March 2021 - AOS filers

[MaceMk 19]

Looks like everyone who filed in March in other states has gotten an interview notice, just SLC and few others are stuck in 2020 still. 

Edited December 28, 2021 by MaceMk

[Tellurous 19]

Just had our interview today at the Tampa field office. Waited for almost an hour after our appointment time. We arrived 30 minutes before, so it was about 1.5 hours of waiting. By the time it was our turn, there were quite a few people waiting in the large waiting area. The officer was really nice and the interview was very straight forward and only took about 20 or so minutes. She started off asking if we had food yet, and she stated that she's looking forward to lunch soon. Most of the time was spent double checking the details on our forms and answering the inadmissibility questions. Besides that, we were only asked asked how and when we met and the basic timeline of our relationship.  The officer asked for our joint lease, joint bank statements, joint checks written out, and flipped through the photo album we brought. The only photo she took out of the album to keep was a photo of me eating at home, a candid shot by my wife (we found that kinda amusing and surprising, was expecting she would take the latest thanksgiving photos where we were seeing friends and family). She did not want anything else we brought (joint phone bill, joint plane tickets, gift receipts for each other), nor did she ask to see any of our birth certificates, tax forms, pay stubs, or drivers licenses.  At the end, she said she should get everything done by the end of the day, and that I will get my green card in the mail. I was also handed a piece of paper stating that the case is being held for review and that they do not need anything from me in the meantime, but I suppose that is a standard form they hand out to everyone now.

 

There was another couple that looked visibly distraught in the waiting room; they were being interviewed separately for over an hour. Everyone else that went before us seemed to be interviewed together.

 

All in all, it felt much easier than we imagined it would be. Hopefully it's smooth sailing still from here.

Edited January 6, 2022 by Tellurous

[noname_no 38]

On 12/28/2021 at 11:45 AM, MaceMk said:

Looks like everyone who filed in March in other states has gotten an interview notice, just SLC and few others are stuck in 2020 still. 

Well, you are not alone. I have my interview scheduled for this month but I am not sure due to covid if it would be cancelled at the eleventh hour. We'll see.

[MaceMk 19]

7 hours ago, noname_no said:

Well, you are not alone. I have my interview scheduled for this month but I am not sure due to covid if it would be cancelled at the eleventh hour. We'll see.

Where's your interview? Hopefully it won't be, I didn't see anyone's being cancelled yet, didn't close even with the more dangerous strains, there's no reason to close now. I mean apart from the beginning of the pandemic.

Edited January 10, 2022 by MaceMk

[Beeya 50]

On 12/28/2021 at 10:45 AM, MaceMk said:

Looks like everyone who filed in March in other states has gotten an interview notice, just SLC and few others are stuck in 2020 still. 

Seattle field office here. No interview notice yet, we filed March 24 2021. On the USCIS website case processing for family based 1-485 shows 24 months wait time at least. Oh well.

 

[MaceMk 19]

1 hour ago, Beeya said:

Seattle field office here. No interview notice yet, we filed March 24 2021. On the USCIS website case processing for family based 1-485 shows 24 months wait time at least. Oh well.

 

Yes I'm aware of Seattle. I believe that and Houston TX are the only ones slower than Utah with about 2 years wait. So far Utah is about a year. Currently processing November/ December 2020. It used to be 10 months until recently then went up to a year plus 😔 

[green_rabbit 69]

7 hours ago, MaceMk said:

Yes I'm aware of Seattle. I believe that and Houston TX are the only ones slower than Utah with about 2 years wait. So far Utah is about a year. Currently processing November/ December 2020. It used to be 10 months until recently then went up to a year plus 😔 

I don't think it's that unusual to not have an interview yet. Looking at AOS timelines from March here, it seems that more than half of the people haven't had an interview scheduled yet. But I'm just eye-balling that -- I didn't count them. 

 

Also, looking at average processing times for USCIS offices, it looks like there are more than the few you mentioned with times over a year. I see a number of offices with 400+ day wait times, while SLC is at 392.

 

So, rest assured you are not waiting alone. 

[MaceMk 19]

43 minutes ago, green_rabbit said:

I don't think it's that unusual to not have an interview yet. Looking at AOS timelines from March here, it seems that more than half of the people haven't had an interview scheduled yet. But I'm just eye-balling that -- I didn't count them. 

 

Also, looking at average processing times for USCIS offices, it looks like there are more than the few you mentioned with times over a year. I see a number of offices with 400+ day wait times, while SLC is at 392.

 

So, rest assured you are not waiting alone. 

