Sonblom

Thanks Visagrant for all ur help

Yes it's definitely a 10 year green card. Visa through marriage is the only conditional one - but then again they are eligible for citizenship after 3 years and we only qualify after 5. (You can actually apply 90 days before your 5th year anniversary as a permanent resident)

congrats......

Thanks so much everyone! This forum and all of you have kept me going on this journey and provided so much support. My wish for each of you is that you will have the same happy outcome in the shortest amount of time possible! I will remember each of you in my prayers every day and will keep coming back to check on how it's going for you. Hang in there - you will have this soon too and then it will all be worth it!

Official I-797 Welcome letters received today! Now it seems legit.

LOL! Congratulations! For us, it didn't seem real till we got our "WELCOME TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!" letter. The letter states definitely that the green card is on its way. God willing, it'll be an early Christmas gift! It's just nice to know that the hardest part is done (removing conditions will be a breeze, I'm sure, relatively speaking).

AJ

Welcome letters received today! And yes, you're right it does seem more official! There are no conditions attached to our cards - on an F4 sibling sponsored visa they are all 10 year green cards. The difference is that we are eligible for Citizenship in five years as opposed to 3.

Cases updated & Card Production ordered for all 4!

Hope we get them by Christmas!

We had our interview this Friday (approved woohoo!) and the IO said to expect them in 2 weeks, possibly 3 because of the holidays. So yours may even arrive by the end of the week!

It almost doesn't seem real until the actual cards arrive - even after they said it's approved I'll only feel completely happy once I'm actually holding that card in my hand!

Congrats Sonblom.. :dance:

Now that "You can breathe and feel the rain from the immigration cloud..Congrats Once again..

Also thank you for your detailed review for which you might have also experienced before the interview that there was not a single source for any preparation for F4 Visa...Your review will help the present F4 filers and also serve as a useful guide for the future F4 Visa filers..

"Our sons were each asked if they had any children (they are 15 and 18 so that elicited a few giggles)....

'Why would you be nervous - this is indeed your brother and you qualify for this visa,...it really boosts the confidence..

Do countinue your virtual presence ( If feasible) and provide your expertise in these VJ F4 Visa posts and i would be really greatful to you..

Question from me..

Do let us know if the Green Card issued in this F4 Visa category is for 5yrs or 10 yrs?..

Good Luck

F4 derivative beneficiaries include children from birth to age 21 at time of filing

Oh and my son reminded me of a couple of other questions asked:

- Have you ever served in the military? (My husband was a yes because he had to serve 2 years in the army because of compulsory military service at the time. He was then asked if he was ever in active combat)

- Also asked have you ever received any form of government assistance in the USA

Another thing, the officer told us that my 18 year old son must go online and sign up for "Selective Service". This is mandatory for all boys under 21 and my 15 year old must also sign up when he turns 18. He explained that if the draft is ever enforced you would thus have to serve.

He also said that it is highly unlikely and that the last time there was a draft was in 1978 or something...

I thought that was interesting as it was the first time I ever heard of it.

If I remember anything else I'll post again. Feel free to ask any questions - I'd love to help if I can.

Wow!!! Thanks a lot Sonblow for sharing. This will definitely give us an idea how the interview will flow - since you mentioned that the consul/officer had to ask the questions by law.

Question guys, we are finalizing our DS-230. For my children, ages 15, 13 and 9, who will sign their DS-230s? Them or us (mother and/or father)?

Thanks and Cheers!!!

jmac01

I can answer that! Each child has to sign their own unless they can't write then you do it for them. That's what my attorney told me

was your application under 245i?, if so, what kinds of proof did you use for proof of presence on dec 21, 2000?

Yes it was. Fortunately, my husband is a paper hoarder and keeps and files everything! So I had credit card statements showing purchases on Dec 21st 2000 with address in the USA, utility bills for that month, cell phone bill showing calls made to and from my phone on that day and I had a letter from family overseas postmarked that day. Another form of incidental proof was the fact that my passport had expired the month before, so I was unable to travel overseas without it at the time. Dated photos and video recordings don't count - it has to be something that can't be altered. Bank and phone records are the best if you have them.

Interview this morning - green cards approved! Woohoo!

For details and F4 category questions we were asked please see All F4s category!

Good luck and God speed to everyone!

Hi, My aunt has her interview next week, and I wanted to get to her a list of possible questions. My mother petitioned for her and her family. I would be very grateful if you can just tell me a little about your interview experience.

