US citizen parents sponsoring over 21 son..

RSRK said:
Horror story
After my son had his interview on 2nd September at Newark, NJ and waiting for 4 weeks, while checking online status everyday, he went for an infopass appt today and was told there is no information available on his case although they gave the name of the officer who interviewed him. They told him to wait for 180 days. Now they did not specify any reason and 180 days is an unreasonable amount of time. We do not know what to do. I as petitioner am considering meeting the local congressman (California)and writing to CIS Ombudsman. I just wanted to know whether I as petitioner should take this approach (I live in California) or my son (Beneficiary)who lives in New Jersey?
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Awful! I'm very sorry! Probably the IO is just VERY lazy. I'm not surprised about 180 days though - that's what I was told too. Now I'm really afraid that writing to Ombudsman won't do any difference, because if they have that 180 days rule (and they obviously do), you'll get the response back saying "please, wait for 180 days before submitting something".

As for congressman, I'd write to congressman AND senator. I did it when CIS started to kick me out with my EAD (90 days passed, they ignored me telling me to wait). So I contacted SENATOR from my State. Guess what? He (well, his staff) sent email to CIS and WEEK LATER the senator sent me a copy of the email from CIS that my EAD was ordered. I just couldn't believe how great his staff are. Everything took like 1.5 weeks after my email to him. (and I wrote a big "Thank You" letter to him and his staff afterwords).

Good luck! (frankly I still think it's just a lazy office. I know another person who took the interview at NJ office, was approved, but got GC like 1.5 months after the interview).
 
It is very puzzling to me that applications based on long-term DNA established family relationships face all kinds of delays and hardships whereas marriage-based for the most part get a ride like cheese on butter. It is amazing that after YEARS of maintaining legal status and working hard we still find ourselves at the back of the line. Just observing this forum and some other forums I am yet to see any FB category application get their GC within 2 months.

Anyway, I hope your case can be resolved without problems in a timely manner. The wait is almost over!
 
mermaid06 said:
It is very puzzling to me that applications based on long-term DNA established family relationships face all kinds of delays and hardships whereas marriage-based for the most part get a ride like cheese on butter. It is amazing that after YEARS of maintaining legal status and working hard we still find ourselves at the back of the line. Just observing this forum and some other forums I am yet to see any FB category application get their GC within 2 months.
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I completely agree! I noticed that too. And considering the fact that many foreign spouses then end up at the different forums with the questions about how to remove conditions if you are divorced it's even more frustrating (at least IMO). :cool:
 
EAD and advance parole

EAD card production ordered and advance parole approved. I have interview on 10/05. I don't thing I would received EAD and advance parole because we need to turn in EAD at the time of green card interview.
 
xerostomic said:
EAD card production ordered and advance parole approved. I have interview on 10/05. I don't thing I would received EAD and advance parole because we need to turn in EAD at the time of green card interview.
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No, if you won't be approved on spot. Most people still keep it.
 
Kittenkat, No my son was told about 180 days wait at infopass which he took after waiting for 4 weeks to hear about the interview. The actual interviewing officer told him to get something in mail in 2-3 weeks and that all the papers look good. My son had emp based I-485 filed but later withdrawn because we thought family based will be faster and it WAS moving faster till the interview happened!
Today I called USCIS as petitioner, but because my son was not with me, the customer rep did not give all the details. All she said was at Newark center they are processing March 09 cases while my son filed his I-485 in May 09. Secondly she said it can be expedited under certain criteria which can be told only to my son, so she wanted him to call up USCIS. All this discussion without me giving her even the receipt number- so it was the general info she gave, not specific to my son's case.
 
RSRK said:
Kittenkat, No my son was told about 180 days wait at infopass which he took after waiting for 4 weeks to hear about the interview. The actual interviewing officer told him to get something in mail in 2-3 weeks and that all the papers look good. My son had emp based I-485 filed but later withdrawn because we thought family based will be faster and it WAS moving faster till the interview happened!
Today I called USCIS as petitioner, but because my son was not with me, the customer rep did not give all the details. All she said was at Newark center they are processing March 09 cases while my son filed his I-485 in May 09. Secondly she said it can be expedited under certain criteria which can be told only to my son, so she wanted him to call up USCIS. All this discussion without me giving her even the receipt number- so it was the general info she gave, not specific to my son's case.
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Calling won't help for sure. Those people don't even have an access to the system, so can't see what's going on. Frankly I think contacting the senator won't hurt at all. It certainly worked very nicely for me, so... Good luck!

Oh, BTW, you can also write complain to Ombudsmen (spell? :) )! That the IO said you'll get something in main in 2-3 weeks, but you are still waiting.
 
Original I-130

hi, I was wondering if the visa officer asked for original I-130 approval at the time of interview from any one of you. I have photocopies of my I-130, but couldn't find my original I-130. I also have original letters received from NVC that were sent time to time.
 
What else are you bringing to the interview? I am not sure about original i130. My guess is that originals of copies included in the package would be helpful.

I finally got IL, but not until December...Waiting continues.
 
I am taking the originals of every thing that I submited with my application. My lawyer will accompany us for the interview. I will post my interview experience on monday evening. Let me know if there is some thing that I need to take.
 
