January 2010 AOS Filers

[F & J 21]

for clarifying, Fatima. I forgot that not all of us in this thread arrived here using K1.

haha, I sometimes forget too ^__^;; working on the Spreadsheet reminds me of it (there are still a few Jan. filers with unknown visa entry types...LOL - anyway, we're all AOS applicants so it doesn't really matter )

[Laura & Kyle 16]

haha, I sometimes forget too ^__^;; working on the Spreadsheet reminds me of it (there are still a few Jan. filers with unknown visa entry types...LOL - anyway, we're all AOS applicants so it doesn't really matter )

awww.. thanks for remember us peon non K-1ers! You're the best!

[Calypso 464]

awww.. thanks for remember us peon non K-1ers! You're the best!

Have you already posted your complete interview experience, Laura?

haha, I sometimes forget too ^__^;; working on the Spreadsheet reminds me of it (there are still a few Jan. filers with unknown visa entry types...LOL - anyway, we're all AOS applicants so it doesn't really matter )

Indeed.

All the best for our interview next week. I'll have mine two days ahead of yours. Let's make our interview successful.

[Laura & Kyle 16]

Have you already posted your complete interview experience, Laura?

Unfortunately, no. I'm at work currently and am having to concentrate on html and Blackboard Learning Management System. Planning to get to it tonight!

[F & J 21]

awww.. thanks for remember us peon non K-1ers! You're the best!

LOL. You're very much welcome! ^___^ I actually didn't realize how many people enter the U.S. on K-1's before we filed. @_@ But I believe it's still quite a small percentage compared to other visa types

[menina 50]

for clarifying, Fatima. I forgot that not all of us in this thread arrived here using K1.

I'm just curious. If you have a valid visa, why would you need to apply for AP? Also, it seems risky to not wait for AP to be approved before leaving the country because someone will mail/bring it to you once it arrives. What if they check the date of issue vs. the date you left the country. I personally would wait for it to come before going on a trip.

[F & J 21]

Indeed.

All the best for our interview next week. I'll have mine two days ahead of yours. Let's make our interview successful.

Good luck dear!!! I'm sure you'll do great!

(I finally got our photo album together and I found out that my hubby hid one photo that he hates. LOL. I'm going to see if my mother-in-law still has her copy and put it back in the album to tease him. hahaha! *I'll take it out again before the interview)

[menina 50]

LOL. You're very much welcome! ^___^ I actually didn't realize how many people enter the U.S. on K-1's before we filed. @_@ But I believe it's still quite a small percentage compared to other visa types

Me too. I didn't even know that the fiance visa existed until my then boyfriend and I started talking about getting married. When I looked into the options I found out about K1. I had NO idea how popular it is. I only realized that after signing on to VJ and seeing the number of people each month who were applying. And that is only the people on VJ. I am sure there are tons more out there.

[F & J 21]

I'm just curious. If you have a valid visa, why would you need to apply for AP? Also, it seems risky to not wait for AP to be approved before leaving the country because someone will mail/bring it to you once it arrives. What if they check the date of issue vs. the date you left the country. I personally would wait for it to come before going on a trip.

If you have a valid visa, you generally won't need a travel document. You need a reentry permit (still on form I-131) if you're a legal permanent resident who plans on being outside of the U.S. for more than 6 months (correct me if I'm wrong! - can't remember if it's for 6 months or 1 year?).

That's what I was thinking about too! Reading through the I-131 instructions for Advance Parole, it does say that you shouldn't leave the U.S. before the AP is APPROVED. Even then, using the AP is risky... It's not a guarantee that they will let you enter the United States.

[Shanh 2]

Something moved!

EAD card production ordered!

[Danu 19]

Something moved!

EAD card production ordered!

OMG yay!!!

[Calypso 464]

I have just received my actual EAD and AP. I didn't receive any notification for my AP but it was touched last week on the 19th after my EAD was approved on the 18th.

Good luck dear!!! I'm sure you'll do great!

(I finally got our photo album together and I found out that my hubby hid one photo that he hates. LOL. I'm going to see if my mother-in-law still has her copy and put it back in the album to tease him. hahaha! *I'll take it out again before the interview)

Thanks, Fatima.

Me too. I didn't even know that the fiance visa existed until my then boyfriend and I started talking about getting married. When I looked into the options I found out about K1. I had NO idea how popular it is. I only realized that after signing on to VJ and seeing the number of people each month who were applying. And that is only the people on VJ. I am sure there are tons more out there.

All the best for next week's interview, Menina.

[Shanh 2]

Something in the mail!

Interview letter, 05/10 @ 7:20 am lol

[Calypso 464]

Something in the mail!

Interview letter, 05/10 @ 7:20 am lol

for the update!

