Help! Another what to do next thread

[turtle]

Hi everyone. Seems a while since I've been here. Well, my fiancee is finally here and we got married last Friday! So now it's time to start getting busy with all these acronyms... I've spent the last hour or so plodding around this forum, and it seems there's a lot of conflicting options... I haven't been able to figure out just what I need to do next. Hopefully someone can help out, and if one doesn't already exist maybe we can put together some sort of checklist for this??? The checklists published by USCIS are some of the least user-friendly I've seen...

 

Here is what I've gathered so far (this is for k1)...

 

1. Civil Surgeon. Seems I need to take care of the vaccinations before filing AOS, right? So first of all I need to get my fiancee to a civil surgeon to get these taken care of. Here is the list I found:

Civil Surgeon Finder

 

2. Apply for Adjustment of Status (AOS). So I need to fill out forms I-485 and I-864. And then-- take in person to the local service center? Or send by mail?

 

3. Employment Authorization (EAD). Ok, so this seems to need a form I-765. But the instructions suggest this needs to be sent to Nebraska (I am in Washington State). But then I saw some posts saying they got AOS and EAD together at the local service center. So, how exactly does this work? Can I take the AOS and EAD forms together to the local office and leave with both taken care of? No need to mail anything?

 

4. SSN. Seems I could have gotten the SSN before we got married. But a recent thread suggested it's better to wait until after marriage so you don't have the "not authorized to work" label on it. Ok, so we waited until we were married. Now-- seems we have to wait until we get the EAD, then we can just go to the local office and get this taken care of pretty easily-- correct?

 

That seems to be it, right?

[Jim - Portland, USA]

Hi Turtle - here is the page that I use as my AOS Guide:

 

Application Procedures: Becoming a Permanent Resident While in the United States

 

I just went down the list one-by-one and followed the directions.

 

1) For the medical stuff, the USCIS clearly says that an I-693 Medical Examination is not necessary for K-1 visa recipients. But Don says that just the vaccination thing is necessary. I filed the AOS last week without any medical stuff, and have yet to see if everything pans out. I predict they'll ask for the vacc. records to be presented at the AOS interview, so we'll probably do them at that time.

 

2) If you live in Washington then I beleive you file the AOS paperwork at your local USCIS office

 

3/4) There is definetly some confusion about this. Juxin and I (after we got married) went to one local SSA office to apply for SSN, the lady there said she had to get EAD first, then apply for SSN. We didn't like that answer so we drove over to another SSA office and asked for the same thing and this time the guy accepted her application for SSN without any problems. Two different SSA offices, two different answers. Nice, eh? Juxin and I never did apply for EAD (not even with I-485 et all) so I can't help much further than that.

[turtle]

Thanks Jim, I know I read some posts about people just walking into the local office with the AOS and EAD stuff, and this is what I was hoping to do. I definitely don't want to be sending stuff to Nebraska if possible! Looks like I can hold off on the vaccinations, which would be great.

[Trigg]

Hi Turtle - here is the page that I use as my AOS Guide:

 

Application Procedures: Becoming a Permanent Resident While in the United States

 

I just went down the list one-by-one and followed the directions.

 

1)  For the medical stuff, the USCIS clearly says that an I-693 Medical Examination is not necessary for K-1 visa recipients.  But Don says that just the vaccination thing is necessary.  I filed the AOS last week without any medical stuff, and have yet to see if everything pans out.  I predict they'll ask for the vacc. records to be presented at the AOS interview, so we'll probably do them at that time.

 

2)  If you live in Washington then I beleive you file the AOS paperwork at your local USCIS office

 

3/4)  There is definetly some confusion about this.  Juxin and I (after we got married) went to one local SSA office to apply for SSN, the lady there said she had to get EAD first, then apply for SSN.  We didn't like that answer so we drove over to another SSA office and asked for the same thing and this time the guy accepted her application for SSN without any problems. Two different SSA offices, two different answers.  Nice, eh?  Juxin and I never did apply for EAD (not even with I-485 et all) so I can't help much further than that.

1) A trip to the civil surgeon is not neccessary before filing AOS. K1 will need supplemental I-163 at time of AOS interview.

 

 

2) You can mail all paperwork--some center have stopped habd deliveries.

 

3) you can file EAD with AOS-but not before

 

4) SSN can be gotten before or after marriage. The I-94 essentialy is the same as EAD for SSN purpose for roughly 75 days after she entered the US. Afteer that you will need EAD to obtainSSN. Waiting until after your married makes it easier to make a name change.

[warpedbored]

Hi everyone.  Seems a while since I've been here.  Well, my fiancee is finally here and we got married last Friday!  So now it's time to start getting busy with all these acronyms...  I've spent the last hour or so plodding around this forum, and it seems there's a lot of conflicting options...  I haven't been able to figure out just what I need to do next.  Hopefully someone can help out, and if one doesn't already exist maybe we can put together some sort of checklist for this???  The checklists published by USCIS are some of the least user-friendly I've seen...

 

Here is what I've gathered so far (this is for k1)...

