Myopia

I think you have a nice amount! Dont forget tax returns and dont do what I did and bring the online tax return filing(If you filed online)

. She really didnt like that at all. Fortunately I had the bank statement from our joint checking that showed IRS refund deposits.

All the best!

No you wont need to do that. I am an overstay and, even though my journey is not over, I was asked why I came to the US and whether I had left but nothing else pertaining to my overstay (13 years).

So I finally for the RFE today and opened it with great trepidation and it was better than I thought.

It states, : Please submit documentation of legal termination of all prior marriages of the beneficiary, MY NAME. If no record exists, please submit documentation from the appropriate civil authority in the United Kingdom and Illinois that no record of marriage exists from the date she was of legal age to marry.

I have till December 2nd 2011.

I knew that the IO could not ask me to get proof of my islamic marriages and divorces because they arent valid in any law, either in the UK or Illinois. I already have applied for the no marriage found records from the UK (takes 3 weeks to process) and Illinois (I have already faxed a notarized permission for my friend to get the no marriage found record from Illinois. I also took the preemptive move of getting the same from Florida (where I first lived) so there will be a solid timeline that will prove that I have never been legally married.

I have to mail this in but Im pretty sure Im going to hand it in myself at Federal Plaza. I have to say I am more than a little relieved.

I love my husband to pieces and he feels pretty bad as it is. Its all good.

Hi, I am new to this thread and waiting for an interview. I read your post and was wondering if you can share more details. Thanks

My interview probably was among the roughest for various reasons but my case is slightly more comple than others. Here is it My Interview

Don't take my experience as the norm. Even with the differences in my case (I am older than my husband) etc, my whole journey was quite uneventful but the experience that I had at interview was not like anyone elses. For example when I went to room 810 at Federal Plaza on the 8th Floor, the receptionist immediately engaged us in conversation about marriage and the uselessness of marriage. She was making a lot of comments about marriage being a waste of time and it was silly to spend a lot of money on a marriage that could fail. Wierd small talk for a unit that was for those adjusting status. Then the Officer was clearly in a bad mood or took her job soo seriously that she was not allowed to smile. She was hostile from the start and seemed really peeed off to have us in the office. Maybe she had a bad long weekend.

The best advice I can give you is to review your forms with your spouse. My husband and I didnt really sit down and go over the forms as much as I wanted also if you dont know something just say so. My husband was so nervous he just volunteered information that had no relevance to the situation at all. I love him but at that point I could have strangled him (lovingly)

I was married religiously in the UK, it does count.

I was married religiously in the UK, it does count.

It doesnt count if you dont have a license. I know the law when it comes to these things. No offence. When you got married you must have had gone to the registrars office. I didnt. I wasnt even in the same room as my ex when the nikkah was done. In fact I was by myself in a room daydreaming about the clouds when my marriage was done. A religious marriage in the UK only counts with a license and I am waiting for a letter from the UK department of ID and passport to confirm that there is no record of any marriages to me in the UK from 1989 to 2009. I know that this thread probably seems scary but its probably a good example of what NOT to say in the AOS interview because it just created a burden for us that really didnt need to be there.

Thanks though Boiler.

I agree with you but once my husband mentioned marriage there was nothing I could do. I dont know why he mentioned it, he was confused and nervous with a desire to be 100% honest about issues that had no bearing on the situation. I have a friend who was asked about her previous (non valid) religious marriage by her IO and she was asked whether she had been divorced islamically too. Her IO accepted her word at face value because she understood that the Islamic marriage was NOT VALID so Im not going to get bent out of shape for something that other IO's understand are cultural and symbolic in nature.

Im seeing an attorney today and spoke to one yesterday. Apparently this is a common RFE.

As you stated yourself, you knew that your interview would be difficult, not only because of your connection with Islam, but also because you are considerably older than your foreign husband. It's called a red flag, and it has nothing to do with communism.

Thus, I personally am not surprised that the I.O. tried to establish whether or not your marriage was genuine or entered in order to obtain immigration benefits.

If you ever watched Court TV or movies, you'll have noticed that often the defendant doesn't enter the stand. That's done because if you open that door voluntarily, it can be slammed right into your face. If your Islamic marriage was never a marriage in the U.K. nor in the U.S., why even bringing this up? Had you never brought your Islamic religion in the forefront of this immigration interview, the I.O. had no way of knowing any of this. No knowledge = no questions that could have brought you into the position you are in now.

