DV 2022 AOS (Adjustment of Status) Only

[tintin2022]

Interview experience in LA FO

My interview was conducted last week. I arrived 45 minutes earlier and there was a short line but the security separated a few of us and let us get in from another door.

They asked me to check in first. The check-in process took 15 minutes which was stressful. Upon checking in, I waited in a room with a few other people who had asylum interviews (I'm still not sure why she asked me to wait in that room).

After waiting for 45 minutes, an officer called my name and he walked me in. The interview was pretty straightforward. First of all, he checked my passport and ID. Then he asked my DOB and my address. He said you don't have status but you arrived here having F-1 status. I explained that I applied for asylum before my OPT ended, and I have never accumulated unlawful presence or been unauthorized to stay in the country.

Finally, he asked yes/no questions. I asked him why my case took longer than others, even though I filed earlier, and he said it was a random event. Afterwards, he handed me a letter to let me know that my case needs more time to be reviewed and he will let me know by September 30. He then said I need more time to process the case. Don't worry about visa quotas; as long as you pay and attend the interview, you will be fine.

The officer was young, polite, and friendly.

My case hasn't updated since then. This year, I've seen many asylum pending cases get green cards despite overstaying.

@Sm1smom , I am aware of a few cases in LA FO like my case (asylum pending) which got their green card and there also is a case for Diamond_Water's parents. Because of his overstay, there is a RFE filed on his case. Does this mean LA office would process the case if they could prove that their late filing wasn't their mistake? Do you know anyone from LA who has the same situation as me but couldn't get their green card?

 

[cbs5hiuc]

This update does not mean things have gotten worse. Seems to me like your expectation of a congressional inquiry is off, I’m sorry to say. A congressional inquiry does not necessarily mean the case gets expedited, no member of congress (House of Rep or Senator) has the power to request or enforce a case expedite.

The intent and purpose of a congressional inquiry is to kind of “gently nudge” a case along, especially in situations where a case might have unintentionally fallen through the cracks, which may be the situation with your case.

So it is indeed a good thing they’ve confirmed they will be following up with USCIS to get a case update on your behalf. The email is basically a confirmation of what a congressional inquiry does. Hang in there!

Hi All, a massive update on my very problematic case. As you know, my case was at a total standstill. I tried everything to push it forward from congressional inquiries, inquiries to two senators, USCIS tier-2 call back, USCIS request to expedite, ombudsman inquiry, etc.

On Friday I received a private note from someone on this forum that explained they were in a similar situation two years ago and found an immigration attorney to contact a senior member of the USCIS Albany FO directly to track down the status of the case.

Being so close to the deadline, I felt it necessary to take the same steps (after all, nothing to lose). I called around 15 immigration lawyers asking for a quick 5-minute consultation. One attorney from the city noted that he had an interview for another client on Monday (today) and that after the interview he would try and get a word in with the supervisor to check on my case. We actually ended up meeting at USCIS Manhattan FO on Friday last week around 3:30pm but they wouldn't let us in without an appointment and all the supervisors had already gone home.

I then decided to join him at 9am this morning - just felt like the best thing to do and was reluctant to leave it up to someone else to fight for me given how passionate I am about this. We arrived at USCIS and were able to skip the queue without an appointment as he had an attorney card. I had my I-485 Receipt notice, my biometrics notice, my passport, and birth certificate. We then made it up to the floor of the Manhattan FO and walked straight up to the counter. He had a letter prepped and explained that I was a DV winner with 15 days to get a GC and that he thought my case had fallen through the cracks. She looked up the number and concluded that my application was in fact at the Manhattan FO (phew).

She then had us take a seat and wait while she spoke to someone. After around 10 mins she came back to ask if I was ready to interview TODAY. I of course said yes, even without the appropriate documentation (once-in-a-lifetime opportunity). After another two hours, I got called into the interview. I had a lovely lady. She asked about my home country, my current non-immigrant visa, what I did for work, some questions on a previous J1 visa, and then went through various questions relating to the I-485 form. Criminal record, etc.

She asked if I had my taxes and a letter of support from my employer, I said yes in my application but apologised for not bringing another copy due to the last-minute interview. She said it was fine and found it in the stack of paper. We spoke about my work which she took an interest in, a bit about her own living situation in new york (small talk really). After about 20 mins she said I was good to go. I asked her what that meant, and if I was approved and she said yes all approved and you'll get the green card in the mail in around 3 weeks.

My case status changed to Card is being Processed around 1 hour after I left. I know it's not the end until I have that card in my hand, but I think it's looking good. I will say, though it cost me to get an immigration lawyer, I think it was the right decision being so close to the cut-off date.

