dasha

On 12/8/2021 at 1:44 PM, Eastereggsrock said:

I am most concerned with my husband's long absence from the USA and being allowed back into the country and not losing his lpr status. We want to be back ASAP.

I'm seeing this thread rather late, so maybe you've resolved your issue by now. Hope so, but in case not...

Just our experience: My Turkish husband, who had a 10-year green card, was out of the US longer than 1 year a couple of times, for family reasons...but not for any of the really, really good reasons you have (esp Covid). He had to schedule an interview at the US embassy in Ankara both times to get the OK to return, and they gave him some sort of official re-entry permit slip to hand to Customs along with his Turkish passport and US green card when he returned.

Most of your questions are answered if you know that it's illegal to mail a Green Card out of the U.S.

What he needs to do is to go to the U.S. consulate in Ankara where they'll give him an I-551 stamp in his passport.

With that he'll return to the US and mails in his I-90 from there.

Thanks for your reply. I didn't know about mailing a green card out of the US. Even the government can't do it?! If not, I thought maybe the consulate/embassy could issue the replacement card...but maybe not.

Is there any paperwork or fee associated with the I-551 stamp? (I assume so...there always is, where the government's concerned.) Or can he just walk into the consulate (with or without an appointment?) and request the stamp and get it immediately (and for little or no money)???

His Turkish passport has expired and will have to get a new one. If the new one has a different number on it than the old one he had registered with the US govt when he originally applied for the green card, will that be a problem to identify him as really being the person he claims to be, who is an LPR? I do have a photocopy of his original green card...should I send him that, to help identify him?

Thanks for your help.

Hi, all...

Sorry if this isn't the best forum for this question, but wasn't sure where else to ask it!

My husband's been in his home country for almost a year (for various reasons, mostly family related). He left last September. He's a LPR with a 10-yr green card. Recently the green card was mutilated/destroyed.

I have some questions I couldn't find answers to in my general search on this site and the government's site. Any answers or help about where I can find the answers (without having to try calling immigration and getting through to anyone at all, let alone someone who knows the answers) will be appreciated.

1. I know about the I-90 form to replace the green card. Can he do that while out of the country?
2. What about his biometrics? Would he have to get them done at the US consulate/embassy in his country? (Is that even possible?)
3. Would they send the new card to him in his country or to our address here?
4. How long does getting a replacement card take?
5. If it takes longer than he has time left to return to the US before he's been out a year, what sort of problems might he have returning after being out over 1 year?
6. If he can't apply for/receive a replacement card while he's out of the country...or if it would just take too long (since his returning after Sept. would not only maybe cause him re-entry problems but also cause us financial problems because his return plane ticket will expire and we'd have to buy a new one rather than just pay a fee to change his return flight date)...could he apply for a re-entry permit and then apply to replace the green card after he's back here?
7. Will they even issue a re-entry permit if you're out of the country and/or you don't have the physical green card (since it was destroyed)?

If there weren't so little time before he's been out of the country 1 year (and before the plane ticket expires), I'd be panicking a lot less...but it is what it is. Sigh.

Thanks again for any help/answers...

We finally got our green card mix-up straightened out, so I'm adding the receipt of the card. My last update on 1/4 quickly got "dis-included" from the master list...hopefully it'll remain in the list this time :-)

UserName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date.......Biometrics......Approved

andresamia...........06/29/07..........08/01/07........08/29/07........--/--/--

Stefanie.............07/16/07..........07/25/07........military........ON HOLD (>NSC)

sara535..............09/15/07..........09/17/07........10/30/07........--/--/--

Sofargone............01/15/08..........01/22/08........02/12/08........03/27/08

junejr...............01/22/08..........01/25/08........02/13/08........07/10/08

siy70................01/27/08..........01/31/08........03/07/08........05/20/08

radacos..............01/28/08..........01/28/08........02/25/08........08/12/08 (>NSC)

bluegirl.............02/04/08..........02/08/08........03/13/08........--/--/--

pilot's girl.........02/11/08..........02/25/08........03/12/08........07/28/08 (>NSC)

kikiwiki.............02/15/08..........02/19/08........03/14/08........07/15/08 (>NSC)

mellie...............02/15/08..........--/--/--........02/24/08........05/30/08 (>NSC)

lilshe...............02/21/08..........02/26/08........03/26/08........--/--/--

dasha................02/22/08..........03/11/08........03/28/08........07/21/08 (>NSC; rec'd 1/13/09)

Ashish...............02/25/08..........02/27/08........03/31/08........06/03/08 (>NSC)

tokinho..............02/25/08..........03/04/08........03/18/08........07/15/08

tsunamihart..........02/26/08..........03/04/08........--/--/--........05/30/08 (>NSC)

alexandsara..........02/29/08..........03/10/08........08/13/08........10/03/08 (>NSC)

mikeH................03/06/08..........03/07/08........05/13/08........06/17/08

Carolyn..............03/12/08..........03/13/08........04/22/08........08/11/08 (>NSC)

Perfect (K2).........03/14/08..........03/17/08........04/17/08........07/02/08

Blooberry............03/19/08..........03/20/08........04/19/08........08/08/08

LindsC...............03/19/08..........03/20/08........04/16/08........--/--/-- (>NSC)

MoGhuisle ...........03/20/08..........03/24/08........04/26/08........10/17/08 (>NSC)

BrianBellingham......03/25/08..........03/28/08........04/24/08........07/25/08 (>NSC)

newoption............03/27/08..........03/31/08........04/26/08........--/--/--

aztoca...............04/01/08..........04/03/08........04/30/08........08/06/08 dated7/31/08

pmkroger.............04/01/08..........04/03/08........04/30/08........08/05/08

Minfay...............04/01/08..........04/03/08........05/02/08........10/10/08 (>NSC)

Krissy25.............04/01/08..........04/03/08........05/02/08........08/28/08 (>NSC)

kc456................04/09/08..........04/10/08........05/09/08........08/19/08

macb1980.............04/10/08..........04/16/08........05/13/08........08/19/08

hello28..............04/14/08..........04/15/08........05/13/08........08/13/08

sjjp1974.............04/22/08..........04/23/08........05/22/08........--/--/-- (>NSC)

yakisir..............04/21/08..........05/05/08........05/17/08........09/25/08 (>NSC)

Clarax...............04/28/08..........04/30/08........05/27/08........09/16/08 (>NSC)

grrltraveler.........04/28/08..........04/30/08........05/29/08........--/--/-- (>NSC)

douglassheridan......05/03/08..........05/09/08........05/27/08........09/30/08 (>NSC)

jandamy..............04/??/08..........05/09/08........05/27/08........09/30/08 (>NSC)

yaads................05/09/08..........05/29/08........06/24/08........11/05/08 (>NSC)

felshen..............05/12/08..........05/20/08........06/17/08........10/02/08 (>NSC)

sharky...............05/13/08..........05/19/08........06/13/08........08/20/08

soulmate.............05/19/08..........05/20/08........06/13/08........08/22/08

lovelove.............05/19/08..........05/22/08........06/18/08........08/21/08 (>NSC)

Larry2375............05/17/08..........05/20/08........06/21/08........08/22/08

Claire...............05/??/08..........05/??/08........06/??/08........08/21/08

gurney...............06/04/08..........--/--/--........--/--/--/.......--/--/--

Wifey246.............06/18/08..........06/19/08........07/12/08........09/05/08

HuffyTheSlayer.......06/13/08..........06/20/08........07/26/08........09/05/08

ktun.................06/20/08..........06/27/08........07/16/08........09/09/08

walls1010............06/21/08..........06/26/08........07/22/08........09/03/08

laver................06/23/08..........06/24/08........07/26/08........11/12/08

sherose..............06/24/08..........06/27/08........07/23/08........10/24/08

Buzz17...............06/24/08..........07/03/08....... 07/24/08........10/24/08

Yorkie...............06/26/08..........07/07/08........07/25/08........10/23/08 (>NSC)

Mrs.J06..............07/01/08..........07/02/08........08/09/08........--/--/--

dcl766 (K2)..........07/01/08..........07/02/08........08/08/08........12/19/08

Jonesie..............06/28/08..........07/05/08........07/25/08........10/23/08

summersolstice.......06/23/08..........07/07/08........08/15/08........--/--/-- (>NSC)

