Trinity

My green card has been approved, I just got email regarding approvals of I-485 and I-130

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Here's my timeline:

02/24/06 Sent my application to Chicago

02/26/06 USCIS received my application

03/02/06 Receipt date on NOA for I-130,I-131,I-485,I-765

03/08/06 Touched I-130,I-131,I-485,I-765

03/21/06 Biometrics appointment for I-485,I-765

03/22/06 Touched I-485,I-765

04/06/06 Touched I-130,I-131

05/01/06 Received mail regarding appointment for I-485 (06/15/06)

05/13/06 Touched/Approved I-765 "On May 11, 2006, after approving your application, we ordered you a new card.

05/13/06 Touched I-131

05/15/2006 I-765 "This case has been approved."

05/15/2006 Received AP

05/16/2006 Received EAD card in mail

05/18/2006 Touched I-485, I-130

05/19/2006 Touched I-765, I-131

06/15/06 Appointment for I-485/AOS Initial Interview

06/19/06 On June 16, 2006, a welcome notice was mailed for this case.

06/19/06 This case has been approved. On June 16, 2006, an approval notice was mailed.

My husband and I had our interview this afternoon at the San Francisco office. We were scheduled at 2:15PM but we were called at around 3PM already. It was quite a long inteview, probably took 20 minutes.

The officer asked me first about the information on the forms I submitted - full name, birthday, address, husband's birthday, etc. Then he asked my husband how we met. Both my husband and I bought properties when were still dating and we live in my condo now. The officer was surprised that we didn't add each other on the title. Honestly that didn't cross our minds, we didn't think it was that necessary since we're married, anything that's his is mine, what's mine is his.. we didn't have a prenuptial agreement. We don't have a joint bank account and the officer was looking for that. We just got married last February although we were living together since April 2005. We just didn't think that was necessary. I have access to his online accounts and I know his PIN on his ATM, etc. He mentioned to open a joint bank account so it'll be easier next time when we have the removal of condition interview.

The officer didn't get my EAD card but he took my I-94. He said he will need to check with his supervisor about my application and to wait for the green card in 2 weeks. I asked why he didn't stamp my passport, he said if he stamps it, that means it's approved and that I don't need to travel anywhere soon anyway (he asked this earlier) so there's no need to have the stamp, I just have to wait for the green card in two weeks.

Now, I'm confused... he told us to wait for the green card in 2 weeks but he also said he has to consult his supervisor. Has this happened to anyone else? Do you think they're doubtful about our case or is it just a procedure to check with the supervisor and our case is approved?

Thanks a lot.

Hi there... thanks for sharing your interview experience with us. Why did you prepare a new affidavit? Was there any change in your work/financial status recently?

Our interview is this Thursday (June 15), my husband got a salary raise a month after we sent all our documents and I'm wondering if we need to prepare a new affidavit.

Thanks again.

Hello everyone. What a day. It has not stopped raining here in NYC. It is miserable and cold but having an approved AOS process means all of the world to us.

Here is a quick summary of what went on at Garden City.

Our appointment was for 2 PM so we arrived at 12:00pm. We live about 1 hour from Garden City in Eastern Long Island so I did not want to take any risks. Anyway, We had to wait until 2:10 PM for them to call us upstairs to another waiting room. My recommendation to all of you going to Garden City is not to show up so early because it does not help!! The wait was so stressful! We sat close to the entrance because that's were the lady who calls out the names makes the calls. They don't use any microphones.

Then we were taken upstairs to wait for our interview and we were called in around 2:20 pm. We had a great immigration officer. Very classy and polite who asked my wife if she wanted to have the interview in Spanish or English. We were prepared for both. My wife chose Spanish.

He sat us in his office and told us that he would be asking questions to each of us and only that person could answer.

He asked the following questions to my wife:

1. Tell me your address

2. Have you been married before?

3. Do you have any children?

4. He asked me if I was married before and how many kids I had?

5. He asked me who the kids lived with.

6. He then asked my wife to tell him how we met and to tell him a bit about our story.

7. He asked my wife the standard questions about "have you been deported before?" "do you use drugs?" etc

He asked me for the proof of relationship asking for the following paperwork which he kept:

1. A new affidavit (make sure you have one updated and notarized)

2. Bank statements where both our names appear

3. Our apartment lease

4. Our 2005 Tax returns

5. My company's letter

6. Paperwork showing medical and retirement benefits with both our names

I offered other documentation such as pay stubs, etc but he did not want anything else. He asked us for 2 pictures, one from our wedding and one recent picture (both pictures should be facing the camera). He did not even look at our albums but honestly, take as many papers you think should be taken even if it looks to be too much but it is better to have extra and not to missed anything.

He then said, you are approved!! He asked my wife if she was planning to travel soon and we said yes and he then tried to stamp our passport but it was after 3 pm so those officials who do it were gone!! By the way, for those of you who think this is rare, everyone who wanted the passport stamped was getting it done. At least he tried and we thought that was a great gesture because he even walked outside his office to find someone to do it for us. Anyway, he said you will receive the GC in about 2 weeks so just don't go anywhere for now and then he stood up and said

Welcome to the United States.

