On 8/27/2018 at 7:36 AM, medic5678 said:

Interview was a bit tense when wife couldn't understand a question with "except for, are there any". 

 

I don't understand it either?

On the SSN issue.

With a K1/3 visa you cannot apply for an SSN until after you do the adjustment of status.

If she enters on a CR-1/IR-1, those are immigrant visa's and you can apply for the SSN on the DS260 prior to entry, so the SSN card shows up at your house, at least in our case about 2 weeks after entry, and the green card follows about a week after that

57 minutes ago, westsail said:

Better check on what paperwork is required for adoption.  When I adopted my stepson (from Russia) we had to have signed permission from his natural father.  He came with his mother on a K-1 visa.  I don't remember what documents were required for him to leave Russia and move to the U.S., but it wasn't sufficient for the adoption court.  I don't know if the laws vary from state to state, but it's worth checking on. 

Got those bases covered already.   I'm adopting in Florida.  At any rate, the biological father has already been stripped of rights by a Thai court.  Since he's happy to pay nothing, he is tickled to death to sign anything to make it possible if need be. So cheap and easy to do myself, I don't anticipate any issues.

I did all my own paperwork 40 years ago in BKK for my wife's immigrant visa.  I even translated the Thai documents like her birth certificate and our marriage license.  Thai gals at the consulate didn't like that and made me speak with the head consul guy at the Embassy.  Told him I was a Peace Corps Volunteer, and learned to speak, read and write Thai.  We spent the next 10 minutes bullshitting about the volunteer experience.  He told them I was good to go.  The gals didn't like my hand-written translations, so they let me use one of their typewriters, 555.

 

Many years later, we sponsored two of her siblings and their families to get immigrant visas.  That process took 10 years... 

13 hours ago, GinBoy2 said:

Assumption is the Mother of All Good F##kups.

 

Before you get on a plane, spend as much time as you need to call USCIS and confirm that assumption, or if you can visit an office.

 

As much good advice as TVF members can offer, we aint the Government, and the last thing you want to have happen is to be at a check in counter at Suvarnabhumi trying to check in to come home and they refuse to let her board

I agree about assumption, I posted before I called USCIS but I called today and they told me that the expired green card, and the letter stating the 18 months and the boarding pass to show how long she was out o f the country will be all we need. Can not stay out for more than a year. We will only be out a few weeks, so no problem there. Hopefully the new green card will be here before but I know "Murphy's law" always plays a part.

14 hours ago, Tedly said:

I am dealing with the same thing.  got the letter stating that wife is now given 18 months due to backlog. We are going back to Thailand in about 6 months and I am under the assumption that she will be able to come back to USA even if the new card is not here by carrying the letter will with us will show that she is legal as everything is computerized an. Hope I'm right. Anyone know for sure?

It has being a long time since we went through the process with my wife but I remember that she though she might have to travel back to Thailand before she got her Green Card because her mom was not feeling well, as it turned out her mom recovered and she did not have to go but there is a process. 

https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-processes-and-procedures/travel-documents/emergency-travel

"

Emergency Advance Parole Documents

If you are experiencing an extremely urgent situation, you may visit your local office to request an emergency advance parole document.  When visiting a local office to request emergency advance parole, you should bring the following items:

• A completed and signed Form I-131, Application for Travel Document
• The correct I-131 filing fee
• Evidence to support the emergency request (e.g. medical documentation, death certificate)
• Two passport-style photos.

How to File

To apply for an emergency travel document, you must file Form I-131, Application for a Travel Document, complete with supporting documentation, photos and applicable fees. See the application for specific filing instructions.

Where to File

Where to file the Form I-131 depends on the benefit sought.  See the form instruction page (PDF, 267 KB) for details.  Your local office may accept an emergency advance parole application if you are experiencing an extremely urgent situation.  Business trips, weddings, holiday parties, and other planned events would usually not be considered an emergency situation.  If you are filing Form I-131 for an emergency travel document at your local office based on an extremely urgent situation, you are encouraged to make an Infopass appointment first.

When to File

You must apply for the travel document before leaving the United States.  Generally, an applicant for a travel document must also complete biometrics capture at an Application Support Center (ASC) prior to departure from the United States. Failure to do so may cause the applicant to lose permission to reenter the country and lead to the denial of any other applications pending.

  "

On 8/27/2018 at 7:27 PM, medic5678 said:

Forgot to mention that I did all of the paperwork myself.  It's not that difficult at all and paying an attorney to do this if you don't have serious issues that would create problems (like a criminal record or other complications that may prevent approval), there's really no reason at all to use an attorney.  It's just throwing hard earned money away!

Does she own property or have a great job that allowed her to quality for the K-1? How did she qualify for the K-1?

3 hours ago, GinBoy2 said:

On the SSN issue.

With a K1/3 visa you cannot apply for an SSN until after you do the adjustment of status.
 

That's incorrect.  My wife came in on a K1 and got a SSN before applying for AOS.  Here's the link to the process on visajourney:  http://www.visajourney.com/content/ssn

43 minutes ago, elgenon said:

Does she own property or have a great job that allowed her to quality for the K-1? How did she qualify for the K-1?

