AOS FILERS: DECEMBER 2008

[TBoneTX 43,653]

Conditional green card received 4/17/09, just 8 days after the date of the "welcome" letter. Can someone please update us on the spreadsheet?

At approximately 3.5 months from filing to green card, I'm favorably impressed with USCIS, in stark contrast to the K-1 debacle. Of course, the Dept. of State, and particularly "our" consulate, can take prompt action regarding the mistletoe attached to my hindquarters as we march toward Removing Conditions.

Hard to believe that there's "nothing" to do now for 21 months! Oh, yeah -- driver's license, add to car insurance... si, man...

[Diazy 10]

There is a list of interviews:

4/21/2009 – TazEdwin

4/22/2009 – Thee_Rak

4/28/2009 – D08

5/4/2009 - kennyandhandan

5/6/2009 - DaveHanna

5/7/2009 – scubapam1

5/18/2009 - Mama Africa

5/22/2009 – RIDION

5/28/2009 - ajay416

6/2/2009 - Ferociter

TaZEdwin and Thee_Rak are having their interviews next week. Good Luck to them!

TBoneTX,desain congratulations on receiving the green cards!

[Mint518 0]

I received my GC today.

I would like to thank all of December filers for posting their progresses over months. Because of such posts, I learned what I can expect next as well as timing of each step, which made my waiting period quite stress-free.

I wish good luck for everyone who is waiting their interviews, and also hope those who have not received GC will receive it soon.

[TBoneTX 43,653]

Congrats to all who are approved; thanks to all who have offered congrats & support; and patience & courage to all who still wait. Si, man!

T-B.

[^KK^ 3]

Congrats

[oddball 0]

Congratulations to all who have received green cards!

My wife also filed for AOS in December and just received an RFE, indicating that the I-693 Medical Examination Form is missing.

She submitted her record of vaccinations with the I-485 application materials. USCIS indicated in the RFE that they have this record of vaccinations and there is no need to resubmit them. She came here on a K-1 fiancee visa.

Any ideas on what exactly USCIS needs if they already have the vaccination records? Do we need to complete the I-693 sections 1, 2, and 5 and send this in although they already have the vaccination records (a copy from the German civil surgeon who performed the medical exam and sent it to the US Embassy in Germany). Or will my wife have to repeat the entire medical examination here in the US?

Her medical exam in Germany was on June 12th. In the RFE, it says there is a new form since June 1st, but on the USCIS page, it says the old form can be used until August 1st. Thanks for any help you can offer!

Does anyone have a tel number for getting through at the USCIS (California). I am not able to reach a live person at the 1-800 number provided on the RFE.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Oddball

[TBoneTX 43,653]

Does anyone have a tel number for getting through at the USCIS (California). I am not able to reach a live person at the 1-800 number provided on the RFE.

Dial the 800 number, then options 1,2,3 without needing to listen to them. You'll likely get one of the contracted Misinformation people. Cut him/her off if the scripted "we need to know where you are in the immigration process" begins. Insist on being transferred to an immigration officer. You'll receive flak; say, "I remind you that you are required to escalate me to an immigration officer upon my request." This should do it. Bear in mind that you will receive NO ANSWERS unless your wife is there on the phone with you, because for any discussion of AOS progress, the immigrant partner MUST be present.

[HiTech 0]

Alyona had her interview on the 10th April, Nothing special, I did have to laugh at the questions about have you ever been evolved in drug trafficking ectera.

Got email notification today (first one of any of the 3) that Production was ordered on the 20th.

Dale

[mary'n'ev 0]

Received our "welcome to the USA" letter today! It was issued on the 14th. Congratulations to all on your progress!

[Thee_Rak 0]

Well we had the interview yesterday and were approved!!!

So our interview was in Detroit. USCIS has just moved into a totally new building and it seems that all the IO's are quite happy about the new space. They have private offices with doors and windows and everything. In my experience in corp America their offices equate to someone who is making over $150K a year and manages ~100 people. Not a "cube" in site in this place! Security here is tighter than at the airport but in typical government fashion not a single person looks at our ID's. After you go through security you stop at the counter and hand the receptionist your appointment letter. She hands it right back and says to take it to the last window and put it in the tray and have a seat. Still no one has looked at our ID.

