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Immigration
Adjustment of Status - I-485
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I130, I-485 experience- San Fernando Valley,, CA
Hi everyone, hope you are all having a lovely day 😊
This site was of extreme comfort during this longgggg journey so wanted to share my experience now that my journey is finally over. (prepare yourself this is going to be long lol).
My application is married base filled in san Fernando valley, CA.
My case is a bit different than most of the cases here as I was in removal proceeding (overstayed my visa) before My husband and I married, so I had to file the I130 and I485 separately and had 2 separate interviews for each.
We first filled the I130 right after we got Married and waited for an interview about a year and a half (they are so damn slow, I wrote the entire process’s timeline below).
I130 Interview experience:
Our appt was at 8:30 in the morning, we arrived 30 min before with our lawyer. Passed security check We waited for about an hour and a half and then the officer called us, he introduced himself and ask for all the evidence we brought to prove our marriage is real & our passports and asked us to sit back down when he does the background check. We waited for another 30-40 min and then he called us in, he swore us, and the interview started.
The interviewer was very nice, some of the questions he asked were (been a while since then so don’t remember all):
He first asked each one of us questions such as- what is YOUR birthdate (not my husbands, mine), what’s YOUR parent’s names, where were YOU born ETC
How did he proposed, where do we live now and all your past addresses since I entered the US, he asked me about my first marriage- separation date and why it ended, how does his family accept me (as we are living with my in-laws) and who were the kids in the pictures we brought (nephews), he asked about my business and what is it that I do as well as my husband, once he heard my husband works for apple they talked about apple for like 10 min and the interview was over (lol). Overall the interview took about 30-40 min, I was out of the office by noon. I was approved on the spot.
Now that the I-130 was approved my lawyer needed to go to court and cancel my removal proceeding.
Lucky me, the file was never filed to court, so the state’s attorney suggested my lawyer to file for the I485 & I765 as if I wasn’t in removal proceeding. Which we did (about 6 months after the I130 interview).
A month later I was asked to do fingerprints, got my EAD 6 month after, and another 7 months until I received a notice for an interview.
I485 Interview experience: (our lawyer was present again).
The appt was for 6:45, We arrived at 6:30 and were seconds to go in the building and lucky us we didn’t have to wait for 2 hours again to be called, we waited for about 15 min.
The IO was very professional & formal, he explained what we are about to do and asked us to follow him to his office, he swore us, and the interview started.
He asked for both of our Ids and took my picture for facial recognition and finger prints (which I don’t remember doing on the first interview).
The first thing he asked was for the medical test which I had to do again (as the medical expires after a year). Then he asked for my passport, EAC, marriage certificate, divorce certificate and birth certificates and just verified its authenticity.
He asked us where we met, what year was it and how did he propose. THAT’S IT! Those are the only questions he asked beside the information on the form. He didn’t ask any more questions about our marriage and didn’t even look at any of the documents we brought.
Then, he verified all the information on the I485 and asked questions about espionage/criminal/illegal activities, which I answered no to all.
He asked me my birth date, which city I was born, my current address, my husband’s birthdate and full name, and what is our wedding date which I answered wrong lol!!!!
I said 31st and we married on the 30th. He said that he has a different date and we immediately started laughing about celebrating or anniversary on the wrong day all those years and he just moved on. He asked what I do for a living and then he started typing for like 15 min and we just looked at him, and then I heard those words I waited so long to hear- I am approving your case, welcome to the united states of America.
He approved my application on the spot and said that I should get the card within 3-4 weeks but it usually much faster like 7-10 day (at least one thing that is fast in this process).
He did say that as we already had one interview and we proved our marriage on the I130 interview, he didn’t need to look at the evidence or prolong the interview, it was more to make sure the information was up to date.
We left the building at 7:40, the whole thing took less than an hour.
Now I just need to wait for my card to be delivered, as we’ve been married for more than 2 years, I will receive the permanent GC for 10 years.
and that’s it!!
Timeline:
Nov 14th, 2014- removal proceeding
May 30th, 2015- married
Aug 11, 2015- filled I130
Dec 2015- request for additional evidence
March 2016- case was received
March 9th, 2017- Interview for I-130 (approved on the spot)
Aug 7, 2017 -We filled the I485 & I-765
Aug 11, 2017- case was received
Sep 2017- Biometrics
March 21, 2018- EAC received
March 2018- case is ready to be schedule for an interview (was updated only on MyUscis website)
Sep 29, 2018- interview was scheduled
Oct 31st, 2018- interview for I485 (approved on the spot)
Now I am just waiting for my card to arrive in the mail
P.S tracking the case in the USCIS page (https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/) didn’t show the correct status.
I used to check also on (https://my.uscis.gov) as well, which showed for example- your case is ready to be scheduled for an interview since March 2018 when the USCIS site still showed- your fingerprint fee was received up until my case was approved. So, will suggest you guys to track the status on both sites.
Good luck everyone!!
USCIS are sooooooo slow (at least in SFV which the normal processing time is 14-35 months) so just be patient and make sure you are prepared!
The thing that really helped me go through this is acknowledging the fact that it’s an interview, not a murder investigation.
Before the first interview I thought it’s going to be like a law and order episode but then I saw that it’s just like a job interview.
It’s hard enough having to live with uncertainty, don’t put too much pressure on yourself that can cause you stress, especially now the cases are taking longer and longer, you just need to be patient and know that it will be over soon.
Be optimistic!!! thought creates reality so make sure to have good energy, and you got this!!!
