AOS Interview Completed

[nsygn]

Hi everybody,

After all of the help I got from here, I thank everybody for their help and time they spent for me to answer my questions. Today I had my AOS interview in Newark, NJ office. I was expecting it to be easy and very quick but it was way harder than I thouht.

My PD: 08/11/2017
Field office: Newark, NJ
Same sex marriage
Interview time: 7.15am
Took so many photos, papers etc. Prepared a big box to put everything in it. It was almost 60 pounds and this was our first interview.

Officer was very serious person, he looks like he?s in his 30?s. Called my name, grabbed my heavy box, my husband got the briefcase and went in. We swore and sat. After 5 seconds, he printed out 6 pages, 3 for me and 3 for my husband and told us that one of us will be outside and answer the questions on the papers. I was totally shocked, never heard of it before. The reason he gave us about why he is doing that is because he was late. He wanted to do it quickly. I told my husband to go out and answer them which I thought later that it was a good idea. He went out, I started to answer the questions on the papers. I?m assuming there were 60 questions on my papers, just like a stokes interview questions. Nothing easy and nothing about how we met or where was the ceremony. It was all about ring colors, medications we take, place of the toilet, if there was a rug or mirror in the bathroom etc. I answered all the questions, same my husband and while I was answering them he asked for joint documents. I gave him all the copies I made. He got 401k loan and beneficiary papers, health insurance papers, savings account and a few checking account statements, purchases papers (wedding rings receipts, gift receipts, bed/bedding receipts etc). After getting the papers he needs, he asked for photos. Looked at the photos and I told him about the photos while he was checking them quickly. Normally I?d wait him to ask me about the photos but I felt like I should explain them. He picked 6 photos by himself and put them in an envelope. Then I went out with my lawyer and waited him outside to bring my husband from waiting room. He came back and then he started to check the answers one by one. Unfortunatelt we had a few different questions like where is the toilet in the bathroom. House is my in laws? house but it?s all about how you look at the room. I explained how I see where the toilet is. I said right, my husband said left which both was correct lol

Then he started to ask me questions on I-485 forms. My husband?s name, DOB, where he was born, his middle name, full name, where he works etc. He was asking so quick and straight. I felt like he was interrogating me. Then asked a few same kind of questions to my husband. After that he asked me yes/no questions and we were done. It took around 45min to 1 hour only the interview.

Result: He?s holding for review, after that he?s gonna recommend it for approval. At least after all this interrogating, we heard one good word from him. I remember my husband was telling me that he wasn?t feeling good about the interview. One thing I made me shocked was it was a stokes interview for the first time. I didn?t have any criminal background. I didn?t have any problems, besides I had so many paperwork which he looked at only the half of them.

Do you guys have any idea about why it was that hard? What the problem could be that the interview started with seperation?

[UScitizenFilingforspouse]

That sounds rough. Thank you for sharing your experience, though. Let me ask you this - did you send ALL evidence of bona fide marriage when you filed for AOS OR did you only send civil documents like marriage certificate, divorce decrees, etc?

If you send little to no evidence of bona fide marriage with your application, and did not state why you had little evidence, it's possible the ISO saw the file and suspected fraud. He might have said that he was separating you two because he was late. But that's probably a white lie, since ISOs do not have to give you a reason to separate you. They can separate you if they feel like it.

Questions like - where is the toilet located in the bathroom? Couples should practice those beforehand. "If you're standing at the door looking inside the bathroom, the toilet is on the right corner adjacent to the window, and in front of the bath tub" Or you add a drawing to your answer, because it really depends upon where you're standing.

To me, it sounds like the ISO had a preconceived notion, opinion or bias - if you will - about your case based on the evidence that you submitted with your AOS applications.

All the best,

USCFFS

[Plz]

That sounds rough. Thank you for sharing your experience, though. Let me ask you this - did you send ALL evidence of bona fide marriage when you filed for AOS OR did you only send civil documents like marriage certificate, divorce decrees, etc?

If you send little to no evidence of bona fide marriage with your application, and did not state why you had little evidence, it's possible the ISO saw the file and suspected fraud. He might have said that he was separating you two because he was late. But that's probably a white lie, since ISOs do not have to give you a reason to separate you. They can separate you if they feel like it.

