January 2010 AOS Filers

[Andrelle 1]

Here's our interview review...we got approved!!!

We got to the office (in Lawrence, MA), about 15 minutes early. Went through security, handed in our interview notice, and went to the waiting room. It was about half an hour until we got called in. The IO was really nice, started by asking for my birth certificate, EAD card, passport, license and social security card, and my husband's license. When she noticed I was from Quebec we all started talking about hockey ...she grew up nearby in Vermont.

Then all that she did was confirm everything on my I-485 application, asked the big list of questions, and approved everything!!! She didn't ask us ANY questions about how we met, etc... and didn't want to see ANY of the evidence we brought!!! She kept my EAD card, and said I should recieve my GC within a week!

Oh - and we both wore pretty casual clothes, me brown pants and a blue shirt, husband jeans and a polo.

Good luck to everyone with interviews coming up!!!!!

Congratulations!!! Thanks for sharing

Hello everyone. Today Cory received the approval on her AP. It was issued on March 25. Things are moving pretty fast. I hope to see some movement on the rest of the paperwork.

PEACE everybody and big congratulations to all on their approvals.

Congratulations!!!

[MARM 7]

Congrats to Fatima and everyone else on successful interviews! :dancing:

[DND2009 3]

Congrats to all that have had their interview and received their GC via mail!

I must agree that I really liked our group too, everyone was just so encouraging and helpful whenever there was a question. I will certainly look for you guys when time comes for our ROC...just imagine how much our lives will be different at that point, some of us will have started families, visited family back in our countries as a marriage couple, and started to work!

Fatima and Tina - special shout out to for working on the spreadsheet, really gave us a gauge of where each of stood.

Positive thoughts now for the rest of us on this leg of the journey!!!

[victorious 0]

Congratulations Fatima!

Got my employment card today. Now I can apply for ssn.

[Calypso 464]

Congratulations Fatima!

Got my employment card today. Now I can apply for ssn.

for the update.

You have adequate time to prepare for your interview.

[victorious 0]

for the update.

You have adequate time to prepare for your interview.

Yes, I am Calypso thank you. We are going to start tomorrow for putting them up together. I'm excited for my interview. Hopefully I'll get my ssn soon so my hubby can add me in his bank acct.

[victorious 0]

Congratulation!

[kaikeen 0]

Hi everyone!! i`m just a little confused:

I received a pink REF notice from

US Department of Homeland Security

P.O. box 648004

Lees Summit, M0

64002

So I mailed REF overnight via USPS to this address (last night).

Today it was delivered: Your item was delivered at 6:11 PM on April 1, 2010 in LEES SUMMIT, MO 64081 to HOMELAND SECURITY . The item was signed for by M SIEVERS.

Question: why delivery zip cod doesn’t match? I sent it to 64002 and it is delivered at 64081. Why is that? Has my REF gone to a wrong place?

[Toyota 2]

Hi everyone!

We got to the USCIS office about 10-15 minutes before our scheduled appointment (8 AM). We went through security check - had a bit of hold up because of my compact mirror (it was a birthday gift from my brother's fiancee - I guess it beeped because it was made of metal) - even the security personnel were wondering because I had nothing else in my purse; just our passports, my planner, wallet, pens, lip sunscreen and house key. I took out the mirror and they put my purse through the machine again and it cleared. After that we went to the reception desk and we were told to go through the automatic doors and drop our interview notice in the tray in Window 8 and wait for my name to be called. We waited for about 45 minutes. About 4 people who came after us were called before we were. One man was called but his wife wasn't allowed to come in with him. My hubby and I thought that they interviewed couples separately but when the IO called my name, my hubby went up to him and asked if he could come and the IO said, "The more the merrier!" I guess the other man was on a different visa? There was also a family of five who all went in together so I'm not sure. Or maybe it depends on the IO?

We went in to the IO's 'office' and my hubby asked, "Should I close the door, sir?" and the IO said that we could leave it open because he was a bit claustrophobic. He was really pleasant! The first thing he asked us was, "So, you got married in Vegas?" and we smiled and said yes. He asked if we had a nice time and we said for sure. He asked if we gambled - my hubby told him about how he placed a bet on the Steelers preseason game and won. The IO asked if my hubby grew up a Steelers fan and Jim said it was hard to be a Lions fan (the Lions being the worst team in the NFL). I said we rooted for the Vikings all year and the IO laughed. Jim added that we just didn't tell anyone about it. LOL. The IO asked us if we had any plans for Easter and my hubby answered that we'd probably go down to my mother-in-law's. I also added that my sister-in-law might have something planned. The IO said he was planning on just watching basketball. My husband asked about how his bracket was and the IO said it went bad fast (same as my husband, after the first round, a lot of his teams were eliminated). I said at least Michigan State made it to the Final Four! The IO said, "There's something to cheer about!" and we all laughed.