Kitty_Cat............07/12/08..........07/14/08........08/08/08........12/08/08

jeeleebee............07/15/08..........07/17/08........08/15/08........11/13/08 (>NSC)

jtkings..............07/15/08..........07/17/08........08/14/08........11/18/08

Expatriot............07/15/08..........07/17/08........08/12/08........11/25/08 (>NSC)

maika_tereza.........07/19/08..........07/21/08........08/15/08........11/06/08

fd_jaymz.............07/21/08..........07/25/08........08/22/08........11/11/08

fskrc1...............07/21/08..........07/28/08........--/--/--........--/--/-- (>NSC)

patti................07/21/08..........08/08/08........08/28/08........11/18/08

amylovespaul.........07/26/08..........07/28/08........08/26/08........11/21/08

GregS................07/30/08..........07/31/08........08/22/08........11/18/08

ToddHill.............08/04/08..........08/06/08........09/16/08........--/--/--

NEDO2................08/04/08..........08/18/08........09/10/08........12/06/08 >NEBRASKA/CALIFORNIA

Jomo's Girl..........08/05/08..........08/08/08........09/08/08........12/15/08

Juni.................08/16/08..........08/18/08........09/09/08........12/12/08

Internetkafe.........08/18/08..........08/20/08........10/02/08........01/03/09

Bulanglang...........08/20/08..........08/25/08........09/26/08........--/--/--

kml_36...............08/26/08..........08/27/08........10/01/08........--/--/--

Smile!...............08/28/08..........08/29/08........09/30/08........12/24/08

Carol&Marc...........08/28/08..........08/29/08........10/09/08........12/16/08

SnowXTC..............08/29/08..........09/02/08.....Never Received.....12/16/08

runaway73............09/01/08..........09/04/08........10/01/08........--/--/--

wonky................09/02/08..........09/04/08........09/26/08........12/24/08

shinkansen...........09/03/08..........10/11/08........10/25/08........--/--/-- (Walk-in Bio / Div. Waiver)

PrinceandPrincess....09/04/08..........09/08/08........--/--/--........--/--/--

Oly..................09/09/08..........09/10/08........09/26/08........12/12/08

gsmaclean............09/18/08..........09/22/08........11/03/08........12/24/08

rkl57................09/21/08..........09/23/08........11/04/08........12/30/08

AnnaC................09/29/08..........09/29/08........10/30/08........12/29/08

wherezdabearz........10/08/08..........10/14/08........11/21/08........01/05/09

janda................10/15/08..........10/24/08........11/25/08........--/--/--

Married My Love......10/24/08..........10/29/08........12/06/08........--/--/--

garyandmarylou.......10/25/08..........11/04/08........12/02/08........01/09/09

illumine.............11/03/08..........11/04/08........12/22/08........01/08/09

Keigwyn..............11/13/08..........11/17/08........12/13/08........--/--/--

Sweettweety..........11/21/08..........12/18/08........--/--/--........--/--/--

Wrumug...............11/26/08..........12/02/08........--/--/--........--/--/--

Andaline.............11/16/08..........11/??/08........12/12/08........--/--/--

Candace..............12/01/08..........--/--/--........01/06/08........01/12/09

N8+Ying..............12/06/08..........--/--/--........01/03/09........--/--/--

Mychelle.............12/19/08..........12/24/08........01/14/09........--/--/--

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REMEMBER: "Date of I-751" is the date you sent your petition - NOT the date it

arrived at the service center. "NOA1 Date" is the 'Notice Date' shown on the NOA1

NOT the date you received it.

As they say in Turkey...YASASINNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!! My husband's 10-year card finally arrived in today's mail.

I still can't imagine why it had been returned to the CA center by the post office back in July...but I must say I'm impressed with the 800-number customer service people who were extremely helpful when I contacted them once I finally realized we'd been approved and the card had been sent but we'd never received it. And also impressed with the CA office's promptness after customer service contacted them about the problem...they immediately emailed me to say they would resend the card, and then did send it just 2 days later.

Good luck to everyone still pursuing their conditions-removal journey...hang in there!

It sounds like they think you moved, did you? Anyway, it looks like you got the approval so hopefully the card will be delivered. Did you verify your address when you called? That call may have triggered the new email. Good luck

No, we haven't moved since getting married. When I called customer service, the woman went to great pains to ensure they had the correct address before sending a new card. But they have always had our correct address...we've always received everything from them at our current address, including the extension letter and biometrics appointment document.

In any case, I got that email from them last Monday (1/5) saying they were sending a new card. We still haven't received it (they're in CA, we're in UT...shouldn't take that long to arrive, normally). So I checked the online case status site...and it says:

"On January 7, 2009, we mailed the new card directly to the address we have on file. You should receive your new card within 30 days. If you do not, or if you move before you get it, call customer service."

So, it got mailed last Wednesday and still isn't here yet. And what's up with the "it should be there within 30 days"? How'd they choose that number in particular? Nothing being mailed from/to a U.S. address should take anywhere near that long...guess they're giving the P.O. a break in case it's misdirected, lost, etc.

Well, if it doesn't arrive today, I'm not waiting 30 days but am calling them again tomorrow, because my husband's leaving for an extending trip to Turkey in 1 week, and I'd really like him to have the card before he leaves so I don't have to send it via expensive DHL to him over there (because his extension letter will expire before he'll be returning, so he'll need the card to come back).

The saga continues........

This is an update to my other post about learning that we had supposedly been sent a "notice of approval" for my husband's I-751 petition back in July, but we'd never received it. Some response posts suggested the notice that never arrived didn't mean our petition had been approved, but just that it had been moved from NE to CA. But I still needed to learn exactly what it meant, and especially why we'd never received it, and what would happen now.

I called the customer service 800 number yesterday (Monday) and explained the situation to the customer service rep. I asked if what was supposedly sent on July 21 was just a notice that our case had been moved from NE to CA or a notice that my husband's petition had actually been approved. She didn't sound like she knew for sure, but said that she assumed it meant the petition had been approved...but why we hadn't received either that notice or the green card itself, she had no idea. She said she'd submit a "service request" to the CA office about our case and said we should expect a response from them "within 45 days."

What a surprise to receive an email from the CA office already today, after just one day! Here's what the message said:

"The status of this service request is:

"On (07/21/2008 originally mailed), we created a Permanent Resident Card for you and mailed it to the address we had on file at that time, but the post office returned it to us. Recently, you called to tell us that you did not receive your Permanent Resident Card. As a courtesy, we have enclosed your Permanent Resident Card with this letter. In the future, if you change your address please contact customer service at the number provided below.

"If you have any further questions, please call the National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283.

"Please remember: By law, every person who is not a U.S. citizen and who is over the age of 14 must submit Form AR-11 AND notify this office of their change of address, within 10 days from when they move (persons in "A" or "G" nonimmigrant status are exempt from this requirement). To notify this office of a move, visit our website at: www.uscis.gov or call the National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283. The Form AR-11 can be downloaded from our website or you can call the National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283 and we can order one for you. Instructions for filing the Form AR-11, including mailing instructions, are included on the Form."

Obviously, the new green card was not attached to the email, so I'm assuming the email message is a duplicate of an actual letter that has been sent with the actual card...which they are resending "as a courtesy."

I have no idea why the card would've been returned to them back in July. We have not moved since getting married, and they must have our correct address since we've always received everything else from them (including the appointment notice for the biometrics for this very green card petition). I don't remember from the first green card...do they mail it via registered mail, so that someone must sign for it when it arrives? Even if that had happened and no one was home to sign when they first tried to deliver it, the P.O. always leaves an orange post card saying there's registered mail that needs to be signed for...and they try to deliver it up to 3 times (or you can go to the P.O. to pick it up) before they return it to sender...but we never got any notice of registered mail back in July.

So I guess it must remain a mystery why it wasn't delivered. (My suspicious mind is starting to think that they never did mail it, but are saying they did just to cover their mistake ). I suppose we could have checked the status of it earlier...but all I kept reading was how long it was taking because of first-time green card and citizenship petitions getting priority...plus we've been dealing with a lot of other stuff and have had our minds on that...so we were just waiting on hearing about the petition. If my husband wasn't planning to be out of the country when his 1-year extension letter would expire, we might still have not checked on the status!

