AOS June 2017 Filers!

[JSWH 261]

1 hour ago, Diane and Chris said:

How did it go at the DL office this week?  Were you able to renew?  

Surprisingly, it went very well. I was in the DL office this morning and they issued my new driver's license. It's valid for another year. Hopefully, my next DL will be a permanent one.

Edited June 27, 2018 by JSWH

[OrlandoS 8]

On 6/26/2018 at 7:33 PM, FiKen said:

How was your interview? Could you please share your experience.

We arrived at 8:30 for our 9:00AM interview appointment. The security line was not too long and neither was the check-in line. When we checked in, we were given a number and told to sit in the waiting area. We waited about an hour while many people who came before and after us were called in. We were starting to get nervous that something was wrong or that somehow we were forgotten so I went back to the check-in area to ask about our status. At the time I went to ask, two homeland security police officers arrived and were escorted back into the interview area. This just made me more nervous as I am a little paranoid about these things. Before I got to ask about our status, we were called back by the Immigration Officer. Thankfully, the police were there for someone else. 

 

The officer was friendly and professional. He started out very serious and told us to put any evidence we brought on the desk. I provided him an updated medical form, our most recent joint bank statement (as I mention below, I should have brought several months), our car insurance, our health insurance, a copy of our application for car title, a statement for our auto loan, and several photos with friends and family as "bona fides". We had previously provided a joint lease, an affidavit from my business partner, and two credit card statements listing the intending immigrant as an authorized user with our petition. To my surprise, the officer seemed concerned that we didn't have sufficient proof and asked whether we had an updated lease (we didn't) and why we didn't bring more than one bank statement.

 

The IO then gave me (the USC) and my husband each a piece of paper with several questions on it and directed me to sit away from my husband. We were instructed to each write the answers to the following questions (I am not sure if I remember them all):

1. When and where did you first meet your spouse (in person)?

2. What did you do last Saturday?

3. What did you eat for dinner last night?

4. What is your (your spouse's) favorite food?

5. Where did you last go on vacation or out of town together?

 

While we were answering the questions, the IO took a few photos of our families and wrote numbers on the faces of certain people. He asked my husband to write the names of the people as numbered on the back of the photos.

 

When we were done with the written questions, he compared our answers and asked a few follow-up questions. He then showed me the above-mentioned photos and asked me to name the people that were numbered and he compared my answers with the names written on the back of the photos.

 

The IO then opened our file and confirmed that we were petitioning to adjust from a tourist visa. He asked each of us some questions from the Petitions such as family names, places of birth, etc.

 

Then, the IO went through all of the yes/no questions about drugs, communism, prostitution, human trafficking, etc. I had to remind my husband to say "yes" or "no" instead of "uh-huh". The IO joked, "wow, you really are a lawyer." It was one of the lighter moments of the interview.

 

The IO continued to look through the file and asked a few questions about the documentation we provided with the Petitions. He again looked over the documents we brought with us.

 

He then said "Your evidence is pretty light". My heart sank. I now wonder whether he said that to see our reaction. I pointed out that my husband only received a Social Security Number in October and we didn't have a lot of opportunities to co-mingle our finances more than we already had.

 

The IO then told us that he couldn't make a decision at that time. He said he would be submitting our case for "further background checks" to verify our relationship. He then explained that if we are ultimately approved, it would be for a conditional green card for two years and that we would have to apply to remove conditions six months prior to the expiration of the two years. The IO then said he may call us, send us a request for evidence, or schedule a second interview. He gave us a letter that said the case was continued and that we could make an InfoPass appointment if we didn't receive any notices after 120 days. He then walked us out. On the way out he said "I think it's probably OK but the 'bona fides'" are a little light". I asked if the online status would be updated and he assured me it would (our case still says "fingerprint fee received" since July 2, 2017).

 

Since the interview on June 26, I have been constantly checking the status online. It still says "fingerprint fee received".

