Jump to content

AOS Interview - PASSED

Jaseball

By Jaseball,
in AOS & Immigration Challenges

Recommended Posts

Jaseball

Jaseball

Posted
Posted (edited)

Our interview was at 9:15am in Sacramento today. We arrived 1 hour early. Almost arrived 2 hours early, but thankfully I decided to just wait and rest a bit more. They are on a pretty tight schedule and I can't imagine them seeing people earlier than stated. Waiting area was not crowded, but there were plenty of single people, couples, and families all waiting for interviews.

 

We were called in at 9:20am. We had a middle aged, white female officer who was very professional. She had our mailed in marriage license and notarized birth certificate for my wife and asked us if we meant to send in these instead of copies. We told her we had extra copies made that those would be fine for their records.

 

I had prepared a large messenger bag full of stuff. Folder of bills at our address. Folder of account statements. 150 or so photos + 5 of those $15+ photos you are offered on vacations while on tours/rides, copies of my initial petition, all the letters from USCIS, receipts/brochures and other stuff from our trips, a joint sponsor I-864 I had lined up, passports, etc.

 

I wouldn't call the interview pleasant, but it was professional and we were made to feel welcome and were truly treated nicely.

 

We had to raise our right hands and were sworn in.

 

The officer asked for both our passports. She told us the I-94 was no longer necessary and would be removed in the office.

 

She focused on my finances and asked about my employment. I told her I had been laid off and she asked about assets and our debts. I didn't volunteer the joint sponsor and just gave her copies of my most recent bank statements, retirement, and other assets. I'm pretty sure if your listed assets are $60K+ you should be ok.

 

The officer asked for evidence of us sharing finances, so my wife showed her SS card and two credit cards. This along with the above assets were enough proof for the officer.

 

We were asked how we met. How many times did I visit China? Did I specifically go to meet my then fiancee? Who else did I meet? Any family members? How much time did we spend together? What did we do on trip 2 and 3? When did I propose?

 

We were asked about our actual marriage ceremony. How many people attended? Who went, how many times did my wife change dresses? Where was the ceremony held?

 

Asked if we had photos, so I gave her the stack. She picked out about 5 photos, mainly of the both of us with my family and friends and wedding photos and asked if she could keep them and we said that would be fine.

 

The past party membership in CCP came up again. The officer wasn't sure if this would matter and checked her computer, then went off to ask a supervisor, but came back and said it was not an issue.

 

She asked my wife a few questions directly. What is her name? Are you attending school? Are you working? Did you study in China? What was our address? What was her birthday?

 

Then there was the standard questions that are all hopefully 'no,' answers. Ever been arrested or convicted of a crime? Planning on being a terrorist?

 

The officer kept writing notes, amending the submitted biographical profile on my fiancee, punched holes through all the new papers and added it to the file.

 

The file was HUGE - It looked to be about 4 inches thick. The officer did ask at one point if I knew someone by the name of XXXX XXXXX and I said no and she removed a stack of papers. I guess that person's paper's were accidentally mixed into our file. These officers are probably assigned cases in advance.

 

That was about it. The interview took about 30 minutes. I packed up all our stuff into the large bag. The officer said everything looks fine and we should get her conditional green card in 10 days or so. We did not get a stamp in my wife's passport, a receipt or paper showing we had been there, just the verbal congratulations and look for the green card in the mail.

 

I probably used 5% or less of what I brought in there. Passports, updated financial documents, updated photos, wife's credit cards and SS card.

 

I do get the feeling that the officer sizes the couple up and it is up to their discretion in many areas on how to proceed and what to ask for, so being overly prepared is far better. The officer said thanks for bringing in everything.

 

Most couples came in with a manila file or small bag. It was like other people came in with a 6 or 12 pack of beer and we rolled in a keg.

 

Quite a few people dressed in suits and fairly formal. We were dressed down in jeans and I had a polo shirt.

 

The officer did not ask for and we didn't volunteer the EAD card. I'm glad we got to keep that, because until my wife get's her driver's license that is the only real ID in English she has. I also kept reminding myself to be 100% truthful, but to only answer what they asked and provide what they asked instead of babbling or volunteering unasked for information. I did screw up a few times and babble, but caught myself.

 

Overall it was a good experience and I'm glad we passed.

Edited by Jaseball (see edit history)
Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...