SweetApple08

I just wanted to give your all my opinion on what is going on. Below is my timeline for approval of I-130 and GC though F2A:

US Entry : 12/19/2003 on F-1

Marriage : 03/07/2006 Married an person who was in process of getting GC

I-130 Sent : 08/15/2006Applied as soon as he got his GC, According to USCIS -Vermont office was approving I-130 applications within 6 months, But for our luck the Approval adata of I-130 for F2A category remained January 2006 for about 3 and half years. No aaplications were approved from that office for a long time.

I-130 NOA1 : 08/30/2006

I-130 Transferred from Vermont Center to Texas Center 05/11/2009 After the transfer from Vermont to Texas Center the approval time was less than 5 months, but still no luck. All the applications from 2008 were getting approved (source VJ) while our applications from 2006 and 2007 were lost somewhere "in some boxes" collecting dust.

I-130 Touched on 12/05/2009, on March 2010

I-130 Approved : 03/29/2010 After months of calls (telling us to call back) they opened a ticket to inquire about our case (told us to wait another 60 days) after waiting, called them again and sent an email to main USCIS office and finally our case was found and approved.

I heard many people like me from 2006 and 2007 that they had a nightmare trying to find out what was happening with their case and getting them approved.

On the other hand, other applications from 2008 and 2009 moved fast into the pipeline especially the ones from California center. The approved I-130s from 2008 and 2009 were sent to DOS/NVC (but they had not receieved 2006 and 2007 yet) so their F2A Priority Dates moved fast past those unapproved applications from 2006 and 2007.

While I was still waiting for my I-130 to get approved I saw priority dates moving 4, 6 months at a time, and I just could not believe my eyes. It really seemed unfair waiting for 3.5 years and nothing while others who aplied a year or so already had their NVC process started.

So after all the I-130 from 2006 and 2007 were approved and sent for processing to NVC, they had no choice but to stop processing of the "newer cases" and start processing visas with priority dates from 2007. Thus we see today retrogression of priority dates.

I am preparing I-130 for my friend, he wants to sponsor his parents (he is USC). The problem that we have is that his father has wrong birth date on marriage certificate (it was mixed up with another person) but everything else such as passport, BC, school diplomas everything has the right Birth date. Because the person is from Albania (where pretty much everything is very messed up as far as government offices go) even if he gets a court order to try to change that Birth date on the Marriage certificate, the Division of the Vital Records of his city refuses to change anything on the OLD register (such as correct their own mistake. This mistake was not noticed before since thy really didn't need this certificate until now (which is about 40 years later).

So what do we do in this case? Sent is the I-130 like it is with right Birth Date and Marriage certificate that has wrong birth date alone or should we tackle this problem before we apply and write a letter explaining the mix up?

hi

i am permanent resident i applied for my husband dec 21 ,2010

got receipt on 23rd dec 2010.

i will be citizen may 2012

can someone tell me in my case how long is it gona take to get visa?

does retrogression will affect after citizenship?

thanks

If your I-130 gets and aproval before you become a citizen, you contact NVC and update the info that you are now a UCS. If it's not approved by them call USCIS to update I-130 and send a copy of citizenship certificate along with a copy of receipt of I-130.

By applying now you have saved yourself and you spouse about 6 months of processing time. May take 2-6 months for NVC to process and set up interview date when USC.

Oh and if someone can update my husband's dates, if I do it, I think I'll mess it up. Thank you in advance.

Interview Letter came 10/04/2010

Interview is set for 11/11/2010

Oath Ceremony 12/02/2010

Thanks OBX and Sweetapple,

Sweetappple - Good to see you after a while. Ya the interview went so well, didn't encounter any unusual things. They handed me oath letter after my interview which has date and time for my oath ceremony.

Good luck to your husband too. My I-130 case is at NVC now. Hopefully it will be completed soon. THanks !

Thank you Malvika. I hope it's a piece of cake also.

What documents we need for USC?

we have so far:

Green Card

Driver's License

Travel Documents issued last 5 years

2 passport pictures

Tax transcripts (3 years)

Anything else? He is applying based on five years residency (lawful permanent resident) only 3 trips outside USA and lasted couple of weeks.

I am a USC and my gf is from canada here on an F-1 ( Expires May 2011). We would like to get married and then do AOS. I have several questions

We are planning to spend our Christmas break from school in Canada( 3 weeks in January 2011), which we have done before while she was on a F-1.

My main concern is if we get married in Feb-March 2011 time frame will our Christmas trip look strange when the forms are processed due to her having just left and re- entered the country over Christmas??

Also what are the travel restrictions like after the Gc is recieved, some say you are ok with a gc, others have said u need a I-551???

By the way this post is a great source of Info for all the F-1 to Aos people, Thanks for all the information everyone has provided.

