AOS Interview Passed

[LeeFisher3]

We showed up for the interview with a translator and when the lady called us in we all went to the door, my wife greeted her and we were asked for ID. She looked at our passports and then ask who was with us. I said we brought a translator as instructed by the appointment letter and understood that often times most English speakers were not able to understand the questions on the I-485 without a law degree. This got us a chuckle and she said, let's try this without a translator and if we need help she can come in to assist. So off we go to the office.

 

I guess I should mention that we had all been sitting outside chatting in English, showing our pictures to the lady who came to translate for us. We both decided to wear jeans and my wife was wearing one of her favorite T-Shirts that says "It doesn't get any better than this".

 

We sit down and she asks for the I-94 so I give her my wifes passport.

Then the questions begin, all directed to my wife speaking slow and clearly, she started going down the I-485 and verified name, address and her parents names.

 

Then she turned it over and starts down the dreaded lists of questions, she paraphrased the questions:

 

1. The are you a criminal question was asked an my wife paused and looked at me so I said jail, my wife immediately put her hands together like being handcuffed and looked at the lady and asked her "jail?". The IO laughed and said yes, to which my wife chucked and said No.

 

2. The drug question was asked and we went through be imitating shooting up and the IO was somewhat impressed to see we had discussed the questions.

 

3. The communist party question came up and neither of us could easily find a way to describe this, so my wife reaches in her purse and pulls our the pocket translator. While I was entering Communist the IO was asking about the pocket translator. I explained that this was our second because one of the buttons on the first one quit working. My wife looked at the translator and answered NO. I then turned the pocket translator around so the IO could see it and mentioned how many words had different meanings and this was a nice one that allowed us to choose context. The IO said she hadn't seen one of these before and I mentioned we didn't need to use it often for most things, but it was helpful to clarify things.

 

4. Then she ask about lying to the consulate and forged documents. I punched up forgery on the translator.

 

At that point she put up the I-485 with all of her red check marks beside the items she had verified. Turned to the Affidavit of support and I gave her my 2005 tax return. She asked what the company name on the employment letter did. She then did something on her computer and I asked if the name check was complete, she smiled and said that was what she was checking and said it was done.

 

She mentioned that she wished everyones was finished before interview and said that she still had some cases that were from 2002 that were waiting on the name check. I mentioned that it was surprising and hoped they were filing a lawsuit to get the FBI to finish up. She smiled and said that was happening on a number of cases, I got the impression she may have suggested it to the people who have been waiting.

 

Then she said needed to see information that showed we lived together.

 

I handed her our stack of photos while I dug out the folder. She looked through our pictures and asked about the wedding, the horse my wife was sitting on at a friends, figured out we went to St Louis and loved the picture of my wife on the riding lawn mower at Lars house.

 

I passed over photocopies of the following:

Auto Registration, showing joint ownership

His and Hers Balley member cards

His and Hers Sams club cards

Insurance card

Dental Insurance pre-authorization form showing both names.

Sprint bill with both names

Revolving charge bill where we bought a new bed.

Joint Checking account statement - I offered her 3 months and she said she already had enough paper.

 

She then put all of this in the folder and selected about 6 photos, I told her she could keep them and she said she would just make copies since the folders get rather thick.

 

While she was gone with the door open my wife and I chatted and she mentioned the amount of paper in her file, I told her it wasn't much and pointed to some 2-3 inch thick folders on the back desk which got a laugh.

 

The lady came back in and gave us back the pictures and said congratulations and handed us the paper saying we would get a welcome letter in the mail soon, and congratulations.

 

I asked if she could stamp my wife's passport and she said she couldn't until we received the welcome letter. I mentioned my wife would be leaving next week for China and that I was concerned about re-entry and asked if it was OK to keep the AP paperwork. She said that would be fine and that it should all be in the computer before she returned.

 

She never asked for EAD or AP in the process. Somewhere earlier int eh process we mentioned that we were going back to China for our son's K-2 interview on June 29th and told her that originally it had been scheduled for next week.

 

The entire interview lasted 20 minutes and the IO was extremely nice during the entire process.

