AOS time

[RT&Jing]

Well this is my first post so I want to start off with a, Thank You, to everyone here. I have been a lurker on the site for about a year and have found it informative and at times funny as hell. My Jing has been on 001 for a long time, so she urged me to get active. So here I am.

 

We are about to mail our AOS paperwork in. I have found many of questions answered here through out the forum. There are a few things ( issues ) that i want to ask about. Any advice ?

 

Living here in DFW , I am finding some issues, of course the first one is the No state ID or DL without basicly a valid green card. I can live with that , though my Honey is being so persistant about wanting an ID and for me to teach her to drive.

 

I tried to add her to my bank account ( WAMU ), but they won't because she doesn't have a 2nd ID. I brought up the issue of not being able to get the ID, etc. I will try an alternative idea.....Capital One image card- put her photo on it. will call and see if I can do that.

 

Found out when checking with the high school to see about our daughter that, they too, want a state ID before she could be enrolled. I know she needs an ESL class bad. Her english is not good. I want to find a ESL class for both of them, since it looks like they will have several months before able to do anything. sigh...

 

And then todays issue. It is re enrolment time for my health Insurance. So go talk to HR about adding them. WELL, HR says that they are auditing all dependants on our insurance. Have new guide lines that are stricker than ever. And that step children in general are finding it difficult to be insured. Then I brought up the fact that my step daughter doesn't have her green card yet, or my wife. HR was like, OH. It is unlikely that the insurance will cover them. But if you want to try and add them, your monthly premium will go up from $120 a month, to $400 a month.

 

Wiskey, Tango, Foxtrot !

 

Anyone else had similar issues?

 

 

RT

[Randy W]

Go NOW and get your wife's SS card - no problem within 75 days of a K1's arrival

 

Apply for EAD for both - yes, your daughter, also. Don't even stop to think that she's not going to work - it's free, and she needs it for an SS card.

 

The EAD is her first US photo ID.

 

You should be all set once you get the SS and EAD cards.

 

Your company (not the insurance co.) seems to be pretty sticky about who they will cover.

 

You may have to take your daughter to a public school for now.

[bjones20001]

You must just have insurance for yourself, not a "family".

 

I have "family" coverage thru my employer because I've got 3 kids. Adding my wife was a snap. Just went to HR, showed them a copy of my Marriage License and the was added on. Getting married is a "life event" (HAHA, I'll say) so I didn't have to wait until open enrollment.

 

The 400/month sounds about right. If I were single, I think health insurance is around $100. But since I've got the kids, and hence a "family", they take out about $200 each paycheck, every two weeks.

 

Wife applied for a SSN back in September (last month of the Fed's fiscal year, so they are not too busy). Got SSN in 5 days. Added to checking account (at BofA) the next day. Passport (in 'maiden' name) and SSN card (in married name), took 5 minutes. The people at WAMU sound clueless.

 

Also, can't add 'step children' to my 'family' health policy. This is pretty standard. Right now I've got 'tourist health insurance' for the step-daughter, who just turned 18. Once she get's her EAD, then SSN, then job, I'll have her get health insurance thru that employer. Health insurance on a teen is dirt cheap. (...unlike car insurance )

[phantom06]

Getting the SS card is quite fast, my SO got her SS card in 10 days or so. Just need to fill out some forms and wait, it'll be in the mail before you know it.

[Missingyou]

Hi,

 

My husband had just arrived in US a month ago on K3. We had some problems of getting driving permit, but all worked out okay for now and his test is scheduled this Friday. I just have my fingers crossed now, becasue w/out SSN or GC, we might get turn away on Friday... We are in WA.

 

As for bank accounts... I had Bank of America for years and when my husband came, I just added his name to my account and had no problem with them. We did this with only his Chinese Passport, I-94 and valid US Visa. Two days ago, we got the first bank statment with both of our names on it. Prehaps, you can look into having joint account with Bank of America. I don't know if it was easier for me, becasue I already had existing account.

 

As for health insurance, I will be adding my husband to my health plan at work with Regance. Regence wanted to see a copy of our Chinese Marriage Booklet translated by DSHS certified translator and notarized. We got that taken care of and costed us nearly $80 USD in WA. On top of this, again... Chinese Passport (this time my husband also provided his photo WA driving permit---no an acutal ID yet), and his valid US Visa and I-94. Regence replied that everything looks fine. My husband s/be getting covered 01/01/2009.

 

As for filing tax jointing, we went down to IRS and got him a ITIN. The officer there took a look at the acutal Chinese Passport, took our application and did some computer typing and said a # s/be mail to us in 3 weeks. We didn't apply for EAD yet, since we will be moving out of WA soon and wants to do AOS elsewhere and wait for 10 yrs GC at the same time.

 

I don't think I can rest my mind until my husband gets his GC. This immigration thing is a big headache to us.

[RT&Jing]

Thanks for the input. We have her SSN card. I am checking out the tourist and student health insurance policies. Will tackle any other issues as they arise.