Hi all 
Sorry that it took me a while to post my experience, but here it is!
Our interview was on Wednesday, January 3rd. We were both nervous before that interview, so we went early – our appointment was at 1pm, we got there 40 minutes before that. There were maybe 3 people in front of the building, talking to the security guard. We went in and followed the signs to the second floor.
There were maybe 3 other couples in the waiting room and one big family with children. So, not very crowded at all. One couple had a lawyer with them. We saw a few couples leave, and some of them looked REALLY upset. That made my hubby nervous – he kept saying “Wow, something must have definitely gone wrong!!”. I tried to stay calm, because I had a very good gut feeling, and I know that my gut feeling is always right.
They called my name at about 1:20pm, our officer was a nice young lady. A VERY nice lady indeed – she was so cool! We followed her to a small office, swore to tell the truth and sat down.
Our IO had our file on her desk, and she just started going through all the paperwork we’ve submitted. She asked if our address was still the same. She asked me about the names I used in my life, she asked hubby the same thing. She asked about my hubby’s employment and we gave her his employment letter and 4 pay stubs (copies). Then she started asking me some “no” questions from I-485, but not all of them – she asked me if I have ever applied for permanent residency before, if I committed any crimes and if I have ever been in removal proceedings. She didn’t ask about being a Nazi or a polygamist lol. She was going through all that paperwork big time – asked how many marriages we had before, how many children we have, etc… Then she asked me when I stopped being a student, and I could tell she was pleased to hear that it happened last month. She wanted to know who our joint sponsor was, and seemed to like the fact that he worked as a software engineer. She was really nice and not intimidating at all – we were joking and making small talk with her throughout that interview! We talked about how terrible the highway to Santa Cruz was, and how my hubby changed jobs twice this year, and about our parakeets… She asked to see the originals of some documents, and then it hit me that I had left my passport and I-94 in the car. Duh. What a screw up! But she was okay with it – she said that since my F-1 visa had expired she didn’t need to cross it out, and she had all the copies of my passport in the file.
She asked about the evidence of relationship, and I gave her the leases, bank statements, phone bills, insurance, some letters, credit card statements… She took it all, and then asked for pictures. We showed her our wedding pictures and then pics of everyday life. She asked who was at the wedding, and she had no problem when we said nobody. Only after that she asked us how we met, and hubby told her the whole story. I thought she liked what she heard. She asked about our relatives (we haven’t met each other’s families yet, but she was fine with it, cause we explained why).
After that she asked about my fingerprints, because she still didn’t have the results. Darn! She said that Chicago must have forgotten to send me a FP notice, so it came from their office. She was also shocked that my EAD was still pending, and told me to call the 1-800 number, because they couldn’t issue an interim EAD at the local office any more. “We used to do that, she said “But Chicago was having a problem with that” – and she rolled her eyes.
Anyways, she told me that as soon as they get my fingerprint check results, so long as there’s nothing criminal, I’ll get an approval notice in the mail. I was very happy at that moment – never mind the unfinished fingerprints! But hubby still didn’t get it. “So, are we all right?” – he asked. “Oh yes, I like everything”, - she said. So, she said thank you and good bye, and we left the office looking and feeling really happy.
The very next day, Jan. 4th, I received 2 emails – one said that the approval notice for I-130 has been mailed to us, and the other one - “Notice mailed welcoming the new permanent resident”!!!! Yippee!!! So, I figured, FP check must be done at that moment.
We had a REALLY nice officer. Really nice. We are an unconventional couple, and I had expected questions about our (pretty significant) age difference, about out quick marriage after my first (and only) entry as a student, and stuff like that. But it didn’t happen – she was very nice form the very beginning, and only concerned with what we wrote on our forms and what joint stuff we had.
Anyways, now I really see that if you have a legitimate relationship, you have nothing to worry about. I want to thank you all for your support and help. I’m planning to stay on the forum and contribute whatever I can. I also wish the best of luck to all of you, who are waiting for their interviews!
