Yvonne4578

    > > My wife and I went along to the Santa Ana office at 7 am this
    > > morning.
    > > I couldn't get an infopass appointment until the 6th July so we
    > > decided to try our chances with a walk-in.
    > >
    > > 3 1/2 hours later (not bad considering), an overly gruelling
    > > interview with an exceptionally cold young lady a trip over the
    > > street to get 2 photos and I was granted advanced parole for
    > > multiple
    > > trips for a year.
    > >
    > > PHEW!
    > >
    > > *Side note - I had applied for advanced parole when i submitted all
    > > my
    > > initial paperwork 2 months ago. The fact that it hadn't yet arrived
    > > is my own fault for leaving it late to apply. The reason I sought
    > > out
    > > emergency parole today was to travel back for my brother's wedding
    > > next week. As evidence I simply provided the invitation. Contrary
    > > to
    > > popular belief, death or imminent death in the family are not the
    > > only
    > > instances in which emergency parole is granted.
    > >
    > > I was also under the impression that emergency parole was a
    > > different
    > > document to regular advanced parole. I assumed that emergency
    > > parole
    > > would simply cover the person for that particular trip, however, the
    > > official informed me that the fee was waived because I had already
    > > paid (when I sent of my package) and that they would cancel my
    > > previous application as I had now been granted the parole.
    > >
    > > Good stuff!
    > Congratulations, it all worked out in the end
    > --
    > Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Well I am not that lucky :( I have terrible experience so far and Im so
stressed out that I cried many times. Here is my story.

I entered based on a K1 visa, married to my husband within 90 days and
applied I-485 in Jan 2006. It never occur to me that USCIS are so messed
up, I believe from what I read from the website and customer service
line, that they will take 90-180 days to process I-485. So naive of me
to believe them, I start to plan a wedding reception in Singapore (Where
Im from) in October. I thought my I-485 will be all done by latest in
August based on a 90-180 days processing time on the website and so I
didnt apply for AP. I have made all my bookings and paid deposit for the
hotel, informed my family and friends and paid deposit for a bunch of
stuff. Its only in July, I felt something is not right since I didnt
hear from them, so I got a infopass and went to New Orleans office in
July 2006, the officer told me that it will take at least 1 to 1 1/2
years now to process I-485. So if I wish to leave and come back again, I
need to apply for AP. She said it will take at least 3 months to process
the AP now but I need it before October since I have my wedding
reception in early October!! I explained to her on why I didnt apply on
AP earlier and such but she couldnt care less but just tell me to send
in the application for AP to the National Benefit Center. Leaving with
no choice, on the very next day I sent my AP together with a letter to
explain my situation and overnight the package. After hearing no news
that they will expedite my AP application, I went down to the New
Orleans office again last week in hoping them to expedite, they refused
saying the reason I have wasnt consider an emergency.

I have paid deposits for the wedding reception, I have a contract with
the hotel, I will have to pay 50% of their expected loss revenue if I
want to reschdule my wedding reception. My headache dont end there, my
mom is a stroke patient, its so bad that she's handicapped now, she
cried everytime I called home to talk to her and she kept asking when I
am going back! I felt so sad that I cry with her too because I really
have no answer and dont know what to tell her! My friends and relatives
have been informed about my wedding reception and now I have to
postpone it. To be very honest, I dont know when to postpone it to, I
thought about Mid December, Im very disappointed with USCIS and lost
faith in them. I dont know if I will get my AP before December. I felt
very depressed and fustrated at how USCIS handled all the whole
situation, I wrote to them to appeal and such but receive no replies.
If its not because of my Husband that he is the only son in the family
and he has to take over his family business, we will definitely not
stay in US for good.

I just hope that if the readers in here have some advise for me that can
help me in AP or AOS, kindly post to let me know. Till now, I have no
news on my AP nor interview for my AOS.

I pray my nightmare will end soon :(

Sadly,
Yvonne

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