EFGH2017

After more than a year and a half of waiting my fiancé has finally been approved!! 🎉🎉🎉
Thank you to everyone for their help and encouragement along the way...there were days I seriously doubted this would ever happen! 😊

To anyone who still checks in with this group, interview is scheduled for 1/16!! We are finally getting to the end of this long process...can’t believe we started this in 2017 and will finally be finishing it in 2019!! 🎉

Finally NOA2!! 🎉 I know most of you have moved on but thought I’d share the good news!

Well, I finally got everything together and have triple checked each line.  I am now an official CR-1 filer and not a K-1 filer.  I am scared s#itless that the K-1 will haunt us forever but it is now in the capable (?) hands of USCIS...

Just received our green cards today exactly one week after interview!

So we just got this message in text and on the website for our EAD!!!! No interview letter yet, but does that mean it's coming? Also, does anyone know how long it will take before the EAD comes in the mail!?!? !

You do realize that in order to eligible for Obamacare, you have to have a full time job?  My husband is a doctor, I am a healthcare lawyer, I guarantee you I know more about how Obamacare works than your political talking heads know.  It isn't anything close to a disaster, very far from it, and take that from someone who treats patients all day long in a hospital.  Also, health insurance is far from a "few hundred bucks".  I own my own law firm and I can tell you what I pay for health insurance for my employees, it is a lot more than a few hundred dollars a month, try more like $600 a person per month.  
 
You are completely entitled to your opinion, but the fact of the matter is that people that receive Obamacare are working, and working hard at full time jobs.  These are exactly the people that we want to keep in this country, so I have to disagree with you that we would deny citizenship to these people.  

Received letter in the mail today for Interview. Letter says initial interview and has list of documents to bring unless already submitted with petition.
 
Not sure if there is another interview after this as it says initial interview on the letter. I'll have to do some research on this forums regarding this unless someone here knows already?
 
Has anyone else received Interview date? Ours will be August 30th.
 
online status shows 
Interview Was Scheduled
On July 26, 2018, we scheduled an interview for your Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status

Just checking in to say hello.  I am getting the certified copies of the marriage certificate later this week.  My CR-1 package is ready to go.  I hope all is well.

Hey June crew! Saw a few wedding photos popping up so thought I would share our day.  
Had our official wedding last weekend and have spent the last 3 days putting the footage together to remember our special day! Hope ya'll enjoy
 
 

Our status changed to ISSUED today! Now trying to find a reasonable ticket to purchase the moment Alex has that visa in his hands.

Received noticed today for I-485 interview for  9th
 
USCIS
May 2nd mailed via usps
May 3rd received by uscis
May 10th check cashed
May 11th - Notice of acceptance I-797 text & email notification I-130 / I-765 / I-485
May 25 Biometrics notification / scheduled June 4th - Biometrics completed
June 6th - Testing and Interview notification via email / text messages
July 5th - Notice for Interview
Scheduled interview - August 9
 
 

THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING GUYS! 
 
YESTERDAY Received I-797C notice: Request for applicant to appear for initial interview , date July 26, location Baltimore, MD
 Documents sent on May 1st, Biometrics on June 4th 
 
I wish everybody gets their interview dates very soon !!!

How do you get bored in NYC? I'm just curious  You have public transportation to take you anywhere - maybe try and plan some day trips? I always see in the movies people from NYC going to Montauk lol. Maybe try MeetUp and see if you can find a Brazilian group in town?
 
If I were in NYC with nothing to do and it was too hot to go outside, I would plan a NYC themed movie/TV marathon and take notes of all the places I want go. Also, I would start a blog about matzo ball soup where I would eat it at every restaurant that offered it and then write a review 

It means exactly what it says, your visa is approved and will be delivered to you. 

My wife is planning on sending this below complaint letter to our state's two senators on my behalf, and I wanted to see what people thought, and if enough of you are willing to also send something similar, perhaps we can collectively voice our concern to our federal representatives and effectuate some real change. 
 
I am sure some people here won't like me doing this, and will think me ungrateful or obnoxious, but I think the processing timelines for AOS have gotten a little ridiculous (14.5 months - 24.5 months) in my field office. I am judging that by how long it used to take as short as a couple years ago, (5-9 months) and by some other field offices which are still processing in those timeframes. Some of my language (ie "outrageous") is exaggerated on purpose to get my point across. 
 
I say that knowing full well that immigration is a privilege, not a right. And that national security and public safety are far more important than giving people green cards with a quick turnaround. As well, I am living with my spouse in the US, and have my EAD and advance parole, so I'll be the first to say I am in a really, really good position compared to others, and I am not at any disadvantage compared to others. I am lucky and grateful and happy and content. I also know that others going through K1 or CR1 or a host of other processes have similar or worse timelines and they also have to be apart from their spouse. I am grateful to not be in that position. 
 
At the same time, our Senators are there to represent us constituents and are our only real voice to push back on developments at federal agencies. The timeline going up to almost 3x as long is a negative development for the general publc. If 14.5 months - 24.5 months is the very best they can do with the resources they have, then ok we will have to accept that. But until told otherwise, I believe they can go faster, and if people don't voice their concerns they will never be aware of people's frustrations, much less feel any urgency to speed up. So I am doing this more because I want to communicate it to my representatives, and do my part to try and help the process for future filers. 
 