Honestly since you guys are already planning to get married and have the F-1 student reenter on non-immigrant visa, while 2 months later you guys get married does not look good. I would rather get married ASAP and file for GC. I would rather spend this holidays in USA and spend money on the papaerwork rather than on Out of State tuition. AOS from F1 student is not that long and after ur GF get her conditional GC she can travel and reenter USA with no problem. I-551 is the approval of the GC (stamp), if she has GC she is good to go.

My interview experience :-

My interview was scheduled at 9:00 AM today. I was at the USCIS building by 8:45 AM. There was long line for security check. I stayed in line for 15 minutes and then went to the floor where I was supposed to report. It was already 9:10 AM by the time I reached to one of the window. I showed my appointment letter and they asked me to wait for them to call my name in PA system. They called my name after a short wait (10 min. approx). My interviewing officer came to pick me off at one of the door. I greet him and so did he. The main interview took not more than 10 mins.

IO officer started with sworn in. He asked me to raise my right hand and sworn that the answer I will give will be all correct and true. Then he asked for my Green Card and passport (both expired and current). Then he had my reading and writing test. Asked to read and write a sentence. Then he started American History and Civic test. The questions that were asked to me were :-

1. Who wrote the declaration of independence?

2. Who is the commander of chief in US military?

3. Name three of the 13 original colonies?

4. What is the political party of the president?

5. What are two major parties in the United States?

6. Name one state that borders Canada?

I answered them all correct then he handed me the result and told that he will recommend for approval and asked me to go to another room.

I went to that room and waited for about 45 mins. After that a lady came and called my name and saw me green card and then handed me the oath ceremony letter.

I left the building at around 10:30 AM.

5 yrs. of wait since becoming permanent resident and almost 6 months of wait since applying citizenship resulted with10 mins. of successful interview for citizenship. Wow !

Congrats Malvika! At last you are a USC, I am so happy for you and I hope the other case is moving fast. Did they tell you when your Oath Ceremony is going to be? My husband has his interview next week at Garden City. Just wanted to know what to expect.

Thank you for sharing ur experience with us.

Oh and if someone can update my husband's dates, if I do it, I think I'll mess it up. Thank you in advance.

Interview Letter came 10/04/2010

Interview is set for 11/11/2010

Finally got my interview letter for Oct 26th!

So that means i wouldn t be able to apply for an AOS?????? will this bring me issues with inmigration when i have the interview??, we have an inmigration lawyer that s willing to represent me... you think that can help??

I think that you should actually look at this forum: Adjustment of Status from Work, Student, & Tourist Visas

There are many people who have adjusted from Student visas and visitor visas on their own without using a lawyer. I did all of my paperwork myself and with the help of VJ members, I adjusted from F-1 visa while married to LPR (not USC). See some experiences of others and then you can make your decision: lawyer or not; marriage in USA / long journey with K1 or K3 visas from back home.

At this forum, MAY 2010 there were several people who were on student visas (in status or out of status) who all adjusted their status no problem married to USC. http://www.visajourney.com/forums/forum/138-adjustment-of-status-case-filing-and-progress-reports/

Yes it would help definitely. The person above is very careless in his/her response. It wouldn't being problems during the interview however prepare to back-up the reason why u got married after the visa was expired and within the grace period... I'm just saying.

You shouldn't have a problem long as your relationship is real.

N.B. - immigration does look at other things beyond did the person entering the usa with/without inspection. The most important is to question is the relation real and that any marriage done isn't to hop the u.s. Immigration laws.

Ricardo4eva2,

I am not sure how familiar you are with student visas, but an expired F-1 visa does not have anything to do with her immigration status, but her I-94 says D/S or Duration of Status, so she in legally present in US until she keeps on going to school and up to 60 after she completes her study/Optional Practical Training.

Her reason on getting married while on grace period is simple, could not live away from each other ) If they are in a real relationship, that would for sure be the truth. They probably have enough evidence showing an ongoing relationship.

Immigration looks really closely at how the person entered USA, if you enter USA illegally, then the USC will have to prove "hardship" in order for the illegal person to adjust their status. While this case is easier because of legal entry and legal stay in status from the part of the OP.

Finally, after a long wait, hubby got his interview letter Yeah!!! His interview is on November 11, 2010 at Garden City

Congratulations to all of you who are now USC and good luck to the rest waiting for interview/oath ceremony!

Hello everyone!!

I entered the US on an F1 student visa, i completed my course succesfully and for what i understand i have a 60 or 90 grace period to stay in the US once i graduated.

My american bf and I want to get married so then I can be able to apply for an AOS ( if possible), now my question is.... does it make any difference to get married before the grace period is over or after? if i overstay and we get married pretty soon after that and then apply for an AOS, what are the chances i ll get rejected when the time of the interview with inmigration comes??

