Successful AOS Boston
Aug 5th 2002, 11:56 pm
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2002
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 12
Successful AOS Boston
Just sucessfully became a Conditional Permanent Resident last thursday, and thought people might be interested in my timeline/experience:
November 9th 2001 - Mailed I-129F application to VSC.
December 1st 2001 - Received First NOA.
December 5th 2001 - VSC automated system says I-129F approved.
December 15th 2001 - Flew out to US to visit Fiancee for Christmas, worried about being turned away at INS/Customs so took employers letter stating i will be returning, the border/passport inspection guy didn't even ask for anything and just stamped my passport and waved me on.
December 27th 2001 - Phone call from parents in UK to tell me 3rd NOA Received from US embassy, London.
January 2nd 2002 - Fly home to UK.
January 3rd 2002 - Return filled in forms to Embassy.
January 18th 2002 - Receive 4th NOA from Embassy, interview & medical scheduled for February 13th.
February 13th 2002 - K1 interview & medical at US Embassy in london, K1 Visa put in passport.
February 18th 2002 - With all my belongings packed into one large suitcase, fly out to USA. Sealed envelope taken at passport/immigration control, passport stamped and I-94 stapled inside.
February 21st 2002 - Temporary EAD card granted at Boston INS.
February 22nd 2002 - Applied for SS card, received two weeks after application was submitted.
April 14th 2002 - Married!! :-D
April 18th 2002 - Filed AOS, Work authorisation applications at Boston INS, EAD card granted/received same day.
April 25th 2002 - Received AOS interview date for May 23rd & fingerprint notice.
May 10th-ish 2002 (can't remember exact date) - Trekked into Boston for fingerprint appointment, took around 20 minutes.
May 10th 2002 - Received phonecall informing me my interview had been rescheduled for August 1st.
August 1st 2002 - AOS interview at Boston INS...Approved! Given temporary greencard evidence stamp, should receive card in around 3-8 months.
Me and my wife sent our I-129F application through Vermont Service Centre as we were in their service area, turns out this was lucky for us as we've heard they are the fastest, it certainly seems that way. We actually sent out original application via registered return receipt mail, but never actually received the receipt so until we got our first NOA we were convinced the post office had lost our package! The initial evidence we submitted were a few phonebills, some photos and a couple of airline ticket stubs to prove we've met in the last two years. We were very surprised at how fast we were approved, and a little taken aback, we hadn't expected things to move so quickly, we were a little worried that things would be stacked against us, as I had only just turned 20, and she had not long turned 21, but it seems they didn't think twice about our age.
I flew out to visit my wife for christmas, we read that if you were going to try to enter the US while a K1 was being processed then you should make sure you had evidence you were going to return so i managed to get a letter (after begging and nagging my boss) from my employer stating that i had not quit, and planned to return to the uk at the start of the new year, but as it happens the immigration officer at Logan airport didn't even ask me any questions despite the fact it said on his screen that i had a K1/I-129F in process, if anything it was the fastest i'd ever been through immigration.
Packet 3 was waiting for me when i returned home, so i filled in all the various forms and mailed them back to the embassy, a word of advice here, make sure you get the Police clearence form as soon as possible after sending off your I-129F package, my request took 3 weeks to be processed and the police record sent to me. My only other major hassle at this stage was finding somewhere that could take the correct picture specs in the UK, in the end i had to run down to my local Jessops with a printout of the photo spec's from the INS website and they did some custom instant pics for me.
Once i got my interview date at the embassy i made sure i had copies of all the original forms i sent, more relationship evidence, photos, more ticket stubs etc. My fiancee is a student and couldn't be my sponsor so her father agreed to sponsor me, and while visiting her at Christmas he filled in the I-134 forms, and got them notarized by a friend who happened to have a notary commision.
Then i panicked and worried for the next few weeks until the day of my interview came, which nearly started with disaster as the trains from Bristol to london were all cancelled due to flooding on the lines, luckily we managed to get the one and only train that went to london that day from Bristol. First I had to goto Dr Phelans surgery for the medical, and there was already a few people when i got there, they made me fill in a worksheet, then i had to go and have blood drawn, the nurse is very good and you dont feel a thing, i also had my TB and MMR jabs while i was there to save me having them done later.. After the blood had been taken you are taken to be X-rayed, the guy who does the X-Ray's is certainly a character and made everyone feel very relaxed and at ease, then i had a brief medical exam, the old cup and cough treatment and then i was on my merry way to the Embassy.