Since you disclosed to the I.O. that you were married based on Islamic law, I can understand that the I.O. who may not know the first thing about Islam and may not care to know anything about it either will ask you to prove that you are not married to two men right now.

That's your task and hand. I concur with a previous poster to consult an Imam about helping you. If he won't be able to help you, it may be time for a lawyer to formally submit evidence strong enough that it will satisfy the I.O.

I concur. I definitively knew that the interview would be difficult not withstanding my being older than my husband. That doesnt mean that the marriage is not genuine, it does mean that there would be more of an examination than normal in my opinion. I think the fact that I was pregnant and miscarried fairly recently would be a sign that children was in the life plan but then again she did ask him if "it was his" So maybe not. I hate to think of myself as considerably older but I guess it is in the balance of things.

I was married in NY state in an islamic marriage (which is legal in NY law) for nearly 2 years before we actually filed. In those two years we started a business, started a baby, started school and started a life. Had we filed 2 months after meeting I can accept some issues but two years?

I didn't disclose that Islamic marriages because everyone and their mother knows that religious marriages are generally symbolic in most US states and the UK. My husband misunderstood a question and answered that I was married to my kids father. I understand that she wants me to prove that Im not married to two men and that's not a problem because I'm not. I am already on it. That means I have already called/emailed both mosques,(Both of which I have worshiped at and am known at), I have already enlisted the help of someone in the UK to follow up with the masjid on the documents needed and I intend to get certificates to state that there is no record of my being married to anyone in the US or UK.

The funny thing is how does proving I married and divorced Islamically (invalid and null in law) prove anything other than I engaged in a symbolic ceremony to allow me to be with someone under my belief system.

Anyways Im guessing Im the only one with this issue so I guess the sooner I get this stuff together..the better!

I relish challenges

Yeah - quick g search showed this article.

Seems if you never followed that Islamic marriage with the civil - it's not recognized in the UK - so the US can't recognize it.

However - on the travel.state.gov site - this brings up something:

(bolding my own)

Perhaps the state your in recognizes it, even though the UK didn't. (not sure of that states law) - so check that - if the AG of your state says their not valid - then they can't use that against you.

Pet peeve - it's not racist, "muslim" is not a race. The word your looking for is bigot(ed).

The interviewer can ask any questions to determine if the people are true or lying. Perhaps most of those questions were to throw the person off?

But from what was posted - it seems that the Islamic marriages were the main issue (hence the RFE's) - I don't know why it would come up now in the AOS - I would think that would of happened in the initial visa petition.

Yea the thing is that I was divorced in the UK to my kids father so that wouldnt stand and Illinois doesnt recognize religious or common law marriages so my marriages were not valid. The ONLY valid marriage that I had (Islamically and Legally) is the one here in NY.

I dont think it matters why or how at this point. She wants this info so I have to give her the info asap. I just want to make sure I dont create a hole for myself by giving her something that USCIS could use to deny my case. My situation doesnt allow for appeal so I have no choice at this point.

One or both of you (you and the ex) were associated with a mosque in the UK, right?

Contact the Imam / Muallah there, ask for assistance in getting a record of 'islamic divorce',

he can help you, once you explain the dates to him, perhaps pay a fee as well.

I have already put that in motion. She said she needs a letter stating that there is no record of our marriage or divorce. I suppose I can ask him to write a letter stating that I was married in the mosque in 1993 and was islamically divorced in 1997 but I really feel like I need to get something to prove that I wasn't married to anyone at all at that time. I was never legally married so to me it seems like a minefield...I get a document proving that I had an islamic marriage and divorce but it doesnt prove that it wasnt valid in the UK. Ya know?

this ###### sounds racist maybe she doesnt like muslim people i would have raised hell!!!!! Get a lawyer and see how you can maybe have someone else look at your case or interview you again who the #### asks about streets and schools from all these questions it sounded like she was doubting you already...pizza hut adress i dont even eat at pizza hut i wish they would ask me questions like that smh

from reading your timeline everything seems pretty straight forward so why would your case be difficult??

All I know is she spent a lot of time asking about things that felt odd. She asked me when is the last time we went to the mosque together..well let's say never. Now ask me why? My husband is full time in Aviation school and full time at work. There is hardly time to sleep PLUS we have an online business so where is the time to do anything PLUS we have three kids in three different schools. Its hard enough finding any time for anything. Then she asked if my husband went to the mosque. She asked how divorce was done in Islam, asked what religion my husband was (he was dressed in Islamic attire), Asked me how long he had been muslim and how he accepted Islam. I mean yea, there seemed to be a lot of questions about religion.

