DC/Baltimore AOS

[Jiga 8]

7 hours ago, JasonGG said:

Apply for your social security number.  My wife applied 2 days after arriving in the U.S (https://www.visajourney.com/content/ssn) and the card arrived in the mail 1 week later.

 

Start filling out the I-485, I-785, and I-131 for adjustment of status, employment authorization, and advance parole.  You can send these as soon as the ink dries on your marriage certificate next week.  Get passport photos taken (for the applications mentioned) and prepare to request several copies of your marriage certificate.  Collect documents needed when you submit the I-485.

 

Ask you spouse to add you to utility bills, cell phone plan, and rental agreement.  When the social security card arrives, your should be added to your spouse's bank account.  All of this (plus health insurance statements and beneficiary statements) should be saved as proof of a "bona fide" marriage for your upcoming green card interview.

 

Good luck and congratulations! - Jason

Hi Jason, r u guys done with ur interview? I saw ur post sometime back in July aos files group. Even I applied from Baltimore on July 31. My i-485 status changed to ready to schedule for interview’ on sep 6th. After that there is no change. Other forms are still in case received status. Just want to know how is others timeline applied from Baltimore.

[JasonGG 280]

14 hours ago, Jiga said:

Hi Jason, r u guys done with ur interview? I saw ur post sometime back in July aos files group. Even I applied from Baltimore on July 31. My i-485 status changed to ready to schedule for interview’ on sep 6th. After that there is no change. Other forms are still in case received status. Just want to know how is others timeline applied from Baltimore.

Our interview is Tuesday.  I don't think our timeline is the norm, though.  - Jason

[Jiga 8]

10 hours ago, JasonGG said:

Our interview is Tuesday.  I don't think our timeline is the norm, though.  - Jason

Did u get ur ead?

[JasonGG 280]

10 hours ago, Jiga said:

Did u get ur ead?

No, she didn't receive her EAD or AP yet.  They were estimated to be received in mid- to late-November.  The green card interview was scheduled so quickly that she will (hopefully) have her green card before USCIS would have processed those applications.

 

Jason

[marislet 8]

We had our GC interview on Aug 30th in Baltimore and still haven't heard anything.  Is this normal??

[JasonGG 280]

Attended our interview in Baltimore yesterday.  Waited about 20 minutes after going through security and check in.  Interview lasted a little over an hour as the officer went line by line of my wife's application asking her to respond to each entry from memory.  Supplied joint bank statements, utility bills, insurance (car, home, life, health) and photos.  Asked each of us to identify someone in the photos we provided, the name of the grocery store we shop at (from the bank statement), how we met, have I met her parents and do they like me, and what initially drew me to my wife.  He asked my step-daughter about 5-6 questions (my name, age, name, does she like the USA, etc.)  Her mother translated some of it and she responded without help in English.

 

My wife was a little nervous and the officer made her more nervous questioning her about my nonexistent brother . . . I eventually interrupted and said to the officer that I didn't know what paper he was looking at because I don't have a brother.  He also was concerned about her name . . . she responded with the Vietnamese name order - Last, Middle First.  He wanted her to respond Last, First, Middle.  I spoke up and explained the Vietnamese naming custom and that seemed to help.

 

When it was finished, he said that he had "no reason not to approve the application" but needed to conduct a final review before approving them in the system.  He then explained that the green card would arrive within a week of the status changing online, they would need to remove conditions 90 days before the 2-yeard card expired, and that my wife could apply for citizenship in 3 years.  I am hoping that he said all of this because he planned to approve us.  When we left, he gave us 2 form letters (one each for my wife and daughter) that said the case was undergoing review and a decision would be made in 120 days.

 

It has been about 21 hours since the end of the interview, the new USCIS status website still says "Interview Scheduled."  The old website says "Interview Was Completed And My Case Must Be Reviewed."  I am trying not to check every 30 minutes hoping for a status change!

 

Jason

 

[Nouchigang 200]

5 hours ago, marislet said:

We had our GC interview on Aug 30th in Baltimore and still haven't heard anything.  Is this normal??

I had mine on June 26th and still nothing. 

Tried to get my Congressman and the Ombudsman to shake things up but they both responded that we are still within processing times and have to wait.

My next move is an Infopass at the end of the month, praying I get some answers during the appointment.

[Nouchigang 200]

57 minutes ago, JasonGG said:

Attended our interview in Baltimore yesterday.  Waited about 20 minutes after going through security and check in.  Interview lasted a little over an hour as the officer went line by line of my wife's application asking her to respond to each entry from memory.  Supplied joint bank statements, utility bills, insurance (car, home, life, health) and photos.  Asked each of us to identify someone in the photos we provided, the name of the grocery store we shop at (from the bank statement), how we met, have I met her parents and do they like me, and what initially drew me to my wife.  He asked my step-daughter about 5-6 questions (my name, age, name, does she like the USA, etc.)  Her mother translated some of it and she responded without help in English.

