Active duty deployed service member, wife just turned away from I-485 interview

[tangrien 7]

Good for you and your wife for understanding the rules (better than the agents even, which is uncomfortably common), going back there, and getting the job done. Congratulations to you both, and I hope you get to be with her again soon!

Edited April 10, 2014 by tangrien

[Messybrownhair 251]

Glad it all worked out for you! That was a definite mistake on their part. Good thing you were very proactive about it!

[Dualie 185]

You are right. This was probably going where they did not want it to go, so they back peddled big time. They do NOT want to be found messing with the military. Royal screw up on that IO's part. Sounds like you have a strong spouse there, and I want to wish you both all the best. You can put this unpleasantness behind you now and live your dreams.

[Jon and Krissy 452]

Holy #######! After making some phone calls, little research, etc etc (I've become very resourceful and quick even deployed)...I told my wife not to give up! Go back with a print out from the USCIS website saying I don't have to be at the interview and go fight! Be cool, but give the facts and appeal to them...explain how it's incorrect that I have to be there, etc etc. She fought...got the interview and was APPROVED on the spot! How crazy is this? Thanks for reading and the info! Fortunately, this is a non issue

I just read this. You are both my heroes. Seriously. You went against the nightmare bureaucracy that is the USCIS, and armed with the truth, got justice.

Way to go, Aaron and Marina!!! :thumbs:

[Darnell 8,478]

Thank you very much!

It turned out, like Darnell was speculating, the officer didn't review the case prior. When I wasn't there, it threw off their whole operation, and in order to cover their a$$ last minute, they resched'd and tossed her out. That's exactly what happened. It's cool though, because afterall, she's just a dumb foreignerin a great American government agency and won't fight it....she has no idea if it's correct or not, so she'll just buy it. I'm sure they counted on that.

What those F's didn't count on though, is I'm deployed, and TSgt in the US Air Force and in constant contact w/my wife, as I was at that instant. I researched and ran all this down since the beginning, and I won't have my money or my wife's and cousin's time wasted, because officers don't want to review the file. We paid $985 for this. We paid for a service as does everyone else, and not only do I expect to and will receive that service that I paid for, but I sure as he11 won't tolerate having even more money and/or time wasted because of bad processes/workers.

So she went back, gave them the deployment poclicy straight from the military section of the USCIS website, and drilled them to provide a good, reasonable honest answer why they couldn't and/or wouldn't do it. She pressed them hard apparently. I guess they decided, knowing it was their mistake, this was getting real and before this got taken to a place they didn't want it to go, they decided to come clean and make it happen. During the interview, which lasted all of 1 minute before the approval, the guy was apologizing profusely. That just says it all right there.

So I mean, it all worked out, but it should never have come to that.

Ya, sometimes my uscis-fu is spot on. I hate these sub-humans at the local offices. lax, most of them, that sit across the glass counters...

[QueenComley 295]

You still have the DMV to go...

DMV is a piece of cake. Im from the UK, have spent my life driving on the opposite side of the road and passed my written and practical driving test yesterday on my very first attempt. Today was the first day I felt free as a bird in America LOL!!!!....., Until my husband called me from work and asked me to drive to the store and do the weekly grocery shop BLAH!!!

Awesome news Aaron and Marina!!!

Edited April 10, 2014 by QueenComley

[Boiler 45,541]

The test is a joke, operational efficiency is similar.

[QueenComley 295]

The test is a joke, operational efficiency is similar.

I have to admit..... your correct.... The UK Driving test is so strict & structured, the aim is to make it almost impossible for you to pass. I was a nervous wreck yesterday waiting to take the written and practice test.... I had finished the written test in 2 minutes... and my driving test consisted of me driving in and out of the parking lot (approx 400FT). I couldn't believe it. Luckily my husband and a friend have given me driving lessons over this past year so I am confident on the road. But agreed Boiler.... the test is a joke.

[Aaron and Marina 24]

I just read this. You are both my heroes. Seriously. You went against the nightmare bureaucracy that is the USCIS, and armed with the truth, got justice.

Way to go, Aaron and Marina!!! :thumbs:

Kind, exciting words...thank you very much! I'm sure it's rare to stand against them and win, but it worked this time! Thankfully I told her to go back and try and then she took a stand herself. After no change on the website and no word since 9 Apr, my mom finally received the welcome letter and my wife's actual Green Card yesterday (we had it sent to to her while I'm deployed and my wife is in Russia while I'm away)...so all good for a couple years! Just gotta update the AOS package a little bit for the I-751 and apply for the conditions removal about 1 Mar 16.