 

As usual, my wife informed me that "this was too easy".

 

Well, we're off to have dinner with friends to celebrate and I will repackage all of our stuff for the K-2 interview. My wife leaves next Tuesday and I will follow her 3 weeks later. We're going to take our son to Beijing for his medical and will do this at the International SOS clinic so we can get his school physical done in English at the same time. Our plans are to take a family vacation in Beijing and show up in GZ the day before the interview.

 

Then return to the US on July 1, figure to get the IRS to help sponsor our travel and will be able to claim the full year deduction for our son and get the $1000 child tax credit by making it back before July 3. That ought to recover our plane tickets and some of the shopping expenses.

 

And yes,

Life is GOOD!!!!

 

 

So now were off for the K-2 interview in GZ and another easy AOS.

 

Much thanks to all who have helped along the way, the information here at CFL has made our journey an easy one. Eric's Famous AOS Filing List was most helpful. I mentioned to my wife that after our second aniversary we need to begin the paperwork to remove the conditional staus, that will be 1 year and 7 months so we don't have to rush it.

[ameriken]

Thanks Lee for taking the time to post such a detailed review. We are just starting AOS now and this post with that link are extremely helpful!

 

BTW......congratulations! ! ! Life really is good !

[LeeFisher3]

Thanks Lee for taking the time to post such a detailed review. We are just starting AOS now and this post with that link are extremely helpful!

 

BTW......congratulations!  !  !  Life really is good !

215460[/snapback]

I think the wife's T-shirt was the key to a good interview, plus she really looks great in it.

[MRMC]

Congrats My wife and daughter passed last Friday. They stated the cards should arrive in about 3 weeks.

[tonado]

Lee.

 

Pretty high tech with the pocket translator. Congrats. Hope she receives the green card soon.

[Randy W]

We have our interview scheduled for June 10th.

 

Congratulations and thanks for the help!

[Mick]

Congrats and thanks for posting the details. It always amazes me how different each interview is. Our AOS interview really had no real questions. Just talked about life in China and Chaoshan food, which is the specialty where we lived our last four years over there.

 

Anyhoo, best wishes and keep us posted.

[frank1538]

Wonderful news. You see, a piece of cake, but I know you're glad this part is over and done with.

 

Congratulations. Only one more to go. Wonder what the chances are that your step son will get adjusted without an interview. It would seem a waste to make him go through an AOS interview now that his mom is a legal permanent resident.

[LeeFisher3]

Wonderful news.  You see, a piece of cake, but I know you're glad this part is over and done with.

 

Congratulations.  Only one more to go.  Wonder what the chances are that your step son will get adjusted without an interview.  It would seem a waste to make him go through an AOS interview now that his mom is a legal permanent resident.

215531[/snapback]

At least he doesn't get a name check. B)

[esun41]

Thanks Lee for such detail.

 

We are preparing for our June 5 interview as well and your insight made my wife more comfortable. The English thing worries her some but this post eased her mind...

 

Congrats and best wishes...

 

Eric and Lucy

[LeeFisher3]

Thanks Lee for such detail.

 

We are preparing for our June 5 interview as well and your insight made my wife more comfortable. The English thing worries her some but this post eased her mind...

 

Congrats and best wishes...

 

Eric and Lucy

215556[/snapback]

With the translator sitting in the next room my wife had a great comfort level and the IO was probably the nicest person we have had contact with in the process so far. Just remember, don't be afraid to laugh at the interview if something is funny.

 

Looks like you guys will win the race, we're doing our K-2 interview at the end of June, so much for having the interview in GZ on the same week.

Edited May 17, 2006 by LeeFisher3 (see edit history)

[Yuanyang]

Congratulation Lee!

Say, why didn' you show her the Victoria's Secret credit card?

[IluvmyLi]

Congrats Lee!

[LeeFisher3]

         

Congratulation Lee!

Say, why didn' you show her the Victoria's Secret credit card? 

215592[/snapback]

If it had been a male IO it would have been tempting.

[MikeandRong]

Congratulations to the both of you.

 

It sure is nice to see how it is supposed to work out.

 

Thanks for the great report.