Storm24

Updated signature with latest info. Scheduling interview phase.

Finally got an interview date for May 6th. Got the texts and emails today but the notice was mailed on March 29th; my birthday

We got it! ^0^

APPROVED
So here is my interview story guys.... Sorry, little late coming home as I stopped to get champagne..
We reached at Los Angeles USCIS office around 1:25 PM,
Waiting for 35-40 minutes, and an officer called our name, he was American guy, called us at door # 1.. he told us at the door to walk all the way from office#40 to office#8 at the end, where the his office was.
he started by the oath with right hand raised... and we both said yes..
(BTW we moved to CA 5 months back, but applied for CA driver's license last tuesday.... and said by everyone that we'll get that after a month and half by everyone, we got our license yesterday.. I am saying that because the CA license had played important role here)
so he took our passports, took my i-94 from passport. then he pronounced my name, after let me speak my name first
questions he asked
who prepared these documents. we said.. we both did.. oh... so you saved lot of money.. (i wanna say that VisaJourney saved me lot of money,,, thanks to VISAJOURNEY,,,,, )
whats my address = i replied
to my wife- do you live at the same address? - yes
any other part time address to any of you? - no
first itme marriage- yes
any kids- no
saw Illinois Marriage certificate first time in his job life, so he kept looking at the certificate and examined in the detail
was impressed as I came from F1 to H1 visa
said, usually we see people with out of status, you are the other few of kind..
what you have as both of your names on it..
gave car insurance, bank statement, lease (1 from CA - 90 pages, 1 from IL previous) - he said CA lease should be enough,
I asked, you wanna seepictures? - he smiled .. i gave our ceremony pictures, honeymoon album(which my wife gave me as our first engagement ceremony gift-- it can be seen by everyone - )
he asked, you had ceremony too? and we both nodded. asked, how long. we said 5 days...
how many times you changed dress... i was like i dont remember,... 6-7 times.. haha... he smiled
then he was looking at honeymoon album, and asked why you two are the only one in this album.and i said, its our honeymoon album.. and he was like - no wonder you two were only in there.. funny... he again smiled
asked my wife,do you work.. she said she left the job after marriage...
so who's your sponsor. i said, I am sir..
he said you CANT be your own sponsor.. I knew that I can by my own sponsor, but dint want to make him wrong. so I dint say anything.
he said, since when you're working.. I replied.. since July 2009... almost four years. he said almost same time, THEN ALMOST 4 YEARS.. i replied.. YES SIR.. (got me and wifey worried for a bit)
whats your phone no-we gave landline(vonage - IL number) , do you receive that ? we said , yes.. its Vonage phone. runs on internet..
what my phone no- I gave my no- (area code- bridgeport - where i studied....
whats her phon no- she gave NJ no-
he amazed.. ntoed down all numbers.
where is my family - my parents came to visit in US... when they going back - end of may..
where is your family (to my wife).. they live in USA...
then again he asked for ID,. (not the passport).
so I gave our CA license ID (which came yday).. thats when he said. you suppoed to provide CA license as you live in CA now... we both looked at each other.. and smiled replied - yes sir...
he asked, do you have previous IDs... and we gave both our IDs... mine IL.. hers NJ... why she doesnt have NJ.. replied-- bcz after she moved to IL, I had the job offer in CA already, so we dint bother applying for her license.. (we again looked at each other and smiled bcz we both knew that CA license arrival was a big plus point)
he took my new H1 approval notice's copy (as i forgot.. dang it)
printed out my name in a letter, hit print button in his computer... asked me to check my name... and gave me that copy saying.. this letter is for your approval of the application.
we both thanked him. waited for him to make a copy of h1... thanked him again by shaking hand.. said have a nice day sir..
said 2-3 weeks to arrive PRC(Permanent Residence Card)...
took almost 45 minutes(I think its 40, but wifey said 45.. so IT IS 45..)
If I'm not clear at any of this part, feel free to ask...