At some point during that conversation or maybe after (I can't remember), the IO asked us for my passport and our marriage certificate (I asked if he wanted my husband's too but he just wanted mine). He took my I-94 and punched a hole through it and kept it (with my file? I can't remember either, LOL - Jim said that they even use the same folders that the military uses - all of the papers were fastened together in one brown folder). He asked me my full name, birthdate, country of birth, asked if we had any children. He went through all the questions in the I-485 to which I answered "NO" - I believe at one point, when asked about ever being deported, I added that it was my first time in the U.S. - he encircled all my answers on the I-485 with a red marker. Then he closed the folder, took a yellow post-it, stuck it in front of the folder and wrote I-485 on it. He handed back my passport and our marriage certificate and he said, "Congratulations Fatima, you are now a Permanent Resident!" He said he didn't have anything to give me right then and there that says I'm a permanent resident because it takes them about two weeks but we should have my card in the mail very soon. He didn't ask for my EAD or AP or anything else. He said that since we've been married for less than 2 years, I'll get the 2-year conditional green card and within 90 days of expiry, we have to file another application (I-751). Jim asked if we'd have to go back to the office for another interview for that. The IO said that files get pulled out randomly and lately interviews have been increasing but as long as our marriage looks good on paper (all the stuff we send in for the I-751), we'll be fine.

The name change issue didn't come up but Jim asked anyway. The IO explained that they go by the Birth Certificate. What he could do was use

my first name as in my birth certificate (I have two first names) then drop my middle name completely and just change my last name to my husband's last name - I'd just be one of those people with no middle name. The other option was to keep my middle name from birth (mother's last name) and change my last name to my husband's name. No matter what, I'd still have two first names. The IO said that most people from the Philippines opt for the first one - no middle name but I opted for the 2nd one. The IO put it in the system that I'll be keeping my middle name. He said it's not really a big deal because when they look me up in the system, they'll just look at first name and last name. The middle name isn't really that important. And we can still change it when we file the I-751. Then he and my hubby got to talking about naming conventions for other countries and how it must be difficult. The IO laughed and said, "We manage."

I asked if he needed the certified copy of our Marriage Certificate and he said copies were all they needed. I asked him again if he needed anything else from us and he said, "No, too much paperwork already!" LOL. We had a huge folder with all our documents (copies) and a paperbag with all of the originals as well as 2 photo albums but he didn't ask for anything. I guess we'll save those for the I-751

He walked us out the door, through the hallway and even opened the outer door towards the waiting room for us. His parting words were, "If we don't see you again, that will be a good thing." (something like that) "It was nice to meet you!"

All in all, I'd say the actual interview regarding the I-485 lasted no more than 2, maybe 3 minutes? We were in and out so fast! It was really great experience! ^___^ We had a really nice IO.

Jim and I spent the drive home smiling and laughing. We listened to an audiobook but I fell asleep...LOL. He had to go to work for the afternoon but we'll be celebrating tomorrow night (we rented a movie and plan to just relax at home...) then Saturday, we'll be going to my sister-in-law's. ^___^

Thank you so much for the messages yesterday, wishing us luck and for all the prayers!!! You've all been so wonderful!!!

* About an hour after our interview, I received an email!

On April 1, 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.

Congratulations to you two!!!

[Laura & Kyle 16]

Congratulations to the many APs/EADs/Interviews recently approved and/or received. This group was a great place to go to get questions answered and to just feel "normal" about all the worrying. It actually made me feel less anxious when I saw others posting more "anxiously" than me.

I wore black chino pants and aqua top. Kyle wore a red polo with grey jeans.

We haven't gotten Kyle's greencard yet.. still waiting. Hoping to get it over the weekend.

[victorious 0]

Just want to tell everyone that I start working today.Its only a part time job 15/hr transcribing blue book of Building and Construction of GA 2010. And I can work from home but this will only last for 2 weeks. Better than nothing at all and my job hunting will start today.

[Noah&Diah 2]

Heading to our interviw in about an hour....wish us luck!

[menina 50]

Heading to our interviw in about an hour....wish us luck!

Good luck! By my calculations you should be called out of the waiting room at any time now. Let us know how it goes!

[Calypso 464]

Heading to our interviw in about an hour....wish us luck!

All the best for your interview!

You have our good intentions. It's a Good Friday after all.

[Tina&Roland 4]

Went for my first company job interview today! I thought that I developed a rapport with the interviewers, but you just never know...anyway, hoping for the best!

Congrats on the recent approvals, and hope for more news next week!