October 2009 AOS Filers

[RebeccaAndPhil 5]

Just got this e-mail:

Application Type: I485 , APPLICATION TO REGISTER PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR TO ADJUST STATUS

Current Status: Approval notice sent.

On January 21, 2010, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this I485 APPLICATION TO REGISTER PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR TO ADJUST STATUS. Please follow any instructions on the notice. If you move before you receive the notice, call customer service at 1-800-375-5283.

YAY!!

To everyone still waiting on updates/touches since the interview...keep the faith!! It will come!

[marie09 5]

Just got this e-mail:

Application Type: I485 , APPLICATION TO REGISTER PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR TO ADJUST STATUS

Current Status: Approval notice sent.

On January 21, 2010, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this I485 APPLICATION TO REGISTER PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR TO ADJUST STATUS. Please follow any instructions on the notice. If you move before you receive the notice, call customer service at 1-800-375-5283.

YAY!!

To everyone still waiting on updates/touches since the interview...keep the faith!! It will come!

Yay!!!! Congrats Rebecca! That's wonderful news

[RebeccaAndPhil 5]

Yay!!!! Congrats Rebecca! That's wonderful news

Thanks so much Marie!! Good luck with your interview in a few weeks!

Edited January 22, 2010 by RebeccaAndPhil

[RebeccaAndPhil 5]

Good luck to CAOO, monicaolivo, luckykaren, abhijith, Kevin&Leilei & kitikichat, and TchauEUA who all have upcoming interviews for the rest of January!! Be sure to keep us updated!

[marie09 5]

Thanks so much Marie!! Good luck with your interview in a few weeks!

Thank you! Only 2 weeks to go till interview... I'm both anxious and excited that hopefully we're nearly done!

[ReeRee 0]

Just got this e-mail:

Application Type: I485 , APPLICATION TO REGISTER PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR TO ADJUST STATUS

Current Status: Approval notice sent.

On January 21, 2010, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this I485 APPLICATION TO REGISTER PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR TO ADJUST STATUS. Please follow any instructions on the notice. If you move before you receive the notice, call customer service at 1-800-375-5283.

YAY!!

To everyone still waiting on updates/touches since the interview...keep the faith!! It will come!

CONGRATS Rebecca&Phil!!! I got the exact same e-mail last night!!! Now all I have to do is wait for the green card in a mail

Hope everyone will get their approval soon!!

[flypri 0]

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to share that my husband and I were approved at our interview Wednesday!! Thanks to everyone on this forum and my fellow October filers for all the advice, good wishes and support throughout this process!

This was our interview experience:

We arrived to the building approximately 45 minutes prior to our interview time (11am) and there was a long line outside of the building of people waiting to go through security. About 30 minutes later we got through security and went up to the interview room. We waited in line to submit our interview notice at the window and sat down to wait by 10:50am. Then we waited, and waited, and waited. The place was packed and apparently they were having delays that day (both with security, interviews, and the like). It was close to 1:30p.m. when our name was called. Then we had to wait at the entrance for a few minutes (just to make me more nervous?). Our IO then escorted us to another smaller waiting area and asked us to have a seat. Several minutes later he asked us into his office and told us to have a seat. He first asked for our identifying info. I handed him my CA DL and an attached dated page showing my change of address. He asked why I waited so long to change my address with the DMV, and I explained I thought it was taken care of when I changed it for my car registration. He asked my husband, "so, you're a writer?" And my husband answered "yes." He asked him if he would write an essay for him. He unstapled my I-94 from my passport (which I heard was a good sign, and he was making jokes, so I thought we were golden!).

Then he asked us to stand so he could swear us in. Then came a ton of questions...

