I finally get to say this!

[cellarlily 0]

APPROVED!!!

After much waiting, much uncertainty and many trips to the Infopass office, we finally had our interview in Chicago this morning and it was approved! The only problem was his fingerprints expired, and despite being told that they would schedule our interview before that happened, my husband has to go in for his third Biometrics appointment in 15 months. Apparently the fingerprints he just got for his renewal EAD weren't good enough. Anyway, it's a small price to pay for a definitive answer!

Here's how it went:

We got down to the Chicago office around 7:30 despite a broken 22 bus, and we decided to go up to check in. There were about 8-10 couples/families already there, but we were the first to be called at 8 am. Our interviewer was very nice...I had nightmares of getting some crazy person who wanted us to get confused, but it was just nerves. She swore us in, asked for our ID (passports, state ID, my husband's EAD) and started with basic questions for him - what is your phone number, what is your address, when did you get married, when was your last entry, etc. She flipped through our huge file (I saw things in there that I haven't seen since early March 2007!) and asked to see originals of our birth certificates. She said that he may need to officially change his name in the US because she's not sure the UK deed poll change of name he did in 2004 is official enough. She asked my husband where I was born and what my mother and father's names are. Then she noted that my father's name isn't on my birth certificate and I had to explain why, though we're on good terms now.

She asked him the yes/no questions and explained that he couldn't vote until he was a Citizen. I wanted to kick my husband when he asked if he could vote in local small elections. Such a Brit. While she looked up his biometrics information, he explained how we met and how/when we started dating, how he proposed and she explained the fingerprint situation. I'm not too worried about it since we have always received biometrics appointments very quickly. She asked to see evidence that it's a certified marriage and I showed her:

- our lease

- certified copy of our marriage certificate

- joint bank statements

- itinerary for our honeymoon

- wedding invitation

- cards from family

- health insurance cards in both names

- my benefit elections for both of us

- photos

I gave her all original copies, but she asked to keep a copy of the above to look over later. She flipped through our little photo album and said basically she has no doubt that it's a legitimate marriage, but they just need recent fingerprints before they can produce the card. She said it should take no longer than 90 days total for Biometrics and card production, asked if we had any questions and showed us the door.

So...yaaaaaaaaaaay!! The only advice I can give if you think your case is lost in a black hole for many months is to go in for an Infopass appointment and find out what's happening. We were hesitant to do this, but so glad we did because we found out his case was put away in storage for no apparent reason. It took a LOT of e-mails and calls to our state representatives and several trips back to Infopass before it got on its merry way to Chicago, but now it's (nearly) over.

HURRAH! Thanks to all of you for your support and help, especially Krikit and mozplay. <3

[sunnylight 0]

CONGRATULATIONS !!!

[Malla 1]

Do we need to show new affidavit supports again in the interview?

[cellarlily 0]

They asked for it on our interview notice, so I updated the form, got an updated employer letter and had 2005-2007 tax returns with me. She didn't ask for it and when she was looking at the old form verifying my employment, I asked if she wanted my updated I-864. She didn't.

BUT I would still bring an updated version along with 2007 tax returns + W2's (which she did ask to see) because I've read a lot of instances where interviewers ask for it.

[ramzis51 0]

APPROVED!!!

After much waiting, much uncertainty and many trips to the Infopass office, we finally had our interview in Chicago this morning and it was approved! The only problem was his fingerprints expired, and despite being told that they would schedule our interview before that happened, my husband has to go in for his third Biometrics appointment in 15 months. Apparently the fingerprints he just got for his renewal EAD weren't good enough. Anyway, it's a small price to pay for a definitive answer!

Here's how it went:

We got down to the Chicago office around 7:30 despite a broken 22 bus, and we decided to go up to check in. There were about 8-10 couples/families already there, but we were the first to be called at 8 am. Our interviewer was very nice...I had nightmares of getting some crazy person who wanted us to get confused, but it was just nerves. She swore us in, asked for our ID (passports, state ID, my husband's EAD) and started with basic questions for him - what is your phone number, what is your address, when did you get married, when was your last entry, etc. She flipped through our huge file (I saw things in there that I haven't seen since early March 2007!) and asked to see originals of our birth certificates. She said that he may need to officially change his name in the US because she's not sure the UK deed poll change of name he did in 2004 is official enough. She asked my husband where I was born and what my mother and father's names are. Then she noted that my father's name isn't on my birth certificate and I had to explain why, though we're on good terms now.

She asked him the yes/no questions and explained that he couldn't vote until he was a Citizen. I wanted to kick my husband when he asked if he could vote in local small elections. Such a Brit. While she looked up his biometrics information, he explained how we met and how/when we started dating, how he proposed and she explained the fingerprint situation. I'm not too worried about it since we have always received biometrics appointments very quickly. She asked to see evidence that it's a certified marriage and I showed her:

- our lease

- certified copy of our marriage certificate

- joint bank statements

- itinerary for our honeymoon

- wedding invitation

- cards from family

- health insurance cards in both names

- my benefit elections for both of us

- photos

I gave her all original copies, but she asked to keep a copy of the above to look over later. She flipped through our little photo album and said basically she has no doubt that it's a legitimate marriage, but they just need recent fingerprints before they can produce the card. She said it should take no longer than 90 days total for Biometrics and card production, asked if we had any questions and showed us the door.

So...yaaaaaaaaaaay!! The only advice I can give if you think your case is lost in a black hole for many months is to go in for an Infopass appointment and find out what's happening. We were hesitant to do this, but so glad we did because we found out his case was put away in storage for no apparent reason. It took a LOT of e-mails and calls to our state representatives and several trips back to Infopass before it got on its merry way to Chicago, but now it's (nearly) over.

HURRAH! Thanks to all of you for your support and help, especially Krikit and mozplay. <3

A BIG CONGRATULATIONS!!!

[ginger1981 0]

Congrats! I work down in the loop...I'm hoping that we can do the interview while I'm on my lunchbreak. Isn't the office down on Jackson somewhere?

A 22 breaking down....what a surprise :-p It could have been worse...if you had taken the 8 you would probably still be waiting at a bus stop :-p

[ellla 0]

Cellarlily, CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Thank you so much for sharing your experience!

[kumarkitty 0]

Congratulations ! That was a very long wait , but you finally made it. Good for you !

[Rosie74 0]

Congratulations!!

Much deserved approval after such a long time waiting in "limbo"!

[payxibka 10,044]

.............

She said it should take no longer than 90 days total for Biometrics and card production, asked if we had any questions and showed us the door.

...............

Up to another 90 days?

[edp333 9]

Congratulations!!

[Mina76 0]

Congratulations and Best Wishes to you both!!!

[JillianShea 0]

Congrats cedarlily! Keep us in your prayers for ours July 22nd please! (=

[cellarlily 0]

.............

She said it should take no longer than 90 days total for Biometrics and card production, asked if we had any questions and showed us the door.

...............

Up to another 90 days?

Yep. 90 days to get a Biometrics appointment scheduled, receive notice, get fingerprints, have fingerprints added to case and produce Green Card. I don't think it will be that long (please, please, please).

[cellarlily 0]

Thank you all! Jillian - You'll do great. Just make sure you have your evidence in order and count down the days!