Successful AOS interview in Harlingen, TX
Feb 17th 2003, 4:02 pm
#1
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2003
Location: Texas
Posts: 40
Successful AOS interview in Harlingen, TX
Hi,
This is quite late in coming but I thought I'd still post it anyway as there are not many experiences from the Harlingen, TX INS around.
Our AOS appointment was scheduled for January 30 at 3.15pm. They really need to include a map with their AOS appointment letter as according to all maps I looked at Zoy Street doesn't exist. So after a stop at the new Border Patrol building, where we got directions, we arrived and were stamped in at 3.13pm. We cut it a little closer than we wanted to so that didn't help our nerves! Btw, INS Harlingen District is located behind the Wal*Mart.
I had made two folders, one with all original documents, and one with copies ready to give to the officer and of course we had our trump card with us - our 12-month-old daughter! After about 20mins of waiting we were called in. It was NOTHING like what I expected. He asked me what my parents names were, where I was born, then asked my husband where he was born. He added our daughters information to my I-485 application where it asks you to list your spouse and sons/daughters. He asked if we had brought anything along and asked for photos. So I go into my folder and bring out a bunch of family pictures. He said he doesn't need any of those, that he wanted the 3 ADIT photos I was told to bring, so I gave him those. He then asked for an updated Affidavit of Support which we had brought along, and then for the tax returns for the last 3 years. He then wanted the W2s for the last 3 years but I had only brought them for 1999 and 2000, he said he couldn't approve the application until he received it. He then asked for the vaccination supplement (I had had the Medical Examination and had submitted it when I had filed my I-30/I-485). As I would have tested positive for TB exposure having had the immunizations routinely in school in England, the nurse had just gone straight to the chest X-ray. She wrote on the vaccination supplement that I had tested negative for TB. The officer said he could not accept that though as my original medical exam had said I was not tested for TB. So he said I had to go back to the doctor and get him to fill out a new I-693. We were kinda peeved at that as it specifically says that I had tested negative through the chest X-ray on the vaccination supplement. Anyways, he said he would give us 4 months to send in the required info and we said we could have it there for him tomorrow. He said ok and wrote us down for for a walk-in appointment the next day. He asked for NO co-habitation evidence whatsoever! He didn't even ask us a single question about each other. He said that I'll need to show all the "evidence" when we file to remove conditions. So we head home slightly dissappointed but determined to get our missing documents and return the next day to be approved.
We found the missing 2001 W2 that night and at 8am the next morning we were at the INS Civil Surgeons door getting him to fill out another I-693. At around 9am we were back at the INS and we waited about an hour before we were called in by a lady officer. She asked us if we had the missing documents and we handed them to her. She had me write my name in a box (not sign which I thought was weird) and took my index prints. She then asked for my Advance Parole and EAD. I said I just had my Advance parole as I had never applied for an EAD. She then explained to us about removing conditions in two years (we missed our second annivesary by 4 months) and had me sign a paper stating I knew to remove conditions and what to send in with the I-751. Then congratulations you're approved and we should receive the card in the mail in 1-3 months (she said that if I haven't received it by 9 months to go in and inquire about it). They don't stamp passports with temporary stamps but what they give you is a white I-94 card with all your information and one ADIT photo with two stamps on it. The first stamp says processed for I-551 and when it is valid to (one year). The second gives the date when you were approved and and what class you were granted (mine says CR6).
Some interesting things the original officer said to us regarding conditional permanent status. He said that when I want to remove the conditions to go to any POE (we live 30 miles from the Mexican border) and they will remove them there. I've never heard of this happening before, can someone confirm this?
All in all though, just relieved to have it over with for a couple years!
This is quite late in coming but I thought I'd still post it anyway as there are not many experiences from the Harlingen, TX INS around.
Our AOS appointment was scheduled for January 30 at 3.15pm. They really need to include a map with their AOS appointment letter as according to all maps I looked at Zoy Street doesn't exist. So after a stop at the new Border Patrol building, where we got directions, we arrived and were stamped in at 3.13pm. We cut it a little closer than we wanted to so that didn't help our nerves! Btw, INS Harlingen District is located behind the Wal*Mart.
I had made two folders, one with all original documents, and one with copies ready to give to the officer and of course we had our trump card with us - our 12-month-old daughter! After about 20mins of waiting we were called in. It was NOTHING like what I expected. He asked me what my parents names were, where I was born, then asked my husband where he was born. He added our daughters information to my I-485 application where it asks you to list your spouse and sons/daughters. He asked if we had brought anything along and asked for photos. So I go into my folder and bring out a bunch of family pictures. He said he doesn't need any of those, that he wanted the 3 ADIT photos I was told to bring, so I gave him those. He then asked for an updated Affidavit of Support which we had brought along, and then for the tax returns for the last 3 years. He then wanted the W2s for the last 3 years but I had only brought them for 1999 and 2000, he said he couldn't approve the application until he received it. He then asked for the vaccination supplement (I had had the Medical Examination and had submitted it when I had filed my I-30/I-485). As I would have tested positive for TB exposure having had the immunizations routinely in school in England, the nurse had just gone straight to the chest X-ray. She wrote on the vaccination supplement that I had tested negative for TB. The officer said he could not accept that though as my original medical exam had said I was not tested for TB. So he said I had to go back to the doctor and get him to fill out a new I-693. We were kinda peeved at that as it specifically says that I had tested negative through the chest X-ray on the vaccination supplement. Anyways, he said he would give us 4 months to send in the required info and we said we could have it there for him tomorrow. He said ok and wrote us down for for a walk-in appointment the next day. He asked for NO co-habitation evidence whatsoever! He didn't even ask us a single question about each other. He said that I'll need to show all the "evidence" when we file to remove conditions. So we head home slightly dissappointed but determined to get our missing documents and return the next day to be approved.
We found the missing 2001 W2 that night and at 8am the next morning we were at the INS Civil Surgeons door getting him to fill out another I-693. At around 9am we were back at the INS and we waited about an hour before we were called in by a lady officer. She asked us if we had the missing documents and we handed them to her. She had me write my name in a box (not sign which I thought was weird) and took my index prints. She then asked for my Advance Parole and EAD. I said I just had my Advance parole as I had never applied for an EAD. She then explained to us about removing conditions in two years (we missed our second annivesary by 4 months) and had me sign a paper stating I knew to remove conditions and what to send in with the I-751. Then congratulations you're approved and we should receive the card in the mail in 1-3 months (she said that if I haven't received it by 9 months to go in and inquire about it). They don't stamp passports with temporary stamps but what they give you is a white I-94 card with all your information and one ADIT photo with two stamps on it. The first stamp says processed for I-551 and when it is valid to (one year). The second gives the date when you were approved and and what class you were granted (mine says CR6).
Some interesting things the original officer said to us regarding conditional permanent status. He said that when I want to remove the conditions to go to any POE (we live 30 miles from the Mexican border) and they will remove them there. I've never heard of this happening before, can someone confirm this?
All in all though, just relieved to have it over with for a couple years!
Feb 17th 2003, 4:49 pm
#2
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 99
W-2
Did he say why he wanted to see the W-2's? Was there a question about income from a joint return or something?
Feb 17th 2003, 5:14 pm
#3
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2003
Location: Texas
Posts: 40
It was just one of the things he wanted to see. We were using only my husbands income as I do not work so I don't see why this was such a crucial piece of information for him especially when I had provided the tax returns.
