My interview experience (Houston DOA)

[Netbreaker]

Before I start, here is my timeline:

Ok, I am a former F-1->OPT->H1B who married an US Citizen in early July. Filed my I-485/I-130/I-131/I-765 on early August.
8/6/06 - Receipt Date for all 4 forms (Notice Date 8/11/06)
(Here where it becomes tricky)
8/16/06 ASC Appointment notice for Fingerprints (Appt Date 9/06/06)
8/24/06 - RFE requested.
8/25/06 - NOA stating they are going to stop processing my case since my bank stopped payment in all 4 checks (Bank error: They even refunded me the $30 per check USCIS fee). I paid all four charges (including fees) immediately by phone.
9/1/06 - NOA stating they have received payment and resumed processing. (I don't know why it took so long.) NOA also states "Your filing date has been adjusted to reflect the receipt of payment". (Not sure what this means). NOA also shows a modified Receipt Date of August 11, 2006.
9/06/06 - Biometrics Appointment.
9/07/06 - LUD after Biometrics.
9/14/06 - LUD RFE information received. Online message for I-485 states: "However because preliminary processing was complete, the remaining processing time will be less than the maximum stated in this message."
9/21/06 - Appointment for Interview for 11/09/06. NOA shows priority date and Received date of 8/30/06 for form I-485. November 9th, also happens to be the 90th day for EAD and AP from the adjusted date of NOA recvd on 9/11 AND my H1B expiration date.
10/20/06 - LUDs for both I-485 and I-130. (No new message)
11/02/06 - Infopass appointment.Verified that the FBI namecheck was completed. No word on EAD or AP.
11/09/06. Interview. Approved! Passport Stamped. LUD's on I130 & 1485

We arrived @ 10:05 for a 10:30 interview. The room was crowded but comfortable. There were a lot of people with lawyer which made me a little bit nervous since we did not hired one. People around us were called and our turn came at around 11:30. A nice friendly lady called my name and my wife and I picked up all our evidence (albums and files) and follow her to her office which was really nice with pictures made by her kids which provided a friendly atmosphere...
She asked us for our ID's and started asking us pretty much the information included on the I-485, (my name, her name, my parents' name, where I was born, etc) Then she asked me how did we meet and I answer in one or two sentences without providing much detail. (I don't think she wanted to hear me talk for a long time)...Then she asked me what I brought with me, the first thing I showed her were selected pictures that I printed for her from all our trips and the wedding. She seemed satisfied by this but then I told her that I also had the copies of the monthly invoices from out mortgage...She said then that the pictures were not really necessary and gave them back. She kept the invoices and attached them to our file.
Then she proceeded to tell us what was going to happen next, basically that in 2 years from this date I needed to remove the conditional from my permanent residence and how to apply for U.S. citizenship down the road.
She stood up told us congratulations and shook our hands. I respectfully asked her if she was going to stamp my passport (My H1B expired that day and I needed proof of employment verification), she said that as of August 1st they do not stamp Passports since Green Cards arrive so quickly now a days. I explained my situation (I never received an EAD so she took my passport and told me she would have to ask her supervisor since they are the only ones issuing this temporary stamp now. I gave her the letter of my employer indicating that my work permit expired that day and that from tomorrow on I needed authorization to continue to work. She came back 5-10 minutes later with a stamped passport and we left feeling glad and lucky of receiving a green card less exactly 90 days after we applied.

Hope this helps someone and good luck to all!

[stranger26]

Congratulations!!!

[ahunyu]

Congrats!

[Jewel12]

Congratulations!

[sudhany]

Congratulations! It looks like the Houston DO is very fast!