Juan Carlos

Hello, Andrea!

I know exactly how you feel. When we had our interview, I was craving for a "welcome to the U.S.", "you are approved", "you are now officially a U.S. resident. Sorry for all the emotional ride you went through, but here is an official D.H.S. letter together with a certificate with official stamps and Mr. Obama's personal assurance that your days of uncertainty are over. By the way, let me stamp your passport in case you are still in doubt".

Instead of that, we got nothing. No stamp, no letter, no congratulations. I have the feeling that our interviewing officer was friendlier than yours, but he still left me in suspense. So, once again, I started reading forums. This is a bit of what I learned:

- Normally, when they deny your residence, they immediately tell you they'll have to re-schedule the interview

- Now a days, they do not take away the EAD card and they no longer put stamps on the passport. Now we keep the EAD as a souvenir.

- Some people request an infopass appointment to request the stamp on their passport. I believe you'll need a pretty strong and sound excuse to request the stamp, but at least in the process you should learn if you were approved or not.

- In my case, it took them one week to update the on-line status (Card Production ordered); about one more week for the Welcome letter and finally one more week for the GC. Other than the Card Production ordered, there were no more touches, on-line updates or emails

Hang in there, Andrea! I am sure you'll have a pleasant surprise very soon!!!

Juan Carlos.

- Andrea... any news??????

- Harold, I requested an Infopass before my wife's interview to ask precisely your question. Happens that our Interviewing Officer was bilingual, so there was no need to bring a translator. In our case, they clearly told us that if we hadn't had that particular officer, we would've had to bring an official translator.

Now, I've read that others have brought a friend to translate... but they would also be biased, right? Ah, another thing: on my interview letter, the checkbox of "Bring an interpreter" was not checked. That should give you an idea if your Interviewing Officer is bilingual or not.

Juan Carlos

Dear friends,

I am proud to announce yet another graduate of the Colombia Club. Today my wife received her green card, which marks the happy ending of this part of our journey.

I really wanted to give thanks to all of you for your comments, patience and advise. My only regret is that I didn't find this forum earlier. But oh, well, in the end everything went great.

I'll be back on the 20th, to congraulate Andrea for her interview (I am sure her case will be approved). If anyone thinks my experience can be of any help, don't hesistate to send me an email.

Thanks again and see you in a couple of years at the Club Colombia Naturalization!!

Juan Carlos.

Thanks, Tony!! I keep my fingers crossed!

Juan Carlos

Dear friends,

I have some great news to report Today we had our AOS interview, and everything went great!! The officer was friendly, and questions were relatively simple. He didn't ask for any additional evidence, although he did ask for all the originals that we sent with our I-485 petition.

The only moment of tension was when he simply couldn't find in our file our Medical exam form.... because we never submitted one. If your medical exam in Bogota took place a less than a year before your interview, you don't need the form. After checking and re-checking, we came to the conclussion we didn't need one.

After that little hiccup, he then proceeded to explain to my wife the process on how to become a US citizen in three years, about how she could change her last name if she wanted, etc etc.

But I do have a question for you: he didn't stamp her passport. Said if an emergency happended and she needed to travel abroad, we could request an Infopass to get the stamp. Does this sound normal to you?

After such a long process, after all the adrenaline... I am sure you all understand what I mean, I feel kind of strange, leaving the interview without a stamp, a paper, a physical something to actually show the world that my wife is now a resident. Guess I'll have to wait, once more, now for her green card.

On another subject, Andrea, congratulations on your interview !! Well deserved!! My best wishes to you and your spouse! You've been an inspiration throughout all this process.

Juan Carlos.

My friends, I am happy to inform you that we just received our letter for the AOS interview: March 19th is the big day!!!

For those of you still waiting, my letter came without any touches. No email, no update, nothing. The system still has the date of our biometrics appointment as the last update. Just a letter on the mail.

For the rest of you... do you have any words of wisdom? Any advice on documents to bring, tricky questions to be aware of? In general, I think we should be as prepared as we were for our interview in Bogota, but if you have any specifics you may want to share with us, I will be forever grateful for your help in this last step of our journey.

Thanks!

Juan Carlos

Hello, guys and gals! I hope everyone is doing great.

