Filing I-485: Are these docs enough? Thank you!

[Rusdude]

Hello!

I am a derivative asylee on my mother's application and both of us are filing for AOS right now (before the fees triple). I read as much as I could on USCIS's site (including Adjudicator's Field Manual) and on this site. However, there may be things I missed, so I would appreciate if some of the veterans could look through the list of everything that we plan to send with our I-485 and answer some questions -- you can never be too careful with the wonderful immigration folks!

1) I-485 with "Current Status" as Asylee and "Expires On" as NONE
.... Question: my mom got food stamps and apartment subsidy for a few months (through ORR or YMCA, I think), does this mean she needs to attach an explanation like Page 3 says or are asylees exempted from having to explain this? Is there a template around that explains asylee food stamps?

2) Photos x 4 (yeah, they ask for 2 but we want to send more just in case);

3) I-693 with Vaccination Supplement (in the sealed envelope)
.... Question: our clinic made us sign the forms but didn't ask us for the A number. When we asked them to put it in, they refused and said they never had a case come back in 15 yrs. Are we okay?

4) G-325A
.... Question (a): like with many Russian family/last names, our mothers' have an extra letter (-ov for dads, -ova for moms), so what should we use in "Family Name" box -- male versions or male version / female version? FYI, the box isn't big enough to put in MaleVersion (dad)/FemaleVersion (mom) and we don't want to confuse IO...
.... Question (b): in the "write your name in your native alphabet" box, does it matter if it's typed on a computer or handwritten? We can type it in on the computer like the rest of the form but perhaps it was meant to be handwritten.

5) I-643 (we don't need to sign this one, right? There's no signature box );

6) "Evidence of status" -- order granting asylum from IJ #1, order granting asylum from IJ #2, BIA decision upholding IJ's order #2
[FYI, our case went like this: denied by asylum office, granted asylum by IJ, remanded back by BIA (for evidentiary reasons), granted asylum by IJ again, upheld on appeal].
.... Question: do we have to send in our actual asylum applications? If so, which one(s) do we send -- original one filed with asylum office or one filed with the court?

7) "Evidence of 1 yr + continuous presence" -- letters from current and past employers (me; changed jobs in July '06), utility bills (mom), apartment leasing contracts (both);

8) "Evidence of [no] absences" -- full copies of expired and current passports (expired ones also have our visas);

9) Birth certificates (copy) with original translations;

10) Miscellaneous docs: I-94s that we got on entry (we weren't told to get new ones after grant of asylum), drivers licenses, Soc. Security cards, Selective Service registration card (me), copy of original Marriage/Divorce licenses and original translations (mom).


Whew! I apologize for making this so long, but we want to make sure everything is correct, although even 100% correct isn't good enough sometimes (our original asylum applications came back because INS wanted 4 copies of some document instead of 3 that instructions said).

 

[newjourney]

5) What is I-643?

6)make copies and send

7) apartment leasing is enough if receipts have both of your names

8) I don't think it is necessary as you have above 7)

9) copies are enough

10) new I-94s are issued with asylum letter. No driver licenses, ssc and SSR are required.

[I am not expert on this. Just let u know what i know. Act accordingly.]

 

[LolaLi]

Just a word of advice - never send CIS originals as you will not get them back. They will be placed in your A-file and you will have to fill out a form to request them back.

One year evidence can be fulfilled by employment letter, SSA letter, car lease, mortgage or rental lease, and school/university transcripts. Only one piece of evidence is needed - although sending two wouldn't hurt. Just don't overwhelm them with lots of paperwork.

No need to send in extra photographs as a new photo will be taken along with your biometrics and signature once the process is nearing completion.

Medicals usually do not have A#s written on them. The applicant's name and date of birth is enough. Just make sure you get an sealed envelope from the doctor's office. Do not open the results as that would automatically void them.

Question 4 b> You can type them - The question is merely asking you to write it using your native alphabet. Meaning, in some languages such as Arabic, you need to write it out using the Arabic script. This would apply to Russian as well, so if you're PC is equipped with that ability - you can type your name in Russian.

Your evidence of status should consist of copies of your I-94 and the IJ's letter granting asylum. You should get a new indefinite I-94 that is proof of your Asylum status. This document is important and you should under no circumstances be using your original I-94 for anything going forward.

There is no need for you to submit a copy of the SSN card as you are giving them the number in the application. I would recommend you sending in a copy of your DL as it is a government issued photo ID. Unless specifically asked, you should not include a copy of the Selective Service registration - the number is enough and the form would ask you for it if it is required. I know the N-400 specifically asks you for it, so please make sure you keep the receipt in a safe place for later use.

There is no need to send in a copy of your actual asylum application as it is already contained in your A-file.

Hope this helps. Let us know how the application goes.

 

[Rusdude]

Just a word of advice - never send CIS originals as you will not get them back. They will be placed in your A-file and you will have to fill out a form to request them back.

Does this apply even to translations? CIS has a web page that lists which documents should be originals and translations is one of the items. I don't think sending original translations matters since we can always get original docs translated, right?

Medicals usually do not have A#s written on them. The applicant's name and date of birth is enough. Just make sure you get an sealed envelope from the doctor's office. Do not open the results as that would automatically void them.

Well, that makes me feel better

Your evidence of status should consist of copies of your I-94 and the IJ's letter granting asylum. You should get a new indefinite I-94 that is proof of your Asylum status. This document is important and you should under no circumstances be using your original I-94 for anything going forward.

Here's the thing -- we were NOT issued (or told to get) new I-94s and we don't have a formal letter from IJ (just orders that were issued at the court hearings). Once we got a decision from the BIA, we haven't received anything .

Once we started to fill out I-485 and saw it asking for I-94/proof of status, we got worried and went to an INFOPASS appointment where -- long story short -- the supervisor told us we did NOT need to request I-94 to apply for AOS.

Are we screwed and CIS will immediately kick the case back without I-94 that show our asylum status?

There is no need for you to submit a copy of the SSN card as you are giving them the number in the application. I would recommend you sending in a copy of your DL as it is a government issued photo ID. Unless specifically asked, you should not include a copy of the Selective Service registration - the number is enough and the form would ask you for it if it is required. I know the N-400 specifically asks you for it, so please make sure you keep the receipt in a safe place for later use.

Thank you. We were going to send DLs anyway. I saw Sel Svc mentioned on this forum and thought I should send it too -- everyone we talk to advices us to send as much as possible, lol

There is no need to send in a copy of your actual asylum application as it is already contained in your A-file.

That's good to know. Is "A-file" an actual file folder or imaged documents? And how much does it contain anyway? When we were at the Houston office, the 1st level officer at the window mentioned my EADs (as in "why haven't you had an EAD for the last X yrs?"; me: "That's when I was granted asylum and I don't need EAD with a clean Soc Sec card"; her: "No, you do!").

To answer NewJourney:

I-643 (Health and Human Services Data for Refugees/Asylees Adjusting Status) is a form that, AFAIK refugees and asylees have to fill out now when doing AOS. It's mentioned in one place on CIS site and someone here wrote that their lawyer told them to send it in.

Thank you guys for the advice!