Adjustment of Status - I-485

So... I wanna share my whole Green Card and EAD journey with you and hope it will in return give you some faith just like how I used to read about your stories on this forum not too long ago.

In total my Green Card took about 7 months for it to be in my hands. Quite shocking since my EAD/Travel Combo Card took FOREVERRRR and I used to cry because I so badly needed to go back to my home country and I couldn’t use the “emergency” excuse, as it was not an emergency in the eyes of USCIS. I only got my EAD/Travel Combo Card after 5 long months! Was such a trying time for me because I couldn’t work nor could I do anything and I was living in suspense for the longest time.

My entire summarized time line as follows :

Married to USC and from Los Angeles.
PD Date : 28 Aug 2017
Biometrics : 26 Sep 2017

Raised SR, November onwards, but no answers.

11 Dec 2017 I went to see my local Congressman in regards to my EAD/Travel Card. With their help, USCIS replied just before Christmas now asking for RFE (USCIS only figured to send me RFE after 3 months?!!!). Because of the RFE, USCIS informed me that EAD processing gets suspended.

10 January 2018 USCIS received my RFE.

12 January 2018 I contacted Ombudsman and I think contacting Ombudsman helped to push my case further.

24 January 2018 my status online changed to “Case Approved” for my EAD/Travel Combo Card.

1 February 2018 EAD/Travel Combo Card in my hands.

I went back to my home country the same week of receiving my travel parole.

14 February 2018, whilst at my home country, my online status for I-485 changed to “Interview Is Scheduled”. I panicked! As I was not expecting it to be THAT soon! Hence why I feel contacting Ombudsman helped because it really must have pushed my case ahead for some reason.
I had to cut short my trip back.

23 March 2018 : My Green Card interview day!

I was superrrr nervous for it. But it went very smoothly. It took about 25 mins. The officer that interviewed us was a very nice lady. She mainly asked me the questions and not my partner. She started off by asking how we met etc etc... No tricky questions like “what is the color of your partner’s toothbrush etc”. Then towards the end she asked for pictures and I gave her the entire album that I have prepared, she looked through it and told me to pick a few to submit to her. She also asked if there are other joint documents like Health Insurance, Bank etc that we would like to submit.
And she left us for a few minutes to get some things printed and photocopied.
 
She came back and handed me my Approval Letter and congratulated me!!!
I was in a pleasant shock and she destroyed my EAD/Travel Card informing me that this card is pointless now. I even jokingly told her, too bad I never really got to use my EAD for work purposes. She complimented me for preparing the initial application filing stack really well and neat. She said it was so easy going through my files. As a lot of the other applicants do not file properly according to her and it gives extra work to the officers.

She said I will get my Green Card in hand in 2 to 3 weeks, but instinctively I knew it would be sooner.

True enough! On 30 March 2018 (exactly 1 week later)..... Green Card IN MY HANDS !!!!

Still can’t believe I am a permanent resident already... but it is such a sweet relief.... Thinking of all the stressful and trying months I had with my partner.

I really wish, my story can give you guys some hope and faith to keep believing and not losing hope. Please do ask me for any advice and I will try to help you in any way possible. All the best and I pray you guys will see the finishing line soon too !!