It did seem to me that she was asking off the bat about things that seemed weird. What streets are around our home? Whats our address? Asking the kids names over and over. Asking him what highways were around our home and if he drove and how did he get around with no car..I mean she was firing them off and Im serious..if we were fake married we would have failed. She was throwing them out like crazy. I never expected that.

I thought the fact that we were married in NY in an Islamic marriage first and filed taxes would be the issue but not really. She kinda snipped at me when she asked for the tax return and I gave her the printout from taxfreeusa "How do I know you really filed!!?" So i gave her the joint checking account showing the tax refund deposit.

As for the streets...well you would know the roads where you live. We think she was looking at google maps. Our file had LOADS of yellow post it notes on it. I was hoping she had the best long weekend but may be not! I mean Yea whats the address of Pizza Hut. Even I dont know the address and I have lived her longer than him. She asked how my husband met my landlord...how about in the house lobby! I mean we dont have a lease nor do we have rent receipts as my landlord wants cash and is horrible about receipts!

Wow looking at all this...I think we had a real grilling.

SMH indeed.

I'm confused as to why you even disclosed those old marriages in the first place? A marriage that isn't legal in the eyes of the law isn't a marriage at all in the eyes of the law. What you did is akin to listing all your boyfriends/girlfriends in the past on your green card application. I understand that in your heart of hearts those people were your husbands but that doesn't mean anything as long as there isn't a legal basis.

I didnt disclose them for the very reasons that you stated. Why on earth would I list marriages that aren't legal in the eyes of the law. I don't see them as my legal husbands, I know they aren't my legal husbands. I have a child that is considered born out of wedlock because he was not my legal husband. I cant even apply for citizenship for my son without his fathers agreement because he was not my (say it with me) legal husband so yea why the emphasis on marriages? No idea.

She asked my husband what did I do in Illinois and he said she was married. She knew from my children's birth certificates that my kids had the same father and she never asked about it until my husband said what he said.It is what is is..yknow.

I would get a lawyer.

It seems they are placing emphasis on your pass Islamic marriages - so you will need to provide what they want somehow.

Doesn't the UK recognize Islamic marriage? Were your past marriages in the UK?

I was thinking about that. The Uk doesnt recognize Islamic marriages. There is nothing in UK law that recognizes those marriages. I could have had 20 Islamic marriages in the UK (I didnt) and they would not be recognized. Its not going to be hard to prove what they want. The question that she seems to have is whether I am legally married to anyone else and ever was. ( I am not and never have been). See I knew mine would be more complicated than most others because the Islamic marriage in NY is legal and valid..so if the marriage in NY is legal and marriage...then why not in any other place. That seems to be what the RFE is about. Bear in mind if the NY marriage is legal and valid then technically they could give me a 10 year card based on that premise. I dont blame them for wanting proof.Im just concerned that there may be another angle.

Just got back from my Interview. I waited about 2.5 hrs, but the interview itself was approximately 15.

I got APPROVED on the spot, and got the temporary conditional residency stamped on my passport. Will receive the Card itself within 6 weeks.

Congratulations! Im glad that you were approved and this part of the journey is over for you. Not so fortunate for me

Had my interview today. What can I say! It was complicated! I am getting RFE's and then who knows!

Things that were off: I corrected my husband a couple of times and she did not like that one bit. He muddled up when we got married islamically and barely remembered when we got marriage in NY state. He offered the information about my religious marriages and then when she asked for details he gave her the wrong information. We dont talk about that. I messed up his date of birth(She asked me 2 times)

Hello all

Today we had our interview at 26 Federal Plaza. We got there around 8am and didn't get to see an Immigration Officer until about 8.30am.

I was very very nervous, half expecting ICE to come and throw me in handcuffs but that didn't happen.

The IO came out to see us and swore us in and started the interview. She just threw so many questions at us, Im assuming that my being older than my husband, having been here for as long as I have was the reason. She asked so many questions, I lost count.

