smilingstone

Approval update came in today, 30th Jan 😁

How did it go?! I had mine today and posted an update here:

Hi VJ! I wanted to share an update with you all, following my GC interview today at the Montgomery, AL Field Office. In short, I arrived in Jan 2025 on a K1 visa, we married in Feb 2025 and filed for AOS in April 2025. I had my biometrics in May 2025 and then there was complete radio silence until December 2025 with an interview scheduled for January 2026. My experience of Montgomery FO couldn't have been better. We arrived 30min before the time detailed on the letter, but a sign on the door said to not enter more than 15min before your time. Once we were in, there was a short wait in a line while an officer at a front desk asked for the appointment letter and ID. We then went through airport-style security. Once through that, I checked in with another officer who took prints of my left and right index fingers. After that, I was told to take a sit at the far end of the waiting room. All the staff were super friendly and welcoming. We waited for another 20-30min or so before an agent called us through to a back corridor where the interview rooms are. Right from the start, he was incredibly warm. We sat down in his room and the first thing he said was that this was going to be very quick because we are what they call a "cut and dry" case. He made a comment that because I was a K1, it's already been established that our relationship is legitimate so the interview was just a formality. I was really surprised, and said so, because I'd been so nervous up to this point (and my husband commented as such to him).He reassured me that we had nothing to worry about. He then asked me to raise my right hand and swear to tell the truth, etc, which I did. I was then asked to confirm my name, DOB and address. He then asked a few questions that were on the AOS forms (regarding terrorist groups, criminal offences, etc). After that, he said that he would be recommending our case for approval, and then talked me through the next steps. He said I will receive a 2 year conditional GC, and then will need to apply to remove conditions for the 10 year GC, but I would be eligible to apply for citizenship 3 years from the date of adjudication (which he references as being today). After that, we made chit chat about our jobs, Montgomery and a good place to grab some lunch. We said our goodbyes and he congratulated me. We couldn't have been in there more than 20min. And then a very sweet aside: We went over the road to a Mexican place for some lunch. Just outside the place, I gave my husband a kiss and a woman walked up behind us saying "We need to see more of that!". My husband told her that I was just approved for my greencard and she congratulated me. We went inside, sat down, ordered and ate. While we were eating, I saw the same woman come in the door and she looked at me as she did, and said something to the man at the front counter. We finished eating and when the waitress came back she told us that someone had come in and paid for our meal, saying it was because of my greencard approval! I was so amazed and just wish I could thank that lady or whoever it was! Me and my husband left Montgomery feeling so good. It honestly could not have gone better for us. I know this is not the end of the road, but I just wanted to say a huge thank you to all of the VJers and recourses that have helped guide me through the whole process to date. It has been invaluable!

Because even flying internally is a risk. All it takes is airport staff knowing you aren't from the US and it can cause problems. No valid visa, as K1 expires upon entry, not filed AOS yet not yet married. You're undocumented at that point and jetting around internally could be seen as attempting to abscond. If it's not necessary to travel, then why not just play it safe?

If you're so indifferent to going to Poland to wait out a CR1 or even another K1, why not do that anyway? I don't understand why you would waste so much time and money to go through K1 to only take a huge risk at invalidating it all. Do you not value you and your partners time and money?

Why do you think he would be denied a B? ESTA isn't guaranteed entry. They can still deny based on immigrant intent, which is true of a K1. The main thing is showing plenty of evidence that he will return to wait out the process. Does he have a job? Rent? Mortgage? Any other responsibilities in Italy(?)?

Did your wife recieve a sealed packet that she handed over to CBP upon entry? That contains the original DS3025. I'm assuming so, as it's the norm, but sometimes people miss this part. If yes to the above, she should try and get a copy of it from the medical examiner she saw to include in her AOS. But if she can't, it should be OK as USCIS should have recieved the original in the packet handed over to CBP. If she did not recieve a sealed packet, then you may have to redo the medical.

Yeah, and attending a conference implies a steady career and/or professional education in OP's home country. Would be a lot to give up on a whim, considering they've been married and eligible to apply for spousal for some months...

Then what changed between you filing for your B visa and now? If you were already married, and knew you wanted to move to the US, why didn't you file for spousal in April? Or you had no desire to be in the US until visiting?

