Third AOS interview..help

Finally got GC....

My wife and I attended the interview on May 8th. We took 5 huge folders of documents including medical/dental/vision insurance cards, both car titles in both our names, Joint YMCA, AAA and Costco cards, joint car loan papers, joint bank and credit card accounts etc, apartment lease papers for the last four years and all joint documents in the last 4 years (including the year we lived together before marriage). I had everything organized thanks to ari4u


The funny part was that the immigration officer announced our names over the PA system and asked us for all the supporting documents that we had brought, through the window. She then asked us both wait outside while she went over all our documents for nearly an hour. Then we were called in and interviewed separately for an hour each.

Long story short, on Friday I received an email that our I-485 and I-130 cases were approved. Today I also received an email that a new card had been mailed out. I think the long wait was worth the trouble as I should be getting a 10 year green card.

Some questions that I thought would be of interest to others

1. Does your spouse invest in a 401K. If so, which company handles it?
2. Does your spouse invest in stocks, if so whats the name of the broker?
3. Where does your spouse get his/her hair done.
4. Does your spouse have a student loan. If so how much?
5. Does your spouse own/finance or lease his/her car? If finance/lease, how much are the monthly payments.
6. How much exactly was your federal and state returns this year and did you get a check or a direct deposit for the amount?


Thanks for all your support.
 
It's really hard questions and I don't think a lot of people can answer 100% correctly including me. But do u think from 'waiting more than 4 hours for the interview schedule', 'angry old man' and 'the extremely difficult questions', those incident seems that they on proposely made the interview difficult.
 
Seems to me like all the information asked was part of the application and is valid for asking at the interview.

In-law birthdays: G325A
Previous addresses: G325A
Current / previous employment: I864 and G325A
Income / tax data: I864
Stocks / 401K/ broker: 864 (if you use assets as qualification criteria)

I think the moral of this story is make sure you know all the info you put on those forms inside and out before the interview.
 
A big Congrats, Bennard!

Wow.. Those seem to be very tough questions, you seem to have prepared well that you got approved inspite of questions set to "trap" you :D

Name of the stock broker and hair salor questions are a bit too much :eek:
 
eddie_d said:
Seems to me like all the information asked was part of the application and is valid for asking at the interview.

In-law birthdays: G325A
Previous addresses: G325A
Current / previous employment: I864 and G325A
Income / tax data: I864
Stocks / 401K/ broker: 864 (if you use assets as qualification criteria)

I think the moral of this story is make sure you know all the info you put on those forms inside and out before the interview.
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Good On Ye Eddie-
Hopefully before a person files I-130/I-485 I-864 ect. they make copies of everything. That way you have copies of the exact forms you submitted, all you have to do is go over those forms and be able to verify the info on the original forms you sent in to USCIS.

We copied everything in triplet! We have copies of all original forms and documents submitted. We plan on looking over them together the days before our interview. And in case we get any RFE's we have copies of all documents to send back.

It all comes down to the Bottom line of being prepared for the Most Urgent Important part of AOS applicants' and their families life.
How much would you prepare if you knew that your spouses future was on the line? NEWS FLASH; IT IS! That Interview is the most important interview you will ever encounter, Take it seriously, and not for granted!

Those who really do not understand the seriousness of this interview really should question if they really deserve GC if they are not doing everything they can and really being prepared. The USCIS officers are doing thier job it is up to the AOS petitionor to prove his/her case. Your marriage is NOT legit until you PROVE it is!
 
Honestly, it sounds a little ridicolous. Just answer that you don't remember your in-laws birthdays.
I know some people that don't even remember their own parents' birthdays....
If you know it, it's great, if you don't just say you don't remember....

My wife doesn't remember my parents' birthdays, she just knows their zodiac signs.

And sitting there and studying in-laws place/date of birth is not a thing to do, IMO. College was over long time ago.
 
