September 2020 AOS Filers

[Skyman 321]

11 minutes ago, martha783 said:

Today was interview day!

 

Since all is well that ends well, I should start with the fact we were approved. Technically, he said he still needed to run the FBI check and that he would do that before he finished up his day and then approve us. So we got the paper saying further review. By the time we got home, the website had updated to new card being produced.

 

The interview was anything but smooth. With 8 years of marriage and 4 children, I wasn't sure which angle he would attack, but I did not guess the one he chose: our entire family's dual citizenship with Peru. He came at us hard, questioning my (the U.S. Cit.) loyalty to the U.S. because I lived in Peru for 11 years, and at one point calling us "cowards who run" because we evacuated Peru to the U.S. when the pandemic hit. He stated he was not in the business of issuing green cards to cowards who won't be patriots. He wanted to know if we'd take up arms for the U.S. if the Taliban attacked, and seemed to calm down when we assured him we would. He then also pushed us on what we'd do if Peru went to war with the U.S. He talked a LOT and didn't give us a lot of room to respond, and my heart was racing, but my husband was calm and responsive since he was more sure the agent was pushing buttons and not inclined to deny us. Fortunately, that seems to have been the case. He may have needed to blow off some steam because he was ranting about Biden and Afghanistan as well.

 

I could certainly appreciate his points about the importance of patriotism, though it caught me off-guard given Peru has never had any hostility with the U.S. and as much as I researched, that wasn't an angle I'd ever heard of an agent attacking.

 

Anyway, WHEW, done.

 

PD 9/11. Field Office West Palm Beach.

 

Yeah, congrats!  But yeah, pretty weird interview.  I wonder if ours will be similar as my wife and lived in her country over 11 years up until last September. 

[Adventine 3,196]

@martha783
what a weird interview! But congratulations on your approval.

[iy2020 118]

1 hour ago, martha783 said:

Today was interview day!

 

Since all is well that ends well, I should start with the fact we were approved. Technically, he said he still needed to run the FBI check and that he would do that before he finished up his day and then approve us. So we got the paper saying further review. By the time we got home, the website had updated to new card being produced.

 

The interview was anything but smooth. With 8 years of marriage and 4 children, I wasn't sure which angle he would attack, but I did not guess the one he chose: our entire family's dual citizenship with Peru. He came at us hard, questioning my (the U.S. Cit.) loyalty to the U.S. because I lived in Peru for 11 years, and at one point calling us "cowards who run" because we evacuated Peru to the U.S. when the pandemic hit. He stated he was not in the business of issuing green cards to cowards who won't be patriots. He wanted to know if we'd take up arms for the U.S. if the Taliban attacked, and seemed to calm down when we assured him we would. He then also pushed us on what we'd do if Peru went to war with the U.S. He talked a LOT and didn't give us a lot of room to respond, and my heart was racing, but my husband was calm and responsive since he was more sure the agent was pushing buttons and not inclined to deny us. Fortunately, that seems to have been the case. He may have needed to blow off some steam because he was ranting about Biden and Afghanistan as well.

 

I could certainly appreciate his points about the importance of patriotism, though it caught me off-guard given Peru has never had any hostility with the U.S. and as much as I researched, that wasn't an angle I'd ever heard of an agent attacking.

 

Anyway, WHEW, done.

 

PD 9/11. Field Office West Palm Beach.

 

 

 

 

 

Congratulations on your approval, but I am so sorry you had to go through that interview. Felicitaciones form a fellow Peruvian. 

[RPete 73]

As I’m coming up a year on my initial filing date, I’m wondering if anyone has had to renew their EAD yet? USCIS says no sooner than 180 days before expiration date, and I’m in that range. And it looks like I can file online. Has anyone else experienced this? Thanks!

[iy2020 118]

1 hour ago, RPete said:

As I’m coming up a year on my initial filing date, I’m wondering if anyone has had to renew their EAD yet? USCIS says no sooner than 180 days before expiration date, and I’m in that range. And it looks like I can file online. Has anyone else experienced this? Thanks!

I just sent my renewal paperwork earlier this week! I believe paper filing is the only way to go about it, since I'm pretty sure online filing is only available for F-1 international students getting their OPT EAD.

[iy2020 118]

Some updates on my EAD renewal:

 

08/30/21: Renewal paperwork mailed out via UPS.

09/01/21: Package received by USCIS.

09/02/21: Case info showed up on my USCIS online account and I got a text confirming receipt. IOE receipt number.

09/07/21: Got the NOA/180-day extension in the mail.

 

Hopefully the process is smooth, although having the extension give me some peace of mind.

[nendu 86]

Some updates... I received my EAD/AP combo card about two weeks back. My EAD and AP is valid for 2 years. No update on the interview date. Still stuck on ready to schedule interview stage for 9 weeks now.