 

This morning (6 days after the interview) we received two letters in the mail. One was addressed to me for the I-130 and one to my husband for the I-485. They were APPROVED!

 

Now we are just waiting for the Green Card to arrive.

[FiKen 13]

Gee! Sounds like thrilling movie. Eventually, you got that. Congratulations

[Diane and Chris 651]

Anyone got an interview date notice in recent weeks for AOS?  Anyone receive their green card without an interview in recent weeks?

[Angelica48 121]

My husband & I had our AOS (from VWP) interview last Friday, June 6th. We were approved on the spot. Today, I received email/sms updates saying “new card is being produced.” 

[Laura & Chris 104]

On 6/19/2018 at 2:34 PM, raydamon said:

Hello fellow June filers,

 

Although a few days late, wife's interview went well and was approved on the spot. The main takeaways were:

1) Make sure the IO has you swear to tell the truth

2) Spend the $200 and get another medical before you go to the interview

 

Here is a review of that day:

This is a review for AOS interview in the San Bernadino USCIS office that took place in mid June, 2018. Summary available at the end.

 

Setting: I am the USC(Petitioner) and my wife is the applicant(Beneficiary)

Our interview time was close to 11am. We got there about 35 minutes earlier. Security line was short and quick. The interview waiting room is on the second floor where everyone is waiting. There were a lot of people waiting for their interviews and from what I can tell, they are mostly here for Naturalization interviews.

 

So we checked in as soon as we got there and started waiting. Many couples came after us went in to their interviews before us. I had to ask the reception desk and their canned response was "it really depends on your Interview Officer(IO from now)". In the end, we were called in after waiting for about 2 hours. Our IO was a kind-looking lady in her 60s and she brought us into her office to get ready for the interview.

 

Before the IO asked us to swear that we’re going to tell the truth, she found out that the previous applicant left something on her table. So she asked us to remain standing and rushed out of the room to find the previous applicant. But it was too late, she came back with the document in her hands and asked us to sit down while she tries to get ahold of the applicant by phone. She could not reach the person and decided to start the interview.

 

First thing was to take a photo of applicant and fingerprints of both index fingers. She then opened our files, she acknowledged that wife is adjusting from K-1 and she believed that it was a good sign. As she went through our stacked file(K1 package plus the AOS package), she asked how we met and the very standard questions. During this time, she seemed very clueless about the applicant and it occurred to me that she probably has never read about anything on the file before we came in.

 

As time went on, she kept on unpacking the large files and tried to organize them into some sort of order. She did ask a couple of random questions such as “so do you work now? What about you?”. During one of the gaps, I asked her that didn’t we have to swear to tell the truth? Then she remembered that we skipped the formality because of the incident in the beginning. So we swore that we would tell the truth and nothing but the truth in the middle the interview. And she mentioned that we would have to come for the second time if I did not asked the question. A large bullet dodged. While the IO was organizing the documents. She went through all the criminal, drugs and other standard questions as well.

 

When the IO finished with the document organizing, she asked and used a pencil to write down a very simple timeline on how we met, got into relationship, engaged, moved to the US and married. At the end, she asked us for any evidence we have brought in this time, we gave everything to her. Without carefully looking at all of them, she just stacked them into the AOS package. Then she asked for a new medical exam which luckily we decided to do a week before the interview. I did not challenge her on the USCIS rules of filing the AOS within one year of the medical exam should keep it validated. We handed the medical exam results over and she checked the important pages and put it into the file as well.

 

At last the IO said she was going to grant our case and printed an approval letter for us to take home. The interview lasted about 30 minutes but I felt like 10-15 minutes of them were just random chatters regarding our home country, our jobs or even our family. She is a very kind person and I would say an easy IO. But she is very slow on everything. But we’re happy that we got our approval with ease.

 

As we were exiting the office, we saw that two other couples were being questioned separately. They did not look very happy and I wished them good luck inside.