I just have a question on Diana's comment: "and it will be good for 10 years" (the green card). I was under the imprssion that once someone became US citizen that was a lifelong deal, provided that individual met the requirements (continous presence, not leaving the US for more than 6 months, etc). I thought the 10 year expiration was for the card itself, not for the residence. Meaning after 10 years yes, you would have to maybe fill out a form and pay certain fees to renew your card, but your residence was good for your lifetime.

Was someone else under the same impression?

Juan Carlos

P.S. Andrea, I hope you had a good, productive appointment.

Hey... made a mistake on my previous post:

Wrote: " I was under the imprssion that once someone became US citizen ..."

Should've written " I was under the imprssion that once someone became US RESIDENT ..."

Sorry about that.

Juan Carlos.

Dear friends,

Just wanted to wish everyone an excellent 2009!! I hope it brings approvals, GCs and interviews to all of us still waiting (specially to you, Andrea). And for those of you no longer waiting, I hope the new year brings you happines and joy with your loved ones. Thanks for hanging around and sharing with us your experience.

Now a quick update on my case:

Biometrics took place on Nov 14th,

EAD card production ordered Dec 18th

Stil waiting for the card or another email. Oh, yes, and also hoping Santa had a chance to move our I485 to the CSC.

Happy new year!!

Juan Carlos

CG, good to see you again, my tocayo friend.

I don't remember when was the last time I posted, but basically I've enjoyed the first few weeks with my wife at home. It is such an amazing feeling! I am sooo glad the previous stage is over.

She is adjusting to the US, and struggling a bit with the language. For that reason, I decided to apply for AOS and EAD as quickly as possible (there is no way I can drive her to her english classes *need to work*, and I know eventually she'd like to get a job). So I sent all the documents on Oct 16th. Today I got NOA1, dated Oct 22nd. Hopefully we'll be able to start the new year with a SS card.

Both receipts came with "MSC" letters for the case number, but I noticed the National Benefits Center only handles the EAD cases, not the I-485s. Do you know if the case gets transfered to the field office, or how does it work from here?

Thanks, guys.

Juan Carlos.

I think I got the answer to my question. I realized I was making a mistake: I should file the EAD as ©(9), not as (a)(9) and send it together with my I-485 to the lockbox. Everything is in the wiki!!

Thanks!

Juan Carlos.

I was reading the instructions on the EAD, and it clearly says I should mail it to an address in Vermont. Is that what you did? Or did you send all the documents in one single package (together with the I-485) to the lockbox in Chicago?

Thanks!!

Juan Carlos.

Diana, Charles, thanks a lot for your advice. No matter what, they manage to make it confusing, right? Hopefully I'll be able to file for AOS within the next week. I am not sure for K1s, but fot K3s, there ain't much you can't do without the EAD -> social security -> drivers license. So I am hoping I can get past this initial stage soon.

Thanks, guys.

Juan Carlos.

Guys, thanks a lot for all your answers. Sorry it took me a while to reply, but happens I just got home back from Colombia with my wife. It was an awesome weekend. Except, maybe, that she already took full ownership of my house and most of my stuff has been displaced to a little corner. I managed to keep the garage, though

Now, to continue with the questions... on form I-485

1. My wife came to the US through a K3 visa. So on part two (Application type) there are two choices: "An inmigrant petition giving me an immediate available visa number has been approved..." I assume that would be the I-130. I am confused, cause below it reads: "I entered as a K1 fiance of a US citizen whom I married...". Throughout the K3 process, I filled up all the forms as if she was a K1 applicant. Now I am almost sure I should select option one (immigrant petition...), but prefer to verify with you, guys.

2. Which one is her non-immigrant visa number? Is that the one that shows up in her Visa as "Control Number" (14 digits), or is it the one that shows almost by itself on the lower right corner of the visa? (8 digits, font slightly larger than the rest of the information printed on the visa)

3. Finally, just to make sure, her A# is the one the officer wrote on the back of her I-94 at the POE, right?

Sorry if the questions are too basic, but I've learned the hard way that it is much better to ask. Specially having all of you around.

Thanks a lot!!

Juan Carlos.

Hello, Guys!! Please count me in as another member of the AOS October fillers.

Are there any K3-ers around? Have you been able to figure out the Medical exam? In some forums I've read it is enough to send your vaccination card if you have been recently approved for a K3. In others, I've read you have to take your spouse to a doctor. Any clues?

