Getting My Green Card Through Marriage (Part Three)
“I still cannot get over it … ” Andy exhaled.
“I know — I’m floored. I cannot believe it,” I said back.
We were sitting in a parking lot in my car hours from home. The car’s motor was turned off, and Andy and I were looking straight ahead — though our focus was not on what was in front of us. We were both mentally reliving what had happened inside the tiny U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’s room moments ago.
“She told us — YOU AND ME — ” and I repeated what the immigration officer had said.
Our disbelief was so extreme that it threw us into hysterics, and we could not stop laughing.
To get you, dear reader, to join us in this most unpredicted moment though, I need to pause to explain …
This is Part Three of Andy’s story on immigrating to the States, but we are going to tell this story a bit differently. Because Part Three deals with Andy applying for his Green Card through marriage, ‘his story’ becomes ‘our story’. What I am trying to say is Andy had to go through a heck-of-a-lot more work before I became included so he (comically and dramatically) wrote about that. Meanwhile, I jumped back in to write about our Green Card interview simply because I remembered a good deal more. Therefore, this will be our first jointly written post, and Andy is going to start by picking up where he left off after getting his H-1 B visa …
↠ ANDY’S SIDE ↞
After three and a half years of living and working in America, I had gone through a B-1 visa, an H-1 B visa, and an H-1 B visa renewal.
I should also mention that L and I had been engaged nearly the whole time; however, we had to keep our engagement a secret for a large portion of it.
This was because getting engaged was one of the biggest ‘Don’t Do’s by the attorney — In fact, his exact words were “Don’t do something stupid like get engaged or married while you are in America.”
This is due to the fact that the B-1 and H-1 B visas are work visas only so immigrants are supposed to be in America for work — not for love. Therefore, our situation was strange — Because we were scared people would know how much we loved each other, L and I kept our engagement to ourselves. She hid the engagement ring I gave her on a necklace and wore it under her shirt so that no one would see.
Suddenly though, we would go from keeping our relationship a secret to touting it so that government would hear …
At the start of 2020, L and I were considering going on holiday, but I started hearing about this flu-type-thing in Asia and how it was spreading fast and killing thousands of people. Me (the ever cautious member of our relationship) refused to book any travel plans until we saw how this played out; and I remember L getting rather frustrated with me at one point because I was waiting. In a few short weeks, the world came to a grinding halt and COVID took over. (Do you remember the quiet and clean air after the first lockdown?!) From that moment on, the rest of the year was crazy …
While companies struggled, employees were let go. However, unlike most people who lost their jobs, my situation was dramatically different …
Initially, I never considered COVID impacting my job or visa until I had a conversation with Jason and the immigration attorney.
It was here they highlighted the fact that my job was the only thing keeping me legally in America — meaning if I was furloughed or made redundant, my visa would become void, and I would have only 90 days to pack up and leave the States!
There was one point during 2020 that my position got very dicey, and it was here L and I choose to tie the knot. We had talked about getting married for a while — We knew we did not want to get married when the government told us to (as it would have with a K-1 ’90-day fiancé’ visa), but we knew we wanted to be together long-term. By getting married now, we would have greater control over not being separated and would have the protection and support for either staying in the U. S. A. or moving to another country in the future.
In July 2020, L and I got married in an intimate ceremony on the same mountaintop where I proposed to her in 2017. There was just L, myself, our photographer (who was also our florist), and an officiant — Oh! And the officiant’s mother-in-law who was visiting family at the time and also was packing a nine-millimeter pistol … just in case!
Green Card
By now, our immigration attorney was in the loop and knew we were getting married so I could apply to become a Legal Permanent Resident, which would allow me to stay in the country with or without a job because my connection to the U. S. was through marriage — not work. To become a Legal Permanent Resident, I had to apply for a Green Card and gather documents, have a medical, complete forms, and more …
Green Card Documents
Starting with the documents …
Our immigration attorney said L and I would have to pull together multiple different documents about our life, including:
Documents to prove L’s and my love: A letter from a family member confirming our relationship, postcards L and I mailed to one another, letters L and I mailed to one another, cards from our family and friends that were mailed to us, pictures of us and our life together, links to (and, therefore, printed off) our Instagram page with more pictures of us, links to our YouTube channel, links to this very website (and, therefore, posts printed off).
Documents to prove L’s divorce and our marriage: L’s divorce decree from her first marriage and our marriage certificate.