 

1. Civil Surgeon.  Seems I need to take care of the vaccinations before filing AOS, right?  So first of all I need to get my fiancee to a civil surgeon to get these taken care of.  Here is the list I found:

Civil Surgeon Finder

 

2. Apply for Adjustment of Status (AOS).  So I need to fill out forms I-485 and I-864.  And then-- take in person to the local service center?  Or send by mail?

 

3. Employment Authorization (EAD).  Ok, so this seems to need a form I-765.  But the instructions suggest this needs to be sent to Nebraska (I am in Washington State).  But then I saw some posts saying they got AOS and EAD together at the local service center.  So, how exactly does this work?  Can I take the AOS and EAD forms together to the local office and leave with both taken care of?  No need to mail anything? 

 

4. SSN.  Seems I could have gotten the SSN before we got married.  But a recent thread suggested it's better to wait until after marriage so you don't have the "not authorized to work" label on it.  Ok, so we waited until we were married.  Now-- seems we have to wait until we get the EAD, then we can just go to the local office and get this taken care of pretty easily-- correct? 

 

That seems to be it, right?

1. Civil Surgeon. Seems I need to take care of the vaccinations before filing AOS, right? So first of all I need to get my fiancee to a civil surgeon to get these taken care of. Here is the list I found:

Civil Surgeon Finder

 

 

You will need to have the I-693 supplemental for vaccinations before your AOS interview. You can submit it with your I-495 or wait and take with you to the interview.

 

 

2. Apply for Adjustment of Status (AOS). So I need to fill out forms I-485 and I-864. And then-- take in person to the local service center? Or send by mail?

 

 

This depends on where you live. The USCIS is moving toward a centralized processing system but some local service centers have juristiction over processing the application. Here in Portland Oregon for instance if you wish to get the EAD as soon as possible then make an appointment and hand carry the application. That way you can get EAD the same day.

 

 

3. Employment Authorization (EAD). Ok, so this seems to need a form I-765. But the instructions suggest this needs to be sent to Nebraska (I am in Washington State). But then I saw some posts saying they got AOS and EAD together at the local service center. So, how exactly does this work? Can I take the AOS and EAD forms together to the local office and leave with both taken care of? No need to mail anything?

 

 

 

Again this depends on where you have to file. Some local service centers process EADs on site.

 

 

4. SSN. Seems I could have gotten the SSN before we got married. But a recent thread suggested it's better to wait until after marriage so you don't have the "not authorized to work" label on it. Ok, so we waited until we were married. Now-- seems we have to wait until we get the EAD, then we can just go to the local office and get this taken care of pretty easily-- correct?

 

 

No you need not wait until EAD. The catch is if you don't wait until EAD then it will say not authorized to work. This is the first step to changing her name to her married name. Take a certified copy of the marriage licence and her passport with I-94 inside to your SS office and fill out the application with her married name on it. As Jim mentioned some offices will give you a song and dance but you can get the SSN.

[turtle]

Thanks everyone. So the Seattle center is now saying they accept walk-ins only on an emergency basis... Looks like I'll be mailing in the EAD and AOS. So basically my list will be:

 

1. Mail AOS and EAD (I-485, I-864, and I-765) together to the local center.

 

2. Get SSN at the local office once we get EAD.

 

3. Go to Civil Surgeon at some point before our AOS interview.

[kfman]

We have a saying here in the government work force..

 

sometimes its easier to ask for forgiveness then permission..

 

hahahahah I agree with don.. just walk in and act like thats it.. who knows..

 

[tywy_99]

"Ignorance is Bliss"..........................

[warpedbored]

All they can say is no. They can't eat you. You may want to go ahead and get the SSN now. Without it you can't put her on your bank account which helps prove a valid marriage at interview or get her a drivers licence. With K-1 there is about a 70 day window of opportunity there before you have to wait for an EAD.

[ghall20]

All they can say is no.  They can't eat you. You may want to go ahead and get the SSN now.  Without it you can't put her on your bank account which helps prove a valid marriage at interview or get her a drivers licence. With K-1  there is about a 70 day window of opportunity there before you have to wait for an EAD.

I think you mean her own bank account... I got my wife on my bank account with a oregon ID card and her visa.. the kid too...

In order to get there own account they also wonted proof of residence--like a bill with her name on it. I didn't have that--so I just added them to my account and got them there own debit card and opened a seperat checking account for them each.. After Aos I will have them get there own account to get there own credit history started...

[Jim - Portland, USA]

Turtle - the USCIS RFE'd our AOS, I just posted it, you may want to read it.

[turtle]

Wow, Jim, seems they never stop wanting to mess with us... Well, Seattle's a bit of a haul, especially now that I've used up my vacation and then some. I think I'll just mail it all in-- hate to make the trek and get turned back.

 

I'll ask my wife what she wants to do about the SSN. She definitely wants to work in the near future, so I've been holding off till we get EAD. I got her onto my credit card accounts so now she's got her card with her name on it, but the bank is telling me they need an SSN... Now my next step is a trip to DMV for the learner's permit-- that should be interesting.

[tywy_99]

DMV will want a SS number before getting a learner's permit. At least that's what we had to do first.

The same with the banks.....SS number please.