Interview- Sacramento, CA

[DandT14 272]

We arrived at the building about 25 minutes early. We showed our ID's at the door, the officer asked if we had cell phones, and we said no. We went through the metal detector and we were in. While we were looking at the building directory, a door near us flew open and two police officers came out, dragging a guy (who clearly didn't want to leave) through the lobby. I don't know what that was about, but I'm glad I wasn't that guy!

We went upstairs to the correct waiting room and put our appointment notice in the window. Thank goodness I had read on this site that was what you were supposed to do, because the signs there weren't the best and the window looked closed. There were several other couples waiting. We waited about 30 minutes. We started to get nervous because people who came after us were getting called in and leaving again while we were still waiting. One couple was separated and being interviewed one at a time.

Finally, a man came out and called my husband's name, and we went in. He swore us in before we even sat down. He asked us for our ID's. He flipped through my husband's passport and saw the stamp he got when he entered the last time. He asked if there was an I-94, and my husband said no. He said "yeah they often just wave you through." He then began going over the first part of the I-485, asking my husband's name and birth date. He asked if he had a SSN, or california DL. Both answers were no. He asked when the last time was that he entered, and of course my husband told him the wrong month! But he corrected himself quickly (when I shot him the "seriously?!?" look) and the interviewer said "oh well somewhere around there." He said "you flew in?" and my husband said "yes" and he said "and they didn't give you an I-94, a little white paper?" and my husband said no, they just stamped his passport. The interviewer looked doubtful, so I was concerned, but he was very friendly so I wasn't too nervous.

He then asked how we met. My husband said "online" and he asked which website. My husband answered, and the answer is a little funny (I'm not telling here!) and I couldn't help but start laughing. The interviewer laughed too, then asked when that was. He asked us some more questions related to the website and we were all giggling a little, which lightened the mood a bit more. He asked when we started dating, and my husband explained that we didn't really date, the relationship just evolved. I decided to jump in then, and explain that I was still married when we first met, so we were just friends at first and then the relationship developed when I left my husband. He said "ok so you were married before?" and he asked my husband if this was his first marriage. (It is.) So then he asked to see my divorce papers. I told him that they were in the packet but I had the originals if he wanted to see them. He said yes, but he'd give them back. He flipped through the papers and said he saw that I had noted that I had two children. He asked if my husband had any, and he doesn't. So then he asked me what the custody arrangement was, and did the kids live with me. I told him the arrangement and he asked my husband if they liked him and if they got along well. He said yes, and the interviewer handed the papers back to me. He then said "ok, so when was the first time you met in person?" And my husband told him. He asked where, and we told him it was the Sacramento airport. We talked for a minute about how there weren't many flights out of my husband's province. He then said he could see I had a big stack of papers there and were there other things I wanted to show him. I said I had pictures and other things, and he said "oh let's start with the pictures". He looked at every single picture, and asked questions about who was who and where they were. He kept about 15, I think. We talked a bit about our Reno wedding, and we told him no one was there but us. He then asked for anything else. I handed him the things I had one at a time. He kept most of them. Suddenly it didn't seem like I had very much!

I told him that was about it, but I did have the very first message my husband had ever sent me, if he wanted to see it. He said "oh yeah, I want to see that." So I handed it to him. My husband said "Now that I think about it, that might have been a little forward for a first message." And the interviewer kind of laughed and said "well, you started it" and "anyway, it worked."

So then he went over the questions on the I-485, and asked my husband to sign where he had stamped. He asked if we had any questions and my husband said "what happens now?" He said he would review the file and make sure everything was there. If he needed anything else, we would get a letter asking us for it. If not, we'd get a greencard. He said one or the other should happen within 30 days. If we didn't hear anything for 30 days, then we should contact them. Overall, he was really very friendly and it played out more like a conversation than a "question and answer" session.

That was it. He showed us out and we left. I was sad because I wanted to get an on the spot approval. I'm not good at waiting. But we got the "card production" email about 3 hours later. Which is a good thing because I was making my husband crazy by how stressed I was!

