AOS Interview in Chicago

[hikaru 0]

My husband and I had the AOS interview today in Chicago. We waited for about half an hour in a little tiny room (where everyone except for us had a lawyer with them ) before his name was called.

We then went with a female officer (Officer Ellis, I believe was her name) and took the oath to say we were telling the truth. As soon as we sat down, she got out our folder and immediately started with the questions. Of course, as she asked questions, she was also having us sign and date various documents. Talking and writing at the same time isn't a strong point of ANYONE I know-- they must do it to confuse you/try to trip you up.

Asked to my husband:

His full name

Telephone number

Date of birth

Country of birth

Current address

Where he currently works/how long he's been employed

Last entrance into the US/place of entry

How we met

When we moved to Chicago

The yes/no questions from the I-485 form

When/where were we married

What was the wedding like?

Why didn't we have a big wedding?

How many units are in our building (!!! we live in a 19-floor two-tower condo building. How are we supposed to know how many units are there!)

Asked to me

My date of birth

Telephone number

How we met

When we first moved in together

My father's occupation

When I stopped working at my last job

Why don't I work now

Things we brought to the interview:

Copies of all forms filed and NOAs.

Taxes for myself and the joint sponsor (my father) from 2002-2005

Birth certificates for myself, my father, and my husband

Marriage certificate (the original we were given when the judge married us, and a certified copy we got from the county clerk)

Copy of lease for current apartment

Certificate of coverage for health care from my husband's employer, showing me as a beneficiary

Letter from my husband's employer stating that he is currently employed

Letter from my father's employer stating that he is currently employed

Bank statements from our joint account from Aug 2004-present (we had the account for about ~6mos prior to that but my husband lost the statements ;\ )

Phone records from 2002-present

Greyhound bus tickets from when we lived about an hour apart and visited each other on weekends (2004-2005)

Plane and train tickets from when we went to Venezuela so I could meet his family (2004)

Letters/correspondence/invitations/etc. addressed to us from friends, family, and our landlord

Over 100 photos dating from when we first met (in college) in 2002 to present

Receipts from major purchases (wedding rings, couch, living room table, bed)

Emails from 2003-present between my husband and I, and various friends and myself where my husband was discussed

DESPITE all this, she still said that she does not have enough evidence to make a decision and essentially gave us an RFE on the spot. One major sticking point was that the officer wants proof of the time when we lived together right after I graduated college until we moved here to Chicago (May 2005-December 2005) -- proof that doesn't exist to their standards. When I moved in with him, I was not added to the lease of the apartment and I did not receive mail there (I had a PO box instead, because the postal service would not deliver mail in my name to that apartment as I wasn't on the lease). I was pretty much a houseguest that happened to stay for several months. We didn't think that THIS would be the one thing that would cause problems for us!!

The only thing I can think of that would prove this would be to get notarized letters from the two other individuals who lived in that apartment stating that both my husband and I lived there before and right after we got married, maybe a letter from my mother and friends who visited us when we lived there. We have photos of us in the apartment as well.

Can anyone else think of anything we didn't have that I could send in? I'm absolutely frustrated right now because our case seems so direct. We met in college, we dated for a few years, he's met my family several times (spends all holidays with my family), I've met his family, and then got married and moved here to Chicago to start our lives together. There's nothing suspicious in his past, he's never overstayed or been denied entry at the border, no history of arrests, nothing.

I know in the grand scheme of things, that an RFE isn't THAT big of a deal, and that lots of people get to the AOS interview and are told to submit more information. But she looked at my pile of stuff and told me that my husband and I "essentially had nothing to prove our life together." I'm trying to be calm about the whole thing, but I really don't know what else I can give her that I haven't already presented.

Ideas? Reassurance that I'm not crazy? Anything?

[Octa 0]

...Unbelievable......did you and your husband file your 2005 income tax return jointly ? that was the one and only thing she looked at our interview, that seemed to convince her (I have no idea if its the same lady but we had the interview in Chicago)...

Edited May 23, 2006 by 1 lady in red

[raymaga 25]

That is unbelievable. We didn't have much more evidence than that and we had absolutely no problems whatsoever.

We took our joint car ownership documents, joint car insurance documents, joint credit cards, but that's about it other than what you mentioned.

I hope you get this all sorted out quickly. Good luck.

