DORA Dallas Office Rapid Adjustment

mao75 said:
Hey guys,

does anyone knows how long will take them to send the FP Letter after DORA Interview approved??

Another question, how long they take to cash the checks, Its been 11 days and they even haven't cash it. I know its soon but DORA its usually really fast to cash and send the FP letter.

Actually it took nearly a month before we received the FP letter. I remember anxiously awaiting it. Just be patient. It took only 3 weeks to receive approval after the FP were taken, but it took longer to receive the FP letter.

Can't advise about the checks ---- since I submitted cashier's checks, I did not check it.

Let me give you a bit of advice, even though I know you won't listen ---- I didn't myself either: Relax and just let things move at its own pace. You check the mailbox with great disappointment, you spend hours on these newsgroups etc. etc. Go on with life, and before you know it, you'll hear from them.

Best wishes
 
pianoplayer said:
Actually it took nearly a month before we received the FP letter. I remember anxiously awaiting it. Just be patient. It took only 3 weeks to receive approval after the FP were taken, but it took longer to receive the FP letter.

Can't advise about the checks ---- since I submitted cashier's checks, I did not check it.

Let me give you a bit of advice, even though I know you won't listen ---- I didn't myself either: Relax and just let things move at its own pace. You check the mailbox with great disappointment, you spend hours on these newsgroups etc. etc. Go on with life, and before you know it, you'll hear from them.

Best wishes

Well, You are totally right, Im really anxious, after 7 years, finally I see things moving, and I cant wait for it. but the reality its I need some document to prove that Im adjusting status, so far, I have nothing. I know It will take some time, hope not much.

Thanks for your advice....
 
mao75 said:
Well, You are totally right, Im really anxious, after 7 years, finally I see things moving, and I cant wait for it. but the reality its I need some document to prove that Im adjusting status, so far, I have nothing. I know It will take some time, hope not much.

Thanks for your advice....

According to your signature you received receipt notices. These are good proof that they received your application and that you are in the process of AOS ---- do not worry about that.
 
Dora Or Dcf?

I am an Indian in US on a B1 entered about a month ago (allowed stay; 6 months). Met a USC girl in US and plan to get married.

Both of us are not in dallas. I can move to dallas and get a drivers license there, I already have a d.license from another state, I'll get it converted.

I also have the option of both of us moving to India , getting married there
and filing I-130 direct at the embassy(Direct Consular Filing), that will take about 6 months in all to get immigrant visa in INDIA (USC can file I-130 at embassy only after staying 3 months in India + 3 months for processing.)

My question;
Looking at my situation, is it worthwhile for me to
go through DORA? (Considering that for some people the name checks in DORA really delay the process 6m-1 yr). Or is it wiser to go by direct filing at India?
 
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nacho1 said:
I am an Indian in US on a B1 entered about a month ago (allowed stay; 6 months). Met a USC girl in US and plan to get married.

Both of us are not in dallas. I can move to dallas and get a drivers license there, I already have a d.license from another state, I'll get it converted.

I also have the option of both of us moving to India , getting married there
and filing I-130 direct at the embassy(Direct Consular Filing), that will take about 6 months in all to get immigrant visa in INDIA (USC can file I-130 at embassy only after staying 3 months in India + 3 months for processing.)

My question;
Looking at my situation, is it worthwhile for me to
go through DORA? (Considering that for some people the name checks in DORA really delay the process 6m-1 yr). Or is it wiser to go by direct filing at India?

Hi:

Wow ---- that is a pretty short time to know someone and decide to get married. While I am not saying that you necessarily entered with immigrant intent, expect to be questioned about getting married so soon after arriving on B1.

As for DORA or consular filing, it would depend on your circumstances. You will have security checks for the immigrant visa also. Does your USC spouse-to-be have a job in the US? What about convenience?

If you want to do DORA, you COULD move to Dallas district. But you have to show that you have taken up residence there.
 
