USCIS Baltimore AOS Interview - In Holding Pattern...

[Sootu 0]

Hi All,

My wife Betty and I had our AOS interview in Baltimore on Aug 23rd. We brought everything we ever submitted with our copies. I could have used a forklift . We got there about 1:30pm for our 2pm interview, the place was packed, its obvious some had been waiting there a long time, so I figured this for a long wait. However we were called back right at 2pm by nice but professional African-American woman.

The interview went basically like this:

1) right hand up to swear to tell the truth

2) verifying biographical information

3) verifying supporting documentation (tax returns, bank statements (we only had one since she doesn't have an SSN yet), and photos

4) history of the relationship (how we met, what happened then, what happened next, and so on, until how did marriage come about)

5) review all the photos (she seemed a bit annoyed <quote>Is this it?</quote> we had forgot to put pictures of the reception in there, our goof)

Now we come to the meat of the problem, a little background

Immigration forms are freakin expensive, I could only afford at the time (Jan 06) to send in the I-130. This was sent to the Vermont Service Center and approved on June 16 of this year.

We sent in the rest of the AOS (485,693,864,g325a) forms towards the end of May. We received the interview notice on July 5th indicating the interview for Aug 23rd at 2pm.

Back to the interview....

<quote>I can not approve you until I have the original form I-130 sent from Vermont to place into the case files. It's like you have two case files. I have no idea how long that will take. Once that is recieved I don't see anything that would stop your approval. That will be all for today</quote>.

And it was over.

......................WTH?

Anyone had this happen to them? How long does it take?

The interviewer took Betty's original I-94 and the original approval letter for the I-130. She also told us to continue the EAD process (it has been almost 3 months since that was submitted).

Did I even need the I-130 since she was already here as an F-1 student? I wish I could volunteer to go pick it up, lol.

ANY insight you can provide would be wonderful and appreciated.

Thanks,

Michael y Betty

[Kez/JWolf 6]

Yes you need the I-130.... I think this has happened because to adjust status here in the US you are ment to submit the I-130 along with the AOS and they are adjudicated on at the same time....

Hope you hear some good news soon

Kezzie

[Dr_LHA 3]

Yes you need the I-130.... I think this has happened because to adjust status here in the US you are ment to submit the I-130 along with the AOS and they are adjudicated on at the same time....

Hope you hear some good news soon

Kezzie

You are not meant to do them at the same time, it's perfectly fine to do it either way, but it is advantagous to file simultaneously. I know plenty of people who filed I-130 first, then I-485 after it had been approved, due to financial issues and they never had any problem.

However, I would wait a few weeks before getting worried. I'm sure the document was requested, and you'll get approved soon.

[Kez/JWolf 6]

Yes you need the I-130.... I think this has happened because to adjust status here in the US you are ment to submit the I-130 along with the AOS and they are adjudicated on at the same time....

Hope you hear some good news soon

Kezzie

You are not meant to do them at the same time, it's perfectly fine to do it either way, but it is advantagous to file simultaneously. I know plenty of people who filed I-130 first, then I-485 after it had been approved, due to financial issues and they never had any problem.

However, I would wait a few weeks before getting worried. I'm sure the document was requested, and you'll get approved soon.

So dr_lha you have made it your task to pick me up on everything that I write.... If you read the guides and talk to USCIS if you are going to file for AOS from within the USA and you have not had a Visa number made available to you by K1 or K3 then you should file I-130 along with your AOS... yes you are right there is nothing to stop you from filing the I-130 alone and then when approved file AOS but the OP has discovered one of the down sides of doing this.... as just about all the people that file for AOS from tourist/work/student visa's file the I-130 at the same time as AOS and do not have the problem that the OP is having.. then is it not best to advise that it is better to file at the same time and that way your I-130 is approved the same day as your AOS and no hold up occurs....

Kezzie

[Dr_LHA 3]

Sorry if you feel picked on Kezzie, its not intentional. Its just that by saying "you're meant to file together" it sounds like you're saying the OP made a mistake when they didn't.

[Kez/JWolf 6]

Well if they had filed them together they maybe would have got the AOS approval at interview.... so maybe they did only they can say...

and no I dont feel picked on I am just getting a little bit pissed that you spend so much time picking me up on things you think are wrong...

Read the Guide talk to USCIS they will both tell you that they should be filed together... but at the end of the day there is nothing to stop you from filing anyway you want for anything you want... whether you do it in the best way and in a way that will get you approved is another story...

Kezzie

[Dr_LHA 3]

Someone needs to take a chill pill.

[Kez/JWolf 6]

Yeh your right I would say you need a double dose..

[Dr_LHA 3]

Yeh your right I would say you need a double dose..

[Sootu 0]

I was thinking that the interview letter came within a month after AOS submission due to the i-130 being approved. Considering Baltimore processing times are still back at Sep 8, 2005 I considered that the reason.

Can anyone add to the guides to make sure to file it at the same time for those not K1,K3? That seems to be the consensus to avoid this situation. Although, even if sent at the same time, the i-130's are processed at the Service Centers no?

The waiting begins...

[Kez/JWolf 6]

if you file the I-130 along with the AOS then they are approved/denied at the same time by the interviewing officer..

The guide her does need a bit of updating but it is good at telling you what you need to file and to where it should be sent...

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...page=i130guide2

it is for people who are both in the US and did not come on a K visa..

Hope things get sorted for you soon...

Kezzie