Yeah, I know I'm not waiting alone, and it's not unusual but most offices do process this year filings compared to few very slow, and most people not scheduled share the same office or state. Of course I wasn't counting them either, but have seen many getting their notices from other states and can kind of get a clue. Processing times on official website have never been accurate. They're usually faster than what it says. There are always exceptions of course, and also depending on the type of case you've got and the basis of adjustment. 

[Tellurous 19]

Green card in hand today! Thanks everyone, for sharing your experiences so far and for helping each other get through this! 

 

03/16/2021: Packet posted via UPS

03/18/2021: (PD) I-130/I-485/I-131/I-765/I-864/I-693 packet delivered to Chicago lockbox via UPS.

04/13/2021: 4 texts received, 4 receipt numbers. Fingerprint fee received for I-485 the day before according to status checker.

07/01/2021: Submitted a change of address for all 4 forms (AR-11)

07/17/2021: Notice date for biometrics appointment, scheduled for 8/11/2021

07/29/2021: Received email notice confirming change of address has been successfully completed.

08/11/2021: Completed biometrics appointment at Tampa ASC for both I-485 and I-765

08/17/2021: Status change for I-485, case is ready to be scheduled for an interview.

10/20/2021: Status change for I-765, new card is being produced.

10/21/2021: Status change for I-765 & I-131,  approved.

10/25/2021: Received approval I-797's for both I-765 and I-131 applications.

10/26/2021: EAD+AP combo card received.

11/18/2021: Status change for I-485, interview was scheduled

11/22/2021: Interview letter sent

11/26/2021: Interview letter received, interview will be on January 6, 2022.

01/06/2022: Interview at Tampa FO

01/06/2022: I-485 status changed to "New Card is being produced"

01/07/2022: I-485 and I-130 status changed to "Approved"

01/11/2022: I-485 status changed to "Card was mailed to me"

01/14/2022: Green card, I-130, and I-485 approval notices delivered and in hand

[Mike&Heidi 10]

Hi friends, a little update from Mike & Heidi.

 

We travelled to South Africa over Christmas and New Years in spite of the Omicron restrictions, which were lifted while we were gone. We had no trouble boarding our flight to the US from Capetown, nor did we have any difficulty at the POE at Newark NJ. We spent a long time in line waiting for CBP at Newark, but that was just due to the amount of people already there when we landed. When we walked up to the desk at our turn the officer took passports and paperwork, then asked why Heidi had AP. Heidi was confused by the question and answered "to see my family." He then re-iterated the question, essentially leading on that she needed to give a better answer. After some hinting Heidi answered that she had received the card while waiting for her LPR application which the officer then said was fine, and told her "these are the kinds of questions they will ask."

Heidi was then taken to a waiting area separate from Mike, and waited for a half hour while Mike forwarded bags on to the next connecting flight. After the wait, an officer returned her paperwork with no questions and the travels continued.

 

Now the wait is on for an interview appointment.

[CH1314 8]

My case has been ready to be scheduled for an interview since August 2021 but today i noticed on case tracker im receiving an RFE in the post 😕

[Beeya 50]

OMG just checked 

On 1/9/2022 at 11:57 PM, Beeya said:

Seattle field office here. No interview notice yet, we filed March 24 2021. On the USCIS website case processing for family based 1-485 shows 24 months wait time at least. Oh well.

 

OMG just checked my case status online and it says my I-485 was approved! BUT we did NOT have an interview! I have never heard about the interview being waived for marriage-based cases - only for employment-based green cards. Can this just be an error on USCIS's part? I'm hoping that it's not. Tried calling but can't connect to a live agent right now.

[Chancy 6,241]

On 2/16/2022 at 12:01 PM, Beeya said:

I have never heard about the interview being waived for marriage-based cases - only for employment-based green cards.

 

Pre-COVID, waived interviews were actually quite common for AOS from K1.  Most likely it's not a USCIS error and that your AOS was actually approved already.  Congrats!  Please do update us when your GC arrives to confirm your approval.

 

[MaceMk 19]

On 2/16/2022 at 11:01 AM, Beeya said:

OMG just checked 

OMG just checked my case status online and it says my I-485 was approved! BUT we did NOT have an interview! I have never heard about the interview being waived for marriage-based cases - only for employment-based green cards. Can this just be an error on USCIS's part? I'm hoping that it's not. Tried calling but can't connect to a live agent right now.

Congratulations! We also were approved yesterday, but we had interview. I've seen marriage based cases being approved without interview before, recently, so I'm sure that's the case with you too. That's great!🙂👏

[Chidang 8]

Can someone show me the list of documents I need to bring along for my interview ?