Questions to my husband consisted of:What are the streets around your house, What is the closest train stations, Where is the train station, What restaurants are around your house, What schools are around your house, What is the name of the school, What is the address of the Pizza Hut around your house, What are her children s name (She asked him this twice), How did her son die? Where did her son die? How old was her son when he died? (Oh boy did my husband mess that one up) First he said my son was 14(he was 13 and died a day before his birthday) then he said he was 16 (he would have been 16 had he lived) then he said the oldest living son is 2 years younger than the son that died (correct). Asked him to tell her something about me? If he knew where I lived before I was in NY, Asked about my parents name, asked about previous marriage( Been married Islamically but never legally) When we gave her the proof from the hospital of my miscarriage she seemed to get alittle softer and asked him If it was his(!!!!). My date of birth and where we lived, Asked about the home business and why I wasnt listed as an owner( Cause its cheaper being a sole prop).Asked when we were Islamically married, When we were NY state marriage, Asked how divorces are done in Islam.

Those were SOME of the questions.

She asked me about his parents, where he worked, what school he was attending when he first met, what was he working at when we first married, asked about my previous Islamic marriages and more.

All in All we were grilled. She asked for more proof of a marital relationship, didnt take any pictures, took the green 194 and clipped it to my file and told us that she was going to send us a RFE for documentation related to my islamic marriages and divorces. WHAT??

Yea you read right. She wants me to give her a certificate from where I was islamically married to prove that I was islamically married and divorced. She said , How do I know you arent married in the UK? I was stunned. First off divorce in Islam isnt like divorce in the state, there is no certificate to state that you are now divorced because it is the man who divorces the woman verbally. There is no paper divorce so I asked her how was I supposed to prove a divorce that was not done by anyone but the man. I asked her if she wanted a letter from my ex to prove that he divorced me? She said no and started to get a little ornery. She wants a divorce document. Again I explained that there was no letter to prove that or formal form but she wants something so I guess I have to get something to state that I was married at the mosque and divorced at the mosque. Not a problem with the marriage and divorce that lasted 3 months here in the US..but the London one? First that was in 1993 and I lost that piece of paper years ago..THEN he divorced me verbally so there is NO record with the mosque. The only reason that the mosque got involved with the last marriage was because he wouldnt divorce me islamically! So again I asked her what was I supposed to get when the mosque wasnt involved. She sighed a lot and then said something that stated that there was NO record of Me being married or divorced. OK I can work with that!!!

Crazy right? There was a lot more and if I can be bothered to write it I will. I wasnt upset, I knew that my case was going to be difficult and I did think it would be related to my Islamic marriage, I just never thought she would want past marriages that were religious in nature especially when they were done in countries where they were not even legal!

So thats where I stand? No place!

Yeh we told him that we are going to have grand wedding in this December as per our tradition back in my country.

Makes perfect sense. From what I know of your traditions, its a three day blow out! I hope its really special! and Congrats

We are hindu and IO asked us that why you did wedding in christian way? Does anyone think that is it cause a issue?

What was your answer? I am muslim and I married my husband in an Islamic ceremony. Had we married in a hindu ceremony, the IO would know that in our religion the marriage wasnt valid. Maybe that caused some red flags for them. Then again if your answer is we want to do the big wedding with all our relatives then that would make sense!

Thanks I was actually hoping for garden city, because I heard they are tough in federal plaza. Also did u get ur ead card? I did my biometrics last week and still waiting for ead and interview letter

I was telling my husband how nervous i was and he told me to relax. He said look they know what they are looking for and theres no need to be nervous.My husband actually works for the Department of Homeland Security (ironically) so he knows what he is talking about! I dont think there is anything called tough when you are in a genuine relationship. I know everything to know about my husband now as for him (lol) he barely rememembers my age (and as Im older thats finnnnnnne with me )

Good Luck everyone!

haven't been here for a while

wow myopia

you still haven't gotten it yet? at least you got the date now, congrats

You know! I have a feeling that my background check may have been the hold up. Just a feeling. Anyways its coming up in less than 2 weeks.

My case is a little more complicated than most so I hope that everything will work out.

Insha Allah

Mosu where are they sending u? I'm in Richmond hill queens.

Im not far from you and my interview is at 26 Federal Plaza.

Finally got email notification of Interview for October 11th!

Dont feel bad. I havent heard one thing either. Not to mention my account log in on USCIS's website has now stopped working.

I am a self fulfilled prophecy lol. You speak it you make it!

I have been really busy with the kids as school is out but I do check in from time to time. I am soooo happy to know that it all went well for you. Big sign of relief, eh?

No interview in sight for me but it's all good. I'd rather have an interview in the fall anyways

Stay golden. Told ya!

Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction.

Pulitzer Prize Winning Journalist Is Illegal