IM85U said:
Wrong attitude. You have a month before your interview. I suggest you take that time to memorize the documents mentioned above if you want to ensure successful outcome. It's not about what you think or your opions - it's all up to the immigration officer.
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I don't agree.
I don't agree with who puts too much emphasis on an interview. It is important of course. My wife and I know everything we wrote on the paperwork because it's the truth, not because we studied it very well. We have more than enough proof of a bona-fide marriage (including an overseas reception and at least some 10 trips we took together).
I do not honestly see why an officer should give us any kind of problem if my wife doesn't remember my mom's date of birth.
 
Guys,

You're looking at this the wrong way. It's not a test where if you get 80% you pass. Nobody expects anyone to remember every piece of detail of your husband/wife's life.

What they are looking for is a general feel.

Scenario A;
What is your mother' in -law's bday? Don't Know. Do you know her name? No? Hmmm Do you at least know where she lives? No? Hmmm this looks a little suspicious.

As opposed to:

Scenario B:
Do you know your mother in-law's b-day? No. Ok how about here name. Mary. And where does she live. New York. OK moving on to something else.

You see the difference? In both cases you don't know your mother-in-law's b-day. But in scenario B that doesn't matter. It's not about knowing 100% of your wife/husband's life history. It's about knowing what a normal married couple should now about themselves. I would guess that 95% of husbands at least know the name and city of residence of their mother-in-law and it is a very valid question at an interview.
 
eddie_d said:
Guys,

You're looking at this the wrong way. It's not a test where if you get 80% you pass. Nobody expects anyone to remember every piece of detail of your husband/wife's life.

What they are looking for is a general feel.

Scenario A;
What is your mother' in -law's bday? Don't Know. Do you know her name? No? Hmmm Do you at least know where she lives? No? Hmmm this looks a little suspicious.

As opposed to:

Scenario B:
Do you know your mother in-law's b-day? No. Ok how about here name. Mary. And where does she live. New York. OK moving on to something else.

You see the difference? In both cases you don't know your mother-in-law's b-day. But in scenario B that doesn't matter. It's not about knowing 100% of your wife/husband's life history. It's about knowing what a normal married couple should now about themselves. I would guess that 95% of husbands at least know the name and city of residence of their mother-in-law and it is a very valid question at an interview.
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I totally agree with you.
I see too much paranoia around this. Paranoia that should be just on fraudulent couples, not on real ones.
They can't deny your application because they don't like your dress code or because you have bad breath.
 
I think there is nothing wrong protesting the dumb questions or..dumb officers that conduct these interviews. Immigration officers are mostly uneducated, temperamental, and wierd..wierd...people. But of course they are ALMIGHTY when it comes to approving your case. So typical of this immigration system...ineffecient monkeys dealing with poeple's lifes.
Anyways...when i had my interview I tried really hard to take control of the meeting. I did not wait too long to volunteer all the info that really proved my case....for example...pictures of me and my wife, I placed them on the table as soon as I walked in. Love letters, sexy notes...etc...I placed them on the interviewer's face. I also memorized some funny stories about my wife and I...we told the officer about our first date...which is a really halariuos story...but of course the zoombie officer did not even smile a bit. But maybe it did convince her. I also talked about the future...for example when she asked about joint accounts...I said..this one is our saving for our house...we got these credit and we'll use it for our next trip to Europe...etc. Always extend you answers...try not to let them think too much of what to ask next. Act like if you are going on a double date...and are trying to show off yourselves as a couple.
Good luck to you all.
 