Let me know if you have any questions 😊
This site was of extreme comfort during this longgggg journey so wanted to share my experience now that my journey is finally over. (prepare yourself this is going to be long lol).
My application is married base filled in san Fernando valley, CA.
My case is a bit different than most of the cases here as I was in removal proceeding (overstayed my visa) before My husband and I married, so I had to file the I130 and I485 separately and had 2 separate interviews for each.
We first filled the I130 right after we got Married and waited for an interview about a year and a half (they are so damn slow, I wrote the entire process’s timeline below).
I130 Interview experience:
Our appt was at 8:30 in the morning, we arrived 30 min before with our lawyer. Passed security check We waited for about an hour and a half and then the officer called us, he introduced himself and ask for all the evidence we brought to prove our marriage is real & our passports and asked us to sit back down when he does the background check. We waited for another 30-40 min and then he called us in, he swore us, and the interview started.
The interviewer was very nice, some of the questions he asked were (been a while since then so don’t remember all):
He first asked each one of us questions such as- what is YOUR birthdate (not my husbands, mine), what’s YOUR parent’s names, where were YOU born ETC
How did he proposed, where do we live now and all your past addresses since I entered the US, he asked me about my first marriage- separation date and why it ended, how does his family accept me (as we are living with my in-laws) and who were the kids in the pictures we brought (nephews), he asked about my business and what is it that I do as well as my husband, once he heard my husband works for apple they talked about apple for like 10 min and the interview was over (lol). Overall the interview took about 30-40 min, I was out of the office by noon. I was approved on the spot.
Now that the I-130 was approved my lawyer needed to go to court and cancel my removal proceeding.
Lucky me, the file was never filed to court, so the state’s attorney suggested my lawyer to file for the I485 & I765 as if I wasn’t in removal proceeding. Which we did (about 6 months after the I130 interview).
A month later I was asked to do fingerprints, got my EAD 6 month after, and another 7 months until I received a notice for an interview.
I485 Interview experience: (our lawyer was present again).
The appt was for 6:45, We arrived at 6:30 and were seconds to go in the building and lucky us we didn’t have to wait for 2 hours again to be called, we waited for about 15 min.
The IO was very professional & formal, he explained what we are about to do and asked us to follow him to his office, he swore us, and the interview started.
He asked for both of our Ids and took my picture for facial recognition and finger prints (which I don’t remember doing on the first interview).
The first thing he asked was for the medical test which I had to do again (as the medical expires after a year). Then he asked for my passport, EAC, marriage certificate, divorce certificate and birth certificates and just verified its authenticity.
He asked us where we met, what year was it and how did he propose. THAT’S IT! Those are the only questions he asked beside the information on the form. He didn’t ask any more questions about our marriage and didn’t even look at any of the documents we brought.
Then, he verified all the information on the I485 and asked questions about espionage/criminal/illegal activities, which I answered no to all.
He asked me my birth date, which city I was born, my current address, my husband’s birthdate and full name, and what is our wedding date which I answered wrong lol!!!!
I said 31st and we married on the 30th. He said that he has a different date and we immediately started laughing about celebrating or anniversary on the wrong day all those years and he just moved on. He asked what I do for a living and then he started typing for like 15 min and we just looked at him, and then I heard those words I waited so long to hear- I am approving your case, welcome to the united states of America.
He approved my application on the spot and said that I should get the card within 3-4 weeks but it usually much faster like 7-10 day (at least one thing that is fast in this process).
He did say that as we already had one interview and we proved our marriage on the I130 interview, he didn’t need to look at the evidence or prolong the interview, it was more to make sure the information was up to date.
We left the building at 7:40, the whole thing took less than an hour.
Now I just need to wait for my card to be delivered, as we’ve been married for more than 2 years, I will receive the permanent GC for 10 years.
and that’s it!!
Timeline:
Nov 14th, 2014- removal proceeding
May 30th, 2015- married
Aug 11, 2015- filled I130
Dec 2015- request for additional evidence
March 2016- case was received
March 9th, 2017- Interview for I-130 (approved on the spot)
Aug 7, 2017 -We filled the I485 & I-765
Aug 11, 2017- case was received
Sep 2017- Biometrics
March 21, 2018- EAC received
March 2018- case is ready to be schedule for an interview (was updated only on MyUscis website)
Sep 29, 2018- interview was scheduled
Oct 31st, 2018- interview for I485 (approved on the spot)
Now I am just waiting for my card to arrive in the mail
P.S tracking the case in the USCIS page (https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/) didn’t show the correct status.
I used to check also on (https://my.uscis.gov) as well, which showed for example- your case is ready to be scheduled for an interview since March 2018 when the USCIS site still showed- your fingerprint fee was received up until my case was approved. So, will suggest you guys to track the status on both sites.
Good luck everyone!!
USCIS are sooooooo slow (at least in SFV which the normal processing time is 14-35 months) so just be patient and make sure you are prepared!
The thing that really helped me go through this is acknowledging the fact that it’s an interview, not a murder investigation.
Before the first interview I thought it’s going to be like a law and order episode but then I saw that it’s just like a job interview.
It’s hard enough having to live with uncertainty, don’t put too much pressure on yourself that can cause you stress, especially now the cases are taking longer and longer, you just need to be patient and know that it will be over soon.
Be optimistic!!! thought creates reality so make sure to have good energy, and you got this!!!
Let me know if you have any questions 😊
All Replies (4)
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