AOS Interview Questions

[av8or1 246]

Ok so as I mentioned in a separate thread, we have our interview scheduled for the end of January in San Antonio. Found the reviews, mostly old by now, but helpful. Thanks.

In preparing the documentation for the interview, I have a few questions. The instructions - at first - were not all that helpful, but after letting it settle in my head for a while, I drew some conclusions that seem straightforward enough. I'd like to see if anyone has some verification they can provide regarding those conclusions too.

Quuuuick background: Me=USA, She=Russian. Filed I-129F in September 2014. Approved late April 2015. Interview at the embassy in Moscow June 2015. The three of us (we have a son together who was born in Moscow due to the excessive delay in the TSC's processing of our I-129F - I completed the CRBA at the US embassy in Moscow in May 2015) entered the USA on July 3, 2015. We married 7 days later, July 10, 2015. Filed the AOS in late August 2015. No RFE. Interview receipt received on December 24, 2015. Interview date late January 2016.

Questions:

1) My wife's eligibility is based on our marriage, which means that I must attend. However we have no family who could babysit our son, so he will need to accompany us. The instructions say "You do not need to bring your children unless otherwise instructed." This is because my wife's eligibility is not based on our son's citizenship. So the question is: can we bring our son with us?

2) Amongst the list of required items that we should bring with us, the instructions state:

"A completed medical examination (Form I-693) and vaccination supplement in a sealed envelope (unless already submitted)." Wha-? A medical examination? My wife did this in prep for the fiance visa interview in Moscow and I submitted a copy of the DS-3025 (vaccination supplement) as part of the content of our original I-485 application/petition packet. So what does this mean? Do we need to have another medical examination done? I looked through the forms that we have in regard to her medical exam; I saw a DS-3025, DS-3026 and other forms, but no I-693. So I'm guessing that we need to do it again?

3) WRT to ID, the instructions state: "Every adult ... who comes to the interview must bring Government-issued photo identification, such as a driver's license or ID card ..." My wife doesn't have a driver's license yet. So will her Russian passport suffice? (my conclusion is yes, but I half wonder if I shouldn't go and get a state-based ID card...)

4) I-864 and tax forms. Wha-? I-864 and tax forms? I submitted these as part of the I-485 packet. But I'm guessing that they're not needed in this case, since the instructions do state: "(unless already submitted)." Correct?

5) Related to #4, the instructions mention bringing a letter of employment (which I submitted with the original I-485 packet), but the instructions add "... and pay stubs for the past 2 months;" So do we really need the pay stubs? I don't receive pay stubs. I suppose I could go online and print out a summary document of some type; I think that they're broken down by pay period. But again, it's not something I really ever look at, nor receive.

6) There is this blanket statement in the instructions:

"All documentation establishing your eligibility for Lawful Permanent Resident status." What the frick is this? I mean all such documentation is explicitly requested in other parts of the instructions or in the I-485 packet itself, so what are they referring to here? No clue. But it causes me some pause, with the concern being whether or not there's something here that I don't know about that could possibly be omitted from my preparation. Anyone know?

7) Repeat ... the instructions refer to bringing an I-94 (Arrival/Departure Document), but I submitted a printout from the I-94 website with the original I-485 packet, so I am concluding that I have met this requirement? (there is no "unless already submitted" text for this line item in the instructions).

8) Another blanket statement in the instructions:

"Original and copy of each supporting document that you submitted with your application. Otherwise, we may keep your originals for our records." Wha-? I submitted the original signature pages with our I-485 packet. I understand the term "originals" WRT certain things like ID, etc. but don't fully grasp what they're trying to get at here.

Thanks!

Edited January 4, 2016 by av8or1

[Hypnos 6,576]

1) Yes.

2) If the box for this isn't checked, you likely don't have to bring it provided the DS-3025 was deemed as sufficient.

3) If she has no US-issued ID then her valid foreign passport will suffice.

4) Correct.

5) see 4).

6) It basically means bring anything which might swing the decision in your favour that you have not already submitted. It also means bring certified copies of official documents (birth certificate, marriage certificate, etc.) if you submitted photocopies to USCIS so that they can compare them, if you want to.

7) See 4) 5).

8) See 6).

[av8or1 246]

Hypnos-

Ok thank you. Sorry for the delay in responding. Work has been crazy during these first few weeks after the new year. I've also been busy preparing everything for the interview, in addition to being a dad. And a husband. And all of the other stuff I have going on.

Anyway, we went ahead and did the I-693 medical exam with a local "civil surgeon" just in case. That doctor told us that the medical that was conducted in Moscow would have been insufficient for the pending AOS interview and furthermore that it was a good thing that we came to see her. Mind you, I have no way of knowing whether or not what she was telling us was accurate or if she was just saying that. But I'm glad that we have the sealed envelope for the peace-of-mind if nothing else. The check-box on the DS-3025 did indeed state that the physical and vaccination record were sufficient, FWIW. However the doctor stated that my wife needed a couple of additional vaccinations (it wasn't flu season when the medical was conducted in Moscow, so she didn't receive that one) and that she needed the blood test to prove that she doesn't have TB, despite the fact that she had an x-ray done in Moscow to show the same thing. "Isn't the x-ray enough?" I asked. "No", she replied, "you need the skin test or the blood test too." Ok whatever, we went the blood-test route. Ended up spending the entire day getting the medical and blood work done. That's how it goes sometimes I suppose. $465 plus the blood work in total. Good times.

