What do I expect at the Initial Interview?

[MacTO 6]

Hi all. It's been awhile since last time I posted my questions. Thanks, again, from the bottom of my heart to those who answered my questions, and I'm back with some updates and a couple of new questions.

First, it was back in late October last year when I posted my first question regarding the AOS application. Thanks to a handful of excellent advice provided to me, I believe that I got my application started in the right direction and submitted it in early December as planned. Then, it was sent back to my Canadian address due to the fact that I put my Canadian address in the application. (Yes, I am still here in Albuquerque, NM, but I thought I was supposed to put the Canadian one.) To make the long story short, the initially submitted application was forwarded to me by my brother, and I re-submitted it with the Albuquerque address around mid-January. In less than two weeks, I received a Biometrics Notice letter. Early February, I went to a local USCIS office to have Biometrics taken. Then, earlier this month I received a Notice letter for Initial Interview scheduled in late April.

(I have not received EAD card or notice about it. No email.)

The Notice lists the items I must bring with myself to the interview. However, these items are already submitted with the application. I don't understand. For instance, my Birth Certificate and my wife's, certified copies of our Marriage Document, copies of my Divorce Certificates and my wife's, supporting evidence of our relationship: we enclosed the copies of our joint bank account statements and a bunch of photos we took over the course of over a year, including our wedding photos. Why do they want them again? Or I don't have to worry about it since I've already submitted them all with the application?

And what do I expect at the Initial Interview? Anything that I need to know about?

As you can tell, I'm new to this and am a bit nervous about the interview. It seems like it's a long way to go. Any thoughts and guidance are appreciated.

[fabulous02 1]

Hi all. It's been awhile since last time I posted my questions. Thanks, again, from the bottom of my heart to those who answered my questions, and I'm back with some updates and a couple of new questions.

First, it was back in late October last year when I posted my first question regarding the AOS application. Thanks to a handful of excellent advice provided to me, I believe that I got my application started in the right direction and submitted it in early December as planned. Then, it was sent back to my Canadian address due to the fact that I put my Canadian address in the application. (Yes, I am still here in Albuquerque, NM, but I thought I was supposed to put the Canadian one.) To make the long story short, the initially submitted application was forwarded to me by my brother, and I re-submitted it with the Albuquerque address around mid-January. In less than two weeks, I received a Biometrics Notice letter. Early February, I went to a local USCIS office to have Biometrics taken. Then, earlier this month I received a Notice letter for Initial Interview scheduled in late April.

(I have not received EAD card or notice about it. No email.)

The Notice lists the items I must bring with myself to the interview. However, these items are already submitted with the application. I don't understand. For instance, my Birth Certificate and my wife's, certified copies of our Marriage Document, copies of my Divorce Certificates and my wife's, supporting evidence of our relationship: we enclosed the copies of our joint bank account statements and a bunch of photos we took over the course of over a year, including our wedding photos. Why do they want them again? Or I don't have to worry about it since I've already submitted them all with the application?

And what do I expect at the Initial Interview? Anything that I need to know about?

As you can tell, I'm new to this and am a bit nervous about the interview. It seems like it's a long way to go. Any thoughts and guidance are appreciated.

Since we mostly submit copies of documents, USCIS has the right to inspect the original docs. So you should bring all the original documents and it doesn't hurt to bring in an exact replica of the AOS package you submitted, incase they need some document for their records. When it comes to the interview more is definitely better, so the interviewer doesn't have any doubts. All the best

[MacTO 6]

Since we mostly submit copies of documents, USCIS has the right to inspect the original docs. So you should bring all the original documents and it doesn't hurt to bring in an exact replica of the AOS package you submitted, incase they need some document for their records. When it comes to the interview more is definitely better, so the interviewer doesn't have any doubts. All the best

Thanks, fabulous02. Well, I guess I will bring my AOS folder in which I've kept all the copies and the originals documents along with the copies of the application.

Still wonder, though, about what they would ask at the interview.