[Laura & Kyle 16]

Okay, so the review!

Our appointment was at 10:30am; we arrived at 9:40ish and they let us in. We had to show our appt. letter and photo id's at the door. We then had to go through the metal detectors. We put our interview notice in a little bin near the "front" of the room.

There were about 5 couples there... one with a lawyer. Not to stray away from my review.. but the husband was wearing "NAVY" sweatpants, the wife was of asian decent wearing a polo (can't remember the pants), and a lawyer. They were all standing there, and then the lawyer looks at some of the paperwork and says to the couple, "Now.. they have sent you the information with your name written the way you want it, with your married name as your last name, correct?" Well before the wife could even say yes, the husband flew into a rage yelling, "Why the hell would you ask that??? Why would she want to use her maiden name???" Then he proceeded to ream his wife out about how absurd it was to even consider using her maiden name. Now remember, the lawyer simply asked.. and the married last name was correct (but remember.. there's been lots of issues with last names recently.. so i'm guessing she was just confirming the USCIS had it correct). The lawyer didn't say another thing to the husband. The wife told the husband that she asked for them to use his/her married last name. Talk about awkward.

Anyways, at 10:30 on the dot, a man came out and called Kyle's name. He lead us through the "doors" and into his office. His office looked just like the one in Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynold's film The Proposal. Before we could sit down, he asked us to put our things down and then swore us in. He then asked to see his passport and his EAD. He asked to see my driver's license. He matched it up to our documents. He had Kyle tell him his SSN and wrote it on the front of our I-485. We chatted a few minutes about Kyle's middle name and how he didn't like it. The IO asked Kyle if it was his first marriage (he said yes) and then asked me (I said no, it was my second). The IO said that he would need to look into that. The IO then asked me what our address was and Kyle's DOB. He asked Kyle if it was his first visit to the US and what was his purpose of coming here was. He asked me where Kyle was born. He then had Kyle say my name (and maiden name) and my date of birth.

The IO went on to take the green I-94w out of Kyle's passport and attached it to his files. He then asked Kyle the standard "have you ever" questions and checked them off on the I-485 to make sure they were consistent. He asked Kyle when we got engaged and when/why Kyle decided to stay. The IO asked Kyle about his employment and asked for details about his previous work in Scotland and when/how he let them know he was leaving work.

The IO then asked to see our pictures, he looked at our little wedding album and then a few other pictures we gathered together. I had already sent them two collages of pictures (printed on just a 8.5x11 piece of paper)with the application (one was of our wedding / the other was of before and after the wedding, with dates, and descriptions)..He didn't take any of the pictures and said that the collage we provided with the application was great. He then asked to see any other evidence we had like bills, bank accounts, housing, etc. We gave him a copy of our rental insurance, car insurance, joint bank account, and electric bill. In return, the IO gave us a certified copy of our marriage back as we had submitted two. (One for the I-130 and one for our I-485).

He then said that that was all the questions he had for us for now, and then said we would hear a decision in our case in 7-10 days by mail. At that point I was guttered because I wanted a Yes or No answer right then and there. He then proceeded to explain the removal of conditions process (i-751) and gave us a pen to write the information down. He said we would file 21 months from us receiving the greencard. He also said to provide pictures and evidence like we have before and we "shouldn't" have to appear for an interview. He said 30% of people who file for ROC get an interview, and our chances would go down if we provide all that evidence. So, after reading all the reviews here I kept watching for him to stamp Kyle's passport or have Kyle sign something..and none of that happened. So I asked again, so how will we find out in 7-10 days? And the IO said by mail. Kyle told the IO that I would drive him crazy because I would be constantly checking the websites, texts, and all because we didn't get a clear cut yes/no. The IO just laughed (this is coming from Kyle because I just glazed over wondering why we didn't a yes) and shook his head and said, "no, don't worry. you'll be fine and will hear from us soon."

We then were walked out by the IO and that was that. I was hoping to celebrate and go to a nice lunch and feel all warm and fuzzy feeling with the acceptance. We didn't get that at all. Kyle said he just wanted to go home, so we drove in mostly silence (Kyle slept most of the 2 hour drive home). When we got home, I fell asleep for a few hours as I couldn't even think or eat or anything. I woke up at around 5pm and at 5:30 we got a text from the USCIS. Kyle refused to log on, and I logged on and saw it had moved to post-decision activity saying our greencard had be put into production. I screamed of course and then there was lots of kissing and hugging. :luv:

So.. There's the review. Hope it helps. And for the record, no they didn't ask for my birth certificate (i had already submitted two official/certified copies and didn't want to spend more money on it/or take off time from work to get it). Kyle also kept his EAD.