Documents to prove our employment: My employment verification letter, both of our employer pay statements (for me, nine statements and for L, four).
Documents to prove our financially responsible: Both of our bank account statements (for me, four; for L, none; and for our joint account, 10), benefits, retirement accounts, tax returns.
Documents to prove we lived together: Our apartment lease and multiple bills.
Documents to prove we shared responsibilities: Our car insurance, our children’s adoption papers, a letter from a veterinarian stating joint ownership of our children.
Green Card Medical
Another key piece of the puzzle was a medical packet — As though the U. S. government did not know enough about me already, it needed a thorough record of my immunization information and blood type. There was one major problem — The only record of vaccines I had access to was my parents’ handwritten notes … at their home in England. I never had an official doctor I was registered too in the U. K. because I am one of those fortunate people who very rarely get sick. Therefore, I was left with only one choice — go to a doctor in the States and get medical documentation.
I have an issue with blood … and I certainly have a bigger issue with it coming out of my body, especially if a needle has to go in there for it to be sucked out! Here is where my problems started …
Doctor Visit Number One
“Hello, I am here for an immigration medical,” I said to the receptionist at the medical center.
Minutes after signing in, I was called back by one of the nurses. I followed her to an examination room as she pulled the curtain behind me. There, she weighed me and took my height — Still short and fat, check! Took my blood pressure — Normal, check! Gave me a simple eye test — Same as always (right eye is great but left eye is poor), check! Then we came to the big one …
“I need your immunization record.”
I explained to her my predicament of not having a record, and she smiled.
“No worries! We’ll take some blood and get it checked out!” … Bother!
I laid down on the table — The anxiety was rising and a cold, clammy sweat started on my brow.
“Listen, I need to tell you something …” I hesitated. “I am completely useless when it comes to needles — like embarrassingly … “
The nurse was sweet, calm, and reassuring … but when that needle went into my arm I freaked out.
I mean, I was ready to throw-up all over the place, so she pulled the needle out and said, “Okay, let’s do this tomorrow morning! Drink plenty of water and a Gatorade before you arrive.”
I left, not proud of myself …
Doctor Visit Number Two
I arrived back at the medical center, full of three pints of water and two bottles of Gatorade. This was all before 8:00 a.m.
“Let’s just get this done!” I said to myself, walking through the door.
The same nurse arrived — This time with bottles of water and a few of those cooling gel packs. It was time to get back on the table, except I asked how many vials of blood I needed to give.
Five was the answer.
In my mind, I was thinking, “Right — Five vials is easy. Don’t be a wuss. Let’s get this done!”
Needle in, vial filled, click!, Vial One done. Vial Two attached, and the needle wiggles in my arm.
I realize I have not taken a breath for however long and I am about to blackout, throw-up, or possibly cry!
Needle out, gel pack on my head, and we are done for Visit Number Two … but not before I was made to lie down for ten minutes because the nurse was confident I would pass out.
By now, I was also dying for the toilet!
Doctor Visit Number Three
One vial down because the second vial was only connected but no blood went in before it was disconnected … so four vials to go and this wonderful, sweet angel-of-a nurse welcomed me again.
She had more water and more gel packs, and we were ready to go!
“Right — This is past embarrassing for me!” I said to the nurse. “No matter what happens — Keep going! I don’t care if I pass out — Keep going! Take more if you need to! I’m done with this, and I can’t keep coming back!”
The needle goes back into my arm. I start talking about anything and everything — My word count is through the roof!
Click! Vial Two, done!
Every 20 seconds, I tell myself to breathe in then breathe out!
Click! Vial Three done!
“Do not look at the needle! Keep talking!” I tell myself.
Click! Vial Four, done!
“Only one more to go! Don’t bail now! Remember to breathe in, breathe out!”
Click! Vial Five, done — and the needle was out! Gel packs were thrown on my head, water was gulped down as I had talked so much I had dried out my throat, and we were done.
I think the nurse was so proud — or just relieved that we had finally gotten through this. She smiled and said, “You did great” as if I was a little kid! “Your results will be back in a couple of weeks, then you’ll come back and complete the paperwork with the doctor before it is all sealed up, and you’ll take it to your immigration attorney.”
I walked out of there like John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever but likely lightheaded and looking a sickly grey color …
A few weeks went by, and I did not hear anything about a follow-up appointment so I gave the nurse a call.
“Hi, it’s Andy. I wanted to check in to see if my results had come back yet?”
There was a silence.
