Taking kids to GC interview

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Atlanta_Brother

Registered Users (C)
I was just wondering if it's ok to take your kids to the interview. I don't know if this question was asked before. I was going thru different threads but couldn't find anything regarding taking kids to the interview so I went ahead & started this new thread.

Well I have 2 little kids ages 3 & a half yr old daughter and a 19 months old son. I really don't know anybody who would baby sit our kids and plus we rather feel comfortable if they accompany us to the interview coz they have never stayed with anybody but us (my wife & me). Just wondering if anyone had similar situation & were able to take their kids along with them.

Please share your thoughts and experience on this issue.

Thank you.
 
Are they applying with you? Are they your kids with her? I'd take them. It shows you're a family.
 
MOM1211 said:
Are they applying with you? Are they your kids with her? I'd take them. It shows you're a family.
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No they are not applying with us and yes they are both our kids (my wife & mine). They were both born here so they are natural born citizens. Yes, you are right, it will show that we're a family. Ofcourse, will also make our case look more stronger but the question was, are they allowed to go to the interview with us?
 
Atlanta_Brother said:
No they are not applying with us and yes they are both our kids (my wife & mine). They were both born here so they are natural born citizens. Yes, you are right, it will show that we're a family. Ofcourse, will also make our case look more stronger but the question was, are they allowed to go to the interview with us?
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My wife and I took our daughter to our GC interview; at the time she was just over 3 years old. It was an EB case and we had been married for six years (it was actually our sixth anniversary - I was so focused on the interview I forgot this!) so the marriage wasn't in question.

Personally, I think it comes down to your children's personalities. If they are good sitting still for a while and it relaxes you, then take them along. If they are merely going to cause you more stress it's not worth it.
 
Our kids

TheRealCanadian said:
My wife and I took our daughter to our GC interview; at the time she was just over 3 years old. It was an EB case and we had been married for six years (it was actually our sixth anniversary - I was so focused on the interview I forgot this!) so the marriage wasn't in question.

Personally, I think it comes down to your children's personalities. If they are good sitting still for a while and it relaxes you, then take them along. If they are merely going to cause you more stress it's not worth it.
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TheRealCanadian,

Thanks for your note. Fortumately our kids are very well behaved so I think we will definitely take them & we'll be ok.
 
Actually, Atlanta, if I recall correctly, there is information in your interview letter that addresses whether to bring the children or not....

If your eligibility is based on a parent/child relationship and the child is a minor, the petitioning parent and the child must appear for the interview.
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*NOTE: Every adult (over 18 years of age) who comes to the interview must bring Government-issued photo identification, such as a driver's license or ID card, in order to enter the building and to verify his/her identity at the time of the interview. You do not need to bring your children unless otherwise instructed. Please be on time, but do not arrive more than 45 minutes early. We may record or videotape your interview.
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So, based on this, you don't need to bring them. But I agree with what others have said - if they're well-behaved, bring them. I've read a lot of interviews on here where people brought their children and the interview was pretty light and quick because this proves a bona fide marriage real quick. :)

Hope this helps!
 
Couple of my friends from Chicago & Alabama

Canuck_in_Cali said:
Actually, Atlanta, if I recall correctly, there is information in your interview letter that addresses whether to bring the children or not....

Yes Cancuck, you are absolutely right. The letter doesn't really encourage you to bring kids along with you to the interview but definitely put stress on their birth certificates. I was confused for a sec after reading the IL but when I made couple of phone calls to my 2 best friends who were in the same situation last year, I felt a little relaxed to tell u the truth. Their interview letters ofcourse read the same thing but they brought both their kids to the interview anyways and like you said, their interview went pretty well. The IO approved their applications in few mins. I am sure kids played an imp role in a positive way :)
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bringing two little kids that may have a fit during your interview is probably not a wise idea. It has been discussed here before.
 
LucyMO said:
bringing two little kids that may have a fit during your interview is probably not a wise idea. It has been discussed here before.
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Too bad, I don't have any arrangements where we can drop off our kids and someone can baby sit them. We will have to take them, don't have any other choice.
 
Thank you

TheRealCanadian said:
That was our situation as well. If you have to take the kids, you take them. You know them better than any of us, and therefore you know how to set them up for success in such a situation.
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I am glad there are people out here like you who have kids & who have gone thru these scenarios before & can relate to my situation. Again thank you.
 
and then there are people who don't like other people's kids... and if the officer is a stickler for the rules (since it says - don't bring your kids if they are not adjusting with you in the letter).
 
Sorry

LucyMO said:
and then there are people who don't like other people's kids... and if the officer is a stickler for the rules (since it says - don't bring your kids if they are not adjusting with you in the letter).
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then it's the officer's problem not mine. I gotta do what I gotta do. You never know, he may not like me & wife even if our kids are not around, what's the guarantee. I would like to go with my convenience and then worry about his likes or dislikes. Plus the letter doesn't state that kids are not welcome .....PERIOD. What the letter states is, its probably not preferred if I understood properly.

That's it........signing out.
 
imo, IO is not going to approve or deny your GC just becuase you took your children with you. You have a pretty good reason to do so.

Just take them and get that Interview over with.
 
When I took my wife to her adjustment of status interview, we brought our two kids with us. We left them outside in the waiting area during the interview (as the officer suggested) but during my wife's interview the first thing that he said was, "Your kids are the biggest evidence that you two are married". He took all the customery documents and approved her case without asking a single question about our conjugal life. At the end of the interview he even went out and invited our kids back in the room and asked if my daughter would like to have a candie. We were lucky to have such a nice IO conducting our interview.
MGM


Atlanta_Brother said:
then it's the officer's problem not mine. I gotta do what I gotta do. You never know, he may not like me & wife even if our kids are not around, what's the guarantee. I would like to go with my convenience and then worry about his likes or dislikes. Plus the letter doesn't state that kids are not welcome .....PERIOD. What the letter states is, its probably not preferred if I understood properly.

That's it........signing out.
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Thanks banano1842 and MGM

Thanks to both of you for your encouraging words. Our attorney wants to accompany us anyways. I really don't see a need why he should be around but if he likes to be there without any extra charge, sure....why not. If our kids makes too much noise, I'll let our attorney baby sit them while we take our interview......lol. just kidding.

Again thank you for the positive feed back.
 
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