Our AOS/485 Interview experience in Chicago
Nov 6th 2003, 11:59 pm
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
Our AOS/485 Interview experience in Chicago
hello: wanted to share...hope it helps put someone at ease.
Timeline update:
10/02 filed I-129F
12/02 I29F approved
1/03 consulate interview
2/03 fiance arrived in USA
3/03 married
4/03 filed I-485/EAD app
7/03 485 finger prints
8/03 EAD approved
11/03 485 interview
We heard so many different experiences, we didn't know what to expect.
Our interview took place in the Chicago office.
The directions we had were not the greatest but the interview building
is at the corner of Dearborn and Jackson Blvd. We took the train to
Union Station and walked...not a bad walk...maybe 1o minutes...just
down Adams and turn right on Dearborn.
We arrived a few minutes prior to our scheduled appointment. We went
to the 2nd floor to the "INS Waiting Room." You have to follow the
signs because it is not very clear where it is from the elevator.
When you get to the room, you hand your appointment letter to the
person in the box who stamps your letter, takes it and tells you to
have a seat.
Right at our interview time, we were called up, got our appointment
letter and went to the 23rd floor. We handed the attendant our letter
who took it and asked us to have a seat. Five minutes later, our name
was called and an immigration official took us to her office. My
wife, who is the immigrant, was fingerprinted (just the index finger).
The officer then started asking my wife rapid-fire questions relating
her address, how long she has lived there, her birth date etc. She
was testing to see how well she knew this information. Via the
officers body language, I could tell that I needed to keep my mouth
shut even when my wife didn't fully understand a question. I got the
sense that me opening my mouth to help would be a bad thing.
After that, the officer was looking to supplement my wife's file with
some of tbhe things requested in the instructions. The instructions
say bring copies...DO BRING COPIES!! The officer will take copies she
needs for the file
The officer never asked to look at any photos...She was mostly
concerned to see evidence of joint credit and banking as well as proof
that we lived together. She also wanted to see prooof of medical
insurance coverage. We brought stuff too like a receipt that we took
ballroom dance lessons...wasn't looked at it
The officer was also interested in making sure I was eligible to
sponsor my wife. She did look at my passport, birth certificate and
drivers license.
We passed...then it got confusing. The officer took away my wife's
I-94 form and her EAD card. She stamped her passport annointing my
wife as a conditional permanent resident (conditional permanent??
isnt that an oxymoron). The confusion is that the stamp in the
passport expires in one year but my wife also received a letter saying
that she had to file the 751 90 days before two years from today. So
there seems to be a gap there...one doc refers to nov of 04 and the
other refers to nov of 05
Can anyone explain this?
Anyway that is our story...if you have to go through a 485 interview,
hope this gives you a taste of what to expect.
Good luck!!!!!!!!
Timeline update:
10/02 filed I-129F
12/02 I29F approved
1/03 consulate interview
2/03 fiance arrived in USA
3/03 married
4/03 filed I-485/EAD app
7/03 485 finger prints
8/03 EAD approved
11/03 485 interview
We heard so many different experiences, we didn't know what to expect.
Our interview took place in the Chicago office.
The directions we had were not the greatest but the interview building
is at the corner of Dearborn and Jackson Blvd. We took the train to
Union Station and walked...not a bad walk...maybe 1o minutes...just
down Adams and turn right on Dearborn.
We arrived a few minutes prior to our scheduled appointment. We went
to the 2nd floor to the "INS Waiting Room." You have to follow the
signs because it is not very clear where it is from the elevator.
When you get to the room, you hand your appointment letter to the
person in the box who stamps your letter, takes it and tells you to
have a seat.
Right at our interview time, we were called up, got our appointment
letter and went to the 23rd floor. We handed the attendant our letter
who took it and asked us to have a seat. Five minutes later, our name
was called and an immigration official took us to her office. My
wife, who is the immigrant, was fingerprinted (just the index finger).
