Hi guys!! Adjustment of Status, Dallas, January 2003 plus new form, SSN, tax...
Jan 3rd 2003, 11:30 pm
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
Hi guys!! Adjustment of Status, Dallas, January 2003 plus new form, SSN, tax...
Hi Guys!
Sorry it's been so long. Life has been incredibly busy. I wrote a long message at Christmas but the computer has been crashing a lot and it got lost before it sent. I hope those who had to be without their loved ones at the end of last year are looking forward to better days to come...
(I have tried to change my name from Garrett to Hill on here but the only things I have been able to update are my email address and usenet signature - ideas anyone?)
OK so... adjustment of status...
But first a note on SSNs and taxes...
You've probably noticed Rete encouraging people from time to time to get an SSN before marriage. LISTEN TO HER!!! If you're not from the US - or possibly even if you are - you can have no conception of how important this cute little number is and how much hassle you will save if you get it before you marry.
You need it to file taxes (of which more later - we got a great tax break by marrying at the end of the year), you need it for health insurance, obviously you need it to work... The school even asked for it for the kids. We would have saved a lot of hassle if we had managed to get it before marriage. Once married, you can't get it till after you get employment authorisation and at the moment here we're told that's taking between 1 and 3 months (source: Catholic Charities).
In the end, my husband's insurance people assigned us a temp ssn for their purposes only before my one-month cover ran out. Apparently schools can do something similar. Finally, for tax purposes (W2s come out soon so it's nearly filing time) you can apply for a special number to use instead of an ssn if you're not eligible for one when filing taxes. You need form W-7 which is downloadable from the IRS website and is a simple one-page jobby.
You need this number either to file joint taxes (which you can do even if one of you doesn't have an income) or for you and/or your children to be claimed as a dependant for tax purposes if you have no ssn and are not yet eligible to apply for one (for example if you're stupid like me and didn't make Rete's advice a priority cos you were so damn eager to get that ring on your finger). It takes 4-6 weeks to get by mail but you can also file for it in person - I'll tell you how that goes on Monday...
Here's why it's worth bothering...
We found out yesterday that even though we married at the end of the year (December 12) Garth can claim myself and the children as dependants for the whole year. Which means he's going to get at least a couple of grand back from the IRS. Better even than him filing and claiming for us, we can file jointly, even though I have no income, no ssn and have been here less than a month, and the tax break is even bigger. All this from a big help book the IRS puts out this time of year called Tax Guide. Publication 17, catalog number 10311G. It's free and you can get it at your local IRS office.
OK enough on all that...
ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS
We're using Catholic Charities to file adjustment for me and my daughters - K1 and two K2s. Yesterday we spent several hours down there. Cost us $850 extra (350 for me, 250 each for my daughters and would cost an extra 100 if you need a co-sponsor).
I know you don't have to do this but we decided we wanted to be hassle-free. They give you a checklist of what to bring, fill out all the forms for you, copy all the documents, make up the files to send to INS (which is right next door to them) and they go over each application with a fine tooth comb and have it to the INS within 5 days. All you have to do is bring what they ask, sit there til your bum's numb and sign. If a problem comes up they fight for you. When you get your interview letter you go back, pay $30 and they hand you a file prepared for your interview and tell you what to expect. We were there four hours (Garth had to run off for 2 of those to go down the IRS and request a W-2 for 1999 - they gave him a printout there and then which doesn't really look like a W-2 but is apparently a usable substitute - the IRS will provide up to three years of these over-the-counter and free - bit of useful info we learned from Catholic Charities yesterday and that might help anyone up all night panicking and searching through boxes of papers as we were).
Here are the forms they did:
ADJUSTMENT FORMS for myself and two daughters.
AN EXTRA FORM - I didn't get the number but it's a supplement to the adjustment form. It is for people adjusting for reasons other than from K1 and specifically says if you answer YES to the question about adjusting after marriage do not send in this form!!! But, our case handler said every time they don't send it in, because it says don't send it in, they get a request for it. So now they send it in routinely even though it's not legally necessary. I'm so sorry I didn't get the number of the form. It seemed very bizarre. Was a two pager with check boxes about why you're adjusting and not much else.
WORK AUTHORISATION for myself which should be through between 1 and 3 months.
Affidavit of support (they have notaries on site).
We were told again what we were told at our original consultation - that K1 adjustments of status get priority and it should be through by 6 months time. These people deal with these cases all day every day - that's all they do - so they must have reason to give such good news. Fingers crossed! Watch this space!
It felt so amazing to walk away knowing all the paperwork was done. I know it's not the end of the process by a long shot but hey - it feels great to be this far. And everything is so much easier now we are all together. Friends and family have been amazingly supportive. The minister who married us took our daughters ice skating and for pizza yesterday so they didn't have to sit with us through all the paperwork. They've settled brilliantly. The boys next door taught my youngest how to ride her bike without training wheels. They've been making friends and enjoying the unusual weather and are looking forward to school on Monday. We went down before Christmas break and enrolled and they were lucky enough to meet their teachers who are lovely.