The embassy process was pretty short and not much to it, they took my forms and my passport and told me to sit down, then after about 45 minutes they called me up, asked me some simple questions, such as how did i meet my fiancee, then he looked at my sponsor forms, told me how my father-in-law to be made "mega bucks" (HA! he wishes!!) and there was no problem there, and then told me pending positive medical results, i was approved. About another hour later he called me up again and gave me my passport with the K1 visa printed inside and explained i had to be married within 90 days or arrival in the US, and then gave me a sealed envelope to give to immigration on arrival.
I flew out 4 days after my interview, in a slightly risky move i had already handed in my notice at my job, and booked a flight, so it was a good job i was approved!! Upon going through customs and immigration, the immigration inspector looked at my passport, checked my visa, asked for my sealed envelope, then asked me my reason for coming to the US, i replied to get married, he smiled, and said "married eh? good luck, you'll need it!!" and that was it.
We went to the Boston INS 3 days later to get my EAD, we arrived at around 10 in the morning and didn't get my card until around 2pm, so get there as early as possible!! We went to social security the next day, at first the guy wasn't sure if i could get a number, but once i showed him my EAD card he seemed satisfied so i would reccomend getting your EAD before your SS card.
Then there was the wedding! Which was a lovely ceremony and reception
We went to INS as soon as we got back from the honey which was around 4-5 days later. I would suggest getting all the forms beforehand and filling them out to save time, also don't forget to get US Bank checks drawn up beforehand as they don't accept personal checks (theres a fleet just across the street from Boston INS practically). Also get there early as possible again, we arrived at 10:15am and didnt get seen until 5:20pm, a little tip here is to take a list of all the presents you received and use the time waiting to fill in all the thank-you notes/cards
The woman who took our forms etc was very nice and remarked we were the first people she'd seen all day who actually had everything we needed for AOS, she barely glanced at our forms and stamped everything and sent me to get a new EAD card made up, this was a big relief as my wife is a student and had never filed any tax returns and heard they sometimes want returns from the spouse even if they arent the main sponsor.
I got my interview date and fingerprint notice a week later. The fingerprint appointment is a doddle, its right across the street from North Station in Boston, and took in all around 20 minutes to be completed. Then around 1 week later we were rung up by INS and told our interview was rescheduled for August the 1st.
Around June i started my first US job after months of searching, and finally got various benefits, Health Insurance etc (how i miss my 50 quid a month national insurance deductions!). When the time of the interview came, nerves were certainly frayed and on edge, we turned up early to Boston INS and were turned away for being too early by the surly office at the interview room entrance. So we came back closer to our appointment time, got my fingerprints taken (you fill in form I-89 i think), and sat down, and around 5 minutes later our names were called. The officer who interviewed us was very nice, and made us relax a little, he kept telling us we were going to have a good day and this was just to determine a few things and neither of us should worry. He swore us in and then asked us a few simple questions, how did we meet, when did we first visit, where did we live and got married etc, and then asked if we had any evidence of living together. We gave him Joint bank statements addressed to us both, our health insurance cards (he was especially pleased with this evidence it seems), and showed him our wedding pictures. He then asked me the questions on the form, have i ever engaged in spying or vice or terrorist activities etc to which i replied no to all of them. Then he took my passport and EAD card, gave me my I-551 stamp in my passport and told me to make sure i lifted the conditions 90 days before the expiration date and that my greencard would arrive in 3-8 months. He then told me i was a Conditional US resident and that we looked like a very happy young married couple and hopes we are both very happy together and that was it, after all the months of worry and waiting i am finally a US Resident!
Sorry for the length everyone! Hope someone finds this useful.
Dekks
November 9th 2001 - Mailed I-129F application to VSC.
December 1st 2001 - Received First NOA.
December 5th 2001 - VSC automated system says I-129F approved.
December 15th 2001 - Flew out to US to visit Fiancee for Christmas, worried about being turned away at INS/Customs so took employers letter stating i will be returning, the border/passport inspection guy didn't even ask for anything and just stamped my passport and waved me on.
December 27th 2001 - Phone call from parents in UK to tell me 3rd NOA Received from US embassy, London.
January 2nd 2002 - Fly home to UK.
January 3rd 2002 - Return filled in forms to Embassy.
