Laguna Niguel, we love you!

[mercator]

Check out the signature

 

Blessed be. Happy days up here in the boonies!

 

We mailed the paperwork on January 20th.

Biometrics was Feb 26th.

We got the mail today (March 24th) and there was a green card expiring in 2019 in it!! Postmark was the 20th of March.

 

No interview required.

 

Amazing.

 

Maybe it was the photo album we compiled for them?

Edited March 24, 2009 by mercator (see edit history)

[mercator]

Ok - I thought I would give a more detailed report of what we did or didn't do, in the hopes others can have as quick a turnaround as we did.

 

Some things that I think were factors:

• My wife does not work [iMHO this is a HUGE factor]
  
• We waited until September to get her SSN, almost 1.5 years after she arrived. [Again, big factor. We were in no rush, where a 'faker' might be looking to get everything the second they could]
  
• Though our 90 day window opened on 12/20, we didn't mail it until 1/15 or so.
  
• We had two well-written letters from family.
  
• We submitted 20-25 photos from our first date to a few weeks before the application submit. We were in every shot, as were family members and friends, in many of them. All photos were well described on the back.
  
• She is my insurance beneficiary
  
• Bank statements and credit cards, all that was as described in the excellent guide posted above.
  

We sent to Laguna Niguel, which seems to be moving quicker than some of the other SC's these days.

 

Here is our cover letter:

 

1/18/2009

 

- My Address -

 

USCIS California Service Center

P.O. Box 10751

Laguna Niguel, CA 92607-1075

January 18, 2009

 

RE: I-751 JOINT PETITION TO REMOVE CONDITIONS OF STATUS ON LAO PO A# ___________

 

Dear USCIS examiner:

 

Enclosed please find a JOINT I-751 petition for removal of conditions of permanent resident status regarding my wife, ________. Please also find a check for $545, the fee for this petition application and biometric fee. My wife entered the United States on a K-3 visa. Her conditional residence expires on 03/23/2009. We are happily living together and request that this petition be accepted for removal of conditions on the residence of my wife, ________.

Enclosed also please find the following documents to verify the status of our marriage and ongoing relationship:

 

• Payment in the amount of $545.00 by check;

• I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence;

• Copy of ________ Permanent Resident Card, expiring 03/23/2009;

• Copy of ________ passport photo page;

• Copies of ________ Social Security Card and ________ family Health Insurance card;

• Copies of three recent joint City of ________ utility bill statements;

• Copies of two recent joint ________Utilities utility bill online statements;

• Copies of three recent ________Bank Statements showing joint ownership;

• Copies of Debit cards from joint ________ Bank account

• Copy of recent joint _______________ homeowner¡¯s insurance policy renewal

• Copy of recent joint ________ automotive insurance policy renewal

• Copy of ________ 401K report showing ________as the sole beneficiary for ________;

• Copy of 2007 Joint 1040 Tax return Tax Report E-File notice and Data File, as submitted to the IRS;

• Copy of 2006 Joint 1040 Tax return copy as submitted by E-File to the IRS;

• Copy of IRS notice assigning an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to ________;

• Original Affidavit written by ________, a U.S. citizen, attesting to our relationship and marriage;

• Original Affidavit written by ________, a U.S. citizen, attesting to our relationship and marriage;

• Contact information for ________ and ________; and

• A collection of photographs from 2005 to 2009 taken of ________, and family

 

You may feel free to inquire at any of the sources of enclosed documentation for validity of their statements, and you are always welcome to visit our home should you ever desire to do so. Please advise us if you have any further questions or problems related to this petition.

 

Sincerely,

 

[My affadavit authors didn't include their addresses on their affadavits, so that is why there is a separate contact information page.

 

I really hope this helps someone else get their 10 year card as quickly as we did. We were prepared for an 8-10 month wait. We found out her good friend in Seattle got a 60 day letter today, so she is looking at 4 months total time, which is still really quick. Maybe they are starting to move these applications.

 

I really think that you should take your time and fill the application out once you are on the 90 day clock. IMHO mailing it the next day after the 90 days might make them think you are anxious, and anxious people draw attention. I could be WAY off on that, but there are my 2 fen.

 

Good luck to everyone!

 

Kenn & Jessica

[lostinblue]

Good write up. I have a friend who is going through the 10 year mess for them. Wife never worked. Never got a drivers licence. Nor even learners permit. They still live with the elderly mother rent free. Hired a lawyer and he did not even advise written letters from people who know them as a couple. Needless to say now they are questioning the marriage.(RFE) big time. Lawyer did a piss poor job in my opinion. But I would also fault the couple for not knowing exactly what they should have been collecting over the last 2 years. An example would be you cannot produce photos you never made. Job well done Have a long and happy life.

[Missingyou]

Wow, thank you very much for your detailed write up. I am about to file for GC for my husband. Our two years anniversary will be this coming October, so we are getting ready to compile all the documents together.

So, it looks like if you had an interview for the 2 years GC, then when removing the condition to 10 years, somtimes no interview is required. Vice versa, if you didn't get interviewed for the 2 years, the 10 years one will certainly be interviewed for?

 

CSC seems to adjudicate GC application in about 3-4 months manner while VSC is taking much longer?