thanks guys!!!
Okay so heres the detailed version, please feel free to skip reading this post, its gonna be a little long, but I figured why not? The days leading up to the interview were filled with 'what ifs' and 'oh no, what if I forget tos' and 'I wonder what its going to be likes' and while I know that everyone has different circumstances I hope this post will put some on ya'll at ease or at least give ya'll a little comfort in knowing that things do end up ... well.
So, these are the items I brought along with me, pretty much everything I submitted for the original AOS package. I did also bring about 110 pictures with me, all arranged in a scrap book and their copies for the officer.
I was AOS-ing from F1 student visa to Permanent residency through marriage.
Our appointment was for 0745 at the Dallas field office in Irving, Texas. We arrived and cleared security at 0720. We walked up stairs to a waiting area and checked in. The lady at the check in desk took our I 797 notice to appear and gave us a buzzer and told us to wait. The waiting area was large and filled with people already, it had a TV on CNN, bathrooms and water fountains. Many people/ families/ couples came with lawyers and or translators. These lawyers and translators seem to know just about every officer, greeting them and even making small talk with them as the officers came through the doors to 'collect' their applicants.
I mentioned doors, there were 3 doors that lead to long hallways with interview rooms/ officers offices.
We were called in at about 0810 by a gentleman with a rather stern face and a rather strong 'island' accent. He greeted us and showed us the way to his office.
Before we sat down, he instructed us to both raise our right hands and swear to tell the truth to which we affirmed with positives and then we sat down.
He asked where I was from and I answered, he then asked for our I/Ds (Both foreign, state, and federal), Hubby gave him is Military ID and DL while I gave him my passport, ID, Military ID, DL, EAD & I-20. He said "oh Military? Good, good. Did you bring your Tricare & SGLI (health & life insurance paper work)and I said Yes and he said Good, good again.
He then visually looked at all my IDs and nodded.
He then asked me my name, address and birth date, as I answered he checked off a list on his desk, my I 485 I assume. Then he asked Hubby what my major was and where I attended school and if I completed my course of education and Hubby answered and yes said. The officer then congratulated me. He then took my I-94 and I-20 and said "Okay then you won't be needing this anymore".
The officer asked me how many times I entered into the United States in my life and I said "Many times, maybe about 10 to date? He asked my last POE and the date and I answered.
Then he asked Hubby when we were married. And then said "Okay, I'm going to look into my system and see what we can do for you today."
He then asked us if there was evidence that we could provide for him to prove our marriage was bonafide. (This part is funny) As I brought up things from my evidence folder, he said "nope, don't need that we got that already" x 7 times. The only thing that was not in the original packet was my Tricare and SGLI paperwork which he took from us. I then asked if he would like to see photographic evidence and he said "no no, I have plenty"
Then he asked us if we knew what the conditional green card was and we said yes and he said "Good good"
He then asked Hubby if he had any proof of his citizenship in America and we provided him with the original Birth certificate and a copy, he kept the copy.
And then said those magic words "Alright, I am going to approve you today and you should expect the card in the mail in about ... well... it can take up to 8 weeks, if you haven't received it by then, call us back."
* Insert waterworks from me at this point but I did hold it together and I managed to not actually tear.
He showed us the way to the copy room where he made copies of our I/Ds and returned it to us in a couple of mins. He thanked us again, we shook hands, wished him well and walked down a different hallway towards the exit back to the waiting area.
This part is hilarious, There was a button/ switch right by the door handle, I assumed it was the lock release, b/c all the officers entering the doors from the waiting area needed their key cards to be scanned before the door pop-ed unlock, and so I pressed it and then the hallway lights turned off one at a time down the hallway!!!!!! It was a light switch, Hubbys and I bust out with laughter, I immediately switched the lights back on and turned around to apologize, only to find the officer almost in tears laughing too! I walked out giggling and exited the building feeling a ton lighter! I actually found myself skipping to the car hahaha.
So there, my experience for the AOS interview.

Hi all we just got approved on spot !!!

I got my GC yesterday! Yea!

Congradulations.
Got my EAD in the mail today. Thank God. He is good and job interview next week.