The officer then started asking my wife rapid-fire questions relating
her address, how long she has lived there, her birth date etc. She
was testing to see how well she knew this information. Via the
officers body language, I could tell that I needed to keep my mouth
shut even when my wife didn't fully understand a question. I got the
sense that me opening my mouth to help would be a bad thing.
After that, the officer was looking to supplement my wife's file with
some of tbhe things requested in the instructions. The instructions
say bring copies...DO BRING COPIES!! The officer will take copies she
needs for the file
The officer never asked to look at any photos...She was mostly
concerned to see evidence of joint credit and banking as well as proof
that we lived together. She also wanted to see prooof of medical
insurance coverage. We brought stuff too like a receipt that we took
ballroom dance lessons...wasn't looked at it
The officer was also interested in making sure I was eligible to
sponsor my wife. She did look at my passport, birth certificate and
drivers license.
We passed...then it got confusing. The officer took away my wife's
I-94 form and her EAD card. She stamped her passport annointing my
wife as a conditional permanent resident (conditional permanent??
isnt that an oxymoron). The confusion is that the stamp in the
passport expires in one year but my wife also received a letter saying
that she had to file the 751 90 days before two years from today. So
there seems to be a gap there...one doc refers to nov of 04 and the
other refers to nov of 05
Can anyone explain this?
Anyway that is our story...if you have to go through a 485 interview,
hope this gives you a taste of what to expect.
Good luck!!!!!!!!
Nov 7th 2003, 2:20 am
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Our AOS/485 Interview experience in Chicago
Congratulation!
They will send your wife a green card later (1 months to 6 months) before
the stamp expires. In case if you don't get it in a year. You can go to the
office to ask for a new stamp. Because you have married for less than 2
years your wife is conditional permanent resident now. After your wife files
the I-751 later the condition will be removed. She then will be a permanent
resident. Just the way to make sure your marriage is not just for the green
card.
I have a question for you. Did you have a lawyer going with you to the
interview? If you didn't, did the officer ask you to sign a waiver form for
having no lawyer presenting?
"K1EADfromChicagoBCIS" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> hello: wanted to share...hope it helps put someone at ease.
> Timeline update:
> 10/02 filed I-129F
> 12/02 I29F approved
> 1/03 consulate interview
> 2/03 fiance arrived in USA
> 3/03 married
> 4/03 filed I-485/EAD app
> 7/03 485 finger prints
> 8/03 EAD approved
> 11/03 485 interview
> We heard so many different experiences, we didn't know what to expect.
> Our interview took place in the Chicago office.
> The directions we had were not the greatest but the interview building
> is at the corner of Dearborn and Jackson Blvd. We took the train to
> Union Station and walked...not a bad walk...maybe 1o minutes...just
> down Adams and turn right on Dearborn.
> We arrived a few minutes prior to our scheduled appointment. We went
> to the 2nd floor to the "INS Waiting Room." You have to follow the
> signs because it is not very clear where it is from the elevator.
> When you get to the room, you hand your appointment letter to the
> person in the box who stamps your letter, takes it and tells you to
> have a seat.
> Right at our interview time, we were called up, got our appointment
> letter and went to the 23rd floor. We handed the attendant our letter
> who took it and asked us to have a seat. Five minutes later, our name
> was called and an immigration official took us to her office. My
> wife, who is the immigrant, was fingerprinted (just the index finger).
> The officer then started asking my wife rapid-fire questions relating
> her address, how long she has lived there, her birth date etc. She
> was testing to see how well she knew this information. Via the
> officers body language, I could tell that I needed to keep my mouth
> shut even when my wife didn't fully understand a question. I got the
> sense that me opening my mouth to help would be a bad thing.
> After that, the officer was looking to supplement my wife's file with
> some of tbhe things requested in the instructions. The instructions
> say bring copies...DO BRING COPIES!! The officer will take copies she
> needs for the file
> The officer never asked to look at any photos...She was mostly
> concerned to see evidence of joint credit and banking as well as proof
> that we lived together. She also wanted to see prooof of medical
> insurance coverage. We brought stuff too like a receipt that we took
> ballroom dance lessons...wasn't looked at it
> The officer was also interested in making sure I was eligible to
> sponsor my wife. She did look at my passport, birth certificate and
> drivers license.