I want to thank everyone here from the bottom of my heart for providing recommendations and bringing positive thoughts! It's corny, but true - if you want something bad enough don't give up. There's always a way. Hope this works out and I get the card in the mail soon!

Will continue to pay it forward on this platform in the future and update my timeline accordingly. again, not the end, but THANKS!

 

[SusieQQQ]

Hi All, a massive update on my very problematic case. As you know, my case was at a total standstill. I tried everything to push it forward from congressional inquiries, inquiries to two senators, USCIS tier-2 call back, USCIS request to expedite, ombudsman inquiry, etc.

On Friday I received a private note from someone on this forum that explained they were in a similar situation two years ago and found an immigration attorney to contact a senior member of the USCIS Albany FO directly to track down the status of the case.

Being so close to the deadline, I felt it necessary to take the same steps (after all, nothing to lose). I called around 15 immigration lawyers asking for a quick 5-minute consultation. One attorney from the city noted that he had an interview for another client on Monday (today) and that after the interview he would try and get a word in with the supervisor to check on my case. We actually ended up meeting at USCIS Manhattan FO on Friday last week around 3:30pm but they wouldn't let us in without an appointment and all the supervisors had already gone home.

I then decided to join him at 9am this morning - just felt like the best thing to do and was reluctant to leave it up to someone else to fight for me given how passionate I am about this. We arrived at USCIS and were able to skip the queue without an appointment as he had an attorney card. I had my I-485 Receipt notice, my biometrics notice, my passport, and birth certificate. We then made it up to the floor of the Manhattan FO and walked straight up to the counter. He had a letter prepped and explained that I was a DV winner with 15 days to get a GC and that he thought my case had fallen through the cracks. She looked up the number and concluded that my application was in fact at the Manhattan FO (phew).

She then had us take a seat and wait while she spoke to someone. After around 10 mins she came back to ask if I was ready to interview TODAY. I of course said yes, even without the appropriate documentation (once-in-a-lifetime opportunity). After another two hours, I got called into the interview. I had a lovely lady. She asked about my home country, my current non-immigrant visa, what I did for work, some questions on a previous J1 visa, and then went through various questions relating to the I-485 form. Criminal record, etc.

She asked if I had my taxes and a letter of support from my employer, I said yes in my application but apologised for not bringing another copy due to the last-minute interview. She said it was fine and found it in the stack of paper. We spoke about my work which she took an interest in, a bit about her own living situation in new york (small talk really). After about 20 mins she said I was good to go. I asked her what that meant, and if I was approved and she said yes all approved and you'll get the green card in the mail in around 3 weeks.

My case status changed to Card is being Processed around 1 hour after I left. I know it's not the end until I have that card in my hand, but I think it's looking good. I will say, though it cost me to get an immigration lawyer, I think it was the right decision being so close to the cut-off date.

I want to thank everyone here from the bottom of my heart for providing recommendations and bringing positive thoughts! It's corny, but true - if you want something bad enough don't give up. There's always a way. Hope this works out and I get the card in the mail soon!

Will continue to pay it forward on this platform in the future and update my timeline accordingly. again, not the end, but THANKS!

Fabulous!!! Well done for being so proactive. Enjoy your new green status!

As an aside - it’s also refreshing to see a case where a lawyer absolutely does help for a DV case. So glad you found a good one!

 

[cbs5hiuc]

Fabulous!!! Well done for being so proactive. Enjoy your new green status!

As an aside - it’s also refreshing to see a case where a lawyer absolutely does help for a DV case. So glad you found a good one!

Thank you, Susie. Does this mean it's 100% coming?

Yes RE lawyer! It was the person that quoted me the lowest too. I am happy to provide his details here if that is allowed? Thought I would ask before sharing but I highly recommend for anyone in the NYC area.

 

[SusieQQQ]

Yes RE lawyer! It was the person that quoted me the lowest too. I am happy to provide his details here if that is allowed? Thought I would ask before sharing but I highly recommend for anyone in the NYC area.

i wonder what mom thinks about an extra sheet, that would be very short probably, of lawyers who have helped DV applicants - who they helped, in what way, and where they are located. Obviously with a big disclaimer

 

[cbs5hiuc]

i wonder what mom thinks about an extra sheet, that would be very short probably, of lawyers who have helped DV applicants - who they helped, in what way, and where they are located. Obviously with a big disclaimer

I think that's a great idea - good way to weed out the good from the bad! I have a few that were particularly helpful in giving free 10 min advice, from offering their services at a reasonable price. Happy to contribute my list to this!