In short, what do people think of the persuasiveness and comprehensiveness of this complaint letter? As well as pros and cons of sending it, besides the obvious of perhaps sounding like an "ungrateful douche?
 
Letter:
 
Dear Senator Kirsten Gillibrand,
 
My name is [ ]. I am a US Citizen, a lifelong NY State resident, your constituent, and a registered Democrat. I currently live with my husband, [ ] in the neighborhood of [ ] in Manhattan. I am writing to you to complain about the lengthy, unreasonable, and outrageous processing delays at the NYC Field Office of the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”), specifically for Adjustment of Status (“AOS”) applications for immigrants applying for Permanent Residency (“PR”, or a “Green Gard.”)

According to https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times, which is the official page to look up estimated processing times, the NYC Field Office estimate to adjudicate I-485s (Application to Register PR or Adjust Status to PR) for family-based applications (that is, those applying due to an immediate family connection, in our case, me as spouse) is 14.5 months – 24.5 months. Here is a screenshot:
 
Anecdotal reports from those who have completed the process confirm that this is the processing timeline. This timeline is unreasonable and outrageous, and has significantly increased over the past couple years. Two years ago, the estimated processing time was 5-7 months, then it became 7-9 months, and now it has significantly more than doubled. It is not as if the USCIS does not have the budget or resources to process these in a timely manner – the USCIS is self-funded through application fees, which costs $1,760 per person for AOS. This considerable fee has increased over past years, too. “Extreme vetting,” for applicants already lawfully inside the country, should not lead to delays this long either. I would also like to note that many other Field Offices do not suffer from these delays and are able to adjudicate applications in a more timely and efficient manner. It must be said that the increased backlog of applicants and the lengthening, frustrating timelines are mostly the fault of the NYC Field Office and it must be within their control to speed up processing to a more reasonable timeframe.
 
My husband, [ ], is a Canadian citizen, who has legally studied, worked, and visited in the US over the last several years. We met in NYC in [ ] 2015, fell in love, married in [ ], 2017, and applied for AOS on [ ]. He has received his Employment Authorization Document (“EAD”) and Advance Parole, so he is authorized to work and travel. Nevertheless, the delay in interviewing for, approval of, and receival of, his Green Card to enable him to be a legitimate PR with all of its rights and privileges, is causing us significant stress and many, many others in a similar position with this NYC Field Office.
 
I respectfully request your intervention and assistance in getting to the bottom of the lengthy and increasing processing timelines for the NYC Field Office and doing everything you can to speed it up to a more reasonable one, in line with both past timelines and other Field Offices.
 
I can be reached at the address, email address, and phone number listed in the header. My husband’s A # and our case number is also listed there. I look forward to hearing from you and a resolution of this matter.

Rose and I are married and incredibly happy!
 

Finally - the part we've been waiting for and wanting for so long... we got married at San Francisco City Hall, and couldn't be happier  

Hi Junies,
 
One more straggler crossing the finish line of the K1 visa process. 
 
After making POE here in Ohio on March 26th,  my fiance and I finally tied the knot yesterday, June 14th...with less than ten days left on the K1 Visa   Phew!  
 
And I finally received my SSN on May 30th, more than two months after applying for it on March 27th. No idea why it took so long.
 
You guys on this site kept me going through some really dark times and I'm very grateful for that. To anyone still waiting, hold on and keep holding on because sometimes, it really is darkest before the dawn.
 
@KBA
 
My heart goes out to you, dear!  Kudos for keeping a positive outlook, you've been an inspiration to me, more than you know.  My thoughts and prayers will be with you until your Visa Journey comes to a happy end as well. 
 
Now, presenting Mr. and Mrs. D and T
 
 

 

Another Romanian AoSer  Welcome!
 
You can fly domestic - you just need to book your tickets under your passport name (which is what they'll use to check against your tickets at the airport). The names just have to match, it doesn't matter if it's not updated to your married name yet.

Ok guys, just after my post I got an email!
 
As of June 18, 2018, we are ready to schedule your Form I485, APPLICATION TO REGISTER PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR ADJUST STATUS, Receipt Number MSCXxxxx, for an interview.“
 
Yeahhhhh! 😎

I can relate to this. George has been here 10 weeks and I've only managed to clear ONE drawer for him. He made some closet space for himself though!

Received NOA1 yesterday in the mail for i485, i131, i765. Did not receive text notification....

YESSS. I tried to be proactive the last time Paul visited, before moving here, because we already knew what route we were taking. I managed to clean out two drawers only so he could leave some stuff behind that time. I'm pretty proud of (and surprised with) myself, though - I've officially split all of the closet space in half with him entirely now. It was not without some major effort, though, that's for sure. I was long overdue a good closet purge, though; lots to get rid of. But as Paul says... that just means I'll buy more clothes

I can relate to this. George has been here 10 weeks and I've only managed to clear ONE drawer for him. He made some closet space for himself though!