Mark and Carol

YES!! Today it arrived 26 days after the interview...It was lost in the Mail so they claim...

Drew,

Congrats!! Por fin!

Matt,

Congrats on your approval and with no interview!!

Carol received her green card in the mail yesterday...8 days after the interview. That was fast!!

Now, she can plan her trip back to Colombia.

Drew, you should receive yours any day.

we were approved!!!!!!!!!!!!! The woman who interviewed us was awesome, overall a great experience at the embassy No complaints, the sun was shining, it wasn't crowded at all...we got out of there in under 3 hours! The stars really aligned for us, we are so excited and happy, what a great day!

Congrats!! Enjoy the remainder of your stay.

One rule of thumb that I have followed since the beginning is ALWAYS make copies of EVERYTHING!! I make copies of every form, document, and piece of evidence that I send so that I can take to an interview if need be. Just to be safe, I would take everything that you can to the interview.

Good luck.

A 29 year age difference is alot, but there is a 23 year difference between my wife and I. It was never an issue with our case and I don't think it is an issue with your case. I think the issue is that you met Sept. 2009 and filed for K-1 in July 2010. That's only 10 months and you have visited once in 18 months. The CO looks at how much time you have invested into your relationship including how much time you have spent together. From the CO's perspective, if you have spent only one visit together, then how well do you really know each other...hence show me more proof. You can chat, talk on the phone, and send emails but the CO wants to see you spend time together. Because you really learn alot about a person by spending time together.

I think the notarized letters are an excellent idea, but you also need to plan another trip to Cyprus. You definitely need to attend the next interview. I attended my wife's interview and there were some women that were denied because their fiance did not attend. You need to prove to the CO that you have invested more time into your relationship.

Good luck and maybe you will have a different CO next time.

Drew,

A BIG CONGRATS!!! What an awesome feeling to know that our journey has completed for now.

After Matt and the rest of the crew receive their GC, we'll have to put the SS Rumrunner in dry dock for 21 months. I imagine the parrot is homesick, so Carol can take him home when she visits Colombia next month.

hi all! i have two questions...we are waiting to get my husbands green card in the mail. My cousin owns his own company and he wants Juan to start working with him...my first question is when we recieve his green card will he be able to start working right away or do we have to wait until he gets a Social Security number? because he still doesn't have one i guess if we go to the SS office and show his green card they will mail him one right? thanks everyone!!

If Juan has his EAD card then he can go to SS office now for SSN...you don't have to wait for GC. Take his passport, EAD card, marriage license, & birth cert. and he should receive his SSN card in 1-2 weeks.

Drew,

Good luck with your interview tomorrow!

Carol and I had our AOS interview today and I am happy to announce GREEN CARD APPROVED!!!

The interview lasted 15 minutes and was very simple. The IO asked Carol all of the yes/no questions on pages 3,4,5 of form I-485...which I thought was very strange. Didn't ask for any supporting documents other than Carol's original birth cert. and photos of wedding & Colombia.

What a relief to know no more paperwork for 21 months.

Mark

Good luck today Mark and Carol Let us all know how it all goes

So someone must have put a rocket up USCIS's back... cause I had my interview last Monday, received the approved email before we had even got home (we only live 20 mins away), then on Friday I received my welcome to America letter and to my surprise When i went to the mail box yesterday the actual Green card was in there. I was so excited and glad I can be done for the next 21 months.

This now means we can start moving forward and make the big move across country that we have been waiting to do for a while now.

Thanks Jenine! That was fast...very happy for you. Good luck with your big move. Where you moving to?

I am happy to announce GREEN CARD APPROVED!!!

The interview took 15 minutes and we didn't need a translator because the IO spoke spanish. She didn't ask for any supporting documents other than passport, drivers license, Carol's original birth cert., and photos of wedding & Colombia. She asked me Carol's date of birth, who I work for, my job title, if I was married before, and any children. She asked Carol all of the yes/no questions on pages 3,4,5 of form I-485...which I thought was very strange. She asked Carol our home address and phone number, questions about her parents and home life in Colombia. Very simple interview.

My advice to others is make sure both of you know the info on all the documents required for the AOS process.

Good luck Drew with your interview on Thursday! Just be prepared for any question and you will be fine.

What a relief to know no more paperwork for 21 months.

