August 2011 Filers

Our interview ordeal

Sorry guys for not posting the event right away. I got hooked up with work trying to make up the lost days last week. Anyway, I will just go ahead with the core of my story. My wife, our 4 year old son and I came in the office at 1215. Everybody were so friendly at the gate. They let us in with no trouble then we went to the customer service, showed our letter and the guy in the reception desk told us that we are lucky since we are the first one in line for the afternoon session. We were told to go up on the second floor and we did. We sat and waited for half an hour. The wait wasn't so bad aside from being busy with our son to keep still, we are also highly entertained by the woman yelling/embarrassing at an old man who obviously can’t express him himself came in for Citizenship Oath taking without the notification letter. Then the inevitable came… An elderly woman in a pink motherly dress came out and called our names. No smile just the firm order “follow me” statement.We came inside her office, she instructed us to sit in the front and my son at the back. We took our oath then she realized she gave us the wrong oath. She grinned and said she is getting old. She then said that she is not aware that there is an interview in the afternoon therefore she didn’t have a chance to look at the file.
She started browsing on the file. She asked us questions in between like my wife’s name, my name, our DOB, Marriage date, our son’s names. I was asked what my wife’s parents names and my wife was asked where I was born. She then asked how we met and why my wife didn’t change her last name. Our interview took 45 minutes long but the entire time we are just watching her writing down notes and browsing on the file. She then asked my son his name and his age. We told her we have more evidence to submit and then she said she had enough but since we brought it she might as well accept it. Her last question was how do we spend our time together as a family and I said we travel a lot and my son answered at the back we went to the ocean beach. She smiled. She then said “ I don’t see any reason why I shouldn’t approve you, You will get your card in 30 to 45 days”..She took both of the I94's and she looked at the passports and asked why they don't have a visa, I told her because they are Canadians.... I then asked her if she can change my wife’s last name to mine in the green card and she said she doesn’t have the authority to do it and I asked her also if we can get a stamp and she said she doesn’t have the authority to do it and later she asked for what reason and I said so she can start driving again and she said she will give us a letter instead and we can try downstairs to get a stamping. Finally we are finished. We said goodbye and she led us out. Overall.. we are relieved and happy that finally it’s over. We went downstairs at around 1330 and lobby is already empty. Receptionist informed us that everybody left for the day. To summed it all, we are still happy that its over and we can move on.
I would like to thank everybody for all the support and to impart their wisdom in such a journey like this. Kudos to everyone especially to the gurus in this forum. Till next time.
 
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falcyon said:
Sorry guys for not posting the event right away. I got hooked up with work trying to make up the lost days last week. Anyway, I will just go ahead with the core of my story. My wife, our 4 year old son and I came in the office at 1215. Everybody were so friendly at the gate. They let us in with no trouble then we went to the customer service, showed our letter and the guy in the reception desk told us that we are lucky since we are the first one in line for the afternoon session. We were told to go up on the second floor and we did. We sat and waited for half an hour. The wait wasn't so bad aside from being busy with our son to keep still, we are also highly entertained by the woman yelling/embarrassing at an old man who obviously can’t express him himself came in for Citizenship Oath taking without the notification letter. Then the inevitable came… An elderly woman in a pink motherly dress came out and called our names. No smile just the firm order “follow me” statement.We came inside her office, she instructed us to sit in the front and my son at the back. We took our oath then she realized she gave us the wrong oath. She grinned and said she is getting old. She then said that she is not aware that there is an interview in the afternoon therefore she didn’t have a chance to look at the file.
She started browsing on the file. She asked us questions in between like my wife’s name, my name, our DOB, Marriage date, our son’s names. I was asked what my wife’s parents names and my wife was asked where I was born. She then asked how we met and why my wife didn’t change her last name. Our interview took 45 minutes long but the entire time we are just watching her writing down notes and browsing on the file. She then asked my son his name and his age. We told her we have more evidence to submit and then she said she had enough but since we brought it she might as well accept it. Her last question was how do we spend our time together as a family and I said we travel a lot and my son answered at the back we went to the ocean beach. She smiled. She then said “ I don’t see any reason why I shouldn’t approve you, You will get your card in 30 to 45 days”..She took both of the I94's and she looked at the passports and asked why they don't have a visa, I told her because they are Canadians.... I then asked her if she can change my wife’s last name to mine in the green card and she said she doesn’t have the authority to do it and I asked her also if we can get a stamp and she said she doesn’t have the authority to do it and later she asked for what reason and I said so she can start driving again and she said she will give us a letter instead and we can try downstairs to get a stamping. Finally we are finished. We said goodbye and she led us out. Overall.. we are relieved and happy that finally it’s over. We went downstairs at around 1330 and lobby is already empty. Receptionist informed us that everybody left for the day. To summed it all, we are still happy that its over and we can move on.
I would like to thank everybody for all the support and to impart their wisdom in such a journey like this. Kudos to everyone especially to the gurus in this forum. Till next time.
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congrats Falcyon!! I wasn't able to change my last name either :( but I will try before I remove my conditions on my GC. Your wife can try to do it then too :)
 
