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| Dallas TX |  Review on February 21, 2013: |
jitterbug
Rating:  | Review Topic: Adjustment of Status
So, these are the items I brought along with me, pretty much everything I submitted for the original AOS package. I did also bring about 110 pictures with me, all arranged in a scrap book and their copies for the officer.
I was AOS-ing from F1 student visa to Permanent residency through marriage.
Our appointment was for 0745 at the Dallas field office in Irving, Texas. We arrived and cleared security at 0720. We walked up stairs to a waiting area and checked in. The lady at the check in desk took our I 797 notice to appear and gave us a buzzer and told us to wait. The waiting area was large and filled with people already, it had a TV on CNN, bathrooms and water fountains. Many people/ families/ couples came with lawyers and or translators. These lawyers and translators seem to know just about every officer, greeting them and even making small talk with them as the officers came through the doors to 'collect' their applicants.
I mentioned doors, there were 3 doors that lead to long hallways with interview rooms/ officers offices.
We were called in at about 0810 by a gentleman with a rather stern face and a rather strong 'island' accent. He greeted us and showed us the way to his office.
Before we sat down, he instructed us to both raise our right hands and swear to tell the truth to which we affirmed with positives and then we sat down.
He asked where I was from and I answered, he then asked for our I/Ds (Both foreign, state, and federal), Hubby gave him is Military ID and DL while I gave him my passport, ID, Military ID, DL, EAD & I-20. He said "oh Military? Good, good. Did you bring your Tricare & SGLI (health & life insurance paper work)and I said Yes and he said Good, good again.
He then visually looked at all my IDs and nodded.
He then asked me my name, address and birth date, as I answered he checked off a list on his desk, my I 485 I assume. Then he asked Hubby what my major was and where I attended school and if I completed my course of education and Hubby answered and yes said. The officer then congratulated me. He then took my I-94 and I-20 and said "Okay then you won't be needing this anymore".
The officer asked me how many times I entered into the United States in my life and I said "Many times, maybe about 10 to date? He asked my last POE and the date and I answered.
Then he asked Hubby when we were married. And then said "Okay, I'm going to look into my system and see what we can do for you today."
He then asked us if there was evidence that we could provide for him to prove our marriage was bonafide. (This part is funny) As I brought up things from my evidence folder, he said "nope, don't need that we got that already" x 7 times. The only thing that was not in the original packet was my Tricare and SGLI paperwork which he took from us. I then asked if he would like to see photographic evidence and he said "no no, I have plenty"
Then he asked us if we knew what the conditional green card was and we said yes and he said "Good good"
He then asked Hubby if he had any proof of his citizenship in America and we provided him with the original Birth certificate and a copy, he kept the copy.
And then said those magic words "Alright, I am going to approve you today and you should expect the card in the mail in about ... well... it can take up to 8 weeks, if you haven't received it by then, call us back."
* Insert waterworks from me at this point but I did hold it together and I managed to not actually tear.
He showed us the way to the copy room where he made copies of our I/Ds and returned it to us in a couple of mins. He thanked us again, we shook hands, wished him well and walked down a different hallway towards the exit back to the waiting area.
This part is hilarious, There was a button/ switch right by the door handle, I assumed it was the lock release, b/c all the officers entering the doors from the waiting area needed their key cards to be scanned before the door pop-ed unlock, and so I pressed it and then the hallway lights turned off one at a time down the hallway!!!!!! It was a light switch, Hubbys and I bust out with laughter, I immediately switched the lights back on and turned around to apologize, only to find the officer almost in tears laughing too! I walked out giggling and exited the building feeling a ton lighter! I actually found myself skipping to the car hahaha.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #11518