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Sunday, April 8, 2012
Saturday, April 7, 2012
K-1 nonimmigrant visa timeline
11th of every month- special date
October 25, 2009- First meeting online through e-mail
April 30-May 14, 2010- First meeting in the flesh
May 07, 2010- engaged
June 14, 2010 (US date/time)-I-129F filed
July 07, 2010 (US timezone)-NOA (notice of action)-I received
November 22, 2010 (US timezone)-NOA-II application approved
December 17, 2010 (Philippine date/time) medical exam @ St. Luke's medical center extn. clinic
December 21, 2010-got results-passed the exam
January 05, 2011- Interview at Manila US Embassy-passed the interview
January 17, 2011-Picked-up passport @ 2GO Cubao branch and tickets @ China Airlines in Ermita, Manila
January 29, 2011-(Philippine timezone)-departed from NAIA and arrived in LAX on the 29th US timezone
February 14, 2011-Got married
February 19,
2011-separate reception
March 09, 2011-additional medical exam and vaccines
March 24, 2011-packet from the civil surgeon arrived
March 25, 2011- filed the AOS (I-485)
March 27, 2011- USCIS (U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) received packet
April 02, 2011- NOA receipt received
April 06, 2011- Biometric letter arrived
April 19, 2011- Biometrics done
April 28, 2011- case transferred to CSC ( California Service Center) notice received
May 19, 2011- case transferred to Lee's Summit Bloomington MN.,notice received
July 28, 2011- AOS interview -IO gave us hope by saying application is intended to be approved
Aug. 12, 2011- received my permanent resident card/green card
May 13, 2013- filed the joint petition to remove the conditional basis of an alien's permanent resident status
May 22, 2013- NOA receipt received
May 29, 2013- ASC (application support center) appointment notice received
June 05, 2013- Biometrics done ( was scheduled 06/19/2013 at 10:00am but we tried if we can get it done earlier due to our Alaska departure was on the 15th of June. And yes, it can be done...depending on how busy the support center is.
July 08, 2013- contacted USCIS representative for a change of address
July 15, 2013- received confirmation of change of address
Sept. 09, 2013- sent response to RFE
October 01, 2013- issuance of card production (10-yr. greencard)
October 10, 2013- USPS received my new greencard
I'm so glad I finally got my 10-yr permanent resident card a.k.a. green card from the post office last night. We live 20 miles out of town so we usually get our mails by the bulk which is the best route to go (time & gas wise anyway). USCIS ordered the production of my new card last 1st of this month and was mailed to our p.o box on the 7th and was received by the USPS on the 10th. This is something to celebrate for all the hard work we put into it has paid off. I was so worried about my application getting denied at one point because we received an RFE (request for evidence) this time. It's not that getting deported will be the end of our marriage but the fact of it is me and hubby will be separated for a tremendous amount of time before we get all our things sorted out here so he can live with me in the Philippines worries me. Being on this journey (K-1 fiance visa) ain't nothing like a joke. You have to have the resources to finance it all through the stages of your status. I say you need money, patience & positive outlook in life. Money because in every application form you submit comes with a fee. Patience comes handy when you are trying to gather all the evidence of your history as a couple including your distant plans. And lastly, have the positive attitude towards your application. You have to take it seriously yet keep your hopes up by actually not thinking about it until it's really time to worry about it. Meaning, enjoy your everyday life as a lawful resident- go find a job! write a poem, update your blog (blog about it) take trips domestic/inter-island or internationally(as long as your 2-yr green card was extended for a year) make new memories and keep it by taking photos. Do all of these because you'll never know what's in-store for you and your husband. Your togetherness depends on your application. And as brutal as it may seem it's better to kill time while you enjoy it than wait for the result of your application sitting in the corner of your house and worrying about the mountainous what ifs in your head. Now, if your application wasn't decided after their estimated timeline processing, that is the time to worry about it. You have to make calls to their respective hotline so they could answer your queries. To all K-1 visa applicants out there, don't give up if this is what you really want in life then go for it! You need to be ready to trade your flip-flops to a snow-boots. That is if you will be in a state that experiences snow every year(best example is Alaska, where we currently reside). As a K-1 beneficiary my husband has to file the I-129F for us to get married in the USA. This is classified as a non-immigrant visa. After the marriage took place we then applied for the adjustment of status using form I-485. Once this is approved, you get the conditional 2-yr green card only if you and your spouse was married less than two years prior to your I-485 application. Which is always gonna be the case if you were brought to USA by the petitioner as a fiance(e) for you are only given a short window to file for the adjustment of status if not you'll be entitled to removal proceedings from the US land. The next thing to do is filing for the removal of conditions with your green card using the I-751 form. Which is where we are right now only we have conquered it with a good fight! ;) We received an RFE as I mentioned above all because I was stubbornly impatient and wanting to file the application ASAP at the wrong place. We needed all evidence dating back 2011 up to present which we didn't have it all in hand. The rest of our files including the strongest evidence(joint tax return) that we're a couple was in our cabin here in Alaska. I strongly suggest to take photos with friends and families whatever the occasion is. Don't be ashamed of a monthly photo with you and your husband that you keep in your hard drive and you post on your FB account for it will serve as an evidence of your genuine relationship. Those trips that you and your hubby took, will eventually be used as a secondary evidence too just keep those itinerary saved in one of your e-mail folders. Don't throw those monthly bank statements! I know that you can save a lot of trees by going paperless and tracking your finances online but it's easier to have them handy when the time to file your applications has come. This is the same for your internet, electricity, h2O, cable bills! etc! Also for your club membership letters and statements like Sam's Club, Cosco, Gym blah-blah-blah and so on and so forth. If you don't own your house you must have that lease agreement signed between you (the tenant) and your landlord that is equally important in establishing that you have been cohabiting for such a period of time. Those health insurance and life plans that you and your partner are either the primary beneficiary or the employee itself will help in making your application look good. Even the documents that doesn't have both our names yet sharing the same address can be used as an evidence based on what I did. Anyway, I still got a lot in my head but I'm starving so I'll update you guys on my N-400 application next year approx. 8 months from now. I'm eligible to apply right away for a citizenship because I am married and living with a US citizen for 3 years by that time. It usually takes 5 years for some cases before you can apply for a citizenship.