[mannionsworld 0]

Yeah, mine didn't go smoothly either. I was RFE'd too and sent them in some more documentation. I'm now following up my case as it's past the deadline they set by them "not to contact us by." It's a major headache but I'm really hoping to get news soon -- it's been over 8 months since I sent in the extra documentation.

[hikaru 0]

We filed our 2005 taxes as separate-but-married. My father does my taxes and said that it was best for that year that we file separately. We're still listed on each other's tax forms as married, however.

She kept asking us for stuff like car insurance, but we don't own a car, and we never have. I don't even have a driver's license (which she didn't seem to believe when I told her). We have a joint credit card but just opened it recently, so we haven't gotten a statement yet that has both of our names on it. Hopefully we'll be getting that soon so I can include it in the pile of things I send back.

[CanGal 1]

i'm sorry to hear of your experience, it doesn't sound pleasant at all. It's awful how difficult some people like to be .... I too hope you get this sorted out soon. Best of luck too you

[Collie 122]

gosh I know people who have been together less time than you and your husband have and with less evidence who still passed the interview. I'm sorry it didn't go smoothly and heres hoping that you get extra evidence to improve your case and satisfy the officers.

Kat

[Indo_mommy 0]

I'm truly sorry to hear this. I hope this one will get sort out ASAP. Take care!

[nayalamb 0]

good grief... sounds like they really did a number on you guys... sorry to hear it. hope that you can get it sorted out successfully... thank goodness i don't have to interview in chi-town.

i lived with my husband after college for a year and i never considered that angle. thankfully, when i applied for practical training, i used that address and held a checking account as well so there is some proof. at the very least, your experience will help someone else go that extra extra extra mile and get every scrap of relevant (or irrelevant) information to satisfy even the most persnickety officer.

i wish you both lots of luck! stay positive!

[Oomer 0]

i live in chicago and your interview scared me totally. Life is not bed of roses. Do not worry and get the required evidences as soon as possible. Lets hope every thing would be okay in near future. Best wishes.

Ans

[Octa 0]

We filed our 2005 taxes as separate-but-married. My father does my taxes and said that it was best for that year that we file separately. We're still listed on each other's tax forms as married, however.

She kept asking us for stuff like car insurance, but we don't own a car, and we never have. I don't even have a driver's license (which she didn't seem to believe when I told her). We have a joint credit card but just opened it recently, so we haven't gotten a statement yet that has both of our names on it. Hopefully we'll be getting that soon so I can include it in the pile of things I send back.

I don't know if it was best...you know they always look for reasons to RFE you...hopefully it will all go well once you send in that credit card statement. Wish you the best.

[americangirl 0]

That's absolutely ridiculous...I would have gotten RFE'd too if I had been in your place! I'm so sorry it didn't work out for the interview, but I'm sure you'll be approved soon.

[hikaru 0]

I wouldn't be worried too much if you've got an interview at Chicago -- honestly, every other story on here about AOS interviews there has been overwhelmingly positive and painless. My husband and I apparently just got the short end of the stick with our interview.

The most frustrating part is that every piece of evidence we had that showed what she was looking for (that we lived together before/right after we got married) wasn't enough for her (bank statements/our checks that have the old PA address where we lived together before we moved to Chicago, photographs of us in/outside of the apartment, mail sent to both of us at that address), and that she didn't seem to believe the explanation I gave.

When I asked her for ideas of what else she was looking for, she didn't give me any ideas or suggestions. I want to give them what they want, but it's hard when you don't REALLY know what that is, or don't actually have documentation to prove it.

I know the obligation to prove things is on us as the petitioner and immigrant, but it's honestly a little ridiculous. She hardly even cared about evidence that we live together *now* or that we're even married. Argh!

[jelti 0]

Goodness, I'm so sorry this happened to you. All I can think of is pictures pictures pictures, and maybe old phone bills that show you and he both made calls to your family from his phone number? Not sure if that would work...or if you already included it. Anyway, good luck and I hope things go much smoother for you from now on.

[CanadaGirl 0]

That is so crazy! I can't believe they didn't approve you. I'm so scared now because we have almost no evidence at the moment that we are really married. We live with my husbands parents, I'm not on his car insurance because we can't afford it, we don't have joint credit card or loans. Thanks for posting because after hearing your case I am definately going to start building some evidence for our interview.

I wish the best to you and keep us posted on how it goes!