Thanks , Pianoplayer.
To tell you the truth , we have been online friends for about a year,
and I entered US with a dual purpose , my business visit and actual encounter with her. Now that we have decided to get married, we are
weighing which way is the quickest and safest to marry and file.
Someone advised us, if we did get married in US , we should do it only after
my 60 days of stay in US.
She is a CPA and is employed with a firm; it is hard to take 3 months off
but will do it if DCF is a better option.
It is a very serious relationship ; nothing sham about it.

1. Is a dallas area drivers license enough to show residence there?
2. Does my USC GF have to show residence in dallas too?
3. Will I be legal if my B1 stay expires and DORA processing is still not complete?



pianoplayer said:
Hi:

Wow ---- that is a pretty short time to know someone and decide to get married. While I am not saying that you necessarily entered with immigrant intent, expect to be questioned about getting married so soon after arriving on B1.

As for DORA or consular filing, it would depend on your circumstances. You will have security checks for the immigrant visa also. Does your USC spouse-to-be have a job in the US? What about convenience?

If you want to do DORA, you COULD move to Dallas district. But you have to show that you have taken up residence there.
 
nacho1 said:
Thanks , Pianoplayer.
To tell you the truth , we have been online friends for about a year,
and I entered US with a dual purpose , my business visit and actual encounter with her. Now that we have decided to get married, we are
weighing which way is the quickest and safest to marry and file.
Someone advised us, if we did get married in US , we should do it only after
my 60 days of stay in US.
She is a CPA and is employed with a firm; it is hard to take 3 months off
but will do it if DCF is a better option.
It is a very serious relationship ; nothing sham about it.

1. Is a dallas area drivers license enough to show residence there?
2. Does my USC GF have to show residence in dallas too?
3. Will I be legal if my B1 stay expires and DORA processing is still not complete?

Hi:

I am not going to lecture you on the "dual purpose" issue --- I really do not have enough facts to know whether you came here intending to marry. Note that the law requires you to enter the US on a nonimmigrant visa with nonimmigrant intent. Entering the US on a nonimmigrant visa with intent to get married is illegal. However, based on what you told me, it is not enough to say that you intended to get married. It is quite plausible for someone to come on a business trip (i.e. valid for the purpose of the visa) and to meet up with someone he/she met online, provided that there is no actual immigrant intent at that point.

If you truly did not have immigrant intent, you should be fine. It may raise a red flag, but you should be fine ultimately. However, be careful with your use of the words "dual purpose". If you just came out for the business trip and wanted to meet her at the same time, say exactly that. You don't want legal semantics to ruin it for you.

Note: Many on here will tell you that even if you came with the intent to marry and immigrate, that you will be fine. In reality, yes, more and more these days USCIS overlooks this issue, but just be sure that it is technically ILLEGAL and it can pose a problem.

Now finally, your 3 questions:

1. The DL is important, but it is not necessarily sufficient. You must prove
that your reside in the district. You will have to at least show an
apartment lease/mortgage etc.
Note: it does not require you to be DOMICILED (versus a resident) of the
Dallas district, and therefore a DL is not a technical requirement. Since I
own property in CA and go to school in TX(renting), I do not have a TX
DL. The interview was conducted with my CA DL and my wife's TX DL.
However, it was easy to prove that we were both RESIDING in the Dallas
district (at least for the next couple of years!).

2. Likely you will both have to show residence in TX. Most married couples
reside at the same address, which in your case has to be in the Dallas
district. This is not an absolute requirement, e.g. if you can show
compelling reasons why you need to live separately for now, and you can
document regular visits, you may be OK, but it is harder to show.

Note: in effect, you will both have to move to TX. It will be hard to show
that you moved to TX, but she still works in another state etc. Therefore,
I would not advise that you stage a 'sham move' just to file DORA. While
there may be some resourceful people who can get around it in sneaky
ways, you pretty much have to LIVE in the Dallas district.

I have known a couple who moved to Dallas for a year just to file DORA.
But in their case, they actually sold their house and really moved to Dallas
for a year. And in the end, they ended up staying, since it was too much
effort for them to move again.