I also filed for AOS in November 2010. I have already filed my 2010 tax return, so I will take it to our interview scheduled for tomorrow. If you have your 2010 tax return and your co-sponsor's then take it with you, otherwise take last year's return. If you don't have then I think that you will be ok, but you might want to add 2008 and possibly 2007 returns. Always make copies of all of your documents and take them to the interview.

There is a 23 year difference betweeen my wife and I, so age is not an issue. You have met within the last 2 years, so you have met that requirement. Make sure you document everything (i.e keep airline reservations, boarding passes, all receipts from Philippines, and lots of photos) and enjoy a long life together.

Happy to finally be done with this for awhile.. Text/E-mails came in, GC on the way. See y'all in 21 months.

Congrats Jared! I was wondering when we would hear good news from you. See ya in 21 months.

Drew,

I will post our interview experience tomorrow...hope to have good news. I'm not that concerned.

Good luck with yours.

Had my Interview yesterday and can now celebrate knowing we are done for the next 21 months All we were asked to show was our marriage certificate and my I-94. Waited about 45mins before I was seen and the Interview itself last all on 10 mins, about 5 mins into it the IO started playing with his computer and printed out some papers before stamping my file with a big red stamp...It was then i knew I was approved as it was spelt out on the stamp

A great end to a great weekend, this are looking up for us.

Good luck to everyone with there up coming interviews

Jenine

Congrats Jenine!! Happy that your interview went smooth. It must be a good feeling to know that you have no more paperwork for 2 years.

I hope our interview next week is as easy as yours...fingers crossed.

Good luck Drew with your interview next week.

WOO-HOO!!!

I was RIGHT! Vanessa's green card came in the mail today, no AOS interview needed! LOL -I guess we're safe now for the next two years. Now we can go ahead and make plans for visits back home for her, and for the trip to Europe that I promised her as a second honeymoon someday (yeah, we still gotta be able to afford it first, but at least the government can't stop us now once we can...) Once again feeling On Top Of The World!!!

Congrats Dan!! That's fantastic news.

thanks good to know!

guess maybe we will look at work under the table.. if he needs too

we'll figure that all out later...

so 2010 tax return for me and my co-sponsor

and blacking out ssn is okay??

thanks for all the help

Every consulate is different regarding what evidence they require for Affidavit of Support, I-134. To be safe, send 3 yrs. of tax returns from you and your co-sponsor to avoid an RFE...yes you can black out the SSN of the co-sponsor.

Sometimes the embassy will return all paperwork to you after the interview...again, every embassy is different.

After you marry, start the AOS process and apply for an EAD card. After you receive the EAD card, then apply for a SSN and he will be able to work legally.

Good luck!

Hi how are you???

What we did was that, my husband waiting to get his shots with the doctor he had to go through with immagration. we were going to have him get all the shots in his hometown since he didnt really have much record of all the shots he has had, and thankgod we waited for the doctor in Bogota she only had him take 3 shots. so from our experience i would say wait until your finacee goes to the doctor in bogota before the interview to see what shots they ask for its better and safer that way. GOOD LUCK!!

I agree. We were in the same situation last June, so I decided to wait until Carol saw the doctor in Bogota. If you wait, then you will probably save money and the hassle of your fiancee getting 2 sets of the same shots.

I don't have it like that so we are going to find someone in the waiting room and give em $20.00 to translated if needed...I was thinking that they meant this for people who are other than Spanish as for example..Swahili, Korean, Chinese..ect.. Where I think they would need a translator.. Spanish speakers should be there on hand...In Orlando and up here in New Jersey.. My office is across the River from the Phili.area where our captain lives...

I'm sure you won't have a problem finding someone to translate for you. Every day, I am amazed at how many people we interact with that speak spanish.

Have you opened joint banking accounts and added her to your other accounts?

Are you talking about an AOS interview or an ROC interview?

AOS seems a bit too early to start asking for joint accounts considering you can't "join" them until the immigrant spouse has the GC (in some cases.)

I only ask because I've been trying to add my wife to my accounts for a month now but she's had a problem getting her SSN issued and we haven't been able to do squat. In other words, she's on none of the household accounts yet. The only proof that she has of even living at our house is a couple of letters mailed to the house from the SSA and if they fail to get her SS card to her before her 75th day post-POE, they won't issue it until she has her GC.

On the plus side. we do have plenty of pictures taken together!

AOS interview. I was able to add my wife's name to my utility bill before we were married without a SSN. I had to wait until she received her EAD card so she could apply for a new SSN card with her married name. Then, we were able to open a joint checking account and apply for a credit card.

