NYC AOS Interview (Garden City)
Aug 8th 2005, 10:02 pm
#1
Corpsicle
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2002
Location: NYC
Posts: 648
NYC AOS Interview (Garden City)
So, after almost three years of waiting, today was my wife and I's AOS interview. We originally filed with NYC Federal Plaza in October 2002, and the case was later transferred to MSC.
Time crept by, and we were wondering what was taking so long. I was onto my second EAD, and at the time, it looked likely a third would be in the works by the end of summer. However, fate smiled on us, and when we returned from our vacation in Maine in May, a letter from the USCIS notifying us of our interview date was waiting for us.
We were overjoyed, and more than a little shocked. I think part of us both had been conditioned to never hearing anything from USCIS, and for me to remain in some kind of immigration purgatory for the rest of my life. But, it was there, in black and white print.
After a whirlwind collection of documentary evidence, and my walleting being reduced of the burden of $330 for the medical exam and vaccs, we were ready. We reported to the USCIS office in Garden City for our 12:31PM appointment. Government bureaucracy at it's finest.
We got their a little early - 12:10PM, with my wife's mother tagging along as emotional support, and also to double as a chauffer. Instantly, we were both soured by the pretty much rude security staff - pardon my french, but we both have to say one guy in particular was a **** for the way he was speaking to some of the people infront of us who didn't have a strong grasp of english.
Getting past the rent-a-cops, and after they had confiscated my wife's emory board nail file, we were corraled into a huge waiting pen just to the left, on the first floor - despite our notice saying to report to the second floor. There, we dropped off our interview notice at the front desk, and duly took a seat when told. Time is an illusion, lunchtime doubly so in government offices, and here was no exception. The place was devoid of USCIS staff until well after 1PM when everyone rolled back in after their lunches. At about 1:30PM, someone came and took the batch of interview notices with 12:30PM time slots, so we knew we were closed.
All throughout this time, people's names had been faintly getting called out by DAOs and lawyers. Whenever someone was called, the entire room faced them in anticipation they'd be next. Lawyers wandered around mumbling names, looking for their lost charges. People pleaded with the frontdesk about their situations - interview notices not being received, but that they received the letter saying their case was abandoned for non-attendance - that they'd been waiting since 9:00AM - that they'd lost their green card.
Finally, I heard my name faintly. If there's one thing they need here, it's a PA system. I got up and walked over to the office holding the notice, to confirm it was indeed me. I guess she had difficulty with my last name, because she only called out my first. I called my wife over, and the officer led us into an office maze behind the frontdesk area.
We entered her small, 'economical' office - no pictures, no nothing - and she instantly swore us in. She was very friendly, explained what she was doing, or going to do clearly, yet was efficiently fast. She took our passports, and driver's licences, noting to herself that we both has the same address listed on them "Always a good sign", she pointed out. She flicked through my passport, asking me about my travels, the visa I used, etc, then asked us about how we met. We explained how we met online, got close, fell in love, and then how I came to NY to spend my summer vacation together. Looking at my wife's passport she said "What a pretty name - Adrienne. My ex-fiance was called Adrian." A curious compliment, but one none the less - in fact, we kind of felt bad for her.
She then flicked through my passport, removed my old I94, and went through our forms they had on file. It felt weird seeing my entire life in one folder that had done the rounds from NYC to Missouri, back up to Long Island. She went over our Affidavit, and we gave her an updated one. She then went over the usual questions "Are you a member of the communist party?", etc, then asked for evidence of our relationship.
We had a decent amount, which we piled on her desk: a wedding photo album, random vacation photos; medical, dental and life insurance policies, 401(k) and 403(b) policies, our savings accounts. We gave her copies of everything, and let her look through our vacation snaps. She was pleased that we gave her a broad spectrum timescale wise, ranging from when I first arrived in the states, to our latest vacation in Maine this year.
