Hi guys,
It was much easier than we expected
It was really quick and easy!!!
We got there by 7:45, it took us a while to find a parking spot, and then we had to go through security check. It took about 15 min. So by 8 we were in the room. It was a lot of people in there. We met our lawyer, and gave him the appointment letter.
We didn’t even have to wait until 8:20, the girl called our name in 5 minutes. Her earlier appointment didn’t show up.
We followed her and took the oath.
She told us right away that my FBI name check was pending...
The first thing I have to say about the interview itself... if you can- get the lawyer, it takes so much pressure of your shoulders on the interview. I guess the lawyer and the interviewer had met before, they started joking around right away. The officer was very young, I would say 25-27 years old. Her name was Lisa.
She checked our Ids (my passport, my non-driver ID, my husband license and my employment authorization card).
The only confusion we had was with my ID, I got it yesterday))) a day before the interview....She asked me why I just got it now? (I’ve been in the US since 2001). I told her that I had my passport and I didn’t need it and the lawyer added that I tried to get a driving license before, but I couldn’t (we also had an appointment letter from DMV for Feb 28)
Then she asked us the following questions:
- Do you still live at the same address? (she read the address from the form)
- Is it an apartment or a house?
- How did two of you meet? (my husband described our first meeting)
She didn’t ask any other questions about our marriage! Then she asked me about my background in the U.S.
- Did you come on J-1? ( I said yes and explained how I switched to F-1)
- What school did you go to? (CCSU)
- Did you graduate? (Spring 2006)
- Did you go full time while you were on F-1? (She asked me twice to make sure!!)
- What is your major? ( I said Finance, she smiled and said it must be hard, I told her that I really like it)
I had transcripts from school, but she didn’t ask and I didn’t show....
Then she took my I-94, and asked me if it was the last time I entered the US.
The rest....the lawyer did all the talking; he gave her all our paperwork with comments on what it was. She looked through all of it very carefully. She only asked us when we opened joint account together (6-8 months ago). The lawyer explained everything else. Plus, we didn’t have a lot. This is the list of what we gave the lawyer to prove our financial status and prove that we live together:
- -Letter from the bank stating that we have joint account together, Bank statement from last month;
- Credit card statement with our both names on it;
- Car Insurance with my name as non-driver;
- letters from my family in Belarus and our friends in Washington, DC with our both names (5-6 letters);
- Letter from my husband’s parents stating that we live with them.
- Male on my or my husbands name to the same address;
- Tax returns for 2004 (we didn’t file together, but she didn’t ask about it)
- Paperwork from my husband’s accountant showing his current income (he is self-employed);
- Letter from my employer, my pay stabs,
Our lawyer made copies of everything and she took all of them and added to our file.
We also had pictures from our wedding and pictures of us together, but she didn’t even look. She only asked if we had a big wedding and we said no, we didn’t.
Then she asked me all these questions like “Have you ever been arrested or been a member of terrorist organization”, I said NO to all of them. That was it!
She said that by the law she can’t approve our application before the name check is done, but she said that tomorrow is her day off and she will run a check for us with FBI!!!! The lawyer said that she should fine a better way to spend her day off
So, now we have to wait, Lisa said that there’s nothing else she would need from us .It will take few months for FBI name check. They will let us know in the mail.
That's it! We are happy that it's over even though it's going to take more time and I am planning a trip to Belarus to visit my family this summer. Hopefully I'll get it by then.
Reply With Quote