P.S. In all of those Immigration applications we dealt with, we never paid a lawyer to accomplish the job. Smarter & Cheaper route as long as you have access to the internet you'll be fine. Research, Research, Research! Even when you are worrying about the status of your application it helps when you read a forum that tackles the same situation that you're in. It gives you hope...It makes you believe in yourself...It makes you hang in there and hope for the best while expecting the worst as what they always say... =) A printer at home is I suggest for you to have and a pair of stapler!
January 02, 2015
I have been home for almost a month now from getting chapter-ed in the military by choice. I don't know what I was thinking trying to change my not so complicated life into something worse in so many ways. I mean I would be really lying to myself if i say that the military was not good in any way. It is good for some and maybe just the life for most but not good enough for a married woman and 30 year-old to top it all. I learned a lot of lessons while I was in boot camp for that short period of time. I have come across with vast diversity of races come together to defend this nation's liberty. I think I was one of those people that joined and signed the dotted line just because..or because i have nothing better going on at that time so i challenged myself to finally go after of what i want for the very first time but sadly it didn't work out the way it supposed to so I am here in front of my brand new computer telling you guys my unsuccessful quest of being a soldier. And because I didn't even graduate basic combat training I messed up my application for my Naturalization. I hate to say it but I'll probably will get a letter in the mail saying I'll have to start the process over since I no longer work for the Army. I am not so bummed because I have to pay for the process if I start it all over again but because I have to wait for six months or more before something happens out of it. I noticed that time does heal wounds..I don't feel so butt hurt nowadays every time I am reminded about my experience. I know of all people that it can only get better..where else could it go than be alright..At least I tried! And things didn't work out for me so it's time to snap my finger and say: NEXT!....Life has a lot to offer especially when you live in a paradise place like ALASKA!
Aug. 12, 2011- received my permanent resident card/green card
May 13, 2013- filed the joint petition to remove the conditional basis of an alien's permanent resident status
May 22, 2013- NOA receipt received
May 29, 2013- ASC (application support center) appointment notice received
June 05, 2013- Biometrics done ( was scheduled 06/19/2013 at 10:00am but we tried if we can get it done earlier due to our Alaska departure was on the 15th of June. And yes, it can be done...depending on how busy the support center is.