Oh well. Hopefully "the language" of the email we received can mean only one thing...that the petition really has been granted (way back in July, even) and they're resending the green card...and hopefully they've sent it off already and it will successfully arrive this time, and before my husband leaves the country (so I don't have to pay DHL to hand-deliver it to him while he's in Turkey!).

Will post again when it arrives (fingers crossed ).

Sorry about my other recent posts...don't know what happened...but I'm on some pretty good drugs, so I'll blame it on that (just for a nasty head cold...really! :-)

UserName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date.......Biometrics......Approved

andresamia...........06/29/07..........08/01/07........08/29/07........--/--/--

Stefanie.............07/16/07..........07/25/07........military........ON HOLD (>NSC)

sara535..............09/15/07..........09/17/07........10/30/07........--/--/--

Sofargone............01/15/08..........01/22/08........02/12/08........03/27/08

junejr...............01/22/08..........01/25/08........02/13/08........07/10/08

siy70................01/27/08..........01/31/08........03/07/08........05/20/08

radacos..............01/28/08..........01/28/08........02/25/08........08/12/08 (>NSC)

bluegirl.............02/04/08..........02/08/08........03/13/08........--/--/--

pilot's girl.........02/11/08..........02/25/08........03/12/08........07/28/08 (>NSC)

kikiwiki.............02/15/08..........02/19/08........03/14/08........07/15/08 (>NSC)

mellie...............02/15/08..........--/--/--........02/24/08........05/30/08 (>NSC)

lilshe...............02/21/08..........02/26/08........03/26/08........--/--/--

dasha................02/22/08..........03/11/08........03/28/08........--/--/-- (>NSC)

Ashish...............02/25/08..........02/27/08........03/31/08........06/03/08 (>NSC)

tokinho..............02/25/08..........03/04/08........03/18/08........07/15/08

tsunamihart..........02/26/08..........03/04/08........--/--/--........05/30/08 (>NSC)

alexandsara..........02/29/08..........03/10/08........08/13/08........10/03/08 (>NSC)

mikeH................03/06/08..........03/07/08........05/13/08........06/17/08

Carolyn..............03/12/08..........03/13/08........04/22/08........08/11/08 (>NSC)

Perfect (K2).........03/14/08..........03/17/08........04/17/08........07/02/08

Blooberry............03/19/08..........03/20/08........04/19/08........08/08/08

LindsC...............03/19/08..........03/20/08........04/16/08........--/--/-- (>NSC)

MoGhuisle ...........03/20/08..........03/24/08........04/26/08........10/17/08 (>NSC)

BrianBellingham......03/25/08..........03/28/08........04/24/08........07/25/08 (>NSC)

newoption............03/27/08..........03/31/08........04/26/08........--/--/--

aztoca...............04/01/08..........04/03/08........04/30/08........08/06/08 dated7/31/08

pmkroger.............04/01/08..........04/03/08........04/30/08........08/05/08

Minfay...............04/01/08..........04/03/08........05/02/08........10/10/08 (>NSC)

Krissy25.............04/01/08..........04/03/08........05/02/08........08/28/08 (>NSC)

kc456................04/09/08..........04/10/08........05/09/08........08/19/08

macb1980.............04/10/08..........04/16/08........05/13/08........08/19/08

hello28..............04/14/08..........04/15/08........05/13/08........08/13/08

sjjp1974.............04/22/08..........04/23/08........05/22/08........--/--/-- (>NSC)

yakisir..............04/21/08..........05/05/08........05/17/08........09/25/08 (>NSC)

Clarax...............04/28/08..........04/30/08........05/27/08........09/16/08 (>NSC)

grrltraveler.........04/28/08..........04/30/08........05/29/08........--/--/-- (>NSC)

douglassheridan......05/03/08..........05/09/08........05/27/08........09/30/08 (>NSC)

jandamy..............04/??/08..........05/09/08........05/27/08........09/30/08 (>NSC)

yaads................05/09/08..........05/29/08........06/24/08........11/05/08 (>NSC)

felshen..............05/12/08..........05/20/08........06/17/08........10/02/08 (>NSC)

sharky...............05/13/08..........05/19/08........06/13/08........08/20/08

soulmate.............05/19/08..........05/20/08........06/13/08........08/22/08

lovelove.............05/19/08..........05/22/08........06/18/08........08/21/08 (>NSC)

Larry2375............05/17/08..........05/20/08........06/21/08........08/22/08

Claire...............05/??/08..........05/??/08........06/??/08........08/21/08

gurney...............06/04/08..........--/--/--........--/--/--/.......--/--/--

Wifey246.............06/18/08..........06/19/08........07/12/08........09/05/08

HuffyTheSlayer.......06/13/08..........06/20/08........07/26/08........09/05/08

ktun.................06/20/08..........06/27/08........07/16/08........09/09/08

walls1010............06/21/08..........06/26/08........07/22/08........09/03/08

laver................06/23/08..........06/24/08........07/26/08........11/12/08

sherose..............06/24/08..........06/27/08........07/23/08........10/24/08

Buzz17...............06/24/08..........07/03/08....... 07/24/08........10/24/08

Yorkie...............06/26/08..........07/07/08........07/25/08........10/23/08 (>NSC)

Mrs.J06..............07/01/08..........07/02/08........08/09/08........--/--/--

dcl766 (K2)..........07/01/08..........07/02/08........08/08/08........12/19/08

Jonesie..............06/28/08..........07/05/08........07/25/08........10/23/08

summersolstice.......06/23/08..........07/07/08........08/15/08........--/--/-- (>NSC)

Kitty_Cat............07/12/08..........07/14/08........08/08/08........12/08/08

jeeleebee............07/15/08..........07/17/08........08/15/08........11/13/08 (>NSC)

jtkings..............07/15/08..........07/17/08........08/14/08........11/18/08

Expatriot............07/15/08..........07/17/08........08/12/08........11/25/08 (>NSC)

maika_tereza.........07/19/08..........07/21/08........08/15/08........11/06/08

fd_jaymz.............07/21/08..........07/25/08........08/22/08........11/11/08

fskrc1...............07/21/08..........07/28/08........--/--/--........--/--/-- (>NSC)

patti................07/21/08..........08/08/08........08/28/08........11/18/08

amylovespaul.........07/26/08..........07/28/08........08/26/08........11/21/08

GregS................07/30/08..........07/31/08........08/22/08........11/18/08

ToddHill.............08/04/08..........08/06/08........09/16/08........--/--/--

NEDO2................08/04/08..........08/18/08........09/10/08........12/06/08 >NEBRASKA/CALIFORNIA

Jomo's Girl..........08/05/08..........08/08/08........09/08/08........12/15/08

Juni.................08/16/08..........08/18/08........09/09/08........12/12/08

Internetkafe.........08/18/08..........08/20/08........10/02/08........--/--/--

Bulanglang...........08/20/08..........08/25/08........09/26/08........--/--/--

kml_36...............08/26/08..........08/27/08........10/01/08........--/--/--

Smile!...............08/28/08..........08/29/08........09/30/08........12/24/08

Carol&Marc...........08/28/08..........08/29/08........10/09/08........12/16/08

SnowXTC..............08/29/08..........09/02/08.....Never Received.....12/16/08

wonky................09/02/08..........09/04/08........09/26/08........12/24/08

PrinceandPrincess....09/04/08..........09/08/08........--/--/--........--/--/--

Oly..................09/09/08..........09/10/08........09/26/08........12/12/08

gsmaclean............09/18/08..........09/22/08........11/03/08........12/24/08

rkl57................09/21/08..........09/23/08........11/04/08........12/30/08

AnnaC................09/29/08..........09/29/08........10/30/08........12/29/08

wherezdabearz........10/08/08..........10/14/08........11/21/08........--/--/--

janda................10/15/08..........10/24/08........11/25/08........--/--/--

Married My Love......10/24/08..........10/29/08........12/06/08........--/--/--

garyandmarylou.......10/25/08..........11/04/08........12/02/08........--/--/--

Keigwyn..............11/13/08..........11/17/08........12/13/08........--/--/--

Wrumug...............11/26/08..........12/02/08........--/--/--........--/--/--

Andaline.............11/16/08..........11/??/08........12/12/08........--/--/--

IMPORTANT!

