I am helping my ex-wife prepare for her Form I-751: Petitition to Remove Conditions on Residence (Initial Interview).
I am a US Citizen and she is a Japanese Citizen. We both live in New York at 2 different locations. **I typed the 5 questions underneath the dotted line**
This is a brief timeline of everything that's happened so far (October 2005-November 2021)
October 2005-April 2014- We met and enjoyed each other's company as a bf/gf couple
April 2014-Late 2016- We were married in New York City and lived together
Early 2017- After much damage to the relationship, our divorce was finalized, and she also filed her first I-751 with a Divorce Waiver
Mid-Late 2017- Her 2-year Conditional Green Card expired
June 2018- USCIS sent an RFE asking for the Divorce Decree (since it wasn't ready in time for the first time she filed), but she never received this RFE since it was sent to a different address.
November 2018- USCIS sent a letter stating that because she never replied to the RFE, that her Permanent Residence status is TERMINATED (This also went to the wrong address, so she never saw it)
January 2019- She checked USCIS for a Case Status Update, and learned for the first time of the June 2018 and November 2018 letters that she never received
February 2019- Thanks to unofficial suggestions from VisaJourney, she reapplied for the I-751
During this time she was also advised to get an I-551 stamp in her passport, but she was never able to get an appointment, so she never got one.
During this time, I may have accompanied her to get biometrics fingerprints done again, but I honestly can't remember
During this time: she worked (she has a Social Security Card and NY State ID), received unemployment during Covid-19 (PUA), and filed taxes all years that she was required to. Also, she was waiting to be scheduled for an interview.
November 2021- She received a "Notice of Action" mentioning an Initial Interview. She has been scheduled for December 2021
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QUESTIONS:
1.) Any advice from anyone that's been through a similar situation, (i.e. working and living with an expired Green Card, filing taxes despite not having an official residence status since November 2018, etc.)? I advise her to be completely honest with the interviewer, but what can she expect to be asked?
2.) The Notice of Action says that she needs to bring with her "All travel documents used to enter the United States" and that she should "take a certified English Translation for each foreign language document". Does this mean that she needs to get her Japanese Passport translated?
3.) The Notice of Action also states that she should bring an "I-94" and "I-512" if they exist, but even if she did still have those, I don't see what the point of them would be since they'd be older and possibly outdated documents from before she ever got her Green Card in the first place, no?
4.) Since this "initial interview" corresponds to the 2nd I-751 that she filed, does that mean that everything that happened before (things that were related to the filing of the first I-751) are null and void?
5.) I'd be more than willing to accompany her on her interview, but I don't fall into any category of "Only the following people may come with you to your interview" The interview will be at 26 Federal Plaza in New York. Anyone have any experience with this location and think that the USCIS would allow me into the place anyway, despite me not "qualifying". I know that rules are rules, but sometimes rules are broken.
P.S.- I know that it may be a little crazy that I'm trying to help her so much, but I am the one responsible for bringng her over to this country and getting her into this mess in the first place. I'm not trying to get back with her, but I know that she and I both would love the closure of getting this long journey settled (at least for 10 years)
*No attorneys were used during any part of this whole process
Any help or input either in this thread or via private message is appreciated. Thank You.