PHOTOS for AOS interview

[papillonlover 0]

Hi Guys!

I feel way out of touch with everyone. Hope all is well with you all!!!!

So, Marcel and I have our interview this Friday and I am wanting to find out if our pictures have to be originals? We have TONS and they are all online. I am ready to have some printed from Sam's Club, but wondered if I really could just print them off a copier at work? This would be on regular printing paper. If NOT how many pictures do you think we should bring along with us?

Thanks for the help!

Much love to you guys...

Melissa and Marcel

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Printed on paper is fine as long as you can see the photo - ie the paper is not so thin that all the ink runs. Good luck!

[papillonlover 0]

Printed on paper is fine as long as you can see the photo - ie the paper is not so thin that all the ink runs. Good luck!

That is better. We may just print so many from Sam's and just print out some on regular paper. Awesome!! Thanks for your help.

[patient2010 93]

Good luck!

[LoveNigarmostyle 164]

Printed pics are fine, do they indicate a date? that would be helpful. Good luck with your interview. hope all goes well for you guys.

[papillonlover 0]

Thank you!! We appreciate the support.....

There aren't dates on the pics. =( I think we will be okay with that though. I understand why it would help. We will just have to cross all of our toes and fingers....lol

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

I'm going to have to disagree with the consensus here.

Bringing photos to an AOS interview is not simply to meet some bureaucratic requirement. You're trying to convince an immigration officer that you have a genuine spousal relationship. Printing off some photos onto plain paper is not only impersonal, it implies that the photos themselves mean little to you. You're not going to be interviewed at a window with a bank teller style slot you have to pass your evidence under. You're going to be seated in an office with an immigration officer, and you'll pass your evidence across the desk when the IO asks for it.

I recommend you spend some time and print your photos onto photo paper, and organize your photos into a nice album, just as you would if the photos themselves were keepsakes. In the IO's mind, if you don't collect your memories like a real married couple then you aren't a real married couple.

[Mairo 0]

I agree with Jim, I had my interview in march and I thought about doing the same thing you suggested but felt that it might look like I was unprepared. In addition, it's actually cheaper to print at Walmart than printing at home. I felt good that I was prepared, even though the IO never asked to see any picture before the approval.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

I agree with Jim, I had my interview in march and I thought about doing the same thing you suggested but felt that it might look like I was unprepared. In addition, it's actually cheaper to print at Walmart than printing at home. I felt good that I was prepared, even though the IO never asked to see any picture before the approval.

The IO in our case spent more time going through our photo albums (three of them) than anything else. She didn't just flip through them, either. She looked at each picture with genuine interest, and even asked some questions about some of the pictures. We brought three albums - one from my various trips to Vietnam, one which was only engagement ceremony and marriage photos, and one of various photos after my wife arrived in the US. The IO looked through all three albums.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

I understand your point, but many people don't print photos anymore - they live online and on computers. Physical photos are more and more rare. I took a film camera to the photo store recently and the people thought I was crazy. I think the IOs want to see that you took photos over the course of your relationship, not make judgements about how many physical photo albums you keep or create. I printed photos from my printer on 8.5 x 11 photo paper. The IO was more interested in the places the photos has been taken and not the format. All he said was "Oh, is this in XXX place? It's beautiful."

[ryna 132]

I understand your point, but many people don't print photos anymore - they live online and on computers. Physical photos are more and more rare. I took a film camera to the photo store recently and the people thought I was crazy. I think the IOs want to see that you took photos over the course of your relationship, not make judgements about how many physical photo albums you keep or create. I printed photos from my printer on 8.5 x 11 photo paper. The IO was more interested in the places the photos has been taken and not the format. All he said was "Oh, is this in XXX place? It's beautiful."

I'm going to plop the digital photo frame down on the desk.

[summersurf 10]

Me also agree with Jim. On our AOS interview 2 years ago, our local office was Sacramento,CA, i still remember clearly how the IO was enjoying looking at our pictures, she was taking her time looking at them. I printed all the pictures on photo paper and arranged them nicely in a photo album. Pictures are prized possesion to us, personally

Alrighty, best luck on your interview!!!

[DaveE111 10]

Be prepared, and print on the best paper possible. Make your documents neat and organized. We had about 20 pounds of documents. That said, every interview is different, and I think they have a good idea of the relationship prior to the interview.

For us, not a single document or photo was examined, (other than ID). The interviewer swore us in, and asked the mandatory questions from the form and removed the I-94 from my wife's passport. Then she asked my wifes mother and fathers name, and my step daughter her birth date.

Interview done - approved.

Good luck

Dave

[papillonlover 0]

We have over 800 photos. Sorry I am not printing 800 + out at Wallie's world. I work for a greeting card company and will have the others printed on nicer paper and already have an album started. These won't just be thrown together and tossed on the desk. I do understand the importance of these photos.

Thank you all for your opinions.

HUGS!!!!

[beppo 8]

We have a printer, but find it a hell of a lot cheaper going to Walgreens to print them. They even have special deal until June 11th with 40% off for 4x6, 5x7 & 8x10 prints.

I would never print photos on plain paper, waste of time and not much effort.