today I had my interview conducted, and passport stamped as the final result. I finally can draw a closure for this 27-month-long journey. Honestly and surprisingly, I was extremely calm when I arrived INS office 4 am today. I was reading one of my favorite authors' (Ann Quindlen) bestseller " One True Thing" while I was waiting in the waiting room so concentratedly that when my name was called, I realized that my eyes were full of tears (yeah, the story's very touching and real.
) Anyway, here's my detail report to all of you who are still waiting:
I arrived Arlington office way too early (around 4am) for someone who's been scheduled for interview. As we all already knew, that if you don't have interview scheduled, then go get your infopass and show up at the designated time. No need to stand outside of the building overnight anymore. Well, I wasn't so sure and didn't really want to take ANY unnecessary risk.
I was the first one went in at 7:30 3rd floor, while my scheduled interview time was 8:45. Until almost 9:30, I was called in by Officer B, whom I learned by reading this forum is supposed to be a very picky and can-be-difficult officer. Either there are two officer B, or she changed (?
) the one I had was not like that at all. She's very professional (firm but polite) the whole time, my overall interview last only about 10-15 minutes, and half of the time was: I was looking at her flip through my file, look into computer (their system doesn't work very well this morning, so she had to try and re-try couple times), with no talking. The questions she asked me were very standardized: have you ever had any criminal record, ever attempted to apply permanent residency besides this time, what's the name of your current employer (after I answered, she looked up my file and realized that I've never changed my employer since day one), asked for PP and driver license, and is the address on my driver license is the current one.
Among all the document they requested (were listed on the interview letter), she only asked for employment letter, nothing else. I offered at the end just want to make sure that she's not missing anything
, she said firmly " I don't need them". I was very surprised about this.
When her hand tried to reach one of her desk drawers and when I saw a rather worn-out plastic bag was being pulled out off the drawer, my gut told me "this is where the stamp is kept". Yup, I was right. She stamped the "ugly" stamp
, and said it serves for one year period, meanwhile within next 6 months I should be expecting to receive the actual card.
and that was it.
Brief overview about my case:
EB3 EAC#022235XXXX
I485 RD 6/02
1 FP 8/02
2 FP 12/03
CASE TRANSFERRED 12/03
3 FP 9/04
I485 AD 9/29/04
I think the thing that might've helped me to push this whole ordeal through at the end was: I bugged congressional office since March this year, I called them pretty much 2-3 times a month. I also visited Arlington office at similar frequency. So basically, whatever feedback I've gotten from congressional office, I will go to INS to confirm the following week. Descripencies happened all the time of course. Then I called again, re-confirmed and went to office again........At the beginning, I was still trying to be polite and "sweet"
while they were apparently not doing what they were supposed to be doing......later on, I started letting them know that I/we too have temper and limit.
anyway,not sure if all that actually helped , the bottomline is you've got to KEEP TRYING! YOU, cannot get tired of it. Consistency always pays off.
I honestly don't know how I can survive if I didn't find out this forum. It always gives me this warm feeling whenever I sign in. I know somewhere out there, there's always some one(s) can give me his/her helping hand.
I sincerely thank each and every one of you, of course, kudos to the founder Mr. Rajiv Khanna who's been there every step of the way for all of us.
Please let me know if you have any question. I cannot gurantee that I will have all the answers, but will definitely try my best.
very best wishes to all of you!