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to Machellon:
I think your response is the most biased I have ever heard. If you ever put yourself in immigration officers shoes, you would probably realize that anyone can put this happy family face on, with all the pictures and joint accounts and stuff. Officers can't get emotinally involved. They are there to do their job, and not to please you and make sure that you don't get upset that the officer didn't smile much. There is no crystal ball to know who are for real and who are not. After all you are an immigrant here, so let's not get all cocky.
 
machelon said:
I think there is nothing wrong protesting the dumb questions or..dumb officers that conduct these interviews. Immigration officers are mostly uneducated, temperamental, and wierd..wierd...people. But of course they are ALMIGHTY when it comes to approving your case. So typical of this immigration system...ineffecient monkeys dealing with poeple's lifes.
Anyways...when i had my interview I tried really hard to take control of the meeting. I did not wait too long to volunteer all the info that really proved my case....for example...pictures of me and my wife, I placed them on the table as soon as I walked in. Love letters, sexy notes...etc...I placed them on the interviewer's face. I also memorized some funny stories about my wife and I...we told the officer about our first date...which is a really halariuos story...but of course the zoombie officer did not even smile a bit. But maybe it did convince her. I also talked about the future...for example when she asked about joint accounts...I said..this one is our saving for our house...we got these credit and we'll use it for our next trip to Europe...etc. Always extend you answers...try not to let them think too much of what to ask next. Act like if you are going on a double date...and are trying to show off yourselves as a couple.
Good luck to you all.
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That is absolutely unfair. My dealing so far has been with very nice people who genuinely wanted to help me - 800 number notwithsanding. You may have got a bad apple and that sucks. But to categorize everyone who works at ths USCIS as uneducated, tempermental and weird is ridiculous.

And I'm nost sure what the problem was. You expected the officer to smile and she didn't so she was an uneducated weird zombie? Am I missing something here?
 
Machelon...again stop generalizing and insulting. First of all, have you personally know some of them? By the way...at least you can make a search about the background and experience that they must have to apply for that job and it's not as "mostly uneducated, temperamental, and wierd..wierd...people"...uhmm with your words, I can say that about you, but I won't. I don't know you, what I can say is that you before have knowledge of the issues and get a deep search you use to generalize and insult people. Which I can conclude you don't know what are you talking about :p

When you are mad or frustrated with the system the least you can take it's against the entire people who just most follow guidelines as it is or sometimes that is their decision.

Decisions and process making are for a general solution not individual solutions, so unfortunately some of us will get stuck. Have you ever found yourself in your own work (if you work) in a situation that you must follow certain guidelines that does not make an entire solution but is the best thing you can do in that moment with the tools that you have? And that does not mean that you are an inefficent, intolerant, uneducated person, but for the person that needs a solution probably your solution is not the best one and you will be a monkey for that person? the answer is no. You should be an uneducated person? No, I don't think so.

Before insulting people who is trying to do their job and like in every work/company/establishment there are efficient employees and inefficent ones, for those who are inefficent you won't insult everybody!. What a sad view of life, with your own example many people can think that must of the people who post here are simple minded.

Unfortunately you cannot contol when the entire system is so big and there are people who want to do it right and others who don't even know how to manage it. And talking about monkeys...you are not getting too far away from them just reading from your words.

Now, I am not saying that can be frustrated at a times, because it is...that you can make it better sure you can. But insulting and calling names to people that you don't know and many of them are very good, hardworking and very intelligent (with YES, master degrees and all that) it's way over the line.

By the way...because the officer did not smile to you...let's see, you are the number 129 in her list that day and there are many factors that she must be check in and you are thinking that she is a weird because did not smile to you...are you for serious? Don't even answer :rolleyes:
 
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I can't believe there is so many people defending ImOfficers...anyway...its my own opinion and I stand by it.
I think too much discretion is given to these airheads...and I protest it because many people's lives have been affected by their poor judgment.
I don't care if they get insulted...I care for the lives of people that they have ruined.
 
IM85U said:
There is some really bad advice in this thread. Like I said before, though - anyone who thinks the interview isn't a big deal and they shouldn't be asking those questions is free to handle it however they want to... and have plenty of time to think about it again on their one-way ticket back home.
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I agree with you on the first point. The IO has the right to ask you whatever he/she wants and we have to respond politely (but this is common sense, I respond politely to everyone, not just police officers or immigration officers).

My point is that preparation for the interview is important, but over-preparing is not productive. Again, nobody is going to send anybody back to his/her country just because they forgot in-laws birthdays, but rather because many elements lead the IO to think about a fraud.
 