[TracyTN 237]

Dunno what local office you'll be interviewing at, but perhaps you can use this page to read some interview reviews.

http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/

[Nik+Heather 121]

We submitted a copy of the certified marriage license, and were asked to show her the original.

Submitted a copy of USC's birth certificate, were asked to show the certified copy. Also, I had submitted a photocopy of the one my parents had from the beginning, and brought a newer one mother had ordered "just in case". As it looked different, she wanted a copy of the newer one I was showing to her.

We were not asked for another I-864 or any updated supporting documents. I had brought some recent paystubs, but they were not asked for.

I brought all the notices we had ever received, but she didn't want to see those.

I think the medical would have been fine just as it was except that the CS had screwed up on it. She certainly didn't expect that we would have another one at the interview.

As for the questions asked, it was mostly in review of information already provided - address on the I485, parents names, USC's name/DOB etc. The questions that may get you tripped up could relate to the entrances and exits from the US. With multiple visits, it may be difficult to remember which ones were which, so be sure to review those dates as well. She had info on dates of entry, ports of entry and duration of visit. Problem is that in the heat of the moment a nervous person might mix up the trip taken in March 2008 with the trip in March 2009...or forget that one trip was through Atlanta and another through JFK...The USC should bite their tongue and resist the urge to help in the interview, so just be sure to review these sorts of things before hand. We made the mistake of only focusing on the documents and not the possible questions because we thought "We are actually married, so can't possibly get things wrong" It's true that we passed on the preponderance of evidence even with some wrong answers, but it sure elevated my adrenaline level...

[VanessaTony 3,567]

I think the medical would have been fine just as it was except that the CS had screwed up on it. She certainly didn't expect that we would have another one at the interview.

If you don't mind me asking, what was wrong with it??

[Nik+Heather 121]

If you don't mind me asking, what was wrong with it??

I should have caught it, but I wasn't as mired in the I-693 in December as I am now....she signed part 6 instead of part 5. So, it wasn't the date issue which was on the first RFE at all. When I get over this cold I'll probably find a better place to document the whole thing - Like I need to change the entry on the CS's who don't rip you off thread.

[MacTO 6]

Dunno what local office you'll be interviewing at, but perhaps you can use this page to read some interview reviews.

http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/

Thanks. I just looked into it. In spite of the fact that there were only from 2006, but it gave me an idea. I'll be interviewing in Albuquerque, NM. Cheers.

[MacTO 6]

We submitted a copy of the certified marriage license, and were asked to show her the original.

Submitted a copy of USC's birth certificate, were asked to show the certified copy. Also, I had submitted a photocopy of the one my parents had from the beginning, and brought a newer one mother had ordered "just in case". As it looked different, she wanted a copy of the newer one I was showing to her.

We were not asked for another I-864 or any updated supporting documents. I had brought some recent paystubs, but they were not asked for.

I brought all the notices we had ever received, but she didn't want to see those.

I think the medical would have been fine just as it was except that the CS had screwed up on it. She certainly didn't expect that we would have another one at the interview.

As for the questions asked, it was mostly in review of information already provided - address on the I485, parents names, USC's name/DOB etc. The questions that may get you tripped up could relate to the entrances and exits from the US. With multiple visits, it may be difficult to remember which ones were which, so be sure to review those dates as well. She had info on dates of entry, ports of entry and duration of visit. Problem is that in the heat of the moment a nervous person might mix up the trip taken in March 2008 with the trip in March 2009...or forget that one trip was through Atlanta and another through JFK...The USC should bite their tongue and resist the urge to help in the interview, so just be sure to review these sorts of things before hand. We made the mistake of only focusing on the documents and not the possible questions because we thought "We are actually married, so can't possibly get things wrong" It's true that we passed on the preponderance of evidence even with some wrong answers, but it sure elevated my adrenaline level...

Thanks. I'll definitely go over those dates. The majority of the documentation I submitted along with the application was copies, except for my birth certificate and our wedding certificate. So, I guess I should bring all the originals and also the copies of those two, if they let me get those two originals back, to the interview.