March 2018 filers: let's share our experience!!

[BayAreaCaliAOS]

I've travelled alone on EAD/AP to Manila last October, my husband however was at the CBP land entry from Canada to Washington state, where we were directed to a secondary immigration check point, they asked both of us to be present in the queue, they'll ask a couple of questions but nothing to worry about. Immigration Officer will finally explain about the departure card that they'll staple onto your passport. If you're entering CBP entry at the SFO international I've read somewhere in the forums that you should line up in those designated for US citizens together with your husband because your AP is attached to him. Your brother and his wife (if not US citizens) should line up in those designated for visitors. If your husband has Global Entry or NEXXUS, you should skip that because that will only let him through, leaving you to line up with your brother and his wife, where things could be tricky without your husband beside you to explain your AP with the immigration officer. You should still expect to go through a secondary immigration check as I described earlier.

Have a safe trip and enjoy your visit home.

Married to USC, on C9 AOS, same-sex marriage, Seattle, WA
PD: March 22, 2018
RD: April 6, 2018
Biometrics: April 27, 2018
RFE: June 11, 2018
RFE Resolved: June 21, 2018
Requested expedite through ROC: Negative outcome
July 9, 2018: I-485 Status Changed to Case is Ready to be Scheduled for Interview
August 15, 2018: EAD/AP Approval Notice Received by Email
August 22, 2018: SS Card in Hand
August 31, 2018: EAD/AP Combo Card in Hand
September 1, 2018: Used EAD/AP Combo Card to apply for Canadian Visitors Visa
September 3, 2018: Canadian TRV approved
October 24, 2018: Travelled outside of US for medical purpose
November 4, 2018: Crossed into US border from Canada using EAD/AP Combo Card, Parole Approved

- - - Updated - - -

Anyone of the March Filers in the thread from Seattle, WA?
Have you received any interview notices yet?
Thanks

Married to USC, on C9 AOS, same-sex marriage, Seattle, WA
PD: March 22, 2018
RD: April 6, 2018
Biometrics: April 27, 2018
RFE: June 11, 2018
RFE Resolved: June 21, 2018
Requested expedite through ROC: Negative outcome
July 9, 2018: I-485 Status Changed to Case is Ready to be Scheduled for Interview
August 15, 2018: EAD/AP Approval Notice Received by Email
August 22, 2018: SS Card in Hand
August 31, 2018: EAD/AP Combo Card in Hand
September 1, 2018: Used EAD/AP Combo Card to apply for Canadian Visitors Visa
September 3, 2018: Canadian TRV approved
October 24, 2018: Travelled outside of US for medical purpose
November 4, 2018: Crossed into US border from Canada using EAD/AP Combo Card, Parole Approved

I really appreciate your response.
I do have a question, so would it be ok if my brother and his wife aren?t in the same line as my husband and I?

[gaps0214]

Hi! So I?m traveling to my country next month using my AP.
Any advice coming back? Which line should we take?
Coming back with my husband, my brother and his wife to visit.
Thank you!

I've travelled alone on EAD/AP to Manila last October, my husband however was at the CBP land entry from Canada to Washington state, where we were directed to a secondary immigration check point, they asked both of us to be present in the queue, they'll ask a couple of questions but nothing to worry about. Immigration Officer will finally explain about the departure card that they'll staple onto your passport. If you're entering CBP entry at the SFO international I've read somewhere in the forums that you should line up in those designated for US citizens together with your husband because your AP is attached to him. Your brother and his wife (if not US citizens) should line up in those designated for visitors. If your husband has Global Entry or NEXXUS, you should skip that because that will only let him through, leaving you to line up with your brother and his wife, where things could be tricky without your husband beside you to explain your AP with the immigration officer. You should still expect to go through a secondary immigration check as I described earlier.

Have a safe trip and enjoy your visit home.

Married to USC, on C9 AOS, same-sex marriage, Seattle, WA
PD: March 22, 2018
RD: April 6, 2018
Biometrics: April 27, 2018
RFE: June 11, 2018
RFE Resolved: June 21, 2018
Requested expedite through ROC: Negative outcome
July 9, 2018: I-485 Status Changed to Case is Ready to be Scheduled for Interview
August 15, 2018: EAD/AP Approval Notice Received by Email
August 22, 2018: SS Card in Hand
August 31, 2018: EAD/AP Combo Card in Hand
September 1, 2018: Used EAD/AP Combo Card to apply for Canadian Visitors Visa
September 3, 2018: Canadian TRV approved
October 24, 2018: Travelled outside of US for medical purpose
November 4, 2018: Crossed into US border from Canada using EAD/AP Combo Card, Parole Approved

- - - Updated - - -

Anyone of the March Filers in the thread from Seattle, WA?
Have you received any interview notices yet?
Thanks

Married to USC, on C9 AOS, same-sex marriage, Seattle, WA
PD: March 22, 2018
RD: April 6, 2018
Biometrics: April 27, 2018
RFE: June 11, 2018
RFE Resolved: June 21, 2018
Requested expedite through ROC: Negative outcome
July 9, 2018: I-485 Status Changed to Case is Ready to be Scheduled for Interview
August 15, 2018: EAD/AP Approval Notice Received by Email
August 22, 2018: SS Card in Hand
August 31, 2018: EAD/AP Combo Card in Hand
September 1, 2018: Used EAD/AP Combo Card to apply for Canadian Visitors Visa
September 3, 2018: Canadian TRV approved
October 24, 2018: Travelled outside of US for medical purpose
November 4, 2018: Crossed into US border from Canada using EAD/AP Combo Card, Parole Approved

[AngelaPhelan]

Yay congrats!
Btw which one is your FO?

