Family Based Greencard

I would like to share my experience.

I came to the US in 2002 with a B1/B2 Visa. I had multiple entries before and two US visas. Last time I came I decided to stay. During these years I took classes here and there at the nearest college. I paid for all the classes I took, I worked here and there to support myself.

My husband was born in the United States, and in March we submitted and application to Adjust my status.

Priority date March 19, 2019
Fingerprint notice March 29
Fingerprint received April 4
Walk-in for fingerprints April 5 YOU CAN DO THIS
I485 April 08 changed to your interview is ready to be scheduled
I485 August 12 your interview has been scheduled
I765 August 27 We ordered your new card
I765 August 28 We approved your form I765
I765 August 31 I received the card
I485 September 19 Interview date
I485 September 19 Interview was completed and my case must be reviewed.
I130 September 25 Approved
I485 September 25 Approved
I485 September 27 Card was Mailed

***I didn’t requested a combo card because I had no status for so many years so our lawyer recommended us not to apply for it.

The day of the interview we arrived one hour before the appointment and the appointment time arrived but we were not call, we waited another hour after the time given in the notice. All our energy was consumed in the waiting, we were tired because we had to wake up very early, not our usual time, we didn’t have time for a good breakfast, so my husband was super hungry. We finally get call one hour after the original appointment time, the IO was in a hurry, we barely had time to answer every question when another question was asked. The IO was like do you have the original of the petitioners birth certificate, your original and translation of your birth certificate, what other documents you have with you. The IO also asked my husband my date and place of birth, if he petitioned for someone else before, if he was married before, so basically questions of the I-130. Then IO got the I-485 and went through the questions:

1.Have you been denied a US visa before, I said yes… I had a vague memory from when I was very little my parents applied for US visas for me and my brothers so everyone got their visas except one of my siblings and I, I don’t have a record of that but I know it happened.
2. Have you violated the terms of your nonimmigrant status…I said yes… I stayed over the time allowed.
3. Have you ever worked without authorization in the US… I said yes… I arrived in the US in 2002

After the questions we had to sign over the forms.

The IO didn’t have time to see our folder with documents, instead put pressure on me asking me which documents I had so I gave all we had… and I showed the photo album with more than 100 pictures and the IO didn’t even take time to see the pictures, IO acted like those things were not important, so quickly said “let’s do this, can you please (the beneficiary) take the pictures and pick the best ones and give them to me but do this outside in the waiting room, because I need to ask questions to your husband (the petitioner). So I did as instructed. I don’t really know how long it passed because I lost track of time but I guess it was more than 45 min until the IO came to get me and release my husband, so it was my turn to continue the interview. I can honestly say that some of these questions are mental breaking. Personal questions like name, family names, dates, are still okay, but then describe me your apartment, how many rooms, who lives with you, what size of bed, color of bed sheets, how many pillows, what you had for breakfast, where you do grocery shopping… OMG! the most absurd question was, what color is your toothbrush…. How in the world I would be paying attention to my toothbrush...my husband and I don’t share the same toothbrush holder, I have many more important things to focus than remembering the color of my toothbrush. So when I said “I don’t know” the IO was surprised, then quickly asked what’s your husband toothbrush color… I remembered his because he left it on the sink and I put it back in its place, later that day I verified the question so I went to check our toothbrush colors which are different brands and obviously in my husband’s toothbrush the color was noticeable, but not in mine. At the end I got the white paper the IO walked me out to the waiting room and finished the interview without calling my husband back.

The officer never was rude, the IO also apologized at the end for the delay. The entire experience was overwhelming, I didn’t know what to think or say during many hours after the interview, my husband was the same, we were mentally drained. We probably missed two questions out of I don’t know how many, we are not worried about it but it is not what I thought our interview would be. If anyone read this before their interview and failed some of the questions, please do not worry, we are not robots, the mind plays tricks when people are under stress, you can even forget you date of birth or the previous addresses. Each individual has a purpose in this world and probably our purpose is to master patience.

Personally, hope one day they change the system to verify if the information given is legitimate.

GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU!