion, otherwise I'd be totally sunk with no wife. 194450[/snapback] These old eyes might not see everything, but I caught your timeline - "02/25/2006 Marriage" - Congratulations. On the vaccination question, some Chinese citizens like my wife, had no vaccination records. While in Guangzhou waiting for the interview, we went ahead a got a few vaccinations - cheaper in China than in the US. The medical folks gave us a little yellow book titled "International Certificate of Vaccination" with the listing of the shots. After the family arrived, we then went to county health and got the rest of the vaccinations, and this information was entered on another immunization record card (also yellow). Armed with both of these documents, we headed over to the civil surgeon who compared the shot records with the vaccination requirements for immigrants. I think he added a few more (3rd dose) and completed the I-693 vaccination supplement. My guess is that absent some record or proof, the civil surgeon will want to give all the age appropriate vaccinations before he completes the form. On the question of our government's sending information on the adjustment of status process, I have one thing to say -->http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/emoticons7/24.gif You'll need to figure this out for yourself, but you'll have CFL standing by to help. Initially, you should gather up the I-485 and I-864 forms that you'll have to file as part of the AOS process. Other things to consider are a social security card, advance parole if your wife wants to travel outside the US while the AOS application is pending, and the EAD or work permit.

Welcome to CFL where all the women are good looking, the children are above average, and the men show certain preferences for sheep or goats. You're fast realizing that governmental information and assistance is not the best in the world, but don't let that stop you from realizing your goals. If sounds like you may have three choices: 1. Get married in China. Assuming you have the requisite resident status in China, you should be able to file for an immigrant visa (CR-1) through the consulate in Guangzhou. This allows you to bypass the stateside filings and can shave several months off the entire process. 2. You can see if your SO can travel to Hong Kong. If so, getting married there allows you to file for a K-3 visa for processing in Hong Kong. You'll still have to file the I-130 for the CR-1 visa which will process through Guangzhou, but I believe having Hong Kong process the K-3 visa rather than Guangzhou should shave several months off the entire process as well. 3. You can file for a K-1 fiancee visa. Of the three options, this is probably the slowest, but if you can't do 1 or 2, it may actually be faster than having to file for the CR-1 or the K-3 stateside and processing through Guangzhou. Confused? Fuggetaboutit. You'll have plenty of time to sort things out.

Another major step. Bye-bye USCIS, hello DOS. Good luck.

Congratulations. A nice happy ending.

Lee, it is (currently) our right to moan and groan about the government, so have at it now before something changes. Let's hope the GCs arrive before the EADs expire.

I know how excited they must be. It is a major milestone - no more EAD, no more AP, no more uncertaintly over legal status in the US, no more hasseling with residence issues, drivers licenses, and social security cards, and no more "lao gong, why is the US government so slow?" Don't forget to mark your calender for 21 months out to file for removal of conditions. Congratulations

I'll hazard a guess that once the I-129F has been filed, the chances of getting a tourist visa drop to somewhere around 0%. Having filed the I-129F, your SO has probably gone on record as indicating "immigrant intent" which must be lacking if a tourist visa is to be issued. Maybe try Tahiti instead.

Getting married in the US is one thing. Staying in the US is something else. http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?...ndpost&p=192293

Piece-o-cake, right? Let your blood pressure get back down to normal and enjoy the rest of your lives together. Congratulations.

Good point. Thanks for clarifying.

Good news on the interview date. I'm a little baffled on the June date. I could come up with a theory or two, but it wouldn't change things. Good luck.

The child will not need a passport at the time you file the I-129F - just include the child in the application, but I would strongly advise the mother to get the child a passport as soon as possible. There was some speculation that a K-2 child under age 14 (or maybe 16) did not need a passport to travel to the US, but I think GUZ wants everyone to have a passport who will be getting a visa. Maybe others with some first hand experience can she some light on this. Custody/permission turns on a few things. If the child is 18 or older at the time of the interview, I don't think the father's permission is required. If the child is under 18 and the divorce decree gives sole custody to the mother, I don't think the father's permission is required. If the mother is in possession of a sole custody decree (sometimes issued by the court after the divorce), I don't think the father's permission is required. Otherwise, an acknowledge by the father is usually needed. GUZ provided some clarification in http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?...ndpost&p=169987

Someone must have finally removed those logs that were blocking the flow. Congratulations and best of luck at the interview.