Approved!
The interview took 20min and I should be receiving my GC in 4-6 weeks - officer said it would be coming in sooner than that most likely.

Aaron2020, please do not reply to my post anymore. Your negativity is just not helpful. I had already admitted that what I did was stupid, and based on our own ignorance. My question was not posted asking for further chastisement in this regard, but for assistance in how to best proceed further. Thank you for your not so helpful remarks and opinions, I was speaking to you directly in my original post where I said I do ask that people refrain from bashing me for not knowing what we were doing, and all the "you should have" comments. I am sorry that my post was so long and that you did not read that far. The hotel manager did not give legal advice, just simply that shopping in El Paso was more advised to shopping in Juarez due to my ethnic race. The advice to go to the bridge was given to me by the US embassy, but I know now that they probably meant that a "permit" is predicated upon already having a valid entry visa, and a "shopping permit" simply does not exist.

Hey !!! Im so happy to see progress in your family's case! Woohoo.
I have a small teeny tiny flicker of hope, I called the Dept. of Homeland security SAVE team again and this time they were willing to advocate for me with Texas' Dept of Public safety (The agency issuing Drivers Licenses). I am waiting on someone to call me back to give me some good news.
As far as the fed. govt is concerned, I am all good to go (and drive lol) but it's Texas & the local DPS office that cant seem to get updates ...
Fingers crossed!

Congrats every one !!!!
Yesterday my interview was at 9:00 am at Philadelphia .I got approve on the spot for a 10 years permanent card
The IO asked fair and straight forward question.He only asked to see our photos and children birth certificate. The
Interview was for 15 mins.He was informing me about the 10 years card and when I can apply for citizenship in 3 years.
I saw he stamp approve on my file.He said i will get the green card in about 3 weeks.At 11:00 yesterday got 2 text and email
That my i 130 and I 485 was approve.

My EAD has arrived. Currently sat in the DPS waiting to apply for a drivers license / permit

The interview was really easy. I was a bit worried, since we all got notices for 3 separate appointment times (though all in a row). They called us all in together and went through my file/documentation first. That took the longest. Then he went through the kids's files. My kids are both under 14, so they didn't get sworn in or asked any of the "interview" questions (have you been arrested, trained by the military, etc). He just wanted to know if they had left the country since our K1/K2 entry and if they were attending school. Easy peasy. Good luck!

Niceeeeee !! I got mine first though haha lol jk!

Hi guys!
I just received my EAD last night!
Congrats to everyone else that has received EAD or interview letter!
Best of luck to all of you!

Got an email stating that my EAD card is in production. Woohoo!!!

AoS from a tourist visa is not visa fraud.
Entering the United States with the preconceived intent to remain is visa fraud.

Just got the email that my EAD and AP was approved!

Your Current Case Status for Form I765, APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION
Card/ Document Production
The USPS reported that they picked up mail from USCIS containing your new card on January 18, 2013. The USPS tracking number assigned is XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX. You can use this number at www.usps.com to view updates to the delivery status of your mail. You should receive your new card within 7 days. If you do not, or if you move before you get it, please call our customer service at 1-800-375-5283.
USPS
Track & Confirm
Your Item's Status
Your item departed our LEXINGTON, KY 40511 sort facility on January 18, 2013.

Congratulations!! Good to know we're not the only ones not getting texts. We sent in electronic notification forms for each of the 3 separate "applications". My daughter only got the text for the NOA1...... nothing since.
Granted, still waiting on the EAD and AP, so she stil may get a text for those, but it's good to know that we may not even get a text. I'm checking online multiple times a day, LOL!! Patience is not one of my better attributes

Thank you for all the suggestions. One more update from my side is, today I received an email update about approval of my I-765.

Don't recall if we did get an email regarding interview scheduling. We did receive the interview appointment letter about a month before the interview date. It seemed to go pretty fast.
Good luck.

So guys just want to let you know I received ead card in the mail on Saturday at noon. Hubby got the mail and there it was priority mail from USCIS. Yay!

Please to update your timeline over at http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/profile.php?id=145586
Thanks so much !