Having lawyer at AOS interview, yes or no?

[caliliving 606]

I wouldn't have a lawyer unless you have problems speaking English well and all that.  did your lawyer go thru a trial run for you? do that, and make sure you dress nice, act polite, answer the questions seriously... go over it a few times.  not much a lawyer does there but take notes! 

 

I would go over all your questions tho with your lawyer... whether you have a lawyer or not, they can still draw it out and deny you for some unknown reason... I am guessing your case will be looked at more heavily due to the deportation order.  see what other people in your situation did and if that was brought up ect. 

 

 

[sparkles_ 456]

Im mostly wondering if we should because my husband had to terminate deportation proceedings before filing. I guess worried they will super question this aspect. 

[sparkles_ 456]

4 minutes ago, caliliving said:

I wouldn't have a lawyer unless you have problems speaking English well and all that.  did your lawyer go thru a trial run for you? do that, and make sure you dress nice, act polite, answer the questions seriously... go over it a few times.  not much a lawyer does there but take notes! 

 

I would go over all your questions tho with your lawyer... whether you have a lawyer or not, they can still draw it out and deny you for some unknown reason... I am guessing your case will be looked at more heavily due to the deportation order.  see what other people in your situation did and if that was brought up ect. 

 

 

Yes we had a prep run, we have lists of stokes questions just in case, and we asked all our questions we could think of involving the interview at the prep meeting. 

 

On another forum, immigrate2us, I've read a few who had deportation terminated before aos and it always seemed to go decently well....but I haven't seen a recent one. All were from 2012-14. 

[Frank1420 6]

If your marriage is legitimate you should be fine. Take your time when answering the ?'s. Also answer only what is asked do not divulge anything you do not need to. I did not go into great detail of my arrests because IO did not ask much other than what year they occurred. I know first hand how nerve wracking this is for you, but just take a deep breath and honestly as cliche as it may sound be yourself. Just study up on small details. IO's are all different just be polite. I wouldn't suggest you being over friendly just because they may use it to prolong your interview and overall remember they do this for a living. Some of them are very good at getting you to say something that they can use against you.

 

thats all I have, and it is just MY opinion.

 

 

goodluck!

[sparkles_ 456]

1 minute ago, Frank1420 said:

If your marriage is legitimate you should be fine. Take your time when answering the ?'s. Also answer only what is asked do not divulge anything you do not need to. I did not go into great detail of my arrests because IO did not ask much other than what year they occurred. I know first hand how nerve wracking this is for you, but just take a deep breath and honestly as cliche as it may sound be yourself. Just study up on small details. IO's are all different just be polite. I wouldn't suggest you being over friendly just because they may use it to prolong your interview and overall remember they do this for a living. Some of them are very good at getting you to say something that they can use against you.

 

thats all I have, and it is just MY opinion.

 

 

goodluck!

Thanks  I'm going to not volunteer anything, our lawyer said the same, just give a basic straight answer unless asked for details. I'm still weighing to have the lawyer go or not, I'm planing to decide after the weekend. This has just been a 2.5yr journey to get to this point, my worst nightmare is that it gets hemmed up somehow at the finish line so to speak. Husband keeps saying the same thing, if we are legit we have nothing to worry about. 

[caliliving 606]

Do u have any red flags? Age difference ..religion... the jon is to adjudicate ur mariage and see if its real or not...the fact u went thru 2 years of hell doesnt mean much as they could think he did that just to get a gc... 

 

How much is the lawyer? If 100-200 maybe it will make u feel better. If more i wouldnt 

[sparkles_ 456]

14 minutes ago, caliliving said:

Do u have any red flags? Age difference ..religion... the jon is to adjudicate ur mariage and see if its real or not...the fact u went thru 2 years of hell doesnt mean much as they could think he did that just to get a gc... 