 

My wife was a little nervous and the officer made her more nervous questioning her about my nonexistent brother . . . I eventually interrupted and said to the officer that I didn't know what paper he was looking at because I don't have a brother.  He also was concerned about her name . . . she responded with the Vietnamese name order - Last, Middle First.  He wanted her to respond Last, First, Middle.  I spoke up and explained the Vietnamese naming custom and that seemed to help.

 

When it was finished, he said that he had "no reason not to approve the application" but needed to conduct a final review before approving them in the system.  He then explained that the green card would arrive within a week of the status changing online, they would need to remove conditions 90 days before the 2-yeard card expired, and that my wife could apply for citizenship in 3 years.  I am hoping that he said all of this because he planned to approve us.  When we left, he gave us 2 form letters (one each for my wife and daughter) that said the case was undergoing review and a decision would be made in 120 days.

 

It has been about 21 hours since the end of the interview, the new USCIS status website still says "Interview Scheduled."  The old website says "Interview Was Completed And My Case Must Be Reviewed."  I am trying not to check every 30 minutes hoping for a status change!

 

Jason

 

Congrats! I think since the officer gave you a speech on the Conditional Green Card and all is a great sign and the fact that you have a Daughter together is an added bonus. You should be approved very soon Im sure.

[JasonGG 280]

14 minutes ago, Nouchigang said:

Congrats! I think since the officer gave you a speech on the Conditional Green Card and all is a great sign and the fact that you have a Daughter together is an added bonus. You should be approved very soon Im sure.

She is my step-daughter, but when the officer asked what my name is, she replied "Daddy."  Even if that doesn't help, it is always nice to hear. 😄

 

 

[Nouchigang 200]

24 minutes ago, JasonGG said:

She is my step-daughter, but when the officer asked what my name is, she replied "Daddy."  Even if that doesn't help, it is always nice to hear. 😄

 

 

Awwwwww, Im sure it does!

[marislet 8]

So feeling a bit lost now..... We haven't heard back about the GC, going on 50 days now... His work auth expires Jan 22nd.  Do we need to apply for a renewal then?  If so we are even late in applying.  HELP!

 

EDIT:  Right after I submitted this I got a text.  The website now says the following.  Does that indicate Green Card?  lol It doesn't say!!
On October 24, 2018, we ordered your new card for Receipt Number MSCxxxxxx, and will mail it to the address you gave us. If you move, go to www.uscis.gov/addresschange to give us your new mailing address.

Edited October 24, 2018 by marislet

[Nouchigang 200]

4 minutes ago, marislet said:

So feeling a bit lost now..... We haven't heard back about the GC, going on 50 days now... His work auth expires Jan 22nd.  Do we need to apply for a renewal then?  If so we are even late in applying.  HELP!

Hello,

 

I feel you, I am in a similar situation, I have been waiting for 120 days now since my interview, hang in there!!

About your EAD, please do not wait and send the renewal for you EAD now or ASAP, you can send the renewal as early as 6 months before it expires. You probably were hoping to get approved before it expires but it seems that the Baltimore office is very slow to approve nowadays.

To do the renewal you just need to fill out the I-765 form, 2 pictures and a copy of your I-485 receipt to show that your case is still pending and the fee is waived. You will mail everything to NBC like you did the first time.

 Once they send you a receipt for the renewal the letter will serve as an automatic extension of 180 days after the expiration dat: https://www.uscis.gov/working-united-states/automatic-employment-authorization-document-ead-extension.

 

Good luck

[marislet 8]

1 hour ago, Nouchigang said:

Hello,

 

I feel you, I am in a similar situation, I have been waiting for 120 days now since my interview, hang in there!!

About your EAD, please do not wait and send the renewal for you EAD now or ASAP, you can send the renewal as early as 6 months before it expires. You probably were hoping to get approved before it expires but it seems that the Baltimore office is very slow to approve nowadays.

To do the renewal you just need to fill out the I-765 form, 2 pictures and a copy of your I-485 receipt to show that your case is still pending and the fee is waived. You will mail everything to NBC like you did the first time.

 Once they send you a receipt for the renewal the letter will serve as an automatic extension of 180 days after the expiration dat: https://www.uscis.gov/working-united-states/automatic-employment-authorization-document-ead-extension.

 

Good luck

I wish you good luck.   Apparently they just approved the green card!  The website isn't very clear, but the email I received spells it out pretty clearly! Sooo excited.

[Nouchigang 200]

2 hours ago, marislet said:

I wish you good luck.   Apparently they just approved the green card!  The website isn't very clear, but the email I received spells it out pretty clearly! Sooo excited.

Yayyy congrats!

[JasonGG 280]

My wife and step-daughter's green cards were approved and the status on the old website shows the card is being produced!  Waited 6 days from the interview.  What a stressful process!  We can breath a little easier . . . just a little though.  My wife's son has his K2 interview at the end of November and then we can start his AOS process.  Perhaps by the time he gets his green card, my wife will be ready to remove conditions, then citizenship.  Some day, I will look forward to not having piles of immigration paperwork and evidence in every drawer and piled around my computer!!!