3. As soon as you file AOS (i.e. have DORA upfront interview), you are in
pending AOS status. Once you receive your receipts in the mail (approx.
2 weeks or so later), you have proof of that status and the clock stops
ticking for unauthorized stay. The clock does not stop ticking only when
you are approved.

To sum this all up, you have to decide a couple of things:
1. Did I come to the US with immigrant intent, and if so, do I want to risk
taking the illegal path of filing for AOS in the US?
2. If you did not come with immigrant intent, still decide whether you want to
do consular processing (with some inconvenience) or file AOS in the US?
3. If you want to file in the US, do you want to move to Dallas (at least for a
while) and file DORA (with some inconvenience, giving up jobs, house etc.)
or file regular process?

Best of luck.
 
Well, thanks Pianoplayer. You really dissected it well for me.
I am beginning to think more and more in favor of consular filing at New Delhi.
Both of us moving to dallas from the DC area,setting up residence there, possible FBI name check delays, and the issue of immigrant intent are the things I do not want. New Delhi,
somewhat inconvenient for my wife-to-be, seems like a safer option and it is my home!!!!.
 
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pianoplayer said:
According to your signature you received receipt notices. These are good proof that they received your application and that you are in the process of AOS ---- do not worry about that.


The truth is Im still havent received any ND yet, by the way, how long was for you to receive the first ND of the 485 and 765 after the interview???
 
mao75 said:
The truth is Im still havent received any ND yet, by the way, how long was for you to receive the first ND of the 485 and 765 after the interview???

Mine arrived about 2 weeks after the interview. However, I think it is too early for you to be concerned. Times vary and I have certainly seen cases where the receipt arrives a month after or even a bit later.
 
pianoplayer said:
Mine arrived about 2 weeks after the interview. However, I think it is too early for you to be concerned. Times vary and I have certainly seen cases where the receipt arrives a month after or even a bit later.

Well, as usual you were right, I received the ND/RD last thursday, now, I read that you can request a walk-in FP just with that letter, instead of waiting for the appointment, Happygirl and Piyalove did that, could I do that??? anyway if I can't, the worst is that they won't let me in. Finally, they say "you are part of the process to have the LPR in 3 months", I dont want to rush, but if I can have the FP by walk-in, I guess Im saving time......
 
mao75 said:
Well, as usual you were right, I received the ND/RD last thursday, now, I read that you can request a walk-in FP just with that letter, instead of waiting for the appointment, Happygirl and Piyalove did that, could I do that??? anyway if I can't, the worst is that they won't let me in. Finally, they say "you are part of the process to have the LPR in 3 months", I dont want to rush, but if I can have the FP by walk-in, I guess Im saving time......

Yes, I am aware that others have tried it. I have heard mixed reports --- some have been able to get in. Others have said that you can get in, but only if you already have the FP letter.

If you are very anxious, you could certainly try and do a walk-in. I don't see how it can do any harm. Since I was very busy, I had just decided to wait it out till I received the letter. I waited about a month to receive the FP letter after I received the receipt notice.
 
Dora

-Is there an advantage in applying through the DORA program now that the regular processing takes about 6 months
-Do we need to file supplement-A to the form I-485?
-my wife is on B1/B2 visa, wold this be a problem?
I'm a USC.
thank you for the input,
 
pianoplayer said:
Yes, I am aware that others have tried it. I have heard mixed reports --- some have been able to get in. Others have said that you can get in, but only if you already have the FP letter.

If you are very anxious, you could certainly try and do a walk-in. I don't see how it can do any harm. Since I was very busy, I had just decided to wait it out till I received the letter. I waited about a month to receive the FP letter after I received the receipt notice.


Well, I did my fingerprintson the schedulled appointment, I guess you can do it by walk-in at any time, but only with the FP Letter.

Now the hardest part, wait for the final results, I hope it will take the same as yours or at least the 90 days.

Thanks again for your help, I'll keep you posted!!!
 