 

[fergusstothart]

Great news!! Congratulations!!
Quick question. When you say you were allowed to skip the queue because your lawyer had an attorney card, does this mean simply that they had a card saying they were an attorney? Or does it mean they had some special card that let them in because they had an appointment scheduled for someone else at the same field office that same day?
Thanks for clarifying!

 

[Blade_]

i wonder what mom thinks about an extra sheet, that would be very short probably, of lawyers who have helped DV applicants - who they helped, in what way, and where they are located. Obviously with a big disclaimer

That might end up creating spam users bringing their fictional stories, etc. to promote a lawyer.

 

[Sm1smom]

Interview experience in LA FO

My interview was conducted last week. I arrived 45 minutes earlier and there was a short line but the security separated a few of us and let us get in from another door.

They asked me to check in first. The check-in process took 15 minutes which was stressful. Upon checking in, I waited in a room with a few other people who had asylum interviews (I'm still not sure why she asked me to wait in that room).

After waiting for 45 minutes, an officer called my name and he walked me in. The interview was pretty straightforward. First of all, he checked my passport and ID. Then he asked my DOB and my address. He said you don't have status but you arrived here having F-1 status. I explained that I applied for asylum before my OPT ended, and I have never accumulated unlawful presence or been unauthorized to stay in the country.

Finally, he asked yes/no questions. I asked him why my case took longer than others, even though I filed earlier, and he said it was a random event. Afterwards, he handed me a letter to let me know that my case needs more time to be reviewed and he will let me know by September 30. He then said I need more time to process the case. Don't worry about visa quotas; as long as you pay and attend the interview, you will be fine.

The officer was young, polite, and friendly.

My case hasn't updated since then. This year, I've seen many asylum pending cases get green cards despite overstaying.

@Sm1smom , I am aware of a few cases in LA FO like my case (asylum pending) which got their green card and there also is a case for Diamond_Water's parents. Because of his overstay, there is a RFE filed on his case. Does this mean LA office would process the case if they could prove that their late filing wasn't their mistake? Do you know anyone from LA who has the same situation as me but couldn't get their green card?

I suppose that is the intent - if they can convince the IO, their case may be approved. You'll need to check the past timeline spreadsheets to see if there's ever been a case like yours - I can't tell from the top of my head.

 

[Sm1smom]

Hi All, a massive update on my very problematic case. As you know, my case was at a total standstill. I tried everything to push it forward from congressional inquiries, inquiries to two senators, USCIS tier-2 call back, USCIS request to expedite, ombudsman inquiry, etc.

On Friday I received a private note from someone on this forum that explained they were in a similar situation two years ago and found an immigration attorney to contact a senior member of the USCIS Albany FO directly to track down the status of the case.

Being so close to the deadline, I felt it necessary to take the same steps (after all, nothing to lose). I called around 15 immigration lawyers asking for a quick 5-minute consultation. One attorney from the city noted that he had an interview for another client on Monday (today) and that after the interview he would try and get a word in with the supervisor to check on my case. We actually ended up meeting at USCIS Manhattan FO on Friday last week around 3:30pm but they wouldn't let us in without an appointment and all the supervisors had already gone home.

I then decided to join him at 9am this morning - just felt like the best thing to do and was reluctant to leave it up to someone else to fight for me given how passionate I am about this. We arrived at USCIS and were able to skip the queue without an appointment as he had an attorney card. I had my I-485 Receipt notice, my biometrics notice, my passport, and birth certificate. We then made it up to the floor of the Manhattan FO and walked straight up to the counter. He had a letter prepped and explained that I was a DV winner with 15 days to get a GC and that he thought my case had fallen through the cracks. She looked up the number and concluded that my application was in fact at the Manhattan FO (phew).

She then had us take a seat and wait while she spoke to someone. After around 10 mins she came back to ask if I was ready to interview TODAY. I of course said yes, even without the appropriate documentation (once-in-a-lifetime opportunity). After another two hours, I got called into the interview. I had a lovely lady. She asked about my home country, my current non-immigrant visa, what I did for work, some questions on a previous J1 visa, and then went through various questions relating to the I-485 form. Criminal record, etc.

She asked if I had my taxes and a letter of support from my employer, I said yes in my application but apologised for not bringing another copy due to the last-minute interview. She said it was fine and found it in the stack of paper. We spoke about my work which she took an interest in, a bit about her own living situation in new york (small talk really). After about 20 mins she said I was good to go. I asked her what that meant, and if I was approved and she said yes all approved and you'll get the green card in the mail in around 3 weeks.

My case status changed to Card is being Processed around 1 hour after I left. I know it's not the end until I have that card in my hand, but I think it's looking good. I will say, though it cost me to get an immigration lawyer, I think it was the right decision being so close to the cut-off date.

