Aussie Nikki

Seriously, I can't get this link right!!!

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v179/ele...story_of_us.flv

Correct link to the video! Oops!

http://smg.photobucket.com/player.swf?file...p;os=1&ap=1

Hello fellow Aussies!

I am an Aussie married to a USC living in NC. We just had our interview and were approved!!

It was late December 2004 and I was bored and a little lonely so I decided to cheer myself up and watch some funny videos online. I remembered a website called Red Vs Blue and thought I would check it out.

I remembered I had a profile on there already so I updated it with a few photo's and info. Then I started reading the forums. There was a thread simply named "Post pictures of yourself" so I posted one of me and called it a night.

New Years eve came and again I was feeling down so I logged back into this site and went to the thread with my photo to see what other people were posting. Directly underneath my post was a guy looking at the camera with a very serious, stern face and it reminded me of the picture from A Clockwork Orange. So I sent him a message telling him so.

This became one of the funniest conversations I have ever had. It was so easy and nice! He was in NC in the USA and me in Perth Australia. I thought nothing of it and that is was nice to talk to someone in a different place.

Quickly we became fast friends. Emailing, chatting on MSN almost everyday. Then it became everyday, every waking minute! Then we realised, we were becoming more than friends.

This scared me. He was 11 000+ miles away. This couldn't work. There was no way.

But we couldn't stop talking to each other, it had turned into 8 hour phone conversations. Finally I decided if we were going to take it further I needed to meet him face to face.

So in May 2005 I flew to the USA to stay with him for 2.5 weeks. It was wonderful! I had never clicked with someone like we did.

He proposed to me while I was there and of course I said yes. Then I had to go back. This was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do.

We planned for months for him to come to Australia and finally he arrived in December 2005. We planned to get married asap so we could start the immigration process in Australia. We had a small ceremony at the registry office and neither of our parents were there, which was sad.

We lived together in Australia almost 3 years but I had no family nearby and he missed his family terribly. Plus the cost of living in Australia was putting alot of strain on us. Plus he had a house in the USA and we were renting in Australia.

It took a long time but we finally decided to move to the USA. After being told by numerous people that I could enter on the VWP and apply from the USA we sold everything we owned and packed the rest of our lives into 8 suitcases and away we went.

We arrived in Minneapolis customs and right away they knew something was up. We were taken aside and I was questioned for hours. I was in tears and so scared. But finally they allowed me & my son into the US on the grounds we would apply for AOS.

So we were finally here. We filed for our AOS/I-130's in January this year and we just had our interview and were approved!

Check out a video I made of our story a couple of years ago:

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v179/ele...rent=Story1.flv

Thanks for your input everyone. I called parents in the Philippines and they will try to get BC here before interview date. God Bless.

My interviewer had the whole package I sent in and even gave me back some things he didn't require so I am sure if you mention it to him/her they will make a copy and give you back the original.

Hi VJ folks,

I have my AOS interview scheduled for 17th August, which is a bit earlier than I expected. I will be moving to a new apartment beginning Aug. 1st, so should I submit AR-11 and update my address with USCIS?

Also, I don't have a lot of evidence to prove our marriage. I was planning on bringing the following to the interview:

--Letter from my room-mate stating that my wife and I were living together in his apartment since the lease, as well as all utilities, are only in his name.

--Joint bank account statement (just one)

--Joint credit card accounts (two)

--Joint car insurance plan

--My wife's SSN as well as Driver's license showing our current address

--Photos (I can provide lots of them, with my as well as her family)

--Phone call records

--Copies of email correspondence.

Do you think this should be good enough? Please provide your insight as I am beginning to get nervous now:( Thanks!

We didn't have nearly near that amount of evidence and we were approved, however we have been married for almost 4 years. Not sure how long you have been together. Just take as much a you have and you should be ok.

Congratulations!

And 7/7 is just a great date to remember . . .

hehe It was actually on the 6th!!

Nikki I'm so so happy for you guys!

Now we just have to get you here and it will be complete!