That's about it, none of the things I was most worried about even ended up being issues. I'm sure I'm leaving out some questions (my mind was a blur) but I got the most important ones.

Thanks to everyone who helped me and offered support. This site is awesome, and I really appreciate the people who spend time here helping others. Especially the ones who have completed the process but still stick around offering information and advice.

[Waiting_In_SC 28]

Thanks for the detailed review. Glad you guys are done with the process. I'm sure it's a relief.

Congrats!

[LindaC1990 23]

Congrats!!! :thumbs:

[JohnR! 5,495]

Super!!! Congrats, eh....

[JessandPreston 0]

awesome and congrats guys

[mrsGORE 13]

congrats...hope we'll get the same experience

[Alejandra2012 0]

Hey!! congratulations!!!!!!! im so happy for u!!!!

[mccbsimon 5]

We arrived at the building about 25 minutes early. We showed our ID's at the door, the officer asked if we had cell phones, and we said no. We went through the metal detector and we were in. While we were looking at the building directory, a door near us flew open and two police officers came out, dragging a guy (who clearly didn't want to leave) through the lobby. I don't know what that was about, but I'm glad I wasn't that guy!

We went upstairs to the correct waiting room and put our appointment notice in the window. Thank goodness I had read on this site that was what you were supposed to do, because the signs there weren't the best and the window looked closed. There were several other couples waiting. We waited about 30 minutes. We started to get nervous because people who came after us were getting called in and leaving again while we were still waiting. One couple was separated and being interviewed one at a time.

Finally, a man came out and called my husband's name, and we went in. He swore us in before we even sat down. He asked us for our ID's. He flipped through my husband's passport and saw the stamp he got when he entered the last time. He asked if there was an I-94, and my husband said no. He said "yeah they often just wave you through." He then began going over the first part of the I-485, asking my husband's name and birth date. He asked if he had a SSN, or california DL. Both answers were no. He asked when the last time was that he entered, and of course my husband told him the wrong month! But he corrected himself quickly (when I shot him the "seriously?!?" look) and the interviewer said "oh well somewhere around there." He said "you flew in?" and my husband said "yes" and he said "and they didn't give you an I-94, a little white paper?" and my husband said no, they just stamped his passport. The interviewer looked doubtful, so I was concerned, but he was very friendly so I wasn't too nervous.

He then asked how we met. My husband said "online" and he asked which website. My husband answered, and the answer is a little funny (I'm not telling here!) and I couldn't help but start laughing. The interviewer laughed too, then asked when that was. He asked us some more questions related to the website and we were all giggling a little, which lightened the mood a bit more. He asked when we started dating, and my husband explained that we didn't really date, the relationship just evolved. I decided to jump in then, and explain that I was still married when we first met, so we were just friends at first and then the relationship developed when I left my husband. He said "ok so you were married before?" and he asked my husband if this was his first marriage. (It is.) So then he asked to see my divorce papers. I told him that they were in the packet but I had the originals if he wanted to see them. He said yes, but he'd give them back. He flipped through the papers and said he saw that I had noted that I had two children. He asked if my husband had any, and he doesn't. So then he asked me what the custody arrangement was, and did the kids live with me. I told him the arrangement and he asked my husband if they liked him and if they got along well. He said yes, and the interviewer handed the papers back to me. He then said "ok, so when was the first time you met in person?" And my husband told him. He asked where, and we told him it was the Sacramento airport. We talked for a minute about how there weren't many flights out of my husband's province. He then said he could see I had a big stack of papers there and were there other things I wanted to show him. I said I had pictures and other things, and he said "oh let's start with the pictures". He looked at every single picture, and asked questions about who was who and where they were. He kept about 15, I think. We talked a bit about our Reno wedding, and we told him no one was there but us. He then asked for anything else. I handed him the things I had one at a time. He kept most of them. Suddenly it didn't seem like I had very much!

I told him that was about it, but I did have the very first message my husband had ever sent me, if he wanted to see it. He said "oh yeah, I want to see that." So I handed it to him. My husband said "Now that I think about it, that might have been a little forward for a first message." And the interviewer kind of laughed and said "well, you started it" and "anyway, it worked."