I want to thank everyone here from the bottom of my heart for providing recommendations and bringing positive thoughts! It's corny, but true - if you want something bad enough don't give up. There's always a way. Hope this works out and I get the card in the mail soon!

Will continue to pay it forward on this platform in the future and update my timeline accordingly. again, not the end, but THANKS!

Wow! Wow! Wow!!! This is awesome news. I am super happy for you. Congratulations. This is so amazing. Fantastic outcome!!!

 

[cbs5hiuc]

Great news!! Congratulations!!
Quick question. When you say you were allowed to skip the queue because your lawyer had an attorney card, does this mean simply that they had a card saying they were an attorney? Or does it mean they had some special card that let them in because they had an appointment scheduled for someone else at the same field office that same day?
Thanks for clarifying!

On the first occasion, on Friday they asked if we had an appointment and he explained that we didn't but that we were "dropping off papers" - not technically true but had to get into the door somehow. It obviously didn't work out because it was a Friday and everyone had gone home! The second occasion (today) I think we got lucky because there was a whole line of people waiting (for what I'm unsure) and he just led me to the front and waved my application and his card which I suppose is some kind of attorney ID (doesn't relate to USCIS), they just let us in because they assumed we had an appointment. Hope that helps!

 

[cbs5hiuc]

Wow! Wow! Wow!!! This is awesome news. I am super happy for you. Congratulations. This is so amazing. Fantastic outcome!!!

Thank you very much for your help during this entire process! I hope it's a sure thing I will get the card. Feels a bit too good to be true but positive thoughts. I think it's 99.9% there right?

 

[Sm1smom]

i wonder what mom thinks about an extra sheet, that would be very short probably, of lawyers who have helped DV applicants - who they helped, in what way, and where they are located. Obviously with a big disclaimer

I think that's a great idea - good way to weed out the good from the bad! I have a few that were particularly helpful in giving free 10 min advice, from offering their services at a reasonable price. Happy to contribute my list to this!

Yeah, that is a great idea. However, out of respect for our host who happens to be a highly reputable immigration lawyer himself (he just doesn't handle DV cases), I wouldn't encourage openly sharing information about some other immigration lawyers directly in the forum. Having said that, I am certainly open to creating a potential list on the AOS Spreadsheet (with a big disclaimer of course, thanks for that reminder Susie), for anyone interested to refer to.

That might end up creating spam users bringing their fictional stories, etc. to promote a lawyer.

That is a good point. So yes, there will be some form of vetting in place before a recommended/suggested lawyer gets added to the list. So @cbs5hiuc, if you wish to PM me with your lawyer's info/details, that would be a great starting point.

 

[Sm1smom]

Thank you very much for your help during this entire process! I hope it's a sure thing I will get the card. Feels a bit too good to be true but positive thoughts. I think it's 99.9% there right?

It is most likely guaranteed at this point, but like you rightly noted, it is not over until it's over (or until the fat lady sings, like the saying goes)

 

[tintin2022]

I suppose that is the intent - if they can convince the IO, their case may be approved. You'll need to check the past timeline spreadsheets to see if there's ever been a case like yours - I can't tell from the top of my head.

Thanks @Sm1smom. I'm only aware of two people in LA. @tarmek and @Svitlana (2016) (There is no post about his/her experience). They both have asylum pending and received their green card. @tarmek has overstay and he's been here for 6 years after he won lottery.

As you know there is also someone else (tm_austin from Austin) who has the same situation like me. He has more than 6 EAD cards from asylum case and he filed exactly like me before his OPT ended. He received his GC without interview.

There are cases with B1/B2 visas expired and overstay got their GC.

Sorry if I'm asking this question. I'm seeing many approved cases this year and I'm kinda comparing my case to other cases.

Based on your experience do I have a chance of approval because I don't have an unauthorized stay and have never accumulated unlawful presence?

 

[Sm1smom]

On Friday I received a private note from someone on this forum that explained they were in a similar situation two years ago and found an immigration attorney to contact a senior member of the USCIS Albany FO directly to track down the status of the case.

Being so close to the deadline, I felt it necessary to take the same steps (after all, nothing to lose). I called around 15 immigration lawyers asking for a quick 5-minute consultation. One attorney from the city noted that he had an interview for another client on Monday (today) and that after the interview he would try and get a word in with the supervisor to check on my case. We actually ended up meeting at USCIS Manhattan FO on Friday last week around 3:30pm but they wouldn't let us in without an appointment and all the supervisors had already gone home.