Xerostomic,
I think you need to take original I-130. They did ask us for it and we had it. If you do not have the original, you can mention it that you do not have, but I guess so much time lapses after I-130 is filed, people do loose it sometimes, so they should understand.
Please ask them how much time you should hear from them after the interview. BTW, which place you will be going to?'
My son was interviewed at Newark (NJ)service center and after the interview, his case is still pending- why we do not know- no reason, no RFE, no criminal history,nothing.
We will be writing to the my local congressman/ senator (California)or both next week.
 
list of docs for interview

This is what someone in marriage-based took to the interview, some of the documents are not relevant in our case:

-Passports and Birth Cert for both
-2-3 photo albums of pictures for us (or should I bring pictures of me and my mom??:D)
-Plane tickets from 1.5 years ago until now
-Letters / cards
-Joint checking account statement
-Joint Amex account
-Joint Visa account
-Joint cell phone bill
-Joint Car insurance
-Joint health insurance
-Contract of house we are buying (both signatures on it)...(I wish, but all the money spent on tuition :D)

Yes, definitely bring all originals you have related to the case. You have the lawyer too, so no worries. These should be straightforward. Good luck on Monday!!
 
My petition is 7 years old, I had the original I-130 approval letter, but I am unable to locate it right now except for the photocopies. My lawyer told me that it's not a problem since they have it in their records. I am little worried. I have letters received from NVC. see what happens.


RSRK said:
Xerostomic,
I think you need to take original I-130. They did ask us for it and we had it. If you do not have the original, you can mention it that you do not have, but I guess so much time lapses after I-130 is filed, people do loose it sometimes, so they should understand.
Please ask them how much time you should hear from them after the interview. BTW, which place you will be going to?'
My son was interviewed at Newark (NJ)service center and after the interview, his case is still pending- why we do not know- no reason, no RFE, no criminal history,nothing.
We will be writing to the my local congressman/ senator (California)or both next week.
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xerostomic said:
hi, I was wondering if the visa officer asked for original I-130 approval at the time of interview from any one of you. I have photocopies of my I-130, but couldn't find my original I-130. I also have original letters received from NVC that were sent time to time.
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I was not asked. I was ONLY asked to show all passports (I changed it like twice), and all I-94. That's it.
 
I-485 approved

hello every one, I had my interview today and got my I-485 approved. The issued me a letter indicating that " My application to adjust to that of permanant resident status has been granted". It says that PR card will be mailed between 2 weeks to 2 months. Also got email notice saying the same thing and case status updates.
 
Congratuations xerostomic! Your 485 turnaround was really quick.

My interview is scheduled for Wednesday. Do you mind sharing your interview experience? What paperwork did you bring? What questions did they ask?


xerostomic said:
hello every one, I had my interview today and got my I-485 approved. The issued me a letter indicating that " My application to adjust to that of permanant resident status has been granted". It says that PR card will be mailed between 2 weeks to 2 months. Also got email notice saying the same thing and case status updates.
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My interview

the_farmland said:
Congratuations xerostomic! Your 485 turnaround was really quick.

My interview is scheduled for Wednesday. Do you mind sharing your interview experience? What paperwork did you bring? What questions did they ask?
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thanks farmland, yeh for me it went very quickly (60 days) apart from the years of agony we all had due to visa numbers unavailability. I hope the process goes smoothly for you and mermaid as well and then we can close this forum for ever. I went for interview one hour earlier. After passing through security I went to a waiting room where I signed in and took a seat. In the mean time my lawyer also came in and they called my name right on my appointment time. Me, my father and the lawyer went to a room with the immigration officer. The immigration officer said there was no need for your fahter to come. She already had all my papers stacked toghether. She asked us to raise our right hands and take the oath to be truthful and we did. Then she confirmed my first and last name, date of birth, palce of birth and she went over all the question that I already answered no in I-485 like, do you have any crimial record, any drug trafficing, bla bla bla and I kept on saying no, no, no, then she took my passport, removed the I-94 cards and stapled them to my application, did some thing on her computer, stamped my application and said since the visa number is available to you so I have approved you application, but you will have to wait out side so that we can issue you a letter. She asked me if some one else has filed green card for me like employer or any one else, then she said if I want to ask her some thing or there is some thing that I want to tell her. I told her little bit about my education and what I am doing etc then I went out and had to wait for 30 minutes. In the mean time my lawyer asked one of the officials that how long we will have to wait and she said there is one more application and then supervisor will go over your application, then she came out and handed us the approval letter. I got approval email as well after I came home.
so it went very smoothly and USCIS staff was very cooperative unlike the horrible stories that you will read over this forum.
I wish all of you best of luck and a very happy life ahead. I am also thankful to the support given to me from forum members, moderators. I am esp thankful to Mr. Rajiv Khana who talked to me on phone and email a couple of times without any fee (he said he doesn't take fee from students).
God bless every one.
 
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Xerostomic,
Congratulations! That was really quick.
My son's case is still stuck. No idea what is happening.
Can you please tell where you filed your application and where you were interviewed? Because when I called up USCIS to enquire, the lady on phone said that at Newark (NJ) service center, they are processing cases for March 2009 and since my son's case I-485 was filed in May 2009, it may take some time, but I do not believe this.
 
Congratulations, xerostomic!! That really did go fast, almost like a marriage-based, wow! It was smart to bring a lawyer, I think that might have helped to move things along.
I decided to save some money and did not hire a lawyer. So far so good, no RFE at least.

I think this thread is going to die down eventually as PD becomes more recent. We were the unlucky ones to have to wait during unfortunate times for PDs. Oh well, better luck somewhere else I guess!
 
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