I just attended an adjustment of status interview at the Santa Ana office of USCIS. Everything went smoothly and the conditional permanent resident green card was approved at the interview.
My client, who originally met her husband in 2011, came to the United States on a J-1 visa in 2007. She met her future husband through an online dating website in 2007 and the couple started dating shortly thereafter. About a year after they started dating, they moved into his house in Newport Beach. One year later, they married after he naturalized and became a US citizen.
When we filed for adjustment of status we concurrently filed the I-130 visa petition. We included evidence of their good faith marriage such as joint bank account statements, travel itineraries, joint car insurance, health insurance, utility bills, cards from family members, and many photos of the couple with family and friends. We provided over a hundred pages of evidence to support the case.
The USCIS officer, with whom I had worked before, was polite and professional as she conducted the interview. She asked how the couple met, when they started dating and how they came to get married. I had prepared my clients well for the interview so they knew what to expect. They answered the questions openly and honestly, and the total interview time was about 30-45 minutes.
After the officer informed us that she was approving the case, we asked if my client could receive a temporary I-551 stamp in her passport to prove her lawful permanent resident status. My clients have a wedding reception planned in South America in two weeks; however, the conditional green card won’t arrive for another 2-4 weeks. The USCIS officer provided us with a referral so my client could receive the temporary stamp that will prove to Customs and Border Protection that she is a lawful permanent resident when she re-enters the US after her trip.
The clients were very pleased with the outcome and how smoothly the process worked out. I advised them that because their marriage is less than two years old, she will receive a conditional green card valid for two years. I advised that they will need to file the I-751 petition to remove conditions on permanent residency in approximately one year and nine months. I further advised that she will be eligible to naturalize in three years.
If you are married to a US citizen and considering the marriage based adjustment of status process, contact The Nunez Firm to schedule a consultation. Managing attorney Jay Nunez will personally meet with you during a confidential consultation to help you better understand the options and which path will work best for you.
Categories: adjustment of status, conditional resident, good faith marriage, green card, I-130, I-485, I-751, immigration lawyer, Newport Beach, Santa Ana, USCIS, visa petition
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