Interview Experience-Approved!!!!!!!!

[SaraDee 9]

Hi All,

First of all, I want to thank everyone on this site for the plethora of information I have gathered about the AOS process. It made it so much easier, especially considering we chose not to hire a lawyer.

I read many of your interview experiences and it really helped me prepare for mine, so I'd like to pay it forward now.

So, we arrived at the Los Angeles service center at about 9:15am as our appointment was at 10:15. It took about 30-40 mins to get into the building as there was a very long line up. We went upstairs and gave our interview notice to an officer that told us to have a seat and wait till our names were called.

We waited for about an hour and fifteen minutes till the officer finally called my name. There were about 30 people in the room waiting to be interviewed. Some went in and came out in about 15 minutes. One young couple went in together and then a few minutes later the husband came outside to wait, they had been separated. He sat across from us for an hour. I could see his lips moving and he was praying under his breath. He was actually still waiting when we left.

Anyways, so, the officer calls my name and we go into her office. She swears us in and has us sit down. She was polite but all business and had a slight Eastern European accent that was a bit hard to follow at times. She asked to see our passports. When she saw my husband's she asked him if he had traveled on it before because he had not signed it and gave him a pen to do so. She then looked at my passport and asked where my visa was. I told her that I entered as a visitor and had traveled across the border. Canadians often do not get a stamp in the passport when traveling over a land border. She asked how I got to Los Angeles. I explained that I took a plane from Seattle because it was cheaper than flying from Vancouver. She said when was this? I told her it was Jan 09 and then she asked if I had ever left the country since and I said no.

Questions:

IDs please.

My husband showed her his Georgia license and she asked if he lived here or there. He explained that he lives here now but never bothered to get an new license. She asked if he had anything to prove that he lived here now like car insurance or title. He said that he was still registered in Georgia.

(Him) How long have you been living in California?

(Him) How did you meet and when?

(Both) Did you have a reception?

I told her yes to this. She wanted to see the pictures.

I handed her our pictures and she barely grazed through them. I don't think she even saw one pic properly.

(Both) What do you had to prove you are married?

I took out our marriage certificate, utility bills, bank statements-letter, lease, and tax returns.

(Me) Do you work?

(Me) So, what were the circumstance of your entry again?

(Me) Have you been married before?

No.

(Me) Do you have children?

No.

Then she asked the same of my husband.

He answered no to both questions and then joked that he had no kids if you don't count the dog.

I said, "Yes, we have a dog."

She did not seem to care.

(Me) Do you work? (Again)

(Him) What do you do for a living?

(Both) Did you file taxes jointly this year?

Yes.

She then looked for the return in our folder and wrote on it.

Then she asked me the questions from the 1-485

and then verified my phone number.

(Him) Do you know her mother's first name?

He said yes. (but I could tell he was nervous and had blanked)

He said Karen (wrong)(My parents live in Canada and have only visited us once)

She paused and then asked, What is her father's name?

He got that one right.

Have you met them?

Yes. They came to visit.

(Me) How long have you been living at your current address?

I told her.

(Him) Same.

(Him) How much is the rent?

(Him) How many bedrooms do you have?

Then she left to copy some of our documents. I was so nervous that I didn't realize that she was copying document that I had already copied for her.

She came back and said that she had to ask about the circumstance of my entry and once she did she would make a decision and smiled.

I told her again that it is very normal for Canadians not to get stamped at the border.

She said OK but she had to review it anyways and she would then make her decision.

The whole thing was about 15 mins.

Not too painful.

One day later I checked and we have been approved!!!!!!! :dance:

Thanks again everyone!!!!

[Darnell 8,478]

hey - congratulations !

*** moving to 'Adjustment of Status Case Filing and Progress Reports' forum ***

Edited October 14, 2010 by Darnell

[krautlaus 7]

Woop congrats!

[JeannieL 44]

Congratulations!

[charity1214 3]

Very cool!! Thanks for posting that and congratulations!!

[Abby62 23]

Cool..thanks for letting us in on your day...I'm very excited for you both!

[TyandAllie 17]

Congrats!!!

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

Congrats again!

[SaraDee 9]

Thanks everyone!!!