Shannon

Well, we had our AOS interview in Seattle this morning. We arrived at 10.45am for the 11am interview and waited only half an hour before my name was called. I was accompanied by my husband and 13 month old baby who had unfortunately missed a nap so was committed to shrieking and shouting in almost-English. When I describe the interview you need to imagine his yelps and thuds as a soundtrack to the entire experience. At one point he escaped and started tossing paper from the garbage can. Another time he made it to the filing cabinet and had to be restrained.

First we were sworn in, then the Officer (who was polite and engaging) asked me the questions about prostitution, communism and crimes. He prefaced them with a warning not to "take offence" and slap him across the cheek. I said I understood, then I said YES to the question about arrests. We went into the circumstances in detail and I provided a court document detailing the offence and $200. it was dated in Australia over ten years ago. This satisfied the officer and we went on to the documents I had brought.

I provided a pile of copies (the originals were in my bag, in a file) with an index cover sheet. This is what we brought:


1. 1998, 1999, 200, 2001 federal income tax returns
2. Recent pay stubs
3. Joint residential tenancy agreement
4. Mortgage papers
5. Company benefits statement showing family information
6. Metlife Dental Insurance statement
7. Current letter of employment
8. Account statements showing cash transfers to spouse
9. Utility bills (same home address)
10. Family health club membership
11. Child’s birth certificate
12. Childbirth class certificate
13. Child’s passport
14. Car registration certificate
15. Car loan
16. Certificate of car ownership
17. Travel itinerary for upcoming family visit
18. Marriage license
19. Divorce certificate from prior marriage
20. Photographs

He took the whole pile, didn't ask any further questions and inserted them in the file. Then he spent some time checking through the application and checking facts like address, nationality, origin, birthplace etc.

Then he said my application was approvable BUT they needed another form. Another form? I asked. Yes. Apparently they needed an original I-864.

I provided a recent approval notice from Nebraska SC showing my I-130 had been approved (the I-864 and I-130 had been forwarded to Nebraska last year when I filed them at Seattle, only the I-485, AP and EAD were handled locally). Apparently, Seattle didn't have a copy, or rather, (when I provided a copy of the old one) needed an notarized original.

The office agreed to see us back later if we got the form done so we rushed off to a nearby bank and filled out the form. Luckily I had a lot of extra documents and things like the W2 and proof of employment that I didn't think I would need today, but we did for the new I-864.

Then the bank said they wouldn't notarize documents unless we had an account so we said "what the hell, the baby needs an account" and opened one then and there. Then they notarized the docs and we rushed back.

When we returned we waited a while for the officer to finish with his current appointment then went straight in. He check the document, stuck it in the file, took the W2's and stamped my passport. The baby screamed and squashed banana and cookies in his stroller while i tried to listen to the facts on CPR and the 90 days and etc. But I kind of knew that stuff anyway. i was sooo relieved.

The only casualty of the day was my swiss army knife. I forgot to take it out of my bag and before we went through the second time I remembered it was in my purse. Actually, i went through the first time with it in my bag but I hadn't recalled it. The officer said I should return it to my car. If I gave it to him I was "surrendering it". I ran out the door and hid it in a bush outside, but someone must have noticed because when I came out it was gone.

Joshua is threatening that I will now be deported when some gangster commits a crime with my fingerprints on the knife. I think I shall buy a new one in celebration.

Shannon

OUR TIMELINE

22nd June 2001: Submitted I-130, 864, 485, AP in person at Seattle District Office
7th August 2001: 1st NOA re: I-130 from Nebraska
Oct 10: EAD issued in Seattle
December 2001: Queried status of AP
January 2002: Queried status of AP
20th February: RFE from Seattle re: I-485 (wanted approval of I-130)
28th March 2002: Went in to Seattle DO and explained problem re: I-130 going to NSC from seattle. Seattle recommend NEW I-130.
28th March 2002: AP issued. New I-130 submitted.
July 23 2002: Approval notice from NSC
22nd August: 2nd I-864 submitted in Seattle
22nd August 2002: AOS interview successful.

