Adjustment of Status (AOS)

The gruelling hours of filling out pages of forms and gathering evidence is not yet over once you get to the United States on a K1 visa. After you get married - which should happen within 90 days of entry, one should file for adjustment of status so that you would be able to land a job or visit the Philippines for a vacation without applying for another visa. The adjustment of status is your passport to getting the green card. It's not just about paperwork, but you should prepare $1010 for the application and some extra for your needed vaccines that aren't completed in the Philippines. We Filipinas are really expensive! That's why we should also be treated as a gem and not as a househelp or a punching bag once we get here. I am blessed to have a husband who doesn't give me any of those traumatic experiences.

Here is my timeframe for the Adjustment of Status (AOS):

01.20.10: Arrived in the US. POE- Chicago, Illinois

03.17.10: Wedding day

03.19.10: Appointment with Civil Surgeon and got remaining shots (Tdap and MMR). Got the sealed envelope of the I-693 form. (please refer to my blog about the civil surgeon appointment for details on this)

04.06.10: Mailed AOS Package

04.16.10: Checked cleared

04.20.10: Received receipts in the mail, with notice date: April 14,2010.

05.14.10: Biometrics appointment at 9am

06.07.10: Green card approval received in the mail

06.22.10: Green Card received!

Here is a sample of the cover letter I have prepared with the forms I have submitted:

Immediate Relative (Spouse) Family Based Adjustment of Status Application

United States Department of Homeland Security

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

USCIS

ATTN: FBAS

131 South Dearborn 3rd Floor

Chicago, IL 60603-5517

Nature of the submission: I-485 Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, ORIGINAL SUBMISSION

To Whom It May Concern:

Enclosed please find Form I-485 Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status Form, I-864 Affidavit of Support, Form I-765 Application for Employment Authorization and all supporting documents.

My eligibility is based on admission as the fiancé of a U.S. citizen
and subsequent marriage to that citizen within 90 days of entry.

Contents include:

I-485 Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status

1. Payment for I-485 of $1,010.00 in the form of a personal check;
2. Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status.
3. Complete copy of non US citizen’s passport which includes biographical Page, entry stamps, and K-1 Visa; (I have read on some forums that they didn't include entry stamps, but I included it in my list to make sure I didn't miss anything that they need.)
4. K-1 I-797 Notice Of Action 2 (approval of K1 petition);
5. Copy of form I-94 (front and back);
6. Copy of birth certificate;
7. Copy of Marriage Certificate;
10.Two Passport type Photos;
11. G-325A ;
12. I-693A vaccination supplement to the I-693 in sealed envelope

I-864 Affidavit of Support signed by husband,(name of husband), with supporting documents:

- Copy of 2009 tax return;

- 2009 W2 form;

- Letter from employer

I-765 Application for Employment Document
- Complete copy of non US citizen’s passport which includes Biographical Page, Entry Stamps, and K-1 Visa.
- Copy of form I-94 (front and back)
- Copy of Marriage Certificate
- Two (2) passport size pictures

- Copy of birth certificate

Copies of documents submitted are exact photocopies of unaltered documents and I understand that I may be required to submit original documents to an Immigration officer at a later date.

Sincerely,

(Signature over printed name)

I got this idea from another website when I was doing my research about the adjustment of status. I forgot to bookmark the website though, that's why I won't be able to post the link here.

Anyway, to those who are going through the same route I am in, good luck and I hope that everything will be smooth sailing for all of us. I hope this post helps. :)