January 18th 2002 - Receive 4th NOA from Embassy, interview & medical scheduled for February 13th.
February 13th 2002 - K1 interview & medical at US Embassy in london, K1 Visa put in passport.
February 18th 2002 - With all my belongings packed into one large suitcase, fly out to USA. Sealed envelope taken at passport/immigration control, passport stamped and I-94 stapled inside.
February 21st 2002 - Temporary EAD card granted at Boston INS.
February 22nd 2002 - Applied for SS card, received two weeks after application was submitted.
April 14th 2002 - Married!! :-D
April 18th 2002 - Filed AOS, Work authorisation applications at Boston INS, EAD card granted/received same day.
April 25th 2002 - Received AOS interview date for May 23rd & fingerprint notice.
May 10th-ish 2002 (can't remember exact date) - Trekked into Boston for fingerprint appointment, took around 20 minutes.
May 10th 2002 - Received phonecall informing me my interview had been rescheduled for August 1st.
August 1st 2002 - AOS interview at Boston INS...Approved! Given temporary greencard evidence stamp, should receive card in around 3-8 months.
Me and my wife sent our I-129F application through Vermont Service Centre as we were in their service area, turns out this was lucky for us as we've heard they are the fastest, it certainly seems that way. We actually sent out original application via registered return receipt mail, but never actually received the receipt so until we got our first NOA we were convinced the post office had lost our package! The initial evidence we submitted were a few phonebills, some photos and a couple of airline ticket stubs to prove we've met in the last two years. We were very surprised at how fast we were approved, and a little taken aback, we hadn't expected things to move so quickly, we were a little worried that things would be stacked against us, as I had only just turned 20, and she had not long turned 21, but it seems they didn't think twice about our age.
I flew out to visit my wife for christmas, we read that if you were going to try to enter the US while a K1 was being processed then you should make sure you had evidence you were going to return so i managed to get a letter (after begging and nagging my boss) from my employer stating that i had not quit, and planned to return to the uk at the start of the new year, but as it happens the immigration officer at Logan airport didn't even ask me any questions despite the fact it said on his screen that i had a K1/I-129F in process, if anything it was the fastest i'd ever been through immigration.
Packet 3 was waiting for me when i returned home, so i filled in all the various forms and mailed them back to the embassy, a word of advice here, make sure you get the Police clearence form as soon as possible after sending off your I-129F package, my request took 3 weeks to be processed and the police record sent to me. My only other major hassle at this stage was finding somewhere that could take the correct picture specs in the UK, in the end i had to run down to my local Jessops with a printout of the photo spec's from the INS website and they did some custom instant pics for me.
Once i got my interview date at the embassy i made sure i had copies of all the original forms i sent, more relationship evidence, photos, more ticket stubs etc. My fiancee is a student and couldn't be my sponsor so her father agreed to sponsor me, and while visiting her at Christmas he filled in the I-134 forms, and got them notarized by a friend who happened to have a notary commision.
Then i panicked and worried for the next few weeks until the day of my interview came, which nearly started with disaster as the trains from Bristol to london were all cancelled due to flooding on the lines, luckily we managed to get the one and only train that went to london that day from Bristol. First I had to goto Dr Phelans surgery for the medical, and there was already a few people when i got there, they made me fill in a worksheet, then i had to go and have blood drawn, the nurse is very good and you dont feel a thing, i also had my TB and MMR jabs while i was there to save me having them done later.. After the blood had been taken you are taken to be X-rayed, the guy who does the X-Ray's is certainly a character and made everyone feel very relaxed and at ease, then i had a brief medical exam, the old cup and cough treatment and then i was on my merry way to the Embassy.
The embassy process was pretty short and not much to it, they took my forms and my passport and told me to sit down, then after about 45 minutes they called me up, asked me some simple questions, such as how did i meet my fiancee, then he looked at my sponsor forms, told me how my father-in-law to be made "mega bucks" (HA! he wishes!!) and there was no problem there, and then told me pending positive medical results, i was approved. About another hour later he called me up again and gave me my passport with the K1 visa printed inside and explained i had to be married within 90 days or arrival in the US, and then gave me a sealed envelope to give to immigration on arrival.