Shannon

Oh, i should add: I am an Australian citizen, entered as B1 / B2 doing business here for a few months, got pregnant and married my USC spouse two months later. We waited three months to file the AOS documents.

Rete

Congratulations on the good stroke of luck Shannon. Please post this one the AOS experience page for the future users. Much appreciated.

Update AOS Experiences at: http://www.kamya.com/interview/intro.html


Rete

Andy Platt

Congrats. For other's who read this before their interviews, it's my advice to
always take a new I-864 with you since any number of things could have changed from
the original.

Andy.

--
I'm not really here - it's just your warped imagination. "Shannon"
<[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
    > Well, we had our AOS interview in Seattle this morning. We arrived at
    > 10.45am for the 11am interview and waited only half an hour before my name was
    > called. I was accompanied by my husband and 13 month old baby who had
    > unfortunately missed a nap so was committed to shrieking and shouting in
    > almost-English. When I describe the interview you need to imagine his yelps and
    > thuds as a soundtrack to the entire experience. At one point he escaped and
    > started tossing paper from the garbage can. Another time he made it to the
    > filing cabinet and had to be restrained.
    > First we were sworn in, then the Officer (who was polite and engaging) asked me the
    > questions about prostitution, communism and crimes. He prefaced them with a
    > warning not to "take offence" and slap him across the cheek. I said I understood,
    > then I said YES to the question about arrests. We went into the circumstances in
    > detail and I provided a court document detailing the offence and $200. it was
    > dated in Australia over ten years ago. This satisfied the officer and we went on
    > to the documents I had brought.
    > I provided a pile of copies (the originals were in my bag, in a file) with an index
    > cover sheet. This is what we brought:
    > 1. 1998, 1999, 200, 2001 federal income tax returns
    > 2. Recent pay stubs
    > 3. Joint residential tenancy agreement
    > 4. Mortgage papers
    > 5. Company benefits statement showing family information
    > 6. Metlife Dental Insurance statement
    > 7. Current letter of employment
    > 8. Account statements showing cash transfers to spouse
    > 9. Utility bills (same home address)
    > 10. Family health club membership
    > 11. Child’s birth certificate
    > 12. Childbirth class certificate
    > 13. Child’s passport
    > 14. Car registration certificate
    > 15. Car loan
    > 16. Certificate of car ownership
    > 17. Travel itinerary for upcoming family visit
    > 18. Marriage license
    > 19. Divorce certificate from prior marriage
    > 20. Photographs
    > He took the whole pile, didn't ask any further questions and inserted them in the
    > file. Then he spent some time checking through the application and checking facts
    > like address, nationality, origin, birthplace etc.
    > Then he said my application was approvable BUT they needed another form. Another
    > form? I asked. Yes. Apparently they needed an original I-864.
    > I provided a recent approval notice from Nebraska SC showing my I-130 had been
    > approved (the I-864 and I-130 had been forwarded to Nebraska last year when I filed
    > them at Seattle, only the I-485, AP and EAD were handled locally). Apparently,
    > Seattle didn't have a copy, or rather, (when I provided a copy of the old one)
    > needed an notarized original.
    > The office agreed to see us back later if we got the form done so we rushed off to
    > a nearby bank and filled out the form. Luckily I had a lot of extra documents and
    > things like the W2 and proof of employment that I didn't think I would need today,
    > but we did for the new I-864.
    > Then the bank said they wouldn't notarize documents unless we had an account so we
    > said "what the hell, the baby needs an account" and opened one then and there.
    > Then they notarized the docs and we rushed back.
    > When we returned we waited a while for the officer to finish with his current
    > appointment then went straight in. He check the document, stuck it in the file,
    > took the W2's and stamped my passport. The baby screamed and squashed banana and
    > cookies in his stroller while i tried to listen to the facts on CPR and the 90 days
    > and etc. But I kind of knew that stuff anyway. i was sooo relieved.
    > The only casualty of the day was my swiss army knife. I forgot to take it out of
    > my bag and before we went through the second time I remembered it was in my purse.
    > Actually, i went through the first time with it in my bag but I hadn't recalled it.
    > The officer said I should return it to my car. If I gave it to him I was
    > "surrendering it". I ran out the door and hid it in a bush outside, but someone
    > must have noticed because when I came out it was gone.
    > Joshua is threatening that I will now be deported when some gangster commits a
    > crime with my fingerprints on the knife. I think I shall buy a new one in
    > celebration.
    > Shannon
    > OUR TIMELINE
    > 22nd June 2001: Submitted I-130, 864, 485, AP in person at Seattle District Office
    > 7th August 2001: 1st NOA re: I-130 from Nebraska Oct 10: EAD issued in Seattle
    > December 2001: Queried status of AP January 2002: Queried status of AP 20th
    > February: RFE from Seattle re: I-485 (wanted approval of I-130) 28th March 2002:
    > Went in to Seattle DO and explained problem re: I-130 going to NSC from seattle.
    > Seattle recommend NEW I-130. 28th March 2002: AP issued. New I-130 submitted. July
    > 23 2002: Approval notice from NSC 22nd August: 2nd I-864 submitted in Seattle
    > 22nd August 2002: AOS interview successful.
    > --
    > Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Katie