Happy Holiday Interview approved

First let me start by saying thanks to all that keep posting on this site.It sure helped us along the way many times when we wondered if we should have a lawyer or just do the paperwork on our own.Thru all the advice and postings that i have read here we finally had all in order and went today for our AOS in Dallas thru the DORA program.It went so smooth i wondered why i spent so many sleepless nite.Our appointment was for 10.45 ...We got there and they took all our paperwork and told us to return at 1:30 for our interview.
When we returned at 1:00 we were immediately called in and interviewed..Happy to say start to finish was less than 10 minutes.We had paperwork so organised the man that interviewed us looked at it for 2 minutes and then proceeded to remind me that in a year and 9 months to remember to file to take conditional off my status..And then said have a great holidays and that all was approved and that soon would get appointment in the mail for fingerprints etc.It went so smooth my husband actually asked the interviewer.."Dont you want to see our wedding pics and cards and other stuff we brought?"The interviewers response was.No its ok its not hard to tell this is a valid marriage and everything is in order.
The one thing i would like to say to all yet to go thru this...ORGANIZE.....for when you show you put the time into making sure all is done and that you respect yours and their time by making sure you are ready.all will run smooth..Happy holidays all and will post again a timeline when we get the rest of the steps underway...


Filing and AOS Interview(DORA) - 12/21/2006
 
Mao, glad to hear your FP is done. Now best of luck with approval ---- hope it comes soon.

Fstrdeb, congratulations on the interview. Yes, it is over before you know it! Best of luck with the rest of the process. Thanks for posting your experience.
 
Is it worth filing I-765 under DORA?

Since the processing times seem to be under 90 days for DORA, is it worth filing the I-765 concurrently with the I-130/I-485? I am USC and my husband is from Canada. We are just starting the process with his civil surgeon exam scheduled for next week, and will plan on filing I-130/I-485 soon after that under DORA.
 
Criniss said:
Since the processing times seem to be under 90 days for DORA, is it worth filing the I-765 concurrently with the I-130/I-485? I am USC and my husband is from Canada. We are just starting the process with his civil surgeon exam scheduled for next week, and will plan on filing I-130/I-485 soon after that under DORA.

Hi:

With DORA, you are not supposed to file I765 with the other documents, since it is a pilot program seeking to eliminate the need for AP and EAD. If your application cannot be approved in 90 days (they traditionally send a letter around the 70th day), you may apply for EAD or AP then.

If there is an emergency, you may apply for AP at any time.
 
Hello Again,

A quick question for Pianoplayer..... after your FP, did you received any LUD notice telling you that the processing of the case has begun and they will updated it when it’s complete???

What happen after FP?? just keep waiting until the Welcome Letter?? or its any step or Letter before that?? by the way, how long they took to approve your case after FP???

Many thanks
 
We're in the same boat!

mao75 said:
Hello Again,

A quick question for Pianoplayer..... after your FP, did you received any LUD notice telling you that the processing of the case has begun and they will updated it when it’s complete???

What happen after FP?? just keep waiting until the Welcome Letter?? or its any step or Letter before that?? by the way, how long they took to approve your case after FP???

Many thanks

I think we're in the same boat.
I filed my 485 on Dec 11, 2006.
Here's my timeline.

Dec 11, 2006 - DORA Interview & File
Dec 19, 2006 - LUD Change / No message change
Dec 22, 2006 - 485 Receipt Received
Dec 26, 2006 - Bio Letter Received
Dec 29, 2006 - LUD Change / No message change
Dec 31, 2006 - LUD Change / No message change
Jan 03, 2007 - Fingerprinting Code 3
Jan 09, 2007 - LUD Change / No message change

As you can see, I have a LUD change after fingerprinting but there was no message change.
I'm waiting.
I read many posts and I think most of the 485 cases approved 1 ~ many(???) months. It depends on FBI name check.
Anyway, we have to wait until 70 ~ 90 days to act.
Good luck to you.
 
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