I flew out 4 days after my interview, in a slightly risky move i had already handed in my notice at my job, and booked a flight, so it was a good job i was approved!! Upon going through customs and immigration, the immigration inspector looked at my passport, checked my visa, asked for my sealed envelope, then asked me my reason for coming to the US, i replied to get married, he smiled, and said "married eh? good luck, you'll need it!!" and that was it.
We went to the Boston INS 3 days later to get my EAD, we arrived at around 10 in the morning and didn't get my card until around 2pm, so get there as early as possible!! We went to social security the next day, at first the guy wasn't sure if i could get a number, but once i showed him my EAD card he seemed satisfied so i would reccomend getting your EAD before your SS card.
Then there was the wedding! Which was a lovely ceremony and reception
We went to INS as soon as we got back from the honey which was around 4-5 days later. I would suggest getting all the forms beforehand and filling them out to save time, also don't forget to get US Bank checks drawn up beforehand as they don't accept personal checks (theres a fleet just across the street from Boston INS practically). Also get there early as possible again, we arrived at 10:15am and didnt get seen until 5:20pm, a little tip here is to take a list of all the presents you received and use the time waiting to fill in all the thank-you notes/cards The woman who took our forms etc was very nice and remarked we were the first people she'd seen all day who actually had everything we needed for AOS, she barely glanced at our forms and stamped everything and sent me to get a new EAD card made up, this was a big relief as my wife is a student and had never filed any tax returns and heard they sometimes want returns from the spouse even if they arent the main sponsor.
I got my interview date and fingerprint notice a week later. The fingerprint appointment is a doddle, its right across the street from North Station in Boston, and took in all around 20 minutes to be completed. Then around 1 week later we were rung up by INS and told our interview was rescheduled for August the 1st.
Around June i started my first US job after months of searching, and finally got various benefits, Health Insurance etc (how i miss my 50 quid a month national insurance deductions!). When the time of the interview came, nerves were certainly frayed and on edge, we turned up early to Boston INS and were turned away for being too early by the surly office at the interview room entrance. So we came back closer to our appointment time, got my fingerprints taken (you fill in form I-89 i think), and sat down, and around 5 minutes later our names were called. The officer who interviewed us was very nice, and made us relax a little, he kept telling us we were going to have a good day and this was just to determine a few things and neither of us should worry. He swore us in and then asked us a few simple questions, how did we meet, when did we first visit, where did we live and got married etc, and then asked if we had any evidence of living together. We gave him Joint bank statements addressed to us both, our health insurance cards (he was especially pleased with this evidence it seems), and showed him our wedding pictures. He then asked me the questions on the form, have i ever engaged in spying or vice or terrorist activities etc to which i replied no to all of them. Then he took my passport and EAD card, gave me my I-551 stamp in my passport and told me to make sure i lifted the conditions 90 days before the expiration date and that my greencard would arrive in 3-8 months. He then told me i was a Conditional US resident and that we looked like a very happy young married couple and hopes we are both very happy together and that was it, after all the months of worry and waiting i am finally a US Resident!
Sorry for the length everyone! Hope someone finds this useful.
Dekks
Aug 6th 2002, 10:20 am
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Successful AOS Boston
Congratulations on getting your CPR!
- Des (also a Boston-approved spouse)
- Des (also a Boston-approved spouse)
Aug 6th 2002, 10:20 am
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Successful AOS Boston
Thanks for the info. it was a pleasure reading the good news...I have a long wait
till that day comes along, but it is nice to see that there is light at the end of
the tunnel...
Cheers, Sheila (U.S.C.) Clive (U.K.C.)
Dekks <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Just sucessfully became a Conditional Permanent Resident last thursday, and thought
> people might be interested in my timeline/experience:
>
> November 9th 2001 - Mailed I-129F application to VSC. December 1st 2001
> - Received First NOA. December 5th 2001 - VSC automated system says I-129F
> approved. December 15th 2001 - Flew out to US to visit Fiancee for Christmas,
> worried about being turned away at INS/Customs so took employers letter stating i
> will be returning, the border/passport inspection guy didn't even ask for
> anything and just stamped my passport and waved me on. December 27th 2001 - Phone
> call from parents in UK to tell me 3rd NOA Received from US embassy, London.
> January 2nd 2002 - Fly home to UK. January 3rd 2002 - Return filled in forms to
> Embassy. January 18th 2002 - Receive 4th NOA from Embassy, interview & medical
> scheduled for February 13th. February 13th 2002 - K1 interview & medical at US
> Embassy in london, K1 Visa put in passport. February 18th 2002 - With all my
> belongings packed into one large suitcase, fly out to USA. Sealed envelope taken
> at passport/immigration control, passport stamped and I-94 stapled inside.
