August 2015 Filers

[3rd 84]

Hi all!

Just wanted to check in with the group as I had my interview yesterday and thought I'd share my experience just in case anyone has theirs coming up or needs the stamp in the their passport like I did. I'll preface saying we got approved, otherwise you might think it's a lot of waffle for nothing!

The San Francisco office indeed has very little street parking, but we got there about 40 minutes before our interview and were able to find a parking area only a block or two away. Around 30 minutes before the interview we approached the line, had our passports and interview letter checked and proceeded to the security door. Usual airport drill, shoes, coat, jewellery, electronic items.

Went up to the second floor and told to wait in the group of chairs marked 'B' until my name was called out. Interview time came and went but couldn't say for sure what time it was (as phones had to be turned off), until suddenly my name was called over the speaker system and told to head to where the elevators were. This freaked me out, but it turned out there were a bunch of offices back there. We went into a small office and asked to raise our right hand and tell the truth.

Then the interview started, with a very brisk formal tone that made me nervous. It's amazing how justifying your love for someone can seem like such a regimented 'tick-the-box' thing, and your entire life hangs in the balance of the decision. Luckily my husband gave my hand a little squeeze and some of the nervous went away. We answered basic questions from the forms and then had our ID's checked, plus I gave my SSN. The first relationship question was asking how we met, then when we met for the first time, and any subsequent limes before we married. There were a few finance questions as my husband was unemployed at the time of filing but now has his own business which he started at the beginning of the year, which was noted down. We were where we had the wedding, and if anyone attended and why not. We replied that our families couldn't afford it but they got to watch the live-stream which was a real pull for us when choosing our venue, the IO smiled at this. Next we were asked if we'd taken any trips together, so we listed off a few of the places we'd gone with friends and by ourselves over the last year. The last one we listed was my husband's cousin's wedding up in Spokane, WA where we had a picture among some of the other photos so we showed this from his phone and I presented the thank you card we received. Her face lit up at our animated talking about how lovely the event was and on family property which made it all the more breathtaking. I'm pretty sure at this point was when she said she had to run some final checks but, if approved, the Green Card should come in the mail in 30 days.

That's when I asked if I were to be approved if it would effect using my AP to get back into the country as we were travelling the next day. Luckily I'd been super organised and not only had all the AOS forms and original documentation (plus copies), as well as notes, cards and other pieces of evidence, but I'd managed to print out our bus tickets and plane tickets. I presented these and she asked if it was possible for us to stick around for a little bit while she ran all the checks. We weren't leaving until 10:30pm that night, so said we were happy to wait and that it was lovely for her to accommodate us. About 10 minutes later we were given an acceptance letter and just had to go to the Information office on the first floor to get the stamp.

So yes, it looks like using my AP might have ended in disaster for coming back into the country so I'm very happy that I was not only approved, but given the temporary stamp in my passport.

Good luck to everyone yet to have their interview!

[Tina&Seb 10]

Congrats 3rd!! So excited for you both. Have a great trip!

Hi all!

Just wanted to check in with the group as I had my interview yesterday and thought I'd share my experience just in case anyone has theirs coming up or needs the stamp in the their passport like I did. I'll preface saying we got approved, otherwise you might think it's a lot of waffle for nothing!

The San Francisco office indeed has very little street parking, but we got there about 40 minutes before our interview and were able to find a parking area only a block or two away. Around 30 minutes before the interview we approached the line, had our passports and interview letter checked and proceeded to the security door. Usual airport drill, shoes, coat, jewellery, electronic items.

Went up to the second floor and told to wait in the group of chairs marked 'B' until my name was called out. Interview time came and went but couldn't say for sure what time it was (as phones had to be turned off), until suddenly my name was called over the speaker system and told to head to where the elevators were. This freaked me out, but it turned out there were a bunch of offices back there. We went into a small office and asked to raise our right hand and tell the truth.

