Immigration Blues

I received my GC yesterday and am glad to be done with this process!

I live in Vancouver, WA. It takes 20 min to get to the Portland office and took us over 3 hours to get to Seattle. A huge waste of time and gas to get there and back (I had to take a day off work from both of my jobs.) Worth it of course for his visa, but it seems a bit ridiculous. They should send you to the closest place.

Can you describe your interview experience in the Portland office? What are the USCIS officers like (friendly, rude, helpful...). How long was your interview and how did it go? Any information will help.

thank you!

First, congratulations on your approval at the interview!! Sorry, I've been extrememly busy at both my jobs and had a schedule change so i haven't been on for a couple of weeks. As you can see from the quote of mine, we didn't have our interview in Portland, we had to go up to Seattle. The interview in Seattle was relatively short, but seemed like we waited forever.

Congrat's again to you and to the rest of you who were approved over the holidays!!

I apologize for misreading your post - I realized after I submitted my question that you didn't attend the interview in Portland :-)

Welcome letter received today!

(Are there any Feb 09 filers left in this thread that haven't received their approvals?)

Received a CRIS update that card production has been ordered. We have begin planning our visit to India for my wife to meet the family!!! This process has been long, worrisome, and in many ways it seemed like our lives were hanging in abeyance as we waited. Thankfully everything worked out and we can begin planning our next steps in terms of travel, buying house, etc.

We're actually planning to drive across the border to Canada and back just for kicks as soon as I receive my GC.

We had our AoS interview today and were approved for a 10 yr Green Card. The interview itself lasted less than 10 minutes its the wait that was killing!

The interviewer has already gone through our file in detail before calling us in and had very few questions for us. She did want to see a few supporting documents and was surprised at the volume documentation that we had come prepared with.

At the end of the interview she told us that she was approving us and that we should expect the card in 10 - 15 days.

Whew!

There were hardly any questions at all. The interviewer had already gone through our paperwork which was very thorough. She wanted to see some supporting documentation and took copies of our joint bank account, lease, and insurance. She also asked us when we met and where. That was about it. The entire process was over in less than 1- minutes.

I would like to add that our I-130 was already approved at the time of AoS filing, so I guess that made the interview go faster since our marriage was already validated (by the AoS approval).

We had our AoS interview today and were approved for a 10 yr Green Card. The interview itself lasted less than 10 minutes its the wait that was killing!

The interviewer has already gone through our file in detail before calling us in and had very few questions for us. She did want to see a few supporting documents and was surprised at the volume documentation that we had come prepared with.

At the end of the interview she told us that she was approving us and that we should expect the card in 10 - 15 days.

Whew!

I live in Vancouver, WA. It takes 20 min to get to the Portland office and took us over 3 hours to get to Seattle. A huge waste of time and gas to get there and back (I had to take a day off work from both of my jobs.) Worth it of course for his visa, but it seems a bit ridiculous. They should send you to the closest place.

Can you describe your interview experience in the Portland office? What are the USCIS officers like (friendly, rude, helpful...). How long was your interview and how did it go? Any information will help.

thank you!

I wouldn't be too worried about the touches. I only got one during the AOS process and none during the K-1. The one for AOS was just a couple of days before the interview. Some people seem to get lots of touches and others nothing.

As far as correspondence, maybe bring copies of a few emails, but I wouldn't worry too much. We had to go to Seattle for our interview (Portland for everything else), and the IO looked quickly through things and handed it all back to us. She didn't keep anything to put in the file (and after I made all of the copies and everything!)

I think that what you already have will be plenty and congrats on the interview date!!

We received two touches on 12/24 and 12/29. We're now eagerly awaiting 01/06. We have all our documentation in order, finished a prep session with our lawyer, and can't wait to get this done and over with.

I wouldn't be too worried about the touches. I only got one during the AOS process and none during the K-1. The one for AOS was just a couple of days before the interview. Some people seem to get lots of touches and others nothing.

As far as correspondence, maybe bring copies of a few emails, but I wouldn't worry too much. We had to go to Seattle for our interview (Portland for everything else), and the IO looked quickly through things and handed it all back to us. She didn't keep anything to put in the file (and after I made all of the copies and everything!)

I think that what you already have will be plenty and congrats on the interview date!!

thank you!

We had to go to Seattle for our interview (Portland for everything else), and the IO looked quickly through things and handed it all back to us. She didn't keep anything to put in the file (and after I made all of the copies and everything!)

I think that what you already have will be plenty and congrats on the interview date!! [/size][/color]

Interesting that you had to go to Seattle for your interview when you had to do everything else in Portland. Do you know why? Do you live in Portland or Seattle?

Thanks for the advice on correspondence!

My wife and I will have been married for just over 2 years when we go in for our AOS interview early next month. During the past two years, we have established a joint bank account (we started a joint account before we got married), my wife is on my medical insurance, we both have life insurance naming the other as beneficiary, a car loan with both of us as co-signees, three apartment leases with our names on them, joint taxes returns for the past two years, etc. Not to mention countless pictures of us together.

While we will be taking all of the above with us for the interview, I am curious about what kind of correspondence we should be taking (if any). My wife and I have been exchanging emails for over two years now, but are there any specific kinds of correspondence that we need to carry?

I also wanted to add that there have been no updates (touches) to my 485 application since our biometrics appointment. I assumed that there should have been one when the interview notice was sent out. Should I be concerned?

thanks!

We finally received our interview notice for 01/06/09. This was about time too since I was starting to get really worried. Over the past two days I made calls to USCIS customer service (who were no help), talked to my lawyer, and increased my consumption of anti-anxiety medication!!!