> February 21st 2002 - Temporary EAD card granted at Boston INS. February 22nd 2002
> - Applied for SS card, received two weeks after application was submitted. April
> 14th 2002 - Married!! :-D April 18th 2002 - Filed AOS, Work authorisation
> applications at Boston INS, EAD card granted/received same day. April 25th 2002 -
> Received AOS interview date for May 23rd & fingerprint notice. May 10th-ish 2002
> (can't remember exact date) - Trekked into Boston for fingerprint appointment,
> took around 20 minutes. May 10th 2002 - Received phonecall informing me my
> interview had been rescheduled for August 1st. August 1st 2002 - AOS interview at
> Boston INS...Approved! Given temporary greencard evidence stamp, should receive
> card in around 3-8 months.
>
> Me and my wife sent our I-129F application through Vermont Service Centre as we
> were in their service area, turns out this was lucky for us as we've heard they are
> the fastest, it certainly seems that way. We actually sent out original application
> via registered return receipt mail, but never actually received the receipt so
> until we got our first NOA we were convinced the post office had lost our package!
> The initial evidence we submitted were a few phonebills, some photos and a couple
> of airline ticket stubs to prove we've met in the last two years. We were very
> surprised at how fast we were approved, and a little taken aback, we hadn't
> expected things to move so quickly, we were a little worried that things would be
> stacked against us, as I had only just turned 20, and she had not long turned 21,
> but it seems they didn't think twice about our age.
>
> I flew out to visit my wife for christmas, we read that if you were going to try to
> enter the US while a K1 was being processed then you should make sure you had
> evidence you were going to return so i managed to get a letter (after begging and
> nagging my boss) from my employer stating that i had not quit, and planned to
> return to the uk at the start of the new year, but as it happens the immigration
> officer at Logan airport didn't even ask me any questions despite the fact it said
> on his screen that i had a K1/I-129F in process, if anything it was the fastest i'd
> ever been through immigration.
>
> Packet 3 was waiting for me when i returned home, so i filled in all the various
> forms and mailed them back to the embassy, a word of advice here, make sure you get
> the Police clearence form as soon as possible after sending off your I-129F
> package, my request took 3 weeks to be processed and the police record sent to me.
> My only other major hassle at this stage was finding somewhere that could take the
> correct picture specs in the UK, in the end i had to run down to my local Jessops
> with a printout of the photo spec's from the INS website and they did some custom
> instant pics for me.
>
> Once i got my interview date at the embassy i made sure i had copies of all the
> original forms i sent, more relationship evidence, photos, more ticket stubs etc.
> My fiancee is a student and couldn't be my sponsor so her father agreed to sponsor
> me, and while visiting her at Christmas he filled in the I-134 forms, and got them
> notarized by a friend who happened to have a notary commision.
>
> Then i panicked and worried for the next few weeks until the day of my interview
> came, which nearly started with disaster as the trains from Bristol to london were
> all cancelled due to flooding on the lines, luckily we managed to get the one and
> only train that went to london that day from Bristol. First I had to goto Dr
> Phelans surgery for the medical, and there was already a few people when i got
> there, they made me fill in a worksheet, then i had to go and have blood drawn, the
> nurse is very good and you dont feel a thing, i also had my TB and MMR jabs while i
> was there to save me having them done later.. After the blood had been taken you
> are taken to be X-rayed, the guy who does the X-Ray's is certainly a character and
> made everyone feel very relaxed and at ease, then i had a brief medical exam, the
> old cup and cough treatment and then i was on my merry way to the Embassy.
>
> The embassy process was pretty short and not much to it, they took my forms and my
> passport and told me to sit down, then after about 45 minutes they called me up,
> asked me some simple questions, such as how did i meet my fiancee, then he looked
> at my sponsor forms, told me how my father-in-law to be made "mega bucks" (HA! he
> wishes!!) and there was no problem there, and then told me pending positive medical
> results, i was approved. About another hour later he called me up again and gave me
> my passport with the K1 visa printed inside and explained i had to be married
> within 90 days or arrival in the US, and then gave me a sealed envelope to give to
> immigration on arrival.