Here is the reason why interviews are thorough: 1 word. F-R-A-U-D. It's a bitch that valid marriages are scrutinized the way they are, but don't blame the USCIS. Blame the lawyers and fraudsters out there who try to run around the system with sham marriages.



Marriage for green card becoming more difficult
Atty. Glenn Rose, Sep 13, 2006
Marrying a U.S. citizen will allow an immigrant to gain green card status as long as he or she has entered the country with a valid visa. Present CIS regulations allow adjustment of status to legal permanent resident even if the immigrant has become out of status by overstaying.

It is not uncommon for people to enter into marriages of convenience in order for an immigrant to gain a green card. Immigrants who enter into this type of arrangement are setting themselves up for potential disaster at a marriage interview.


The rules have not changed. But, it is becoming more difficult to pass the marriage interview because the burden of proof to establish that the marriage is valid is increasing. For those who have entered into a marriage of convenience in order to get a green card there are now tremendous perils once the interview begins.

Immigration officers are increasingly on the lookout for marriages that are fraudulent. Quite simply, it is becoming harder and harder to pass a marriage interview. People in valid marriages are challenged to prove that they are really living together. They must provide compelling evidence such as bank accounts, joint tax returns, health insurance and other evidence showing both their names. They must convince the interview immigration officer that they are living and sleeping together. The questions about their personal relationship are now getting very intrusive. One question they always ask is how the husband and wife met. They want particular details regarding dates and places. Interviews are now taking place within about four months after the applications are filed. This gives little time for married couples to get documentary evidence together.


Immigration officers are trained to ask questions and observe body language to figure out if the couple is really living together as husband and wife. Inconsistencies regarding addresses on driver’s licenses and places of residence are almost a sure giveaway that the couple is not living together. The inability to answer questions about living arrangements and personal relationships will cause a lot of trouble. Hesitation in answering questions will cause the officer to redouble efforts to “trip up” the interviewed couple. The questioning officers have seen every trick in the book and they are extremely proficient at determining if a marriage is fraudulent.

The final strategy by the immigration interviewer is to split up the couple and ask one numerous questions about their private living arrangements. Then the other spouse is brought in alone and asked the same questions. If they suspect the U.S. citizen spouse was paid or received some other type of compensation for the marriage, they will threaten him or her with a heavy fine and prosecution, which would lead to jail unless he or she confesses.

In convenience marriages, this is the point where disaster occurs because the U.S. spouse often breaks down and confesses. The immigrant spouse is then brought in and often arrested by immigration officers right on the spot and becomes subject to deportation.
 
in my expoerience the interview started with questions about our addresses. She asked about mine and then about my wife's (same address). She asked about past marriages and in what visa i came to this country. The only tricky question was...if my wife met my sibblings and knew their names. My wife got nervous and i had to help her remember that, but then when the officer looked like she had no more of these "fact" questions, I volunteered to show her our pictures of the wedding. Which were covered by papers on her desk already. I talked to her about the preparations, the people that came, how much it costed...etc. Then i showed our first e-mails when my wife and i started dating, pictures of halloween, pic of opur friends, spring break etc.
I'd say..stick to the basic stuff....you won't get in trouble if you volunteer stories of your realtionship...be personal with the officer. Like if she was the priest about to get you married. Talk about how you fell in love, what did your parents say when they found out about the marriage. I know some officers may want to get more facts than just stories about the realtionship, and I agree you need to know that and be prepared. But take control of what you CAN take control. Present yourselves as a normal, regular couple. Show pictures of everything you possibly have. Pictures tell a 1000 words at once.
Think you are the officer...if you see the couple's history through pictures, through e-mails, love letters, thru bank accounts, or car loans together...there won't be much doubt that the marriage is legit.
During the interview i also ocasionally held my wife's hand, and hugged her. Like I said..think that the interview is like a double date where you want to show off as a great couple.
Good luck.
 
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