I-485 approved after Houston Interview

1

13yearH1B

New Member
INTERVIEW WITH IMMIGRATION AT HOUSTON
I received letter for interview July 8th 2005. Since my attorney is from out of town, my wife & I decided we need an attorney to represent us for the interview. We hired attorney Natasha Jabbar, (Quan, Burdette & Perez, 5177, Richmond Avenue, Suite 800, Houston, TX-77056, Tel:713-625-9232, Fax: 713-625-9292. Www.quanlaw.com.).

INS requested to bring following items for the interview
> Most recent employment verification letter
(Format: designation, start date, job function, salary (/year or /hour at least 40 hours per week), )
> Most recent pay check for 2 months (original)
> Bring Medicals (Since my medicals was filed at the time of I-485, Attorney informed that I do not have to bring medicals for interview)

Attorney asked us to bring:
> Tax returns for last 3 years
> Children original birth certificates
> All original H1B (To verify, we stayed here in legal status)
> status that one year outside after 6 year
> original educational certificates
> Marriage certificates (original)
> Birth Certificates (Original)
> Since I have changed the job after 180 days
(I-140 approval, I-485 filing, last pay stub for the original green card filing company)
> AC21 (indicates that new company has the offer of similar job description of I-140 )
> Passport
> I-94
> all Advance Parole, EAD, Social security, two passport size photo

Natasha studied the case and verified if we are ok or not.

I had interview with Houston office on Aug 02, 2005. My interview was scheduled at 10:00 AM and My wife’s interview was scheduled at 10:30 AM. We reached Houston home land security at 9:00 AM. Please note that Interview location is at 16504, Central Greens Blvd, Houston, TX-77032.
My attorney reached at 9:45 AM. Interviewer called us at 10:00 AM.

She requested our passport, EAD, Advance parole, Social security and employment verification letter. She took finger print of forefinger. She asked us to verify our name, address, Date of birth, fathers fist name and place of birth. She informed us that my file has lot of information and large in size. So she did not completely read the file yet.

Attorney knew the Immigartion Officer . Attorney informed her that we always was in legal status, I changed the job after I-140 got approvals and after 180 days of employment. My current job description is similar to job description in I-140. She also looked at affidavit of support document. Interview was very pleasant. The interview took about 20 minutes.

I found Natasha Jabbar very intelligent and smart attorney. I would definitely recommend to hire her as your attorney if you need too. I also think it is very essential to bring an attorney for the immigration interview. I had earlier interview in Minnesota on April. I know that interviewer was confusing me by asking many questions. Finally, Immigration officer (Minnesota interview) informed me that She does not have Juridification on my case Since we live in Houston at this time. She transferred my case to Houston (My current address is in Houston). So I know that attorney’s presence make a big difference in interview.

Two cents of advice:
> if you change the address, please inform INS immediately.
> If called for interview, It is strongly recommended to bring an attorney.


On August 5th mail, my wife & I received the approval notice.
We received the I-551 passport stamp on August 10, 2005.

I am posting this so that you may find some information useful.


Good Luck with all of you.
 
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congrats

Congratulations!!!...I had my interview too, and pretty much had my finger prints and signed the I551 form.

The immigration officer didnt give the decision at the end of the interview, instead he said a decision will be mailed to us is this normal? Also he did not take any of our passports for stamping. Can you let me know what the procedure was in your case regarding the stamping?

Thanks
 
koolgui said:
Congratulations!!!...I had my interview too, and pretty much had my finger prints and signed the I551 form.

The immigration officer didnt give the decision at the end of the interview, instead he said a decision will be mailed to us is this normal? Also he did not take any of our passports for stamping. Can you let me know what the procedure was in your case regarding the stamping?

Thanks
Click to expand...
The officer would have given you the reason as to why he/she is not able to approve on the spot. Did you find that one out? It is not NORMAL for them to not approve on the spot unless something else is preventing them from doing that. In that case, they usually let you know what it is.
 
Thanks for the reply poongunranar,

Actually, we did not get a chance to talk to the officer abt the decision as he went away saying that we can leave. I'm assuming it to myself that we will be mailed abt the decision by seeing 13yearH1b's interview experience.

any coments?

Thanks
 
koolgui said:
Thanks for the reply poongunranar,

Actually, we did not get a chance to talk to the officer abt the decision as he went away saying that we can leave. I'm assuming it to myself that we will be mailed abt the decision by seeing 13yearH1b's interview experience.

any coments?

Thanks
Click to expand...
Hmm, it is very difficult to guess. But I think, it seems pretty benign and could be with unavailability of visa numbers for your case. So, just hang in on there. Even I am not having my approval after 4 months of interview have elapsed.
 
Intervie at houston

Thanks again, let me be more precise. Me and my wife had interviews this morning. The officer checked all the documents like H1B, birth certificates and stuff. Then later he took our index finger prints on I-551 form and made us sign. Later he took our I-94s and my recent photographs and said we are all set and we can go now and went out of the room before we could ask him anything. Can you guess the situation?

Thanks.
 
Poongunranar,

Also let me inform you that mine is EB2. Is their unavailability of visa numbers for Eb2 yet? Is your case too Eb2? please share your interview experience.

