Bizzare AOS interview

[MacTO 6]

Actually, if you post on an open forum, people will give you their thoughts, as you did.

Also - you can apply the bolded to yourself, you don't know what was in his head, so you are making an assumption.

Reading through your story, it seems it was going ok, till the question about the mother's phone number. Since you are attempting to AOS from a students visa, it could be your doing it just for immigration purposes, not because of the marriage, and if the sponsors parent doesn't know about it (the marriage), it could be seen as a red flag. Not knowing the number could be construed as "hiding" the fact. I don't know what was said, or how you two responded, so moving on...

Here are some of the things they look at when determine if the marriage is a sham (21.3 Petition for a Spouse. in the AFM):

Race? not very likely, with the amount of cases going through, plenty of them with people of different skin colors, with successful outcomes, that would indicate they have no issues with "race".

The type of questions you were asked are made to see if you have the correct answers, they are looking for "fraud". He is not trying to confuse you - he is trying to see if your lying, ie. Fraud.

The burden of proof always falls on you, as the petitioner, USCIS does not have to prove anything.

They (USCIS) has a set of rules they have to follow when they adjudicate a case. If they deny a case, they have to give a detailed reasoning why they did so, which is checked by a few people there. If they have a case for fraud, then they have a case, they are not going to deny you because your wife is "white" and your "black".

However, to answer your questions:

1. No - you can't be denied if your in-laws do not want to get involved. You can get other friends, or other relatives (not the immediate ones) to make these affidavits. Since your wife has a history with her mother as you indicated, get the grandmother to make one, (as requested - and as Vanessa said, she can explain the relationship between both parties) and someone else to make one (like the friend that introduced you). Since he specifically asked for them to be notarized, do so.

Ensure that each affidavit is unique and factual, boilerplate ones indicate deception.

2. Tons of documents really don't show if the relationship is "true" or if the marriage is bona fide. They just build a case - the AO makes the decision based on a lot of variables.

3. USCIS is allowed to ask for any evidence they deem needed for you to prove your case. YES - USCIS can ask for family or friends to supply affidavits - as pointed out in the AFM above (bolded), it is one of the "fraud" indicators because of the lack of. In your case, he specifically asked for family affidavits.

_________________________________

So I would stop worrying about race and just get the evidence (affidavits) that they asked for and go from there. If you feel you were treated in a poor manner, then file a complaint with USCIS.

For a word of advice, people can say whatever they want as much as you do, Luckygoat.

People wrote here solely based what you had written. Nothing stood out as a race card on the IO's part. It is all in your head. Like most of VJers, including myself, suggested, get as many affidavits as you can, submit them and just wait. That's all you can do. And like Bobby+Umit suggested, file a complaint if you feel really strong about it. As simple as that.

The more you talk about it and say the word race, the less it is about it. Because it is not.

Cheers.

[Luckygoat 2]

Luckygoat,

As soon as you get that information back in to the IO. You should go celebrate with your wife bajan style, have some rum and coke and some Macedonia pie!

LOL thanks Brian that really made me smile. We are actually going to Bridge town where my parents are in August and considering having a ceromony

[Luckygoat 2]

Thank you guys for all of the replies. I really appreciate it. We got 3 affidavits from my wifes mom, grandmom and brother. They just need to be notarized and mailed out. The officer said that I can come in and get my passport stamp so I will be setting up a infopass and going to get my my stamp once we mail the affidavits. Do we have to go to the infopass together?

[Nartaki 7]

Thank you guys for all of the replies. I really appreciate it. We got 3 affidavits from my wifes mom, grandmom and brother. They just need to be notarized and mailed out. The officer said that I can come in and get my passport stamp so I will be setting up a infopass and going to get my my stamp once we mail the affidavits. Do we have to go to the infopass together?

I dont think both of you have to be present at the INFOPass, but if both are then its better.

[Val Marty 1]

It seems that these affidavits are really important to immigration officers for some reason. A friend of mine, who has a kid with her USC husband and was pregnant with the second kid at the time of her interview, got an RFE for affidavits, even though she had sent everything else imaginable, including the birth certificate of their child and pictures of him, showing he looks like a mini-copy of his USC daddy.

I am curious if most people bring affidavits to the interview. Has anyone been approved without submitting any recently?

We sent one affidavit from a friend of ours, and her handwriting was so bad I don't even know how they read it lol. They didn't ask for anything else.

[juliava 80]

Thank you guys for all of the replies. I really appreciate it. We got 3 affidavits from my wifes mom, grandmom and brother. They just need to be notarized and mailed out. The officer said that I can come in and get my passport stamp so I will be setting up a infopass and going to get my my stamp once we mail the affidavits. Do we have to go to the infopass together?

Keep us posted, Luckygoat!!!!Good luck!I am glad you got those affidavits.

[Luckygoat 2]

Keep us posted, Luckygoat!!!!Good luck!I am glad you got those affidavits.

I will. thanks

[RCB 0]

I had my interview this past couple days and the IO did not even ask about affidavits. He did wonder though why we had a small wedding. I think they like to see that families are involved. I agree with the previous poster - add additional affidavits - if you have brothers or sisters - add them too.

Also, my AOS interview IO asked for additional documentation. I asked him if I need to address the additional document requested to him specifically. He said no. I wonder if the same officer reviews the documents that they request or it just goes into a pile and anyone can just pick up the work from there...

[Luckygoat 2]

I had my interview this past couple days and the IO did not even ask about affidavits. He did wonder though why we had a small wedding. I think they like to see that families are involved. I agree with the previous poster - add additional affidavits - if you have brothers or sisters - add them too.

Also, my AOS interview IO asked for additional documentation. I asked him if I need to address the additional document requested to him specifically. He said no. I wonder if the same officer reviews the documents that they request or it just goes into a pile and anyone can just pick up the work from there...

thats a good question. i wondered as well if it would exactly go back to that exact officer

[juliava 80]

thats a good question. i wondered as well if it would exactly go back to that exact officer

Nope...A new officer is assigned to review and make a decision on your case.