So....
If you're still waiting on those visas hang on in there. It really is all worth it in the end.
And finally, what is all this business about restrooms and bath roll? BATHll??? Let's call a spade a shovel - you use it in the toilet. TOILET!!! Why can no one say that word over here? When your six-year-old turns to you in anguish in a restaurant and informs you she's 'desperate for a REST!" you know this language thing has gone too far. FACT: nobody wees in Texas - they take a rest or go for a bath. PLEASE!!!!
But hey, the coffee's soooooo good
Regards
-=-
Scarlett
Sorry it's been so long. Life has been incredibly busy. I wrote a long message at Christmas but the computer has been crashing a lot and it got lost before it sent. I hope those who had to be without their loved ones at the end of last year are looking forward to better days to come...
(I have tried to change my name from Garrett to Hill on here but the only things I have been able to update are my email address and usenet signature - ideas anyone?)
OK so... adjustment of status...
But first a note on SSNs and taxes...
You've probably noticed Rete encouraging people from time to time to get an SSN before marriage. LISTEN TO HER!!! If you're not from the US - or possibly even if you are - you can have no conception of how important this cute little number is and how much hassle you will save if you get it before you marry.
You need it to file taxes (of which more later - we got a great tax break by marrying at the end of the year), you need it for health insurance, obviously you need it to work... The school even asked for it for the kids. We would have saved a lot of hassle if we had managed to get it before marriage. Once married, you can't get it till after you get employment authorisation and at the moment here we're told that's taking between 1 and 3 months (source: Catholic Charities).
In the end, my husband's insurance people assigned us a temp ssn for their purposes only before my one-month cover ran out. Apparently schools can do something similar. Finally, for tax purposes (W2s come out soon so it's nearly filing time) you can apply for a special number to use instead of an ssn if you're not eligible for one when filing taxes. You need form W-7 which is downloadable from the IRS website and is a simple one-page jobby.
You need this number either to file joint taxes (which you can do even if one of you doesn't have an income) or for you and/or your children to be claimed as a dependant for tax purposes if you have no ssn and are not yet eligible to apply for one (for example if you're stupid like me and didn't make Rete's advice a priority cos you were so damn eager to get that ring on your finger). It takes 4-6 weeks to get by mail but you can also file for it in person - I'll tell you how that goes on Monday...
Here's why it's worth bothering...
We found out yesterday that even though we married at the end of the year (December 12) Garth can claim myself and the children as dependants for the whole year. Which means he's going to get at least a couple of grand back from the IRS. Better even than him filing and claiming for us, we can file jointly, even though I have no income, no ssn and have been here less than a month, and the tax break is even bigger. All this from a big help book the IRS puts out this time of year called Tax Guide. Publication 17, catalog number 10311G. It's free and you can get it at your local IRS office.
OK enough on all that...
ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS
We're using Catholic Charities to file adjustment for me and my daughters - K1 and two K2s. Yesterday we spent several hours down there. Cost us $850 extra (350 for me, 250 each for my daughters and would cost an extra 100 if you need a co-sponsor).
I know you don't have to do this but we decided we wanted to be hassle-free. They give you a checklist of what to bring, fill out all the forms for you, copy all the documents, make up the files to send to INS (which is right next door to them) and they go over each application with a fine tooth comb and have it to the INS within 5 days. All you have to do is bring what they ask, sit there til your bum's numb and sign. If a problem comes up they fight for you. When you get your interview letter you go back, pay $30 and they hand you a file prepared for your interview and tell you what to expect. We were there four hours (Garth had to run off for 2 of those to go down the IRS and request a W-2 for 1999 - they gave him a printout there and then which doesn't really look like a W-2 but is apparently a usable substitute - the IRS will provide up to three years of these over-the-counter and free - bit of useful info we learned from Catholic Charities yesterday and that might help anyone up all night panicking and searching through boxes of papers as we were).
Here are the forms they did:
ADJUSTMENT FORMS for myself and two daughters.
AN EXTRA FORM - I didn't get the number but it's a supplement to the adjustment form. It is for people adjusting for reasons other than from K1 and specifically says if you answer YES to the question about adjusting after marriage do not send in this form!!! But, our case handler said every time they don't send it in, because it says don't send it in, they get a request for it. So now they send it in routinely even though it's not legally necessary. I'm so sorry I didn't get the number of the form. It seemed very bizarre. Was a two pager with check boxes about why you're adjusting and not much else.
WORK AUTHORISATION for myself which should be through between 1 and 3 months.
Affidavit of support (they have notaries on site).
We were told again what we were told at our original consultation - that K1 adjustments of status get priority and it should be through by 6 months time. These people deal with these cases all day every day - that's all they do - so they must have reason to give such good news. Fingers crossed! Watch this space!
