AOS interview experience

[am1996 0]

My wife and I had an AOS interview this morning, so in case people are looking for interview experiences, I thought I'd share our story. The interview took place in the new USCIS building in Atlanta, which certainly beats the old dilapidated one.

Initially, the interviewer was quite cold and unapproachable, making comments that he could not understand the reason that my wife did not receive an I-94 upon her last B2 entry into the US from Canada. Even after we explained that the vast majority of Canadians entering the US on B1/B2 do not receive I-94's, he accepted the explanation but didn't seem enitirely happy with it. However, once he came across my profession, his entire attitude suddenly and inexplicably changed. He stopped asking AOS related questions, said that he's been thinking about going to law school and then spent quite some time talking to me about law schools, the ways to get large firm jobs, etc... I found his sudden mood change somewhat bizarre but we obviously much preferred that to having to answer all the asinine AOS related questions.

Finally, without asking a single other AOS question and without asking my wife about her B2 entry and subsequent AOS application, he told us that he was approving my wife's application and that she'll obviously need to lift conditions in 2 years. The whole thing probably took about 35 minutes, with only 5-10 minutes of that filled with AOS related questions.

[Muuuuah 0]

Congratulations

[Jasman0717 8]

Congratulations

[raymaga 25]

Congrats on the successful interview.

[billsgirl 0]

congrats and all the best to the both of you

[Niels Bohr 72]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

[together2love 0]

Congrats! Good thing he brightened up a little. By the way, how did you check to see if the name checks were complete (I noticed this in your signature timeline)? Was it just to see if your fingerprints were cleared after your biometrics?

[am1996 0]

Congrats! Good thing he brightened up a little. By the way, how did you check to see if the name checks were complete (I noticed this in your signature timeline)? Was it just to see if your fingerprints were cleared after your biometrics?

Thank you very much.

As for the namecheck, there was an issue with our application which required USCIS to look in our file. In the process, we asked them to confirm to us whether the name check had been completed, which they confirmed. Unfortunately, as far as I know, there is no routine way to check on the name check status.

[LaL 418]

he could not understand the reason that my wife did not receive an I-94 upon her last B2 entry into the US from Canada. Even after we explained that the vast majority of Canadians entering the US on B1/B2 do not receive I-94's

I really can't understand that either - of the two dozen + entries my husband made on a B1/B2 from Canada he always had a I-94... one would think after that many entries he would fall into the category of "vast majority".

[am1996 0]

he could not understand the reason that my wife did not receive an I-94 upon her last B2 entry into the US from Canada. Even after we explained that the vast majority of Canadians entering the US on B1/B2 do not receive I-94's

I really can't understand that either - of the two dozen + entries my husband made on a B1/B2 from Canada he always had a I-94... one would think after that many entries he would fall into the category of "vast majority".

He's always received I-94's upon B1/B2 entries from Canada? Is he a Canadian citizen? Not only has my wife never received an I-94 (she received it last time when we used AP, which is the way it is supposed to be done), most of the time the CBP barely even glanced at her passport. None of her Canadian friends and relatives have ever received an I-94 either.

Perhaps, if you are curious, it might make sense for you to post this question in the Canada forum on VJ -- I don't think you'll find many Canadians who've entered on B1/B2 with I-94's. I've actually asked the CBP about the I-94's for Canadians before and have been told that although the CBP certainly reserves the right to issue I-94's for Canadians, it's pretty unusual for them to do so.

[LaL 418]

he could not understand the reason that my wife did not receive an I-94 upon her last B2 entry into the US from Canada. Even after we explained that the vast majority of Canadians entering the US on B1/B2 do not receive I-94's

I really can't understand that either - of the two dozen + entries my husband made on a B1/B2 from Canada he always had a I-94... one would think after that many entries he would fall into the category of "vast majority".

He's always received I-94's upon B1/B2 entries from Canada? Is he a Canadian citizen? Not

only has my wife never received an I-94 (she received it last time when we used AP, which is the way it is supposed to be done), most of the time the CBP barely even glanced at her passport. None of her Canadian friends and relatives have ever received an I-94 either.

Perhaps, if you are curious, it might make sense for you to post this question in the Canada forum on VJ -- I don't think you'll find many Canadians who've entered on B1/B2 with I-94's. I've actually asked the CBP about the I-94's for Canadians before and have been told that although the CBP certainly reserves the right to issue I-94's for Canadians, it's pretty unusual for them to do so.

no, he wasn't at the time a Canadian citizen (is now) therefore needed a B1/B2 to enter, therefore received an I-94. I had a feeling you were talking about a CND citizen just crossing the border for a visit, and wanted to make the distinction between using an actual B1/B2 vs. it being *understood* as a CND citizen visitor. pretty important difference.

[am1996 0]

I really can't understand that either - of the two dozen + entries my husband made on a B1/B2 from Canada he always had a I-94... one would think after that many entries he would fall into the category of "vast majority".

FYI:

http://www.indiana.edu/~intlserv/Content/A...Definitions.php ("Canadian:

A foreign national of Canada. Immigration rules apply just like any other country, but with several possible documentation differences. Does not need a visa stamp, or a passport if entering from the Western Hemisphere, but must have the usual other documentation. Will not receive an I-94 if entering in B-1 or B-2 status. The TN visa is available to Canadians.") Note: the passport rules were changed in January, so all Canadians are now required to carry a passport to enter the US.

http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=780967 (see the last paragraph of the answer)

http://www.cscamm.umd.edu/visitors/visa.htm ("The Customs officers do not give out I-94's so depending on where a Canadian crosses into the U.S. he or she may not have an I-94.")

http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/nafta-alena/temp05-2-en.asp ("Normally, Business Visitors can stay in the U.S. for the time required to conduct business, but not longer than six months. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) admits NAFTA Business Visitors under the B-1 CLASSIFICATION. Remember, the length of your stay is at the discretion of USCIS officials. Business Visitors entering the U.S. can request that an I-94 (RECORD OF ENTRY DOCUMENT) be inserted in their passport if they are involved in activities that require frequent cross-border movement or extended stays. If you are a frequent Business Visitor, but the purpose of entry is different for each visit, you will not be issued an I-94 document.")

If your husband was in fact a Canadian citizen entering the US on B1/B2, I'd be very curious to find out why the CBP insisted on giving him the I-94 upon each entry. I think that all Canadians in this forums would agree that such a requirement is quite unusual.

[am1996 0]

no, he wasn't at the time a Canadian citizen (is now) therefore needed a B1/B2 to enter, therefore received an I-94. I had a feeling you were talking about a CND citizen just crossing the border for a visit, and wanted to make the distinction between using an actual B1/B2 vs. it being *understood* as a CND citizen visitor. pretty important difference.

I posts crossed, so I created the last post before I got a chance to read yours. Your husband wasn't a Canadian citizen, which is the reason that he always received the I-94's. That explains the mystery.

I am not sure that I understand the distinction that you are trying to draw between B1/B2 entries that are evidenced by I-94's and the ones that are not. As far as Canadian citizens are concerned, there is no difference between the two and there is no such thing as someone being "understood" as a Canadian citizen visitor. For Canadian citizens, the same exact rules apply regardless of whether their entry is evidenced by an I-94.

Edited March 20, 2007 by am1996

[Jackson1975 0]

Congratulations to you both!

[am1996 0]

Thank you very much!