As far as the items that were listed in the instructions on the interview notice that we received, none of those check-boxes were actually checked. Therefore in a way, I was kinda concluding that they had most everything they needed via my original I-485 submission, save some of the originals. That said, I've prepared copies of everything and have several additional documents such as our utility statement, automotive insurance statement, bank statement (all of which have both of our names on them), SS cards for all three of us, and the story of our entire relationship from the beginning to the present day summed up in 12 pictures. That should suffice I'd think, we'll see.

Finally, I found a Russian interpreter in San Antonio, which wasn't easy but it worked out. Seems like a good guy so all should be well in that regard. My wife can speak and read English, but isn't fluent and the instructions state that if she isn't fluent that we should have an interpreter, so we have an interpreter. I could do it of course, but I'm not certain that would be allowed. So I went with the paid-interpreter thing.

Interview is tomorrow. I'll post a report to help others.

Thanks again.

[Dashinka 23,199]

One thing we brought with us was copies of the complete I129 and I485 applications that we kept with us. Our interview was in early March 2015, so by that time I had completed our 2015 taxes and brought copies of that as well. We also brought along updated bank statements and insurance forms as well as our photo books. I think it will be a good idea to bring an interpreter as it may help your wife relax, but I would check, I think you can do that yourself. Katya speaks very good English, but sometimes she gets confused by American English and I was allowed to clarify the questions.

Good Luck!

P.S. We also had to do another physical since my wife's 3025 was not complete and the nearby civil surgeon would not just order the vaccinations and fill out a new 3025.

Edited January 28, 2016 by Bill & Katya

[av8or1 246]

Hi Bill,

Thank you for letting me know what you did to prepare for your interview too. Where was your interview conducted? I also have copies of the I-129F and the I-485 that I filed, along with copies of the I-134 to boot. They have lots of other stuff, additional support documents, such as the CRBA that I filed for our son at the Embassy in Moscow, the pictures I submitted along with the CRBA, health insurance card copies; everything is the most recent of everything. I have copies of copies. And of course certified and notarized translations of any of the documents that are in Russian, such as Elena's birth certificate, her marital statement, her criminal background record, etc.

Yeah I wasn't sure if I would need an interpreter or if I could do it myself, but I didn't want to take the risk. And of course I couldn't get a straight answer when I called the USCIS support telephone number, just like they couldn't tell me whether or not I needed to get a new medical done for Elena as well. For that reason I decided to go to the extreme in both cases and cover all of the bases.

Thank you for the well wishes tomorrow!

[av8or1 246]

Bill,

I forgot to mention that the other reason I went ahead with the paid interpreter thing was because one of the reviews I read on VJ stated that the petitioner was not allowed to go into the room with his wife. If that ended up being the case tomorrow, we might have a little difficulty. Elena can speak and read English, but she is not fluent. And for those two reasons I decided to find an interpreter. FYI

Edited January 28, 2016 by av8or1

[Umka36 781]

My wife wasn't fluent in English as well, she had taken ESL classes prior to the AOS interview. It helped tremendously. The spouse really does need to speak/understand basic English.

Unless you get a stoke interview, both spouse are interviewed at the same time. We happen to start with a stoke interview (it's not common), then we were interviewed together at the end. They are just making sure your relationship is legit, so if you know each other well it shouldn't be a problem.

[av8or1 246]

What's a stoke interview?

As for knowing each other, hopefully that's obvious, since we have a son together. Lol

Edited January 29, 2016 by av8or1

[av8or1 246]

Interview passed, GC approved. Thanks the help.

[Mag&Chef 17]

Interview passed, GC approved. Thanks the help.

Congratulation.

were the interpreter necessary, cause Im not fluent in english and in case I must attend an interview, we thing that my husband will translate if I misunderstand any question.

[Dashinka 23,199]

Congrats! Sorry, I couldn't get back to you prior to the interview, but all appears fine!

Good Luck on your future journey!

[av8or1 246]

Congratulation.

were the interpreter necessary, cause Im not fluent in english and in case I must attend an interview, we thing that my husband will translate if I misunderstand any question.

Thanks. Regarding the interpreter, it wasn't clear whether or not he was necessary. However, I do believe it was a good thing to have him there. There were certain words there were a part of their list of questions I quite frankly I did not know the Russian equivalent of; words like genocide for example. The officer did make fleeting reference to being able to get an interpreter on the phone in Washington, however I don't know if that was real and accurate or what. In the end it was worth the money I paid and I would do that again. Good luck!

Congrats! Sorry, I couldn't get back to you prior to the interview, but all appears fine!

Good Luck on your future journey!

Thank you, good luck to y'all as well

[amberammo9915 19]

Please share your interview experience , questions of the officer? and Congratulations!!!

[Mag&Chef 17]

Thank you , so much, and good luck for all those still waiting ....

Edited January 30, 2016 by Mag&Chef