You do not have to wait until she receives her GC to apply for SSN. When she receives her EAD card, take the card and your original marriage license to SS Office and they'll issue a new SS card with her married name. Then you can open joint banking accounts, credit cards, etc.

Mark,

Be sure to read the list of instructions line by line related to your upcoming instructions. Both Petitioner and Beneficiary will be required to attend. Be sure to have a bank statement with your spouses name on the account and lots of other proof of a continuing relationship. Good luck,

-Ken

Thanks Ken. Yes, there are a lot of instructions. I plan to read every one of them and check off each one as I go. We have a joint checking account and I'm applying for a credit card for Carol. I have other proof as well.

Thanks,

Mark

I'm very excited!...

A few weeks ago we got a notice that our case was "being transferred to the California Service Center for quicker processing" and didn't attach any special significance to it at the time, just a bit of confusion over why. Now our status on the I-485 online has gone to the "Document/Card Production" column. After reviewing the step by step guide for AOS filing once again, I now see this paragraph:

"Interview Exception. In some cases a beneficiary's Adjustment of Status case may be transfered to the California Service Center (possibly another location) where the CIS will attempt to complete processing without requirinig an "in person" interview. There is no particular way to know if this will happen to your case however if this does happen then you will not be required to attend an interview in person. If the I-485 is approved the beneficiary's green card will simply be mailed to them."

Am I correct in assuming that we have most likely fallen into this category and will soon have a green card arriving in the mail without having to go through the interview stage? We're prepared for an interview and are sure we would easily satisfy them with our answers & supporting materials, but if they are satisfied that we can be approved without that stressful encounter, so much the better. Anyone else had this happen recently who can comment?...

Dan,

When our case was transferred to CSC, I thought the same thing...that we had bypassed the interview process. Unfortunately, 2 months after the transfer we received a letter informing us that an interview had been scheduled for March 22nd. I don't know the reason for the interview or how you can tell if you will be required to attend an interview. I hope to findout the reason at our interview. All that I can say is be prepared. I don't want to panic anyone, but I have heard that some interviews can be very extensive. Questions like...where does your spouse keep his/her underwear, etc. So, just be prepared.

Mark

Mark..

When you recieved your interview letter did it say to bring a translator with you if Carol does not speak English Fluently??

I would think they have someone in the interview office who is spanish speaking since spanish is becoming a 2nd. launguage in the USA depending on where in the USA you live...

Drew,

Yes...We must bring a translator with us. A good friend of Carol's speaks good english, so she will come with us. You would think that most of the USCIS employees in Orlando are bi-lingual. Hell, almost 50% of the residences of Florida are Latino or Hispanic. You know the USCIS...they don't want to provide any special services.

Hi, Everyone I hope all is well.

I have a question for you. Will I need to do the I-693 for my wife and son. On their DS-3025 it shows that their vaccine history is incomplete and also they may be eligible for blanket waivers because.....etc

It has been less than a year since they had the exams. They turned in the brown envelope on their POE.

Did you all have this same experience? Did you just send a copy of the DS-3025 with the AOS paper? Or you needed to go to a CS?

Thanks in advance

We went to a CS and Carol had to get some booster shots because it had been more than 90 days since her vaccines in Colombia. The CS completed the I-693 and we sent with AOS documents.

Hi, Everyone I hope all is well.

I have a question for you. Will I need to do the I-693 for my wife and son. On their DS-3025 it shows that their vaccine history is incomplete and also they may be eligible for blanket waivers because.....etc

It has been less than a year since they had the exams. They turned in the brown envelope on their POE.

Did you all have this same experience? Did you just send a copy of the DS-3025 with the AOS paper? Or you needed to go to a CS?

Thanks in advance

We went to a CS and Carol had to get some booster shots because it had been more than 90 days since her vaccines in Colombia. The CS completed the I-693 and we sent with AOS documents.

the march interview list is up! sdo number's that end 091,092,099 are on the list. the consulate received the package today. my sdo number ends in 096, is there a chance that we can be added to the march list?? any advice?

Probably not. A Packet containing several forms (DS-230, DS-156, DS-156K, DS-157) will be mailed to your fiancee and possibly you. These forms need to be filled out and sent to the embassy before an interview will be scheduled. Go to the Embassy Info tab at the top of the page for more info.