January 2022 - AOS Filers

[dubu 5]

On 3/1/2022 at 3:18 PM, Michael & Kate said:

We just got our interview scheduled in Los Angeles, California!

 

Mar 1 - Interview scheduled

Apr 6 - Interview date

 

It's been less than 2 months since I sent my application. We did not expedite or do anything. 

 

I have an account on USCIS portal but there was no document attached regarding the interview. So I had to chat with Emma on USCIS web-site to get the interview date. Now I'm waiting interview NOA via mail.

 

In the forum and other platforms I see more often now that USCIS schedules interview within 2 months of application submission. Hope to hear soon from other people in this thread that they've been scheduled too 🙏

Sending congrats and luck on your interview today! Here to hoping it will go smooth! Cheers!

[Michael & Kate 20]

6 minutes ago, dubu said:

Sending congrats and luck on your interview today! Here to hoping it will go smooth! Cheers!

Thank you very much 🥰 I wish your interview next week will go nice and smooth too! We just returned back from. It all went well and we are approved! 🥳

 

Here are some details (interviewed at USCIS LA field office - 300 N Los Angeles St) :

Interview scheduled for 9.30 AM and we were at 9.20 AM at the office. The line and security took about 10-15 mins. Checked in and waited about 30 more mins when the officer will call us. Interview itself took about 30 mins.

 

First thing we were asked to provide my passport and all evidence of bona fide relationship that we had on us. We had the following: lease agreement with both our names, Verizon contract with our names, confirmation that I recently opened a bank account and added my husband as co-owner, credit card bills (my husband opened a credit card for my name for his account), my husbands life insurance with my name, our medical insurance (I was added as spouse to it recently), photo albums with our wedding ceremony photos, other random photos of us with different people and different events for the last 4 months (since my arrival to the US). Also, I handed a photocopy of certified copy of marriage certificate (I'll elaborate on it bellow). No other documents were asked.

 

The officer checked all those documents, asked us to stand up and swear that we will tell him only truth, and started asking questions. First question was very common: how did we meet. Then he was asking more personal questions (about feelings development and so on) trying to make it a conversation rather than interrogation. It was very nice discussion and very pleasant experience, like, just sitting and chatting with a friend. You don't need to be afraid of it at all if you have real relationship.

 

The last part of interview - security questions.

 

In the end the officer said that we were approved and he's waiting on my fingerprints result (some clearance check) which should arrive today-tomorrow and then the case status will change on the portal. He said that we need to wait about 10 mins and he'll hand us some document about the interview result. Within a week we should receive in the mail another congratulation letter from him. And with 3.5-4 weeks I should receive a green card in the mail. He mentioned that they're behind the schedule with the cards so that's why it may take that long to receive it.

 

About our marriage certificate - we were unlucky to get married in famous LA County where issuance of certified copy of the marriage certificate takes 6-8 weeks. Those 6-8 weeks would be too close to my I-94 expiration and we could have problem with the application submission. Hence, after reading this forum about similar situation we decided to submit the AOS package with marriage certificate. The chapel where we got married provided us a copy of marriage license with all signatures and stamps from clerks and we attached it to the AOS package. On the cover page of I-485 I added a note were explained why we attach the marriage license instead of certificate. And thankfully it worked! We didn't get any RFE and were approved on the interview. I certainly don't recommend this path to anyone who can get married anywhere else but Los Angeles county because after submitting the application package every day I was nervously checking the case status if there's RFE or the application was declined due to that reason. But if you already found yourself in this situation don't panic and know that there's a chance that everything will be okay.

[dubu 5]

2 hours ago, Michael & Kate said:

Thank you very much 🥰 I wish your interview next week will go nice and smooth too! We just returned back from. It all went well and we are approved! 🥳

 

Here are some details (interviewed at USCIS LA field office - 300 N Los Angeles St) :

Interview scheduled for 9.30 AM and we were at 9.20 AM at the office. The line and security took about 10-15 mins. Checked in and waited about 30 more mins when the officer will call us. Interview itself took about 30 mins.

 

First thing we were asked to provide my passport and all evidence of bona fide relationship that we had on us. We had the following: lease agreement with both our names, Verizon contract with our names, confirmation that I recently opened a bank account and added my husband as co-owner, credit card bills (my husband opened a credit card for my name for his account), my husbands life insurance with my name, our medical insurance (I was added as spouse to it recently), photo albums with our wedding ceremony photos, other random photos of us with different people and different events for the last 4 months (since my arrival to the US). Also, I handed a photocopy of certified copy of marriage certificate (I'll elaborate on it bellow). No other documents were asked.