She then took my medical envelope, and checked on the computer, which I assume was for my prints. I originally did my prints in March 2004 for AOS, but two weeks before this interview, I received a letter informing me I had to be reprinted - I assume because they expired. I was concerned going in that they wouldn't have cleared, but she hinted otherwise. She went to make copies of our ID, and photographs, and then came back, giving us all our originals.
She then took my passport, informed me that I'd be receiving my green card in the mail in two weeks, and that I'd been approved as IR6, because we'd been married nearly three years at the time of interview. She wrote two lines in my passport about it, and then handed it back to me. She thanked us for our time, and then escorted us out to the waiting area.
We were almost bewildered - it had taken nearly three years of waiting, plus several hundreds of dollars and an extra hour in the waiting area, for a 15 minute whirlwind interview.
And that's that. I have to say, the DAOs were very friendly, and pleasant - professional to a point. The less said of the security the better.
My wife never did get her emory board back
Time crept by, and we were wondering what was taking so long. I was onto my second EAD, and at the time, it looked likely a third would be in the works by the end of summer. However, fate smiled on us, and when we returned from our vacation in Maine in May, a letter from the USCIS notifying us of our interview date was waiting for us.
We were overjoyed, and more than a little shocked. I think part of us both had been conditioned to never hearing anything from USCIS, and for me to remain in some kind of immigration purgatory for the rest of my life. But, it was there, in black and white print.
After a whirlwind collection of documentary evidence, and my walleting being reduced of the burden of $330 for the medical exam and vaccs, we were ready. We reported to the USCIS office in Garden City for our 12:31PM appointment. Government bureaucracy at it's finest.
We got their a little early - 12:10PM, with my wife's mother tagging along as emotional support, and also to double as a chauffer. Instantly, we were both soured by the pretty much rude security staff - pardon my french, but we both have to say one guy in particular was a **** for the way he was speaking to some of the people infront of us who didn't have a strong grasp of english.
Getting past the rent-a-cops, and after they had confiscated my wife's emory board nail file, we were corraled into a huge waiting pen just to the left, on the first floor - despite our notice saying to report to the second floor. There, we dropped off our interview notice at the front desk, and duly took a seat when told. Time is an illusion, lunchtime doubly so in government offices, and here was no exception. The place was devoid of USCIS staff until well after 1PM when everyone rolled back in after their lunches. At about 1:30PM, someone came and took the batch of interview notices with 12:30PM time slots, so we knew we were closed.
All throughout this time, people's names had been faintly getting called out by DAOs and lawyers. Whenever someone was called, the entire room faced them in anticipation they'd be next. Lawyers wandered around mumbling names, looking for their lost charges. People pleaded with the frontdesk about their situations - interview notices not being received, but that they received the letter saying their case was abandoned for non-attendance - that they'd been waiting since 9:00AM - that they'd lost their green card.
Finally, I heard my name faintly. If there's one thing they need here, it's a PA system. I got up and walked over to the office holding the notice, to confirm it was indeed me. I guess she had difficulty with my last name, because she only called out my first. I called my wife over, and the officer led us into an office maze behind the frontdesk area.
We entered her small, 'economical' office - no pictures, no nothing - and she instantly swore us in. She was very friendly, explained what she was doing, or going to do clearly, yet was efficiently fast. She took our passports, and driver's licences, noting to herself that we both has the same address listed on them "Always a good sign", she pointed out. She flicked through my passport, asking me about my travels, the visa I used, etc, then asked us about how we met. We explained how we met online, got close, fell in love, and then how I came to NY to spend my summer vacation together. Looking at my wife's passport she said "What a pretty name - Adrienne. My ex-fiance was called Adrian." A curious compliment, but one none the less - in fact, we kind of felt bad for her.
She then flicked through my passport, removed my old I94, and went through our forms they had on file. It felt weird seeing my entire life in one folder that had done the rounds from NYC to Missouri, back up to Long Island. She went over our Affidavit, and we gave her an updated one. She then went over the usual questions "Are you a member of the communist party?", etc, then asked for evidence of our relationship.