A K-1 is a fiance visa, so even though it is classified as a non-immigrant visa the intent is to allow the fiance of a US resident to move the States and get married (has to be within 90 days of arrival).  Once that is done there needs to be an adjustment of status which serves as the Green Card application.

 

There's no need for property ownership or a great job because they are intending to stay in the States.  It's not like a tourist visa where they need to show a reason that they would return to their home country.  There is a requirement to show proof of a bonafide relationship with the US resident as well as for the sponsor to prove they can support the fiance.

5 minutes ago, gdaf123 said:

A K-1 is a fiance visa, so even though it is classified as a non-immigrant visa the intent is to allow the fiance of a US resident to move the States and get married (has to be within 90 days of arrival).  Once that is done there needs to be an adjustment of status which serves as the Green Card application.

 

There's no need for property ownership or a great job because they are intending to stay in the States.  It's not like a tourist visa where they need to show a reason that they would return to their home country.  There is a requirement to show proof of a bonafide relationship with the US resident as well as for the sponsor to prove they can support the fiance.

So it was easy? 

I know you haven't had this experience but I wondering if the relationship didn't work out, would a k-1 with another lady be just as easy?

 

Thanks.

On 8/28/2018 at 10:57 PM, elgenon said:

So it was easy? 

I know you haven't had this experience but I wondering if the relationship didn't work out, would a k-1 with another lady be just as easy?

 

Thanks.

My now long time wife came over to the US with a K1 (fiance visa) , Ir was a straightforward process. If the relationship is legitimate, well documented, and one follows the required steps  it is only a matter of time. (in our case about a year).

   I don't have any experience where the relationship did not work but if the girl came over, you got married, and after she got her permanent Green card you got divorced, If you then applied for another girl to come over, what do you think the interviewer would think?  

But I guess relationships many times do not work for legitimate reasons and you would have to convince the authorities that indeed that was the reason, and you were not in the business of bringing girls over to get their Green cards,

Quote

Quote

Physical Green Cards in the mail today!  What a beautiful sight!

 

 

On 9/3/2018 at 2:30 AM, sirineou said:

My now long time wife came over to the US with a K1 (fiance visa) , Ir was a straightforward process. If the relationship is legitimate, well documented, and one follows the required steps  it is only a matter of time. (in our case about a year).

   I don't have any experience where the relationship did not work but if the girl came over, you got married, and after she got her permanent Green card you got divorced, If you then applied for another girl to come over, what do you think the interviewer would think?  

But I guess relationships many times do not work for legitimate reasons and you would have to convince the authorities that indeed that was the reason, and you were not in the business of bringing girls over to get their Green cards,

I was thinking, that if I didn't get get married, how hard would it be to get another fiance visa? It seems like you might only get one shot at happiness.

On 8/28/2018 at 6:48 PM, theguyfromanotherforum said:

 

I don't understand it either?

Wife had a DUI on a motorcycle at a checkpoint 10 years ago.  We fully disclosed all information.   Got a minor fine for it.   The question was "except for the motorcycle DUI, have you ever committed a crime"?  My wife said yes, thinking the agent was asking about the motorcycle DUI.    Then the agent said to me "you were supposed to bring an interpreter, and you didn't bring one".  At this moment my little girl (wife's 5 year old daughter) got up out of her chair and ran over to me, hopped in my lap and gave me a hug.  The agent laughed, then she spent a few minutes pleasantly asking my wife the question over and over until she said "no".  Agents are people too.  

 

We had police clearance certificates, all court documents, etc.  

On 8/28/2018 at 1:07 PM, losworld said:

Donald T is all for legal immigration and may be part of the reason for the success lol

  You're mistaken.  Trump wants to limit legal immigration, as well.  Just google Trump and legal immigration.

On 9/27/2018 at 3:41 AM, newnative said:

  You're mistaken.  Trump wants to limit legal immigration, as well.  Just google Trump and legal immigration.

He wants to limit ‘chain migration’ and limit it to spouses and minor children.

Which is ironic, since thats the only likely way that Melania’s parents got green cards, through her petitioning for them.

Then again Donald doesn’t really see irony or dwell much on the past that much.

‘Today’ chain migration is bad, before, not so much.

Bit like his views on abortion and many other things!

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/melania-trumps-parents-are-legal-permanent-residents-raising-questions-about-whether-they-relied-on-chain-migration/2018/02/21/3b573df8-1687-11e8-8b08-027a6ccb38eb_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.5c9e59801c5d

15 minutes ago, GinBoy2 said:

He wants to limit ‘chain migration’ and limit it to spouses and minor children.

Which is ironic, since thats the only likely way that Melania’s parents got green cards, through her petitioning for them.

Then again Donald doesn’t really see irony or dwell much on the past that much.

‘Today’ chain migration is bad, before, not so much.

Bit like his views on abortion and many other things!

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/melania-trumps-parents-are-legal-permanent-residents-raising-questions-about-whether-they-relied-on-chain-migration/2018/02/21/3b573df8-1687-11e8-8b08-027a6ccb38eb_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.5c9e59801c5d

     And, didn't Melania Trump get in with a 'genius visa'?  Stretching it quite a bit I should think but, perhaps, standing next to Donald she looked like a genius in comparison.