 

How much is the lawyer? If 100-200 maybe it will make u feel better. If more i wouldnt 

I'm 3.5yr older than my husband.....but I'm only 30, for what it is worth. I sponsored my ex husband about 10yr ago, ex enlisted in the army, marriage fell apart after 7yr because we both grew up and grew apart. I've been told that because it was so long ago, it should be all but a non issue. Ex gained citizenship from military service, not from marriage, however we stayed married for a few years after he naturalized. 

 

I have two kids from that marriage who are under 9, husband is raising them with me as I have sole custody. He is literally their dad figure. I have affidavits from little one's teacher saying he is a positive father figure in his life since X date. We are both Muslim (I have been since I was a teen), we both share the French language, have ample evidence of spending a lot of time with my family, 2yr worth of proof like lease/bank/phone as well as his family sending the children gifts. We are trying to have more children but there are issues on his end, we have medical record proof that we are trying if that helps. We also have an approved i130 already, it was required to end removal stuff. Our lawyer did also say we 'match' well together, like look good and not weird as a couple, whatever that means, but apparently it helps?

 

Lawyer is $500 for stand in things like interviews and court visits. It is not a financial issue for us to ask her to go. 

Edited March 14, 2017 by sparkles_

[Sukie 1,440]

Normally I would say "Don't bother with an attorney".  But reading what you have written, Sparkles, and hearing the anxiety in your "voice", I would say bring the lawyer.

 

It's obvious the two of you have worked hard to keep everything together - even through scary times.  That really counts in your favor.

 

But being anxious sets up vibes that IOs can feel and see - so if having that attorney in the room cools down the anxiety, then I think it is worth every penny.

 

We are in the ROC process now.  If my spouse and I are called for an I-751 interview, I will not have an attorney present.  But our case (other than being a mature-aged same-sex couple) is very cut and dry - and we live in the capital region of New York.

 

I like Charlotte as a city - but North Carolina is not the most open-minded State in the Union.  Take your attorney and rest easy!

 

Good luck!  Let us know how it goes!

 

Sukie in NY

[sparkles_ 456]

5 minutes ago, Sukie said:

Normally I would say "Don't bother with an attorney".  But reading what you have written, Sparkles, and hearing the anxiety in your "voice", I would say bring the lawyer.

 

It's obvious the two of you have worked hard to keep everything together - even through scary times.  That really counts in your favor.

 

But being anxious sets up vibes that IOs can feel and see - so if having that attorney in the room cools down the anxiety, then I think it is worth every penny.

 

We are in the ROC process now.  If my spouse and I are called for an I-751 interview, I will not have an attorney present.  But our case (other than being a mature-aged same-sex couple) is very cut and dry - and we live in the capital region of New York.

 

I like Charlotte as a city - but North Carolina is not the most open-minded State in the Union.  Take your attorney and rest easy!

 

Good luck!  Let us know how it goes!

 

Sukie in NY

@Sukie I appreciate your kind words. While I am nervous now, and the nerves will keep mounting til that day, I'm also a weirdo in that I will probably be A-OK in the office that morning....and then fall apart in the car afterwards. According to our lawyer, Charlotte has some fairly decent IOs moreso than the Raleigh NC office, and she has yet to steer us wrong or misguide us in anything advice wise.

 

Best of luck to you two in your ROC process <3

[caliliving 606]

2 hours ago, sparkles_ said:

I'm 3.5yr older than my husband.....but I'm only 30, for what it is worth. I sponsored my ex husband about 10yr ago, ex enlisted in the army, marriage fell apart after 7yr because we both grew up and grew apart. I've been told that because it was so long ago, it should be all but a non issue. Ex gained citizenship from military service, not from marriage, however we stayed married for a few years after he naturalized. 

 

I have two kids from that marriage who are under 9, husband is raising them with me as I have sole custody. He is literally their dad figure. I have affidavits from little one's teacher saying he is a positive father figure in his life since X date. We are both Muslim (I have been since I was a teen), we both share the French language, have ample evidence of spending a lot of time with my family, 2yr worth of proof like lease/bank/phone as well as his family sending the children gifts. We are trying to have more children but there are issues on his end, we have medical record proof that we are trying if that helps. We also have an approved i130 already, it was required to end removal stuff. Our lawyer did also say we 'match' well together, like look good and not weird as a couple, whatever that means, but apparently it helps?

