newinamerica

Actually, in response to Akdiver:

I love being in the USMC and next month when I get my citizenship, I submit my package to become a commissioned officer since I already have a Degree. There is no better job than working for the Federal government. So in response to you, I don't see my military service as detrimental at all, I see it as a privilege being able to serve the country that I live in and serve alongside individuals who made the same decision as me. I see myself doing my 20 years here and retiring from the USMC.

You should apply on the very first day of your eligibility. I joined the USMC once i got my GC. In July, after 10 months of being a resident, I am becoming a citizen. Yeah.

Hi guys,

Since the start of my immigration journey in mid 2005 I have gained very valueable knowledge and ideas from the VJ community which in turn helped me understand more about the US immigration system and relief my

worries since everybody on VJ went through a similar situation, although most people were probably spared a second AOS interview in their cases. I am very thankful for everybody who contributes to making this a great site where people can help each other by reaching out.

Now to my AOS interview story:

We had our first AOS Interview in June but the officer did not make a decision at the time and ended the interview with "I will further review your case". We dont know for sure what had caused that outcome during our first interview; it could have been since we did not have my step-children's birth certificates or it could have been since our lawyer was arrogant/rude to the immigration adjudicator. We still dont know why, but we received a second AOS Interview letter three months later.

The second letter was a plain letter on white paper and just stated for us to show up with ID's and passports at the specified time but did not request any documents for us to bring with us.

Day of the interview:

We went to the new Immigration building on 101 W.Congress Parkway (they had just moved offices in chicago). The building is brandnew and very hightech with all kinds of security.

We went upstairs to the second floor as the letter requested and checked in with the clerk and told her that we were also waiting for our attorney.

Our attorney showed up with another one, so we had two lawyers from that firm we hired in case we get separated and questioned at the same time by different officers.

The uscis officer came out and greeted us. She led us to a room in the back of the second floor and just wanted to see the birth certificates we did not have with us the first time. Then she said that she would like to interview us separately and escorted my out of the room. My wife remained in the room with our lawyers.

It was a very nervrecking situation because i could not believe that they would think that we are not a real couple and it was very annoying me. However, I knew by now that this was the way immigration worked in our case and accepted this as the way. My wife was very upset with the whole process and if it was not for our lawyer she was ready to flip out at the immigration official. She gets mad sometimes and hates this whole procedure of the government (she is the us citizen ).

So i was waiting now outside in the main hall and waited and waited. At first when she escorted me out i was nervous. However, that changed after 30 minutes passed. My wife was still in that room and i had the worst fears that she was being harrassed by the official. I felt sorry for her. After one hour passed by, i wanted to go in there and say THATS IT. enough is enough. I was getting mad with the official cause i felt sorry for my wife and i did not want her to be harrased by them ( at least thats what i thought was going on ).

I was starring outside a window when suddenly my wife came out, escorted by the official. It was my turn now i understood. Once in the room, the official startet asking me basic questions about birth, relatives and so on. Then she started asking me questions relating to my wifes background, prior addresses and her relatives. Then she started asking me questions about my step children and ther schooling, what school they go to and who their teachers were, what time the bus picks them up and what time they come back. The last questions she asked were about my professional career (I'm a lawyer) and what my plans for the future were.

After half an hour of questions (it took so long because she was typing my answers into the computer), she said that she will approve us and explained that she initially had doubts about our marriage but that she is now satisfied. I thanked her, got up and excused myself since i had to go urgently to the bathroom. I let the attorneys deal with the rest as i was still pissed off with the whole immigration process and went to the bathroom.

After i came back, the lawyer said that the officer had asked me less questions than my wife and the reason for that was that our answers were all matching and she was early in the questioning satisfied that we are a real couple.

Thats our story.

Hey guys:

Just a quick update in our case. Its 12.00 am and we are both super dead. We had our second AOS interview today in Chicago. We were separated and questioned for three hours. No discrepancies at all. We got APPROVED.

I will post a detailed interview experience tomorrow after both of us get a good nights sleep.,

Thanks to everybody who believed in us.

newinamerica

Update:

We got a letter on Saturday saying that our 2nd AOS Interview is on September 8th. Wish us luck. Hopefully all works well.

Yeah it sounds like they want to question us, but we are not scared and have nothing to hide. We will prepare as well and we are not sure about taking that same attorney again with us. We requested another attorney from the same law firm that we signed up with but they are quite reluctant to assign another one. We dont know what to do since we have already paid them a lot of money and if we take the case to another firm they will most likely charge as again. so we will see if we can find a solution to this.

Thanks for all your replies btw and I will keep you posted on what happened.

We got a phone call yesterday, after me contacting senators office, that they would like us to come in next week for a second interview. i guess they have issues, whatever.

For all of you who have not read our interview experience, our attorney was pretty arrogant to the officer at our 1st interview and the officer got mad we think.

Our second AOS interview is next week and we have to bring all the same docs that we had the first time.

I will keep you updated and wish us luck !

Hey guys,

I just came back from an InfoPass appointment at the District Office in Chicago.

