Our interview experience

[EmmillJ 1]

Hi guys! My husband and I had our interview this past Wednesday at Federal Plaza. Here's how it went:

The agents in the office, security guards, etc. were very nice and polite to us. We got there just in time (security took a while as expected) and we decided not to bring a lawyer.

When we got into the interviewer's office he had us take the oath. He then became serious and said to me "Who are you?" and asked the same of my husband. We each gave our names. He then proceeded to flip through our files and ask us random questions like each others' birth dates, parents' names, do we have children, where do each of us work, where did we get married, what do we do, etc. He would chat with us and, just when we felt it was over would shoot another question at us as if we wouldn't know the answer. Thing is, my husband and I have known each other for almost 20 years so even when he asked me about his high school (he was sent by his dad to boarding school) I could tell him the name and where it was since we had kept in touch. He did not ask us nearly as much as I thought he would, but that's ok. He took our huge pile of bills that we saved (we had taken them out of the envelopes and laid them flat in a file), and some of our pictures. He asked me the yes or no questions, asked me if there are any communists where I come from (I had no clue, but he knew one guy), and asked me if I knew about the island's politics (I did not).

That was the easy part. Now for the hard part.

I came into the US on a B2 visa as a child and so my visa is in my mother's passport. I brought the original with me. He flipped through it and asked me the last time I entered the country and I told him 1991. He asked me if I was sure and I explained, well I was 5, it was Carnival (which happens in August in Antigua), and I came back for school (which starts early in september in NY). He asked if I've ever been back and I explained that I had not. He then typed the visa numbers (or so he said) into the computer printed out a couple of pages and then said, it says here you entered in 1994 as well, which I hadn't. This was the line of questioning for a while and it was intense enough that I almost started wondering if I had ever been out of the country again as a kid. He then said "We have a problem, because it says here that you left in 1994." As I explained to him, I may have been young and may not remember much but I think I would remember that. He then proceeded to ask me to prove that I was who I said I was, made a show of taking my passport and turning it around and asking "Is this real?" That didn't bother me because it is and I could tell he was trying to scare me. He then said "well, I cannot penalize you because you were a minor". I looked at my husband and thought "Penalize me for what?" He asked if I could prove that I was in the U.S. between 1991 and 1994 and, funnily enough, my mother saves EVERYTHING so I have my school attendance records, report cards, and immunization records from 1990 onward. I gave him my immunization record which shows me getting vaccinated in 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, and 1998 and told him I could bring in my school records as well. He seemed satisfied. He made extra copies of my mother's passport before walking us to the door and shaking our hands where he said "I won't need anything else from you, I think this is fine".

I feel....ok. What bothers me is that I don't know if he was lying about the 1994 visa or not. I don't think he was but my husband does. Hy husband's take is that, for all we know, he typed "bananas" into google and then printed out a copy of the page and held them up to us as official documents since we could not see what was written. As far as my husband sees it, we passed because we obviously know each other and each others' families well, have a life together and I did not waver on the 1991 vs 1994 question which was just a ploy to test me. Still, we've had no updates (I've been checking constantly) and the whole thing just felt strange.

Of course, the second I know anything concrete I will share it on VJ

[pinoygwapo 1]

will wait for the concrete details

[PinkMelody 1]

Interestedin interview! lol @ banana though I hope you hear good news soon!

[Wow11 0]

Good news this week!!!

[Maria TH 20]

Wish you all the best! Thank you for sharing. (F)

[BigDaddyKane 0]

Was this OI an African guy? If so, I would contact a lawyer. This guy messes around way too much there.

Years ago, when my dad went in for his interview (he was being sponsored by my sister, who is a citizen) the OI, an African guy, took a look at his passport and said that the stamp was crooked and fake and denied him on the spot within minutes of entering his office. I would contact a lawyer just in case you guys get denied. Your story reminded me of my dad. Don't ask me where in Africa he was from, I dont know. All my dad told me is that it was an African guy. Evenutally, after my dad got a lawyer, they straighten everything out and he got his card. Some of the OI take pleasure in making people's lives miserable. It's sad that this sort of behavior still goes on within today's government.

[Up and Away 10]

Yikes, some tough interviews lately at Federal Plaza!!

You did real good in the face of such an intimidating and thoroughly confusing situation.

Good luck!

[EmmillJ 1]

Good news this week!!!

Congrats!! Still no word yet for us though

Yet, we've waited this long, I guess we can wait a bit more. The IO, I believe, was also from the West Indies. He knew a lot about Antigua's culture and sometimes spoke with an accent. That said, who knows? I don't think they can deny us for this, though. The point was to prove legal entry, and I think we did that sufficiently.

[Kristal 0]

Did u get any email letter? It's so horrible what happened to u at your interview. I have one coming up next week.

[EmmillJ 1]

We got an email and a physical letter this week. The email simply restated that I was approved for work authorization and that I should have received my card already. That was a mean trick because all my eyes saw was "Card/Document Production" and I got excited until my husband pointed out that it was not the GC. We then got a letter in the mail saying that our petition was approved, but that this letter did not confer any legal status, etc. an our online status on uscis.gov is the same. Still, we're keeping our spirits up.

Kristal, good luck on your interview! Wishing you a smooth experience and an on-the-spot approval

[EmmillJ 1]

Good news, everyone!! We received the email approval letter today, I'm so happy I feel stunned! When I first read the email I called USCIS just to make sure that it was not an unrelated message like the last one. The agent just laughed and congratulated me as I cried all over the phone. The DH and I are going out to celebrate Good luck to all of you that are still in the process, and keep hope alive!

[beejay 125]

Congrats!

I'm glad that there weren't any issues.

I guess he did type 'bananas' into google.

[Up and Away 10]

Good news, everyone!! We received the email approval letter today, I'm so happy I feel stunned! When I first read the email I called USCIS just to make sure that it was not an unrelated message like the last one. The agent just laughed and congratulated me as I cried all over the phone. The DH and I are going out to celebrate Good luck to all of you that are still in the process, and keep hope alive!

Yay, congrats! It must feel good to finally have peace of mind!

[Camo 5]

Congratulationssss

[Kristal 0]

Congrats, I'm sure you must be relieved!!!