Questions like - where is the toilet located in the bathroom? Couples should practice those beforehand. "If you're standing at the door looking inside the bathroom, the toilet is on the right corner adjacent to the window, and in front of the bath tub" Or you add a drawing to your answer, because it really depends upon where you're standing.

To me, it sounds like the ISO had a preconceived notion, opinion or bias - if you will - about your case based on the evidence that you submitted with your AOS applications.

All the best,

USCFFS

I think it also depends on several things because I have come across couples who never frontloaded but were never separated.
You are also correct that it could be that the officer had opinion or bias towards same sex couples. I hope he didn?t separate them based on this.
And another thing, what?s the couple?s age difference, previous marriages to the opposite sex if any. It sucks that we are still judging people bases on this but I wouldn?t be surprised especially in this political climate. I hope they get their approval.

[UScitizenFilingforspouse]

I think it also depends on several things because I have come across couples who never frontloaded but were never separated.
You are also correct that it could be that the officer had opinion or bias towards same sex couples. I hope he didn?t separate them based on this.
And another thing, what?s the couple?s age difference, previous marriages to the opposite sex if any. It sucks that we are still judging people bases on this but I wouldn?t be surprised especially in this political climate. I hope they get their approval.

I stopped calling it "front loading" a long time ago, because really, that's following the I-130 instructions on page 3/12. It's not optional. Yes, some people do just fine but every now and then, and more often now it seems, you get a cranky ISO who will follow the directions verbatim.

OP didn't provide much information. So all we have is that they likely submitted civil documents only with the AOS package. They don't have a lease and chose not to submit an affidavit of residence, which I have discussed on the forum several times as an option for some who are unable to show evidence of a lease.

Same-sex marriage is new to a lot of people at USCIS, and I am sure many ISOs don't know what to do with those cases. And that's when you ask why your case is being held for review, and if there's no answer to that, then you grab the bull by its b@lls and ask for a supervisor.

[nsygn]

That sounds rough. Thank you for sharing your experience, though. Let me ask you this - did you send ALL evidence of bona fide marriage when you filed for AOS OR did you only send civil documents like marriage certificate, divorce decrees, etc?

If you send little to no evidence of bona fide marriage with your application, and did not state why you had little evidence, it's possible the ISO saw the file and suspected fraud. He might have said that he was separating you two because he was late. But that's probably a white lie, since ISOs do not have to give you a reason to separate you. They can separate you if they feel like it.

Questions like - where is the toilet located in the bathroom? Couples should practice those beforehand. "If you're standing at the door looking inside the bathroom, the toilet is on the right corner adjacent to the window, and in front of the bath tub" Or you add a drawing to your answer, because it really depends upon where you're standing.

To me, it sounds like the ISO had a preconceived notion, opinion or bias - if you will - about your case based on the evidence that you submitted with your AOS applications.

All the best,

USCFFS

Thank you for your reply, you helped me a lot. We both did our best to get a good result. However, I can?t really say he had a problem with same sex. He wasn?t showing any kind of expression about it. He was so straight, so quick and smiled couple of times . Yes, we don?t have a lease agreement but we have a letter and couple of bills from my in laws. Even though we live together in a one family house, he didn?t ask about it but when I was asking a question on the paper, he asked me if we?re living with another people in the house. I said ?yes, we are living with my in laws?. He didn?t ask for any proof although we have.

The other thing is yes, we didn?t do any front loading. We just sent civil documents as I didn?t have anything to show them. Also the funny thing is we prepared the application with a lawyer. I?m just assuming that my husband makes more than enough money for a year, he wouldn?t do anything for money. He is a person that answers a question wrong although he knows the correct answer just because he gets nervous so easily. That?s what he did, he wrote something wrong on the paper. Our phone carrier is T-Mobile. He pays bills every month, we get statements every month. Have a family package but he wrote Verizon. I?m not blaming him because he?s nervous, gets nervous and anxious sooo easily and probably distracted there, he was by himself outside.

Again saying, he said he?s gonna recommend it for approval. Do you guys think he?d say ?yes, I?ll recommend for approval? but he actually doesn?t do that? Kind of lies to us?