Before you edit this list, please make sure that your VJ Text Editor setting is set

to Rich Text Editor. DO NOT JUST COPY AND PASTE. You can change your Text

Editor as follows:

Then go to the most recently posted version of this list (go to the last post and

scroll UP) and "Reply" to it, deleting the "quote" tags at the beginning AND END of

your reply.

* Please DO NOT change the font, font size, add colors, stuff like that.

* Please PREVIEW before posting to make sure it is properly formatted. (A common

mistake is somehow screwing up so you have <b> and </b> HTML tags in these very

instructions instead of actual boldfaced text.)

REMEMBER: "Date of I-751" is the date you sent your petition - NOT the date it

arrived at the service center. "NOA1 Date" is the 'Notice Date' shown on the NOA1

NOT the date you received it.

UserName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date.......Biometrics......Approved

andresamia...........06/29/07..........08/01/07........08/29/07........--/--/--

sara535..............09/15/07..........09/17/07........10/30/07........--/--/--

Sofargone............01/15/08..........01/22/08........02/12/08........03/27/08

junejr...............01/22/08..........01/25/08........02/13/08........--/--/--

siy70................01/27/08..........01/31/08........03/07/08........05/20/08

radacos..............01/28/08..........01/28/08........02/25/08........--/--/-- (>NSC)

bluegirl.............02/04/08..........02/08/08........03/13/08........--/--/--

kikiwiki.............02/15/08..........02/19/08........03/14/08........--/--/-- (>NSC)

mellie...............02/15/08..........--/--/--........02/24/08........05/30/08 (>NSC)

lilshe...............02/21/08..........02/26/08........03/26/08........--/--/--

dasha...............02/22/08..........03/11/08........03/28/08........--/--/-- (>NSC)

Ashish...............02/25/08..........02/27/08........03/31/08........06/03/08 (>NSC)

tokinho.............02/25/08..........03/04/08........03/18/08........--/--/--

tsunamihart..........02/26/08..........03/04/08........--/--/--........05/30/08 (>NSC)

mikeH................03/06/08..........03/07/08........05/13/08........06/17/08

Carolyn..............03/12/08..........03/13/08........04/22/08........--/--/-- (>NSC)

Perfect (K2).........03/14/08..........03/17/08........04/17/08........07/02/08

LindsC...............03/19/08..........03/20/08........04/16/08........--/--/-- (>NSC)

newoption............03/27/08..........03/31/08........04/26/08........--/--/--

aztoca...............04/01/08..........04/03/08........04/30/08........--/--/--

kc456................04/09/08..........04/10/08........05/09/08........--/--/--

hello28..............04/14/08..........04/15/08........05/13/08........--/--/--

sjjp1974.............04/22/08..........04/23/08........05/22/08........--/--/-- (>NSC)

grrltraveler.........04/28/08..........04/30/08........05/29/08........--/--/-- (>NSC)

douglassheridan......05/03/08..........05/09/08........--/--/--........--/--/-- (>NSC)

felshen..............05/12/08..........05/20/08........--/--/--........--/--/-- (>NSC)

soulmate.............05/19/08..........05/20/08........06/13/08........--/--/--

gurney................06/04/08.........--/--/--.........--/--/--/.........--/--/--

Wifey246.............06/18/08..........06/19/08........--/--/--........--/--/--

Yorkie...............06/26/08..........--/--/--........--/--/--........--/--/-- (>NSC)

Jonesie..............06/28/08..........--/--/--........--/--/--....... --/--/--

Mrs.J06..............07/01/08..........--/--/--........--/--/--....... --/--/--

UserName.............Date of I-751.....NOA1 Date.......Biometrics......Approved

andresamia...........06/29/07..........08/01/07........08/29/07........--/--/--

sara535..............09/15/07..........09/17/07........10/30/07........--/--/--

Sofargone............01/15/08..........01/22/08........02/12/08........03/27/08

junejr...............01/22/08..........01/25/08........02/13/08........--/--/--

siy70................01/27/08..........01/31/08........03/07/08........05/20/08

radacos..............01/28/08..........01/28/08........02/25/08........--/--/-- (>NSC)

bluegirl.............02/04/08..........02/08/08........03/13/08........--/--/--

kikiwiki.............02/15/08..........02/19/08........03/14/08........--/--/-- (>NSC)

mellie...............02/15/08..........--/--/--........02/24/08........05/30/08 (>NSC)

lilshe...............02/21/08..........02/26/08........03/26/08........--/--/--

dasha................02/22/08.........03/11/08.......03/28/08........--/--/--

Ashish...............02/25/08..........02/27/08........03/31/08........06/03/08 (>NSC)

tokinho.............02/25/08..........03/04/08........03/18/08........--/--/--

tsunamihart..........02/26/08..........03/04/08........--/--/--........05/30/08 (>NSC)

mikeH................03/06/08..........03/07/08........05/13/08........06/17/08

Carolyn..............03/12/08..........03/13/08........04/22/08........--/--/-- (>NSC)

Perfect (K2).........03/14/08..........03/17/08........04/17/08........07/02/08

LindsC...............03/19/08..........03/20/08........04/16/08........--/--/-- (>NSC)

newoption............03/27/08..........03/31/08........04/26/08........--/--/--

aztoca...............04/01/08..........04/03/08........04/30/08........--/--/--

kc456................04/09/08..........04/10/08........05/09/08........--/--/--

hello28..............04/14/08..........04/15/08........05/13/08........--/--/--

sjjp1974.............04/22/08..........04/23/08........05/22/08........--/--/-- (>NSC)

grrltraveler.........04/28/08..........04/30/08........05/29/08........--/--/-- (>NSC)

douglassheridan......05/03/08..........05/09/08........--/--/--........--/--/-- (>NSC)

felshen..............05/12/08..........05/20/08........--/--/--........--/--/-- (>NSC)

soulmate.............05/19/08..........05/20/08........06/13/08........--/--/--

gurney................06/04/08.........--/--/--.........--/--/--/.........--/--/--

Wifey246.............06/18/08..........06/19/08........--/--/--........--/--/--

Yorkie...............06/26/08..........--/--/--........--/--/--........--/--/-- (>NSC)

Jonesie..............06/28/08..........--/--/--........--/--/--....... --/--/--

Mrs.J06..............07/01/08..........--/--/--........--/--/--....... --/--/--

Hi everyone...and happy new year :-)

OK, so we sent in the petition to remove the conditions on my husband's green card in February last year...he did his biometrics on March 28...and then we settled in for the supposedly very long wait to hear something.

As of today we still hadn't heard anything, and he's planning to go out of the country pretty soon for a couple of months, so I decided to check on the petition status since his letter that allows him to travel/work while waiting for the conditions to be lifted would expire while he's out of the country.

I finally located the USCIS's page to check the application status, put in his number, and this is what came back:

"On July 21, 2008, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this CRI89 PETITION TO REMOVE CONDITIONS OF PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS RECEIVED. Please follow any instructions on the notice."

But we never received any such notice. (Believe me, we definitely would not have overlooked this particular piece of mail!)

So now, I'm confused...does the message about the petition status mean that we're not being required to have another interview and they've just outright approved the lifting of the conditions? (Since we never received the notice, we don't know what was included in it, of course.)

If that's what it means, then would the new green card have been included in the envelope with the notice (that we didn't receive)? If not, shouldn't it have been sent by now?

If an interview was required, the notice wouldn't have said that they had approved the petition, right?

I assume I should/can call the USCIS customer service number to verify the status and tell them we never received the notice...but am just wondering if anyone has any thoughts/insights/info on our situation in the meanwhile. My biggest worry is that there's going to be some sort of problem with my husband's status since it's been over 5 months since they supposedly sent the notice and we haven't "followed the instructions" on it...especially since we haven't received the new green card yet (though maybe that was also lost in the mail?).

Thanks for any response...

Deb

It has something to do with language. Doesn't mean that your application was approved and card was ordered. Perhaps this excerpt clarifies it better then me. Link is

http://www.uscis.gov/files/article/update_i751_060508.pdf

Thanks very much for that link. It does explain much of what I was wondering about. There are still some things I don't understand, though.