> We passed...then it got confusing. The officer took away my wife's
> I-94 form and her EAD card. She stamped her passport annointing my
> wife as a conditional permanent resident (conditional permanent??
> isnt that an oxymoron). The confusion is that the stamp in the
> passport expires in one year but my wife also received a letter saying
> that she had to file the 751 90 days before two years from today. So
> there seems to be a gap there...one doc refers to nov of 04 and the
> other refers to nov of 05
> Can anyone explain this?
> Anyway that is our story...if you have to go through a 485 interview,
> hope this gives you a taste of what to expect.
> Good luck!!!!!!!!
They will send your wife a green card later (1 months to 6 months) before
the stamp expires. In case if you don't get it in a year. You can go to the
office to ask for a new stamp. Because you have married for less than 2
years your wife is conditional permanent resident now. After your wife files
the I-751 later the condition will be removed. She then will be a permanent
resident. Just the way to make sure your marriage is not just for the green
card.
I have a question for you. Did you have a lawyer going with you to the
interview? If you didn't, did the officer ask you to sign a waiver form for
having no lawyer presenting?
"K1EADfromChicagoBCIS" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> hello: wanted to share...hope it helps put someone at ease.
> Timeline update:
> 10/02 filed I-129F
> 12/02 I29F approved
> 1/03 consulate interview
> 2/03 fiance arrived in USA
> 3/03 married
> 4/03 filed I-485/EAD app
> 7/03 485 finger prints
> 8/03 EAD approved
> 11/03 485 interview
> We heard so many different experiences, we didn't know what to expect.
> Our interview took place in the Chicago office.
> The directions we had were not the greatest but the interview building
> is at the corner of Dearborn and Jackson Blvd. We took the train to
> Union Station and walked...not a bad walk...maybe 1o minutes...just
> down Adams and turn right on Dearborn.
> We arrived a few minutes prior to our scheduled appointment. We went
> to the 2nd floor to the "INS Waiting Room." You have to follow the
> signs because it is not very clear where it is from the elevator.
> When you get to the room, you hand your appointment letter to the
> person in the box who stamps your letter, takes it and tells you to
> have a seat.
> Right at our interview time, we were called up, got our appointment
> letter and went to the 23rd floor. We handed the attendant our letter
> who took it and asked us to have a seat. Five minutes later, our name
> was called and an immigration official took us to her office. My
> wife, who is the immigrant, was fingerprinted (just the index finger).
> The officer then started asking my wife rapid-fire questions relating
> her address, how long she has lived there, her birth date etc. She
> was testing to see how well she knew this information. Via the
> officers body language, I could tell that I needed to keep my mouth
> shut even when my wife didn't fully understand a question. I got the
> sense that me opening my mouth to help would be a bad thing.
> After that, the officer was looking to supplement my wife's file with
> some of tbhe things requested in the instructions. The instructions
> say bring copies...DO BRING COPIES!! The officer will take copies she
> needs for the file
> The officer never asked to look at any photos...She was mostly
> concerned to see evidence of joint credit and banking as well as proof
> that we lived together. She also wanted to see prooof of medical
> insurance coverage. We brought stuff too like a receipt that we took
> ballroom dance lessons...wasn't looked at it
> The officer was also interested in making sure I was eligible to
> sponsor my wife. She did look at my passport, birth certificate and
> drivers license.
> We passed...then it got confusing. The officer took away my wife's
> I-94 form and her EAD card. She stamped her passport annointing my
> wife as a conditional permanent resident (conditional permanent??
> isnt that an oxymoron). The confusion is that the stamp in the
> passport expires in one year but my wife also received a letter saying
> that she had to file the 751 90 days before two years from today. So
> there seems to be a gap there...one doc refers to nov of 04 and the
> other refers to nov of 05
> Can anyone explain this?