>
> I flew out 4 days after my interview, in a slightly risky move i had already handed
> in my notice at my job, and booked a flight, so it was a good job i was approved!!
> Upon going through customs and immigration, the immigration inspector looked at my
> passport, checked my visa, asked for my sealed envelope, then asked me my reason
> for coming to the US, i replied to get married, he smiled, and said "married eh?
> good luck, you'll need it!!" and that was it.
>
> We went to the Boston INS 3 days later to get my EAD, we arrived at around 10 in
> the morning and didn't get my card until around 2pm, so get there as early as
> possible!! We went to social security the next day, at first the guy wasn't sure if
> i could get a number, but once i showed him my EAD card he seemed satisfied so i
> would reccomend getting your EAD before your SS card.
>
> Then there was the wedding! Which was a lovely ceremony and reception We went to
> INS as soon as we got back from the honey which was around 4-5 days later. I would
> suggest getting all the forms beforehand and filling them out to save time, also
> don't forget to get US Bank checks drawn up beforehand as they don't accept
> personal checks (theres a fleet just across the street from Boston INS
> practically). Also get there early as possible again, we arrived at 10:15am and
> didnt get seen until
> 5:20pm, a little tip here is to take a list of all the presents you received and
> use the time waiting to fill in all the thank-you notes/cards
>
> The woman who took our forms etc was very nice and remarked we were the first
> people she'd seen all day who actually had everything we needed for AOS, she barely
> glanced at our forms and stamped everything and sent me to get a new EAD card made
> up, this was a big relief as my wife is a student and had never filed any tax
> returns and heard they sometimes want returns from the spouse even if they arent
> the main sponsor.
>
> I got my interview date and fingerprint notice a week later. The fingerprint
> appointment is a doddle, its right across the street from North Station in Boston,
> and took in all around 20 minutes to be completed. Then around 1 week later we were
> rung up by INS and told our interview was rescheduled for August the 1st.
>
> Around June i started my first US job after months of searching, and finally got
> various benefits, Health Insurance etc (how i miss my 50 quid a month national
> insurance deductions!). When the time of the interview came, nerves were certainly
> frayed and on edge, we turned up early to Boston INS and were turned away for being
> too early by the surly office at the interview room entrance. So we came back
> closer to our appointment time, got my fingerprints taken (you fill in form I-89 i
> think), and sat down, and around 5 minutes later our names were called. The officer
> who interviewed us was very nice, and made us relax a little, he kept telling us we
> were going to have a good day and this was just to determine a few things and
> neither of us should worry. He swore us in and then asked us a few simple
> questions, how did we meet, when did we first visit, where did we live and got
> married etc, and then asked if we had any evidence of living together. We gave him
> Joint bank statements addressed to us both, our health insurance cards (he was
> especially pleased with this evidence it seems), and showed him our wedding
> pictures. He then asked me the questions on the form, have i ever engaged in spying
> or vice or terrorist activities etc to which i replied no to all of them. Then he
> took my passport and EAD card, gave me my I-551 stamp in my passport and told me to
> make sure i lifted the conditions 90 days before the expiration date and that my
> greencard would arrive in 3-8 months. He then told me i was a Conditional US
> resident and that we looked like a very happy young married couple and hopes we are
> both very happy together and that was it, after all the months of worry and waiting
> i am finally a US Resident!
>
> Sorry for the length everyone! Hope someone finds this useful.
>
> Dekks
>
>
>
> --
till that day comes along, but it is nice to see that there is light at the end of
the tunnel...
Cheers, Sheila (U.S.C.) Clive (U.K.C.)
Dekks <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Just sucessfully became a Conditional Permanent Resident last thursday, and thought
> people might be interested in my timeline/experience:
>
> November 9th 2001 - Mailed I-129F application to VSC. December 1st 2001
> - Received First NOA. December 5th 2001 - VSC automated system says I-129F
> approved. December 15th 2001 - Flew out to US to visit Fiancee for Christmas,
> worried about being turned away at INS/Customs so took employers letter stating i
> will be returning, the border/passport inspection guy didn't even ask for
> anything and just stamped my passport and waved me on. December 27th 2001 - Phone
> call from parents in UK to tell me 3rd NOA Received from US embassy, London.