First, why didn't we ever receive that notice they supposedly mailed July 21? We haven't changed our address...so I'm still just guessing that it was lost in the mail.

More importantly, aside from the misleading wording included in the status report of our case, it also said "Please follow any instructions on the notice." Since we never received the notice, I don't know what those instructions were. Anyone else who received this very same poorly worded notice that their petition had been approved (when all it really meant was that it had been transferred to the other office)...can you tell me what "instructions" were included in that notice? I'm wondering if our not having completed those instructions (because we never received them) has somehow hampered the progress of our petition.

I will call the USCIS support center on Monday...but any info anyone can share before then will help us to have a less anxious weekend :-)

Thanks,

Deb

Hi everyone...and happy new year :-)

OK, so we sent in the petition to remove the conditions on my husband's green card in February last year...he did his biometrics on March 28...and then we settled in for the supposedly very long wait to hear something.

As of today we still hadn't heard anything, and he's planning to go out of the country pretty soon for a couple of months, so I decided to check on the petition status since his letter that allows him to travel/work while waiting for the conditions to be lifted would expire while he's out of the country.

I finally located the USCIS's page to check the application status, put in his number, and this is what came back:

"On July 21, 2008, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this CRI89 PETITION TO REMOVE CONDITIONS OF PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS RECEIVED. Please follow any instructions on the notice."

But we never received any such notice. (Believe me, we definitely would not have overlooked this particular piece of mail!)

So now, I'm confused...does the message about the petition status mean that we're not being required to have another interview and they've just outright approved the lifting of the conditions? (Since we never received the notice, we don't know what was included in it, of course.)

If that's what it means, then would the new green card have been included in the envelope with the notice (that we didn't receive)? If not, shouldn't it have been sent by now?

If an interview was required, the notice wouldn't have said that they had approved the petition, right?

I assume I should/can call the USCIS customer service number to verify the status and tell them we never received the notice...but am just wondering if anyone has any thoughts/insights/info on our situation in the meanwhile. My biggest worry is that there's going to be some sort of problem with my husband's status since it's been over 5 months since they supposedly sent the notice and we haven't "followed the instructions" on it...especially since we haven't received the new green card yet (though maybe that was also lost in the mail?).

Thanks for any response...

Deb

Read the Guide to Naturalization. There is a flowchart somewhere near the end that your husband can follow to determine his eligibility.

That was one of the places I looked...guess I just couldn't see it. (Sort of like when you look all over the house for your glasses...while you're wearing them )

I'll go back and check that document again. Thanks.

Hi, all...

I've looked everywhere I can think of (on these boards, on the govt. site, etc.) to try to find the answer to this question, but no luck. Maybe it's out there and I just somehow missed it. But hoping someone here knows the answer...

My husband is wanting to apply for citizenship. He's a LPR, I'm a citizen by birth. We've been married 3 years this past Sept., and he will have had his green card for 3 years this coming March (2009) and is currently still waiting for the lifting of conditions on that.

I know that because of our marriage, he can apply after 3 years since his green card (rather than 5 years if not married to a citizen). What I'm going crazy trying to find out is exactly when can we send in the citizenship application? Do we have to wait until the date on his green card (March 9)? Can we send it in earlier? If so, how much earlier without some sort of penalty/problem? (I know how the govt. doesn't like when you do something too early )

If you know the answer, along with sharing it with me, could you also please give me a source for the answer, which I can show my husband (who always likes to see the "official" information).

Thanks very much!

Yes, you should only need your British passport, your expired green card, and your NOA letter authorizing work and travel.

My husband made a return trip to Turkey this past summer with those three documents and had no trouble at all re-entering the U.S. (He also got a new job recently and had no problem re: the expired green card since he had the NOA letter.)

Hope this helps.

Hi all...

Has been a couple years since I posted...since my husband got his green card.

His card is set to expire on March 9 this year (in 2 days).

We filed his I-751 a couple of weeks ago and just received the I-797 NOA for it today and are awaiting the biometrics appointment letter now.

Thing is, he had to make an unexpected trip home to Turkey just before we filed the I-751...and I was so intent on gathering all the necessary stuff for that, and his trip came up so suddenly, that I didn't think anything of the possible "situation." But now that he's due to fly back here on Wednesday (in 2 days), something inside me suddenly panicked.

It would seem logical to me that his green card wouldn't expire until the date on it (March 9). He's arriving via airplane in Chicago on March 5. So he should...logically...have no problem entering the country, yes?

But now I'm wondering if, when you apply for the lifting of conditions, does the I-797 NOA somehow automatically negate/cancel the original green card, even if there's still time left on its original expiration date? I know after the expiration date, you need the I-797 NOA along with the expired green card in order to work and travel to/from the U.S. until the new green card is issued. I'm just hoping they don't have it set up in some crazy way so that the green card is automatically expired and needs the I-797 accompanying it immediately upon the issuing of the I-797. If so, then my husband won't be able to re-enter the country on Wed. because he has his (supposedly still active) green card, but I have his I-797 here at home (which is not anywhere near Chicago, so I couldn't easily meet him at the airport with the NOA, even if that would help).

I couldn't find anything about this on the government site about the lifting of conditions...or here on the forums (though maybe it's here somewhere and I just missed it). I could call the USCIS customer service, but wanted to check here first before being put on indefinite hold to talk to one of them.

If anyone knows absolutely for sure whether or not the green card automatically gets canceled when they issue the I-797 NOA or if it's still good alone (with the NOA accompanying it) until its stated expiration date on the card, pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez post and let me know ASAP...so I can either stop worrying, or start worrying even more !

Thanks so much!

Well, now that he's got his green card, my husband has decided this would be a good time for him to go back to Turkey for a visit with family/friends and to try to finally sell his business there (so we can get that much-needed money in our hands). He'll be gone the entire month of April.

We need to decide if I'll be going out to meet up with him at all while he's there...not sure if we can afford it right now. Also, I've been out of a job for months and am in constant job-hunt mode, so interviewing etc. for that might also keep me here (as would an actual job, if one ever materializes!).

If I'm around when you all meet (still planning on April 14 or 15?), I could come alone (though it wouldn't be the same without my husband here to meet with everyone).

Will try to keep up with whatever definitive plans are set and announced, and will come if possible. Will this be the only get-together, or might there be others as well???

Hi...just wanted to note (for those wondering about how long these things can take) that we had our interview in Salt Lake City on March 9 and my husband's change of status was approved then. The interviewer said we'd receive the green card in about one week.

One week from that day (on March 16), we received a letter verifying the approval, instructing us about lifting the 2-year conditions, and saying the green card itself would arrive in about 3 weeks (that confused and worried me, but I decided to be calm and believe our interviewer rather than a form letter).

Today's mail just arrived and there was the green card...just 11 days after our interview.

My husband had no copy of his medical done for the K-1 in Turkey. He called the doctor there to find out what vaccinations he'd had there, and she told him. The closest approved doctor here for submitting the medical/vaccination forms is the director of our county health dept. We were told the only way he'd sign the vaccination supplement form is if he administered them himself and he'd do that only during a medical exam, which we didn't need because my husband's exam in Turkey had been less than one year ago. But the people at the health dept. said they do these immigration forms all the time (they, not the surgeon himself) and just stamp his name for the signature. I was wary about a stamped signature, but at that point, I was tired of the runaround and all the extra fees and all the conflicting info about the supplement I'd read here and elsewhere.

So he got the vaccines he still needed, and they filled out the supplemental form. At first they weren't going to list the previously administered vaccines (in Turkey) because we didn't have a writen record of them, just verbal. I thought, well, the govt. has his medical exam records from Turkey which include the vaccines anyway, so why do they need them listed here again anyway? (That's of course if they haven't "misplaced" his exam from Turkey...but that'd be another, and worse, problem altogether.) But in the end, they did list the previous vaccines we'd told them he'd gotten last summer, and they completed the form and stamped the director's name on the surgeon's signature line.