Well there's no one at that window just the tray. I can tell you it's a bit disconcerting to set that letter there without handing it to someone but anyway we have a seat and wait to be called.

As some of you might recall I was sort of worried about a few things:

1. I lost my job this year

2. Didn't have a new med check w/ I-693 'cause her check and shots were less than a year ago and the law says she doesn't need an I-693

We were called in, he swore us in and we all sat down. STILL hasn't looked at our ID. He started to go over the first page of the file (looked like the I-485 form) and ask her "your name is First, Last"? She said yes. "you were born in "home town"? She says yes. "your birthday is xx-xx-xxxx"? Yes. etc. etc. etc. Then he moves onto the "have you ever been arrested"?, "are you a member of the communist party"?, "are you a hooker"? I knew these would be sort of hard and we had the list ahead of time so we'd gone over them. Since the answer to all of them is "No" every time he asked a question and she looked at me with that deer in the headlights face I just kept reminding her about the sheet "we went over". The IO must hear her say "no" and I figured this would be easier than trying to sit there and explain what "espionage", genocide", or "clemency" is. Anyway he must have asked most of the questions on the list and he really was quite funny about it (in a Chandler Bing sort of way).

After this he simply thumbed the pages of the file like a deck of cards and said "well it looks like you're ligetimate... congratulations, you're approved".

Done deal... nothing more, no questions about how we met, no questions about our wedding, didn't want to see any evidence of our wedding or proof that we're living in the same place or have joint accounts or bills or anything like that, didn't want to see my 2008 taxes or W2 (remember that we filed in Dec so we only submitted 2007 (plus '06, '05, '04, '03). STILL hasn't looked at our ID's or her I-94 / Passport, Social Security Card or anything. He then gives some very good advice about what kind of evidence to submit in 2 years when we apply to lift conditions... along with all the usual stuff don't just show joint bank statements but submit copies of some checks she's written.

[Thee_Rak 0]

I just wanted to take a minute to thank everyone here for making this process so easy. This was so painless because of the support and guidance available here. I do see how some people might turn to a lawyer for help though.

Sitting at the USCIS office waiting for our interview I could see the worried faces of so many people and could hear the pompous voices of some of the "lawyers" who had just received so much money from them to "manage" this. How can they sleep at night? They haven't done anything that the couple couldn't have done without them. They can't make the process go any faster, they can't get you approved if you don't qualify... heck, they can't even get you into the interview ahead of your turn. They sit there blowing their own horn about how many times they've done this and blah, blah, blah.

One of them was really bugging me... he came in through security right behind us and kept beeping. They don't wand you they just keep sending you back through until you don't beep. He's standing there in his $500 suit trying to tell a $12/hour security guard about how "he didn't have to go through this at the old building". He takes off his belt and... BEEP!!! "Is this really necessary... I've been coming to the old building 3 times a week for years". He takes off his shoes and... BEEP!!! I just smile and walk away. It's a metal detector dude... how hard is it to remove your metal? Have you never been through an airport? I think for sure this one had a new setting on it since it was clearly able to detect "idiots".

[Diazy 10]

Thee_Rak, congratulations!!!!! Your review is so detailed! Thanks!

I liked your comment regarding Chandler Bing=)

[Diazy 10]

There is a list of interviews:

4/28/2009 – D08

5/4/2009 - kennyandhandan

5/6/2009 - whatif

5/6/2009 - DaveHanna

5/7/2009 – scubapam1

5/8/2009 - Nawal

5/18/2009 - Mama Africa

5/22/2009 – RIDION

5/28/2009 - ajay416

6/2/2009 - Ferociter

6/24/2009 - AOSfiler13

[JillA 2]

Congrats Thee Rak, that's wonderful news!! I can't believe they didn't ask about your job, wedding, or any other details that's really good! He could obviously just tell you had a legit marriage

[clarabel 0]

I got my welcome letter 3 weeks ago but haven't receive my GC..

also checked my case status online says: pending

called the 1800 and check my status..the same with what's online..

anyone with the same experience?