We had a decent amount, which we piled on her desk: a wedding photo album, random vacation photos; medical, dental and life insurance policies, 401(k) and 403(b) policies, our savings accounts. We gave her copies of everything, and let her look through our vacation snaps. She was pleased that we gave her a broad spectrum timescale wise, ranging from when I first arrived in the states, to our latest vacation in Maine this year.
She then took my medical envelope, and checked on the computer, which I assume was for my prints. I originally did my prints in March 2004 for AOS, but two weeks before this interview, I received a letter informing me I had to be reprinted - I assume because they expired. I was concerned going in that they wouldn't have cleared, but she hinted otherwise. She went to make copies of our ID, and photographs, and then came back, giving us all our originals.
She then took my passport, informed me that I'd be receiving my green card in the mail in two weeks, and that I'd been approved as IR6, because we'd been married nearly three years at the time of interview. She wrote two lines in my passport about it, and then handed it back to me. She thanked us for our time, and then escorted us out to the waiting area.
We were almost bewildered - it had taken nearly three years of waiting, plus several hundreds of dollars and an extra hour in the waiting area, for a 15 minute whirlwind interview.
And that's that. I have to say, the DAOs were very friendly, and pleasant - professional to a point. The less said of the security the better.
My wife never did get her emory board back
Aug 8th 2005, 10:46 pm
#2
MODERATOR
Joined: Apr 2003
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Posts: 58,679
Re: NYC AOS Interview (Garden City)
Woo hoooooooooo, Congratulations!!!
She had trouble pronouncing "barley"? LOL
All the Best,
Rene
She had trouble pronouncing "barley"? LOL
All the Best,
Rene
Aug 8th 2005, 10:47 pm
#3
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 201
Re: NYC AOS Interview (Garden City)
Congrats!
Aug 8th 2005, 11:12 pm
#4
Concierge
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 46,391
Re: NYC AOS Interview (Garden City)
Congratulations Nathan and Adrienne. You are free and clear until and if you want naturalization in three years time.
Aug 8th 2005, 11:46 pm
#5
Account Closed
Joined: Aug 2002
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 38,865
Re: NYC AOS Interview (Garden City)
Originally Posted by nathan barley
She then took my passport, informed me that I'd be receiving my green card in the mail in two weeks, and that I'd been approved as IR6, because we'd been married nearly three years at the time of interview.
Ian
Aug 9th 2005, 3:26 am
#6
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 68,280
Re: NYC AOS Interview (Garden City)
Originally Posted by ian-mstm
I'm not sure I've ever responded to one of your posts, but I want to offer my warmest congratulations to you both! I have followed your journey with interest and am very glad to hear that the end is now in sight.
Ian
Ian
Aug 9th 2005, 12:54 pm
#7
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 129
Re: NYC AOS Interview (Garden City)
Congratulations, Nathan! I am glad it's over for you!
Aug 9th 2005, 2:41 pm
#8
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2003
Location: New York City
Posts: 611
Re: NYC AOS Interview (Garden City)
Yay!!! Congratulations!!!
Now you can relax!
Cheers
Peter
Now you can relax!
Cheers
Peter
Originally Posted by nathan barley
So, after almost three years of waiting, today was my wife and I's AOS interview. We originally filed with NYC Federal Plaza in October 2002, and the case was later transferred to MSC.
Time crept by, and we were wondering what was taking so long. I was onto my second EAD, and at the time, it looked likely a third would be in the works by the end of summer. However, fate smiled on us, and when we returned from our vacation in Maine in May, a letter from the USCIS notifying us of our interview date was waiting for us.
We were overjoyed, and more than a little shocked. I think part of us both had been conditioned to never hearing anything from USCIS, and for me to remain in some kind of immigration purgatory for the rest of my life. But, it was there, in black and white print.