> January 2nd 2002 - Fly home to UK. January 3rd 2002 - Return filled in forms to
> Embassy. January 18th 2002 - Receive 4th NOA from Embassy, interview & medical
> scheduled for February 13th. February 13th 2002 - K1 interview & medical at US
> Embassy in london, K1 Visa put in passport. February 18th 2002 - With all my
> belongings packed into one large suitcase, fly out to USA. Sealed envelope taken
> at passport/immigration control, passport stamped and I-94 stapled inside.
> February 21st 2002 - Temporary EAD card granted at Boston INS. February 22nd 2002
> - Applied for SS card, received two weeks after application was submitted. April
> 14th 2002 - Married!! :-D April 18th 2002 - Filed AOS, Work authorisation
> applications at Boston INS, EAD card granted/received same day. April 25th 2002 -
> Received AOS interview date for May 23rd & fingerprint notice. May 10th-ish 2002
> (can't remember exact date) - Trekked into Boston for fingerprint appointment,
> took around 20 minutes. May 10th 2002 - Received phonecall informing me my
> interview had been rescheduled for August 1st. August 1st 2002 - AOS interview at
> Boston INS...Approved! Given temporary greencard evidence stamp, should receive
> card in around 3-8 months.
>
> Me and my wife sent our I-129F application through Vermont Service Centre as we
> were in their service area, turns out this was lucky for us as we've heard they are
> the fastest, it certainly seems that way. We actually sent out original application
> via registered return receipt mail, but never actually received the receipt so
> until we got our first NOA we were convinced the post office had lost our package!
> The initial evidence we submitted were a few phonebills, some photos and a couple
> of airline ticket stubs to prove we've met in the last two years. We were very
> surprised at how fast we were approved, and a little taken aback, we hadn't
> expected things to move so quickly, we were a little worried that things would be
> stacked against us, as I had only just turned 20, and she had not long turned 21,
> but it seems they didn't think twice about our age.
>
> I flew out to visit my wife for christmas, we read that if you were going to try to
> enter the US while a K1 was being processed then you should make sure you had
> evidence you were going to return so i managed to get a letter (after begging and
> nagging my boss) from my employer stating that i had not quit, and planned to
> return to the uk at the start of the new year, but as it happens the immigration
> officer at Logan airport didn't even ask me any questions despite the fact it said
> on his screen that i had a K1/I-129F in process, if anything it was the fastest i'd
> ever been through immigration.
>
> Packet 3 was waiting for me when i returned home, so i filled in all the various
> forms and mailed them back to the embassy, a word of advice here, make sure you get
> the Police clearence form as soon as possible after sending off your I-129F
> package, my request took 3 weeks to be processed and the police record sent to me.
> My only other major hassle at this stage was finding somewhere that could take the
> correct picture specs in the UK, in the end i had to run down to my local Jessops
> with a printout of the photo spec's from the INS website and they did some custom
> instant pics for me.
>
> Once i got my interview date at the embassy i made sure i had copies of all the
> original forms i sent, more relationship evidence, photos, more ticket stubs etc.
> My fiancee is a student and couldn't be my sponsor so her father agreed to sponsor
> me, and while visiting her at Christmas he filled in the I-134 forms, and got them
> notarized by a friend who happened to have a notary commision.
>
> Then i panicked and worried for the next few weeks until the day of my interview
> came, which nearly started with disaster as the trains from Bristol to london were
> all cancelled due to flooding on the lines, luckily we managed to get the one and
> only train that went to london that day from Bristol. First I had to goto Dr
> Phelans surgery for the medical, and there was already a few people when i got
> there, they made me fill in a worksheet, then i had to go and have blood drawn, the
> nurse is very good and you dont feel a thing, i also had my TB and MMR jabs while i
> was there to save me having them done later.. After the blood had been taken you
> are taken to be X-rayed, the guy who does the X-Ray's is certainly a character and
> made everyone feel very relaxed and at ease, then i had a brief medical exam, the
> old cup and cough treatment and then i was on my merry way to the Embassy.
>
> The embassy process was pretty short and not much to it, they took my forms and my
> passport and told me to sit down, then after about 45 minutes they called me up,
> asked me some simple questions, such as how did i meet my fiancee, then he looked
> at my sponsor forms, told me how my father-in-law to be made "mega bucks" (HA! he
> wishes!!) and there was no problem there, and then told me pending positive medical
> results, i was approved. About another hour later he called me up again and gave me
> my passport with the K1 visa printed inside and explained i had to be married
> within 90 days or arrival in the US, and then gave me a sealed envelope to give to
> immigration on arrival.
