Em31

Thanks!

Hi All,

I finally got my green card after a little longer wait than I had expected. But I have it and it's all good!!!

Another question I have is: should I change my name on my social security card first or should I apply for state id with my new name on the social security card?

Thanks to all for sharing your experiences and advice.

I just got another notice from USCIS about the case status update. I therefore went check my case and found that my I-485 is "back" to the decision from Card/Document Production...I know the status was under the card production because I saw it at work and screen-printed the page and sent it to my husband who didn't have access to the page that time. Anyways, now it's at the decision stage, and I received the notice that our I-130 is approved like one hour ago.

By the way, the message of my I-485 decision stage is :"On March 8, 2013, we mailed you a notice that we had registered this customer's new permanent resident status. Please follow any instructions on the notice. Your new permanent resident card should be mailed within 60 days following this registration or after you complete any ADIT processing referred to in the welcome notice, whichever is later. " I guess my journey is about to come to a temporary end...Huge weight off...

Update~

I just got a text from USCIS notifying that my case status is now Card/ Document Production...I would assume it means I am approved? Does anyone know how long it will take for us to get I-130 and I-131 approved?

I expedited my work permit so I have my I-765 approved last Oct., but I-131 is still under initial review...

Thanks!!

Good luck!!! Mine is on March 6th too, I am going to the Long Island City office. I have spent the last month turning my house upside down looking for extra stuff. I think I am ready. Let me know how yours goes.

Ian

Hi Ian,

How was your interview?

Ours was at the federal plaza in New York City. I have categorized and labeled all documents and evidence, all documents are arranged by the order from the interview notice, and put together in a folder. We got there right on time and waited around 10~15 minutes. The officer started the interview by asking us if we have papers in our hands, so I put the folder in front of her and very briefly told her what's in the folder.

Then she was reading through the folder, while asking my husband how and when we met (2006 in Taiwan), how long we dated before marriage (6 years), when I moved to New York (2009), had he gone to Taiwan to visit me (2008 and 2009, my husband said we started dating in 2006 and then we flu every 5,6 months to see each other), and were we living together before marriage (Yes, showed her the leases). Then the officer asked me if I applied for visa, any types of visa in the past (Tourist and student). She then moved on to the standard "have you..." questions. (No to all)

She then asked me if all the copies are made for her(yes) and she took few of the copies.

After all that, she wrote down I-485 pending in my passport, took the I-94 and said to wait for decision. My husband saw the paper mentioned something about 90-day wait, and he asked the officer if we have to wait for that long. (My mom just had a stroke few weeks ago, I have been hoping to go home asap) The officer shrugged and said sometimes 90 days sometimes shorter.

And that was it! She didn't ask us anything specific, showed no interest in the email, photos, cards/letters from families and friends addressed to both of us. She did take a serious look at our leases and joint account bank statement. Then she asked us if we're going to file 2012 tax together (yes).

We got out around 9 am, and I was checking my email and the case status all day but no luck. It's very very very nerve-racking....

How about tell the interviewer who has your form in front of him, and let him correct the mistake?

Thanks, I will. Hope it wouldn't be a problem.

We're just reading through all our documentations and I found out that the "last arrival date" on my I-485 was wrong. I filled out the form myself and I can not believe that I would make a mistake this stupid!

My last arrival was 7/15/2010 but I had it put down as 7/15/2012. I don't know if it mattes but I have my passport to prove that and I am always "in status" (F1/OPT/EAD. I hope this is not going to cause any problems...we honestly found out about this 10 minutes ago... My interview is, as you all know, taking place within 3 days. What can I do now?

Thanks again!

Hello~

I finally, finally got my AOS interview notification! I sent my AOS package last August and it has been a very stressful period of time. Waiting is never fun!

Our interview is taking place next week, March 6, 8 am in New York City.

Just would like to make sure if we have had what we need for the interview, would be great to get any advice from you.

Here are what I have so far...

1, I have put together a binder of papers, by order, as requires on the interview notification letter

2, Leases, (both our names on, 2011, 2012)

3, Utility bills (2011,2012)

4, Copies of letters/emails from 2006~present

5, Letters and cards addressed to both of us from families and friends

6, Wedding pictures, reception pictures, travel pictures (some of them have dates on them, back in 2007 and 2009)

7, Joint bank account

8, Emergency contact list (I got a copy from my employer)

We don't have insurance, definitely don't have a car, and we are not on any family phone plan. I have been reading a lot here and noticed that most successful cases have at least one of these 3 mentioned.

I am getting a bit anxious and wonder if you could give me any advice in terms of the evidence for a bona fide marriage.

Thanks!!!

Fortunately, I have successfully expedited and received my EAD.

I know that EAD and AP together, is a combo card; which means (correct me if I am wrong) that the EAD is both the work permit and travel permit.

