Hey guys!
Sorry I've been MIA! Just had my interview today and got approved!!! Woot Woot!!
Thank you for all your well wishes! It truly means a lot to me!
So our interview was scheduled for 2:15 today. We were running a little late coz hubby got caught up at work! However we got to the parking lot at 2:05 and while we were walking to the Federal Plaza, it was soooooo windy that my interview letter flew out of my hand!!! I know I was careless and should have kept the letter in my purse but we were in a hurry so I thought to just hold it in my hand. Bad idea! My husband freaked out and ran fast to grab it but the letter kept flying away because the wind was so strong! Finally, it got stuck in the bushes right in front of the Plaza and my husband grabbed it really fast!! Whew so that was a relief! By the time we got inside it was 2:17!! We checked in and the officer told us to go to the second floor and sign in my name in the waiting room. We got to the 2nd floor and I signed myself in, expecting to be waiting for at least half an hour. But fortunately, as soon as my husband and I took a seat, we got called in. Our interview officer was a lady and she was really sweet! Very mellow and easy going!! We were both called in at the same time and took our oath. Then she proceeded to verify everything in our application which took about 10 minutes. Then she asked us how we met, where our legal ceremony was and where our religious marriage was held. She asked us details about our religious marriage like how many people attended the wedding, were both our families there, who paid for the wedding, where it was held etc. Then we showed her pics from our religious marriage.
She then asked about our legal ceremony and who attended that. Since the legal ceremony was just a formality for us, only my parents were there. She asked why my husband's parents weren't there but we explained that since my parents live close by they came to witness the ceremony and my husband's parents couldn't come since they live 6 hours away from us.
Then she asked if we had taken any trips together and we had gone to Hawaii in October for our honeymoon so we showed her our honeymoon pics. She then asked if we had any other documentation showing joint ownership and we gave her our joint car insurance policy and copies of all our joint bank accounts. The utilities are all in my husband's name so we couldn't offer any joint bills. She asked what utilities bills we got and I mentioned the electricity, gas and cable company names. And then she asked if we have cell phones and a family plan. We told her yes we do. Then she also asked how many cars we own and whose names the cars were under. We own two cars and one is under my husband's name and the other is under my husband's company name. Finally, she asked how we got here today, who drove and what time we left the house. That was weird but I guess she was trying to see if we came together and are living together. Oh and she asked how often we see our families and if we go together to visit them. She also inquired about my profession and asked if I was planning on working here. I told her since I just received my work permit 2 weeks ago, I was in the process of looking for work.
The whole interview took 20 minutes at most! I have literally written down everything she asked. She was very receptive to our answers and very respectful! Honestly, our legal ceremony just happened in Dec.2010 and we only have joint bank accounts, joint car insurance policy and a joint lease plus our wedding and honeymoon pictures. I know people have joint utility bills, joint health insurance, joint car ownership etc. so I was a bit nervous about our lack of joint assets even though we have a bona fide marriage and are very much in love! It takes time to put your name on everything and I've only been in the US for 5 months!
Anyways she was happy with everything we told her. She asked if we were planning on traveling in the next 10 days and my husband told her we wanted to go to Toronto this weekend to visit family. So she told us that in that case, she would stamp my passport and I would receive the green card within 10 days. She took my joint EAD/AP card, made a photocopy of both our drivers licenses, my passport and the pictures we submitted. She told us to sit in the waiting room while she went to make the copies and stamp my passport. We waited another 10 minutes, she called us back in and handed us back everything. She wished us well, we thanked her and that was it!
I am so glad the whole process is over. I wish you all the very best and may you all reach the finish line very soon!! I'll remember you in my prayers!
To all those, who have already been approved, congrats!!!!