Adjustment of Status - I-485

Great news!

But first, thank you to all on this site who have been a source of information and encouragement to me during "The Long Wait!"

Here's my timeline -

I-765 and I-485
Priority Date: 10.31.16
Field Office: Charleston, SC
Biometrics Done: 11.25.16
I-485 status change to "Interview Ready to be Scheduled": 12.05.16

On 1.20.17, I was notified my interview was scheduled for 2.27.17

EAD Approved: 1.31.17
EAD in Hand: 2.06.17

My US citizen wife and I showed up 30 minutes prior to my appointment. I was in a suit and tie. It felt right to go in like that. I was as prepared as I could be but still a little nervous. I had done repeated visual exercises of how I wanted the interview to go and brought with me a laptop bag full of documents and about 100 pictures of our life together.

The Immigration Officer came out to the waiting area and called for me; she greeted us and asked if we would follow her to her office. She turned to us and cracked "my office is only a half mile down this hallway" and smiled. I felt at ease right then. It was a long hallway.

We walked into her office she asked us to remain standing as she closed the door and walked behind her desk to swear us in. As we sat down she opened the file in front of her. It was 3 inches thick. It was my file. She asked us for our ID's and once she verified our identities, she looked at me and with a straight face asked "Do you know why you're here?" Again, I was prepared for that moment and any number of questions an IO could ask me, But. Not That. I smiled and said "I think I do, something about a 485 and a Green Card." It was disarming. We all smiled. As icebreakers go, I thought hers was really good.

She proceeded to ask us each other's full name and date of birth. She asked my wife for my place of birth. My wife said it and the IO said she's only asking that because she could never pronounce it right. They shared a laugh. She asked us in turns how and where we met and why we waited 5 years before getting married. She asked me about our wedding. When and where it was and who attended. Having noticed a rescue shelter calendar on the wall behind her and a framed pic of a puppy on her desk, I made a point of mentioning our puppies by name after mentioning the humans. Her eyes lit up. She asked me their names and breeds. I knew I scored.

She shifted gears and we went through the Yes/No questions on the 485. Once that was over and done with, she directed her questions to my wife and asked if we have taken trips together. We have taken several and I had the pictures but, of course, the first city my wife mentions is San Diego, where I have family. Now, this whole thing never felt like a stiff interview to begin with but this was the turning point when it became more of a conversation.

After a couple of minutes talking about San Diego and another couple of minutes dedicated to the Florida Keys, the IO looks at me and says "because you two have been married longer than 2 years, it is going to be the 10 year Green Card that I'm approving you for." ...To which my oh so dignified response was a "Huh?!" with my jaw on the floor. "I'm recommending your application for a Green Card be approved," she repeats. I may or may not have mumbled a thank you then. I don't remember.

The whole thing took less than 15 minutes.

I never even needed to open my bag for documents or pictures.

She told me to expect my approval letter in 2 weeks or so and my Green Card a week after that.

She walked us out, we shook hands and I said thank you.

4 loooong and crappy days of waiting later, my status online changed to "New card is being produced" and shortly thereafter "Case is approved."

-- To all who are waiting, hang in there! If you have any questions, I'll do my best to answer them. But once again, I'd like to say thank you to all of you who have shared your experiences! My hope is that my experience is as uplifting to those of you who are waiting as those experiences before mine have been to me.