July 08, 2013- contacted USCIS representative for a change of address
July 15, 2013- received confirmation of change of address
Sept. 09, 2013- sent response to RFE
October 01, 2013- issuance of card production (10-yr. greencard)
October 10, 2013- USPS received my new greencard
I'm so glad I finally got my 10-yr permanent resident card a.k.a. green card from the post office last night. We live 20 miles out of town so we usually get our mails by the bulk which is the best route to go (time & gas wise anyway). USCIS ordered the production of my new card last 1st of this month and was mailed to our p.o box on the 7th and was received by the USPS on the 10th. This is something to celebrate for all the hard work we put into it has paid off. I was so worried about my application getting denied at one point because we received an RFE (request for evidence) this time. It's not that getting deported will be the end of our marriage but the fact of it is me and hubby will be separated for a tremendous amount of time before we get all our things sorted out here so he can live with me in the Philippines worries me. Being on this journey (K-1 fiance visa) ain't nothing like a joke. You have to have the resources to finance it all through the stages of your status. I say you need money, patience & positive outlook in life. Money because in every application form you submit comes with a fee. Patience comes handy when you are trying to gather all the evidence of your history as a couple including your distant plans. And lastly, have the positive attitude towards your application. You have to take it seriously yet keep your hopes up by actually not thinking about it until it's really time to worry about it. Meaning, enjoy your everyday life as a lawful resident- go find a job! write a poem, update your blog (blog about it) take trips domestic/inter-island or internationally(as long as your 2-yr green card was extended for a year) make new memories and keep it by taking photos. Do all of these because you'll never know what's in-store for you and your husband. Your togetherness depends on your application. And as brutal as it may seem it's better to kill time while you enjoy it than wait for the result of your application sitting in the corner of your house and worrying about the mountainous what ifs in your head. Now, if your application wasn't decided after their estimated timeline processing, that is the time to worry about it. You have to make calls to their respective hotline so they could answer your queries. To all K-1 visa applicants out there, don't give up if this is what you really want in life then go for it! You need to be ready to trade your flip-flops to a snow-boots. That is if you will be in a state that experiences snow every year(best example is Alaska, where we currently reside). As a K-1 beneficiary my husband has to file the I-129F for us to get married in the USA. This is classified as a non-immigrant visa. After the marriage took place we then applied for the adjustment of status using form I-485. Once this is approved, you get the conditional 2-yr green card only if you and your spouse was married less than two years prior to your I-485 application. Which is always gonna be the case if you were brought to USA by the petitioner as a fiance(e) for you are only given a short window to file for the adjustment of status if not you'll be entitled to removal proceedings from the US land. The next thing to do is filing for the removal of conditions with your green card using the I-751 form. Which is where we are right now only we have conquered it with a good fight! ;) We received an RFE as I mentioned above all because I was stubbornly impatient and wanting to file the application ASAP at the wrong place. We needed all evidence dating back 2011 up to present which we didn't have it all in hand. The rest of our files including the strongest evidence(joint tax return) that we're a couple was in our cabin here in Alaska. I strongly suggest to take photos with friends and families whatever the occasion is. Don't be ashamed of a monthly photo with you and your husband that you keep in your hard drive and you post on your FB account for it will serve as an evidence of your genuine relationship. Those trips that you and your hubby took, will eventually be used as a secondary evidence too just keep those itinerary saved in one of your e-mail folders. Don't throw those monthly bank statements! I know that you can save a lot of trees by going paperless and tracking your finances online but it's easier to have them handy when the time to file your applications has come. This is the same for your internet, electricity, h2O, cable bills! etc! Also for your club membership letters and statements like Sam's Club, Cosco, Gym blah-blah-blah and so on and so forth. If you don't own your house you must have that lease agreement signed between you (the tenant) and your landlord that is equally important in establishing that you have been cohabiting for such a period of time. Those health insurance and life plans that you and your partner are either the primary beneficiary or the employee itself will help in making your application look good. Even the documents that doesn't have both our names yet sharing the same address can be used as an evidence based on what I did. Anyway, I still got a lot in my head but I'm starving so I'll update you guys on my N-400 application next year approx. 8 months from now. I'm eligible to apply right away for a citizenship because I am married and living with a US citizen for 3 years by that time. It usually takes 5 years for some cases before you can apply for a citizenship.
P.S. In all of those Immigration applications we dealt with, we never paid a lawyer to accomplish the job. Smarter & Cheaper route as long as you have access to the internet you'll be fine. Research, Research, Research! Even when you are worrying about the status of your application it helps when you read a forum that tackles the same situation that you're in. It gives you hope...It makes you believe in yourself...It makes you hang in there and hope for the best while expecting the worst as what they always say... =) A printer at home is I suggest for you to have and a pair of stapler!
January 02, 2015
I have been home for almost a month now from getting chapter-ed in the military by choice. I don't know what I was thinking trying to change my not so complicated life into something worse in so many ways. I mean I would be really lying to myself if i say that the military was not good in any way. It is good for some and maybe just the life for most but not good enough for a married woman and 30 year-old to top it all. I learned a lot of lessons while I was in boot camp for that short period of time. I have come across with vast diversity of races come together to defend this nation's liberty. I think I was one of those people that joined and signed the dotted line just because..or because i have nothing better going on at that time so i challenged myself to finally go after of what i want for the very first time but sadly it didn't work out the way it supposed to so I am here in front of my brand new computer telling you guys my unsuccessful quest of being a soldier. And because I didn't even graduate basic combat training I messed up my application for my Naturalization. I hate to say it but I'll probably will get a letter in the mail saying I'll have to start the process over since I no longer work for the Army. I am not so bummed because I have to pay for the process if I start it all over again but because I have to wait for six months or more before something happens out of it. I noticed that time does heal wounds..I don't feel so butt hurt nowadays every time I am reminded about my experience. I know of all people that it can only get better..where else could it go than be alright..At least I tried! And things didn't work out for me so it's time to snap my finger and say: NEXT!....Life has a lot to offer especially when you live in a paradise place like ALASKA!
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