>
> I flew out 4 days after my interview, in a slightly risky move i had already handed
> in my notice at my job, and booked a flight, so it was a good job i was approved!!
> Upon going through customs and immigration, the immigration inspector looked at my
> passport, checked my visa, asked for my sealed envelope, then asked me my reason
> for coming to the US, i replied to get married, he smiled, and said "married eh?
> good luck, you'll need it!!" and that was it.
>
> We went to the Boston INS 3 days later to get my EAD, we arrived at around 10 in
> the morning and didn't get my card until around 2pm, so get there as early as
> possible!! We went to social security the next day, at first the guy wasn't sure if
> i could get a number, but once i showed him my EAD card he seemed satisfied so i
> would reccomend getting your EAD before your SS card.
>
> Then there was the wedding! Which was a lovely ceremony and reception
We went to> INS as soon as we got back from the honey which was around 4-5 days later. I would
> suggest getting all the forms beforehand and filling them out to save time, also
> don't forget to get US Bank checks drawn up beforehand as they don't accept
> personal checks (theres a fleet just across the street from Boston INS
> practically). Also get there early as possible again, we arrived at 10:15am and
> didnt get seen until
> 5:20pm, a little tip here is to take a list of all the presents you received and
> use the time waiting to fill in all the thank-you notes/cards
>
> The woman who took our forms etc was very nice and remarked we were the first
> people she'd seen all day who actually had everything we needed for AOS, she barely
> glanced at our forms and stamped everything and sent me to get a new EAD card made
> up, this was a big relief as my wife is a student and had never filed any tax
> returns and heard they sometimes want returns from the spouse even if they arent
> the main sponsor.
>
> I got my interview date and fingerprint notice a week later. The fingerprint
> appointment is a doddle, its right across the street from North Station in Boston,
> and took in all around 20 minutes to be completed. Then around 1 week later we were
> rung up by INS and told our interview was rescheduled for August the 1st.
>
> Around June i started my first US job after months of searching, and finally got
> various benefits, Health Insurance etc (how i miss my 50 quid a month national
> insurance deductions!). When the time of the interview came, nerves were certainly
> frayed and on edge, we turned up early to Boston INS and were turned away for being
> too early by the surly office at the interview room entrance. So we came back
> closer to our appointment time, got my fingerprints taken (you fill in form I-89 i
> think), and sat down, and around 5 minutes later our names were called. The officer
> who interviewed us was very nice, and made us relax a little, he kept telling us we
> were going to have a good day and this was just to determine a few things and
> neither of us should worry. He swore us in and then asked us a few simple
> questions, how did we meet, when did we first visit, where did we live and got
> married etc, and then asked if we had any evidence of living together. We gave him
> Joint bank statements addressed to us both, our health insurance cards (he was
> especially pleased with this evidence it seems), and showed him our wedding
> pictures. He then asked me the questions on the form, have i ever engaged in spying
> or vice or terrorist activities etc to which i replied no to all of them. Then he
> took my passport and EAD card, gave me my I-551 stamp in my passport and told me to
> make sure i lifted the conditions 90 days before the expiration date and that my
> greencard would arrive in 3-8 months. He then told me i was a Conditional US
> resident and that we looked like a very happy young married couple and hopes we are
> both very happy together and that was it, after all the months of worry and waiting
> i am finally a US Resident!
>
> Sorry for the length everyone! Hope someone finds this useful.
>
> Dekks
>
>
>
> --
Aug 6th 2002, 11:20 am
#4
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Successful AOS Boston
congrats I will be removing conditions there in about 2 years hopefully (London
embassy interview Thur 8th August) Sean
"Des" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Congratulations on getting your CPR!
>
> - Des (also a Boston-approved spouse)
embassy interview Thur 8th August) Sean
"Des" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Congratulations on getting your CPR!
>
> - Des (also a Boston-approved spouse)
Aug 6th 2002, 1:14 pm
#5
Concierge
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 46,383
Re: Successful AOS Boston
Congratulations Dekks but could you cut and paste your NG post to the interview success site please.
http://www.kamya.com/interview/intro.html
Thanks
Rete a/k/a Rita a/k/a As Queen Mother of Nag
http://www.kamya.com/interview/intro.html
Thanks
Rete a/k/a Rita a/k/a As Queen Mother of Nag
