annie-thejourney.com

Yesterday, we (me & Yoanna) received our approval letter from USCIS regarding our application to adjust to permanent resident status. The notice date was June 11,

2008 which was the same date we had our interview in Phoenix with the said application.

When we were informed that we had an interview schedule for this application, I was somehow disappointed. Simply because I need to go through again of compiling those requirements just to prove that I & my daughter are entitle for this application.

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Before we left Prescott for a New Year’s Celebration in Las Vegas, I was able to meet on my personal deadline on submitting our application for AOS – Adjustment of Status.

AOS paper works are more than the K1/K2 Visa Application. Besides a couple of forms you need to accomplish, the fees are really high that you don’t want any chance of RFE on your case.

Getting married, securing Marriage Certificate & completion of immunization are the required procedures you need to undertake in order to complete your AOS packet. Since you entered the USA as fiancé visa holder (K1/ K2), it is ideal that you settle these 3 important things in your first month stay here in USA. This is, if you are planning to send apply for your AOS before the expiration of your I-94 form (the white paper attached by immigrant officer in POE, to your passport – next to US Visa Page). I knew some Fil-Am couples who were already nearly one year old in US, and still haven’t applied for their AOS.

Anyway, as I was completing the required documents for this AOS application I also searched on the possible reasons that may delay such transaction. Delay in a sense, that they will return your packet & re-send it again. Basically, here are the things I found;

1. Incomplete/Lost documents
2. Payment issue

Lost?! How come a certain document will be lost when it was sent in one envelope? As what I learned from VJ forum, there’s an instance that their one document was lost during the review of their papers. The couple was very sure that such paper was send together with the other forms. They were shocked when their packet was returned & lost notice was attached.

To be safe or I may say a proactive individual, here’s how I deal with our papers upon submitting it to Chicago P.O. Box.

1. I used folders to keep our papers intact & neatly filed. I had separate folders for me & my daughter (K1 & K2). Though it was send in one big envelope.

2. A cover letter is stapled in the front page of the folder. The cover letter should include a description of what you are petitioning for (I-485 or AOS), a table of contents (list of everything in the packet) & our contact information (telephone number & email add) for any further concern.

3. We prepared separate check of payments for my AOS application & for Yoanna. It’s what USCIS advised and make sure that the indicated amount is the latest USCIS fee.

4. Inside my folder – K1 Visa Holder, are the following;
   1. Filled-up & signed Form I-485
   2. Filled-up & signed Form G-325A
   3. Filled-up & signed Form I-864
   4. Filled-up & signed Form I-765
   5. Filled-up & signed Form I-131
   6. Check payment
   7. Copy of Passport (separate copies for biographical, non-immigrant visa & entry stamps
   8. Copy of NOA2 (USCIS K1-Approval Notice)
   9. Copy of valid I-94 (front & back copies)
   10. Copy of Birth Certificate
   11. 4 pcs. Passport type photos (taken within 30 days of the target submission date)
   12. Sealed envelope of medical/vaccination received from the Local Civil Surgeon

5. Inside my daughter’s folder – K2 Visa Holder, are the following;
   1. Filled-up & signed Form I-485
   2. Filled-up & signed Form I-864
   3. Check payment
   4. Copy of Passport (separate copies for biographical, non-immigrant visa & entry stamps
   5. Copy of valid I-94 (front & back copies)
   6. Copy of Birth Certificate
   7. 2 pcs. Passport type photos (taken within 30 days of the target submission date)
   8. Sealed envelope of medical/vaccination received from the Local Civil Surgeon

6. Before heading to post office, we secure copies of all the documents included in our packet.

7. When we send it, we had it in priority mail & with certified return receipt.

*check “cat.1: Annie in Phils to USA” for more links

HOMEPAGE

I feel so freaking deplete right now with these phone calls I’m doing. I started my phone brigade around 11:00AM this morning, thinking that I will be done getting doctor’s appointment by one hour. Ok, I got an appointment. Guest when? December 19! Two weeks from now!

I called 10 doctors already & I got one answer from them – “We’re not accepting anymore new patients”. I was like, WHAT?!

Ok here’s the reason why I need doctor’s appointment.

Yoanna & I entered USA as K1/K2 visa holder. Part of such visa application is a medical examination that includes immunization. I’m aware that there are still some vaccines for us which we didn’t have enough time to get it back there in the Phils & the TD shot is not available in St. Luke’s. I didn’t put that much attention on those documents we got from St. Luke’s specially the vaccination list, since I knew that both of us are very much healthy. Very wrong!

Here’s the thing now.

Once you entered in US as K1/K2 visa holder, form I-94 will be attached in your passport (next to your visa). That 1-94 has expiration. Ours will expire sometime on third week of January next year. That expiration date is our deadline for;

1 – Getting married with my US Citizen Partner

2 – Application for SSN (social security number)

3 – Driver’s license (preferably otherwise you need to wait until you received your green card. Then, apply for this license)

4 – For filling of my AOS – Adjustment of Status.

It’s just two days ago that I realized that preparing for this AOS is really complicated. Yes, just preparation for filling is already complicated! So here are the things I learned so far for filling for AOS – Adjustment of Status.

1 – Apply for your SSN (Social Security Number) after 2 weeks on the date of your arrival in US which I did. So far this is the only thing I did which is on time & in very smooth-hassle free application.

If you fail to apply soon & wait too close to the expiration of I-94, the application may be rejected. That means the beneficiary (K1 or K3) will have to wait until AOS is approved before applying for SSN. You can check my post PARTLY PART OF THE AMERICAN SYSTEM for more details.

2 -Apply for your driver’s license. If you already have a driver’s license, don’t wait too much time. Ask help with your partner to get this booklet from DMV. Review it & take their exam to qualify for a license. Same as the SSN Card, you can apply 10-14 days after arriving to the US, but not later than 21 days before the I-94 expires. If you wait to apply close to the expiration date, the application may be rejected and the beneficiary will have to wait until the AOS is approved before applying for driver’s license.

3 – Settle your immunization record. Review the paper that was given to you during the medical examination. Like on our part, we had our medical examination in St. Luke’s. They will give you a checklist of the vaccines that was given on such examination. The list also shows the other shots you need in the future. Example this TD shot, which was not available in St. Luke’s when we had our schedule so I should get it here from US.

After completing that immunization record you still need to go on another procedure before you’ll submit your papers for AOS. Pretty complicated, isn’t it?! You need to look for your local civil surgeons to transfer your DS-3025 to the I-693A Supplemental Vaccination Record. You can check this link for your own search of USCIS Civil Surgeons Locator. This should also be within your first 90 days in USA.

When you have your I-693A on hand, then this is the time you can attach the rest of the documents & apply for the AOS.

Well, it’s just today that I REALIZED it’s not easy to get immunization appointment here. If your U.S. Citizen partner has a current physician which you can have the rest of your shots, that will be a great help to you. Now, if you still have ample time, you can visit your nearest Community Health Service for the shots. Again, make an appointment (over telephone) for your shots’ schedule. The good thing with Community Health Service, those shots will be free. You just need to give something for donation.

To top it all, it’s just now that I REALIZED (again) that those first -7 days we had here, I should have been take some time to sit down with my husband to discuss for this AOS application. PROPER SCHEDULLING DOES REALLY MATTER.

If you’re coming thru fiancé visa & your partner decides to take a one-week leave from work & accompany you on your first week here, better to include this thing in your itinerary – proper schedule for SSN, Driver’s License & importantly the AOS application.

*check “cat.1: Annie in Phils to USA” for more links

HOMEPAGE