Showing posts with label I-751. Show all posts
Showing posts with label I-751. Show all posts

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Package Delivered!

As the title says, my package was delivered today! :)



As I mentioned in my last post, CSC (as well as VSC) have slowed down on issuance of NOAs. Because of this, I decided to make an InfoPass appointment with my "local" field office (local being a 6 hour drive!) in Minneapolis (did I mention it's not even in the same STATE?), so I can get a stamp in my passport which will extend my green card's validity. Managed to get a date for May 14 (2 days after my green card expires). I'm hoping the letter arrives before then and I can just cancel the appointment, but I'm leaning more towards no, based off the data I'm seeing on VJ.

Besides having an expired green card, I want the extension letter asap as I'm hoping to travel to Canada May 31-June 5. I would think almost a month would be enough time to get the letter from USCIS, but who knows with those people! Keeping all my fingers crossed!

~Lindsay

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

ROC Package

Well, it's finally been done. The ROC package has finally been sent! It ended up being around 2.5 inches thick and weighing in a little over 3 pounds. Instead of paying nearly $50 to overnight it to California, I decided to pay the $13 for it to arrive Thursday. Figured it was only one day longer.

Here are two pictures of the final package:



And follows is what was included in the package (in order):

-$590 check
-cover letter
-I-751 form
-copy of front and back of my green card
-copy of marriage certificate
-copy of joint tax return transcripts for 2010, 2011, 2012
-copy of lease agreement (2011 to present)
-copy of driver's licenses showing common address
-copy of first car insurance ID card with my name added
-copy of most recent statement for car insurance with both our names listed on the current policy
-copy of car title listing us both as owners
-copy of this year's benefits of my husband's through his employer listing me as a dependent as well as beneficiary of his life insurance
-copy of my living will, listing my husband as beneficiary
-copy of my husband's living will, listing me as beneficiary
-screenshot of our ISP account, listing us both as "users" (since only one name can be on the statements)
-screenshot from early 2011 on Verizon listing both our numbers (I initially had this for evidence for our interview in Canada)
-statement from late 2011 from Verizon listing the same two numbers
-statement from early 2013 from Verizon with my name listed in the In Care Of portion
-copy of my bank statements from 2011-2013
-copy of my husband's bank statements from 2011-2013
-copy of recent relationship change application at our bank making each other joint owners on our checking/savings accounts
-copy of bank account details for checking/savings account, listing both our names as joint owners
-copy of check submitted for payment showing both our names
-original affidavit from a couple that live about 2 hours away whom we visit every few months
-original affidavit from my husband's uncle and wife, whom we lived with for awhile, as well as his uncle being my teacher at school
-original affidavit from a couple that live in Minnesota (near the Canadian border!) that we see only about once a year, but speak to them online almost once a day
-copy of my college acceptance letter and unofficial transcript to show I've established here in town
-copy of 15 pictures (with captions) throughout our marriage, starting once I moved here

Definitely a good chunk of evidence. I am nervous about a few things though:

1. We only have this year's benefits of my husband's listing me as dependent/beneficiary, even though I was added when he first began working there in the summer of 2010. But my husband keeps like no records, and if he does, it's lost as he's not organized like me XD Plus, we're not on each other's health insurance plans. He has his own, and I had mine through my employer as it was only $40/month. Although, it recently ended at the end of March as I wasn't eligible for this year's as I wasn't working a high enough average of hours, so I'm currently without. But adding myself on his will cost I think he said an additional $100-200 per month. Which is ridiculous in my opinion as the only time I see a doctor is once yearly for a renewed prescription of birth control. And since it's only around $200 for that, it's almost better at this point to just save each month some money as an emergency fund. But, anyways, I digress!

2. Our living wills were only done (and signed) last week, so it may seem a little late for the reviewing officer.

3. We don't have our utilities, ISP, and phone statements in both our names, as they only allow one name for each. I did provide an explanation about this, so I'm hoping it's alright.