I asked about them sealing it in an envelope and they had no idea why I was wanting that (because they don't do the official medicals, which always need to be in the sealed envelope). They told me to go down the hall to the surgeon's office where all the official immigration medicals are done and ask them. The front desk lady there was confused why we didn't want the complete medical exam, so I explained and she said "I'd probably get another one done just in case." I said no way, but I just wanted to know if the supplemental vaccine exam needed to be in a sealed envelope. But because their office only does the full exams and they don't usually deal with the supplemental only, she wasn't sure about needing the sealed envelope for that. But she was accommodating and said she could seal it for me in the same way she usually seals the exams, just in case we needed it. She folded it into an envelope they always use: a regular business size envelope that had their return address printed on it and "DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE" in bold capped letters stamped on the front of it. Then she stamped "Utah County Health Department" 3 times along the sealed flap line so it straddled both the back of the envelope and the flap, and then she placed 3 strips of transparent tape over those stamps.

So I felt very "official" and happy to be done with that (though I was still slightly worrying about the supplement having only a stamped version of the surgeon's signature).

At our interview this past Thursday, we were not even asked for the vaccination supplement. Nothing medical was ever mentioned at all. That sealed envelope is still sitting in the briefcase with all the other documentation I brought to the interview. It was just one of many things I'd brought that I ended up not needing (to read the details of our interview, go to http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...topic=5249&hl=).

So, what's the moral of this story? There just doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to the medical exam and vaccination supplement...or their requirements either before or after the interview.

Best advice? Be as complete and thorough in following the instructions about them as you possibly can and bring the supplement with you to the interview (if you haven't already submitted it with the I-485). Then you'll be ready if they ask you for it. And if they don't, oh well. Better to be over- than underprepared in this situation (with the vaccination supplement or anything else on the interview checklist).

They will very likely ask you if you still work at that job at the interview.

well I will be prepared. I will say I resign and have other letter of employment. I am sure I will get other job by the AOS Interview

Take care

yogi

Hi...this is my experience with losing my job before filing the AOS...

I'd planned to file the AOS last October and even had the updated employment letter from my company in hand. But things were crazy and it took a while to get all the other docs ready for filing...meanwhile, Nov. 2nd came and I got laid off. I had previously retained an immigration lawyer, and asked him for advice. He said I could file as if I still had a job, submitting the recent employment letter, but he would not advise it because of all the ways that could come back to haunt me. He suggested waiting to file until I had another job...but since I didn't know how long that would take and since I'd kept hearing how long people had to wait to get an interview scheduled after filing, I didn't want to wait any longer to file. I thought I could file as planned and felt I could get another job before the interview. So I filed, still including the previous company's recent letter of employment in the affidavit of support (just to show how long I'd been there and what my salary had been), but including a separate letter from me stating that I'd just been laid off (and also checking that option in the affidavit...it says something like "Unemployed or retired since...."), listing my assets/savings/property in the affidavit, and including my last 3 tax returns (2002, 2003, 2004).

They surprised us by scheduling our interview really soon (only 3-1/2 months after we'd filed)...and I was having no luck with finding another job (fortunately, we weren't hurting financially yet because of a decent severence package with the layoff, but the pressure to find a job before the interview only added to the craziness of getting everything prepared for the interview. So, with our interview date fast approaching, and no job in site, everyone I asked (including here on the forum) basically said get a co-sponsor...but for reasons I won't go into, that ended up not being possible. So what was a girl to do?

I looked everywhere I could on the govt. Web sites and came across a guideline that says if you don't meet the 125% poverty level for your household, then you can use any assets/savings/etc. (which must be very well documented) to supplement your income to reach that 125% IF those assets/etc. are equal to or more than 5 times the difference between your income and the 125% number. In my case, since I wasn't working at all, the "difference" was the 125% number itself (for a 2-person household in the 2006 poverty guidelines, that was $16,500)...and my assets/savings/etc. amount to well over 5 times that number. So, I shouldn't have to worry, right? But my lawyer said I should still have a job...just in case, and to be safe. That confused me, because according to the guidelines, I should easily meet the income requirements with my assets.

But everything everyone else was saying had me worried...and with our interview happening just yesterday, a friend of mine who owns his own business offered to hire me last week, putting me on his payroll for a salary a little over the 125% amount, to help me out with Immigration and to give me at least some income until I could find a job I really wanted and that would (hopefully) pay more. He wrote me an employment verification letter, but I had no pay stubs since I'd just been hired. I did a whole new affidavit of support, listing that new job, but also again including a list of my assets/savings/etc., and I also included our recent 2005 joint tax filing.

But it turned out that I didn't need a new job or even a new affidavit of support. Why not? You can find out by reading my posting about our interview (http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=5249)...it's a bit long because of the detail, but will explain what happened and why concerning my affidavit of support. What happened really surprised me, and relieved me, and also frustrated me because I would've liked to have known these things before I worried so much about it for nothing!

If you're still technically employed, then I'd say by all means, hurry up and send in the application with an affidavit of support that includes your "current" job and letter from that employer. It's legally and technically accurate and true (heck any one of us can lose their job the day after filing the AOS...that's the way of the world we now live in)...

Then I'd try my best to get new employment before the AOS interview. At the same time, I'd also find someone willing to be a co-sponsor in case you end up needing one. Also, be sure to get your 2005 taxes done ASAP (I'm pretty sure they won't schedule your AOS interview for before April 15...but be sure those new taxes are done!)...

Then, whenever you go in for your interview, if you have a new job that meets the 125% level, great. No worries. But if you still don't have a job, or if the new job doesn't earn you enough for the 125% level, then you're still covered in either of two ways: either your interviewer is one who follows the Immigration guidelines strictly (as mine did) and uses your affidavit that you filed with the AOS application and accepts you as the sponsor using that affidavit...or your interviewer won't follow the guidelines and will want a new affidavit from you (which will state you're unemployed) as well as an affidavit from a co-sponsor (who meets the 125% level), and you'll be ready with both those things in your back pocket, so to speak.

Good luck with the job hunt...and with your AOS application. Don't worry...everything will work out...just be patient and positive

That's great news dasha! Congratulations I was already wondering how your interview went. You will get a 2 year green card. Our interviewer in SLC didn't really mention how long it'd be valid either. Who did your interview? (We had an older gentleman called Redle and he didn't ask us much.) All the couples I know from SLC have had a different interviewer.

I'm still upset that I didn't remember the interviewer's name...because it was Slavic, like mine (I'm still keeping my maiden name, at least so far) and I was curious what his nationality was...but of course I didn't dare ask anything so off topic and personal! He even still had an accent to his English, though he was an older man (maybe 50s at least...I'm not good at age guessing)...and I was so tempted to say something in Russian or Ukrainian and see if he would answer me

All I remember is his last name was rather long and it started with a T and ended with "eyev"...usually I remember Slavic names like that, but I guess I was too nervous and preoccupied with "other things" to keep that in my memory track

I'd like to have his name to add to the record of our "immigration journey," but I don't suppose there's any way to find it out now. Oh well....

Hey, everyone...

In case you might be interested in my personal soap opera version of the AOS interview but aren't checking the Green Card discussion group anymore, thought I'd give you a link to the report I posted there yesterday:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=5249

Many of you were helpful as I was preparing (and obsessing)...so thanks for that!

So, looks like we'll be able to make the get-together, since we survived the interview ... that is, unless we end up being in Turkey at that time (my husband needs to go back and sell his business there, that his son has been running for him, so we can use that money to help start up a business here).

Thanks again, and looking forward to meeting everyone...

Just wanting some encouragement i guess. Our AOS interview is April 12th and i am so nervous. This means so much.....guess i just need people to tell me to calm the heck down!!!

Hi...we just had our interview yesterday (my detailed "report" is at http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=5249) ...and although I did tend to "obsess" about everything up until the night before (which I wish I hadn't done so much), I didn't lose any sleep that night. Either we were ready or we weren't, and losing sleep about it wasn't going to change that!