Atlanta GA. 11 days since status change still no letter I'm gonna call customer service if I don't get letter this Friday, can't miss the interview

[keldreams]

I?ll be traveling in October...

Hey,
So I?m traveling to the Philippines.
Was out of status for years, and got married last year.
Everythjng should be fine as long as we dont have any criminal history.
When are you traveling?

[BayAreaCaliAOS]

Hey friends! I got an email and text notification on 1/23/2019 saying that they scheduled my interview on 1/18/2019. Now it has been 10 days since they "scheduled" my interview and I still haven't received the letter....Should I be concerned?

Yay congrats!
Btw which one is your FO?

[AngelaPhelan]

PD 3/2/2018, Interview Was Scheduled, but NO LETTER YET

Hey friends! I got an email and text notification on 1/23/2019 saying that they scheduled my interview on 1/18/2019. Now it has been 10 days since they "scheduled" my interview and I still haven't received the letter....Should I be concerned?

[BayAreaCaliAOS]

Here in the same boat! What country are you traveling to? I?m headed to Mexico this year and am really nervous about using my combo card to re-enter...

I looked at every single field office and I?m pretty sure that SF is literally the slowest office out there. So frustrating...

Hey,
So I?m traveling to the Philippines.
Was out of status for years, and got married last year.
Everythjng should be fine as long as we dont have any criminal history.
When are you traveling?

[keldreams]

Here in the same boat! What country are you traveling to? I?m headed to Mexico this year and am really nervous about using my combo card to re-enter...

I looked at every single field office and I?m pretty sure that SF is literally the slowest office out there. So frustrating...

Just bumping this thread.
I hope most of us March filers will get our interviews soon.
As for me, I’m not expecting anything soon since SF office is bery slow.
Anyway, I will be visiting my home country next year after years of being gone. I’ll be using my combo card.
I’m very nervous, anxious and excited at the same time.

God Bless us all!

[BayAreaCaliAOS]

Hi all, just wanted to let you know that I used my AP to re-enter the USA and had no issues at all. The officer only asked me how was my day and then stamped my husband's passport and sent me to secondary inspection. My husband was not allowed to go with me but I was there for less than five minutes. An officer called me, gave me back my passport and AP document and wished me a nice day. No questions whatsoever.
Also, they made us skip the line when we told them that I was travelling on AP.

Hi! So I?m traveling to my country next month using my AP.
Any advice coming back? Which line should we take?
Coming back with my husband, my brother and his wife to visit.
Thank you!

[belu31]

AP document

Hi all, just wanted to let you know that I used my AP to re-enter the USA and had no issues at all. The officer only asked me how was my day and then stamped my husband's passport and sent me to secondary inspection. My husband was not allowed to go with me but I was there for less than five minutes. An officer called me, gave me back my passport and AP document and wished me a nice day. No questions whatsoever.
Also, they made us skip the line when we told them that I was travelling on AP.

[BayAreaCaliAOS]

Hi friends!

Just bumping this thread.
I hope most of us March filers will get our interviews soon.
As for me, I’m not expecting anything soon since SF office is bery slow.
Anyway, I will be visiting my home country next year after years of being gone. I’ll be using my combo card.
I’m very nervous, anxious and excited at the same time.

God Bless us all!

[BluePanther]

He said several times that he has to ask that, but I forgot his reasoning

:-)

[dejnadejnadejna]

Surprising they are allowed to even ask that question. That is a pretty personal question :-)

He said several times that he has to ask that, but I forgot his reasoning

[BluePanther]

... and if we consumated our marriage...

Surprising they are allowed to even ask that question. That is a pretty personal question :-)

[dejnadejnadejna]

Hi all.
I got my interview exactly on the 300th day since submitting paperwork and it was also my birthday
We got approved on the spot, IO told us we will receive green card soon, I saw him stamp the file approved. As we were the last people on that day (Thursday) and there has been only one working day since, I'm not nervous about not receiving any update on web or app. (Fingers crossed there won't be any issues.)

The whole process was quick and painless. We got called at 2:30pm, left the office 3:20. Most of the time the IO was marking things on the application I-485 and asking me and my husband questions from it. He went through all the names, parents names, dates of birth, when we had wedding and where, checking the answers with the open application. He was also working on the computer a lot and then filing all the documents we brought him - fee inches of it which we compiled in the list on the first page. He didn't even looked at it as when the interview started he told us he went through our application the day before for 45 minutes and he has no doubt we are honest and real which is true. He was really nice and joking with us.

The only time I got confused were the questions about J1 visa (was in US twice in summer and then for the whole year) and the phrasing of the questions confused me but we got through it.

He asked if I worked without authorization which I did, so I confirmed it and said I also put it in the application.

He said he wasn't sure if somebody after him will check the file, but that he has no issues and stamped the file with Approved stamp several times.

In the really large file now he added a blank paper and with red pen he started to ask short version of our relationship. How we met and when, when we moved together and if we consumated our marriage. I said yes and my husband (USC) was confused what that word means But then he said yes, it was kinda funny, IO said it with straight face and the launched into story how he has to ask and that most of the people doesn't know that word and he's ready to explain

At the start of the interview we asked us to stand and hold our right hand and swear us in. Then he took my photo and one left and one right finger for identification. He didn't ask my husband for identification - I was bummed, with all the issues we had to get his original birth certificate from Wisconsin to Florida while time pressed, he could have at least look at it (just kidding)

All in all, it was reallt good experience, we had nothing to fear (marriage wise as we are real) and I hope the status will soon change to Approved and Card being produced.

Thank you all who helped me answer questions I had, provided support and also shared their story. Be strong and don't give up.