1. By the way, the interview the lawyer was going in, was it for a for another DV based AOS application or some other application type?
2. Did the lawyer come across as knowledge with the process involved with a DV based application?

She then had us take a seat and wait while she spoke to someone. After around 10 mins she came back to ask if I was ready to interview TODAY. I of course said yes, even without the appropriate documentation (once-in-a-lifetime opportunity). After another two hours, I got called into the interview. I had a lovely lady. She asked about my home country, my current non-immigrant visa, what I did for work, some questions on a previous J1 visa, and then went through various questions relating to the I-485 form. Criminal record, etc.

She asked if I had my taxes and a letter of support from my employer, I said yes in my application but apologised for not bringing another copy due to the last-minute interview. She said it was fine and found it in the stack of paper. We spoke about my work which she took an interest in, a bit about her own living situation in new york (small talk really). After about 20 mins she said I was good to go. I asked her what that meant, and if I was approved and she said yes all approved and you'll get the green card in the mail in around 3 weeks.

And I have to say, somebody high up there in heaven was on the lookout for you today to enable you find such uncommon favor at the FO today. I cannot over emphasize the importance of always going to the FO fully prepared for an impromptu interview whenever the opportunity to visit in person presents itself. I mean I am gobsmacked you actually went to the FO to meet up with your lawyer without what should have been your already prepared “interview packet” considering what you had already gone through. Well, all is well that ends well like the saying goes (again ).

 

[Adel10]

@Sm1smom is this the correct response to show they have transferred my case to USCIS

No, they haven’t transferred you case yet to USCIS . It should be like this. Read the last paragraph.

 

[Sm1smom]

Thanks @Sm1smom. I'm only aware of two people in LA. @tarmek and @Svitlana (2016) (There is no post about his/her experience). They both have asylum pending and received their green card. @tarmek has overstay and he's been here for 6 years after he won lottery.

As you know there is also someone else (tm_austin from Austin) who has the same situation like me. He has more than 6 EAD cards from asylum case and he filed exactly like me before his OPT ended. He received his GC without interview.

There are cases with B1/B2 visas expired and overstay got their GC.

Sorry if I'm asking this question. I'm seeing many approved cases this year and I'm kinda comparing my case to other cases.

Based on your experience do I have a chance of approval because I don't have an unauthorized stay and have never accumulated unlawful presence?

You’ll just have to wait and see. I have no way of predicting if your case will be approved or not, I am not the IO in charge of your case. I get it, this is not the response you’re looking for, I’m sorry I simply cannot provide you with the reassurance you’re seeking. I know you keep saying you don’t have an unauthorized stay nor have you accumulated an unlawful presence, the truth is some IOs tend to be more strict than others when it comes to AOSing from asylum pending status. Some go strictly by if one had a valid status or not as at the time the AOS application was filed, as they do not consider asylum pending to be a valid status for a DV based AOS application filing. So yeah, wait and see.

 

[cbs5hiuc]

1. By the way, the interview the lawyer was going in, was it for a for another DV based AOS application or some other application type?
2. Did the lawyer come across as knowledge with the process involved with a DV based application?

And I have to say, somebody high up there in heaven was on the lookout for you today to enable you find such uncommon favor at the FO today. I cannot over emphasize the importance of always going to the FO fully prepared for an impromptu interview whenever the opportunity to visit in person presents itself. I mean I am gobsmacked you actually went to the FO to meet up with your lawyer without what should have been your already prepared “interview packet” considering what you had already gone through. Well, all is well that ends well like the saying goes (again ).

Hi Mom,

1. I am not sure actually, I didn't confirm but his other client's appointment was on the floor above at the Brooklyn USCIS FO.
2. Yes he did - there were things he said I may have done wrong or unlike his normal process. I don't tend to agree but each to their own. I guess everyone has their tricky way around things but he did understand the full process and asked me very detailed questions relating to my application and history of visas.

Of course, I was very stressed about not having my additional copies of everything. I suppose it felt highly unlikely that we would get in the door, let alone an interview. But great advice to others nevertheless.

 

[Sm1smom]

Hi Mom,

1. I am not sure actually, I didn't confirm but his other client's appointment was on the floor above at the Brooklyn USCIS FO.
2. Yes he did - there were things he said I may have done wrong or unlike his normal process. I don't tend to agree but each to their own. I guess everyone has their tricky way around things but he did understand the full process and asked me very detailed questions relating to my application and history of visas.

Of course, I was very stressed about not having my additional copies of everything. I suppose it felt highly unlikely that we would get in the door, let alone an interview. But great advice to others nevertheless.

We learn new things everyday. Feel free to share in the forum the things he felt you did wrong if you feel inclined to do so.