 

The officer checked all those documents, asked us to stand up and swear that we will tell him only truth, and started asking questions. First question was very common: how did we meet. Then he was asking more personal questions (about feelings development and so on) trying to make it a conversation rather than interrogation. It was very nice discussion and very pleasant experience, like, just sitting and chatting with a friend. You don't need to be afraid of it at all if you have real relationship.

 

The last part of interview - security questions.

 

In the end the officer said that we were approved and he's waiting on my fingerprints result (some clearance check) which should arrive today-tomorrow and then the case status will change on the portal. He said that we need to wait about 10 mins and he'll hand us some document about the interview result. Within a week we should receive in the mail another congratulation letter from him. And with 3.5-4 weeks I should receive a green card in the mail. He mentioned that they're behind the schedule with the cards so that's why it may take that long to receive it.

 

About our marriage certificate - we were unlucky to get married in famous LA County where issuance of certified copy of the marriage certificate takes 6-8 weeks. Those 6-8 weeks would be too close to my I-94 expiration and we could have problem with the application submission. Hence, after reading this forum about similar situation we decided to submit the AOS package with marriage certificate. The chapel where we got married provided us a copy of marriage license with all signatures and stamps from clerks and we attached it to the AOS package. On the cover page of I-485 I added a note were explained why we attach the marriage license instead of certificate. And thankfully it worked! We didn't get any RFE and were approved on the interview. I certainly don't recommend this path to anyone who can get married anywhere else but Los Angeles county because after submitting the application package every day I was nervously checking the case status if there's RFE or the application was declined due to that reason. But if you already found yourself in this situation don't panic and know that there's a chance that everything will be okay.

Congratulations!!! 🥳 Finally the most awaited approval!

Thank you for the detailed run through of your experience, a little anxious and excited for next week! Fingers crossed everything will be as smooth🤞

I will attest the same to the Marriage Certificate in LA. We've been married more than a year now and filed for a certificate after. It took 8weeks for ours to arrive, we were close to requesting another one and just accept the fact that it is never going to arrive but it did. I remember trying to find ways on how to follow up or get a tracking number at least - but it was close to impossible. Maybe this year it will be a little faster? but yeah, it's just a matter of trusting the process now.
 

[Michael & Kate 20]

On 3/1/2022 at 3:18 PM, Michael & Kate said:

We just got our interview scheduled in Los Angeles, California!

 

Mar 1 - Interview scheduled

Apr 6 - Interview date

...

Apr 7 - case approved

Apr 12 - card was produced

Apr 13 - card was picked up by USPS (estimated delivery on USPS web site is April 16)

Apr 15 - card was delivered

 

I'm finally done for now! It's been almost 2 years since our I-129F submission and my husband and I cannot believe that it's all over. This forum was a great help for us during this process and we're very grateful to each participants!

 

I wish to everyone get approved and receive their green cards soon!

[dmeister3 92]

100 days since we filed at things appear to be at a standstill.  

[kostyaby 9]

Do RFEs for I-485 usually come before or after biometrics?

[LJVotolato 13]

On 4/6/2022 at 2:53 PM, Michael & Kate said:

Thank you very much 🥰 I wish your interview next week will go nice and smooth too! We just returned back from. It all went well and we are approved! 🥳

 

Here are some details (interviewed at USCIS LA field office - 300 N Los Angeles St) :

Interview scheduled for 9.30 AM and we were at 9.20 AM at the office. The line and security took about 10-15 mins. Checked in and waited about 30 more mins when the officer will call us. Interview itself took about 30 mins.

 

First thing we were asked to provide my passport and all evidence of bona fide relationship that we had on us. We had the following: lease agreement with both our names, Verizon contract with our names, confirmation that I recently opened a bank account and added my husband as co-owner, credit card bills (my husband opened a credit card for my name for his account), my husbands life insurance with my name, our medical insurance (I was added as spouse to it recently), photo albums with our wedding ceremony photos, other random photos of us with different people and different events for the last 4 months (since my arrival to the US). Also, I handed a photocopy of certified copy of marriage certificate (I'll elaborate on it bellow). No other documents were asked.

 

The officer checked all those documents, asked us to stand up and swear that we will tell him only truth, and started asking questions. First question was very common: how did we meet. Then he was asking more personal questions (about feelings development and so on) trying to make it a conversation rather than interrogation. It was very nice discussion and very pleasant experience, like, just sitting and chatting with a friend. You don't need to be afraid of it at all if you have real relationship.

 

The last part of interview - security questions.

 

In the end the officer said that we were approved and he's waiting on my fingerprints result (some clearance check) which should arrive today-tomorrow and then the case status will change on the portal. He said that we need to wait about 10 mins and he'll hand us some document about the interview result. Within a week we should receive in the mail another congratulation letter from him. And with 3.5-4 weeks I should receive a green card in the mail. He mentioned that they're behind the schedule with the cards so that's why it may take that long to receive it.

