AOS FILERS: DECEMBER 2008

[A&N 0]

My wife and I dressed the way we would dress for a job interview. he only asked me for joint bank statement, marriage licence and our IDs (and passport for me). and that's it. (oh and tax return for this year).

he didn't ask for any other proof.

Hello CONGRATS!

Just a quick question. Did he ask for both the Beneficary and Petitioner Tax Returns? or did you file jointly?

[blarf 0]

My wife and I dressed the way we would dress for a job interview. he only asked me for joint bank statement, marriage licence and our IDs (and passport for me). and that's it. (oh and tax return for this year).

he didn't ask for any other proof.

Hello CONGRATS!

Just a quick question. Did he ask for both the Beneficary and Petitioner Tax Returns? or did you file jointly?

we filed jointly.

and today i got my GREEN CARD in the mail. i'm really happy that everything went smooth. With the card, now, in my hand, i will probably see some of you in a year and couple months when it is time to remove those conditions.

[Oneil's_wife876 0]

Just wanted to let everyone know that my husband and I had our AOS interview today in Boston and we were approved.

We got to the office at 8am for our 8:30 appointment and there were only a few people there at that time. We were called in at about 8:40am. When we got into the office he swore us in and then opened our file (HOLY ####### it was HUGE!!!) and started going through papers and writing and stamping things. Then he asked for his passport and social security card, my ID or passport, and his EAD. He looked at both our IDs, stapled his EAD inside the file, and then removed the I-94 from the passport and stapled it inside the file (As soon as he removed the I-94 I knew we were good!). Then he took his passport and wrote on the page where the I-94 was, below the entry stamp. The interviewer asked me to confirm my husbands name and how we met. Then he asked my husband all the usual "NO" questions. He also asked if he was working yet, which we said no that he has an interview later this week. When we told him that he asked if the employer had seen the EAD yet which they have not so he gave us back the EAD and told us to mail back the card once we receive the Green Card in the mail. He said that we were approved and the card would arrive in the mail in the next two weeks. He explained how to remove the conditions. I then asked him if he wanted any of the evidence I had brought with me and he didn't really seem to want it and said he would add it to the file. When I brought out all the evidence (which was at least an inch ad a half thick) you should have seen the look on his face! I told him I was over prepared! He took it all but didn't even look at it. He also never mentioned anything about the TB skin text, which we had done and was ready to submit. I can not believe how easy this was. He had stamped and signed everything before he even asked us a single question! We were back to the waiting room by 8:50am and were told to wait for a couple minutes and we would be given a letter stating that we were approved. Once we had the letter in hand we were out of the office by 9am and headed home for a nap!!

[Brit Abroad 166]

Approved! Temporary green card stamp I-551 in passport as I'll be travelling back to the UK before the green card arrives. Here's my interview story:

Arrived at the office, hubby was dressed in military uniform and I was wearing a white shirt and floral print skirt (although most people there were in jeans or casual clothes and it didn't seem to affect the way they were treated), and we were number 9 in line. Each of the people ahead of us seemed to take progressively more time and we were about 90 minutes behind our scheduled appointment time when we were called in.

It was a regular sized room divided into four cubicles where the Immigration Officers could hear, and be heard, by all the other IOs AND applicants. At first I found this a bit rude and daunting, but when we heard the interview next to us, I can understand it's for security and safety reasons.

Our IO just welcomed us in, asked us to remain standing to take the oath that all information given will be the truth then asked for my passport and hubby's military ID before going on to ask us how we'd met, whether I'd met his family, what type of wedding ceremony, were any family present, where was the ceremony and what type of reception did we have. After flicking through the folder she passed me over an A5 sized sheet that asked me to sign and print name, then told us that she'd gone ahead and approved us a few minutes ago and was just asking us for the signature and witness (sponsor) to send for the card production.

We were in and out in about 15 minutes. She didn't ask us for any supporting evidence but happily accepted copies that I offered to confirm shared life.

I think we were well organised, but she was definitely a little distracted by what was going on in the next cubicle - a couple whose IO said "and the interviewer at the consulate didn't ask you if you had any criminal convictions; because you haven't declared anything on your application?" and then a few minutes later "drug convictions are one of the areas that almost always results in a rejection".

As you might imagine, we were sitting there with our jaws on our laps when our IO said that she had also rejected a couple before us and "you don't want to know the details of that". Pretty scary stuff. I reckon we must've been her dream couple as everything is simple in our case, and I am eternally grateful for that.

For those who are still waiting for interviews it's really nothing to be nervous about. The IOs know what information they want, it's not a grilling and they try to make it conversational and put you at your ease. Don't volunteer information, they will ask you for it "as" they require it and they will write notes on the bottom of a yellow sheet of paper. The checkbox for Approved is on the left, about 3/4s of the way down the page, so watch for them marking it off and you'll know whether you got approved or not.

