After I-485 Pending...I got my Welcome Notice!

[newyorklady]

Hey!
I really want to help others out just incase this happens to them...it could be scary!

I went for my interview Sept 16th for 7:30 a.m. and waited till 9:30 a.m. She swore us in and began asking my husband lots of questions.
1. Where did you meet?
2. When did you meet?
3. What is her middle name?
4. What is her mother's name? etc, etc...

She then asked me a few questions and then the obligatory "yes, no" questions. She then asked for proof of marriage and I gave her rent leases, several bank statments, amtrak tickets, letters to the both of us, utility bills and photocopied pictures. I also gave her our wedding album. She then asked if we had anymore things and I said "no" (I was freaking out and regretting bringing so little at that point)
She then signed and dated my passport and wrote "I-485 pending" I was so scared and nervous.

(I was not all that organized and I did not bring my lawyer with us, I also did not bring every picture of me and my husband I owned...so this is why I was nervous)

A few days later I checked online and saw that card production was ordered for me, I was so happy and excited, I cried!

Suggestions for those who are going on their AOS interview:
1. Just because you don't get stamped at the interview, it does not mean you have gotten denied.
2. Bring lots of evidence (pics, letters, bills)
3. Be organized
4. Be prepared to wait
5. Hire a good lawyer to prepare your papers and make sure they are very thorough(they don't have to go on the interview with you if you are well prepared)
6. Be calm...it's not that scary, the interview only lasted 15 mins.
7. If you can wait over 2 years after you get married, do so...this way you will get a 10 year green card-this is what I did!

God Bless everyone and don't worry, it will all work out!

My timeline:

Sent in papers 6/19/09
Biometrics taken 7/21/09
AP & EAD received 8/15/09
Interview 9/16/09
Card production orders 9/21/09
Welcome notice 9/28/09
...waiting for greencard!

[jawed77]

Hey!
I really want to help others out just incase this happens to them...it could be scary!

I went for my interview Sept 16th for 7:30 a.m. and waited till 9:30 a.m. She swore us in and began asking my husband lots of questions.
1. Where did you meet?
2. When did you meet?
3. What is her middle name?
4. What is her mother's name? etc, etc...

She then asked me a few questions and then the obligatory "yes, no" questions. She then asked for proof of marriage and I gave her rent leases, several bank statments, amtrak tickets, letters to the both of us, utility bills and photocopied pictures. I also gave her our wedding album. She then asked if we had anymore things and I said "no" (I was freaking out and regretting bringing so little at that point)
She then signed and dated my passport and wrote "I-485 pending" I was so scared and nervous.

(I was not all that organized and I did not bring my lawyer with us, I also did not bring every picture of me and my husband I owned...so this is why I was nervous)

A few days later I checked online and saw that card production was ordered for me, I was so happy and excited, I cried!

Suggestions for those who are going on their AOS interview:
1. Just because you don't get stamped at the interview, it does not mean you have gotten denied.
2. Bring lots of evidence (pics, letters, bills)
3. Be organized
4. Be prepared to wait
5. Hire a good lawyer to prepare your papers and make sure they are very thorough(they don't have to go on the interview with you if you are well prepared)
6. Be calm...it's not that scary, the interview only lasted 15 mins.
7. If you can wait over 2 years after you get married, do so...this way you will get a 10 year green card-this is what I did!

God Bless everyone and don't worry, it will all work out!

My timeline:

Sent in papers 6/19/09
Biometrics taken 7/21/09
AP & EAD received 8/15/09
Interview 9/16/09
Card production orders 9/21/09
Welcome notice 9/28/09
...waiting for greencard!

how long does it take after the interview to get a green card ?

[newyorklady]

greencard

It took less than 2 weeks to get my card in the mail.

[newyorkk10001]

i had my interview today at Garden City NY
I am in the same situation right now...
Immmigration officer wrote on my passport pending..
At the end of the interview they did not give us second interview date and she did not say anything...
She just said that they will tell us after decision...

I am really worried about it...

[newyorklady]

I totally know how you feel-I was freaking out too! But the officer did not say that your marriage was a fraud so you should be okay. Fingers crossed! Just look up your case on the USCIS website in a few days and hopefully you'll see card production ordered. My interview was on a Wednesday and I saw the notice the following Monday. Best wishes!

[newyorkk10001]

Thank you so much newyorklady.

I checked my status online and there is written card production ordered.

[Johnboy]

do i-130 and i-485 and i-765 filed in the same envolope?

Hey congrats on getting your green card, just wondering I've been trying to research all of this stuff because I am thinking about filling without a lawyer. I know it says your i-485 can be filed concurrently with your i-765 and i-130 does this mean they are filed at the same time in separate envolopes? or in the same envolope? Also does the sponsor on the i-130 have to be a relative?
Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks

[Russell]

We put the I-485 and I-765 applications in the same envelope.

We paperclipped the apropiate supporting documents together with the I-485 and the I-765 seperatly into two bundles .

[Johnboy]

Ok cool, what sort of dcument should you attach to each?? sorry if these seem like basic questions just trying to be thorough thats all.

[Russell]

Some supporting documents are common with both the I-485 and the I-765, like requiring passport photographs. Make sure you provide enough copies to satisfy each individually. The I-485 and the I-765 are proccessed at different times and most likely different people.

I dont know exactly what documents you will need. I did not file a I-130 and I think you are filing a I-485 for a different reason than me.

Check http://www.immihelp.com/greencard/ look at the part about getting a green card and read the category that best applies to you. I recomend, (even if you have a lawyer) reading the instructions that go with each form that you want to file.

If you fit nicely into one of those categories then I don't think you need a lawyer.

[John710]

Some supporting documents are common with both the I-485 and the I-765, like requiring passport photographs. Make sure you provide enough copies to satisfy each individually. The I-485 and the I-765 are proccessed at different times and most likely different people.

I dont know exactly what documents you will need. I did not file a I-130 and I think you are filing a I-485 for a different reason than me.

Check http://www.immihelp.com/greencard/ look at the part about getting a green card and read the category that best applies to you. I recomend, (even if you have a lawyer) reading the instructions that go with each form that you want to file.

If you fit nicely into one of those categories then I don't think you need a lawyer.

Hi NewYorkLady,

I live in New York also. What reason did you use for your Advance Parole form? I put on a continuation sheet that my wife would like Advance Parole because she would like to visit her mom in Japan. Is this reason good?

[Johnboy]

Hey just a question for Russell, ust wondering maybe I do not have to file i-130 aswell?? did you already have an immigration visa?? i am here legally at the moment on a non-immigrant visa on my F1 student visa. is this a similar situation to you?

[newyorklady]

My Two Cents: I was here legally on a R1 visa and married for 2.5 years before I applied for the AOS. If you're here on a F1 visa and are married, and not being able to legally work yet does not bother you then continue to do so. If you wait 2 years or more you can get a 10 year visa which is way more better to have because you don't have to go through ROC in two years.

Advanced Parole Question: I just said on the application that I have family in Canada and I would like to visit them in case of emergency...but as a side note...I didn't even have to apply for AP or EAD because I received my GC six weeks after I received my travel/work documents. Worth it, but could of saved money.