> Anyway that is our story...if you have to go through a 485 interview,
> hope this gives you a taste of what to expect.
> Good luck!!!!!!!!
Nov 7th 2003, 12:15 pm
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Our AOS/485 Interview experience in Chicago
We didn't have a lawyer, and I was not asked to sign any waiver. Lot
of people had lawyers there though.
Thanks
"Jason" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected] gy.com>...
> Congratulation!
> They will send your wife a green card later (1 months to 6 months) before
> the stamp expires. In case if you don't get it in a year. You can go to the
> office to ask for a new stamp. Because you have married for less than 2
> years your wife is conditional permanent resident now. After your wife files
> the I-751 later the condition will be removed. She then will be a permanent
> resident. Just the way to make sure your marriage is not just for the green
> card.
>
> I have a question for you. Did you have a lawyer going with you to the
> interview? If you didn't, did the officer ask you to sign a waiver form for
> having no lawyer presenting?
>
> "K1EADfromChicagoBCIS" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > hello: wanted to share...hope it helps put someone at ease.
> >
> > Timeline update:
> > 10/02 filed I-129F
> > 12/02 I29F approved
> > 1/03 consulate interview
> > 2/03 fiance arrived in USA
> > 3/03 married
> > 4/03 filed I-485/EAD app
> > 7/03 485 finger prints
> > 8/03 EAD approved
> > 11/03 485 interview
> >
> > We heard so many different experiences, we didn't know what to expect.
> > Our interview took place in the Chicago office.
> >
> > The directions we had were not the greatest but the interview building
> > is at the corner of Dearborn and Jackson Blvd. We took the train to
> > Union Station and walked...not a bad walk...maybe 1o minutes...just
> > down Adams and turn right on Dearborn.
> >
> >
> > We arrived a few minutes prior to our scheduled appointment. We went
> > to the 2nd floor to the "INS Waiting Room." You have to follow the
> > signs because it is not very clear where it is from the elevator.
> >
> > When you get to the room, you hand your appointment letter to the
> > person in the box who stamps your letter, takes it and tells you to
> > have a seat.
> >
> > Right at our interview time, we were called up, got our appointment
> > letter and went to the 23rd floor. We handed the attendant our letter
> > who took it and asked us to have a seat. Five minutes later, our name
> > was called and an immigration official took us to her office. My
> > wife, who is the immigrant, was fingerprinted (just the index finger).
> >
> > The officer then started asking my wife rapid-fire questions relating
> > her address, how long she has lived there, her birth date etc. She
> > was testing to see how well she knew this information. Via the
> > officers body language, I could tell that I needed to keep my mouth
> > shut even when my wife didn't fully understand a question. I got the
> > sense that me opening my mouth to help would be a bad thing.
> >
> > After that, the officer was looking to supplement my wife's file with
> > some of tbhe things requested in the instructions. The instructions
> > say bring copies...DO BRING COPIES!! The officer will take copies she
> > needs for the file
> >
> > The officer never asked to look at any photos...She was mostly
> > concerned to see evidence of joint credit and banking as well as proof
> > that we lived together. She also wanted to see prooof of medical
> > insurance coverage. We brought stuff too like a receipt that we took
> > ballroom dance lessons...wasn't looked at it
> >
> > The officer was also interested in making sure I was eligible to
> > sponsor my wife. She did look at my passport, birth certificate and
> > drivers license.
> >
> > We passed...then it got confusing. The officer took away my wife's
> > I-94 form and her EAD card. She stamped her passport annointing my
> > wife as a conditional permanent resident (conditional permanent??
> > isnt that an oxymoron). The confusion is that the stamp in the
> > passport expires in one year but my wife also received a letter saying
> > that she had to file the 751 90 days before two years from today. So
> > there seems to be a gap there...one doc refers to nov of 04 and the
> > other refers to nov of 05
> >
> > Can anyone explain this?