In article <[email protected]>, Andy Platt says...
    >Congrats. For other's who read this before their interviews, it's my advice to
    >always take a new I-864 with you since any number of things could have changed from
    >the original.

Our AOS interview is in December. Thanks, Andy.

-katie

pebbles927

You mean a new original, notarized I-864? Our interview date is just under 4 months from when we filed our AOS. Absolutely nothing has changed in 4 months. Would you still recommend bringing a new one, just to be on the safe side??

Thanks,
Susan

Betastar

Congrats, and hopefully the knife is just being used to open some celebratory
champagne for someone else =)

Paul

We had our AOS interview on Friday in Seattle also, the day after yours. The
appointment was at 10:30 and they were prompt; the interviewer called us within a
minute or two of that time. It was quick too, we were out of there in less than 14
minutes with our approval too. We would have received the stamp in the passport but
the paperwork from NSC hadn't shown up yet but he gave us a signed piece of paper
that combined with the notification of the paperwork showing up, we can just go in
and get the stamp (and not wait in the line outside).


"Shannon" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
    > Well, we had our AOS interview in Seattle this morning. We arrived at
    > 10.45am for the 11am interview and waited only half an hour before my name was
    > called. I was accompanied by my husband and 13 month old baby who had
    > unfortunately missed a nap so was committed to shrieking and shouting in
    > almost-English. When I describe the interview you need to imagine his yelps and
    > thuds as a soundtrack to the entire experience. At one point he escaped and
    > started tossing paper from the garbage can. Another time he made it to the
    > filing cabinet and had to be restrained.
    > First we were sworn in, then the Officer (who was polite and engaging) asked me the
    > questions about prostitution, communism and crimes. He prefaced them with a
    > warning not to "take offence" and slap him across the cheek. I said I understood,
    > then I said YES to the question about arrests. We went into the circumstances in
    > detail and I provided a court document detailing the offence and $200. it was
    > dated in Australia over ten years ago. This satisfied the officer and we went on
    > to the documents I had brought.
    > I provided a pile of copies (the originals were in my bag, in a file) with an index
    > cover sheet. This is what we brought:
    > 1. 1998, 1999, 200, 2001 federal income tax returns
    > 2. Recent pay stubs
    > 3. Joint residential tenancy agreement
    > 4. Mortgage papers
    > 5. Company benefits statement showing family information
    > 6. Metlife Dental Insurance statement
    > 7. Current letter of employment
    > 8. Account statements showing cash transfers to spouse
    > 9. Utility bills (same home address)
    > 10. Family health club membership
    > 11. Child's birth certificate
    > 12. Childbirth class certificate
    > 13. Child's passport
    > 14. Car registration certificate
    > 15. Car loan
    > 16. Certificate of car ownership
    > 17. Travel itinerary for upcoming family visit
    > 18. Marriage license
    > 19. Divorce certificate from prior marriage
    > 20. Photographs
    > He took the whole pile, didn't ask any further questions and inserted them in the
    > file. Then he spent some time checking through the application and checking facts
    > like address, nationality, origin, birthplace etc.
    > Then he said my application was approvable BUT they needed another form. Another
    > form? I asked. Yes. Apparently they needed an original I-864.
    > I provided a recent approval notice from Nebraska SC showing my I-130 had been
    > approved (the I-864 and I-130 had been forwarded to Nebraska last year when I filed
    > them at Seattle, only the I-485, AP and EAD were handled locally). Apparently,
    > Seattle didn't have a copy, or rather, (when I provided a copy of the old one)
    > needed an notarized original.
