frank1538

First, congratulations on your wife's arrival. I'll take a stab at the AOS process. At a very high level, you will need to file the I-485 along with the G-325A, I-864, and supporting documentation. A good place to look for what needs to go with the application is http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?pg=k1k3aos Here's a link to the vaccination supplement question: http://uscis.gov/graphics/Medical_Exam.htm#whatare I would recommend that you shop around for the best prices (county health, insurance, civil surgeon). Wherever you go, you should get a record of what shots she gets or, if not age appropriate, a notation to that effect. This information is then provided to the civil surgeon who completes the vaccination supplement form that also goes with the I-485. As a K-3 visa holder, your wife won't need a medical exam if the one she got in China is less than a year old. Some civil surgeons will try to force one on you for the bucks but take a look at http://uscis.gov/graphics/i-693faq.htm which makes it clear that one is not needed. One additional filing you might want to consider is the I-765 which is needed to get the EAD/work card. You wife will also need the EAD in order to get a "valid for work" social security card.

Most excellent. Congratulations.

I suggest doing what Steve (cosmiclobster) and Amy did - get in touch with a good lawyer: http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?...showtopic=13394

I'm not sure about this. As a general rule, for the USC to petition a step child, the child must be under age 18 at the time of the marriage.

That's a tough choice. For me, being there to help Jingwen and the kids navigate through paying the fees, getting the medical results/vaccinations, and prepping for the interview was as important as the previous trips to be with her. I guess I'd answer the question this way. If you're rock solid in your relationship, I'd probably opt to go during the interview. Your SO can still legitimately say that you've been to visit more than once. On the other hand, if you want to continue to develop the relationship, go now.

Good news. Should be a walk in the park but good uck anyway.

Wow! What a story. Being well informed and challenging the authority when necessary really paid off. I just wonder how many visas have been denied simply because people did not stand up to the great GUZ. Congratulations. Bring the kids home and enjoy life.

A K-2 is available for the "child" of the fiance(e). One definition of "child" includes an adopted child: "If the child is adopted, he/she must have been adopted with a full and final adoption when the child was under the age of 16, and the child must have lived with and been in the legal custody of the parent for at least two years." http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/glossary...ary_1363.html#c It is possible that this definition might apply to a child adopted by your fiancee, but I don't know for certain. At least, I would make sure that the child is listed on your I-129F petition.

Be careful about claiming the step children as dependents: http://www.irs.gov/publications/p501/ar02.html#d0e3290

I think this is the right way. If you ever submitted an affidavit of support in the past, list the info on line 9. If you ever filed a petition in the past, list the info on line 10. Think about line 10. If it was intended solely to cover the current petition, why would it say "If none, state none"?

Congratulations and best wishes.

Take a look here: http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=11970 I think it covers just about all the fees. Hotel costs will vary. There are a couple of pinned topics in the GZ info forum that should give you and idea of lodging costs.

NIce!!!!

This makes perfect sense, but since Jingwen got her green card using the K-1 expiration date, maybe the date isn't a big deal with USCIS.

The law says three years after "being lawfully admitted for permanent residence." I read this as three years from AOS approval. Give or take a few days, this sounds like the green card date, not the initial entry date for K-1/K-3 visa holders. CR/IR-1 visa holders would seem to get to start the clock upon entry since they enter the US as LPRs. http://uscis.gov/lpBin/lpext.dll/inserts/s....htm#slb-act319

I used the expiration date as shown on the actual K-1 visa.

My guess is that sending the EAD application back would be routine. Since you are probably filing the EAD simultaneously with the AOS (category ( c )9?) a return of the I-485 would automatically return the I-765.

chef4u probably has some good ideas, but Jingwen makes a killer chicken hot pot. Actually, it very simple, at least from this simple mind's perspective. She starts with a large ceramic cassarole dish/pot and fills it with cut up chicken parts and beer (no water) and cooks it until the chicken is done. She may add a little seasoning for taste but I can't guarantee it. She will scrape off some of the fat during the cooking. While the chicken is cooking she prepares the additions - usually celery, watercress, napa lettuce, sometimes soy bean sheets that have been soaked in water, a variety of mushrooms (usually shitaki and noki), sometimes tufu cubes, and possibly other additions. After the chicken is cooked, she'll put the pot on the tabletop butane burner and fire 'er up. She puts the additions on separate plates and usuallys starts by adding some of mushrooms and celery first to let them cook a bit. Side bowls usually consist of rice and a sauce, usually hot sauce since Jingwen is a Guangdong girl. I like to make a cup of broth after I've eaten to my heart's content. She also does hot pots for thinly sliced beef/pork/lamb and shrimp/clams but I don't think she uses beer as the broth.

One week is very fast, you lucky dog, and I thought I was doing great at one month. Congratulations and good luck.

Come on up, but not during March-May. Jingwen and eventually I are headed back to Zhanjiang to visit with family. If you need anything to go to/from Zhanjiang, just let us know.

A major step in the process. Congratulations. Jingwen had problems with her P3 as well (never got the first set). It took a while but GZ finally got it right after first a fax (didn't work) and then an e-mail and several follow ups.

Hmmm. Maybe yes, maybe no. The consensus seems to be that visa files are not coded as "diplomatic papers" and are shipped in larger quantities. I hope you're right.

Who's counting anyway? At least it's a step in the right direction.

Congratulations. Sounds like a joyous holiday is at hand.

Congratulations. It's been a long time coming, but I guarantee it's worth the wait. Funny about the documentation. Jingwen just about had her weight in documentation, and the VO didn't bother with it. After the interview, we returned to the hotel, and I started tossing most of the stuff, but Jingwen was very concerned that someone would be going through the trash and might find useful documents, etc. So, I ended up shredding everything by hand. Best wishes.