After Marriage..

[JaH]

My fiancee is here and wants to marry 3 weeks before her Visa expires. I know it has been covered a lot before, and there are tons of info on the net, but I'm having trouble finding it and would like to here from a guy with recent experience. Is it enough time to get paperwork in? What and how long should all this take to cahnge status? Any advice would be appreciated.

[Charles]

... in response to After Marriage.., posted by JaH on Nov 24, 2001

The key is to get married before the 90 day K-1 period expires.  It is desirable, but not necessary, to file for Adjustment of Status within 90 days.  INS procedures allow six months to file for adjustment of status after becoming eligible.  Of course, how long it will take varies with geographic areas, but the sooner, the better.

[DE]

... in response to After Marriage.., posted by JaH on Nov 24, 2001

Get married, get a couple of passport pictures taken, go down to your local INS office with a copy of the marriage certificate, her passport with the K-1 visa stamped in it, ask for the appropriate AOS papers, fill'em out, hand 'em in, wait for your number to be called, write 'em a check, ask for a work card, wait some more, you get called back up to counter, she gets an INS work card with photo that you gave them earlier, they tell you that your next interview will be so many months down the road, you go get finger prints (so far, this alone has taken all day) then you go to SSN office (usually the next day unless by some rare chance it is still open after having dealt with the INS) and can now get her a SSN card with no hassels, boom, you live happly ever after and some day down the road (months maybe over a year later) you get a notice of the AOS interview which you go to showing your joint checking account, answering a few stupid questions, she gets a stamp in her passport until the green card arrives and wha la, she's home free even if things don't work out after that or the two years or what ever isn't even up yet.  She can come and go as she pleases.

Cake walk.

[SteveM]

... in response to Piece of cake.., posted by DE on Nov 24, 2001

Just a warning,

AOS experiences vary greatly across offices.  In Dallas and Detroit, you can adjust status in one day.  In other places it can take up to two years. In Maryland, we have to file by mail to the Vermont Service Center.

One place to start getting information is the AOS links on Doc Steen's Marriage Visa site.

Good luck,

Steve M.

[Patrick]

... in response to After Marriage.., posted by JaH on Nov 24, 2001

My wife and I waited longer than that.  You should state whether you're doing the paper work, or whether someone's doing it for you.  I did my own and filed the application for change of status the same day.  I think we needed some new photos and some finger prints if I remember correctly, but other than that, it was a snap.  Waiting for the green card was another matter.  I took almost three years in our case.