Adjustment of Status - I-485

Hello folks,
I submitted the petition to remove the condition on my card, trying to get a permamnet all I got was an 18-month extension, guess this is the new trend. Today makes it 140 days after i checked. Do we have anyone in this situation? Do I expect my permanent card or will there be another fingerprint? Everything looks different now. Any advice or anyone in a similar situation?

Hello people, I’ve received my interview notice without my ead. My wife and I have not been able to acquire most of the documents required( insurance,property etc) in our name. Is it going to be a problem at the interview? Anyone with a similar experience??

People,have you read this from the last Monday?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/us-immigration-agency-to-transfer-citizenship-paperwork-from-busy-offices-hoping-to-reduce-wait-times/2019/06/17/2eb0bc2e-9119-11e9-b58a-a6a9afaa0e3e_story.html

Do you think interviews in the Bronx go faster now???

Thank you all for your posts, it's very helpful.

EB3 PD: May 2009 (I140)
Applied EAD/AP/I485 on Dec 10, 2018
Application at NBC (national benefits center)
Finger printing: Jan 4, 2019 (Boston, MA)
Received EAD and AP combo cards on June 15, 2019

How long it might take approximately for interview ?

Finally received my GC today after a three long year journey. This post is going to be long but here is our experience. Hope it will be helpful for those who are still waiting.

PD: 6/3/2016 (marriage base)
Interview: 6/12/2019 (approved same day)
Field Office: Oakland Park

Some background: I entered the US on F-1 visa. Met my husband and we dated for 5 years before getting married in 2016. Been married for 3 years and living together for 6 years by the time we went to interview.

EVIDENCE OF BONA FIDE MARRIAGE

We started living together 3 years before we got married, but we didn't have an extensive amount of documents/proofs like some couples. We didn't know the extend and types of evidence required (should have done our research!!). For example, it never occurred to us to add my name on the utility bills (I moved in with him). I wish I had found this forum earlier and not a month before our interview. It would have lessen the stress I had to go through trying to come up with evidence.

We brought one binder which contained our documents, including a table of content for evidence of bona fide marriage, and one photo album with captions for each photo. Below is a simplified version of my TOC.

xxxxxx

A. Evidence of Combined Finances

1. Joint tax returns of the 3 years we were married (2016, 2017, 2018)

2. Statements of 3 joint bank accounts (checkings & saving)
• last 3 statements
• first statement, highlight that it's dated 2013, 3 years prior to our marriage

3. Joint car title issued 2015, a year prior to our marriage

4. Joint car insurance policy (2014-2019)

B. Evidence of Cohabitation

Assortment of letters and documents addressed to both or each of us with the same address since we started living together in 2013 til now, listed in chronological order to establish a timeline (letters from various government agencies, my official school transcripts, car registrations, pet vaccination documents, holiday cards from friends & family, etc.)

C. Other Relevant Edvidence of Relationship

1. Two letters of support from friends with copy of their DLs & US passports attached

2. Old email transcripts
(I didn't think we have any because we never really communicated using email, but I searched my inbox for fun and found a few very old ones I didn't remember happened. They turned out to be good evidence since they showcased the longevity of our relationship)

3. Screenshots of select text messages since 2016 (that's far as I could go back on my phone): Daily mundane convos such as groceries list, our dog, my job interviews, plan to go out with friends, etc.