Then the interview started, with a very brisk formal tone that made me nervous. It's amazing how justifying your love for someone can seem like such a regimented 'tick-the-box' thing, and your entire life hangs in the balance of the decision. Luckily my husband gave my hand a little squeeze and some of the nervous went away. We answered basic questions from the forms and then had our ID's checked, plus I gave my SSN. The first relationship question was asking how we met, then when we met for the first time, and any subsequent limes before we married. There were a few finance questions as my husband was unemployed at the time of filing but now has his own business which he started at the beginning of the year, which was noted down. We were where we had the wedding, and if anyone attended and why not. We replied that our families couldn't afford it but they got to watch the live-stream which was a real pull for us when choosing our venue, the IO smiled at this. Next we were asked if we'd taken any trips together, so we listed off a few of the places we'd gone with friends and by ourselves over the last year. The last one we listed was my husband's cousin's wedding up in Spokane, WA where we had a picture among some of the other photos so we showed this from his phone and I presented the thank you card we received. Her face lit up at our animated talking about how lovely the event was and on family property which made it all the more breathtaking. I'm pretty sure at this point was when she said she had to run some final checks but, if approved, the Green Card should come in the mail in 30 days.

That's when I asked if I were to be approved if it would effect using my AP to get back into the country as we were travelling the next day. Luckily I'd been super organised and not only had all the AOS forms and original documentation (plus copies), as well as notes, cards and other pieces of evidence, but I'd managed to print out our bus tickets and plane tickets. I presented these and she asked if it was possible for us to stick around for a little bit while she ran all the checks. We weren't leaving until 10:30pm that night, so said we were happy to wait and that it was lovely for her to accommodate us. About 10 minutes later we were given an acceptance letter and just had to go to the Information office on the first floor to get the stamp.

So yes, it looks like using my AP might have ended in disaster for coming back into the country so I'm very happy that I was not only approved, but given the temporary stamp in my passport.

Good luck to everyone yet to have their interview!

Edited March 12, 2016 by Tina & Seb

[3rd 84]

Thank you so much! So much excitement in such a short space of time. ?

[KASH2011 382]

I'm very happy that I was not only approved, but given the temporary stamp in my passport.

Good luck to everyone yet to have their interview!

Congrats!

[Unidentified 2,930]

Green Card approved without interview! The updated status came on Saturday the 19.

[3rd 84]

Congrats!

Thanks so much!

Green Card approved without interview! The updated status came on Saturday the 19.

This is wonderful news, congratulations!

[KASH2011 382]

Green Card approved without interview! The updated status came on Saturday the 19.

Congrats!

[Tina&Seb 10]

Green Card approved without interview! The updated status came on Saturday the 19.

Congratulations!!

[Tina&Seb 10]

This morning my husband's status updated to " my new card is being produced" straight from our last notification of an RFE and we did not have an interview! We can hardly believe this is real!!

[Unidentified 2,930]

This morning my husband's status updated to " my new card is being produced" straight from our last notification of an RFE and we did not have an interview! We can hardly believe this is real!!

Awesome news, congratulations!

[Tina&Seb 10]

Awesome news, congratulations!

Thank you so much!

[3rd 84]

This morning my husband's status updated to " my new card is being produced" straight from our last notification of an RFE and we did not have an interview! We can hardly believe this is real!!

Congratulations!

Good luck to all moving onto ROC in a couple of years.

[KASH2011 382]

This morning my husband's status updated to " my new card is being produced" straight from our last notification of an RFE and we did not have an interview! We can hardly believe this is real!!

Congrats!

[ducsacrossamerica 15]

We moved to a new state (so a new processing center) at the end of April and submitted our change of address. The online form didn't work, so I had to call in. While I was chatting with the person helping me, they confirmed that the case was still at the NBC. I had always heard that change of address throws you to the bottom of the pile, but we just received our interview date (scheduled June 29). I don't know if the change of address had anything to do with our case finally moving but I'll take it!

[3rd 84]

We moved to a new state (so a new processing center) at the end of April and submitted our change of address. The online form didn't work, so I had to call in. While I was chatting with the person helping me, they confirmed that the case was still at the NBC. I had always heard that change of address throws you to the bottom of the pile, but we just received our interview date (scheduled June 29). I don't know if the change of address had anything to do with our case finally moving but I'll take it!

You've been in an unusually long timeline for approval. Did you have a few RFE's that you had to respond to in all this time? I'm glad you have your interview scheduled though, even if it has been a good while! Fingers crossed for you.