LOS ANGELES

[californiadream_ 2]

B2 visa overstayed since 2007
Self-Filed – NO LAWYER
Married USC : 01/30/2017

 

PD: 02/23/2017
EAD + AP in Production: 05/08/2017
EAD + AP Card: 05/16/2017
Notice for interview via email: 08/10/2017
    Interview notice got lost in the mailing process, called USCIS to fax it to local       Office Depot (they can only fax it 5 days prior to interview date)
Notice of interview received through Fax: 09/06/2017
Interview Date: 09/11/2017 @ 2:00 pm 

 

*Background:
* Beneficiary overstayed since 2007 (finished HS and Bachelors Degree during overstay)
* Beneficiary did not qualify for DACA due to arrival date (one week after the cut off date)
* USC is unemployed and never filed tax, there for a Co-Sponsor’s income is used solely (both USC and Co-Sponsor filed I-864)
*USC 26, beneficiary 23 – same race 

 

Interview:
Arrived at the LA Immigration building at 1:00 pm. We were not allowed to check in until 1:45 (15 min before interview appointment). A white male officer called us in about 10 min before the scheduled time although it was very busy that day. The officer had us take the oath; take picture and finger printed the beneficiary. He started off by asking the address that we live together. He asked what evidences we have to show him and told us about the consequences for fraud to the government. The officer was very INTIMIDATING and SCARY although he was smiling all the time. The evidence that were brought to the interview were: marriage certificate, joint car insurance, joint bank account and statements, photo album, holiday&birthday cards, and affidavit from USC mother stating the couple lives with her at her house. The officer did not even look through all of the evidences and he said that this marriage is not really bona fide and it is hard for him to believe it is. He said that we don’t want to be on his huge pile of undecided case that will take a long period of time to hear from him. To make sure that the marriage is bona fide, he will have to interview us separately. The separated interview started with the USC, and it took about 45 min. He had the USC write down in details about what we did the day before the interview, which was Sunday from when we woke up to the time we went to sleep. He basically asked us the same questions and then cross compares them. The interview with the beneficiary lasted about 35 min without the USC present.

 

Questions: Asked again and again but with different approach
➢    Showed a google map of the neighborhood and asked which house we live in
➢    Street Sweeping days
➢    Where we park our cars?
➢    What is in the garage?
➢    Who lives in the house?
➢    How many bedrooms?
➢    Bed size and color?
➢    Where and who we keep our dirty laundry in?
➢    Where wee keep our clothes?
➢    What is under the bed?
➢    What we ate last night?
➢    Who fell asleep first?
➢    Asked if we were related at all or our family knew each other before?

 

All of our answers pretty much matched up.The officer confronted to the beneficiary about discrepancies to the answers, but the beneficiary explained to who fell asleep first the night before. He said that he would send someone to do some investigations in our neighborhood and ask around. The beneficiary told him that he should not worry about us lying to him and confronted him that our marriage is real. He still doubted the marriage at that point. He then asked the beneficiary Yes No questions. He also asked to look at the beneficiary passport with the B2 visa along with the I-94, but he did not take it. Then, he said that he could not make any decision at the point and to give him 4 months to review our case, and not to contact them until 120 days. He gave the beneficiary a letter stating that the case is held for review for 120 days. We were so disappointed when we left the office, as the heart-wrenching wait will continue for many more unknown days.

15 days later on 09/26/2017, we received an email around 1pm saying that the green card was produced. I was so happy and started crying. The next day, the I-485 cased was updated to being approved on the website.

 

Green Card Produced: 09/26/207
Approval Notice for I-130 and I-485: 09/30/2017
Called USCIS for Green Card Tracking Number: 10/03/2107
Green Card: 10/06/2017

 

I hope that my long explanation of my case can be helpful to a lot of people here on this forum as we all thrive to make it in this great country. This forum has kept me endured this tumultuous journey towards becoming a permanent residence in this wonderful country. Your experiences on this forum have helped me grow so much. GOOD LUCK to those of you who are still awaiting your success. Your turn will eventually come! ALWAYS KEEP THE FAITH! Last but not least, May God Bless America.

 

 

 

[Meg&Andrew 297]

Wow. Congratulations!! 

[Lizziecakes 101]

L.A. office is becoming more and more difficult ! We had trouble with them too, our interviewer said it looked like real bona fide marriage. So we left that L.A. office thinking everything was fine, two weeks later we get hit with a "Request for Initial Evidence" this after having received the I-130 approval. ?!?! 

 

We had already had a request for initial evidence during the process so we were really confused on what they could possibly ask for. The letter gets to us , and it asks for the same thing the first one did... Evidence of lawful entry. (also an overstay B1/B2)

 

We sent the actual passport with the entry stamp and current passport, a little more than a month later we get the card in production e-mail.

 

Interview: 07/31/2017

I-130 approved: 07/31/2017

I-485 approved: 09/27/2017