Background:

We filed for my Adjustment of Status in May 2005, had my fingerprints taken July 2005 and we had our AOS

interview June 6th 2006 where the officer said that she will further review our case. We were not separated or anything and our interview went quite smooth for the most part. The only "issue" that the officer had was that we did not have the birth certificates of our children with us ( i am the step-father ).

We then never received any update in regards to the case.

So we went to the InfoPass today to see if there was any update and also to ask about my expiring EAD ( Sep. 1st). The officer said that as long as I apply before the expiration of my EAD for a renewal, I can continue working while the renewal is being processed as they will look at it that I applied for it in good faith believing that our AOS would have been decided by then.

Has anybody heard that before ?

Ok we were told the following:

1. I took my fingerprint biometrics last year july and that they are good for 15 months provided they approve the case within the next three months so that is good news.

2. My FBI name check has returned clear so that is good news.

3. My case is currently for review with the Adjudications supervisor ( was transferred to her on July 14th ).

Considering our interviewer was hired only two weeks before our interview for the AOS I consider that as neutral news. It may take a month they said.

The day after the Infopass appointment we went to our Senator and sought help in addressing this delay with USCIS. The Senators office has now filed an inquiry with USCIS so we hope this will keep them on the case focused.

I hoped to get better news, but at least the FBI name check is done....

newinamerica

Hey:

since you already got married to her, entering on B1/B2 and adjusting is possible but not recommended as the

law prohibits using a Visitor Visa with the intention of adjusting status once in the us.

Although nobody can prevent you from doing it, and you will be eligible for Work Authorization and Advance Parole, this plan might become an issue for the officer who will adjudicate your AOS at the interview.

The best way is to file for a K3 at your local embassy. Also it is likely that by coming back on a K3, you will not have to go for an interview later on when you file for Adjustment of Status.

We have an Infopass Appointment tomorrow morning at 9.30 in Chicago to check the status of my case.

We had our interview June 6 and have not heard anything since (2months).

Wish us luck !

We are also in the same situation (Interview June 6th). I phoned the officer today ( got the number from another lawyer ) and asked her about our case since my EAD is going to expire and I dont want to waste $ 190 on another EAD I told her.

She could not even remember us ( is that good or bad ) so she asked my for my A number and she said that will pull the file and make a decision as soon as she can. She took my cell number too.

Thats it. Waiting again and again.

Hey,

you can also avoid an RFE or respond to it, by finding a joint sponsor who earns enough to support you

and submitting Form 864. This way USCIS will not need the Tax Return of your spouse.

Nobody has an idea as to when is right ?

We had our interview 30 days ago and the officer told us that she will review our case.

My EAD will expire in September and I was hoping not to waste $ 200 on a renewal.

Since our interview was 30 days ago, I was wondering if it is a good time to ask our Senator

or Congressman to inquire into the status of our case.

Anybody know whether 30 days is too soon for that ?

How long have you waited before asking your congressman or senator ?

newinamerica

Just to let you guys know what to expect:

We went in there together with our attorney. First she swore us in and then she asked for

id documents and my EAD.

We gave her our drivers licences, my passport and my EAD. She looked at them and compared the

address on all documents.

Then she asked me when I came to the US. I said in September 2004. She asked if this was my first time and I said no since I was here before as a student.

The she asked if i work, where and what i do. I told her. She asked if i had another job before. I answered.

She then went through a series of questions, like if im a terrorist and so on. I said no to all.

She asked to see our taxes. We showed her our amended tax return. She asked why it was amended and my wife told her that i didnt originally have to file since i did not make enough money last year so she just filed married but separately. We then amended it and thats what we had there together.

She asked to see bona fides of the marriage and we gave her car insurance, health insurance, life insurance, a letter from the bank confirming that we had a joint checking and some pictures of the wedding and a gettogether from a year later.

She then started asking my wife about her kids. We have two kids from her earlier relationship. She asked if she was never married before and when she split up with the father of the kids. She asked if he gets to see

the kids and when. She asked for his name and address. She then asked to see W2's of both of us and compared the addresses on the W2's.

She asked to see the birth certificates of the kids but we did not have them.

Our attorney interrupted her and said that she had to go to another interview soon.

So the officer said, that she will further review the case and that she will not be making a decision right now.

She asked more questions my wife (USC) then actually me during the whole interview.

What do you guys think ?

We really dont know what the deal is. Anybody an idea ?

Our AOS interview is on April 19th and I just saw that my passport expired in december.

I am the beneficiary of the AOS and I spoke to the consulate and they said that it will take

them four months to process a new passport request.

What do i do ? Do i just take my old passport to the Interview and tell them that I applied

for a new one but it will take four months ?

newinamerica

Hey everybody,

we filed last july 05 and just received our interview AOS notice for April 19th in Chicago.

Anybody been there ? Can you give me tips at what to bring and what questions they will ask.

Also anybody interview experience there ?

Thanks

newinamerica

No, you do not have to cancel work related applications unless your immigration claim is based

on an earlier marriage.