I am the alien spouse of a US citizen and we have been married almost three years. Our papers were filed by our attorney on July 2nd 2009. Biometrics were done on August 8th in Ft Worth. We received an appointment in August to attend for the AOS interview in San Antonio Tx on September 28th 2009 at 1pm. I had already received by temporary permit to travel and work prior. Things seemed to be moving very quickly. We were very well prepared taking all the evidence of bonafide marriage with us. We arrived at the USCIS office around 12.30pm and proceeded to go through security. We were told to wait and we would be called. Our attorney who was not with us, advised us to be prepared for a wait. We were called at 12.40pm and a very pleasant USCIS Officer took us to his office were we were sworn in. He asked me about my last entry into the USA and then asked me about my previous marriages (I had been widowed and divorced). He asked my husband about his current work. He never asked for any pictures of any evidence. He told us it was a very straightforward case and asked for my passport. He noted we had been married for nearly three years so stamped in the passport a permanant green card stamp which he explained gave me the freedom to travel and to work. He advised me to get a SS card but to wait a few days for the information to get into the system before applying. He was a delighful person; we were prepared for anything but in the end we were in and out before even our appointment time arrived! We would advise people to prepare well and if it is not needed then be blessed by that. We were. I saw all the experiences of others online before I went to interview and was helped by not being alone on the process. I wish all out there a safe journey through the AOS process.

I wanted to share my interview experience in hopes of helping somebody else.

I've been married for just over 2 years and we decided to apply for the greencard this past June. We hire a great immigration team and they were really thorough. Which is probably why our process went so quick! We applied June 19th. Got our Biometrics done July 21st. Got my AP and EAD August 15th and interview September 16th.

We got to the Federal Plaza in NYC at 7:15 and did not get seen till 9:30! She swore us in and began questioning my husband. Questions like "Where did you guys meet? What is her middle name? When is her birthday? What is her mother's first name? When did you get married?" She asked him about 12 questions and then asked me 3. Then she asked me several questions that I answered "NO" to all of them. She asked for proof of marriage. I gave her several bank statements, amtrak tickets, utility bills, letters to both of us and pictures (10 in total) with me and my husband. I also gave her my wedding album (20 pics max). She asked if we have anything else and she then signed and dated my passport and put "I 485 pending" and the A#...I was completely scared, because she did not say apporved or anything!

After worrying I finally looked online on MOnday and found out my case was approved and card production was ordered for me!

The whole interview process was 15 minutes!

if your marriage is real and you have plenty of evidence (I didn't bring my whole apartment)you will be fine, just be calm and answer the questions, the interview is not that scary.

Documents submitted 6/19/09
Biometrics taken 7/21/09
AP & EAD recieved 8/15/09
I 485 Interview 9/16/09
Card Production ordered! 9/21/09
...waiting for green card!

Good Luck All!

I entered the USA as visitor, changed status to F1 student, failed to maintain status and overstayed, married to a US citizen in may 2008.

Sent application to change status on june 29, 2009.
Interview set to sept. 4, 2009. It only took 2 months and 5 days! Wow!

Appointment was at 11:00 am, we arrived at 10:40 am, waited for our lawyer (we hired one because I was arrested twice for driving with suspended license and hiring a lawyer gave me some peace of mind). I was extremely nervous, my wife not as nervous as me. We were called, my heart was beating so hard and fast!! Officer (male) lead us to his office, we swored in and then we asked for our paperwork and proof of us living together. Then he asked her her full name and date of birth, then date of our marriage. He then asked me my full name and date of marriage, then he asked me when's her birthday. Then he asked her my parents' names and if she talks to them regularly, then he asked how many guests we had, why was I arrested then he saw some of the pics we have (wedding, honey moon, trips), he even joked around and was in a very good mood which calmed my altered nerves. He left for a moment to get a supervisor's approval on my arrest records and when he came back he explained he was going to stamp my passport (then I new I was becoming a Permanent Resident, yeaH!!!!), because the place where GCs are made was shut down momentarily during the summer and gcs were taking a little more time than expected to arrive. He advised me to get a SSN as soon as possible and to become a citizen in three years if I wanted to. He then congratulated us and lead us out.

