A few questions during my AOS interview last year that are still bugging me

[MelOe 185]

Hi guys,

 

I have been pondering a few questions I got during my AOS interview last year and would like to know if you guys have any suggestions what they were aiming at. I didn't want to post in the AOS thread out of fear of worrying someone who is about to head to their interview and is looking for advice there. I'm sure these questions were very specific to my case and not something other people would get, so I didn't want to cause anyone to freak out. In any case, I got approved so I should just forget about it but I somehow can't.

 

We had a fairly normal AOS interview judging by what others have posted on VJ, but when it came to my previous work experience and the organizations I am a member of I felt like the officer was fishing for something specific and it got confusing. I have worked in my profession (veterinary medicine) in three different EU countries (Germany, France, Spain) over the past 10+ years, which is easy to do since my degree is recognized throughout the EU, and EU citizens have the right to live and work wherever within the EU without needing a visa or work permit. I'm also member of several professional organizations in my field. During the interview the officer asked me if I had worked in Belgium, which was random but I guessed maybe he had connections there or had visited or something. I told him I had not worked in Belgium and we moved on. But a bit later he circled back, this time asking me if I had never worked in Brussles, to which I again said I had not but was getting a bit worried now. The next question came when he looked over the organizations I had listed and he asked me if I had worked for one of them. I confusedly told him I was member of a committee in a different organization, but I never held an actual job in any of these organizations. There were a few more questions I can't recall now, and then the officer moved on. After the interview when I mulled it over it struck me that the organization he had specifically asked me about is a Europe-wide professional organization and probably involved in some lobbying work to represent our profession, and that several EU governing bodies have their seat in Brussles. So my best guess is that he was trying to figure out if I had done any lobbying work? I guess what I just can't get over is this: If I indeed had had a job lobbying the European Parliament at the behest of a veterinary association, why would that have been of concern in my AOS interview in the US? Could they have rejected me for having had a past job in lobbying? Or maybe someone has a different idea what these questions may have been aimed at?

 

Another thing that just kind of rubbed me the wrong way happened at the end of the interview. He told me the evidence we had brought with us was sufficient for the conditional greencard, but for ROC we would need to show a lot more. I half jokingly replied that we had not planned on buying another house and were hoping the cars we had purchased would last us a few years at least, so what in the world kind of "a lot more" evidence could possibly be expected? To my shock the reply was something to the effect of not to worry, if I was pregnant by the time the ROC interview came around we shouldn't have any problems. I don't even remember how I responded to that one, but I truly find it shocking that an immigration official suggested I have a baby to bolster my immigration case. Is this something that has happened to others here?

 

Sorry for the long winded post. Just some things I have been quietly mulling over for a while, and I would love to get some input!

[TBoneTX 43,435]

11 minutes ago, MelOe said:

If I indeed had had a job lobbying the European Parliament at the behest of a veterinary association, why would that have been of concern in my AOS interview in the US?

It wouldn't.  For all you know, the officer was simply interested in the topic, and perhaps secondarily using it as one vehicle for determining the consistency in your overall story.

13 minutes ago, MelOe said:

what in the world kind of "a lot more" evidence could possibly be expected?

Ignore the pregnancy crack, which was highly inappropriate.  It's too late now to send a written complaint to the guy's supervisor.  As you say, you were approved, so look ahead and not back.

 

In terms of other evidence, collect absolutely everything that comes to you in both your names -- letters, holiday cards, bank statements (one per quarter will do) -- and throw them into a box.  By the time of ROC, you'll have more than enough evidence to support your case.  In addition, draft Wills, medical & general Powers of Attorney, and ancillary estate documents.  These are outstanding for ROC evidence and even more crucial to have in "life."

[MelOe 185]

Thank you TBone! Indeed, collecting every official looking piece of paper just in case has always been my MO, and I'm certainly not stopping now. I'm not worried that we will fail the next step for lack of evidence, and I don't really suppose that failing us for lack of pregnancy would hold up in court But yours is good advice I will definitely be following.