Sorry that it took me a while to post my experience, but here it is!
Our interview was on Wednesday, January 3rd. We were both nervous before that interview, so we went early – our appointment was at 1pm, we got there 40 minutes before that. There were maybe 3 people in front of the building, talking to the security guard. We went in and followed the signs to the second floor.
There were maybe 3 other couples in the waiting room and one big family with children. So, not very crowded at all. One couple had a lawyer with them. We saw a few couples leave, and some of them looked REALLY upset. That made my hubby nervous – he kept saying “Wow, something must have definitely gone wrong!!”. I tried to stay calm, because I had a very good gut feeling, and I know that my gut feeling is always right.
They called my name at about 1:20pm, our officer was a nice young lady. A VERY nice lady indeed – she was so cool! We followed her to a small office, swore to tell the truth and sat down.
Our IO had our file on her desk, and she just started going through all the paperwork we’ve submitted. She asked if our address was still the same. She asked me about the names I used in my life, she asked hubby the same thing. She asked about my hubby’s employment and we gave her his employment letter and 4 pay stubs (copies). Then she started asking me some “no” questions from I-485, but not all of them – she asked me if I have ever applied for permanent residency before, if I committed any crimes and if I have ever been in removal proceedings. She didn’t ask about being a Nazi or a polygamist lol. She was going through all that paperwork big time – asked how many marriages we had before, how many children we have, etc… Then she asked me when I stopped being a student, and I could tell she was pleased to hear that it happened last month. She wanted to know who our joint sponsor was, and seemed to like the fact that he worked as a software engineer. She was really nice and not intimidating at all – we were joking and making small talk with her throughout that interview! We talked about how terrible the highway to Santa Cruz was, and how my hubby changed jobs twice this year, and about our parakeets…
She asked to see the originals of some documents, and then it hit me that I had left my passport and I-94 in the car. Duh. What a screw up! But she was okay with it – she said that since my F-1 visa had expired she didn’t need to cross it out, and she had all the copies of my passport in the file. She asked about the evidence of relationship, and I gave her the leases, bank statements, phone bills, insurance, some letters, credit card statements… She took it all, and then asked for pictures. We showed her our wedding pictures and then pics of everyday life. She asked who was at the wedding, and she had no problem when we said nobody. Only after that she asked us how we met, and hubby told her the whole story. I thought she liked what she heard. She asked about our relatives (we haven’t met each other’s families yet, but she was fine with it, cause we explained why).
After that she asked about my fingerprints, because she still didn’t have the results. Darn! She said that Chicago must have forgotten to send me a FP notice, so it came from their office. She was also shocked that my EAD was still pending, and told me to call the 1-800 number, because they couldn’t issue an interim EAD at the local office any more. “We used to do that, she said “But Chicago was having a problem with that” – and she rolled her eyes.
Anyways, she told me that as soon as they get my fingerprint check results, so long as there’s nothing criminal, I’ll get an approval notice in the mail. I was very happy at that moment – never mind the unfinished fingerprints! But hubby still didn’t get it. “So, are we all right?” – he asked. “Oh yes, I like everything”, - she said. So, she said thank you and good bye, and we left the office looking and feeling really happy.
The very next day, Jan. 4th, I received 2 emails – one said that the approval notice for I-130 has been mailed to us, and the other one - “Notice mailed welcoming the new permanent resident”!!!! Yippee!!! So, I figured, FP check must be done at that moment.
We had a REALLY nice officer. Really nice. We are an unconventional couple, and I had expected questions about our (pretty significant) age difference, about out quick marriage after my first (and only) entry as a student, and stuff like that. But it didn’t happen – she was very nice form the very beginning, and only concerned with what we wrote on our forms and what joint stuff we had.
Anyways, now I really see that if you have a legitimate relationship, you have nothing to worry about. I want to thank you all for your support and help. I’m planning to stay on the forum and contribute whatever I can. I also wish the best of luck to all of you, who are waiting for their interviews!