Finally Houston

[Ti Nu]

The wait is almost over for us!

I finally received a text message that my status is updated so I went online and check.
Office: Houston TX
PD March 24,2016
Interview date: April 20,2017

One problem with our case back in April 2016 was on my biometrics letter, they had my husband name on it instead of my name. Of course, I was freaking out and scared my case got delay. If its ever happened to you, DON'T FREAK OUT! What I did was to bring the letter and still go to get my finger print. Explained to them, I also brought my marriage license, his citizenship certificate, passport. Went inside to see another office, show her proof. Then she files another paper, crossed out my husband name and put my name. Status online will say name updated. Luckily, our case wasn't delay but we have been waiting for a year to finally receive a notice for our interview date.

I'm so happy and nervous at the same time. I have schedule to get my medical exam update. Few questions:
- My doctor said I only need to do all the tests again included the gorrhear test + flu shot since I had all the other shots last year and I don't have to take it again( or not allow to because some of them seems to last for the whole life). Is it true? Anyone have any experience with this? My attorney pretty much say the same thing.
- I have prepare my folder to bring to the interview. What do you recommend to put everything in? A binder? Folders? Which way is the easiest for the officer to take a look at?


God Blessed!

[BIVANIARO]

The wait is almost over for us!

I finally received a text message that my status is updated so I went online and check.
Office: Houston TX
PD March 24,2016
Interview date: April 20,2017

One problem with our case back in April 2016 was on my biometrics letter, they had my husband name on it instead of my name. Of course, I was freaking out and scared my case got delay. If its ever happened to you, DON'T FREAK OUT! What I did was to bring the letter and still go to get my finger print. Explained to them, I also brought my marriage license, his citizenship certificate, passport. Went inside to see another office, show her proof. Then she files another paper, crossed out my husband name and put my name. Status online will say name updated. Luckily, our case wasn't delay but we have been waiting for a year to finally receive a notice for our interview date.

I'm so happy and nervous at the same time. I have schedule to get my medical exam update. Few questions:
- My doctor said I only need to do all the tests again included the gorrhear test + flu shot since I had all the other shots last year and I don't have to take it again( or not allow to because some of them seems to last for the whole life). Is it true? Anyone have any experience with this? My attorney pretty much say the same thing.
- I have prepare my folder to bring to the interview. What do you recommend to put everything in? A binder? Folders? Which way is the easiest for the officer to take a look at?


God Blessed!

Ti Nu,

CONGRATULATIONS!! That is such great news. I hope mine gets scheduled sometime next month. (Houston filer 4/25/2016, PD 5/2/2014).

As far as your question for the interview prepping... I've gone to the I-130 interview (filed non-concurrent) and from what I've read the I-130 and 485 interview are practically the same. So from when I went for my I-130 I took all the documents they asked for in the letter. Took both originals and copies. I went to Office Depot and got a portfolio with pocket dividers in it. I went and numbed each and in each pocket I had the items per the list. Ex pocket 1 had all birth certificates, pocket 2 had income tax related items... you get the point. As far as pictures, I took various from when my husband and I started dating to milestone pictures (family anniversaries, wedding, our engagement, trips etc...), and also took our wedding album. The officer actually looked through our album and asked us who some people were and even made small conversation of our wedding. So really the key point is be organized and have copies.

I plan on doing the same when I go to my 485 interview, just will need to update my medical exam. If you do get an answer on your questions for it, may you please let me know?

I wish you the best and can't wait to hear how it goes.

Best wishes,

B.Ro

[Ti Nu]

Yay!

Thank you thank you! Hopefully it will be coming your way soon. I'm still trying to firgure out with my medical exam. I'm going to the same doctor office that did my last year exam seems like they knew what they were talking about. Till this point, I don't want anything to go wrong, especially something like medical exam updated which I have no controlled over it.

But thank you for your advices. I really need to organize and label everything and make copies too.

[MariR]

Congratulations!

The wait is almost over for us!

I finally received a text message that my status is updated so I went online and check.
Office: Houston TX
PD March 24,2016
Interview date: April 20,2017

One problem with our case back in April 2016 was on my biometrics letter, they had my husband name on it instead of my name. Of course, I was freaking out and scared my case got delay. If its ever happened to you, DON'T FREAK OUT! What I did was to bring the letter and still go to get my finger print. Explained to them, I also brought my marriage license, his citizenship certificate, passport. Went inside to see another office, show her proof. Then she files another paper, crossed out my husband name and put my name. Status online will say name updated. Luckily, our case wasn't delay but we have been waiting for a year to finally receive a notice for our interview date.

