Adjustment of Status - I-485

Hey guys, I'd like to share my story and hopefully it would help others out there and give them hope. This website has been really helpful to me.

I came here a year ago on B2 visa and ended up staying. I got married 4 months after to my longtime USC boyfriend. In 2017 the fees went up for AOS so we couldn't file right away. It took months to gather the money since I couldn't work. When we finally were able to file I did extensive research online and got help from members in the forum and sent in our application. From the time we mailed it, I had been 8 months out of status( I was very depressed and scared because of the current political climate). Anyways, here is my timeline;

Date Mailed: 01/18/2018
Date Received/Priority Date: 01/22/2018
Received Text/Email: 01/29/2018
Date Received NOA Letters: 02/02/2018
Received Biometrics Letter: 02/08/2018
Courtesy Letter for i693: 02/20/2018
Biometrics Done: 02/21/2018
Validation Error: 03/26/2018
Raised SR (day 80): 04/12/2018
USCIS Officer said Interview Letter mailed on 04/23
Interview(approval rec' letter): 05/31/2018
EAD card in production: 06/02/2018
EAD card in hand: 06/07/2018
SSN card in hand: 06/09/2018
GC approval/production notifications for 07/05: 07/08/2018(validation error fixed)
Card mailed notification: 07/09/2018
I130 & I485 approval letters received: 07/09/2018

My interview was 12:05pm and my husband and I dressed like we were going to a job interview. I took a plastic binder that I bought at target. Very organized with originals and copies. We waited like 20 minutes beofre our number was called. It was a white guy in his 60s and he told us to raise our right hand and swore to tell the truth then we sat. I then had to scan noth index fingers and took at picture. He casually asked us how we met and my husband told him we met online and the officer jokingly asked him how come he knew I wasn't a scammer LOL! The officer then turned and smiled at me and asked me if I brought anything that I didn't send with the initial application and I handed him;

Lease, updated renter's insurance, cards from family members and a birthday card I had send my then BF 6 six years ago(the officer looked closely at the postage stamp), joint 2017 tax returns, and pictures along with an invitation to a wedding we had recently attended. The pictures weren't original, I made a collage on MS Word and placed each page in one of those plastic sheet protectors. It was very neat and I labelled each photo of who, where and when.

Here is a list of all the documents that I had taken(NB: the officer only asked for the above);

 1. EVIDENCE OF COHABITATION
a) Joint Lease Agreement
b) Updated Renter’s Insurance
c) Streaming accounts showing spouse as authorized user; Netflix and PlayStation Vue
d) Confirmation letter showing spouse listed as beneficiary on Retirement Account
e) Phone bill showing both cellphone numbers listed on the account
f) Document showing spouse listed as emergency contact
g) Documents showing our membership agreement at a homeownership organization(NACA)
h) Mails with postage stamps from previous and current addresses
2. Evidence of commingling of financial resources
j) 2017 Joint tax returns
k) Receipts showing payments on lay-away furniture before marriage from our previous address (in beneficiary’s name)
3. Evidence of relationship/intimacy
j) Sworn original affidavits from family and friends as proof of bona fide marriage
k) Text messages matched with travel receipts and pictures from our first meeting and dates
l) Birthday card mailed in 2011 of when we first met
m) Money transfer receipts between each other from 2011 to 2013
n) Text messages and email correspondence before marriage
o) Receipts showing husband’s birthday gift delivered to current address
p) Wedding anniversary cards from family members
q) Collage of wedding pictures with friends and family
r) Birthday card and wedding anniversary card exchanged between each other
s) Wedding invitation to us with postage stamp to current address along with pictures of the occasion.
t) Texts, emails and pictures during marriage
u) (i)Copies of Facebook pages showing relationship status and date of marriage
(ii) Copy of wife’s Instagram page and evidence of one of the pictures being posted April 16th, 2017, during the marriage.

4. UPDATED AFFIDAVIT OF SUPPORT
Supporting evidence for updated I-864
a) Federal Income Tax Returns and W2s of 2017 (not presented with the original application as they were filled in April 2018)
b) Letter of employment from new employer
c) Pay stubs for the last 2 months from new employer and existing part-time job
5. Complete medical examination in sealed envelope (Form I-693)
6. Civil Documents
d) Beneficiary’s birth certificate
e) Petitioner’s birth certificate
f) Marriage certificate

7. TRAVEL AND IMMIGRATION DOCUMENTS
g) Copy B1/B2 Visa
h) Copy of passport
i) Copy of I-94
j) Boarding pass and flight itinerary for last entry into the USA
8.ORIGINALS AND COPIESOF EACH SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED WITH APPLICATION
a) Lease agreement
d) Petitioner’s photo ID (driver’s license)

At the end of the interview, he was like, "Well! You guys were easy!" And he started explaining i751 and what evidence to bring and told us we will receive the approval letters and card but to allow 2-5 weeks. He then handed me a letter stating that I am recommended for approval. As you can see from my timeline exactly the 5th week I got an email saying that my card is in production and 2 days later the welcome letter arrived in the mail. My husband and I prayed in the parking lot before entering the USCIS building and we've been praying ever since. God is good and greatly to be praised! Thank you Jesus!