Three main points of advice I would give would be:

1. Be as thorough as possible in gathering everything that is supposedly required to bring with you, making sure you have originals (especially for things you sent in with the AOS application that were only copies) and also having copies of everything so they can take those if they want. But be prepared to not really need everything you'll lug to the interview...some things they'll ask about and want to see, some things they'll ask about but not want to see, and some things they won't even mention! There doesn't seem to be any consistency in that between interviewers, so just have everything ready, just in case, but don't be surprised that you don't have to show everything you've brought (maybe there is an interviewer out there who will want to look at everything...I doubt it, but if so and if you get that person, then you'll be ready )

2. Only reply with yes, no, or whatever few words will answer a question. In other words, don't invite trouble! If they want you to elaborate on an answer, then do it (as minimally as possible). If you're not sure you understand a question, just say so and ask for clarification...it's no problem. But being "to the point" will ease your mind about what you should or shouldn't say, what will be enough or not enough...and it will prevent any possible "oops" moments when as soon as something comes out of your mouth you think to yourself "Oops, maybe I shouldn't have mentioned that!" Sure, you don't want to seem like you're "withholding" information or evidence...but if you sufficiently answer the questions, that'll satisfy them.

3. RELAX...both before (hard to do, I know) and especially during the interview. You've got nothing to hide, right? Your marriage is real and legitimate, right? Then just look at this is a technicality, only a formality by an overly bureaucratic government and you're just helping them cross the t's and dot the i's. Trust me, you'll walk out of the interview thinking "I was so worried about THAT?!?!"

Be prepared...be calm...be happy

As my Turkish husband would say, YASASIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!!!!!

We had our interview today and got approved. I'll try to remember "everything" about the interview...but there are a few more interesting sidenotes about some things that happened (or didn't) that I'm sure I'll have no problem remembering.

Our appt. was for 11:10 a.m. and we live about 30-40 minutes from the interview place, under normal driving conditions. Of course, we awoke to snow on the ground, snow (and sleet) still falling, wind and visibility terrible, and radio reports of already too many accidents along the interstate. So we decided to leave early to be on the safe side...but as it was, we almost didn't leave early enough. We gave ourselves 90 minutes and got there with just about 5-10 minutes to spare.

There were only about 8-10 others there when we arrived, but most were there for "other" reasons than AOS and kept getting called into a different area. One couple who'd been in an AOS interview finally came out, but they called in another couple before us who'd arrived after we did...don't know what was going on with that, but I wasn't about to make any scenes!

A Turkish friend of ours who is a certified translator met us there to help since my husband's English is nowhere near fluent enough yet (it was stated on the appt. letter that a translator would be a good idea if the immigrant's English isn't fluent and I must say it was a very, very good suggestion...I can't imagine how long and difficult the interview would've been had our friend not been there to help...it just made everything so much smoother and easier).

That "usurping couple" finally came out but it was a while longer before they called anyone else in...and fortunately, we were next. In total, we ended up waiting an hour just to get in when it didn't seem very busy at all. Though I guess I'd rather wait a bit rather than being rushed right in after arriving, without any time to "exhale" and collect ourselves before the interview.

The interviewer who called us met us at the door between the waiting room and the back offices, made us stop, and asked "Who is Polat?" My husband said he was. Then he looked at me and said "I assume you are his wife?" I said "Yes." Then he looked at our friend and asked "And you are...?" Our friend replied we'd asked him there to help translate. The interviewer asked if he was related to my husband in any way, and when he said "No," the interviewer then led us back to his office.

Before he let us sit down, he did the swearing in...then opened my husband's file, which it turned out was complete and nothing had been "lost" (that happened at the Consulate in Turkey when my husband went for his K-1 interview...after the interview he had to mail duplicate copies of the things they'd "misplaced," and that took a while because one of the docs was mine and I had to send it to him again).

He thumbed through some of the documents/forms, and he paused at my husband's family record, which lists his parents and all his siblings and the dates and places of every event in each person's life (births, marriages, divorces, deaths...). He didn't question anything, but because he paused, our friend thought maybe he didn't understand the document or wasn't going to accept it as a "birth certificate." So our friend interjected that this was a typical Turkish family civil record and that's how they do it there and they don't have the type of birth certificates that we issue here. The interviewer said he understood that and that that's how they do it in many countries, then he added, "So I am not surprised...which is good, because I don't like surprises." Then he asked my friend if he'd translated before...my friend said Yes but not in this particular situation of an AOS interview. The man then cautioned "OK, I will tell you that as a translator in this interview, we want you to just translate literally what I say or ask, and then literally translate what he replies or asks me. Do not add any additional commentary to what either of us says, and do not answer the question for him even if you know the answer." This guy was all business, obviously...though not in a harsh or unfriendly way.

Then he asked for our my husband's passport and immediately removed his I-94 from it, punched two holes in it, and slipped it onto the binder clips to add it to the application documents. He then went through every page of the passport, seemingly looking for something but not finding it (aside from the K-1 visa, my husband has no other stamps, etc. in that passport)...not sure what he was looking for, but he gave the passport back without comment. Then he asked to see my ID and I gave him my passport (rather than my driver's license, since it would also substitute for my birth certificate). He looked at it, then flipped through it and looked at the stamps (including the one for Turkey when I visited my husband last year), then handed it back.

He asked me if the address on the application was still our current address. Then he continued thumbing through the application pages and stopped on the page that asks all those yes/no questions (are you a terrorist, do you use drugs, have you been in prison, etc.). He went down the list asking every question again and putting an additional check with his red pen next to each "No" that my husband replied with.

Then he asked my husband if he has any children...when he said yes, he asked where they live, and he said in Turkey. Then he asked if my husband had been married before (I love when they ask questions they know the answers to...of course the application has info about his children, his past marriage and divorce, etc....oh well...just answer the questions and behave yourself ). Then he asked when my husband had divorced. Then he asked if my husband was obliged to pay any child support for under-21 children and if so, had he neglected to do that. (All my husband's children are over 21, so no problem there...but an unexpected question, I thought)

Then he turned his attention to me and asked if I was born in the U.S. And he asked if we had evidence of things in both our names. (Finally, I thought...I get to break open the large expandable briefcase of documents I worked so hard to assemble and lugged to the interview!). He said he wanted photocopies...he'd look at originals if I had them, but he wanted photocopies to keep. I had originals but didn't give him any except for the original letter from our bank verifying our joint account...everything else was a copy and he never asked to see the originals. I had photocopies of all our credit cards and insurance cards and a check from our joint account. Those are all we have in both names so far (we've only been married since Sept. last year). He asked if I had evidence of our using the joint account, and I noted that stapled to the bank letter was a statement showing the activity since we opened the account (which was just last month, because we couldn't open it until my husband got his social security #). He then asked if my husband actually writes checks himself. I'd made sure that he had written at least a couple himself, and he has used the check card for that account quite a bit since he prefers it to checks...so I said he had written a few checks, and then he turned and asked my husband when was the last time he wrote a check. My husband said he couldn't remember and that he prefers the check card...and he actually had a restaurant receipt he'd signed for the check card in his wallet...but when he started to pull it out to show the interviewer, he said he didn't need to see it. (BTW, we'd also filed jointly in 2005 even though we technically didn't need to, just to have this as another "together" thing...but I completely forgot to mention it and he never asked about it!)

Then he turned to me again and asked if we live together "under the same roof, so to speak." I said yes. He asked apartment or house. I said house. He asked if both our names were on the title. I said no...we want to refinance, and when we do, both names will be on the house. Then he asked if I have a life insurance policy. When I said yes, he asked if my husband is the beneficiary. I said not yet, because I had set up a trust some years ago and the beneficiaries are named within the trust and I needed to find a lawyer so I could amend the trust (but with everything else going on recently in our lives, I hadn't done that yet). Then he said, so your husband's not on the house or the life insurance...what about the retirement plan? (I have a 401K from work.) I said it's also tied into the trust (hello...that's a main point of a trust, thank you...and, no, I didn't actually say that to him!)...and that as soon as I could arrange to amend the trust, everything would be adjusted to include my husband. He just nodded and said OK and moved on.

Then he asked my husband if he's working (he's not). Then he asked me "And where do you work?" OK, now this was what I was dreading...because (as I noted in a previous post on this forum a while ago), I got laid off from my job 2 weeks before we submitted the AOS application...and at the time, I noted that on my affidavit of support and had to submit it just listing my savings/assets/property. And up until a week ago, I still hadn't gotten another job...but a friend who owns a business took pity on me and last week he added me to his payroll and said he'd "put me to work" at least long enough until I could find a job I really wanted, so we hopefully wouldn't have any problem with Immigration. Even though my savings/assets/property still amounts to well over 5x the difference between our 125% poverty level and what I was earning (which was $0), and even though my 2005 tax return stated I earned well over the 125% amount, my lawyer still warned that I'd better have a job before the interview...and when I asked for advice on this forum about this, everyone who wrote said I should either take any job I could find or get a co-sponsor. But for reasons I won't go into, I couldn't do either in time...so my friend was a godsend in hiring me at a salary rate enough to meet the 125% amount. He wrote me a letter of employment, but since I was just hired I haven't had a paycheck yet. So I brought the letter plus my 2005 tax return plus a new affidavit of support (which also still listed my assets, etc.). When he asked where I work, I said the company name and that it was a new job. But before I could take out any of the documentation for it, he flipped to my affidavit of support in the application sent in November and said...when you sent this in, you had lost your job, yet you claim you earned $x...where did that money come from. I said from my job...I'd just lost it 2 weeks before we sent the application, and the amount was from my 2004 tax return. He still didn't ask me for an employment letter (and my friend's business is small and not well known, but he didn't ask anything about it) or for a new affidavit or for my latest 2005 tax return or any pay stubs (which I didn't have but he didn't know that because he didn't even ask when I'd started the new job). He just kept looking through the affidavit from November...and then he said, "You were well above the 125% requirement at the time you sent in the AOS application, and the guidelines state that if that's the case, then nothing else is required at the time of the interview and we shouldn't reject the affidavit." And then he really surprised me by adding "Not all interviewers adhere to that guideline and they ask for more support evidence or an updated affidavit...but that's not in the guidelines and I always follow the guidelines, so I accept the affidavit of support that you submitted with the AOS application." GOOD GRIEF! That not only doesn't say much for the consistency within the bureauracy if they're all not doing the same thing and all not following the guidelines...but it also made me want to scream that I'd worried so much about not having a job and making sure I got something in place beforehand and redid the affidavit and everything. I'd wanted to ask him if the interviewers would be as inconsistent in accepting the "5x the difference" guideline for assets, but I didn't dare

Then he asked how we met. He seemed amused and not surprised when I said we met playing backgammon on the Internet (not surprised about the Internet, but amused by the backgammon ). He said, "So you met playing backgammon and then...?" I said we'd met in Nov. 2003 on the Internet, IM'd and/or phoned every day for about 6 months, and then I went to Turkey in May 2004 for about a month. He asked if I'd gone with others or on a group tour or alone and purposefully just to meet him...that seemed like an odd question to me, but he seemed pleased that I'd gone alone just to meet him. Then he turned and asked my husband "You mean you were talking to someone on the Internet and then meeting with them when you were still married?" (Clever man...don't think these people aren't really paying attention and can't do the math! ). My husband started to explain that he was separated from his wife when we'd met. Then our friend interjected (breaking the "rules" about not making side comments, because he felt we might be in trouble on this one)...and he explained that in Turkey if a woman is reluctant to agree to a divorce or there are extended family considerations, sometimes a divorce can take a long time, even 10 years or more. With that, the interviewer asked how long my husband had been separated when we met, and he replied about 6 years...and he asked, "Not living together or having any life together at all?" and my husband said no, and that was all for that topic (thankfully!!!).

Then he turned back to me and asked which one of us brought up the idea for marriage first. When I hesitated, he added "If there was no 'formal proposal' or big discussion, just tell me who happened to start talking about getting married first." I said "He did." And then I broke my own rule which was to just answer yes or no or as few words as possible to answer the question and that's all...no additional info or side commentary or questions of my own, because that could only lead to more questions from him or possibly take us down roads I didn't want to go. Just answer the questions and get the heck outta Dodge! But when he asked about who mentioned marriage first, something prompted me to say a little more about it (maybe because this was the first sign of "humanity" from him, his asking something that wasn't strictly in the guidelines and was more personalized). But I didn't add too much...just a couple sentences explaining the circumstances in which marriage was brought up...and he seemed amused by the story (I think he may have even slightly smiled! )

Then he asked me if I spoke any Turkish, and I said I'd started to study it but then since my husband came here, I've tried not to speak it because he needs to learn English (to which he replied "Yes, he does!"). Then he said, "So you must know "Bir, iki, uc, dort..." And we all laughed and were somewhat surprised that he knew how to count in Turkish. He said he'd learned some Turkish years ago but had forgotten most of it. Of course I was curious and wondered where and why he'd learned it...but I didn't ask!

Then he turned from the stack of papers and went onto his computer...none of us could see what he was looking at or doing on it...but then he asked me if we were currently separated or in the process of divorcing (yet another unexpected question!) and of course I said "No." Then he went back to the paper stack and said "I can't find any abnomality in your application or deficit in the requirements to adjust your status, and I'm convinced that you have a real relationship, so I'm approving your request and granting the adjustment." Then he started doing all the red stamp stuff in all the required places, casually commenting that he was being very careful to make all the necessary stamps and signatures so there'd be no problem with the approval. Then he mentioned that he was sorry but for the sake of expediency (and since it was into the lunch hour, no doubt!), he wouldn't take the time to look at our photos although we'd beeen nice enough to bring them (my husband held onto the small photo album the whole time)...and that if we didn't have any questions for clarification, we could go. He shook our hands as we left...and it was kind of funny because we ended up crossing paths with him in the parking lot (on his way to lunch, I'm sure!).

The interview lasted about 25 minutes. He said we'd get the green card in the mail in about a week, and that he'd advise my husband not to travel out of the country for more than 6 months at a time as a LPR. He also let my husband keep his EAD card (I guess in case he needed it while looking for a job before the green card arrived) but said to destroy the EAD card when we got the green card. He didn't stamp anything in my husband's passport.

When we left the building, the nasty weather had stopped and the sun was shining. How appropriate B)

One last thing...he never said anything about the green card being conditional since we haven't been married at least 2 years yet or about having to remove the conditions. And of course, in my glee about getting approved and my anxiety about getting out of there, I forgot to ask about that. Is it always conditional under these circumstances? If so, does it talk about that in the green card mailing?

I can't belive how I've babbled on. If you read to the end, you're a hearty soul...but I just wanted to be as thorough in my "report" as possible since I know how helpful others' reports had been to me in my preparation for the interview.

I must say, though, when it was over, it seemed sort of anti-climactic after all the work getting everything ready and stressing out about so much and making sure I had all the documents and requirements and photos and...and...and.... And I even had a neighbor and a good friend write notarized letters explaining how they see our relationship (like it's suggested you get when you're applying to lift the 2-year condition on the green card). But our interviewer didn't ask to see maybe 95% of what we'd brought. He didn't even mention the vaccination supplement, which I had in its sealed envelope in my briefcase. No 2005 tax return...no photos or things addressed to my husband at our address or emails or new affidavit of support or employment letter or...or hardly anything! OK, so I'm happy it was such a relatively "easy" interview (aside from the unexpected or odd questions)...but it's just so frustrating to have spent so much time and money and stress getting all the "requirements" ready but then having most of it not actually required. Would I have been happier to have had to pull out every single thing I'd brought? Maybe (in a weird sort of way), but probably not. But he could've at least looked at one photo...geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez!

I can't imagine it's possible, with all I wrote...but if you have any questions about our experience, please just ask.

Thanks again for the help and support so many here gave us...we appreciate it!

Okies so after March 25th-26th then? Weekend sounds OK to me but sometime during the week would be good too. The only problem is my hubby works nights and can't stay very late. How would a weekday work for you? Do you guys have a favorite restaurant/restaurants? There's a lot to choose from... Olive Garden is one of my personal favs

Hi...finally found this forum and the thread...thanks for the heads-up!

My husband and I would love to come to any sort of get-together that might happen...and would be willing to come up to SLC from Provo for it (since that sounds like the logical halfway point for those of us in outlying areas). Weekdays are out for us...anytime on a Saturday or any weeknight should be OK, barring other commitments. And we're not very picky about restaurants...and both like Olive Garden just fine.

Of course, this is all assuming they don't deport him back to Turkey after our interview tomorrow! Eeeeeeeeek!!! (OK, sorry...don't mind me...I'm just slightly stressing out, which I suppose is normal )

Will post about our experience in the green card forum...as soon as I recover from the experience