AOS Filers October 2009

[Greg001 0]

First, let me say congratulations to savaleta and hakuna matata on your AOS approvals.

We just got back from Honolulu and it's getting late, so I'll give a quick update now and a full review tomorrow.

We are so happy; we were approved today!! The interview was easy and the IO was very friendly. A few hours after the interview we received the "card production" email. Now that we are home I check the online status and it has moved from the first circle (where it's been since October 2nd) to the last circle "document production".

Thanks to all our fellow October filers for their well wishes and support. As others have said, it really helps to experience this journey with others and share experiences.

More tomorrow.

Vanessa and Greg

[MikeInWyoming 2]

I have a question for all of you who have been approved for the AOS.

Where any of you unable to see your case on the USCIS Website by the end, but before you got your AOS?

Edited January 8, 2010 by MikeInWyoming

[monicaolivo 0]

I have a question for all of you who have been approved for the AOS.

Where any of you unable to see your case on the USCIS Website by the end, but before you got your AOS?

Congratulations everyone!!!

[Greg001 0]

Here's how our interview went yesterday. Very quick and easy.

We arrived at the USCIS office about an hour before our appointment. At the window we were asked for our appointment letter, which was date/time stamped and returned to us along with a number. We were directed to walk down a hallway and wait until our number was called. There was one other couple waiting there also. About 10 minutes later a lady came out and called our number. Our impression was that she was very pleasant and easy going. She asked us to follow her to her office and swore us in before we sat down.

The interview lasted about 15 minutes. She first asked for my wife’s passport (the applicant) and my ID. She examined both, then removed the I-94 from the passport and returned them to us. She then explained the conditional permanent residence is granted for a two year period and we must file Form I-751 during the 90 day period prior to expiration. She had us sign an acknowledgement that we understood this requirement.

Then she started asking basic questions from the I-485 form, like name, address, phone number, etc. She moved on to asking a few of the yes/no questions on page 3, then just asked “are all of these answered correctly”.

At this point she started thumbing through the file double checking that she had all the required documents, like marriage certificate, birth certificates, I-864, etc. I commented that the file looked big. She laughed and said “this is a small file”; take a look at that one. In the corner of her office was a 3 foot stack of files. One of them looked 5 inches thick.

Then she took out a form to take notes and started asking relationship questions. These were like: describe how you met; when was the first time you met in person; when did you decide to get married; have you met each others’ families; which family members have you met; did you have a civil or religious ceremony; did you have a reception; etc. She took notes the whole time. She asked what joint accounts we have: checking/savings, insurance, etc. She didn’t ask to see any proof of these. Darn, I brought tons of copies and pictures. She didn’t ask to see any.

Then there was a few minutes of chit chat and finally she said she would update the computer that we were approved. She said we should receive the green card in about three weeks and not to leave the country in the meantime. She said if an emergency comes up and you have to leave, come into the office and have a stamp (I-551) put in the passport. She said she didn’t want to stamp it unless it was needed. I asked about the EAD and AP documents. She didn’t collect them, but said not to use them.

That was it. She walked us to the hallway and said to enjoy the rest of our time in Honolulu. A few hours later we received the “card production” email.

[SnS 0]

Congratz to savaleta, hakuna matata and greg for approval!

To Mike: I was able to register/check my case online right after we got the receipt # on NOAs.

And this is what I've got on my emails :

The last processing action taken on your case

Receipt Number: MSCXXXXXXXX

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

Current Status: Notice mailed welcoming the new permanent resident.

On January 7, 2010, we mailed you a notice that we had registered this customer's new permanent resident status. Please follow any instructions on the notice...

================================================================================

======

Receipt Number: MSCXXXXXXXX

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

Current Status: Card production ordered.

On January 8, 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...

=======================

Fo everyone who still waiting..keep the faith..my prayers are for you guys.!!

[Greg001 0]

The last processing action taken on your case

Receipt Number: MSCXXXXXXXX

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

Current Status: Notice mailed welcoming the new permanent resident.

On January 7, 2010, we mailed you a notice that we had registered this customer's new permanent resident status. Please follow any instructions on the notice...

Congratulations SnS on your approval.

