I-751 with divorce waiver. Interview experience

[AlexNY 9]

Hey everybody. I got my green card a week ago and want to share my experience.

I filed my docs in Feb 2017. Two months before that I filed for divorce. It was supposed to be finalized by Summer 2017. Our marriage was pretty short due to some issues that arose from nowhere. We separated. After more than a year I filed for a divorce. My package included some basic docs like bank statements, apartments leases, bills, few pictures, insurances, tax returns and something else what I already forgot. I was a bit stupid not to include everything I had at that time. On top of that when I got RFE I found that I didn't cover 3 months following the moment I got my 2-year GC. How dumb I was.

Here's my timeline:

- Feb 2017 filed I-751 to VSC

- Mar 2017 biometrics

- Feb 2018 some updates on the status as many people also had

- Feb 2018 received RFE and my response in a week

- May 2018 transferred to NBC

- Aug 2018 made a request online. Received response that my case was pending to be scheduled for an interview

- Nov 2018 it was in my field office. The moment when it got there is unknown. Tier 2 officer said in Jan 2019 that a response for my 2nd request was made from my field office NYC.

- Mar 2019 received an interview invitation

- April 3 2019 interview

- April 13 2019 GC arrived

Interview was scheduled at 4:15pm. It was strange for me because USCIS building is closed at 3:30pm. I came to the building at 4:10. There were no people, no lines, no waiting. It seemed like everybody went home after work. I came to the floor on the invitation. No line. I was given direction to another floor. I came there. No line again. Went strait to the windows. It was 4:15. Gave my letter and was advised to have a seat. There were like 20 people in the room. Seems like they were couples. I just sat on a chair and in 30sec my IO came out. Huh I didn't even have a chance to get nervous.

So we went to her cubicle. After that everything was straight. She was firm. She was asking me questions from the very beginning of our relationship, how and when we met, how we got in touch, where we lived, how we moved together, how long we lived together, questions about her relatives, when I saw them for the first time, how we paid for our living needs. Then we got to the questions about problems in our relationship and why we separated. There was a moment when my emotions took control of me when she asked one of the questions about us but I don't want to go into details, it's a bit embarrassing. Anyway she kept asking me questions. She said that I didn't have enough evidence. She asked me for more. I gave her tax transcripts, some detailed bank statements, and screenshots with our messages. Then she said that my case was still under review, if they need anything they would send it by mail. That's it.

Interview was on Wednesday. Next Monday I got online update that my card is ordered to be printed. On Wednesday it was mailed. Next day it was picked up by USPS. On Friday I got an approval letter. On Saturday the card came to my mail box.

My advise to others is to be honest. That's it. Tell your IO the truth and everything will be fine even if you don't have a lot of evidence.

The whole ROC journey took 2 years and 2 months. I hope my story can help someone.

[Pitaya 2,577]

CONGRATULATIONS !!!!

 

 

(Don't forget to update your timeline. 😃)

Edited April 21, 2019 by Pitaya

[fip & jim 452]

Thanks for sharing and detailing what worked for your case. It must have been a difficult couple of years for you.

[LMPalatine 2]

Congrats! I want though a similar situation about the same timeline. The one thing I strongly suggest when I doubt is to definitely get a lawyer. It was key to me to continue re-building my life during the years that this process was on-going. I didn't have an interview or get any RFE'S. It was seamless and once I sent in my docs to the lawyer, and did my biometrics, the next update was that the card was mailed. 

[OnTheGoFaroese 1]

Thank you for giving us an idea

[santiagosilva 8]

(I've posted this in another thread, but i'm too tired to weed through all the different threads on this forum.)

 

 

did anyone send in a waver after having sent in the original i 751? if so, did you pay all the fees again / send in further evidence?

[InhaleExhale 28]

On 4/21/2019 at 12:14 PM, LMPalatine said:

The one thing I strongly suggest when I doubt is to definitely get a lawyer. It was key to me to continue re-building my life during the years that this process was on-going. I didn't have an interview or get any RFE'S. It was seamless and once I sent in my docs to the lawyer, and did my biometrics, the next update was that the card was mailed. 

Is there a specific reason you are recommending a lawyer? Was there any document you could have not formulated yourself without the lawyer?

[fromthewater 11]

On 4/21/2019 at 10:15 AM, AlexNY said:

Hey everybody. I got my green card a week ago and want to share my experience.

 

Congratulations, and thanks for sharing!

 

Can you also share what were the evidence you sent? And how long you were married for before separating? How long you knew each other before getting married?