[nendu 86]

[RPete 73]

20 hours ago, iy2020 said:

Some updates on my EAD renewal:

 

08/30/21: Renewal paperwork mailed out via UPS.

09/01/21: Package received by USCIS.

09/02/21: Case info showed up on my USCIS online account and I got a text confirming receipt. IOE receipt number.

09/07/21: Got the NOA/180-day extension in the mail.

 

Hopefully the process is smooth, although having the extension give me some peace of mind.

Did you send it to Chicago? I just finished my paperwork up but wanted to double check the address

[iy2020 118]

47 minutes ago, RPete said:

Did you send it to Chicago? I just finished my paperwork up but wanted to double check the address

Yes, I did!

[RPete 73]

Just now, iy2020 said:

Yes, I did!

Awesome that’s what I did as well. Just the usual immigration form paranoia kicking in. Thank you!

[Joooce 2]

Hi All,

Just wanted to share my timeline. I filed for AOS in September 2020 and finished my interview 8 days ago in the Holtsville, LI FO. Still waiting for my decision though but my case is kind of complicated....so much anxiety.

Check my timeline below!

Edited September 9, 2021 by Joooce

[engbl 3]

Hi, wanted to share an update on our timeline:

 

App Mailed: 9/22/2020
App Delivered: 9/25/2020
Check cashed: 10/14/2020
Email/text receipts: 10/15/2020
Priority date: 9/25/2020
Biometric: 2/17/2021
Ready to be scheduled: 2/18/2021
Combo card: 05/20/2021
Interview scheduled: 07/01/2021
Interview canceled (transfer to different field office due to move): 08/03/2021
Interview re-scheduled: 08/06/2021
Interview: 09/10/2021
GC approved: 09/13/2021

 

Interview was fine, the officer was very straight-to-the point and professional. We had multiple address changes during the wait period, including a stretch of time where both me and my wife where in different states. The officer asked about that and made sure all addresses were correct. Then a few personal questions, updated financial information, and the usual immigration questions. Very laid-back. They did not approve on the spot, but we got the approval notice the next week, GC in mail a couple of days later. I was surprised that the multiple address changes did not delay this more than the month they actually did.

 

As a sidenote, out of paranoia we did in a full I-944 package in the submission, that is probably why we did not get an RFE in early 2021.

 

I hope that everybody gets approved soon!

[Zaraliaya 122]

12 hours ago, engbl said:

As a sidenote, out of paranoia we did in a full I-944 package in the submission, that is probably why we did not get an RFE in early 2021.

Congrats! But about this part, you probably didn't get an RFE for it because Biden removed it a few months into the new year, and it became useless for when we all submitted it, and is now no longer needed again.

[Skyman 321]

Interview done!

 

Not sure if this interview report will be too useful for many because we are a bit of a unique situation.  We've been married over 12 years and the wife has had a B-2 11 years with 6 trips to the US over that time.  We have an age difference of 26 years.  Anyway, the interview was yesterday morning at 9:15 at the San Antonio FO.  It's only 15 minutes there and parked at 8:45.  Guard said they were only taking 9s so waiting a few more minutes to get in line and then went through security.  Sat in the ceremony room maybe 30 minutes before our number was called and were led to his office.  Very friendly and pleasant.  I think we actually took like an hour with much of that time him complaining about having to do the online version of the interview and not being fluent in navagating it.  It really seemed like it might have been his first time using it.  He had a walking cast on so he might have been out for a while before this.  Of all the papers, pictures, etc., I had gathered together, he only asked for 1 thing, The I-693 which I didn't have because I had put it in our glove box so I wouldn't forget it.  He gave me a return pass so I went and got it for him.  I was kind of expecting him to ask for more tax filing stuff because I only filed my military retiree 1099-Rs for the last 3 years but I guess that was enough.  Questions asked?  He asked each of us the other's birthday. We had worked on her memorizing both our phone numbers and our address which she knows now but he read those to her and asked if they were correct.  Funny thing, he asked her if she'd ever been married and she said no.  I said Really?  Hahahahahaha  I really don't think he asked us any other relationship questions.  He asked the 485 questions and when he got to 51 he said he would change the yeses to no and I pointed out that those questions weren't about her but her spouse so she had to truethfully answer yes.  He said those weren't about US military and I said it should say that then, at least in the instructions.  He agreed and still changed them to No except for the last one about military training. And put a note about me being retired USAF.  Then she had to sign the 485 on a tablet but it took a good ten minutes to get the tablet to connect to his PC.  He said we were approved but no status change on the case yet.  Still shows interview scheduled.  I assume that is because we did the I-693 on base and the doctor wasn't on their list of approved civil surgeons.  I imagine they are going through whatever to find out if this doctor is ok.  Worst case we get an RFE for another I-693.