It felt so amazing to walk away knowing all the paperwork was done. I know it's not the end of the process by a long shot but hey - it feels great to be this far. And everything is so much easier now we are all together. Friends and family have been amazingly supportive. The minister who married us took our daughters ice skating and for pizza yesterday so they didn't have to sit with us through all the paperwork. They've settled brilliantly. The boys next door taught my youngest how to ride her bike without training wheels. They've been making friends and enjoying the unusual weather and are looking forward to school on Monday. We went down before Christmas break and enrolled and they were lucky enough to meet their teachers who are lovely.
So....
If you're still waiting on those visas hang on in there. It really is all worth it in the end.
And finally, what is all this business about restrooms and bath roll? BATHll??? Let's call a spade a shovel - you use it in the toilet. TOILET!!! Why can no one say that word over here? When your six-year-old turns to you in anguish in a restaurant and informs you she's 'desperate for a REST!" you know this language thing has gone too far. FACT: nobody wees in Texas - they take a rest or go for a bath. PLEASE!!!!
But hey, the coffee's soooooo good
Regards
-=-
Scarlett
Jan 4th 2003, 7:38 pm
#2
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2002
Location: Hondo Tx
Posts: 264
scarlett
Thank you for the up date, once again some very use full information. Sounds like you have every thing undercontrol, am very pleased to hear the children are settling in well. I do have one question for you about the schools.
I was told that in Texas my children will need a Tb test ? any idea if that is the case.
All the best kit
Thank you for the up date, once again some very use full information. Sounds like you have every thing undercontrol, am very pleased to hear the children are settling in well. I do have one question for you about the schools.
I was told that in Texas my children will need a Tb test ? any idea if that is the case.
All the best kit
Jan 4th 2003, 8:48 pm
#3
Just around the next bend
Joined: Sep 2002
Location: Missouri
Posts: 2,276
Hey Scarlett,
Thank you so much for another well-documented account of your exploits. I surely will take notice and try to obtain SSN ahead of marriage. But, my question being, do I literally step off the plane and into the SS office? Like you and Garth, we intend to marry very soon after my arrival. Is it likely to be issued that soon?
Wishing you continued happiness, and plenty of rest stops
Take care,
Debbie
Thank you so much for another well-documented account of your exploits. I surely will take notice and try to obtain SSN ahead of marriage. But, my question being, do I literally step off the plane and into the SS office? Like you and Garth, we intend to marry very soon after my arrival. Is it likely to be issued that soon?
Wishing you continued happiness, and plenty of rest stops
Take care,
Debbie
Jan 5th 2003, 12:29 am
#4
Guest
Posts: n/a
Hi guys,
TB tests - I wasn't asked for one. The school nurse just wanted to see the vaccination certs, was very nice and said she'd drop me a line as and when the girls needed new jabs. They haven't had TB jabs as they're only 6 and 8 - maybe it depends on age?
SSN - yes, step off the plane and into an SS office. It really will save you hassle. The thing I forgot to mention in the earlier mesage - we can't make my husband's bank account joint without one either.
Regards
-=-
Scarlett
TB tests - I wasn't asked for one. The school nurse just wanted to see the vaccination certs, was very nice and said she'd drop me a line as and when the girls needed new jabs. They haven't had TB jabs as they're only 6 and 8 - maybe it depends on age?
SSN - yes, step off the plane and into an SS office. It really will save you hassle. The thing I forgot to mention in the earlier mesage - we can't make my husband's bank account joint without one either.
Regards
-=-
Scarlett
Jan 5th 2003, 12:33 am
#5
Guest
Posts: n/a
Garth says the extra form I mentioned was called supplement A to the adjustment of status form. Hope that helps. According to Catholic Charities you often get a request for it even though the form states it's not to be filled in. Go figure. Might save you time in Dallas at least if you go ahead and include it anyway.
Regards
-=-
Scarlett
Regards
-=-
Scarlett
Jan 5th 2003, 8:37 am
#6
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2002
Location: Collinsville, IL (from Scotland, UK)
Posts: 332
Hi Scarlett Hill! I'm very happy for you and Garth and the children...it's wonderful that you're all getting settled in. Sean and I had a super Christmas too, we cooked all day long, watched the snow fall, drank lots of wine and admired my beautiful engagement ring Christmas present. I have prepared most of our AOS papers and evidence, and we're getting married in a few weeks...hopefully on my birthday, January 31st!
We went to a local SS office as soon as I got here and applied for a number for me, but they said it could take 60 plus days for INS to get it cleared. Does this sound normal? I did manage to get a bank account without it, which was a good thing.
Anyway, peace to you all, and continue having a great time :-)
Alison
We went to a local SS office as soon as I got here and applied for a number for me, but they said it could take 60 plus days for INS to get it cleared. Does this sound normal? I did manage to get a bank account without it, which was a good thing.
Anyway, peace to you all, and continue having a great time :-)
Alison