Thanks!

We had our interview this morning and all were approved!

I have posted the F4 interview questions we were asked at the All F4s forum

Hope they help!

Good luck to all

We had our F4 interview this morning and were approved!

I posted interview details and questions asked on All F4's forum

Hope it helps! Good luck to everyone!

Woohoo! Interviews complete and all approved!

So here is my complete interview experience plus questions asked.

Our AOS within the USA was based on F4 brother-sister sponsorship with my spouse and two children as derivative beneficiaries.

The interview was scheduled at the Salt Lake City USCIS office at 7:30 am. We were escorted in exactly on time.

The officer was very professional and quite pleasant. After being sworn in and providing our passports and birth certificates, he requested the same as well as proof of citizenship from my brother, the USC sponsor. All four files were open on his desk. The officer started off by saying that he had reviewed our paperwork and that everything seemed to be in order but that he had to ask the following questions by law.

He then went through each of our files individually and basically verified the information and updated where necessary. It was a very quick and much less intimidating experience than anticipated. It was over in about 30 minutes, if that.

These were the questions asked:

- Name and current address

- Date of birth

- I was asked to give my parents' full names and my brother was asked if that was correct

- My husband was asked if we were married and what his parents' names are

- My husband and I were asked if we work and where

- Our sons were each asked their date of birth

- I was asked if we had any other children, and so was my husband

- My brother was asked where he lives

- We were asked which port of entry we used (New York)

- I was asked what visa we arrived on and about my H1B1/hubby's H4 visa which we had prior to this

- He asked if we were all born in South Africa

- Our sons were each asked if they had any children (they are 15 and 18 so that elicited a few giggles)

- Both sons were asked if they are full time students (it turned out that he graduated from the same college my son attends

as did my brother:)

- We were all asked the following:

Have you ever been involved in the trafficking of drugs

Have you ever tortured or interrogated anyone

Have you ever committed a crime for which you were not arrested

Have you ever committed espionage or acted as a spy

Have you ever committed any act of treason against the USA

After all of that, he said that everything seemed to be in order and that he is closing the files and our green cards should arrive within 2 weeks, possibly 3 weeks with the Christmas holidays coming up. He ended off by mentioning that we will qualify to apply for US citizenship in 5 years if we choose to, and that application can be made 90 days in advance of that anniversary date. He shook our hands and we thanked him and that was it!

Before leaving my husband turned to me and said 'Okay honey you can breathe now' and the officer laughed and asked why. My hubby replied that I had been nervous and he asked 'Why would you be nervous - this is indeed your brother and you qualify for this visa, you've done nothing wrong so you really shouldn't have worried."

It was really an anti climax of sorts - all these years of waiting and all that paperwork and detail and the interview turned out to be a mere formality in many ways.

So I honestly think that as F4's we do all the hard work ahead of time with the long wait and so on and if I can tell you one thing it's DON'T STRESS ABOUT THE INTERVIEW!

Good luck and God speed to everyone. I am so grateful and so relieved!

Immigration process has become like a school test preparation...

Best Wishes and u are always in the prayer, Sonblom..

You're right except I think it's even worse because it has dragged on for sooo long (F 4 filers are the most patient and longsuffering by far) and it is so nerve-wracking and every detail factors in. I really don't know what life will be like without this big immigration cloud hanging over my head. Hope to find out in 24 hours - mys tomach is in complete knots already! Thanks for the advice and support everyone

Interview this Friday at 7:30 am (yikes!)

Wish I could just go to sleep tonight and wake up on Saturday, approved of course... Feeling quite nervous and very impatient to get this over with! Will report back in detail - please say prayers and send good positive energy our way

RICARDO

I130 sibling petition cannot be processed in the US through adjustment of status because of living in "unlawful presence" due to expiration of a nonimmigrant Visa. Siblings are covered under 245i for petitions filed on or before April 30th, 2001. Immediate relatives, unless they entered without inspection, don't require 245i relief

So those with a PD of MAY01 2001 through MAY03 2001 who actually did drop the packet off in the mail on or before April 30th would be covered under 245i even if their postmarks were smudged or mutilated.