So then he went over the questions on the I-485, and asked my husband to sign where he had stamped. He asked if we had any questions and my husband said "what happens now?" He said he would review the file and make sure everything was there. If he needed anything else, we would get a letter asking us for it. If not, we'd get a greencard. He said one or the other should happen within 30 days. If we didn't hear anything for 30 days, then we should contact them. Overall, he was really very friendly and it played out more like a conversation than a "question and answer" session.

That was it. He showed us out and we left. I was sad because I wanted to get an on the spot approval. I'm not good at waiting. But we got the "card production" email about 3 hours later. Which is a good thing because I was making my husband crazy by how stressed I was!

That's about it, none of the things I was most worried about even ended up being issues. I'm sure I'm leaving out some questions (my mind was a blur) but I got the most important ones.

Thanks to everyone who helped me and offered support. This site is awesome, and I really appreciate the people who spend time here helping others. Especially the ones who have completed the process but still stick around offering information and advice.

did he adjust from a B1-B2 visa?

[DandT14 272]

No,no visa. He entered as a Canadian visitor.

[DandT14 272]

Thanks so much everyone!

[mccbsimon 5]

No,no visa. He entered as a Canadian visitor.

lol. well, technically even tho you werent told and dont have a stamp in your passport, as a Canadian(which is what i am), we are treated as someone with a B-1/B-2 visa. we dont have any special privileges other than that very fact...we dont get a physical visa nor do we use the visa waiver program. as canadians and crossing and adjusting, its not fair to other countries but us adjusting status so to speak doing it the way your husband an i are is what they call a " grey area". thats the VERY words of the immigration officers i spoke to at my local office in Wichita , Kansas. so...yes he did come on a visa even tho he didnt have one physically. i only ask because i am looking for people with interviews with a similar story to that of mine/ours. and it seems as tho it should be a breeze even tho we dont have alot of evidence. and to be honest i dont care what ANYONE says about a child be the best proof of a bonified marriage but according to my local offices immigration officers, it is in our case. neways..congrats on the short wait time and i hope to hell our wait is just as short. shouldnt be long and we should be getting some kind of a notice in the mail/online for a EAD production card and or interview date . and GOD am i nervous for that interview lol. neways congrats again! ps,,,what "evidence" did you guys have ?

[DandT14 272]

lol. well, technically even tho you werent told and dont have a stamp in your passport, as a Canadian(which is what i am), we are treated as someone with a B-1/B-2 visa. we dont have any special privileges other than that very fact...we dont get a physical visa nor do we use the visa waiver program. as canadians and crossing and adjusting, its not fair to other countries but us adjusting status so to speak doing it the way your husband an i are is what they call a " grey area". thats the VERY words of the immigration officers i spoke to at my local office in Wichita , Kansas. so...yes he did come on a visa even tho he didnt have one physically. i only ask because i am looking for people with interviews with a similar story to that of mine/ours. and it seems as tho it should be a breeze even tho we dont have alot of evidence. and to be honest i dont care what ANYONE says about a child be the best proof of a bonified marriage but according to my local offices immigration officers, it is in our case. neways..congrats on the short wait time and i hope to hell our wait is just as short. shouldnt be long and we should be getting some kind of a notice in the mail/online for a EAD production card and or interview date . and GOD am i nervous for that interview lol. neways congrats again! ps,,,what "evidence" did you guys have ?

I've heard that about the B1 visa thing. In any case, Canadians don't have to apply so it's nothing we ever had to worry about. Fairness is subjective. I believe Canadians get that privilege as part of NAFTA.

With our application, we sent a joint lease, health insurance, joint bank account, and a credit card with both our names. For our interview, we brought pictures, life insurance, more credit cards, some receipts in both our names, receipts from packages I had mailed him while he was still in Canada, and a couple emails.

The interviewer was most interested in the pictures, and getting a general idea of how we met. He didn't get into much detail over anything.

I'm sure you'll be fine. It really wasn't a difficult interview. Good luck! Hope you have a short wait!