[Plz]

Thank you for your reply, you helped me a lot. We both did our best to get a good result. However, I can?t really say he had a problem with same sex. He wasn?t showing any kind of expression about it. He was so straight, so quick and smiled couple of times . Yes, we don?t have a lease agreement but we have a letter and couple of bills from my in laws. Even though we live together in a one family house, he didn?t ask about it but when I was asking a question on the paper, he asked me if we?re living with another people in the house. I said ?yes, we are living with my in laws?. He didn?t ask for any proof although we have.

The other thing is yes, we didn?t do any front loading. We just sent civil documents as I didn?t have anything to show them. Also the funny thing is we prepared the application with a lawyer. I?m just assuming that my husband makes more than enough money for a year, he wouldn?t do anything for money. He is a person that answers a question wrong although he knows the correct answer just because he gets nervous so easily. That?s what he did, he wrote something wrong on the paper. Our phone carrier is T-Mobile. He pays bills every month, we get statements every month. Have a family package but he wrote Verizon. I?m not blaming him because he?s nervous, gets nervous and anxious sooo easily and probably distracted there, he was by himself outside.

Again saying, he said he?s gonna recommend it for approval. Do you guys think he?d say ?yes, I?ll recommend for approval? but he actually doesn?t do that? Kind of lies to us?

I don?t know why lawyers do that. My lawyer did the same thing but at the time we really didn?t have much evidence other than a gas bill. All you can do is pray and hope for the best. I hope you get approved.

[nsygn]

I don?t know why lawyers do that. My lawyer did the same thing but at the time we really didn?t have much evidence other than a gas bill. All you can do is pray and hope for the best. I hope you get approved.

Thank you, hopefully. That?s what we?re hoping.

It is so cruel that you are really living with a person you have been looking for. You are really married. You do everything together, go out, eat, live and sleep. Then somebody comes and interrogates you very roughly and thinks that we are liar. I?d do everything in that room if he would tell me to prove it, everything... Now feeling terrible, can?t even eat and barely talk... It also affects the relationship and our daily life. This thing is so cruel but we have no chance except whatever we can do. I just told my husband that if they call us for 2nd interview or for stokes interview, they cannot really do harder than this one, we are really lucky to experienced this at the first time. Now it?s the hardest waiting time. Harder than waiting for an interview time. We?ll see what?s gonna happen.

If anybody has an opinion, please let me know. Thanks a lot everybody. Hopefully nobody has to experience this.

[cali2018]

I fired my lawyer this week with only 75% payment. Cause he told us to ignore bonafide documents among other things. My sense is lawyers want their money and to file the paperwork asap even though when ask them to do something it takes a week.

I feel you will get approved. The IO did their job and very likely that test is more about how you would react and what you say. Yah there is questions everyone should try to prepeare for, also heard ?what is their toothbrush? and ?draw your bedroom layout? among others.

[Plz]

I fired my lawyer this week with only 75% payment. Cause he told us to ignore bonafide documents among other things. My sense is lawyers want their money and to file the paperwork asap even though when ask them to do something it takes a week.

I feel you will get approved. The IO did their job and very likely that test is more about how you would react and what you say. Yah there is questions everyone should try to prepeare for, also heard ?what is their toothbrush? and ?draw your bedroom layout? among others.

So did you file with bonafide evidence or without?

[flyforever85]

I fired my lawyer this week with only 75% payment. Cause he told us to ignore bonafide documents among other things. My sense is lawyers want their money and to file the paperwork asap even though when ask them to do something it takes a week.

I feel you will get approved. The IO did their job and very likely that test is more about how you would react and what you say. Yah there is questions everyone should try to prepeare for, also heard ?what is their toothbrush? and ?draw your bedroom layout? among others.

Most of the mistakes I read in this forum are because of the lawyer. Don't take me wrong, they are humans too and it's normal to do mistakes but you get paid to do your job and I trust you so please, spend more time to double check everything, twice. When I started my journey I looked into lawyers. I selected one, I asked a couple of info etc. the form needed my email, I wish I didn't send it. From that day on, I got constantly emails from the lawyer writing me about "don't be too late in selecting us we know things other people don't" "be careful applying by yourself, you can be deported" and bla bla bla. Eventually firmly I asked the lawyer to stop sending me emails because I was not ready to file. I saw other people not using a lawyer and I thought it must have been feasible, not necessary easy.