Thanks
 
koolgui said:
Poongunranar,

Also let me inform you that mine is EB2. Is their unavailability of visa numbers for Eb2 yet? Is your case too Eb2? please share your interview experience.

Thanks
Click to expand...
Mine is EB2 too. I have written in this forum (local office transfers) to the main thread also, regarding my delays. It has to do with duplicate Alien Number.
 
I have read your Interview experience. We did not seem to have any problem with our case at the interview. Did the officer take your index finger print and made u sign on the blue I-551 form? did he tell u anytime frame as to when your case would be approved? Please reply

thanks
 
koolgui said:
I have read your Interview experience. We did not seem to have any problem with our case at the interview. Did the officer take your index finger print and made u sign on the blue I-551 form? did he tell u anytime frame as to when your case would be approved? Please reply

thanks
Click to expand...
Yes, I was asked to provide my index finger print, new photographs (optionally), and sign the I-551 form as well. Time-frame was anywhere from a day to 180 days.
 
I'm not sure how long it would take in my case. The officer took our I-94s and also took my wife's travel documents and EAD. If we wish to travel outside US is it not going to be a problem? Do I have to make an appointment again with the INS? any suggestions?
 
koolgui said:
I'm not sure how long it would take in my case. The officer took our I-94s and also took my wife's travel documents and EAD. If we wish to travel outside US is it not going to be a problem? Do I have to make an appointment again with the INS? any suggestions?
Click to expand...
I am foxed about the Officer's IQ in snitching away your travel docs. In my case, the officer didn't do that knowing fully well that I am traveling very frequently outside of America on business. More than that, it is not right for them to leave us bereft of travel docs without a GC as well as an I-551 stamp. I would suggest that you walk over to the Office on an appointment to ask as to how you might travel outside the country now and that how long it would take for your approval.
 
..

How the hell are people going to travel and work if their AP and EAD are snatched away, and the PP is not stamped and no one knows when the gc will arrive (180 days? 12 months?)? I would hang on to my AP, EAD and I-94 till they stamp my PP. I would insist that the officer check his rules again or talk to his supervisor. I have very ill and old parents. I keep my AP always valid, so I can travel in an emergency. I also work on the EAD. Turning them over without gc or PP stamp is not an option for me.
 
Hello Koolgui/Poongunranar/Pras01

I apologize for the delayed response. I just read your questions today.

INS officer did not take my current (valid) EAD/Advance Parole during the interview. She took my expired EAD/Advance Parole. She informed me that decision will be mailed. Reason: She need to review the file (my file is large in size) and make up the decision. During the interview, she quickly gone through the file.

I received approval notice in the mail in a week. Then I went to INS office to get my passport stamped with I-551.

I should say my attorney's presence helped a lot. I believe you should get your EAD and Advace Parole from the officer if INS officer decision delays decision more than two week .


You need Advance Parole or I-551 stamp in your passport to travel outside and return to USA. After you get your I-551 approval notice, you need to go to INS office and get your passport stamped. Then you can travel outside of USA.

Please consult with your attorney. I just wanted to share my experience.
 
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Approved

Thanks for your response, 13yearH1B

I took and an infopass appointment and spoke with an immigration officer after 4 days of our interview and was told that our cases were approved and today we received our welcome notices, haven't received any approval letters yet. Did you get your plastic card yet? how many days is it going to take to get the card?

Thanks
 
Hello guys,

Me and my wife got our green cards last week. It almost took 2weeks for us to get the cards. We r happy that atlast everything went on smoothly. Thanks to everyone in this forum.
 
Hi koolguy

my case seems like i have given my intewie on 11 Aug 2005 and signed my I-551 in the intewie after completing my file officer said she cannot stamp our passports and cannot even aprove our cases because she doesnt have my greencard visa number they are out of them as soon as NSC issues the number we will mail you the notification in your mail and copy to my lawyer and then checked my and mywife's passport canceled her B1-2 visa and took her I-94 and wrote on the visa SOS ADJUSTED and asked couple of general questions about my employer and tax return and said she is not sendin my file for the back ground check and she said i am satisfied but she cannot aprove my case because of the greencard visa number. my lawyer said at the same time yes because it will come after september because they are out of labour quota this year. is this normal? it pretty much looks like KOOLGUY's case but his case is been aproved. and mine is not aproved yet because i just checked online and it says the same old sentence which i am looking at last 3 years :) any idea?
AND IF I AM NOT MISTAKEN I-551 FORM is like we have to sign it and give our biometric fingure prints (one fingure) front of officer right? it was like blue and white color form.
 
Hello

Hi there,

I can understand your feelings, was in the same situation. The first thing you have to do (if you havent done yet) is schedule an info pass appointment with an immigration officer and explain him about what happened at the interview, most probably he will let you know the status right away and also ask him for a temporary evidence of your status as permanent resident so that you can work travel whenever you like.
 
If they say that they cannot approve your case due to unavailability of visa numbers, then ask them your I-94.
 
poongunranar--Question about Duplicate alien number

poongunranar said:
Mine is EB2 too. I have written in this forum (local office transfers) to the main thread also, regarding my delays. It has to do with duplicate Alien Number.
Click to expand...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I had my interview in Oct 2006 and i was told my name check is pending from then.

Recently i found out that i was given an alien number which is matching with another male.

Will it delay my process if i have a duplicate alien number?
 
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