He wanted to see joint docs, I gave him joint lease, checking and savings, visa cards, cell phone plan, mail we received in both names, receipt from joint sushi take-out account and dry cleaning service (which he said was the first time he had seen -- but I wasn't sure if we had enough evidence without it so I brought it just to be safe). He looked through the statements and asked what we bought at the Apple store, we both answered "computer." He asked "desktop or laptop?" We both answered "laptop." He asked if we went to the store together, we both answered "yes." He asked if we both also had separate bank accounts (we answered yes, we did). He asked about the lease, our house, what the 2nd bedroom is used for (husband's office), when I moved in (my husband lived there first), what our parents thought of us moving in together a short time before we were married. He asked about my prior address and who I lived with and my husband's prior address. He asked if we ever travelled out of the country together (no). Have we met each other's parents, how many siblings we each have, where do they live. He also asked me if I knew what hospital my husband was born in (I did) and he asked if my husband knew the town my parents lived in (he did). He asked how we met, when was our first date, where did we go, how long were we dating before getting engaged and how long we were engaged before getting married, how did my husband propose, who was at our wedding, where we went our honeymoon, the name of the place we stayed (my husband said the wrong hotel name but I corrected him), how long were we there, what we did, who planned where we would go and what we would do, etc. He looked at some pictures from the wedding and honeymoon. He asked about where one of them was taken and when we told him "Hearst Castle" he asked which tour we took (we answered A!) - because he knew about the tours there. He asked us some questions about that tour. He also asked me all the yes or no questions on the I-485. He asked about my job, my school, (one of the pictures was from my graduation from my M.A. program), who was at graduation, what I want to do with my degree, did I have to write a thesis/dissertation. He asked me if I changed my last name when I got married (no) and he asked me why not and I explained. He also pointed to pictures and asked where they were taken and who was in them. He asked me to name 3 things that bother me about my husband - and I started blushing! I started naming one - that he always interrupts when I am telling him a story - and he asked me to elaborate - and I did and my husband interrupted while I was talking!! (saying, "that's because she leaves out important details") and I said, "see what I mean." And he said "she's right, you do do that." !! My husband asked if he gets to name 3 things too and the IO said yes, go ahead and my husband did. At this point we were both laughing a lot but I couldn't help it. He asked if my husband smokes cigarettes, cigars, or weed, all in the same sentence. He asked who does most of the cooking (husband), cleaning (me, except dishes). He asked if my husband made dinner last night, we said "yes." He asked what he made and we told him. Then he started typing something on his computer and printing it out. While he was doing this he was talking about his master's program and telling us about it. He returned all the originals to me and kept copies in the file.

He asked no questions about financial support and asked for none of those documents (we had prepared pay stubs and husband's tax documents from the past 3 years, accounts, letter from employer, etc.). But he asked just about everything else. The whole time he was asking questions he was looking at both of us. At the end he printed out the document and said we'd been approved and I should receive my card within a few weeks and explained the removal of conditions, etc.

That's it! We stood up, thanked him and shook his hands and left! I hope I included everything as far as the questions - if I remember any others I left out I will come back and edit. From what I understand, he was very thorough and asked a lot of questions compared with most interviews! I couldn't keep track of the time perfectly but I think it was under 30 minutes. I have already received emails stating card production has been ordered and that approval memos for I-485 and I-130 have been mailed.

Good luck to everyone else who has interviews coming up!!

[RebeccaAndPhil 5]

Congrats ReeRee!

Wow that is quite the interview flypri but at least it worked out in the end!!

[flypri 0]

Congrats ReeRee!

Wow that is quite the interview flypri but at least it worked out in the end!!

I know - I am thankful it did.

I also just remembered that he also asked me for the last time I entered the US (which was just recently on Jan 2nd 2010) and if I used my AP to enter back (I did). He also asked me for my old expired passport (which I didn't have because my parents lost it!) and I told him I only had copies.

I also want to mention that I do think we had an unusually thorough interview. Thinking back I am curious if the fact that we were engaged for less than a month (although together almost 2 1/2 years) and we said we still had separate bank accounts (in addition to our joint accounts) made him grill us more. Not sure, just a guess... He was also relatively young and I have heard rumors that younger officers are usually more detailed because they have to prove their abilities and build a good record with the agency... but who knows. We went to a preparation session held in a local office a week before and I asked if they might ask about me changing my name and if we had enough evidence and everyone told us it was fine. In the end it was... but he still asked.

[Laura & Kyle 16]

Congratulations, flypri! I'm so happy for you two! I did like the bit about the 3 questions. :-)

[Greg001 0]

Congratulations Flypri. That was an intensive interview. Must be because of having a younger IO. Thanks for sharing.

[RebeccaAndPhil 5]

Well we opened the mail today and guess what came?! Phil's green card!!! It got here even before the approval letter (without any e-mail of card production ordered)!! YAY!! :dance:

Done for 1 yr 9 mos!!

[flypri 0]

Thanks laura and kyle and Greg001!!

Congrats Rebecca&Phil and getting the green card-- that was fast!

[RebeccaAndPhil 5]

Thanks laura and kyle and Greg001!!

Congrats Rebecca&Phil and getting the green card-- that was fast!

Thanks!! Yes it was much quicker than we expected!!

[marie09 5]

Well we opened the mail today and guess what came?! Phil's green card!!! It got here even before the approval letter (without any e-mail of card production ordered)!! YAY!! :dance:

Done for 1 yr 9 mos!!

Yay! Congratulations!!! That must have been such a lovely surprise