“Err,” the nurse said. “Yes, they actually arrived yesterday.” She paused. “I’m really sorry, but we need you to come back in. We actually needed six vials … and we only took five.”
“Can I come in now?” I asked because I was done with it all and was determined I could get this finished.
Doctor Visit Number Four
Within the hour, I was laid back on the table ready to get prodded … again!
Needle in — It was the same process as last time and within one minute we were done!
I felt like a rockstar!
Doctor Visit Number Five
This visit was an easy one. I met with the doctor who explained that my results had come back as they should — I was fully immunized, disease free, and relatively healthy. My documents were signed and sealed in an envelope so that only the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services could review them.
Green Card Questionnaire
Another document I had to complete was a questionnaire called ‘Adjustment of Status Questionnaire.’ It was 14 digital pages with 67 questions, some of which had multiple parts. I had done one similar for my previous H-1 B application, but if I remember correctly this one had more questions …
Now this questionnaire had some boring questions, such as:
Have you EVER been denied a visa to the United States?
Have you EVER worked in the United States without authorization?
Have you EVER committed a crime of any kind?
However, the questionnaire also had rather odd questions, some of which include:
Have you EVER engaged in prostitution or are you coming to the United States to engage in prostitution?
Have you EVER trafficked a person into involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery? Trafficking includes recruiting, harboring, transporting, providing, or obtaining a person for labor or services through the use of force, fraud, or coercion.
Do you intend to engage in any activity whose purpose includes opposing, controlling, or overthrowing the U. S. government by force, violence, or other unlawful means while in the United States?
Have you EVER:
committed, threaten to commit, attempted to commit, conspired to commit, incited, endorsed, advocated, planned, or prepared any of the following: highjacking, sabotage, kidnapping, political assassination, or use of a weapon or explosive to harm another individual or cause substantial damage to property?
Have you EVER ordered, incited, called for, committed, assisted, helped with, or otherwise participated in any of the following:
Acts of torture or genocide?
Engaging in any kinds of sexual contact or relations with any person who did not consent or was unable to consent, or was being forced or threatened?
Have you EVER recruited, enlisted, conscripted, or used any person under 15 years of age to serving or help an armed force or group?
Do you plan to practice polygamy in the United States?
Obviously, all of the above answers were answered ‘No’ … but then there were questions worded in a way that was confusing so much so that initially I was not sure if my answer was ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. I think I even asked the immigration attorney for advice on one of them. An example of one of these strangely-worded questions is below:
Have you ever not been pro slavery?
It sounds simple … but think about it … which is what I did …
I am not for slavery …
but wait — The question asks ‘Have I ever not … ‘
so I’ve not … been pro —
but pro is in support …
so ‘Have I ever not been for slavery?’
Correct — I am not for slavery so yes … right?
I am not pro slavery …
so I have never not been for it!
But that’s a double negative, which makes a positive!
At this point, I’m having a minor panic attack over my answer, and I was about to write next to the tick box “I am not pro slavery — I just can’t figure out your question!”
What made it worse was the last fifteen questions had all been answered ‘No’ so now ticking ‘Yes’ seemed wrong!
After deliberating on the question, I finally completed the questionnaire digitally.
↠ L’S SIDE ↞
Over six months later, our life stories — from birth to meeting one another to marriage to now — had been accumulated in every file, form, and document imaginable; and this was all sent to our immigration attorney who was kind enough to print everything off.
Our first hurdle was done, and Andy and I had an over two-inch stack of papers — with tabbed papers for our papers — which became known as a copy of our Green Card Application Packet.
This packet held the utmost importance …
It felt seemed to be a living, breathing baby that both Andy and I fiercely protected, coddled, and obsessively checked.
Now came the second hurdle …
Green Card Interview
Earlier, our immigration attorney had prepped us in what would happen at our Green Card interview …
We needed to prepare. Before the interview, we were told to spend time combing through the packet to feel comfortable with how our papers were compiled. Andy also needed to re-review his answers on the Green Card questionnaire to ensure he felt the same way. Essentially, be sure we understood what was submitted.
This was when Andy’s and my conversations became consumed with our paperwork so much so that we seemed to speak in code …
“I need you to look at Page 7–12, Number 51 B–C.”
“Yes, but there’s Page 2–6, Number 2 A–H.”
You get the point as our coded talks went on for minutes upon hours …
Back to our attorney’s advice:
We needed to have the originals of every immigration document submitted. This meant we needed to bring two over two-inch stacks of papers to the interview. These originals were needed in the rare case there was a question regarding what was submitted and the copy did not suffice. Included in the need-to-have were passports and driver’s licenses.
