trinikisses

Hey Everyone, I am a little confused so I hope you guys can help me.
1) I am married to a USC living in Arizona and I am starting this whole long process. My question is when filing my I-130 and I-485 concurrently do I mail them both to my local USCIS office? Or do you have to mail the I-130 to California? I’m reading conflicting advices on other sites and I need to know the truth.
2) Also when mailing my I-485 do I have to make a photocopy of my I-130 since I am mailing them concurrently and my I-130 has not been approved yet? Any advice would be wonderful.

Thank You All

YtsejaM

Hi. You'll want to send both the I-485 and the I-130 (with all respective supporting documents) in the same package. And you do send them both to your local district office.

James Barclay

Just to let you know - if you don't know already.....the average waiting period from filing to interview is two and a half years in Arizona!!

I filed in June of 2004, received my work permit towards the end of August 2004 aswell as my social security number....I used a really good attorney which cost me $1500 but given the consequences that can result from the smallest errors in the application - was worth every penny!!

FYI - if you are a driver....there is a lot of confusion regarding getting an arizona drivers licence. Some say you don't need to retake a practical test - others say you do - I was given conflicting info from the same district office - in the end I was given a licence without neeeding to take the test - but be aware - it can be a major headache.....

Good luck with your application

Joel

    > Just to let you know - if you don't know already.....the average waiting
    > period from filing to interview is two and a half years in Arizona!!

Where is this information found? Is it only Arizona or you mean the service
center? I am about to get married and file for a spousal visa. Should I
move? ;-)

I have only filed for a K-1 before so I am new to the spousal visa process.

Thanks!

Joel

Noorah101

Hi Joel,

He means the waiting time from turning in AOS paperwork until your AOS interview. The information can be found on the local Phoenix office website: https://egov.immigration.gov/cris/js...ectedOffice=56

Another poster going through Phoenix, recently said his time frame was only 16 months, though. So maybe Phoenix is picking up the pace.

Best Wishes,
Rene

Pimpbot

That would be me

We filed in early october 2003 on a K1 and have the AOS meeting on january 21st 2005.

Denis

On Wed, 17 Nov 2004 16:42:08 +0000, Noorah101 <[email protected]>
wrote:

    >Hi Joel,
    >He means the waiting time from turning in AOS paperwork until your AOS
    >interview. The information can be found on the local Phoenix office
    >website: https://egov.immigration.gov/cris/js...esstimes.jsp?-
    >selectedOffice=56
    >Another poster going through Phoenix, recently said his time frame was
    >only 16 months, though. So maybe Phoenix is picking up the pace. :)
    >Best Wishes,
    >Rene

I applied for AOS here in Phoenix in May of 2002 and got approved in
September 2003 which was only 17 months and that was over a year ago.
Only 7 months and I can apply for removal of conditions

    :-)

Denis

Growing old is compulsory, growing UP is optional!

Noorah101

Wow, Denis! That's good news! I guess I should try to be prepared by Oct/Nov 2005 instead of the summer 2006 I had in mind!

Rene

Denis

On Wed, 17 Nov 2004 22:17:48 +0000, Noorah101 <[email protected]>
wrote:


    >> I applied for AOS here in Phoenix in May of 2002 and got approved in
    >> September 2003 which was only 17 months and that was over a year ago.
    >> Only 7 months and I can apply for removal of conditions
    >> :-)
    >> Denis
    >> Growing old is compulsory, growing UP is optional!
    >Wow, Denis! That's good news! I guess I should try to be prepared by
    >Oct/Nov 2005 instead of the summer 2006 I had in mind! :)
    >Rene

You'd better, I read an article in the Arizona Republic recently that
says they are committed to getting it down to 6 months!

-- Denis

Growing old is compulsory, growing UP is optional!

Noorah101

Six months! :scared: That would be December of 2004 for us! LOL I doubt that will happen, but I'm looking forward to having it sooner than later.

Rene

James Barclay

You know, there is some benefit to the long wait in Arizona....some states give an interview in a very short space of time, but then only give a conditional green card until the name check goes through....which as we have seen in countless postings can be a nightmare dragging on endlessly - and needing congress/senator intervention etc etc

At least with Arizona, by the time you get your interview - in all likelyhood you will be granted a green card with no conditions since the FBI would have had enough time to do the name check......

Am I desperatly reaching out for silver linings here!!

Noorah101

hehehehe...I'm with you, James! Although it would be nice to get the interview over with, I have to admit waiting for an interview which falls after 2 years of marriage has it's benefits! Just our luck, we'll probably end up with an interview a month or so before our 2 year anniversary! Note to self***think positive***LOL

Rene

YtsejaM

I think I'd rather just get the darn conditional card so that I don't have to keep sending the USCIS renewal money ad infinium.

And you do realize that whether or not the conditional green card is issued has nothing to do with the name check going through, right? (It has to do with date of marriage.... > 2 years = unconditional green card.... the name check must go through to get a conditional green card, anyway)

James Barclay

Then I stand corrected!!

But what about all those postings from couples who's green card was approved subject to satisfactory name check...???

Noorah101

They run security checks on you at some point during your AOS process. If your security check is finished before your interview, and USCIS is happy with what you present at your interview, you'll get a stamp. If, by some chance, the security checks aren't finished by the time you have your interview, they will tell you "everything looks good for now, and when your security check is done, we'll call you to come in for the stamp". The "condition" part of it is only a time frame issue...whether your interview is before or after 2 years of marriage.

Rene