They always give a reason. Were your in-laws handed a letter? If there salary isn't high, how did they say the trip was going to be funded? And how long was the trip going to be for? You've missed out quite important details here.

Thanks for that, it's helpful to me while I still wait for an update on my AOS after doing my biometrics back in May. Yeah, you can upload Unsolicited Evidence online, but I don't recall it saying that anywhere on any letters. I think I just came across it while clicking around in my USCIS account. Although I've not uploaded anything for a while, because I am just thinking I can take it all to interview anyway? Swings and roundabouts, I guess. Maybe it had more use during Covid when they were waiving interviews, providing there was substantial evidence? Anyway, congrats to you and your family. I hope the rest of your journey goes smoothly!

Unlikely you will get the expedite, but it is free to try. If you are really in danger, you should seek asylum in the EU while your K1 processes. You will be waiting a while, expedite or not.

Can I ask what evidence you submitted in both your original filing and what further evidence you took with you?

No, because they're no longer issued...

K3s are no longer issued.

K1 requires 100%. AOS after marriage requires 125%. So many advise that you just evidence meeting 125% right from the start, as if you don't you will need to evidence a further 25% increase of petitioner income between K1 approval and AOS (which may not be a particularly long time, for me it was only 5 months).

No, they don't deny because someone wants to see their partner. They deny if they suspect immigrant intent or misrepresentation.

That is hilarious because ATL is the BUSIEST airport in the US. The majority of international flights into the US land at ATL. To say that landing in ATL would be suspicious because it's not a big tourist destination just shows that this agency knows nothing. Have they never heard of connecting flights? And their response to you is basically, well she can lie now and if she's approved then she can just do something different to what her DS-160 says. They are also advising you to advise your "friend" to lie to CBP. This is a real slippery slope...

Purpose of visit, it's either business or pleasure, need to choose one. Specify, again, both are shown. It's one or the other. Have you made specific plans? Yes. Then there is no actual detail where it asks for itinerary. I've seen accounts of people denied on lack of itinerary alone. Is she paying for her trip herself? I somehow doubt it given your post history. If not, that's misrep bc she says she is. Wil she be staying with you? Pretty clear that the address listed isn't remotely where she will be staying, so that is also misrep, whether she's staying with you or not. Very likely IO will ask about plans for NY, given that's where it says she will be. If she answers that with anything suggesting she will be in NY then it immediately becomes a serious case of misrep. She either resubmits form with truthful info and pays another fee, or she very likely faces denial and has to resubmit anyway. Leaving it as is isn't going to net a positive result for either of you. Yet another reason to not use an agency.

As long as the marriage is done in a way still in line with US marriage laws (for example, not bigamy, not child bride) then it will be recognized as a legally binding marriage in the US. His current visa is only relevant that it would in theory allow him entry into the US to marry there, so long as the intent is not to marry and adjust. The visa would also allow future visits to the US while you are going through the spousal visa process. Pursuing a spousal visa while holding a tourist visa does not mean the tourist visa is void, but it can mean extra scrutnity at CBP as tourist visa implies non immigrant intent, but spousal implies absolute immigrant intent. But to counter that, you just need to ensure the non USC has plenty of evidence to ties to home country, showing that they will be returning. Plenty of us have successfully visited the US while in the process of getting our respective visas.

Why is it a weird question? If she's been tested monthly and it's been negative results for 12 months, then what is there to worry about? I asked because only reason I can see you being concerned is because you fear a positive result at the medical.

Are you worried because she is still using?

He can't travel to the US on a visitor visa with the intent of marrying you AND adjusting. You should marry where ever suits you both, and then go the spousal route. It doesn't sound like you've filed anything, fiance or spousal, yet?

Going K1 route is already not the norm. Hell, even going spousal route is not the norm. The norm is to meet someone in your vicinity, plan a wedding for 1+ years, spend 10s of 1000s of $ to hold the event. In our situation, you have to do what time and means allow. Time and money is a huge factor. Nothing wrong with a UPS marriage and worrying about the celebrations later. To OP, you are fine to do this. A marriage cert is a marriage cert. If your relationship is genuine, there will be nothing to worry about. But it would help your case if you do something that includes both side of your families and can document it for AOS purposes. Also, bona fide marriage is not evidence through a typical wedding ceremony, or lack there of, you need to think about everything, normal life, beyond the legalities of marriage.

That's not tourism.