He explained to us the removal of conditional GC in about 1 1/2 year and explained to us that in about 2 1/2 months my wife can become a citizen.

He walked us out and just like that it was over! It took no more than 25 minutes.

Thank you all for all your feedback, and best wishes to all of you.

arprofe

Thanks for the responses, that's a great help.

The Department of State website says it takes time to retrieve the document and requests usually arrive after 4 to 8 weeks. We'll go to our appointment without the original birth cert. and hopefully my husband's passport would be enough.

Thanks again!

I assume your husband is the USC. I don't think you will need to fill out a new affidavit of support. The affidavit of support is basically an agreement that you the non USC will not recieve US financial help and if you do your husband will be responsible for paying it back.

As far as the birth cerficate, I took my original to the interview and our INS officer did not look at it.

Although I did have it out in front of her, I also had my passport along.

At our interview she was more interested in my husbands passport.

I would say go without the original copy especially if the copy is in your AOS , explain that you are in the process of obtaining an original copy and show the reciept from your order.

I know I ordered my original copy and it only took 7 days to get to me, I also think Vital Records in your home state would have an rush order. As I ordered mine from PA and just sent extra $.

Good Luck,

Moondancer

Hi everyone,

Our AOS interview is scheduled 2 weeks from now.

My husband had a salary increase a month after we submitted my application. For the interview, do we need to provide a new Evidence of Support Document?

I also changed employer since then, do I need to fill out a new G325A to reflect the changes?

Lastly, the AOS interview letter mentioned that my husband needs to bring his original birth certificate. We submitted a photocopy of this birth certificate but he lost the original years ago and I'm still waiting for the certified copy I ordered via mail. Do you think this will be a problem? Should I reschedule our interview just because he doesn't have his original birth certificate?

Thanks a lot in advance.

Thanks for the list. We will have our AOS interview soon and I'm referencing your list to prepare.

Anyways, I do have a question. You included "New affidavit of support (unnotarized)" in your list. Just wanted to check if that was due to any change in your husband's financial status.

Thanks again.

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Here's my timeline:

02/24/06 Sent my application to Chicago

02/26/06 USCIS received my application

03/02/06 Receipt date on NOA for I-130,I-131,I-485,I-765

03/08/06 Touched I-130,I-131,I-485,I-765

03/21/06 Biometrics appointment for I-485,I-765

03/22/06 Touched I-485,I-765

04/06/06 Touched I-130,I-131

05/01/06 Received mail regarding appointment for I-485 (06/15/06)

05/13/06 Touched/Approved I-765 "On May 11, 2006, after approving your application, we ordered you a new card. Your card will be mailed to you as soon as it is ready"

05/13/06 Touched I-131

05/13/2006 I-765 "On May 11, 2006, after approving your application, we ordered you a new card. Your card will be mailed to you as soon as it is ready"

05/15/2006 I-765 "This case has been approved."

05/15/2006 Received AP

05/16/2006 Received EAD card in mail

05/18/2006 Touched I-485, I-130

06/15/06 Appointment for I-485/AOS Initial Interview

Hi everyone,

I just received a mail from USCIS requesting me to appear for Initial Interview. Is this Initial Interview the intervew where they would grant me the Conditional Green Card? I'm just confused because of the word "Initial".

Thanks a lot for your help!

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Here's my timeline:

02/24/06 Sent my application to Chicago

02/26/06 USCIS received my application

03/02/06 Receipt date on NOA for I-130,I-131,I-485,I-765

03/08/06 Touched I-130,I-131,I-485,I-765

03/21/06 Biometrics appointment for I-485,I-765

03/22/06 Touched I-485,I-765

04/06/06 Touched I-130,I-131

04/26/06 Notice date of the mail regarding appointment for I-485

06/15/06 Appointment for I-485/AOS Initial Interview

I agree with the others that posted here. I'm a Filipina too, have a lot of Filipina friends in US and I can't consider any of us being materialistic. We are all professionals doing our best here. There are materialistic men and women around the world, maybe you just happened to associate with the wrong type of people. I know most of the Filipinos here are professionals in the IT industry like I am and we value money since we work so hard to earn it.

I'm sorry to hear your relationship with her failed. I hope you guys could still find ways to make it work.

It's a month now since the receipt date and I really need to get a job soon. How long does it usually take for the EAD to get approved? I know we have to wait for 90 days, but does it usually take that long? Could I try setting an appointment via InfoPass to check if they could give a temporary one even if I've been waiting less than 90 days? Do they usually approve those requests? Thanks!

Here's my timeline:

02/24/06 Sent my application to Chicago

02/26/06 USCIS received my application

03/02/06 Receipt date on NOA for I-130,I-131,I-485,I-765

03/08/06 Touched I-130,I-131,I-485,I-765

03/21/06 Biometrics appointment for I-485,I-765

03/22/06 Touched I-485,I-765