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| Washington DC |  Review on February 16, 2018: |
alicekitty
Rating:  | Review Topic: Adjustment of Status
We received a notice for our green card interview in early January (for an early February interview date). On our day of interview we arrived at the Fairfax office (near Dunn Loring metro station) 30 minutes before our scheduled interview. There was a line at the door for airport-style security, though it moved smoothly. They did not allow oranges, but did allow cell phones and laptops. Once inside (on the ground floor) we reported to the desk, and were directed to the second floor. The process took approximately 10 minutes.
Once on the second floor, we reported to the desk. They took the copy of our interview notice and asked us to take a seat. The waiting room looked relatively modern (better than Virginia DMV at Four Mile Run) with a flat screen TV with CNN on. There was a photo of President Trump on the wall. The atmosphere seemed generally pleasant. Many people (some were couples) were waiting there. Several couples had lawyers accompanying them.
From time to time, immigration officers would come out from their offices to call the names of the next interviewees. The officers would swipe their badge to unlock the door to the office area. We were pleasantly surprised when, approximately 10 minutes past our scheduled interview time, we were called. (We were prepared for a long wait.)
The officer was professional and nice. He smiled. He seemed relaxed and not stressed. First, we raised our right hands following the officer (who raised his right hand as well) and swore to tell the truth.
Most of his questions were directed at my husband (who is applying for adjustment of status to a green card) rather than me (citizen). He asked me how we met. He also established how many times my husband has been to the U.S. before the K-1 visa and how many times he has traveled outside the U.S. since he moved to the U.S. and received his travel document (advanced parole). The officer cross checked stamps in his passport, and wrote each trip down on a sheet of paper in our dossier. He made copies of our passports and government-issued IDs (U.S. driver's licenses).
He did not ask for evidence of cohabitation, photos, wedding photos, or anything, even though we came prepared (a dossier of all documents -- original and copies; an album of 175 photos; another album of Christmas photos; and full-color photos printed on A4 papers). We even got a new medical exam in a sealed envelope (and we had to pay the doctor again). We also prepared the I-864 affidavit of support with all the tax return transcripts and so on.
The officer offered to take whatever we wished to add to our file at the time, to potentially expedite the next step and avoid another interview. That is, when my husband renews his green card in 2 years.
We submitted a few affidavit letters from our priest and friends. We also submitted copies of our lease, utility bills, renter's insurance, health insurance, joint bank accounts, each showing both of our names.
The officer then went through a list of standard questions about whether my husband had been part of a communist party or terrorist group, etc., on his form, reading out loud every single word. The questions were long, and there were quite a few of these questions. The questions are the same as those on the initial application form, but the officer had to ask them in person and check off each one ("no," "no," "no" and so on).
Our interview lasted approximately 40 minutes. The officer said he would approve our application that afternoon or in the next few days. He gave us a standard form stating we completed the interview. He said after his office approved our application, it would be send to Nebraska. That center in Nebraska would mail us a letter of approval and subsequently the green card itself. One week after the interview, we found out from the USCIS app that our application was indeed approved. The next day, we found out on the same app that the green card had been mailed to us. We are now awaiting the green card in the mail.
Overall the interview went smoothly and we had a good impression of this field office.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #23274