onemorePhilly
Registered Users (C)
Successful green card interview
I don't post often but this is one that I thought would benefit others who are waiting.
I lost my job last Nov and just recently accepted a job offer and moved to Maryland a month ago. I filed my change of address form (sent it to Kentucky) about 2 weeks ago and received the letter for the interview at Philadelphia the same time (give or take a couple of days).
I went for the interview this past Friday. I got there at 8 am. My appointment was for 9.30 am. I didn't get called till about 11 am. And by the time I left it was close to noon. The officer was really nice. He fingerprinted me and swore me in. Asked for my employment letter and a few questions about the new job - what I was doing, what the other projects in the company were etc. I gave him a description of my job and another project. Then I said that I was too new to know what all the projects in the company were. He said that was okay. He also asked me all the routine questions they are supposed to ask. He then flipped through my passport and asked about a vacation I'd taken last year in Europe. Then he said that since my case seemed fairly straightforward he wouldn't transfer it to Maryland and would approve it right there. A big sigh of relief!! I guess I was really worried that it would get transferred to Maryland and I'd go back to the bottom of the pile.
He also asked what other documents I had brought with me. So I said that I had copies of all the documents that INS had ever sent me. He flipped through them and said it was a good thing I'd brought them in case there were any missing from my file but since there weren't I could have the copies back. Then he said what else. So I said that since I wasn't sure what documents constituted "evidence of jurisdiction" I'd brought my tax returns for the past 3 years. He flipped through those and said that government documents were always a good thing to bring along. But he returned those to me as well. I had several others to show that I was till recently within the jurisdiction of the Philadelphia office - like health insurance statements, utility bills etc. but I didn't volunteer those and he didn't ask for anything else.
Then he stamped my passport, updated my new address on the computer and sent me on my way.
I've been through fingerprinting twice and had 3 EADs (the last one was issued at the Callowhill office in April04). I was told that the actual card would be sent in about 5 to 7 months.
It's been a long haul. Good luck to all those who are waiting.
I don't post often but this is one that I thought would benefit others who are waiting.
I lost my job last Nov and just recently accepted a job offer and moved to Maryland a month ago. I filed my change of address form (sent it to Kentucky) about 2 weeks ago and received the letter for the interview at Philadelphia the same time (give or take a couple of days).
I went for the interview this past Friday. I got there at 8 am. My appointment was for 9.30 am. I didn't get called till about 11 am. And by the time I left it was close to noon. The officer was really nice. He fingerprinted me and swore me in. Asked for my employment letter and a few questions about the new job - what I was doing, what the other projects in the company were etc. I gave him a description of my job and another project. Then I said that I was too new to know what all the projects in the company were. He said that was okay. He also asked me all the routine questions they are supposed to ask. He then flipped through my passport and asked about a vacation I'd taken last year in Europe. Then he said that since my case seemed fairly straightforward he wouldn't transfer it to Maryland and would approve it right there. A big sigh of relief!! I guess I was really worried that it would get transferred to Maryland and I'd go back to the bottom of the pile.
He also asked what other documents I had brought with me. So I said that I had copies of all the documents that INS had ever sent me. He flipped through them and said it was a good thing I'd brought them in case there were any missing from my file but since there weren't I could have the copies back. Then he said what else. So I said that since I wasn't sure what documents constituted "evidence of jurisdiction" I'd brought my tax returns for the past 3 years. He flipped through those and said that government documents were always a good thing to bring along. But he returned those to me as well. I had several others to show that I was till recently within the jurisdiction of the Philadelphia office - like health insurance statements, utility bills etc. but I didn't volunteer those and he didn't ask for anything else.
Then he stamped my passport, updated my new address on the computer and sent me on my way.
I've been through fingerprinting twice and had 3 EADs (the last one was issued at the Callowhill office in April04). I was told that the actual card would be sent in about 5 to 7 months.
It's been a long haul. Good luck to all those who are waiting.