    > The office agreed to see us back later if we got the form done so we rushed off to
    > a nearby bank and filled out the form. Luckily I had a lot of extra documents and
    > things like the W2 and proof of employment that I didn't think I would need today,
    > but we did for the new I-864.
    > Then the bank said they wouldn't notarize documents unless we had an account so we
    > said "what the hell, the baby needs an account" and opened one then and there.
    > Then they notarized the docs and we rushed back.
    > When we returned we waited a while for the officer to finish with his current
    > appointment then went straight in. He check the document, stuck it in the file,
    > took the W2's and stamped my passport. The baby screamed and squashed banana and
    > cookies in his stroller while i tried to listen to the facts on CPR and the 90 days
    > and etc. But I kind of knew that stuff anyway. i was sooo relieved.
    > The only casualty of the day was my swiss army knife. I forgot to take it out of
    > my bag and before we went through the second time I remembered it was in my purse.
    > Actually, i went through the first time with it in my bag but I hadn't recalled it.
    > The officer said I should return it to my car. If I gave it to him I was
    > "surrendering it". I ran out the door and hid it in a bush outside, but someone
    > must have noticed because when I came out it was gone.
    > Joshua is threatening that I will now be deported when some gangster commits a
    > crime with my fingerprints on the knife. I think I shall buy a new one in
    > celebration.
    > Shannon
    > OUR TIMELINE
    > 22nd June 2001: Submitted I-130, 864, 485, AP in person at Seattle District Office
    > 7th August 2001: 1st NOA re: I-130 from Nebraska Oct 10: EAD issued in Seattle
    > December 2001: Queried status of AP January 2002: Queried status of AP 20th
    > February: RFE from Seattle re: I-485 (wanted approval of I-130) 28th March 2002:
    > Went in to Seattle DO and explained problem re: I-130 going to NSC from seattle.
    > Seattle recommend NEW I-130. 28th March 2002: AP issued. New I-130 submitted. July
    > 23 2002: Approval notice from NSC 22nd August: 2nd I-864 submitted in Seattle
    > 22nd August 2002: AOS interview successful.
    > --
    > Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Shannon

What paperwork was that, Paul? I mean, what was the NSC handling versus seattle.

Congrats on the smooth interview

Shannon

Chris Parker

    > 3. Joint residential tenancy agreement
    > 4. Mortgage papers

I don't get it: A rental agreement and a home mortgage?

Or, are you referring to your property deed as a "residental tenancy
agreement" somehow?

CP

Shannon

We recently bought a house. For the prior year (married) we rented the house for which most of our utility bills are addressed.

Shannon

Paul

The interviewer said they had requested the original file of the K1 petition from
Nebraska, once in June and again in July and didn't have it yet. He apologized for
not having it.

We were fairly well organized (LOL my wife was organized) for the interview. We chit
chatted a while about him wanting to retire to Sequim (we live in Port Angeles),
about a flight we'd taken to the San Juan islands the weekend (I'm a pilot) before
and hiking in the Olympics. He picked out some of the papers we brought with us (like
bank account, insurance and medical statements), fingerprinted my wife, had her sign
a form and told us we passed.




"Shannon" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
    > Originally posted by Paul:
    > > We would have received the stamp in the passport but the paperwork from NSC
    > > hadn't shown up yet but he gave us a signed piece of paper that combined with
    > > the notification of the paperwork showing up, we can just go in and get the
    > > stamp (and not wait in the line outside).
    > >
    > What paperwork was that, Paul? I mean, what was the NSC handling versus seattle.
    > Congrats on the smooth interview
    > Shannon
    > --
    > Posted via http://britishexpats.com