We also needed to bring new evidence. These documents would be the same as the ones Andy listed earlier but were more recent — meaning they happened after the Green Card application was submitted. For instance, updated employer pay statements and bills.
We should dress professionally. The Green Card interview is one of the most important interviews of our lives so care and importance needed to be shown outwardly in attire, too. We should also have a pen each.
Arrive early. As in two to four hours early (though this extreme punctuality could have been based on common traffic delays we could encounter when discussing our specific route). The expectation is that we would wait but never make immigration officers wait.
Plus, I feel I remember a threat in the government’s letter that the interview would not be rescheduled if it was missed …
Keep and have the Appointment Notice. The Appointment Notice comes in the mail and confirms our Green Card interview. As our attorney said, this is the “ticket to get into the office” for the interview.
Be polite. This is a simple life lesson because if we want something from someone, rudeness is not going to get the desired request.
Be honest. Those interviewed are under oath so there are more repercussions than simply not being granted a Green Card, such as facing criminal charges, being taken to court, being refused entry to the United States, and more.
Respond to questions with direct answers. While there may be good intentions, oversharing can open more doors, which comes with more scrutiny.
Answer only what is known. This is the place for facts and assurity; this is not the place to guess. If the answer is not known, simply say, “I do not know” because guesses could be wrong and then deemed a lie, which makes the case be processed at a higher level of scrutiny. Plus, depending on how outlandish the guess was, it could mean no Green Card or more serious problems.
Questions directed at one person need to be answered by that person. Interruptions or speaking for another will seem suspicious.
What we could and could not do was a long list … so much so that we became confused on how we could even act.
“Will we be interviewed together?” we asked. “Can we hold hands? Can we even look at one another?”
Our attorney’s answers were obvious, thinking back: “You will be interviewed together and you should do that,” he responded. “You love each other, right? That’s the purpose of this interview — that’s what the immigration officer is trying to determine so why wouldn’t you showcase your love? Why would you purposely do the opposite of how you are sitting right now?” and he threw his hands out, motioning to us.
It was true — I had my arm looped through Andy’s, his hand was on my knee, and our seats were close as we continued to share glances of silent mental understandings throughout our meeting. We looked at one another again.
The Green Card process has a strong reputation of being intense and intimidating with no room for error.
However, maybe our interview would be easier than we thought.
Still, after our final attorney meeting, we did more research …
“Green Card through marriage interview questions,” we Googled. There were 25 questions, 55, 100, more questions, and we went through them in batches on the days leading up to our interview … and on our way up to the interview at the U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services facility.We called these question-and-answer sessions our ‘practice,’ and to be honest we both took a large amount of pleasure in it.
“Where was our first date?” I asked Andy, enjoying tricking him.
“Tobacco Company,” he said before I laughed. “Well, unofficially Honey Whytes but officially Tobacco Company.” This was all true — We had met with zero intention of dating but instead to discuss hikes at a dive-of-a-bar named Honey Whytes. Immediately, we became inseparable, which prompted Andy to book a spot at the fanciest restaurant the city could offer for our first date. I like to believe though that our first date was really that small, unglamorous pub.
“Were there special rituals performed at our wedding?” I asked.
“Voodoo,” he joked.
“Is that what you are going to say at our interview?” I questioned back.
“Human sacrifice — There was only one. It was some random hillbilly we found.”
“Where did we go for our honeymoon?”
“West Virginia — obviously,” he said, making me laugh.
“I’m sorry — What’s funny?” He glanced at me again with the straightest face. “We had a lovely time.” True, our weekend mini-moon in West Virginia was lovely … though unconventional as we planned to travel abroad. However, because we were in the height of COVID, traveling internationally was out of the question so a secluded private cottage in foothills of West Virginia near our elopement spot was the best solution. But it was beautiful and perfect … for our locked down state.
And the questions continued — What are your spouse’s parents’ names? What are your spouse’s parents’ birthdays? What salary amount does your spouse make? What toothpaste, shampoo, and soap does your spouse use? What is your spouse’s morning routine? Who does what chores?
“We both cook and take care of the babies. You clean the kitchen and vacuum; I clean the bathrooms and do laundry. And dust,” Andy said, and we both howled with laughter. Just so you know, a Yorkshireman hates nothing more than dusting. If Andy dusts, it is a modern miracle.