After a whirlwind collection of documentary evidence, and my walleting being reduced of the burden of $330 for the medical exam and vaccs, we were ready. We reported to the USCIS office in Garden City for our 12:31PM appointment. Government bureaucracy at it's finest.
We got their a little early - 12:10PM, with my wife's mother tagging along as emotional support, and also to double as a chauffer. Instantly, we were both soured by the pretty much rude security staff - pardon my french, but we both have to say one guy in particular was a **** for the way he was speaking to some of the people infront of us who didn't have a strong grasp of english.
Getting past the rent-a-cops, and after they had confiscated my wife's emory board nail file, we were corraled into a huge waiting pen just to the left, on the first floor - despite our notice saying to report to the second floor. There, we dropped off our interview notice at the front desk, and duly took a seat when told. Time is an illusion, lunchtime doubly so in government offices, and here was no exception. The place was devoid of USCIS staff until well after 1PM when everyone rolled back in after their lunches. At about 1:30PM, someone came and took the batch of interview notices with 12:30PM time slots, so we knew we were closed.
All throughout this time, people's names had been faintly getting called out by DAOs and lawyers. Whenever someone was called, the entire room faced them in anticipation they'd be next. Lawyers wandered around mumbling names, looking for their lost charges. People pleaded with the frontdesk about their situations - interview notices not being received, but that they received the letter saying their case was abandoned for non-attendance - that they'd been waiting since 9:00AM - that they'd lost their green card.
Finally, I heard my name faintly. If there's one thing they need here, it's a PA system. I got up and walked over to the office holding the notice, to confirm it was indeed me. I guess she had difficulty with my last name, because she only called out my first. I called my wife over, and the officer led us into an office maze behind the frontdesk area.
We entered her small, 'economical' office - no pictures, no nothing - and she instantly swore us in. She was very friendly, explained what she was doing, or going to do clearly, yet was efficiently fast. She took our passports, and driver's licences, noting to herself that we both has the same address listed on them "Always a good sign", she pointed out. She flicked through my passport, asking me about my travels, the visa I used, etc, then asked us about how we met. We explained how we met online, got close, fell in love, and then how I came to NY to spend my summer vacation together. Looking at my wife's passport she said "What a pretty name - Adrienne. My ex-fiance was called Adrian." A curious compliment, but one none the less - in fact, we kind of felt bad for her.
She then flicked through my passport, removed my old I94, and went through our forms they had on file. It felt weird seeing my entire life in one folder that had done the rounds from NYC to Missouri, back up to Long Island. She went over our Affidavit, and we gave her an updated one. She then went over the usual questions "Are you a member of the communist party?", etc, then asked for evidence of our relationship.
We had a decent amount, which we piled on her desk: a wedding photo album, random vacation photos; medical, dental and life insurance policies, 401(k) and 403(b) policies, our savings accounts. We gave her copies of everything, and let her look through our vacation snaps. She was pleased that we gave her a broad spectrum timescale wise, ranging from when I first arrived in the states, to our latest vacation in Maine this year.
She then took my medical envelope, and checked on the computer, which I assume was for my prints. I originally did my prints in March 2004 for AOS, but two weeks before this interview, I received a letter informing me I had to be reprinted - I assume because they expired. I was concerned going in that they wouldn't have cleared, but she hinted otherwise. She went to make copies of our ID, and photographs, and then came back, giving us all our originals.
She then took my passport, informed me that I'd be receiving my green card in the mail in two weeks, and that I'd been approved as IR6, because we'd been married nearly three years at the time of interview. She wrote two lines in my passport about it, and then handed it back to me. She thanked us for our time, and then escorted us out to the waiting area.
We were almost bewildered - it had taken nearly three years of waiting, plus several hundreds of dollars and an extra hour in the waiting area, for a 15 minute whirlwind interview.
And that's that. I have to say, the DAOs were very friendly, and pleasant - professional to a point. The less said of the security the better.