 

About our marriage certificate - we were unlucky to get married in famous LA County where issuance of certified copy of the marriage certificate takes 6-8 weeks. Those 6-8 weeks would be too close to my I-94 expiration and we could have problem with the application submission. Hence, after reading this forum about similar situation we decided to submit the AOS package with marriage certificate. The chapel where we got married provided us a copy of marriage license with all signatures and stamps from clerks and we attached it to the AOS package. On the cover page of I-485 I added a note were explained why we attach the marriage license instead of certificate. And thankfully it worked! We didn't get any RFE and were approved on the interview. I certainly don't recommend this path to anyone who can get married anywhere else but Los Angeles county because after submitting the application package every day I was nervously checking the case status if there's RFE or the application was declined due to that reason. But if you already found yourself in this situation don't panic and know that there's a chance that everything will be okay.

Thank you for this info. We filed in Dec. 2021 (in Los Angeles, CA) and had biometrics shortly thereafter but the interview or any progress is still TBD. Am I understanding it correctly you filed in January 2022? Ugh, I'm in the same city and a month before you and haven't heard anything since the biometrics. Congratulations though on your progress!

On 5/11/2022 at 8:56 PM, kostyaby said:

Do RFEs for I-485 usually come before or after biometrics?

Not sure if this is typical but I got my biometrics before the RFE

Edited May 15, 2022 by LJVotolato

[Rocio0010 5,579]

On 5/11/2022 at 11:56 PM, kostyaby said:

Do RFEs for I-485 usually come before or after biometrics?

Usually after, but there is no hard and fast rule 

[Michael & Kate 20]

9 hours ago, LJVotolato said:

Thank you for this info. We filed in Dec. 2021 (in Los Angeles, CA) and had biometrics shortly thereafter but the interview or any progress is still TBD. Am I understanding it correctly you filed in January 2022? Ugh, I'm in the same city and a month before you and haven't heard anything since the biometrics. Congratulations though on your progress!

Thank you!

 

Yes, we filed in January 2022 and were adjusting from K-1 visa. Also, we didn't have RFEs. Maybe you're adjusting from another type of visa? Or maybe something wrong with the submitted documents? I unfortunately don't have an explanation why one case takes longer than another. But I've seen on the forum that you got RFE in February which could slow down the processing. If this is the case I'd compare my situation with someone who had similar RFE recently and ask them how long it took to get their interview scheduled. 

 

In any event I wish you get your interview scheduled as soon as possible and get approved right away! 

[LJVotolato 13]

On 5/15/2022 at 1:46 PM, Michael & Kate said:

Thank you!

 

Yes, we filed in January 2022 and were adjusting from K-1 visa. Also, we didn't have RFEs. Maybe you're adjusting from another type of visa? Or maybe something wrong with the submitted documents? I unfortunately don't have an explanation why one case takes longer than another. But I've seen on the forum that you got RFE in February which could slow down the processing. If this is the case I'd compare my situation with someone who had similar RFE recently and ask them how long it took to get their interview scheduled. 

 

In any event I wish you get your interview scheduled as soon as possible and get approved right away! 

Thank you for your input! Their RFE was so bizarre - they asked for documents already 100% submitted in the original package. I have read on these forums that it is a natural thing for them to re-ask (probably their error)?

 

I wasn't adjusting from any other type of visa, just my K1. 

 

Thank you for your kind words!

[dmeister3 92]

145 days and no update. I would really like to be able to file my dang taxes! At least need EAD & SSN. Ridiculous. I don't think I qualify for an expedite. So frustrating, just print the dang card!

[asdfasdfasdf 20]

update work permit approved! almost exactly 5 months from filing date. 

 

also saw a notice that the rfe i got was recieved and was under review. does that mean the aos will be moving forward with a possible interview date soon?

[Lady_L 0]

Hello everyone, 

 

How are your applications going? Mine is pending since January 10 no movement on EAD or the 485

 

Getting anxious. Can you all share your experiences. 

[Destin 6]

3 hours ago, Lady_L said:

Hello everyone, 

 

How are your applications going? Mine is pending since January 10 no movement on EAD or the 485

 

Getting anxious. Can you all share your experiences. 

Hey I was just checking here for the same thing!

No movement. Working now to get a job offer to see if we can expedite work authorization at least!

It's been "actively reviewing" since April...

The timelines for AOS or Work auth seems much more iffy here compared to the K1, so it's hard to know what's going on or if our group is coming up soon.

[snackqueen 1]

No movement since biometrics on March 9th. I am in San Jose, CA. 

Edited August 11, 2022 by snackqueen