INS 245(i) Regulations

Further info regarding 245(i):

The "LIFE" Act Allows Use of Section 245i of the Immigration Act if papers were submitted by April 30, 2001. Originally Section 245i allowed people with an Immigration petition or a Labor Certificates filed on or before January 14, 1998 to apply for a green card in the US even if they entered the US illegally or were out-of-status in the US. The LIFE Act extended the qualifying filing date from January 14, 1998 to April 30, 2001. This allows the beneficiary of a Labor Certificate or BCIS petition filed on or before April 30, 2001 to apply for Adjustment of Status if they are eligible and have an approved BCIS petition. They can apply even if out-of-status. Caution: anyone who is the beneficiary of a Labor Certificate or petition filed after January 14, 1998 must also prove that they they were physically present in the US on 21 December 2000, the date of enactment of the LIFE law.

Received EAD cards yesterday!

Timeline:

8/27 - Mailed AOS & EAD packets (myself, husband & two sons)

9/2 - All Received at USCIS

9/14 - NOA1 hardcopies received for all 4

9/23 - Biometrics Appointment Notices received all 4

Biometrics Appointments officially Scheduled for 10/14

9/24 - Successful biometrics walk-in

9/27 - Touch on all 4

11/1 - E-mail notifications: 2 of the EADs approved and card production ordered

11/3 - E-mail notifications: Other 2 EADs approved and card production ordered

11/4 - Touch

11/8 - Touch

11/10 - Interview notification received

11/12 - EAD cards received

12/10 - AOS interview

Received our EADs yesterday! Now please pray for us for a smooth interview on Dec 10th

10 years ago, my sister applied for my i-130(sister to brother).

3 years ago I fell out of status (due to a bad lawyer handling my Work Visa Extension)

last year my I-130 was approved.

July of this year a visa number became available for my priority date.

August of this year my I-485 (under the Life Act) with all supporting materials was sent in

September I received my EAD card

October my Biometrics appointment

November (this past week) I had my interview and it was approved !!!!

the typos made on my I-485 forms by my lawer's paralegal gladly didn't cause any delays or problems. (anyone that remembers me i posted about those typos worried if would cause problems)

Life is good, I hope that everyone gets their cases resolved, as for me, its good to have my life back, thanks all.

Congratulations! Can you share some of the questions they asked at the interview? My brother sponsored me and my AOS interview is on Dec 10th and there aren't many posts about F4 interviews so I'd really appreciate it! Thanks

Received our interview date notification today!!!!!

Timeline:

8/27 - Mailed AOS & EAD packets (myself, husband & two sons)

9/2 - All Received at USCIS

9/14 - NOA1 hardcopies received for all 4

9/23 - Biometrics Appointment Notices received all 4

10/14 - Biometrics Appointments Scheduled date

9/24 - Successful biometrics walk-in

9/27 - Touch on all 4

11/1 - E-mail notifications: 2 of the EADs approved and card production ordered

11/3 - E-mail notifications: other 2 EADs approved and card production ordered

11/4 - Touch on all 4

11/5 - Touch on all 4

11/5 - Interview notification received

12/10 - Interviews

Received our interview date notification today!!!!!

Timeline:

8/27 - Mailed AOS & EAD packets (myself, husband & two sons)

9/2 - All Received at USCIS

9/14 - NOA1 hardcopies received for all 4

9/23 - Biometrics Appointment Notices received all 4

10/14 - Biometrics Appointments Scheduled date

9/24 - Successful biometrics walk-in

9/27 - Touch on all 4

11/1 - E-mail notifications: 2 of the EADs approved and card production ordered

11/3 - E-mail notifications: other 2 EADs approved and card production ordered

11/4 - Touch on all 4

11/5 - Touch on all 4

11/5 - Interview notification received

12/10 - Interviews

when is your interview? and when did you submit your ds230 I and II?

Interview has not yet been scheduled - we are waiting for notification. AOS paperwork submitted 8/27. My timeline has exact dates. Do visit the All F4's forum/thread as it's very informative. Good luck!

I couldn't agree more..

When i came to VJ initially, i felt the same too... So, thought, I atleast create a single thread for F4 Category Filers and store all the experiences and expertise based on the long wait and short term memory loss... You can do some "Good Karma" for future F4 filers..

Well on behalf of all of us I thank you for starting this thread! Only those experiencing this journey truly understand how frustrating and difficult it can be. The worst is always not knowing what to expect and this is one area this website community really helps with. Better yet if they are after the exact same visa. Your initiative in starting this will help all of us and many to follow