 

Lawyer is $500 for stand in things like interviews and court visits. It is not a financial issue for us to ask her to go. 

U seem to have gone thru this enough to be prepared...i wouldnt spend more momey on a lawyer..and honestly lawyers cant do much!

Haha and couples that match def matter...so that is good for u..and u r same religion, language culture...they t there to only judge ur marriage not the deportation thing, and u were married before that and im sure u havr had enough discussions with ur lawyer on what to say if its brought up 

 

People have problems all the time but regardless if ur lawyer is there or not it shouldnt make a difference.

[caliliving 606]

Oh. I have found the IOs really like pictures with other people, family friends ect especially around the holidays so make sure u have that and u know each others family well and jobs siblings ect.... 

[sparkles_ 456]

31 minutes ago, caliliving said:

Oh. I have found the IOs really like pictures with other people, family friends ect especially around the holidays so make sure u have that and u know each others family well and jobs siblings ect.... 

@caliliving your words and opinion are much appreciated, as are everyone else who replied to this thread. We know each other's family very well, including extended family, work schedules, we are Muslim and dont really do birthdays for adults but still do xmas and thanksgiving with my family, pics included and little son's graduation as well. We dont really have mutual friends in the area that we share or take photos with, as most of my buddies are other at home moms and we do mom/kid things together minus menfolk.

 

Is it to forward to ask the IO at the end if we will be approved or not? 

 

 

[caliliving 606]

4 minutes ago, sparkles_ said:

@caliliving your words and opinion are much appreciated, as are everyone else who replied to this thread. We know each other's family very well, including extended family, work schedules, we are Muslim and dont really do birthdays for adults but still do xmas and thanksgiving with my family, pics included and little son's graduation as well. We dont really have mutual friends in the area that we share or take photos with, as most of my buddies are other at home moms and we do mom/kid things together minus menfolk.

 

Is it to forward to ask the IO at the end if we will be approved or not? 

 

 

I met a lawyer a long time ago and he said when he goes w clients it will either be  5min interview or an hour one but u know in the first minute lol.

 

Make small talk if u can...the IO will say "i will review rhis and send it off" 

 

You can say "thank you, so are we approved?" 

 

But at the end the IO will say what the next step will be! 

 

That is good for photos..like i said the IO just doesnt want to see u and the hubby in every pic! Once we showed thr IO our pics it was good..we put 6 on a page and i wrote christmas 2015 on the sheet ect so it was organized.... snowboarding trip, thanksgiving weekend 2014 lol just so she didnt have to flip thru them all 

 

[sparkles_ 456]

1 hour ago, caliliving said:

I met a lawyer a long time ago and he said when he goes w clients it will either be  5min interview or an hour one but u know in the first minute lol.

 

Make small talk if u can...the IO will say "i will review rhis and send it off" 

 

You can say "thank you, so are we approved?" 

 

But at the end the IO will say what the next step will be! 

 

That is good for photos..like i said the IO just doesnt want to see u and the hubby in every pic! Once we showed thr IO our pics it was good..we put 6 on a page and i wrote christmas 2015 on the sheet ect so it was organized.... snowboarding trip, thanksgiving weekend 2014 lol just so she didnt have to flip thru them all 

 

You mean you printed the pics 6 on a page, or an album with 6 in each plastic page? That is my weekend project, print whatever photos we need in whatever format is easier for this. 

[destiny-hope 20]

all u need is to be calm and prepared for worst questions that IO may ask u both and separately just have confidence and everything will go smooth, from my experience the IO was smart straight forward tried to shake us up from begining to see if we really serious about out clams for serious relationship after we passed that was simple questions .saying the truth is always key .answer any question with no extra talking its like job interview .they will already studied ur case and have all questions to ask.for u saying truth of everything is how u will pass.