However, my I-131 case status on USCIS website is still at the initial review stage. (Status for I-765 is: card production and USPS reported new card delivered)

My question is, under this circumstance, can I travel?

I would not. Once her OPT expires, she will not be allowed to work based on her AOS application. She will have to wait for her EAD to resume work. Actually, I am not even sure whether OPT is still valid once you apply for a change of status, but more knowledgeable VJ members will give you a more precise answer.

That's correct. OPT is no longer valid once you apply for AOS. When you apply for AOS, your wife will be on one status which is pending.

That's why I would suggest your wife work until her EAD is about to expire; since technically she shouldn't be working once AOS is sent.

I am 99.99% sure that once you are filed, your wife will not be able to work until she receives her new EAD card.

I was also working with my EAD (F1/OPT) which expired at the end of this August. Someone (an attorney!) told me the same: that I would be able to keep my OPT acquired job while my status shows pending. So I left work the day before my F1/OPT EAD expired, sent our AOS package, and came back to work with my NOAs.

However, when I brought in the NOAs (proof of my pending status) to my employer, the employer's attorney and HR said that they can not have me working since they need the number on my EAD card for W2 and other tax papers.

I was devastated, not only because I couldn't imagine not working for so long, but also because I was totally misled by an immigration lawyer(!!)that "it's OK to work on pending stats". Obviously, it is NOT OK!

Anyways, I would say that if you could, wait until the EAD is about to expire, and then file. Talking to the employer should not be a bad idea, too. I wouldn't have thought that my company would be willing to wait for my return.

I passed through the same process. I emailed the congress man my receipts, and offer letter and a signed privacy release form. I only told her to tell USCIS that I may loose my job if I don't get the card on time and that they should approve on humanitarian grounds. She submitted that on a tuesday (last week) and I got a text that thursday that it has been approved. I am expecting the card in the mail tomorrow. Hope this helps.

Thanks a lot for sharing. We finally got back from the congress office today and would know hopefully after Columbus day. Having my fingers crossed for that.

My husband and I visited our district Congressman office last Friday, a day after my Biometrics appointment. (We called the office on the day of my Biometrics appointment and were told to visit the office with our papers the next day. ) When we got to the office, my husband filled out some forms while I provided all copies of our papers/NOAs and offer letter. The lady whom we talked to said that in order to expedite my EAD, she needs to wait at least 48 hours after my Biometrics come into file(I think she said Clearance...I think that's why most people suggest trying to expedite EAD after Biometrics...) and she would let us know next Tuesday(which is this past Tuesday).

We called the office this Tuesday and talked to the same lady, she said she wasn't at her desk but she did remember us and she would call us in a bit.

It is Thursday now, we have not heard back from the office. We do not want to call her since she did say twice that she would call us and let us know. I am wondering if or when I should just call the USCIS 1-800 number.

I would really appreciate if for those who did the expedition successfully through the Congressman's help could share your experience with me.

Thanks!

How you tried? What was your approach?

Yeah, mind sharing with us?

I have read the links provided by moomin(thanks!) and still have few questions, please share if you have any advice or have done it in the past. I'd really appreciate it!

We have some financial difficulty right now because some of my husband's major gigs and projects (that were scheduled to happen this fall) are unexpectedly postponed to next spring.

I have an offer waiting for me right now. The company is aware of my immigration process and has decided to wait for me until I get my work permit. I am planning on approaching the congressman after my biometrics appointment tomorrow. However, we are wondering if contacting the congressman to expedite my EAD will bring us backfire in the future.(such as the GC interview); since it has not been 40 days after we sent out the package.

Thanks in advance for any ideas/advice/sharing!!

On my marriage certificate, I have my English name as first name, my original Chinese first name as middle name, and my husband's family name as last name.

When we're filing for AOS, I used the exact name shown on the marriage certificate. Does this mean I already have my name changed? Should I file anything to "formally" have my name changed? (The reason I am asking is because someone told me that I will have to inform the interviewer and later on pay for the name change...)

Another question is, I have SSN from my first EAD(OPT), when I get my new EAD from AOS, do I have to apply again for SSN?

Thanks!!

Thanks all!!

Hi All,

Although I am fairly new to this forum, I have found a lot of the information and postings very helpful. I still have a long way to go, but it is awesome to know that there are others going through the same thing; and tons of sharing!

I was on OPT, which expired on 8/24/2012. A legal adviser informed us that it would be better sending out the AOS package before my OPT expired. We therefore sent our package on 8/21, without my birth certificate and I-693. We already got our NOAs (8/25) and biometrics appointment (9/4). I now have my birth certificate and I-693 ready, but I am not sure how/what to do... Should I just put these 2 documents in the same envelope along with a piece of paper specifying which file they belong to? Or should I make copies of NOAs and send them along?

Thanks!!!