 

As for him just verifying my story and randomly hitting on these things that can be construed into something: I've been trying to convince myself of that ever since, but it just doesn't feel right. The questions felt very pointed and he kept coming back to that line of questioning. But of course it doesn't really matter. Whatever it was, I obviously passed muster so I guess my answers were satisfactory. We'll see what happens at the ROC interview...

 

Thank you for taking the time to respond!

[TBoneTX 43,435]

You're welcome, Dear.  A good piece of advice that we all have trouble remembering is, "Why worry about something that didn't happen?"

[JeanneAdil 6,261]

All i can gather is that Brussels in headquarters for the European Union

and  

 According to Corporate Europe Observatory, a watchdog campaigning for greater transparency, there are at least 30,000 lobbyists in Brussels, ...

[Crazy Cat 39,693]

16 hours ago, MelOe said:

nother thing that just kind of rubbed me the wrong way happened at the end of the interview. He told me the evidence we had brought with us was sufficient for the conditional greencard, but for ROC we would need to show a lot more.

He was correct.....You need to show documents verifying the relationship from marriage until the ROC interview.....that means a lot of finance sharing, tax information, etc. 

[Carpe Vinum 2,314]

17 hours ago, MelOe said:

Hi guys,

 

I have been pondering a few questions I got during my AOS interview last year and would like to know if you guys have any suggestions what they were aiming at. I didn't want to post in the AOS thread out of fear of worrying someone who is about to head to their interview and is looking for advice there. I'm sure these questions were very specific to my case and not something other people would get, so I didn't want to cause anyone to freak out. In any case, I got approved so I should just forget about it but I somehow can't.

 

We had a fairly normal AOS interview judging by what others have posted on VJ, but when it came to my previous work experience and the organizations I am a member of I felt like the officer was fishing for something specific and it got confusing. I have worked in my profession (veterinary medicine) in three different EU countries (Germany, France, Spain) over the past 10+ years, which is easy to do since my degree is recognized throughout the EU, and EU citizens have the right to live and work wherever within the EU without needing a visa or work permit. I'm also member of several professional organizations in my field. During the interview the officer asked me if I had worked in Belgium, which was random but I guessed maybe he had connections there or had visited or something. I told him I had not worked in Belgium and we moved on. But a bit later he circled back, this time asking me if I had never worked in Brussles, to which I again said I had not but was getting a bit worried now. The next question came when he looked over the organizations I had listed and he asked me if I had worked for one of them. I confusedly told him I was member of a committee in a different organization, but I never held an actual job in any of these organizations. There were a few more questions I can't recall now, and then the officer moved on. After the interview when I mulled it over it struck me that the organization he had specifically asked me about is a Europe-wide professional organization and probably involved in some lobbying work to represent our profession, and that several EU governing bodies have their seat in Brussles. So my best guess is that he was trying to figure out if I had done any lobbying work? I guess what I just can't get over is this: If I indeed had had a job lobbying the European Parliament at the behest of a veterinary association, why would that have been of concern in my AOS interview in the US? Could they have rejected me for having had a past job in lobbying? Or maybe someone has a different idea what these questions may have been aimed at?

 

Another thing that just kind of rubbed me the wrong way happened at the end of the interview. He told me the evidence we had brought with us was sufficient for the conditional greencard, but for ROC we would need to show a lot more. I half jokingly replied that we had not planned on buying another house and were hoping the cars we had purchased would last us a few years at least, so what in the world kind of "a lot more" evidence could possibly be expected? To my shock the reply was something to the effect of not to worry, if I was pregnant by the time the ROC interview came around we shouldn't have any problems. I don't even remember how I responded to that one, but I truly find it shocking that an immigration official suggested I have a baby to bolster my immigration case. Is this something that has happened to others here?

 

Sorry for the long winded post. Just some things I have been quietly mulling over for a while, and I would love to get some input!

Welcome to Georgia...