Good luck to everyone out there! Being organised really, REALLY helped us. Here's a list of items that I included (both originals to show and a photocopy/print for the IO to retain):-

1. Passports (mine and his)

2. Birth Certificates (mine and his)

3. Marriage Certificate (certified copy)

4. Property Lease

5. 15 Photos from post-K1 app showing us together - post arrival in US, through the wedding itself, reception, family gatherings while they were here, post-wedding

6. Shared bank account information

7. Life Insurance policy showing each other as beneficiary

8. Emails from his family to me before and after our wedding

9. Copy of his parents' website showing the larger family circle our wedding pics

10. Membership cards to a dancing club that showed we both attended the same classes

11. Cell phone account showing two phones for the last three months

The IO had absolutely NO interest in the W2s, tax transcripts, copies of previous applications or medical stuff. I'm not sure if this is because the UK is considered a low fraud risk, hubby is military and we are slightly older at 40ish.

[JillA 2]

Congrats to those approved!! Great interview reviews!!

[Diazy 10]

Oneil's Wife876, Brit Abroad, my congratulations!!!!! Thank you for your reviews!

Good luck to Smashrox on Friday!

Brit Abroad

Edited March 26, 2009 by Diazy

[SMASHROX 0]

Oneil's Wife876, Brit Abroad, my congratulations!!!!! Thank you for your reviews!

Good luck to Smashrox on Friday!

Brit Abroad

Thanks a million Diazy! I have been MIA for the past week stuck at work with tax season. Ironically enough Aidan was approved for his EAD on St. Patricks Day (how's that for an Irish man?) and received on 3/22. I know we'll be turning over the AP and EAD tomorrow at our interview so it kinda sucks we went through the work to get them and won't even need them. I can't complain though since our interview date was set much sooner than I had ever anticipated.

I will be sure to post a full review of our experience tomorrow!

[TBoneTX 45,031]

Hmmm... and, apparently, no hint of green cards or interviews therefor for any of those whose files have been transferred to the CSC. Congrats to all who are interviewing now and being approved, si man, and I hope that those of us with files at the CSC will be greenly popping forth soon.

[we met in japan 0]

First, Congrats to all of you getting EAD, AP and GREENCARD! thats awesome! I am wondering if anyone knows if CRIS is still having email problems? I am now outside of normal processing time for my EAD and AP, and also, have had no notice that they have received my RFE paperwork for my I-485. Its really starting to get depressing now....ive been 14 months without employment and hubby was, up until 3 months ago supporting us both on a single student income......anyway, enough sob story.

Is there anyone who has recently received approvals with no email notification? or is CRIS completely back up and running. My I-485 hasnt been transferred to CSC, and I havent heard any notice of interview either.

I made a service request yesterday for EAD and AP, but im sure that will get me no where, and the girl I spoke to suggested making and INFOPASS appointment, so that is scheduled for tomorrow, fingers crossed they can give me some info. and maybe help me apply for interim EAD......FRUSTRATING!

Sorry for the rant.

[Diazy 10]

we met in japan, my case was resumed in 3-4 weeks after I sent them RFE back.

If I were you, I would call them and ask about the case.

[we met in japan 0]

we met in japan, my case was resumed in 3-4 weeks after I sent them RFE back.

If I were you, I would call them and ask about the case.

Hi Diazy, When I called yesterday, they said they cant check into it unless it has been more than 60 days since i sent back the paperwork, so I still have to wait till April 7th till I can call again.......I think my case is either at the bottom of a pile, or lost.

But thanks for the advice, I will definitely be calling the minute I wake up on april 7th.

[Diazy 10]

we met in japan, It is strange.

I got my RFE on Dec 24, 2008, so I needed to submit RFE till March 21...

I submitted my RFE in the middle of February, then I called them on March 1 and they told me to make sure that I would get CRIS update till March 12. if not, to call them again.

But on March 10 i received notice that my case was resumed on March 6

[mimimimimi 0]

congrats Oneil's wife (wow, that was an easy one) and Brit Abroad!

I agree, the interview is not that bad for what they consider "normal couples"... but, if you are outside of the traditional norm, they do grill you. I feel they weren't that nice to us because I am older than hubby and this is usually a red flag.

[itzy 0]

Congratulations to all of you receiving Green Cards!

I still dont have any news about it! hope to hear something soon.

I have several questions.

1) Do you know if you can ask for a change in the date of the interview?

2) We are doing our taxes and we dont know if to file jointly or separately, I do have income from Mexico still. Those who did the joint taxes did you report all types of income from 2008 in your countries, I mean if you received income from self employment, payroll, banks, etc? We are confused about that.

3) Have some of you traveled already with the AP?

4) Can I travel with my mexican passport from when I was single? the one with the K1?

Thanks for your help

Itzy

[SMASHROX 0]

Hi everyone,

Aidan and I were approved for his green card this morning at our interview. The officer was very pleasant and asked the usual questions, how did we meet? where do you live?, etc. We showed him originals of our birth certificates, marriage certificate, various photos of us (some of which he put into our file). He asked for proof of Aidan's residence (where he was living), so I gave him a copy of our bank statement which had both our names on it. Overall it went very smoothly. We asked for an I-551 and the officer said they don't give those at that service center.

He had us keep the EAD and AP so Aidan can use until he receives his GC. This was the only unusual thing about the process since I have read from other posters that these documents are confiscated at the interview. All seems well and we are happy to have one more step of the process complete.

Good luck to everyone else!

Itsy - we filed a joint return reporting Aidan's income from Ireland. We took the foreign earned income exclusion - Form 2555 I think (TurboTax calculates it for you) which excluded all of his income from U.S. tax (about $42K). We are now working on getting taxes he paid in Ireland refunded now.