4. Our bank accounts were just made joint about 3 weeks ago. So, like the living wills, it may seem a little late. But for us, non-joint accounts worked for us. And I always helped pay some of the bills by just transferring the money to my husband's accounts as all the bills were already set up in his name and account before I moved here. I provided an explanation of this, but you never know with these people.

Anyways, the package has been sent and I know I should stop worrying as I won't hear anything back for quite a few months (like, end of the year). I've been following an April filers thread for ROC, and everyone (except for those that filed the very first few days of the month) is still waiting for their receipt notices. Which makes me a little antsy as my green card expires on May 12th, just under 2 weeks. Hoping CSC cleans up their act real soon. Because if I need to make an InfoPass appointment to get my passport stamped to extend my green card, I have to travel to Minneapolis, which is about a 6 hour drive away O_o

Alright, this is a long enough post, I'll stop typing now. I'll update once my package has arrived at CSC, once my check has been cashed, once I've gotten the receipt notice, once I've gotten the biometrics notice, and of course once I'm approved :)

~Lindsay

New I-751 Form

About 2 weeks ago, USCIS released an updated I-751 form (and instructions). The fee ($590) is still the same. Previously, the form was one column and the instructions were two columns. Now, the new form is two columns and the instructions are one column. They flip-flopped in layout.

I much prefer the older form (it was easier to read in my opinion), but I prefer the new instructions. So, basically, I prefer the one column layout.

What's new with the I-751 form though is that it's now asking for an email address. Which might indicate something (like emailing you when they receive the package or something, who knows).

Anyways, I should be sending my own ROC package out tomorrow. I'll write up a blog post then about what I included and such.

~Lindsay

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Removing conditions explained

*Reference link to abbreviations/terms post*

Before I begin, I'd just like to say I received my police certificate in the mail this morning! Clean record :) I thought the certificate would be bigger but it's tiny. Maybe half the size of regular printer paper. And it's yellow! I wasn't expecting it till later this week, but it came early. Now I have all the papers I need for the DS-230.

Anyways, on to the topic of this blog post: removing conditions. Now, since I'll be getting a CR-1 visa, I need to remove conditions within 90 days of the 2 year mark after I go through the POE to the USA. For those that get the IR-1 visa, they don't need to do this since their visa isn't considered "conditional". It's only for those that have been married less than two years. The green card I'll be getting is only good for two years, so I have to apply to remove that and get a 10 year green card. Those that get the IR-1 visa receive a 10 year green card from the start, so removing conditions isn't needed for them.

This step is pretty simple compared to actually getting the visa. The form to fill out is called the I-751. It's really basic. It simply asks for my information (name, date of birth, address, etc, etc). Also asks the same information about my spouse. Nothing too much more than that.

Along with sending the form in, a copy of the front AND back of the permanent resident card (aka green card) is also needed, as well as evidence of our relationship (such as joint leases, joint financial records, joint insurances, affidavits, pictures, etc).

And of course, there's a fee for the form, so a check must be included as well. The total cost will be $590 ($505 for the form and then $85 for the biometrics). Now, the price may change by the time I have to remove conditions, but as of today, those are the current fees.

Later on, I'm going to need to go get my biometrics done (fingerprints, photograph of my face). I'll get a letter in the mail telling me where and when to go to get this done. If it's going to be done at a local USCIS office, I believe the closest one to where I'll be living in South Dakota is all the way in Minneapolis which is a 6 hour drive. I wouldn't mind the road trip, but I'd prefer something closer. I'll just have to wait and see!

An interview may also be done, but it's not done for all removing conditions cases, so I'll just have to wait and see. I doubt it will be as stressful as the interview to actually get the visa.

And that's all. Once you get approved, I'd assume the 10 year green card is then mailed off. I haven't read much into this part of the immigration process. I just know the bare details which I have already mentioned. It doesn't seem to be as hard as the visa part, but it still requires forms to be sent in and such.

~Lindsay

P.S. Ben will be here next Wednesday at midnight! Yay, one more week! ^_^