I'm so happy and nervous at the same time. I have schedule to get my medical exam update. Few questions:
- My doctor said I only need to do all the tests again included the gorrhear test + flu shot since I had all the other shots last year and I don't have to take it again( or not allow to because some of them seems to last for the whole life). Is it true? Anyone have any experience with this? My attorney pretty much say the same thing.
- I have prepare my folder to bring to the interview. What do you recommend to put everything in? A binder? Folders? Which way is the easiest for the officer to take a look at?


God Blessed!

Congrats on having another step forward on your journey!
For your 1st question, as far as I know, your doctor is correct, you don't really need to re-do all the test just the gonorrhea one, but I wont put my word on it, maybe some other filers have a definite answer. For your next question, I thinks it always depends on the interviewer. Like for us, the officer did not really care, he just wanted to see the papers out of the binder that I have. He did not even touch my binder. So if that would be the case for you as well, find something that you will be comfortable to use during the interview (like if the officer ask for the papers, you should be able to hand it to him/her without having a hard time taking it out from your folder or binder).

[Ti Nu]

Typo

Thank you for your answer.
I have been stressing out lately! So they (once again) messed up with our names. I received an interview letter with my husband name on it and it supposed to be my name. My legal assistant have made the request last year and I saw my status "Name Updated" on July 2016. And here we go again, he made another request for name changed but of course this time it won't be on time for my interview. I called the customer service number and they said just bring the evidences that I have sent the request and they have responded on my case. 20 more days and gosh, everything just keep messing up.

Do you guys have any experience with this typo thing?

P/s: and it was my legal assistant fault for file our names wrong/ switch around on form i-485.

[BIVANIARO]

Thank you for your answer.
I have been stressing out lately! So they (once again) messed up with our names. I received an interview letter with my husband name on it and it supposed to be my name. My legal assistant have made the request last year and I saw my status "Name Updated" on July 2016. And here we go again, he made another request for name changed but of course this time it won't be on time for my interview. I called the customer service number and they said just bring the evidences that I have sent the request and they have responded on my case. 20 more days and gosh, everything just keep messing up.

Do you guys have any experience with this typo thing?

P/s: and it was my legal assistant fault for file our names wrong/ switch around on form i-485.

Ti Nu,

I want to say that you should be okay with it even if it shows your husbands name not yours. For instance when we got our I130 interview appointment it had my name on it (as beneficiary) and my husbands name (as petitioner) which is correct. However when we received the approval on the I-130 it had my husbands name and no where on the document did it state my name. But the unique case ID to it is tid to everything that we have sent to them. We mailed this approval letter with the remaining AOS packet and now we are just waiting for the 485 interview.

Hope this helps you a bit.
Also, have you gotten your new medicals done yet? Did you have to redo everything?

thanks for your reply in advance.

Best wishes,

B.Ro

[BIVANIARO]

Houston Interview

I finally after so many months waiting for an interview got scheduled for one! Here is my case timeline.

Filled Non-concurrent: Houston, TX
PD: 5/2/2014

4/00/2014 - Mailed I-130
1/08/2015 - I-130 Interview; interview took no more then 15 minutes
1/16/2015 - I-130 approved
4/15/2016 - Mailed AOS Packet (I -485, I-131, I-765 & Medical Packet)
4/25/2016 - Receipt date (date use to reference application date)
5/11/2016 - Receipt of all 3 applications
5/11/2016 - Checks cashed
6/01/2016 - Biometric appointment
7/27/2016 - EAD approved
7/27/2016 - Change of status to ready for interview
7/30/2016 - EAD card received in mail
1/06/2017 - Advance Parole (I-131) card approved
1/09/2017 - AP card received in mail
4/11/2017 - Interview Notice on line changed to interview date scheduled
5/16/2017 - Interview date!

In all Houston, is very slow but I feel like I can finally breath. I hope and pray that we get a nice officer like we did on our I-130 interview since my husband and I are actually leaving on vacation to Switzerland May 20th! So hope they can stamp my passport since I dont think I will get my card (should I get approved) on time.

I hope this is helpful to anyone from Houston. Best advice is patience and DO NOT GIVE UP!!!!

Kind regards,


B.Ro

[Houston,Tx]

Good Luck

Good Luck on your interview today! I was hoping you could let us know how it goes and what questions they asked.

[pal4life]

Yes how did your interview went, if you can share any tips on it.
Thanks.