Wow, that was fast! I guess the Service Center in Laguna Niguel CA has been busy clearing the backlog, after the big scandal last year: interview 3 weeks ago, received the GC yesterday.
So, I was here on H1B for 4 years before we got married (my wife's a US citizen, I am an Italian citizen). I applied by mail last January (the first week) at the San Jose INS office (that was before the name change). Prepared all the paperwork by myself after a lawyer quoted me $1200 plus filing fees for doing it - hykes! It is really easy, just time consuming and one's better triple-check everything after triple-reading the instructions. BTW, the advice on this website is GREAT, thanks to Mr. Khanna and all the collaborators.
I filed for AOS (i485, i130), EAD and advance parole. I translated the foreign certificates by myself (birth and marriage - we married in Italy), and had the translations notarized at a Mailboxes Etc store. I made only one mistake: I included the medical exam certificate in their sealed envelope with the rest, whereas the San Jose office asks that you bring it with you at the AOS interview. In the end it was not a problem, as the certificate is valid for one year.
I was called to the office to pick the EAD and advance parole three weeks after mailing the application, then was called for fingerprints two weeks later.
I and my wife had our interview in San Jose CA three weeks ago. It went very smoothly, despite my initial nervousness. We arrived early (30 minutes before our scheduled appointment time), and the officer called us right on time.
The officer was very courteous, and addressed us formally throughout. After swearing us in he made us sit, took my index fingerprint, then asked a few simple questions: are we married, where did we meet, how long have we known each other, do we have children, where did we get married, have we met each other's families.
Then he asked to see the originals for the certificates I had put in photocopy in the application package, and some papers to prove we lived together. We brought our apartment's lease agreement, utility bills, bank statement.
That ended the interview. I had brought a huge album of wedding pictures, plus a heap of other photos, but he did not ask to see any of them. Not that I am disappointed, mind you
The officer told us that our application was approved and that he was going to forward the paperwork to the Laguna Niguel Service Center for issuing the GC. He told us about how to remove the condition in two years, when I will be eligible to apply for citizenship.
So, it all ended yesterday with the arrival of the GC (actually, it's white) in the mail. I was surprised that they sent it by regular mail, not by registered. Before that I received another letter a week ago, saying that the GC was about to be mailed.
That's it. Thanks to the forum and site maintainers for all the help and for keeping up this terrific site. Good luck to you all
Cheers
F.
So, I was here on H1B for 4 years before we got married (my wife's a US citizen, I am an Italian citizen). I applied by mail last January (the first week) at the San Jose INS office (that was before the name change). Prepared all the paperwork by myself after a lawyer quoted me $1200 plus filing fees for doing it - hykes! It is really easy, just time consuming and one's better triple-check everything after triple-reading the instructions. BTW, the advice on this website is GREAT, thanks to Mr. Khanna and all the collaborators.
I filed for AOS (i485, i130), EAD and advance parole. I translated the foreign certificates by myself (birth and marriage - we married in Italy), and had the translations notarized at a Mailboxes Etc store. I made only one mistake: I included the medical exam certificate in their sealed envelope with the rest, whereas the San Jose office asks that you bring it with you at the AOS interview. In the end it was not a problem, as the certificate is valid for one year.
I was called to the office to pick the EAD and advance parole three weeks after mailing the application, then was called for fingerprints two weeks later.
I and my wife had our interview in San Jose CA three weeks ago. It went very smoothly, despite my initial nervousness. We arrived early (30 minutes before our scheduled appointment time), and the officer called us right on time.
The officer was very courteous, and addressed us formally throughout. After swearing us in he made us sit, took my index fingerprint, then asked a few simple questions: are we married, where did we meet, how long have we known each other, do we have children, where did we get married, have we met each other's families.
Then he asked to see the originals for the certificates I had put in photocopy in the application package, and some papers to prove we lived together. We brought our apartment's lease agreement, utility bills, bank statement.
That ended the interview. I had brought a huge album of wedding pictures, plus a heap of other photos, but he did not ask to see any of them. Not that I am disappointed, mind you
The officer told us that our application was approved and that he was going to forward the paperwork to the Laguna Niguel Service Center for issuing the GC. He told us about how to remove the condition in two years, when I will be eligible to apply for citizenship.
So, it all ended yesterday with the arrival of the GC (actually, it's white) in the mail. I was surprised that they sent it by regular mail, not by registered. Before that I received another letter a week ago, saying that the GC was about to be mailed.
That's it. Thanks to the forum and site maintainers for all the help and for keeping up this terrific site. Good luck to you all
Cheers
F.