Hours passed and then our ride was over. We had finally arrived at the U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services facility. All the planning, all the prep. We were finally here.
Equipped with knowledge, our Green Card Application packet, and each other, Andy and I walked to the building …
A line had formed outside, and this was where we were also instructed to wait until our time slot. Once that arrived, we were told to lower our COVID masks for the security officers to confirm that our identity matched our passports and driver’s licenses. After going through a metal detector, we traveled up an elevator to a Green Card interview waiting area.
Five people were waiting — Some were couples and others, single men and women; most were people we waited with earlier outside; still other people were new. A couple was called back.
“Do you think they are watching us now?” I asked.
Since going through the immigration process, we have often lived a life of fear — continuously worried an immigration officer would knock on our door and take Andy away before kicking him out of the country.
It seemed his life in America held one expiration date after another, and we were jostled between those dates — forever tossed in time from starting then ending points.
There was little in between, which made me wonder if we had taken our Green Card interview practice seriously enough … if we were prepared enough … if our love was evident to others … if he would be approved to stay in America. Then I had the suddenly realization that I am Andy’s sponsor — I am in charge of him and his actions in America. If he messed up in any way, the government saw his actions as a direct representation of me so there was a large amount of fear, apprehension, worry. How much did I really know him? Would he mess up? Was he a good person? The immigration process makes you question everything …
Even with all we had done, it was still a minefield, and suddenly Andy and I were stepping into the area where hidden bombs lie.
I cannot imagine the fear illegal immigrants face when traveling into another country that offers their only option for a better life …
For two hours, Andy and I talked, practiced again, and people watched. By then, the room had filled with thirty waiting people — all of whom looked as if they felt the same way as us.
At long length, Andy’s first and last name was called.
“Yes, ma’am. That’s me,” he responded to the female immigration officer.
“Great – Nice to meet you. I’m — ” and she told us her name. “I will be interviewing you today. You can follow me back.”
“Can my wife — “ Andy started.
“Yes, of course. You can both come back with me now,” and the officer waved us through a door that hushed closed as we were escorted into her very small office. This is where she apologized to us for the long wait. Immediately my heart relaxed –I did not expect a warm greeting. I did not expect an apology. “I have to be honest with you. I looked through your file earlier, and it is great. I mean, you literally supplied us with every document we could possibly need — You have your blog … “
As if an apology was not enough, she filled me with amazement — She liked what we had submitted?
And can we pause for another more crucial moment — Someone who works for the United States of America’s government read our website. Let me repeat this because you need to gather the full weight of what she said and what I’m saying: Someone … who is a works for the United States of America’s government … read our website! That’s a wrap, basically. Say what you want but, good friends, Andy and I made it. (And also, hi, government! Don’t forget to subscribe for more future posts from an Englishman who is thankful to be an American immigrant!)
“Oh we have copies of everything,” Andy told her.
“And additional documentation that is more recent — after we filed for the Green Card,” I added.
That’s when she laughed. “No, no. You’re good to go because this — ” and she patted our paper-baby in front of her. “Everything is here – and honestly, I told myself all day if I could just get through my other interviews and get to you both, I would be good to go because you did such a fantastic job.”
Then the immigration officer said this: “You are my gold-star couple so thank you.”
Imagine for a moment the look on Andy’s and my faces: all the build-up, all the anxiety, all the worry, all the panic, all the fear … and that boiled up to this.
Andy and I were the United States of America Citizenship and Immigration Services’s gold star couple!?!
I’m positive this has never been said to another couple in America.
From here, would I be gloating if I were so bold as to say our interview could be served as a model of how immigration interviews should go? Yes, that is too bold … but also, yes, it is true.
We signed a paper saying our immigration attorney was not present so we represented ourselves. Then our officer pulled out Andy’s immigration questionnaire to confirm his answers. With a big red marker, she went down the list and made large red check marks when Andy answered correctly.
“What is your full name?” she asked.
Andy answered, and we saw the first big red check be written on his application.
A few questions later, we came to our family …
“Do you have children?” she asked.
“Uh, no,” Andy said.
“Are you sure?” the immigration officer questioned again.
“Yes,” Andy answered.
“Do you want to have children?”
Andy’s answer was immediate: “No.”
“No?” she replied.
“No,” he stated again. Thinking back, I see now how this answer is odd — not only because most people desire to have children but because children can help to solidify immigrating. The government does not want to pull kids from their home country.