4. Call logs (we always call each other while driving to and from work everyday so I highlighted those calls as well as total minutes talking to each other each month to show consistency)

5. Trips taken together
• two flight itineraries showing both names under same reservation number in 2014 (before we got married) and 2017 (after we got married.)
• car rental agreements and hotel bookings correlated to four different road trips

(Suggest in TOC that IO should refer to photo album for correlated photo evidence of all these trips)

6. Photo album

50 photos (of us and with friends & family) in chronological order of our story since we met until now with caption on the side

Highlight:
• photos with our niece at different ages since birth til now (she's 6 now)
• photos of us at landmarks correlated to trips listed in item 5

(We got married at the courthouse so no wedding photos)

***I also brought both my bachelor and master degrees to show that I did continue my education and finished what I initially came into the US for despite getting married and applying to adjust my status. It shows good faith that I did not use student visa as a mean to an end and abandon it the moment I got married to obtain GC.

xxxxx

INTERVIEW

Checking in

We had an early morning interview. Went through TSA style security check. Showed our appointment letter and IDs at front desk. The front desk people didn't know what they were doing because at first they asked why my husband name wasn't on the letter. I explained that it's marriage based interview and he is my husband and the petitioner for my case. They then said the interview should be for him. I had to point out the part in the letter that said "spouse must come with you to interview" before they finally told us to go sit down and wait to be called. Good thing we showed up early or we could have missed the appointment time because USCIS didn't properly train their staff.

The interview

IO sworn us in, asked for identifications.

I was fingerprinted & had picture taken.

The IO then proceeded to verify info on our form I-485 and we went through a number of the Yes/No questions on the form.

At this point the IO mentioned that our PD is June 2016 . Wasn't a question. He was just looking at the case file and read that out loud. I took the opportunity to tell him that yes we have been married for 3 years. I quickly gave him a timeline of when we met, moving in, proposal and when we got married right then without him having to ask and said we brought documents to support that if he wanted to take a look. He said yes.

I had 2 copies of the TOC. I handed the IO one and kept one so I can keep track of what documents were looked at for myself. Told him it was list of documents/evidence we brought with us and we could go through them all together or he could tell us what he wanted to see. He was impressed and liked the fact that we noted in the TOC if certain documents are from before or after we got married, why it was significant/relevant (if need be), and had all the important info highlighted on the documents.

I made sure to point out the strong evidence I wanted him to take notice on the TOC.

When IO looked at the photo album, I emphasized on the different pictures of us with our niece from the day she was born 6 years ago til the most recent one last chirstmas (showcasing the length of our relationship beyond our 3 years marriage).

After that he asked "Do you have kids?"
Me: "No, sir. Not yet."
IO: "You gotta be prepared. They are exepensive"
My husband (laugh): "yeah that's why we only want one" (I nodded confirming that)
IO: "you two are smart"

We laughed. Then the IO said that everything seemed to be in order and sent us home without any receipt/paper, telling us we should hear from them in 2-3 weeks. We shook his hand and thanked him for his time. Our interview lasted about 30 minutes. The only relationship related question he asked us was the "do you have kids" question. We spent most time on the I-485 questions and looking at our evidence.

2 hours after the interview, I got the notification from USCIS "We ordered your new card".

SOME ADVICE

1. I think because I prompted him to look at our evidence and volunteered information instead of waiting to be asked, the IO didn't have to come up with tricky questions to test us, which sometimes could result in insufficient/bad answers due to nervousness. I suggest you actively participate in the interview and help steer the conversation if you can, put the focus on what would look good for your case and avoid area you may lack.

2. Briefly explain why xyz is relevant evidence to your case in the TOC. The IO won't connect the dots unless you point it out (e.g: I pointed out the date on our car title to emphasize that we bought a car together even before we got married).

3. Highlight significant info such as dates, address, etc. with highlighter to help the IO navigate your evidence easier and faster. The IO has to go through lots of cases with lots of paperwork. Your making his/her job easier will be greatly appreciated and help build rapport.

4. There is no one-size-fits-all type of evidence. If you don't have some things, find others to make up for it. We didn't have a single utility bill with both names or wedding photo and it wasn't a problem at all (but make sure to have reason for why it is so if you're asked). There is more than one way to prove your marriage is bona fide. A marriage is so much more beyond bank statements and joint lease agreement. If it's all about the documents, USCIS wouldn't need you to come in person for interview at all. It's also in how you present the evidence AND yourselves as a married couple.