> >
> > Anyway that is our story...if you have to go through a 485 interview,
> > hope this gives you a taste of what to expect.
> >
> > Good luck!!!!!!!!
of people had lawyers there though.
Thanks
"Jason" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected] gy.com>...
> Congratulation!
> They will send your wife a green card later (1 months to 6 months) before
> the stamp expires. In case if you don't get it in a year. You can go to the
> office to ask for a new stamp. Because you have married for less than 2
> years your wife is conditional permanent resident now. After your wife files
> the I-751 later the condition will be removed. She then will be a permanent
> resident. Just the way to make sure your marriage is not just for the green
> card.
>
> I have a question for you. Did you have a lawyer going with you to the
> interview? If you didn't, did the officer ask you to sign a waiver form for
> having no lawyer presenting?
>
> "K1EADfromChicagoBCIS" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > hello: wanted to share...hope it helps put someone at ease.
> >
> > Timeline update:
> > 10/02 filed I-129F
> > 12/02 I29F approved
> > 1/03 consulate interview
> > 2/03 fiance arrived in USA
> > 3/03 married
> > 4/03 filed I-485/EAD app
> > 7/03 485 finger prints
> > 8/03 EAD approved
> > 11/03 485 interview
> >
> > We heard so many different experiences, we didn't know what to expect.
> > Our interview took place in the Chicago office.
> >
> > The directions we had were not the greatest but the interview building
> > is at the corner of Dearborn and Jackson Blvd. We took the train to
> > Union Station and walked...not a bad walk...maybe 1o minutes...just
> > down Adams and turn right on Dearborn.
> >
> >
> > We arrived a few minutes prior to our scheduled appointment. We went
> > to the 2nd floor to the "INS Waiting Room." You have to follow the
> > signs because it is not very clear where it is from the elevator.
> >
> > When you get to the room, you hand your appointment letter to the
> > person in the box who stamps your letter, takes it and tells you to
> > have a seat.
> >
> > Right at our interview time, we were called up, got our appointment
> > letter and went to the 23rd floor. We handed the attendant our letter
> > who took it and asked us to have a seat. Five minutes later, our name
> > was called and an immigration official took us to her office. My
> > wife, who is the immigrant, was fingerprinted (just the index finger).
> >
> > The officer then started asking my wife rapid-fire questions relating
> > her address, how long she has lived there, her birth date etc. She
> > was testing to see how well she knew this information. Via the
> > officers body language, I could tell that I needed to keep my mouth
> > shut even when my wife didn't fully understand a question. I got the
> > sense that me opening my mouth to help would be a bad thing.
> >
> > After that, the officer was looking to supplement my wife's file with
> > some of tbhe things requested in the instructions. The instructions
> > say bring copies...DO BRING COPIES!! The officer will take copies she
> > needs for the file
> >
> > The officer never asked to look at any photos...She was mostly
> > concerned to see evidence of joint credit and banking as well as proof
> > that we lived together. She also wanted to see prooof of medical
> > insurance coverage. We brought stuff too like a receipt that we took
> > ballroom dance lessons...wasn't looked at it
> >
> > The officer was also interested in making sure I was eligible to
> > sponsor my wife. She did look at my passport, birth certificate and
> > drivers license.
> >
> > We passed...then it got confusing. The officer took away my wife's
> > I-94 form and her EAD card. She stamped her passport annointing my
> > wife as a conditional permanent resident (conditional permanent??
> > isnt that an oxymoron). The confusion is that the stamp in the
> > passport expires in one year but my wife also received a letter saying
> > that she had to file the 751 90 days before two years from today. So
> > there seems to be a gap there...one doc refers to nov of 04 and the
> > other refers to nov of 05
> >
> > Can anyone explain this?
> >
> > Anyway that is our story...if you have to go through a 485 interview,
> > hope this gives you a taste of what to expect.
> >
> > Good luck!!!!!!!!
