My AOS Interview Experience

[MATTOB 0]

I'm starting this new thread because the title is more relevant for people to find on the forums.

I had my interview yesterday at the Los Angeles Street Department Of Homeland Security offices.

BE AWARE: Google maps erroneously tells you to take junction 2B Los Angeles Street. This is wrong, and if you are heading south on the 101 and you miss this turn off you'll end up on the Santa Anna freeway heading West into Los Angeles (as we did).

The correct junction is number 2C Los Angeles Street, and Google Earth has this correct.

If you want to park you're going to have to use the public parking across the street from the DOHLS building. This can only be accessed heading one way, so if you find yourself on the wrong side of the street you will have to circle around the block. It's an underground parking facility and expect to pay between 10 and 20 dollars for your stay. Again, be aware, it took us over 35 minutes to find our way back to our car once we were done, this parking lot is IMMENSE and covers about 3 city buildings (we ended up in this underground police facility, the DMV emergency vehicle lot and God knows where else before we finally made our way to the proper lot) The problem stems from the fact that only certain elevators reach certain levels, so you have to find the right ones, only certain escalators will take you to your floor, and the stairwells will lead only to locked or alarmed doors.

It's LA, so just expect it to be counter intuitive and badly signed.

We finally arrived and had to be in 8094-5. This means the 8th level of the building. You will be searched as you enter, you will be subject to a walk through metal detector and a scanner for all bags and folders. There is - obviously - a huge police and security presence. Relax, and there will be no issues.

Once we reached the 8th floor we found that we had to walk a long way to the end of the building. Everything is numbered, and there are lots of other city facilities based in this building, so keep heading to the end of the building following the numbers and you'll soon find where you're going.

Once we reached the area we had to leave our interview notice form (you HAVE to bring this) to an 'in-tray' by a glass window. A security officer asked us if we were expecting a lawyer. We were not, and he again confirmed with us if we are expecting a lawyer. Our answer was no.

There's a good sized room adjacent to this area that looks like an airport gate waiting room. It was relatively full, and we enjoyed the view of LA and waited about 20 minutes until we were called in for our interview.

The officer who interviewed us was very quiet, very stern and often difficult to understand. He made no small talk, did not attempt to ask us anything other than relevant questions to our case and seemed quite cold and professional. He spent most of the time looking through my case file, remaining completely silent.

He asked us to stand and swear to tell the truth, which we did. He asked us for our ID's, my passport, and my I-90 (stapled in the passport) and my wife's birth certificate.

The questions he asked varied, and I don't remember all of them, but here is an example:

To me:

Why did you come to the US?

Where do you live?

What do you work as?

What is your wife's date of birth?

Have you ever falsified: Papers and documents relating to immigration status, personal information such as birth certificates?

Have you ever been arrested, taken illegal drugs?

To my wife:

What is your husband's date of birth?

What is the name of his mother and father? (she faltered here, having never met my deceased father, but soon remembered his name)

To both of us:

How did you meet?

He then asked for evidence of our life together. I didn't bring bags worth of junk, I just brought a few samples of relevant things. (They prefer this)

I offered our joint apartment lease, joint bank statements, wedding photos, regular photos and a certificate of recognition of our marriage from senator ####### Ackerman of the 33rd District. (My wife's aunt works for him, I thought this would be a pretty cool way to verify our marriage!) and correspondents to and from each other, and other people's letters to us with both our names and address on them.

He went over the documents, looked very bored at the wedding photos and threw them back at us and wrote a few things down, and played with our file again. Then he stated with a voice of sullen resignation, "I am going to approve your case". He took away my I-90 and told me why he was doing so, and then he stamped a form welcoming me as a LAWFUL permanent resident of the United States. I thanked him, relieved.

He did not dismiss us, but stared at us until we finally got up and thanked him by shaking his hand. And that was it, we left the building.

I hope this helps people, especially those who are going to the LA office. We have our 2 year conditional green card coming in the mail 2-3 weeks.

I want to thank everyone here who has made my journey possible. This forum is worth it's cyber-weight in gold.

-Matt and Renee O'Brien

[DakotaK1 1]

Thanks for sharing your story and congrats to you guys

[ViVi and JimJim 0]

Thanks for sharing!! Your interview report is so detailed.

Though your interviewer is so quiet and so stern, he still approved your case, then who cares?!

[MATTOB 0]

I didn't really mind. I imagine he has to remain professional, and he sees so many people a day I am sure we're just like cattle. Either way, we got approved.

[joemaria 0]

congratulations!!!

...and thank u for sharing your experience

[pat001 0]

congratulations!!!

...and thank u for sharing your experience

Congratulations....Welcome aboard