“Are you sure?” she delved deeper, which – for whatever reason – made me laugh …
And this is when I did precisely what I was told not to do: I interrupted Andy’s questioning to answer his question.
“If it helps,” I told her before looking at Andy, “I told Andy if I was asked if we have kids, I am going to answer ‘yes because our two cats are our children’ because this is true — We genuinely consider our two cats our children.”
“Ah,” the officer exhaled between a breathy laugh. “I did see your cat’s adoption paperwork and the veterinarian letter stating that you owned your two cats together.”
“We included that because our attorney suggested any paperwork to prove our relationship – “ but I cut Andy off.
“We included it because it was the most important document,” I said then turned to Andy again.
“Well, it helps,” the immigration officer started before giving a large smile, “I have two cats, too.”
From here, dare I say it, but we had fun at the immigration interview …
“Did you promise L you were a prince?” the officer questioned.
“No,” Andy said. “I’m just a peasant – not royalty.”
I couldn’t help myself: “Dang, I didn’t know that was an option,” I said, and the three of us laughed.
“What is L’s birthdate?” the officer asked.
“The 15,” Andy said then immediately changed his mind. “No. That’s wrong, isn’t it?” He looked at me, but this time I remained quiet, feeling this was no question I could assist or correct. Luckily, he remembered and got another big red check again.
“Where did the 15 come from?” I asked, knowing his answer would help his case.
“Our wedding anniversary – “ he told me.
“You’re right,” the immigration officer said, “and that was my next question.”
This gained Andy another large red check on his application and more after that as he and I aced our immigration interview.
“There’s only one small problem … ” the officer said, and our smiles immediately dropped.
From here, she explained the physician for Andy’s medical was supposed to check all boxes on his medical forms. However, the doctor accidentally missed one box — so one box was not checked. One box was blank.
And all of this meant Andy could not get a Green Card.
One box out of over two-inches worth of gold-star papers.
One box equated to no Green Card.
Want more frustration? Andy’s medical was the only paper that neither he nor I nor the attorney could see beforehand. The medical was the only sealed form.
Now you better understand the beginning of this post when Andy and I had our moment of hysteria in the car after our interview …
All hope was not lost though — Our officer explained our case is simply put on hold until Andy could get a letter from immigration with another medical form, bring that form back to the physician, and the physician basically does his job. Once this happens, our officer guaranteed Andy would be approved … but until that that medical came back, she had to wait.
While the outcome was not what we hoped, Andy and I left the office still beyond relieved and happy. We were a gold star couple after all, and we took this picture together to remember that.
“To think, all I had to do was say you promised me you were a prince and offered me tons of money — We’d be living in England right now … ” I told Andy and laughed. He, though, did not find my comment as amusing as I did …
↠ ANDY’S SIDE ↞
Long story short, I received another form in the mail, which meant I would have to redo the medical …
I arranged to visit later that week and went through all of the paperwork with the doctor and nurse again. It was here I was told that I not only needed to give another vial of blood for a different test (though I can’t remember for what) but also have a flu shot as part of my record. Being rather tired of the whole situation, I got a flu shot in my right arm and another jab in the left arm to give blood. I muscled through it like a big boy and talked with the doctor to make sure the forms were fully completed this time. With the forms checked, signed, and sealed, I headed home but not before treating myself to a sugary, highly-caffeinated coffee.
The next day, I dropped off my new medical envelope for dropped at attorney’s office before it was submitted again to United States Citizenship Immigration Services.
Shortly after, I received confirmation from the government that my application had been accepted.
Months passed, but I finally got a Green Card … though there was a catch — I received a conditional Green Card, meaning it was valid for only two years instead of ten.
This was due to the fact that L and I had been married for less than two years so the government wanted to be sure L and I were in a genuine relationship, and the provisional Green Card was a way they could monitor this. Looking back, if L and I had waited one more year to apply, I would have had a Green Card for ten years.
As I am writing this now, my conditional Green Card is expiring so we are currently in the process of petitioning to remove the conditions on my permanent resident status. More on that story in Part Four …
(Also, a thank you: I am forever grateful for Jason who kept me busy and fought to keep me through COVID. It is because of him I retained my job.)
Disclaimer
I believe what is included within this post is correct; however, if you are aware of errors, please comment, and I will update where applicable. None of the above should be considered legal advice and an immigration attorney is highly suggested to discuss immigration plans.
↠ SEEK THE REST OF THIS STORY ↞
Coming soon!
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