A few general and one specific question about the I-485

[emperorvinayak]

Hello all,
Thank you for being an amazing community!

I'm looking to procure adjustment of status on the basis of marriage,
I have a couple of general questions:
• Can both of us travel while an application is pending even though I'm the only one with advance parole? I.E. does my wife (a US citizen) need some additional documentation in order for my application to not be considered abandoned?
• What if an interview is scheduled for a date while we are out of the country?
• Should all the documents be sent as a single packet or should certain documents be shipped separately?
• Finally, is the cost of I-130 included in the fees for I-485 or are they separate? Does this require 1 check or 2?

For the specific question:

Part 3 question 15 asks "Have you EVER:
a. served in, been a member of, assisted in, or participated in any military unit, paramilitary unit, plolice unit, self-defense unit, vigilante unit, rebel group, guerrilla group, militia, or insurgent organization?
b. Served in any prison, jail, prison camp, detention facility, labor camp, or any other situation that involved detaining persons?

When I was in college in the US, I was part of the security that worked closely with and was a sub-unit of the police department. We weren't armed, we just provided safety **** *** and patrolled the campus. However, from time to time, we did "assist" the "police unit" in spotting and reporting on campus crimes. Although we weren't allowed to personally detain people, there were times where I was "involved in a situation" where the police had to detain individuals.

Should I mark these questions as "yes"? If so do I need an additional explanation of some sort?
Thank you so much, I know there are a lot of questions but I haven't been able to find answers to these anywhere!

[rayb]

Emperor,

Please see my responses in CAPS after each question:

Hello all,
Thank you for being an amazing community!

I'm looking to procure adjustment of status on the basis of marriage,
I have a couple of general questions:
• Can both of us travel while an application is pending even though I'm the only one with advance parole? I.E. does my wife (a US citizen) need some additional documentation in order for my application to not be considered abandoned?

YOU CAN BOTH TRAVEL.

• What if an interview is scheduled for a date while we are out of the country?

MAKE SURE YOUR MAIL IS BEING MONITORED WHILE OUT OF THE COUNTRY.

• Should all the documents be sent as a single packet or should certain documents be shipped separately?

ALL TOGETHER.

• Finally, is the cost of I-130 included in the fees for I-485 or are they separate? Does this require 1 check or 2?

THE I-130 FEE OF $535 IS SEPARATE FROM THE i-485 FEE OF $1,225.


For the specific question:

Part 3 question 15 asks "Have you EVER:
a. served in, been a member of, assisted in, or participated in any military unit, paramilitary unit, plolice unit, self-defense unit, vigilante unit, rebel group, guerrilla group, militia, or insurgent organization?
b. Served in any prison, jail, prison camp, detention facility, labor camp, or any other situation that involved detaining persons?

NO TO THESE QUESTIONS.


When I was in college in the US, I was part of the security that worked closely with and was a sub-unit of the police department. We weren't armed, we just provided safety **** *** and patrolled the campus. However, from time to time, we did "assist" the "police unit" in spotting and reporting on campus crimes. Although we weren't allowed to personally detain people, there were times where I was "involved in a situation" where the police had to detain individuals.

Should I mark these questions as "yes"? If so do I need an additional explanation of some sort?
Thank you so much, I know there are a lot of questions but I haven't been able to find answers to these anywhere!

[emperorvinayak]

Emperor,

Please see my responses in CAPS after each question:

Thank you ray!
For the question about the interview, my question was what happens if they want to schedule the interview on a date we'll be out of the country? Looking at the information it seems that I'll have to physically appear at the USCIS office to give an explanation. This won't be possible if we're not in the US.

Thanks again!

[Walbrzyszanka21]

Thank you ray!
For the question about the interview, my question was what happens if they want to schedule the interview on a date we'll be out of the country? Looking at the information it seems that I'll have to physically appear at the USCIS office to give an explanation. This won't be possible if we're not in the US.

Thanks again!

I would not travel out of the country since you haven't started your process yet. You do not know when they will send you biometrics appointment which can happen a week after you get the notification. The app and the website don't update you on that. Then you may get a request for evidence and how are you going to complete that when you are not in the country? Getting an RFE pushes your PD (priority date) back. So let's say you sent you applications and they received it and your PD date is 9/30 but then you get an RFE 10/16. You are out of the country in the mean time and get back 11/16, you send back the requested documents and they get it 11/20. 11/20 is your new PD date. I strongly suggest not leaving the country. I haven't seen my motherland in over 16 years so trust me, I want to go back but I know that this process is more important than anything.

[rayb]

The interview date notices usually show up about 5 weeks before the interview. The "Advance Parole" option is intended for "short" trips outside the U.S., and if someone is monitoring your mail while you are out of the U.S., you should be able to obtain info about the interview date by contact with this person. You will both be expected at the interview.

--Ray B

Thank you ray!
For the question about the interview, my question was what happens if they want to schedule the interview on a date we'll be out of the country? Looking at the information it seems that I'll have to physically appear at the USCIS office to give an explanation. This won't be possible if we're not in the US.

Thanks again!