My wife never did get her emory board back
Time crept by, and we were wondering what was taking so long. I was onto my second EAD, and at the time, it looked likely a third would be in the works by the end of summer. However, fate smiled on us, and when we returned from our vacation in Maine in May, a letter from the USCIS notifying us of our interview date was waiting for us.
We were overjoyed, and more than a little shocked. I think part of us both had been conditioned to never hearing anything from USCIS, and for me to remain in some kind of immigration purgatory for the rest of my life. But, it was there, in black and white print.
After a whirlwind collection of documentary evidence, and my walleting being reduced of the burden of $330 for the medical exam and vaccs, we were ready. We reported to the USCIS office in Garden City for our 12:31PM appointment. Government bureaucracy at it's finest.
We got their a little early - 12:10PM, with my wife's mother tagging along as emotional support, and also to double as a chauffer. Instantly, we were both soured by the pretty much rude security staff - pardon my french, but we both have to say one guy in particular was a **** for the way he was speaking to some of the people infront of us who didn't have a strong grasp of english.
Getting past the rent-a-cops, and after they had confiscated my wife's emory board nail file, we were corraled into a huge waiting pen just to the left, on the first floor - despite our notice saying to report to the second floor. There, we dropped off our interview notice at the front desk, and duly took a seat when told. Time is an illusion, lunchtime doubly so in government offices, and here was no exception. The place was devoid of USCIS staff until well after 1PM when everyone rolled back in after their lunches. At about 1:30PM, someone came and took the batch of interview notices with 12:30PM time slots, so we knew we were closed.
All throughout this time, people's names had been faintly getting called out by DAOs and lawyers. Whenever someone was called, the entire room faced them in anticipation they'd be next. Lawyers wandered around mumbling names, looking for their lost charges. People pleaded with the frontdesk about their situations - interview notices not being received, but that they received the letter saying their case was abandoned for non-attendance - that they'd been waiting since 9:00AM - that they'd lost their green card.
Finally, I heard my name faintly. If there's one thing they need here, it's a PA system. I got up and walked over to the office holding the notice, to confirm it was indeed me. I guess she had difficulty with my last name, because she only called out my first. I called my wife over, and the officer led us into an office maze behind the frontdesk area.
We entered her small, 'economical' office - no pictures, no nothing - and she instantly swore us in. She was very friendly, explained what she was doing, or going to do clearly, yet was efficiently fast. She took our passports, and driver's licences, noting to herself that we both has the same address listed on them "Always a good sign", she pointed out. She flicked through my passport, asking me about my travels, the visa I used, etc, then asked us about how we met. We explained how we met online, got close, fell in love, and then how I came to NY to spend my summer vacation together. Looking at my wife's passport she said "What a pretty name - Adrienne. My ex-fiance was called Adrian." A curious compliment, but one none the less - in fact, we kind of felt bad for her.
She then flicked through my passport, removed my old I94, and went through our forms they had on file. It felt weird seeing my entire life in one folder that had done the rounds from NYC to Missouri, back up to Long Island. She went over our Affidavit, and we gave her an updated one. She then went over the usual questions "Are you a member of the communist party?", etc, then asked for evidence of our relationship.
We had a decent amount, which we piled on her desk: a wedding photo album, random vacation photos; medical, dental and life insurance policies, 401(k) and 403(b) policies, our savings accounts. We gave her copies of everything, and let her look through our vacation snaps. She was pleased that we gave her a broad spectrum timescale wise, ranging from when I first arrived in the states, to our latest vacation in Maine this year.
She then took my medical envelope, and checked on the computer, which I assume was for my prints. I originally did my prints in March 2004 for AOS, but two weeks before this interview, I received a letter informing me I had to be reprinted - I assume because they expired. I was concerned going in that they wouldn't have cleared, but she hinted otherwise. She went to make copies of our ID, and photographs, and then came back, giving us all our originals.