Well we had our interview today and we were APPROVED!!!

It was nothing like I imagined. The man was so friendly and nice. He was very understanding of my sons Autism and he knew just how to speak to him to make him understand what he was saying!

He was talking from the beginning like we were already approved but he didn't say it until after he had spoken to his supervisor.

So now we have the 10 year Green Cards coming our way!

Thank you to everyone who gave me advice!

Sorry I'll explain in better words.

We came in on the VWP, were told that we shouldn't have because our intentions were to apply for Green Cards.

They said that they could send us back to Australia but after talking to me for like 4 hours the officer went and spoke to someone (supervisor perhaps?) and she said that they were allowing us in on a Local Parole to allow us to file our AOS paperwork, which we have done.

We have been through all the steps leading up to the interview eg: Fingerprints, my EAD was approved etc.

I am just wondering if the initial issue of us coming (trying) in on the wrong visa will have any impact on the decision at the interview?

It says in my passport "Paroled" Purpose: Adjust Status.

Basically the let us in so we could apply.

Ah - well that is different. You lucked out and they let you do that.

Since CBP let you in with that notation, USCIS will usually go along with that determination. But, as always, it is up to the person doing the case.

Intent usually cannot be used against you (there is a case precident for that) - as long as there are no other "negative factors" - it should be ok...

Just be prepared to show your marriage life, and don't rely on 'tears' - Good luck!

So if that is the case, why would they let us in to file when its more than likely we will be denied? Why would they allow me to stay here for 10 months pending the application?

CBP is not USCIS - two different agencies.

One might let something slide where the other will put the hammer down. Just think good thoughts

Phew! Ok you had me worried for a minute!

Well we have been married for over 3 years and most of that time he lived with me in Australia so we have alot of proof of our relationship, that I have no concern about! We made the Australian immigration officer cry with our story!

And I usually don't cry but after a 40+ hour plane trip I was pretty stressed out!!

Wait - they told you were not suppose to do this (enter VWP and AOS) and you still did it?

Also will the fact we came in on the wrong visa go against us at the interview? We did not do it intentionally, I was advised that you could do it that way.

It very well may - since the Lookout intercept/parole has you listed in the DB as someone who could of been inadmissable, but they let you in. You can't claim you "didn't know" about the VWP/AOS after all this happened at the POE.

If they refuse you, since you came in on the VWP, you have no recourse, no chance to appeal, you will be sent home.

I really surprised they let you in after you told them the reason you were entering to be honest.

So if that is the case, why would they let us in to file when its more than likely we will be denied? Why would they allow me to stay here for 10 months pending the application?

Sorry I'll explain in better words.

We came in on the VWP, were told that we shouldn't have because our intentions were to apply for Green Cards.

They said that they could send us back to Australia but after talking to me for like 4 hours the officer went and spoke to someone (supervisor perhaps?) and she said that they were allowing us in on a Local Parole to allow us to file our AOS paperwork, which we have done.

We have been through all the steps leading up to the interview eg: Fingerprints, my EAD was approved etc.

I am just wondering if the initial issue of us coming (trying) in on the wrong visa will have any impact on the decision at the interview?

It says in my passport "Paroled" Purpose: Adjust Status.

Basically the let us in so we could apply.

Hello all.

I am new on here but not new to the immigration process.

Myself & my son came in the US with my US citizen husband on the Visa Waiver Program, however we were pulled aside at customs and when I advised them I was going to be fling for AOS & I-130 while here they advised I was not allowed to do this and they almost sent us back.

However after 4 hours of crying and interrogations they finally allowed us in on a Notice of Parole/Lookout Intercept and we paid a fine.

Now neither of us have an I-94 in our passports but we have the Notice of Parole letters we were given at POE.

We are at the interview stage now, it being this coming Monday. I know at the interview they need to see the POE documents. Will this be all they need including our passports?

Also will the fact we came in on the wrong visa go against us at the interview? We did not do it intentionally, I was advised that you could do it that way.