We will complete 2 years of marriage in December so hopefully the interview will be smooth and my GC will not be conditional.

So, my received date is 2-22. Biometrics and everything is done. Just playing the waiting game. My last touch was from 4-22. I did get the work card, but nothing since then. Should I be worried? I see most of you got your interview notice 4 months after filing. I'm sitting at 6 months without a word being said. Any ideas?

I'm in the same boat. No info since 3/11 EAD approval. I haven't even heard from my congressman who I contacted 6 weeks ago. Its sooooo frustrating.

Hang in there OskaryAndrea...We should hear something this coming week because I checked on the processing time for Atlanta and they working on 1st of Feb 2008 and they gonna update the USCIS website on the 15th which is Thursday...So hopefully they will get to us...Waiting sucks believe me

In the same boat here. There has been no movement on my I485 since EAD and AP approval. My lawyer has advised me that the delays are due to the fact that this is election year and the focus is on naturalization applications. He also asked me not to contact congressional staff since I am still within the normal processing timeframe. This is frustrating and we have had to cancel our travel plans to visit India later this year.

I went to my Infopass appointment in Seattle today.

For all Seattleites, the parking lot next to USCIS building has increased to $6 from $5.

The lady was real nice. Her name was Yukiko.

So the namecheck was completed back in March. When I asked her when to expect the interview letter, she called someone else who told her they were sending out interview letters for cases from late December.

It is a waiting game but I feel a bit more patient after her telling me everything was fine and no letter was sent to me.

Looks like your Infopass appointment better than mine. The lady who met with us with neither friendly, nor helpful. Al she told us was that the application was still 'pending'. While I am happy that you had someone who was helpful, I am infuriated at the inconsistency. Ah well.. I guess I'll just have to wait now.

The Infopass appointment yielded no information. We were told that my application was still 'pending' and that no new information was available. My lawyer advised me that I was still within the processing windows and that I should wait anther 90 days before trying to contact my congressman.

darn exactly 8 months to my interview, sent my application Feb 1 and my interview is on the 1st of October, got the mail today, no updates online received here

Congratulations!!!! I am really hoping that my notice comes in soon.

So glad to see all the new interview dates. I also have an update. I sent in an inquiry to my congresswoman and she just received an e-mail from USCIS saying that the hold up was re the name check but that it has cleared now and that they will be forwarding it to our local office for scheduling. YAY

Does contacting your local congressman / congresswoman really work? Should I (non-citizen) contact the local congressman or should it be my wife (citizen)? How do you find out who your local congressman / congresswoman is and how do you contact them?

thank you!

hi Immigration Blues, we have thesame local office, in our case we need to contact our congressman might be a good idea, but don't know how to approach him.....

Then we should continue to keep in touch and exchange info on our case status. I am definitely interested in determining whether the Portland office has delays. BTW, I have mae an Infopass appointment for the 22nd. Have you considered making one yourself?

Here is a start on how to find and write to your local representative:

https://forms.house.gov/wyr/welcome.shtml

So glad to see all the new interview dates. I also have an update. I sent in an inquiry to my congresswoman and she just received an e-mail from USCIS saying that the hold up was re the name check but that it has cleared now and that they will be forwarding it to our local office for scheduling. YAY

Does contacting your local congressman / congresswoman really work? Should I (non-citizen) contact the local congressman or should it be my wife (citizen)? How do you find out who your local congressman / congresswoman is and how do you contact them?

thank you!

I made an Infopass appointment for the 22nd with the local USCIS office in Portland. I am really hoping that things are OK and that this is just a processing delay.

No touches here either. If I do not receive an interview notice by 08/20, I plan to make an an Infopass appointment with the local USCIS office in Portland.

I made an infopass appointment on August 18th. I doubt nothing will happen but it will put my mind at ease that no important paperwork was lost in the mail.

Yup, that is the reason I am making the appointment too.

No touches here either. If I do not receive an interview notice by 08/20, I plan to make an an Infopass appointment with the local USCIS office in Portland.

No updates on my status either. My lawyer says that there is nothing I can do except wait. I have decided to make an Infopass appointment in mid-August if the status quo continues.

Hi, guys...

Well, since I received work authorization, no news at all....No letters, no touches, nothing...

Things are not going quite well between us two, so I am not even sure if we would make it for the interview, but I still do not enjoy hanging like this...

Although, I went through our chart, and seems like a bunch of people do not even have their interview letters yet, right? How do you think, maybe I should get an info pass?

No touches on my paperwork after AP / EAD either. My lawyer advised me that all I could do is to wait for the interview notice. He is of the opinion that my interview might not be until September. He also didn't believe that an Infopass appointment would yield any specific information. I plan to wait until the end of July and if I don't see any movement will make an Infopass appointment anyway.

Still waiting .....

Grats to all the approvals!

Almost two weeks since the interview and still no word/touches here...

I am sure you will get it in the mail and maybe no updates by CRIS which isn't unusual. I am hoping for you.

Congratulations!!!

Just wanted to say hi! We are February filers, filed on Feb 21, got NOA Feb 27, Biometrics was done on April 1, EAD and AP granted on April 29th...but since then nothing. Not a single touch on the AOS since they first entered the case into the system on Feb 27th. Could it still be in Chicago, really? Does anyone know when they transfer your case to your local office?

Good luck to everyone!

We're in a similar situation - filed in the second week of Feb and no touches since biometrics. We received the AP / EAD in April and everything has been pretty much status quo since then. I do not have any idea when they transfer it locally. We plan to wait and watch until mid-June after which we will make an appointment with the local office. My lawyer believes that based on the current work load in our local office, we will most-likely have the interview in September. Hopefully we will not have to wait that long.