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I posted this in the I485 experiences but wanted to share here as well for newer folks who aren't as familiar with the site...
I'd like to start by saying how much this forum helped me in this rather testing process so I'd like to give back and share my experience for those who were in the same position I was.
I am a dreamer. I was brought to the US as a J2 dependent when I was 2 years old. I did not know I was undocumented until high school, when I began applying for college. I first applied for DACA in 2014 (same year I got married) and was approved and renewed it last year.
After years of scrambling to get the money together for all of these applications, I was finally able to file for a marriage based I485 in October 2016. I received my interview notice end of May 2017 and just had my interview this past Monday, June 26.
The interview was a terrible experience. The interviewing officer clearly took her job very seriously and hardly cracked a smile. She was very unkind to my wife and wouldn't stop harping on the fact that we didn't own any big assets together like a house or a car. We live in SF - NO ONE can afford a house and we have no need for a car. She was incredibly snarky about my salary because I'm sure it's higher than hers and I knew that before going in to the interview. She basically just went over the information on the forms and asked how people reacted to the news of our marriage. She asked certain questions several times, looking for varying answers.
It was straightforward but the experience of having to validate your love for someone is one that I wish no one had to go through. We face that sort of injustice every day as a same sex couple and this was no different. She consistently spoke to us as if we were being scolded and like we were idiots. It was an hour long and we left the building feeling as though we had just run a marathon. But something in us told us to hang on and keep our heads up.
I checked the website and my email obsessively every 30 minutes and finally, around 4pm (6 hours after the interview), the website said that my card was in production. I got an email shortly after. I began to sob immediately and didn't stop for the next hour. Living in the shadows and in sheer terror under this new administration, years of confusion and living in a constant state of stress and anxiety about this process, a childhood that was filled with pressure to be a perfect student and a perfect kid...it all came out at once. Even the next day as I was walking to work, I thought about how my dad would make me go over my homework two or three times to make sure everything was perfect, or would make me stay after tennis practice until I was undefeated...anything that I did, my parents made sure that I tried to be the best and it's because they wanted to give me the best chance possible at having a good life here. I cried in the elevator of my office.
I know that folks are coming to this forum from all different backgrounds and with a different story. I want to talk directly to the dreamers lurking on here and say that I am in solidarity with all of you. All of your hard work will pay off and this place will finally do right by you. You MUST keep persevering. I hope that you find as much luck in your journey as I did and I hope that you triumph as well. You must be prepared, be thorough, and be confident - if you're not, **** it till you make it. Do not wait for the interviewing officer to ask for documents or photos, offer them. She said that the interview was over at least three times before we actually finished because we kept handing her documents and photos and she kept accepting them. Be your best advocate. We may be dreamers, but that doesn't mean we won't fight for our lives.
Best to all of you and take care.
I'd like to start by saying how much this forum helped me in this rather testing process so I'd like to give back and share my experience for those who were in the same position I was.
I am a dreamer. I was brought to the US as a J2 dependent when I was 2 years old. I did not know I was undocumented until high school, when I began applying for college. I first applied for DACA in 2014 (same year I got married) and was approved and renewed it last year.
After years of scrambling to get the money together for all of these applications, I was finally able to file for a marriage based I485 in October 2016. I received my interview notice end of May 2017 and just had my interview this past Monday, June 26.
The interview was a terrible experience. The interviewing officer clearly took her job very seriously and hardly cracked a smile. She was very unkind to my wife and wouldn't stop harping on the fact that we didn't own any big assets together like a house or a car. We live in SF - NO ONE can afford a house and we have no need for a car. She was incredibly snarky about my salary because I'm sure it's higher than hers and I knew that before going in to the interview. She basically just went over the information on the forms and asked how people reacted to the news of our marriage. She asked certain questions several times, looking for varying answers.
It was straightforward but the experience of having to validate your love for someone is one that I wish no one had to go through. We face that sort of injustice every day as a same sex couple and this was no different. She consistently spoke to us as if we were being scolded and like we were idiots. It was an hour long and we left the building feeling as though we had just run a marathon. But something in us told us to hang on and keep our heads up.
I checked the website and my email obsessively every 30 minutes and finally, around 4pm (6 hours after the interview), the website said that my card was in production. I got an email shortly after. I began to sob immediately and didn't stop for the next hour. Living in the shadows and in sheer terror under this new administration, years of confusion and living in a constant state of stress and anxiety about this process, a childhood that was filled with pressure to be a perfect student and a perfect kid...it all came out at once. Even the next day as I was walking to work, I thought about how my dad would make me go over my homework two or three times to make sure everything was perfect, or would make me stay after tennis practice until I was undefeated...anything that I did, my parents made sure that I tried to be the best and it's because they wanted to give me the best chance possible at having a good life here. I cried in the elevator of my office.
I know that folks are coming to this forum from all different backgrounds and with a different story. I want to talk directly to the dreamers lurking on here and say that I am in solidarity with all of you. All of your hard work will pay off and this place will finally do right by you. You MUST keep persevering. I hope that you find as much luck in your journey as I did and I hope that you triumph as well. You must be prepared, be thorough, and be confident - if you're not, **** it till you make it. Do not wait for the interviewing officer to ask for documents or photos, offer them. She said that the interview was over at least three times before we actually finished because we kept handing her documents and photos and she kept accepting them. Be your best advocate. We may be dreamers, but that doesn't mean we won't fight for our lives.
Best to all of you and take care.
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