We went in this morning for my wifes INS interview,the follow up to her being here 2 years.You file for her permanent residency no sooner than 90 days before her 2 year aniversary of entering the country.The form is the I 751.We sent it in 12/10/2001 and we got a notice of interview a month ago and the interview was today,9/26/02.She recieved an automatic extension of one year on her temporary permanent residency when we filed.This allowed her to travel in the mean time.When she came back from Colombia Aug 5 immigration was questioning why she didn't have her interview yet.They askled where she lived and she said California.They said oh,thats the problem,they are very backed up there.
Our appointment was for 8.00AM this morning.We showed up at 7.50 and got right in.There is a seperate line for appointments.If you don't have an appointment people line up and as a few months ago if you were not there by about 4.30 AM you were not getting in that day.Whole other deal.
We waited in a room maybe 15 miniutes and were called.The guy was nice enough.He said he called the interview because there was insufficient evidence of a maritial relationship.I guess if you give them enough evidence with the application you do not even need an interview.They were looking for things with both our names on them.Things like houses,utilities,bank accounts.I had my house before we were married and did not add her to anything.Her bank account is in her name only.No way did I want her on mine,she has been prone to screw up here.The one thing I could have given them that I didn't untill today was our joint tax returns,I didn't think of that untill yesterday.We took about 3 albums of pictures and he looked at them a little and that satisfied him we were for real.He just stamped my wifes passport and she is permanent.He didn't have my step sons file but he will get it and include him also.He wrote a temporary approval in his passport.He kept my wifes green card and she will get a different card in the ,mail in 3 months or so.
I also asked about citizenship.He said she could file for that now and gave us the papers to submit by mail.He said it used to take 2 years but he thinks less now.I then asked him about my wife sponsoring her brother and he said she could when she became a citizen.Then sort of casually,as we were leaving,said processing time for siblings is running 12 years right now.They are reviewing applications from 1990.If he didn't say that we would have been telling my wifes brother he might be able to come in 2 years.It looks like 14.Fathers and mothers are quicker,how much I don't know,my wifes are not interested in moving here.
Anyway it was quick and easy and if we had given them enough documentation I believe the interview itself would not even have been required.The whole spousal visa process is quick and easy compared to the alternatives.The most difficult part was the embassy in Bogota,where we made some errors that delayed her visa fron 2 to 4 weeks to recieve after we personally filed 2 days after we were married.She got her green card and social security card soon after coming here,with all right to travel and work.If you know you are getting married anyway I think it is much quicker and easier that a
K-1 fiancee visa.
Pete