 

I don't have a lot of evidences, and I even wonder if telling our stories would be sufficient...

 

[Lyn Ng 0]

On 4/21/2019 at 3:14 PM, LMPalatine said:

Congrats! I want though a similar situation about the same timeline. The one thing I strongly suggest when I doubt is to definitely get a lawyer. It was key to me to continue re-building my life during the years that this process was on-going. I didn't have an interview or get any RFE'S. It was seamless and once I sent in my docs to the lawyer, and did my biometrics, the next update was that the card was mailed. 

Congrats! So you must had submitted strong evidence in order to not have interview. Could you please list us documents that you sent to USCIS? 
thank you

[Kevinbrant 2]

On 4/21/2019 at 10:15 AM, AlexNY said:

Hey everybody. I got my green card a week ago and want to share my experience.

I filed my docs in Feb 2017. Two months before that I filed for divorce. It was supposed to be finalized by Summer 2017. Our marriage was pretty short due to some issues that arose from nowhere. We separated. After more than a year I filed for a divorce. My package included some basic docs like bank statements, apartments leases, bills, few pictures, insurances, tax returns and something else what I already forgot. I was a bit stupid not to include everything I had at that time. On top of that when I got RFE I found that I didn't cover 3 months following the moment I got my 2-year GC. How dumb I was.

Here's my timeline:

- Feb 2017 filed I-751 to VSC

- Mar 2017 biometrics

- Feb 2018 some updates on the status as many people also had

- Feb 2018 received RFE and my response in a week

- May 2018 transferred to NBC

- Aug 2018 made a request online. Received response that my case was pending to be scheduled for an interview

- Nov 2018 it was in my field office. The moment when it got there is unknown. Tier 2 officer said in Jan 2019 that a response for my 2nd request was made from my field office NYC.

- Mar 2019 received an interview invitation

- April 3 2019 interview

- April 13 2019 GC arrived

Interview was scheduled at 4:15pm. It was strange for me because USCIS building is closed at 3:30pm. I came to the building at 4:10. There were no people, no lines, no waiting. It seemed like everybody went home after work. I came to the floor on the invitation. No line. I was given direction to another floor. I came there. No line again. Went strait to the windows. It was 4:15. Gave my letter and was advised to have a seat. There were like 20 people in the room. Seems like they were couples. I just sat on a chair and in 30sec my IO came out. Huh I didn't even have a chance to get nervous.

So we went to her cubicle. After that everything was straight. She was firm. She was asking me questions from the very beginning of our relationship, how and when we met, how we got in touch, where we lived, how we moved together, how long we lived together, questions about her relatives, when I saw them for the first time, how we paid for our living needs. Then we got to the questions about problems in our relationship and why we separated. There was a moment when my emotions took control of me when she asked one of the questions about us but I don't want to go into details, it's a bit embarrassing. Anyway she kept asking me questions. She said that I didn't have enough evidence. She asked me for more. I gave her tax transcripts, some detailed bank statements, and screenshots with our messages. Then she said that my case was still under review, if they need anything they would send it by mail. That's it.

Interview was on Wednesday. Next Monday I got online update that my card is ordered to be printed. On Wednesday it was mailed. Next day it was picked up by USPS. On Friday I got an approval letter. On Saturday the card came to my mail box.

My advise to others is to be honest. That's it. Tell your IO the truth and everything will be fine even if you don't have a lot of evidence.

The whole ROC journey took 2 years and 2 months. I hope my story can help someone.

Congrats! did you submit a divorce decree?

[mr-mrs-hdc 23]

On 5/8/2019 at 11:58 PM, santiagosilva said:

(I've posted this in another thread, but i'm too tired to weed through all the different threads on this forum.)

 

 

did anyone send in a waver after having sent in the original i 751? if so, did you pay all the fees again / send in further evidence?

I adjusted my petition for the divorce waiver at the interview. No need to pay any fees again, etc. 

Be sure to have your divorce decree. You will need a certified copy (the stamp on it). Bring one for them to put into your USCIS file, and obviously keep one for yourself. 

[mr-mrs-hdc 23]

On 1/11/2020 at 12:55 PM, InhaleExhale said:

Is there a specific reason you are recommending a lawyer? Was there any document you could have not formulated yourself without the lawyer?

I got an immigration attorney for my filing. I think in the end it was worth it. (I have the means to pay for it). There was a lot of external stress from the divorce, etc. So having someone take care of all of the filing etc was just one less thing I needed to worry about. 

 

Do you need one? No.

 

Is it nice to have. Yes.