Biometrics and Adjustment of Status and EAD, Oh My!

Marilyn with one of her many new Filipino friends at a New Year's Eve party in Fairfield Township, Ohio

The seemingly never-ending immigration process continues, but at least it is a bit more bearable now that Marilyn is actually here. Still, I will be quite glad when all of the paperwork and appointments are finished. Sadly, that won't happen for another five years (when she can apply for citizenship), but it will thankfully become much more intermittent from here on out.

We filed Marilyn's I-485 (Adjustment of Status) and I-765 (Application for Employement Authorization) on December 9th. A few weeks later we received a notice containing her biometrics appointment information. The hardest part of that appointment was navigating through downtown Cincinnati attempting to locate both the J.W. Peck Federal Building and an available parking spot. In retrospect, my first foray into the bustling metropolis was rather uneventful. I actually took a vacation day from work in the event we were tied up for the entire afternoon, but after arriving 40 minutes early we were immediately waited upon and finished about 15 minutes before our noon appointment. I didn't actually accompany Marilyn back into the room where her fingerprints and photos were taken, but I could see her. I'm not quite sure why they call it a biometrics "exam", though perhaps it refers to the fact that her fingerprints will be examined by the FBI to insure she has no outlandish criminal history heretofore unknown by anyone. Anyway, the lady who actually took the biometrics told Marilyn to expect her Employment Authorization Document (EAD) in about five or six weeks.

We have our initial interview for the adjustment of status on February 25th, though it's anyone's guess as to when the actual green card will be processed. The sister-in-law of my co-worker was approved for hers about six weeks after the interview, so we'll see...

Ain't waiting fun? ;)