Thank you so much and I hope somebody can help me on this, thanks a lot!!

bairesgirl

First of all you have 60 days grace period, where you can transfer to another school or move back home. If you marry a USC and adjust through marriage, USCIS doesn't really care if you are in status or not, but they do care if you were inspected by an immigration officer upon entry.

If you relationship is real and you know each other well + have prove of an ongoing relationship, it would not really matter when you get married. But to be on the safe side, I would marry ASAP.

I got the same msg yesterday but I already got my card the system is mad late .

I bet you are going to get tomorrow or so .

Sorry for the late reply,

I got my card the day before the update not complaining though

Feels so good and free of worry, now only if I can get into my normal (pre-GC) spleeping habits

Yeah!!!

I-130 Approval Notice Received today.

Most importantantly the letter which reads WELCOME TO THE UNITED STATES!!

yay!!

greencard in the mail last nite

thanks all may filers, it has been a fun journey because of you guys, i will be back for citizenship in 2013

Congrats 1500528!!! How do you feel now?

Congrats Leigh Ann!!!

GREEN CARD IN THE MAIL

Finally!!!

Oh... and i don't have to update my social security card. Mine never had any restrictions even though I was a student when I got it back in 2001.

Good luck to everyone that has interviews this week.

Post Decision Activity

On August 24, 2010, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this I485 APPLICATION TO REGISTER PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR TO ADJUST STATUS.

Wife's interview tomorrow... Nervous, very nervous. Making final copies and making sure everything is ready and in order.

Just be calm! Everything will be ok

Good luck !!

This hole process kill to many brain cells ... Lol

I'm still not sane at all ...lol

In other note I got my green card today

Good luck to all of you guys I'm done with this brain cell killer for 0 years woooooo

Congrats Felipe, I just my GC on the mail today TOO YEAH!!! 10 years GC!!! LOVE IT!

It says that in Nebraska Service center it take only a fw months to bring a married son over but california several yers , what is the deal

maybe that's the date of the I-130 approval, right now the actual visas for married child of USC is January 2006 besides Mexico and PHilipines. REfer to the national visa center visa bulletin http://travel.state.gov/visa/bulletin/bulletin_5113.html

Anyone know of another who has had a similar experience?? Such as being having a child and not having been married?? What do you guys think??

It sounds like it went well! I hope that she does not delay anymore. One idea (to maybe spead up the process) would be to see if you guys can get a letter from the Vital Division of his country stating that he has never been married and submit it to the IO.

I got the first txt & email!!! Now it feels real!! :dance:

Application Type: I485 , APPLICATION TO REGISTER PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR TO ADJUST STATUS

Your Case Status: Card/ Document Production

On August 18, 2010, we ordered production of your new card.

Blue dots: I-485 went to Card Production o I-130 still in Initial Review but was touched.

Congrats hoppla. I haven't been around the web, but glad to hear that things are going well for most of us!!!!

I went on a little mini-vacation after such a long time of waiting around for this thing to be done.

Congrats SweetApple

Thank you cbrniner.

GREEN Card received :dance: :dance:

Congats!!! It is very cool, to be able to have in your hands brand new GC.

Congrats !!!!!!!!!!

It looks like they are so many nice IOs in garden city I didn't see any one that was not friendly there

Thanx Felipe23, yes indeed in Garden City I think it's way better than NYC office.

Congrats SweetApple!!!

Thank you ValerieA, it feels so good that it's over now.

I don't think my husband gets the seriousness of it all, so I will be the nervous one. Thanks for the advice, I will have to tell my hubby to remember to say I don't remember or he will give the wrong answers for sure For the same reason I will not bring my lawyer, he will probably give wrong answers as well haha! I'm a control frek!

That's funny, we are the same way too! I am the one thinking about everything, hubby not so much LOL

congrat it was so helpful...enjoy your big day

Thank you so much and Good Luck tomorrow my dear!!!!

Can I say they are fast, just got email and text mess on my phone.

Card/ Document Production

On August 11, 2010, we ordered production of your new card. Please allow 30 days for your card to be mailed to you. If we need something from you we will contact you. If you move before you receive the card, call customer service at 1-800-375-5283.

Thanks for sharing! We are going to the lawyer's office tomorrow for interview preparation, I'm excited. They will go through our application, give us copies and ask us sample interview questions...is it weird that I'm excited?

That's exciting for sure cause you get to practice these questions. I was really cool during the interview, while my husband was more worried of what the IO said at first But whatever you do just be relaxed and remember it's better to say I don't remember than give wrong answer. GOOD Luck MY Dear, It's going to be good. I saw a lot of people that had their lawyers with them.