Hello, Guys! I am glad to see some familiar faces (and names) now on this AOS forum.

Let me start with a quick question... on the vaccines, my wife still needs to take the second TD and Varicella shots. Would you advice me to wait for those shots before filing for the AOS, or can I file with the sheet Dr. Gonzalez gave me, even though it clearly says her vaccines are still incomplete?

Thanks!!

Juan Carlos.

My friends... we finally have her passport with her visa with us. We are ready to start our trip back home!! haaaa... that sounds awesome, isn't it?

This last two days I learned a couple of things about Domesa and the consulate:

- They deliver the pasports from the embassy to domesa in a batch at night. Which means it makes no difference if you call them at 7:30am or at 8:30pm. If you call Domesa once during the day and they don't have it, you'll have to wait until the next morning.

- If you have questions about the visa, the passport, Domesa, etc, for K1/K3 visas you can go to the consulate from Monday to Thursday, 12pm - 1pm to their information window.

Hopefully, the next time you hear from me, it'll be from home, with my wife right next to me. Today is a great day!!

Juan Carlos.

CG, maviwaro, thanks for your words.

Everything is nice, life is good.... now... if I just had that passport in my hand. There is always an "if'", right? Always a next thing to be worried about. Anyway, I hope Domesa gives me good news next Monday or Tuesday.

Have a great weekend!!

Juan Carlos.

I am sorry... I forgot to give thanks to each and everyone of you. Particularly Diana and Colombiano Gringo. Everything you've said and written on this forum was so helpful!!!!!!!! The best part: our visa approved... and I don't have to give any additional money to that lawyer of mine! Thanks, everyone!! I hope I can now be helpful to other people going to this process.

- Diana, about the only thing you didn't tell me about the "welovebogota" apartments, is that you have to be extremely careful with the master bedroom's key. Otherwise, you risk getting locked outside of it. Luckly there is a locksmith next door.

Juan Carlos.

My friends... I have some great news to report: our visa was approved!! It was easy, simple and they only spoke to my wife. Maybe it is because we have already been married for a while, or maybe after all our adventure in Juarez they decided to have some mercy. In any case, it's approved. Neverntheless, I won't be fully happy until I have her passport in hand. Now that I think about it... naaahhh, I am EXTREMELY Happy!!!

- Chachiusa... when yo usay I-134, do you mean I-130? If so, my advice is don't even worry with that form. When you go to the bank to pay, you need to bring those forms but they will always find something incorrect. So they will give you new forms for you to fill right there. Just bring all the information ready, so that you don't spend too much time filling them, but believe me, the success rate of people paying in the bank with a pre-filled form is quite low (we filled our forms about three times until we got them exactly as they wanted).

About the DS-230 they only asked me for part I, and I brougt single printed sheets (i.e two separate pages)

Good luck with your process!!! Ok... today I'll take a brake and tomorrow I'll start chasing Domesa.

Juan Carlos.

Thursday is the big day, Diana. I'll let you know how it goes!!

It seems our Colombia forum has been a little slow lately. So I guess it is a good occasion to let everyone know that I am on my way to Bogota. Next week is THE week. I have checked and re-checked all the papers I am bringing with me and it seems I am as ready as I'll ever be.

So hopefully I'll be posting good news in about a week...

Juan Carlos.

Diana, Maviwaro, thanks a lot. Unfortunately I already missed this week's window (wed, 2-4pm), but next Wednesday I'll be all over it. Somehow, no matter how hard you plan, they manage to introduce uncertainty to this process until the last minute.

Juan Carlos.

Guys, any idea on what to do with the Medical Exam if I don't receive our appointment letter, and my case isn't showing on the consulate's web site? (according to the secretary, the doctor needs that appointment letter before performing the exams. Is this true?)

Thanks,

Juan Carlos.

USBride, CG, thanks for your advise. Today my wife made the deposit for the DAS documents. The clock is ticking and I am getting more and more nervous by the minute.

Thanks!

Juan Carlos.

Sorry for posting yet another question... but I am sure you understand what I am going through:

The newest I-134 form that I've been able to find (at uscis.gov) expired on 2/28/07. Do you know if this matters or has anyone been able to find a more recent one? Thaaaanks!