[ranchomesa 0]

Congratz to savaleta, hakuna matata and greg for approval!

To Mike: I was able to register/check my case online right after we got the receipt # on NOAs.

And this is what I've got on my emails :

The last processing action taken on your case

Receipt Number: MSCXXXXXXXX

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

Current Status: Notice mailed welcoming the new permanent resident.

On January 7, 2010, we mailed you a notice that we had registered this customer's new permanent resident status. Please follow any instructions on the notice...

================================================================================

======

Receipt Number: MSCXXXXXXXX

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

Current Status: Card production ordered.

On January 8, 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...

=======================

Fo everyone who still waiting..keep the faith..my prayers are for you guys.!!

Congratulations SnS

[beans 7]

Okay I never participated here but my AOS got approved at CSC with no interview..USCIS update website worked the whole way.

[HeatDeath 430]

Congratulations

:dance: Hakuna Matata :dance:

:dance: Greg :dance:

:dance: SnS :dance:

Next stop: unrestricted social security security card.

Then you're all done for ~600 days :)

See you all back here circa September 1, 2011?

[ranchomesa 0]

Here's how our interview went yesterday. Very quick and easy.

We arrived at the USCIS office about an hour before our appointment. At the window we were asked for our appointment letter, which was date/time stamped and returned to us along with a number. We were directed to walk down a hallway and wait until our number was called. There was one other couple waiting there also. About 10 minutes later a lady came out and called our number. Our impression was that she was very pleasant and easy going. She asked us to follow her to her office and swore us in before we sat down.

The interview lasted about 15 minutes. She first asked for my wife’s passport (the applicant) and my ID. She examined both, then removed the I-94 from the passport and returned them to us. She then explained the conditional permanent residence is granted for a two year period and we must file Form I-751 during the 90 day period prior to expiration. She had us sign an acknowledgement that we understood this requirement.

Then she started asking basic questions from the I-485 form, like name, address, phone number, etc. She moved on to asking a few of the yes/no questions on page 3, then just asked “are all of these answered correctly”.

At this point she started thumbing through the file double checking that she had all the required documents, like marriage certificate, birth certificates, I-864, etc. I commented that the file looked big. She laughed and said “this is a small file”; take a look at that one. In the corner of her office was a 3 foot stack of files. One of them looked 5 inches thick.

Then she took out a form to take notes and started asking relationship questions. These were like: describe how you met; when was the first time you met in person; when did you decide to get married; have you met each others’ families; which family members have you met; did you have a civil or religious ceremony; did you have a reception; etc. She took notes the whole time. She asked what joint accounts we have: checking/savings, insurance, etc. She didn’t ask to see any proof of these. Darn, I brought tons of copies and pictures. She didn’t ask to see any.

Then there was a few minutes of chit chat and finally she said she would update the computer that we were approved. She said we should receive the green card in about three weeks and not to leave the country in the meantime. She said if an emergency comes up and you have to leave, come into the office and have a stamp (I-551) put in the passport. She said she didn’t want to stamp it unless it was needed. I asked about the EAD and AP documents. She didn’t collect them, but said not to use them.

That was it. She walked us to the hallway and said to enjoy the rest of our time in Honolulu. A few hours later we received the “card production” email.

congrats greg

[RebeccaAndPhil 5]

All these approvals are really making me feel less nervous about our interview on Thursday!

[km24 0]

Hello everyone, Im sorry havent signed in for a while and for a few days now I havent been able to sign in I couldnt recall my password. And the VJ's password system doesnt seem to be working so I decided to create a new username. Hakuna matata 2 is in the house... so" more no worries " Ps. That's what it means.. Hakuna matata.. no worries commonly used Swahili phrase and a theme song in the lion king

Firstly I would like to congratulate everyone who got their approvals and for the well wishing. I hope Greg001's Iv went well today. Mine went fine, I had all our papers put together and a scrap book with some photos and apart from my I-94 and passport I didnt provide any new documents, I didnt get to show my birth certificate either . Everything is officer dependent, the important thing was I got my GC approved and already my status online has been updated :dance:

Our IV experience:

We reached at the offices 9:15 am, 15 minutes early at the Columbus OH DO, processed and we waited to be called in. 15 minutes past our IV apt I noticed that the Security officer hadn't taken our IV notification letter. We assumed she scanned it (my USC SP had his citizen letter scanned so assumed thats what they always do) when we showed her the first time but I later saw there was a box where she was supposed to place the interview letters and it was clearly marked. So I went over and handed it again to the security officer and waited to be called in. Our Immigration officer was a very nice young lady and she had seen us sitting waiting in the lobby a couple of times when she was passing. I tried to keep myself preoccupied by reading my book.. the waiting was nerve wrecking. My USC spouse was called in first and was grilled for info for approx 30 minutes. Then I was called into the room which had a video camera, sworn in and provided my passport where she took my I-94 out. My SP was told to stay in the room but given a different chair out of the view of the camera.I was asked to verify the answers in the forms then asked an array of questions. How did we met? where was I living at that time? When did he visit me? Who is still in school? Did we have a religious marriage ceremony..I butchered this question was supposed to say Yes, I said No then had to correct it by explaining it was a religious one had a Sheikh/Imam over xyz. How many laptops, cars do we own? Whats his work schedule like. Within 10 minutes we were asked if we had any documents or photos we wanted to add to the file which we declined. Then she told us we were approved she gave me back the IV letter to keep in my records and to expect an Approval letter within a few days and will receive a conditional GC within a month.

So when we got to the car my SP told me his side of the story... He was sworn in told that he will be interviewed first then I will be interviewed later and if any discrepancies become apparent we will discuss them together... there is nothing to worry about.. Scary scenario . He verified his information on the forms then was asked how we met, when, and he decided to go into detail to tell her more about his trip he took to visit me. Was asked about his family in detail, my family where do they live, how many siblings, etc? Has he met any of my relatives where and when. Asked about his work, Insurance policy, etc. The interesting point is he wasnt expecting this he thought I would get all the grilling .Apart from that he was asked some random questions like when was the last time we had a formal dinner, number of cars & laptops we possess etc.

All I can say is it was a pleasant experience and be ready to be asked any question and as it's a the real deal there is nothing to worry about.

Wish you all the best with your upcoming IV's!! :dance:

thanks for sharing your experience! =) Congratulations to both of you!!!

[hakuna_matata2 0]

Congrats, Sns and Greg001. Im glad to hear things went smoothly!! :dance:

Thanks Heatdeath, km24.

HeatDeath,

Next stop: unrestricted social security security card.

Then you're all done for ~600 days smile.gif smile.gif

See you all back here circa September 1, 2011? smile.gif

You are right on the money, having the SSC changed. I think some of us will fall in the October group again. Arent we supposed to count 2years 9 months from the date of the GC right?

Rebecca&Phil, Djohn and other VJ members

Wish all the best with your upcoming IV. My SP remembered some other facts... he was also asked about the house we share... like how many bedrooms , where do we do our laundry is it in the same floor etc. Maybe they could have been secondary qns ? who knows but anything to prove you live in the same house.

[Desi4ever 0]

All these approvals are really making me feel less nervous about our interview on Thursday!

I'm sure you and Phil will come out in flying colors ~~~

You've been so meticulous in the I-485 package and I'm positive that you have diligently collected and arranged all the documents for your interview.

Good luck!

[mamaronga 2]

CONGRATS to all approved couples, I'm very happy for you all!

Like others have said, sorry I haven't been on here much, but very busy with work (and now preparing for the interview!) but I'm so glad you are all out there in cyber space and that we can all support each other.

We have our interview next week, Thursday January 14th!

A little nervous because my spouse's english isn't perfect and we're debating whether we need an interpreter, and if we do, whether it can be a bi-lingual (spanish/english) friend or if it has to be a "certified" or professional interpreter?

Also they ask for "originals" of all "supporting documents" that we submitted in the AOS application---does that mean the original passport of the co-sponsor of our Affidavit of Support for example....?? (i think that would be a lot to ask) or just originals of things like my spouse's and my passports, birth certificates, stuff like that?

Other than those 2 issues we're feeling pretty good to go...

will write up our experience afterwards...

good luck to all with interviews this week! go get 'em!