Welcome to CFL Adam. I'm going to move your post down to the AOS and Immigration Chalenges Forum section where it will get a bit more exposure. Since your wife did not get her SSN when first entering the US, she has essentially two choices. First, she can apply for an EAD (Employment Authorization Document or work card). When she gets the EAD, she can then apply for the social security card. Second, she can wait until she receives her green card after which she can apply for a social security card. On the question of medical exams and vaccination supplements, a new medical exam is not needed provided the one she got in China as part of the visa process is less than a year old when you file for adjustment of status. Here is a link that discusses this: http://uscis.gov/graphics/i-693faq.htm "...Ks: If you were admitted to the United States as a fiance(e) (K-1), child of a fiance(e) (K-2), Spouse of a U.S. citizen (K-3), or child of K-3 (K-4), and received a medical examination prior to admission, then you do not require another medical examination as long as your application for adjustment of status (Form I-485) is filed within one year of your overseas medical examination. You will, however, be required to submit a vaccination supplement with our adjustment of status application. The vaccination supplement must be completed by a designated civil surgeon." She will need a vaccination supplement (I-693) which is completed by a civil surgeon. As to which vaccinations she will need, take a look at: http://uscis.gov/graphics/generalvac.pdf

I am aware of instances where a spouse used the K-3 to come to the US and then returned to her home country for the CR-1 interview. The purpose of the K-3 is to provide for just that, so I woud expect some K-3ers to have two visas in the passport. What I don't know is what happens to the K-3 if it is not used by the time you go to the CR-1 interview. Assuming a successful CR-1 interview, I would hope the K-3 would be voided in favor of the CR-1 visa. As Chad states, using the CR-1 to enter the US allows you to enter as a legal permanent resident while entering on the K-3 requires that you file in the US to adjust status to LPR. Also, I don't know what would happen if for some untold reason, the CR-1 interview were unsuccessful. I do know that the K-3 status of an alien already admitted to the US terminates 30 days after denial of the CR-1 visa, but the regulations seem silent on the effect on the K-3 if the CR-1 is denied prior to admittance to the US. I have a gut feel that result would not be good.

Welcome to CFL and congratulations - both at the same time.

Welcome to CFL. Good luck with the process. Mat raises a good possible alternative. If you can get married in Hong Kong, you might be able to shave a few months off the K-3 process (the CR-1 paperwork will still go at a snail's pace through Guangzhou). I'm sure you already know this, but take your paperwork with you, get copies of the Chinese paperwork created there (many copies and translated), take lots of pictures, and have a great time.

Good news indeed. Congratulations and good luck.

Congratulations Rich. Best of luck. I wonder if the June interview is somehow related to the F-1 for your daughter. Will your daughter be attending the interview as well?

Federal returns only.

Here's the 101( c ) definition: http://uscis.gov/lpBin/lpext.dll/inserts/s...t-frame.htm&2.0 "...The term "child" means an unmarried person under twenty-one years of age and includes a child legitimated under the law of the child's residence or domicile, or under the law of the father's residence or domicile, whether in the United States or elsewhere, and, except as otherwise provided in sections 320, and 321 of title III, a child adopted in the United States, if such legitimation or adoption takes place before the child reaches the age of 16 years (except to the extent that the child is described in subparagraph (E)(ii) or (F)(ii) of subsection ( b )(1)), 18a/ and the child is in the legal custody of the legitimating or adopting parent or parents at the time of such legitimation or adoption." For what it's worth, here's a link to the actual Child Citizenship Act of 2000: http://www.immigrationlinks.com/news/news627.htm

Lee, I'm not so sure that a step child automatically gets citizenship unless legally adopted. I base this on http://www.immigrationcases.com/art-08.htm which is by no means authoritative: "...Who is a Child for Purposes of CCA Benefits? A foreign born person under age 18 who is the child of an U.S. citizen by birth or adoption qualifies for CCA benefits. A child who is the "step-child" of an U.S. citizen does not qualify for CCA benefits unless he or she is legally adopted by the U.S. citizen parent. A step-child is the son or daughter of a U.S. citizen who marries a person who is not a U.S.. citizen before the child reaches age 18. Step-children and adopted children are treated differently for the CCA and other immigration purposes." jean-charles raised a similar question: http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?...ndpost&p=193062 I do agree, though, that once the biological parent becomes naturalized, the child automatically becomes a citizen provided the other conditions are satisfied (under 18, an LPR, etc.).