 

5 days after the interview, we got an email saying the green card has been shipped out and we should do something if we do not see it within 2 weeks.

 

A summary:

Got there 30 minutes early, waited about 2 hours to get in. Interview lasted 30 minutes. No questions out of ordinary was asked. IO did ask for a new medical exam even though we filed within one year of the medical exam done in oversea and also asked for copies of passports/IDs. Took all additional evidence(recent bills, new I-864, new tax return) except photos. Did NOT take EAD even though GC was approved. Green card shipped 5 days later.

 

Good luck to everyone out there.

I was wondering, I ddi my medical I few months ago before I moved.. do I need to do it again? also what did they ask about medical?

[Laura & Chris 104]

On 7/7/2018 at 4:27 PM, Diane and Chris said:

Anyone got an interview date notice in recent weeks for AOS?  Anyone receive their green card without an interview in recent weeks?

Nope! I filed June 2nd... I did my finger prints July 9th.. haven't heard anything? also applied for EAD.. heard nothing about that either?

[AshMarty 359]

5 hours ago, Laura & Chris said:

Nope! I filed June 2nd... I did my finger prints July 9th.. haven't heard anything? also applied for EAD.. heard nothing about that either?

Hi,

 

  You are obviously very welcome to follow this group but this is the June 2017 AOS from K1 forum. You might have some better information about your timeline in the June 2018 AOS forum  But feel free to hang around. A majority of this group already have their EAD/GCs, it is a little quit these days. 

[PedroDaGr8 245]

On 7/7/2018 at 4:27 PM, Diane and Chris said:

Anyone got an interview date notice in recent weeks for AOS?  Anyone receive their green card without an interview in recent weeks?

Interviews are now mandatory for K1-->GC AOS. We are still waiting on our interview, time will tell when it happens.

[Diane and Chris 651]

19 minutes ago, PedroDaGr8 said:

Interviews are now mandatory for K1-->GC AOS. We are still waiting on our interview, time will tell when it happens.

We got notice on June 19th that we were ready to be scheduled for an interview for AOS. On July 24th, we received notice that we had been scheduled for interview. We got the notice in the mail 2 days later. We are now scheduled for our interview on August 28th. Finally!  Almost 15 months from initial filing. Hopefully it will be soon for you as well. 

[Diane and Chris 651]

10 hours ago, Laura & Chris said:

Nope! I filed June 2nd... I did my finger prints July 9th.. haven't heard anything? also applied for EAD.. heard nothing about that either?

There is a lot of good information from the June 2017 filers here. Just scroll back and you can check it out. For you, it will probably be this time next year. Good luck!  

[rulix 38]

I'm still waiting for the interview date... got a bit tired of waiting.

[Diane and Chris 651]

2 hours ago, rulix said:

I'm still waiting for the interview date... got a bit tired of waiting.

Hopefully soon for you!  

[Z&M 13]

Hi everyone!

 

I had my biometrics in Salt Lake July 21st, 2017. (AOS filed June 20th)  My status is stuck on the infamous "Fingerprint fee was received" since then. I know AOS now takes way longer than normal and we are "patiently" waiting , however I just wanted to see if anyone else was in the same situation as me. 

 

Any input is greatly appreciated. 

[Diane and Chris 651]

4 hours ago, Z&M said:

Hi everyone!

 

I had my biometrics in Salt Lake July 21st, 2017. (AOS filed June 20th)  My status is stuck on the infamous "Fingerprint fee was received" since then. I know AOS now takes way longer than normal and we are "patiently" waiting , however I just wanted to see if anyone else was in the same situation as me. 

 

Any input is greatly appreciated. 

We filed June 5, 2017. Biometrics was July 11, 2017. We received “You are ready to be scheduled for interview” on June 19, 2018. On July 24, 2018, we received “Your interview has been scheduled.” Our interview is on August 28th in Atlanta!  Yours should be very soon. We have similar timelines. Good luck to you!