I am so happy!!! It was a very pleasant experience despite all the stress that sorrounds the interview process. I wish everyone has a pleasant experience as well.

My best wishes to you all!

I and my wife had our interview very fair just common questions until I reached to the red flag. I came to US through F1 visa my wife lives in US though. The officer asked me what I told to the embssy in my country when I came to US as to my marrital status. I actually mistakenly said single when I went to my F1 visa interview. So here I admitted the truth and he told me never to lie and said it is a big deal in US and it is called misrepresentation. I was reading his face he seemed to approve me he took away my I-94 from my passport and then put it back again. I realized that he couldn't make a decision. As I thought he said he will inform me the decision through mail and gave a letter which indicated htat my application is under---FURTHER REVIEW. I don't really know what will happen next.If anyone out there with same experience please help me what to expect.

this site is very helpful so i figured i would put my own experience and hope someone can tell me what the think, comments, suggestions or advice.

I am still under a Student visa doing my OPT, which allows me to work fulltime for a yr. It expires Jan 1st,2010.

-married 06/29/2009, to my girlfriend of 2yrs. we both attended the same college in Mi and during our relationship, i ve mostly lived in MI but occasionally moved for my pursuit of my carreer. did an internship in nyc so we were separated for a little while. i graduated in dec08 and moved to DC where i now live and work. However, she still lives in MI and works there too. During that whole time, we ve repeated and constantly saw each other, travel and flight details are abundant. in March,April,May,June,July,August we have tickets receipts of boarding passes coming to spend the weekend with another. Car titles, bank accounts, lease, pass bday cards, passed pictures etc..

I hired a lawyer only because of the distance. i didnt know exactly how to approach the situation n how to apply under these circumstances. the lawyer assure me that it wouldnt be a problem that all we needed to do is show them that the relationship is real. I am not too worried giving the fact that we are in and together for love and nothing can stop that.

I am about to apply Sept 15,2009 and i was wondering if anyone had any comments, recommendations or anything to say

june 07 2009 sent aos pack
june 10 got recipt letter
july 07 had fingerprints done
july 24 got aos interview date for aug 27th
july 31 received work permit and ap
aug 08 received ss card
aug 27 aos interview

81 days from start to finish

This had to be the most nerve racking day of our life. Seeing the place full of people with their lawyers and hearing one say
"oh the one thats interviewing you can be really mean" made my heart start to pound and my husband sat all aggitated. Then we were called through just as i paid a visit to the bathroom, came out and phil said she would be back in 2 mins, and 2 mins it was.
 
THE LADY WHO INTERVIEWED US WAS LOVELY REALLY LOVELY, IT LASTED ABOUT 30 MINUTES ALTOGETHER, SWORE ON OATH TOOK A FEW COPIES OF OUR JOINT BILLS, BANK ACCOUNT, LOOKED AT WHAT FEW PICS WE DID HAVE, ASKED HOW WE MET ( SHE DID SAY IT WAS A FIRST THAT SHE'S INTERVIEWED ANYONE WHO MET ON A POKER SITE LOL ) THEN SHE APPROVED OUR CASE, SAID I WOULD GET GREEN CARD IN POST IN 2 WEEKS, SHOOK OUR HAND AND WE THANK HER. AS WE WALKED OUT ALL THE OTHER PEOPLES HEADS IN THE WAITING ROOM TURNED & FOCUSED ON US AND GUESSED WE'D BEEN APPROVED AS PHIL HUGGED AND KISSED ME, WE WERE ELATED.

from arriving at the door checking in, going up to 2nd floor, sat waiting, having the interview and leaving out the door 60 mins in total and all the adrenaline was released. If anyone has any questions ill be happy to answer them.

I learnt a lot from this site b4 sending in my application..so i thought abt sharing mine so far

Married 12/14/08
Mailed Appl- aos,ead,travel docu- 7/16/09
Recevd Aprove travel docu - 8/06
Biometric - 8/18 (card ordered same day)
Waiting for the next step...

Appointment at 1030 AM
Called in just before 1200 PM
Sat down for the interview, the lady was very nice and asked only few questions such as where and when we met, then asked to see some pictures. Everything went smooth.

