Interview or No Interview-That is the question

[Charliehereforyou 0]

I've noticed that those KI applying for AOS who have had their cases transferred do not generally have to have an interview before their Green Card is

approved. Is this the general rule and if so why? If there is sufficient proof submitted then does the file get transferred and then a decision is made my

the office where the file was transferred. Our file was transferred to Calif. and we live in Virginia. We just received the EAD card.

Thanks.

[Darnell 8,478]

I think is a pattern, not a guideline or a rule.

Is two things, really - if transferred to CSC, and you have LOADS of stuff on that I-485, then you have good chance of 'no interview'

But is no 'guideline' - just a WELL ESTABLISHED PATTERN.

Hopefully, for you, that pattern is repeated, yes?

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

My guess is :

** a K1 was very recently interviewed face to face to get a visa, unlike those adjusting from student, work, or other status.

** some local offices may be over-booked so they transfer cases to CSC to keep from getting a long backlog at the local office.

I don't think sending in LOADS of stuff as mentioned above is a criteria. If the poster means a lot of relationship/proof of marriage evidence, then we sent zero of that, except the marriage certificate. We were transferred and had no interview.

Charlie--if you live in VA and your case is getting looked over in Cali, then there is no way they would ask you to interview in Cali. It will be approved there unless there is something terribly wrong that the CSC thinks an interviewer should question you. In that case, you would be informed that your case was transferred to a local Virginia office.

Edited December 1, 2009 by Nich-Nick

[Anh map 2,098]

It may be transferred to CSC for processing and then sent on to your local office for the interview.

Hard to read the "tea leaves" on this one.

[TBoneTX 43,254]

** a K1 was very recently interviewed face to face to get a visa, unlike those adjusting from student, work, or other status.

This is exactly what an immigration attorney (and former consular officer) told me. The approval-without-interview is not guaranteed, but it's a good bet. Nich-Nick is right on target here, si man.

[youtube 0]

My belief is how close you are to the nears field office.

On the Island of Oahu, EVERYONE goes. Not sure of outer island, maybe not. they can chime in.

[Charliehereforyou 0]

To all who responded. If you carefully check the time lines of K-1's virtually all those who had their cases transferred were approved without an interview

at their local office. I also have a friend who is an Imm. Attorney and he told me that if you provide "plenty of evidence" that you are factually married

and are living together there should be no problem. If there is any suspicion of fraud in your paper work on the I-485, you will get an RFI and probably

need an interview. (an RFI triggers an interview regardless of the outcome of the RFI)

He also told me that because of the massive case load it is virtually impossible to interview all applicants.

My belief is how close you are to the nears field office.

On the Island of Oahu, EVERYONE goes. Not sure of outer island, maybe not. they can chime in.

[Hugglebuggles 60]

I ended up with an AOS interview. I had my K-1 interview only a few months earlier and there was nothing on my file to indicate a red flag or anything of that nature. I went through the AOS process with two other K-1's from Canada who moved to the Denver area and all three of us were issued interviews. I think, at least in our case, our local office played the biggest role. Denver is equipped to deal with a high demand and high volume of interviews and other inquiry's. It seems to be very rare that an applicant in the Denver area is transferred to CSC.

Regardless of why, I really don't think an interview is something to be afraid of or dread. I'm actually quite glad I ended up with an interview. Our experience with USCIS Denver was very positive and we were approved in a very timely manner. Some, if not most, who have been transferred to California in recent months have had to wait much longer than I did.

[edp333 9]

The hypothesis that K1 visa entrants were recently interviewed sounds reasonable until you see that virtually all K3 entrants were interviewed for the AOS.

The hypothesis I have read here on VJ many times is the K1 entrants are recently married and have little evidence of a bonafide marriage. K3 entrants have been married longer and have more evidence.

The hypothesis that more K1 entrants are interviewed for the Removal of Conditions I have yet to see much evidence here n VJ.

Edited December 2, 2009 by edp333

[youtube 0]

To all who responded. If you carefully check the time lines of K-1's virtually all those who had their cases transferred were approved without an interview

at their local office. I also have a friend who is an Imm. Attorney and he told me that if you provide "plenty of evidence" that you are factually married

and are living together there should be no problem. If there is any suspicion of fraud in your paper work on the I-485, you will get an RFI and probably

need an interview. (an RFI triggers an interview regardless of the outcome of the RFI)

He also told me that because of the massive case load it is virtually impossible to interview all applicants.

My belief is how close you are to the nears field office.

On the Island of Oahu, EVERYONE goes. Not sure of outer island, maybe not. they can chime in.

Just get ready for interview. It's easier than the K-1 interview.

If it get's transferred, consider yourself lucky.

that's the best bet.

P.S. your imm attorney's advice, forget it.

A couple I know very rich($50 million ) and wife 6 months pregnant still had to interview.

[MikeInWyoming 2]

I ended up with an AOS interview....

OK so help me out here... I am assuming that as my wife filed her AOS from K-1 in early October and the case has not been transferred to the CSC, that we will have an interview. That is fine. But I am confused. Assuming we sent them all and exactly was was required - which we did and have not received any RFE - what do they need to ask or see? Heck we have barely been married two months... They have my tax returns for three years and the county marriage record - duly stamped and embossed plus the medical vaccination and other required forms. What is the interview about?

[Hindustani 0]

My K3 case was transferred to CSC on Nov. 25. I got an email that says it is transferred back to USCIS. What does it mean?

[movingsoon2 0]

i too think that it has to do with location.

I'm in indianapolis, and the office here is overloaded, apparently. When I called i was told that right now they are processing may 3rd applications.

Edited December 4, 2009 by movingsoon2

[Anh map 2,098]

I ended up with an AOS interview....

OK so help me out here... I am assuming that as my wife filed her AOS from K-1 in early October and the case has not been transferred to the CSC, that we will have an interview. That is fine. But I am confused. Assuming we sent them all and exactly was was required - which we did and have not received any RFE - what do they need to ask or see? Heck we have barely been married two months... They have my tax returns for three years and the county marriage record - duly stamped and embossed plus the medical vaccination and other required forms. What is the interview about?

A fellow VJ member who lives in Maine recently had their AOS file go from VSC to CSC to the local office for the interview to be scheduled. Fiance entered the country this Summer a couple of weeks after her interview. Short timespan, rock solid K1 case (no RFE's) from a tough consulate (HCMC).

The interview is there for the officer to gauge, as best they can, if there is a true marital relationship. They asked us about our wedding, where we live, asked my wife some questions about my work, her school, how she likes it, etc.

One thing that may be completely irrelevant but caught my attention was that the officer had us walk in front of him on our way back to his work area. Now this was through a large field of cubicles with a couple of turns. It would have made sense for us to follow him as he knew where we were going. My thought is that he wanted to see how we interacted when walking along. Did we walk together as newlyweds would likely do, or would one of us just leave the other behind? Who knows why, but that's my thought.

The AOS is a lot wasier than the K interview. Kind of a let down after the HCMC experience. Not that I am complaining. We did the ROC without interview.

Hope this helps.

[Eric-Pris 1,602]

it's mostly luck

My K3 case was transferred to CSC on Nov. 25. I got an email that says it is transferred back to USCIS. What does it mean?

start preparing for an interview

Edited December 4, 2009 by Eric-Pris