When I did the application I front loaded with all the documents I had but pictures of us together simply because I thought there were not useful. At the interview I brought the same documents plus some more. The interview kept asking me if I had more supporting documents and I gave her almost all I had. So apparently it does make the difference. It's important that most of the applicant understand that since I saw many of us not front loading thinking they can do it later.

[UScitizenFilingforspouse]

I don?t know why lawyers do that. My lawyer did the same thing but at the time we really didn?t have much evidence other than a gas bill. All you can do is pray and hope for the best. I hope you get approved.

It beats me why lawyers do that. I bring it up often on the forum so that others see it, and send all their evidence at the time of filing.

[meleciajacobs]

So sorry u had to go through all of that

Wow that was rough

[cali2018]

So did you file with bonafide evidence or without?

Nothing, our case is queued for an interview. I feel people who sent more information initially were more likely to get picked for an interview. We have a tons of bonafide evidence ready when the time comes. Lawyer advice was EAD for sure is 90days, and interview is 1 year lets just get paper work sent so you get EAD fast. Uhmmmm....yah. Also most lawyers say don’t try to expedite let the government do their thing, cases they seen cases mess up when you try to expedite. Yes as if the lawyer has special sense about how fast/slow your case would go. Again their focus is getting paid, filling out forms, and onto next client.

Now if you have a complicated case...like asylum or ‘yes/no’ then for sure lawyer is more valuable. My fault was we didnt research enough online before the AOS application so speaking to some lawyers they really try to freak you out how hard this process is, lesson learned.

[nsygn]

Still no update on the case. I talked to my lawyer and he told me that the IO wouldn?t tell us that he?s gonna recommend for approval if he was feeling something wrong. Still feeling so down and so terrible just because it was like an interrogation. I feel like whatever IO?s thinking are definitely different. I mean every IO is different, every IO?s working style is different. My lawyer keeps telling me not to be afraid, it?ll be fine but he was kind of surprised about the amount of the questions we answered on the papers.

Also I felt the same thing about he wasn?t telling the truth about finishing it quickly. If he?d ask me those questions verbally, it could take less time than writing on the paper. I also could be a person with less English knowledge but luckily I?m good enough to answer them.

My lawyer also said that it should be on the security check. He asked me again if I had arrested before either in my hometown or in the US. I said no, never. Do you guys know how this security check process working?

I have an idea about it. Now every IO sending their cases for security check after the interview. There must be another department for security check and of course they have hundreds of cases to check. After they do security check on the cases, they send it to another person or department to approve or deny. Feeling like IO?s are writing on the cases or telling those people about what they?re feeling about the couples they had interviewed. Then cases go to approval or denial. What do you guys think? Does it make sense?

[kaylip]

Still no update on the case. I talked to my lawyer and he told me that the IO wouldn?t tell us that he?s gonna recommend for approval if he was feeling something wrong. Still feeling so down and so terrible just because it was like an interrogation. I feel like whatever IO?s thinking are definitely different. I mean every IO is different, every IO?s working style is different. My lawyer keeps telling me not to be afraid, it?ll be fine but he was kind of surprised about the amount of the questions we answered on the papers.

Also I felt the same thing about he wasn?t telling the truth about finishing it quickly. If he?d ask me those questions verbally, it could take less time than writing on the paper. I also could be a person with less English knowledge but luckily I?m good enough to answer them.

My lawyer also said that it should be on the security check. He asked me again if I had arrested before either in my hometown or in the US. I said no, never. Do you guys know how this security check process working?

I have an idea about it. Now every IO sending their cases for security check after the interview. There must be another department for security check and of course they have hundreds of cases to check. After they do security check on the cases, they send it to another person or department to approve or deny. Feeling like IO?s are writing on the cases or telling those people about what they?re feeling about the couples they had interviewed. Then cases go to approval or denial. What do you guys think? Does it make sense?

This is the process for almost all applicants https://www.uscis.gov/ilink/docView/...-0-0-1166.html