TIMELINE

6/3/2016: PD
9/27/2016: RFE
10/9/2016: RFE received
10/20/2016: I-130 approved

3/10/2017 ㅡ 3/09/2018: F-1 OPT

2/20/2018: I-485 & I-765 received
3/20/2018: Biometrics
4/02/2018: Fingerprint review completed
4/18/2018: Case ready to be scheduled for interview
7/10/2018: EAD card production
7/11/2018: I-765 approved
7/15/2018: EAD mailed
7/18/2018: EAD received

4/29/2019: Interview was scheduled
5/07/2019: Interview notice recieved
6/12/2019: Interview
6/12/2019: Card Production
6/13/2019: I-485 approved
6/14/2019: GC mailed
6/17/2019: I-485 approval notice received
6/18/2019: 10 years GC recieved

Total: 1111 days (3 years and 16 days)

Good luck everyone!

It took me time to share that since I was a silent reader. I came to US on F-1 visa. I met my husband 4years after and we started dating when I was on opt. We got married in November 2017 after my opt card expired. So babasically I overstated bc he asked me to marry him and we were getting prepared for the wedding. so this is the journey. Ps I hired a lawyer to help me go through this journey.
January 2019: Case was sent to USCIS
February 2019: fingerprints biometrics
April 24th 2019: interview was scheduled
May1st 2019: I received a notice to appear for interview in Memphis office on May 30th
May 30th. My husband and I arrived to the interview 15minutes early. The interview was at 730.The IO called my name but ask my husband to wait for his turn. He wasn’t rude but i wasn’t really feeling confortable. He asked me ton of questions. It last about 45 mn. Then he asked my husband to come for the questions. At the end, he didn’t say anything to my husband. He did not made us sign a paper saying my case will be under review. Since then we haven’t heard from them and it is been 3weeks now. My question is: is there something i can do while I am waiting.( last Wednesday I called USCIS and the lady told me the normal processing time for my casgoes until July 30th. If I didn’t get anything after that, I have to call them again) I can’t tell how stressing I am right now. Can somebody advise me something? Thank you

Hello Guys !

Hope you are doing well. I would like to share my interview experience.
(Houston Field office )

My Timeline

May 2018 (Filed for adjustment of Status i-130,I-485 etc..)
June 2018 Done with Finger Print
July 2018 Case ready to be scheduled for interview
 
May 15 2019 Received interview notice
June 18 2019 Done with interview

VO : Announcement of our name.
US : We went to the door
VO : Confirm our name and she walked us to her office
VO : She offer us chairs and ask for Interview notice
US : we sat on chairs about 20 minutes, No hand shake , No Hi, Hello nothing , I was worried and thinking about was anything wrong we did.

VO : She was typing and completing formalities what she have to complete.

US : We were very quite and only watching what she was doing & little scared from inside

VO : After 25 min she asked for supporting documents.
US : We were very well prepared and put bunch of documents on table she took only two three documents

VO : She put Approved stamp on i-130 form and i-485 form. No questions nothing we both watching that. we felt little excitement after 30 min

She took another 10 min and warp up our file.

And finally she said "Your case is continue for security check & verifying your documents and you will get Green Card withing two to three weeks"

We had print 400 pics but she didn't ask for that, I pleasantly asked her to see our photographs, She's respond "You guys are well prepared" and give us smile

VO was very very nice ....

 

Hey guys! Any NJ filers who want to share their timelines?

Can anyone with FO = Newark, NJ who had the interview scheduled recently share how long it took from “case ready to be scheduled” to the date of the interview??

Tks a lot guys!

Hello people! Pls I got an RFE to look for a joint sponsor, but the joint sponsor currently available just got divorced and his recent tax return 2018, was filed jointly with his ex-wife and the tax return shows his name and that of his ex. Although he has his W-2 which is definitely separate from his wife's . Can I use this person as joint sponsor?? If yes does he need to add his divorce papers to the form i864 ??? Thanks