After only 15 minutes into the interview She said that we are approved and were good to go. Felt very happy but when i asked for the stamp she said we dont do that anymore only in case of emergency! She said that she would normally give us a paper but her printer is not working. She told us not to worry and that the GC would be mailed within 4 weeks.

Felt good but little worried leaving empty handed. Anyone else have a similar experience?

I MET MY WIFE IN JUNE OF 07, SINCE THE DAY WE MET WE HAVE BEEN INSEPRATABLE, SHE IS MY ANGEL THAT I ALWAYS PRAYED FOR! I ASKED GOD TO PUT SOMEONE INTO MY LIFE THAT LOVED ME FOR WHO I WAS, AND I MET MY WIFE AND I KNEW THE DAY SHE WALKED INTO MY LIFE SHE WOULD NOT BE WALKING OUT! HERE IS OUR JOURNEY:

8-6-07: MARRIED
3-3-09: SENT IN FORMS FOR , AOS, WORK PERMIT, TRAVEL DOCUMENT
3-27-09: RECEIVED RECIEPTS
3-28-09: RECEIVED BIOMETRIC APPT
4-10-09: HAD BIOMETRICS TAKING
6-26-09: RECEIVED AOS APPT
7-10-09: RECEIVED APPROVED TRAVEL DOCUMENT
7-14-09: RECEIVED WORK PERMIT
7-17-09: APPLIED FOR SS CARD
7-24-09: RECEIVED SS CARD
7-26-09: GOT DR LC
8-6-09: HAD INTERVIEW
8-6-09: RECIEVED EMAIL FROM CRIS THAT CARD PRODUCTION WAS ORDERED
8-11-09: RECIEVED THE SAME EMAIL FROM CRIS
8-12-09: RECIEVED APPROVAL NOTICE IN THE REGULAR MAIL, AND WELCOME TO THE US LETTER.
..... STILL WAITING ON MY GC TO ARRIVE.


FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE NOT YET HAD YOUR INTERVIEW, I WILL SHARE WITH YOU OUR EXPIERENCE:

INTERVIEW WAS AT 8:00AM ARRIVED ABOUT 7:10 WENT TO THE WAITING ROOM,WAS CALLED INTO THE OFFICE BY THE IMMIGRATION OFFICER, SHE GREETED US AND SWORE US IN. SHE ASKED ONLY MIMUMAL QUESTIONS, (WHAT IS YOUR NAME, WHAT IS YOUR ADDY, WHAT IS YOUR PHONE NUMBER, WHAT IS YOUR WIFES NAME, WHAT IS WIFES BDAY, DO YOU HAVE A SS NUMBER, WHAT IS IT, WHAT ARE THE DATES OF YOUR TRAVELS HERE TO THE US EACH TIME) AND THEN SHE ASKED MY WIFE SOME QUESTIONS (WHAT IS YOUR NAME, WHAT IS YOUR ADDY, WHAT IS YOUR PHONE NUMBER, WHAT IS YOUR SS NUMBER, WHERE DO YOU WORK) THEN SHE ASKED WHEN WE GOT MARRIED, STATED 8-6-07 (WHICH WE WERE CELEBRATING OUR 2 YR WEDDING ANNIVERSERY ON THIS VERY DAY =)) SHE SAID WHEN DID YOU MEET I SAID JUNE 6, 2007 SHE SAID WHY DID YOU GET MARRIED SO SOON? MY WIFE STATED " EVERYONE AND MY FAMILY ALWAYS TOLD ME YOU WILL KNOW WHEN YOU MEET THE RIGHT PERSON FOR YOU, YOU WILL HAVE THAT FEELING IN YOUR HEART, AND WE BOTH SHARED THE SAME FEELING AND IT WAS A MUTRAL DECISION TO GET MARRIED ON THIS DAY 2 YRS AGO" AND SHE CLOSED OUR FOLDER AND SAID " SIR I AM GOING TO ESCORT YOU BACK TO THE WAITING AREA AND ASK YOUR WIFE SOME QUESTIONS" SO SHE TOOK ME TO THE WAITING AREA, AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED WHILE I WAS WAITING (ALL OF ABOUT 3 MINS) SHE WALKED IN AND ASKED MY WIFE IF OUR MARRIGE WAS REAL, MY WIFE SAID YES ITS 100% REAL, SHE SAID YOUR STORY SOUNDS SCRIPTED AND I DO NOT BELIVE YOU, MY WIFE SAID WE ARE CELEBRATING OUR 2 YR ANNV. TODAY, IF IT WAS NOT REAL DO YOU THINK WE WOULD STILL BE TOGETHER TODAY? AND THE OFFICER STATED, WELL ANYONE CAN BE MARRIED FOR 2 YRS AND NOT LIVE TOGETHER, AND MY WIFE SAID I HAVE ALL THESE PICS AND YOU CAN LOOK AND SEE THAT WE ARE HAPPY YOU CAN NOT FAKE HAPPYNESS LIKE THIS, I HAVE MY HUSBANDS NAME TATTOOED ON MY WRIST, THAT IS NOT COMING OFF, I HAVE ALL THE MAIL IN BOTH NAMES AND IN HIS NAMES THAT SHOWS OUR ADDY, AND THE OFFICER SAID THAT TO MY WIFE DO YOU KNOW THE CONSEQUENCES FOR FRAUDULENT MARRIAGES AND MY WIFE SAID YES I AM VERY WELL AWARE OF THE CONSEQUENCES. AND THEN SHE TOLD MY WIFE SHE WAS GOING TO MAKE COPIES OF MY PASSPORTS AND SHE DID AND THEN SHE TOLD HER SHE WAS GOING TO COME AND GET ME AND SHE DID AND I SAT BACK DOWN, AND THE OFFICER SAID THE INTERVIEW IS NOW OVER, IF YOU ARE APPROVED YOU WILL RECEIVE A LETTER IN THE MAIL, AND IF YOU ARE APPROVED YOU WILL RECEIVE YOUR GREEN CARD IN 3 TO 4 WEEKS. AND WE LEFT VERY UPSET B/C WE THOUGHT I WOULD GET A STAMP IN MY PASSPORT THAT DAY, WE WERE VERY SAD, B/C THE LADY DIDNT THINK THAT OUR MARRIAGE WAS REAL. AND THEN THE NEXT DAY WE REALIZED WE RECEIVED THE EMAIL FROM CRIS, I IMEDITILY CALLED MY ATTORNEY AND HE SAID CONGRATS THAT IT WAS APPROVED.

SO LOOKING BACK IT WAS A VERY EASY INTERVIEW.

I WISH EVERYONE THE VERY BEST OF LUCK!!

Hello Everybody,

Well, the whole Immigration is quite a process and overall, quite costly, too if you consider the travelling and hotel expenses if you life somewhat remote and have to travel every time for many hours to get to the place where your fingerprints are taken, or where the interview is taking place.

We have done everything ourselves with help from Senator Feingold's office here in Wisconsin. We did not hire a lwyer and if you take some time and get all the paperwork right, you really don't need one for anything.

The interview itself took place in Janury 2009 in Minneapolis/Bloomington and I was pretty nervous. The day I had my interview in the morning, we got there about 30 minutes early and had our 6 month old baby boy with us (who slept through the whole thing). In the waiting room, we were eying up all the otehr people and noticed that almost all of them were separated and taken to different interview rooms by different Immigration Offocers. That was somewhat weird. But whe it was out turn, we were called in together and the interviewer was very nice and courteous. He asked some standard questions and then I also relaxed a little more and calmed down.It was a very pleasant experience and totally different from what I had experienced so far. The interview only lasted about 15 minutes and we never had to show any documentation or pictures fromthe past. Just the standard forms like the marriage certificate, birth certificate.... In addition, I had a whole file of photocopies for the officer of these documents, which he very much appreciated.
Then came out the big stamp "Approved" and all was over. I received my Green Card within three weeks in the mail and am now a happy Permanent resident.

Our Adjustment of status was based on our amrriage and we had been married more than 4 years by the time, we had the interview.

So, all went well that day and the whole process took 13 months from the first application until being approved.