huge fight before interview_part2:Interview

[sesame chicken]

I think I got lucky yesterday, despite all the screw-ups.

First of all, we missed our interview appointement at 7am. We left home around 6am.But obviously, both google map and mapquest didn't give us the correct directions due to the road construction around Tampa(FL) field office. Then we got stuck in the traffic on our way back. By this time, we were all pissed and frustrated, thinking our case would be denied. Once I got home around 9am, I called the 1800 customer service number but it took forever to get a human to talk to me. Out of patience, I didn't follow the phone instructions but chose any option that could get me talk to a person. Then I was told I need to present a written letter to the field office, explaining what happened and making a request to reschedule the interview. So my husband typed up a letter in 10 minutes while I was making an info pass for 10:30am that day. This time whiel we were driving, we didn't follow mapquest directions, intead we just drove around and happened to find the detour signs,which led us to the office. I gave the letter to the officer and also explained what happened, suprisingly, the officer was really understanding,telling us not to worry about it. Then he asked us to wait in the lobby. Around 20 minutes later, he came back with even more suprising news, he had our interview rescheduled at 2:00PM same day. I was like, Wow..my..he was such a lovely officer.

The following part is about the inteview. Basically the interviewing officer doubted if our marriage was true. The reason was I make decent money, but my hubby doesn't (he started his own business last year, and there has been a lot of investment).The officer first asked us how we met, any joint documentations. We only had join car, health insurance and a house under both names. Lacking of joint bank account made the officer doubt us even more. Then he asked for photos, which we forgot to bring (I still don't believe that we forgot to bring them!), which made things even worse. So he
decided to seperate us and ask us questions individualy. I was the first.Below was the questions I can remember:
1) Q: who proposed for the marriage?
A: my hubby.

2) Q: Which month, year did he propose?
A: I don't remember. It wasn't a big deal for me. We some times propose to each other for fun, and one time it just happened that we were serious. Anyhow, I gave him my best estimate of time, which I still don't know if it's right.

3) Q: when did I move in with my husband permanently?
A: Damn! Again, I don't remember. All I know is I kept my apartment for while before I moved in. Again, I gave him my best estimate of time.

4) Q: Why did you get married in Colorado, instead of FL?
A: Because it's our wedding and my husband wanted his mom to administer the wedding.

5) Q: Did I offer him money to marry me for the purpose of getting green card?
A: (This one got me really angry.) NO. I can get my green card through my work. I don't need him. I married him because I love him . He is very smart and has a law degree, even though he doesn't make too much money right now, but I believe he has great potentials.

6) Q: Are you planning to have children? If not, are you on pills? does he use protection? how do you regulate birth planning?
(I don't want to go to details here, but it's kinda embrassing for me to tell the officer what we do for birth control)

7) Q: Do I have any tattos on my body? Does my husband have any tattos? if yes, what kind of tatto and where is it located?
A: I don't. my husband does. upper arm. (then the officer aske me which arm, I told him I don't know. I just don't remember, and i am getting really pissed off by this time).

8) Q: When and where we had a dinner outside last time?
(I gave my answer, which is actually wrong. But my hubby made the same mistake and our answers matched!)

9) Q: What did we have for dinner on last Saturday?
A: Fish. My husband caught it and I cooked it.

10)Q: When does the trash get to picked up?
A: (this is the easiest one!) Wed and Sat.

Then the officer let me wait ouside, and proceeded to ask my hubby questions. While I was waiting, I felt horrible thinking I failed it. My husband's round was way shorter than mine and when I walked in, I could feel things worked out. The officer said we were in good shape and even recommended us to file our tax return this year together, so we don't need to find a joint sponsor for my application. He said we needed to mail in the tax return within 90 days. Then I asked if we need to come back, he said no. We would never need to come back.

So that's my interview experience. Being honest is the key. My hubby could have lied about his income easily since he is self-employed, but he did not. I didn't lie either, even though I couldn't remember those dates. The officer didn't stamp my passport, but I am pretty sure I got approved, not sure what's going to happen next.

[Eleanor]

Hi Sesame Chicken:

Congratulations!

[austriacus]

Maybe the incident of missing your interview and working together to get back on track has helped you be a team again? (If he's scrambling to type up a letter for you in 10 minutes, the fight couldn't have been so bad!)

I can see now that you show all the signs of a bona fide marriage ... don't remember when you moved together, proposed many times and don't know which one was for real, think alike by giving the same wrong answers, and of course, using the shall we say natural birth control method which we know to be extremely effective!

Congratulations!

[PraetorianXI]

it sounds like the officer will wait for the 2007 joint tax filing document to be sent to him before the case is approved?

[csantos]

fille it online get your taxes done, and mail it, than go have a happy life with your man!!!


no more fights between you guys huh!

[sesame chicken]

I feel our case is pre-approved. The officer just needs the joint tax return to make the paperwork complete. He told us we were in good shape, and he only needs our joint tax return. He said we don't even need to come back to see him.


I was born as a fighter and a jump up...it's hard to be my man...I love him though

[PraetorianXI]

Originally Posted by sesame chicken

I feel our case is pre-approved. The officer just needs the joint tax return to make the paperwork complete. He told us we were in good shape, and he only needs our joint tax return. He said we don't even need to come back to see him.


I was born as a fighter and a jump up...it's hard to be my man...I love him though

I just finished filing my 2007 taxes online with my wife

I tried several online services:

HR Block
TaxAct
TurboTax

and Turbotax.com is BY FAR, the easiest to understand and use

HR Block is a complicated mess... (not that filing taxes is easy)
TaxAct is cheaper, but in exchange it prompts you to chose the paid version about 20,000 times... very annoying.
TurboTax is nice and friendly

[austriacus]

Originally Posted by PraetorianXI

I just finished filing my 2007 taxes online with my wife

I tried several online services:

HR Block
TaxAct
TurboTax

and Turbotax.com is BY FAR, the easiest to understand and use

HR Block is a complicated mess... (not that filing taxes is easy)
TaxAct is cheaper, but in exchange it prompts you to chose the paid version about 20,000 times... very annoying.
TurboTax is nice and friendly

I find that for many people, paper-filing would probably be the easiest. I've tried e-filing once (don't remember the service, but I'm sure it would have changed since then anyway) but it asked me to enter all the information on the W-2s and 1099s that I've been sent and the questions it asked confused me more than it helped, and it missed some forms that were required for my foreign interest income.

The guy that I share my office at work with e-files his every time (even though he has a very simple tax situation) and last time I challenged him to a race, he prepared his taxes with tax software while I did his taxes manually on paper. I was done and told him his refund by the time he got to the convoluted questions that seek to find out if he's a resident or nonresident alien for tax purposes.

Anyway, sending our taxes early has no advantage for my wife and I, because we adjust our withholding so we don't get a refund. We (or more precisely I) prefer to send them the check with the amount we owe at the last minute.

[PraetorianXI]

Originally Posted by austriacus

We (or more precisely I) prefer to send them the check with the amount we owe at the last minute.

Everybody does...

[Canuck_in_Cali]

Wow, you had a crazy day! It sounds like the IO was satisfied, so congratulations!

Keep us posted!

[csantos]

you have turbotax free online! it is Great!

[maggyban]

Congrats. Please keep us posted.