She then took my passport, informed me that I'd be receiving my green card in the mail in two weeks, and that I'd been approved as IR6, because we'd been married nearly three years at the time of interview. She wrote two lines in my passport about it, and then handed it back to me. She thanked us for our time, and then escorted us out to the waiting area.
We were almost bewildered - it had taken nearly three years of waiting, plus several hundreds of dollars and an extra hour in the waiting area, for a 15 minute whirlwind interview.
And that's that. I have to say, the DAOs were very friendly, and pleasant - professional to a point. The less said of the security the better.
My wife never did get her emory board back
Aug 10th 2005, 12:12 am
#9
Corpsicle
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2002
Location: NYC
Posts: 648
Re: NYC AOS Interview (Garden City)
Originally Posted by Peter Newton
Yay!!! Congratulations!!!
Now you can relax!
Cheers
Peter
Now you can relax!
Cheers
Peter
It all feels anticlimactic, as if I'd just watched M. Knight Shaymalan's 'Signs' again. Three years of build up for that little piddly interview.
Still, we can actually freely go on vacation abroad now - the missus is already planning a jaunt to Jamaica in the winter.
Aug 10th 2005, 11:17 pm
#10
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 35,082
Re: NYC AOS Interview (Garden City)
Originally Posted by nathan barley
Thank you, everyone. We both really appreciate all your thanks. Relax is the right word to use here.
It all feels anticlimactic, as if I'd just watched M. Knight Shaymalan's 'Signs' again. Three years of build up for that little piddly interview.
Still, we can actually freely go on vacation abroad now - the missus is already planning a jaunt to Jamaica in the winter.
It all feels anticlimactic, as if I'd just watched M. Knight Shaymalan's 'Signs' again. Three years of build up for that little piddly interview.
Still, we can actually freely go on vacation abroad now - the missus is already planning a jaunt to Jamaica in the winter.
I guess I just don't want to let you go from the group
But have a great time in Jamaica!!
Congrats on your success
Aug 11th 2005, 12:27 am
#11
Corpsicle
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2002
Location: NYC
Posts: 648
Re: NYC AOS Interview (Garden City)
Originally Posted by meauxna
Belated congrats, barleys!
I guess I just don't want to let you go from the group
I guess I just don't want to let you go from the group
I don't plan on leaving the group (BE) - I'll be sticking around here for a good while
Aug 11th 2005, 1:45 am
#12
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2003
Location:
Posts: 525
Re: NYC AOS Interview (Garden City)
Happy for you BIG time Nathan! A smattering of envy too but much much happiness for you - CONGRATS!
Originally Posted by nathan barley
Thanks!
I don't plan on leaving the group (BE) - I'll be sticking around here for a good while
I don't plan on leaving the group (BE) - I'll be sticking around here for a good while
Aug 24th 2005, 1:18 am
#13
Corpsicle
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2002
Location: NYC
Posts: 648
Re: NYC AOS Interview (Garden City)
I got my Permanent Resident card in the mail today. Hurray!
It's very pretty on the back. Thank you US Government.
And now off to Vegas to make my fortune!
It's very pretty on the back. Thank you US Government.
And now off to Vegas to make my fortune!
Aug 24th 2005, 1:26 am
#14
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 50
Re: NYC AOS Interview (Garden City)
Originally Posted by nathan barley
I got my Permanent Resident card in the mail today. Hurray!
It's very pretty on the back. Thank you US Government.
And now off to Vegas to make my fortune!
It's very pretty on the back. Thank you US Government.
And now off to Vegas to make my fortune!
Aug 24th 2005, 2:30 am
#15
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2003
Location:
Posts: 525
Re: NYC AOS Interview (Garden City)
Nathan - when was your most recent medical done? Thanks.
Originally Posted by nathan barley
I got my Permanent Resident card in the mail today. Hurray!
It's very pretty on the back. Thank you US Government.
And now off to Vegas to make my fortune!
It's very pretty on the back. Thank you US Government.
And now off to Vegas to make my fortune!