Unfortunately, I can't do that either....We're married for more than 4 years and she will get the 10-yr GC. :( ...Oh well, maybe we can try again after 3 years when she's eligible for file for Naturalization.


beautifulorchid said:
congrats Falcyon!! I wasn't able to change my last name either :( but I will try before I remove my conditions on my GC. Your wife can try to do it then too :)
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Congrats Falcyon! 45 minutes is a painfully long time! I think the officer took so long because she hadn't looked at the file earlier. All is well that ends well. Enjoy the freedom!
 
Congratulations Falcyon. Good luck for the September filer.
July filer page 21 or 22, adeboi wrote a very detailed interview experience, some of you may find it useful.
 
Thanks mraman10311.... Received 10-yr GC for wife and son in mail today.

Thanks and all the best to everyone.

mraman010311 said:
Congratulations Falcyon. Good luck for the September filer.
July filer page 21 or 22, adeboi wrote a very detailed interview experience, some of you may find it useful.
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EAD approved!!!!

EAD/AP Approval Email Recieved....

Date Applied:08/16/2011
Date Recd by USCIS:08/17/2011
Check cashed on: 08/23/2011
USCIS Notice Date:08/19/2011
Biometrics/Finger-printing notice received-Never
Biometrics /FP Appointment date:09/21/2011
Completed 09/20/2011 ( Early Walkin)
RFE (if any)--None
EAD Applied:Yes Date Approved:10/18/2011
AP Applied: Yes Date Approved: 10/18/2011
AOS Interview Date: 11/08/2011
Results of AOS Interview
 
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Hey, I am back!!!

Hello Everyone,
Sorry, I have been away because for some weird reason the site did not allow me to post. So, we just had our interview this week and I believe it went well because the lady just said that we would know about their decision in the mail. The only weird thing was that the she answered a personal phone call and was chatting for about 5 minutes right on the middle of our interview; so rude! Anyways, when she was done, she lost track of what she was asking and became very repetitive and we were done! And the waiting begins again hahaha. Good luck to all.
P.S: this is my updated timeline

DO/ASC: California
02-Aug-11 Application sent to Chicago lockbox -Day 0
08-Aug-11 USCIS Received Application - Day 6
12-Aug-11 Check Cleared - Day 10
15-Aug-11 Notice of Action Received - Day 13
16-Aug-11 Bio Notification -
01-Sep-11 Bio -
13-Sep-11 IL
15-Oct-11 EAD Received I-765 (Got email of production of the card on Oct 5th)
18-Oct-11 Interview Date
XX-XXX-11 Green Card Received
 
hi everybody

We went to my interview appt on monday 24th . the immigration officer called me 20 mins after the appt time, she was very cold. She lead us to her office, we were sworn in before we sat down. she asked my husband his name, dob, ssn # and address then she asked me the same. She asked us when we got married and if our 2 years old is our only child.
After that, she asked us if we brought pictures, we only provide 2 family pic with the 3 of us and 3 others of me and my hubby. She stepped out of her office and made the copies.
After that she said they will get in touch if they need anything. I have asked her how long it may take, she said 1 or 2 months and we left> It was less than 10 mins.
Yesterday, when I checked the uscis case status my I485 is on card production. YAAAYYY!!!!


01-Aug-11 Application sent to Chicago lockbox -Day 1
02-Aug-11 USCIS Received Application -Day 2
06-Aug-11 Text NOA's Received -Day 6
08-Aug-11 Notice of Action Received -Day 8
12-Aug-11 Bio Notification - Day 12
07-Sept-11 Bio taken - Day 38
23-Sept-11 IL
05-Oct-11 EAD & AP Received I-765
24-Oct-11 Interview Date
XX-XXX-11 Green Card Received
 
Congrats! She was out of ammunition. Having a kid together is the ultimate bulletproof jacket.

kadidja said:
We went to my interview appt on monday 24th . the immigration officer called me 20 mins after the appt time, she was very cold.
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Thanks Ananga73. U r right, I think most of IO are trained to be nasty.
Now my quest for a JOB has officially started ...loll
 
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