Interview - Approved!!

[YasJun 1]

Hello all,

Not sure if there is a better place for this topic but I wanted to share my interview experience in case it helps anyone else.

After inquiring here and searching other places online, my wife and I decided to bring a lawyer to the interview. The lawyer didn't really do anything but she knew the interview officer and as we got in there she chatted her up about being pregnant and about her other kids etc. So that alone made it more comfortable from the start. As for the rest of the interview, the lawyer chimed in once in a while with little jokes that lightened the mood so although we didn't really need her, I'm glad she was there.

As for the actual interview, it was pretty quick. The interview was conducted by the IO and a trainee. The IO did not smile at all, but the trainee was more pleasant. The IO asked to see my mothers passport (that my mother entered with when she brought my siblings and I to the US). She asked to see my birth certificate. She then went through my entire I-485 and asked me the following:

• Date of birth
  
• SSN
  
• Address
  
• Date of last entry
  
• Every single question on I-485 regarding criminal behavior
  

She then asked to see my wife's birth certificate and ID. She asked her:

• Address
  
• What company she worked for
  
• What her job was at that company
  

Then she asked to see any documents that proved the validity of our marriage. I showed her the lease to our apartment, renters insurance policy, and affidavit letters from my wife's mom, dad, and sister. That was all I had with both of our names but she wanted to see something else with the address so I showed her utility bills in my wife's name. We also brought a ton of photos. She had the trainee look through a scrap book I had made of us through college.

She spent the rest of the time asking us both questions. These included:

• What year we met
  
• How and where did we meet
  
• How did we start dating
  
• She asked our address several times throughout the interview
  
• How many bedrooms are in our apartment
  
• When did we get married
  
• Had we ever lived together before marriage (I said no, not thinking about the month prior to us being married but my wife corrected me saying yes for a month before the wedding)
  
• She asked my wife what she doesn't like about me
  
• She ask me what I didn't like about my wife
  
• How much our renters insurance policy covered (which we both had no idea, lol)
  
• Who the co-sponsor on the I-864 was
  

I think that was all. She said she was keeping the copies of what I had shown her and asked if she could keep our photo albums. Our lawyer jumped in and said no for the photo albums (another plus to having her there). The IO and the trainee then stepped out for a few minutes. When they came back IO said they were approving my case and explained that it was conditional and that I would have to remove the conditions in two years. The trainee congratulated us, I think the IO did also, but it was very subtle. She then walked us out and we thanked her and left.

Overall, it went very smoothly. I was worried about them keeping my mothers passport since it was expired and the fact that we did not have many joint accounts. It was a bit awkward at some moments like when she asked what we didn't like about each other. But the whole thing took about 20 minutes I think. Hope this helps anyone else who is nervous about their interview like I was!

So excited!!!!!

Edited August 15, 2012 by YasJun

[asdfg 18]

Congratulations !!

[mrsGORE 13]

Congrats..that is very helpful for us waiting for interview:-)

[shranjan84 5]

Congrats

I am also thinking of having a attorney for interview. How much they usually charge?

Edited August 16, 2012 by shranjan84

[Dave&Judy 3]

Congrats

I am also thinking of having a attorney for interview. How much they usually charge?

Thats a good idea. It depends upon where you live and the how reputed the attorney is.

BTW, what we need to do (in order to inform USCIS) if we want to take some attorney at the interview?

[YasJun 1]

It varies depending on the attorney. The attorney that I chose didn't require that we use their services. They charged me $600 in all.

$250 for interview preparation. There the lawyer looked through our paperwork and gave us an idea of what to expect at the interview.

$350 for actually going to the interview.

But even that varies. They first told me $500 just for going to the interview but then they worked with me and charged less.

If you are thinking about going with an attorney, I would recommend doing a lot of research well in advance. Several of the attorneys I called would not give me ANY information without going to a consultation for which I would be charged. Not even the price for their services. The attorney I chose was very open with me before even going to their office. Throughout the entire process whenever I called them with questions they provided a lot of good information. From the beginning they even gave me the option to fill out all the forms myself and then just have it reviewed by them so that it would be cheaper for me.

[YasJun 1]

Dave&Judy, I'm not sure. I didn't do anything. But when the lawyer showed up she had me sign something for them. I would talk to your attorney about that.

[asdfg 18]

It varies depending on the attorney. The attorney that I chose didn't require that we use their services. They charged me $600 in all.

$250 for interview preparation. There the lawyer looked through our paperwork and gave us an idea of what to expect at the interview.

$350 for actually going to the interview.

But even that varies. They first told me $500 just for going to the interview but then they worked with me and charged less.

If you are thinking about going with an attorney, I would recommend doing a lot of research well in advance. Several of the attorneys I called would not give me ANY information without going to a consultation for which I would be charged. Not even the price for their services. The attorney I chose was very open with me before even going to their office. Throughout the entire process whenever I called them with questions they provided a lot of good information. From the beginning they even gave me the option to fill out all the forms myself and then just have it reviewed by them so that it would be cheaper for me.

You found a good attorney, good job!

[Hypnos 6,578]

A good attorney can be worth their weight in gold.

Unfortunately you will have to dig through a whole lot of #### before you find that gold.

[Dave&Judy 3]

Dave&Judy, I'm not sure. I didn't do anything. But when the lawyer showed up she had me sign something for them. I would talk to your attorney about that.

You got pretty good price & Attorney too !!

In Bay area, they charge 500-700 just for attending interview.

When the lawyer showed up > You mean when Lawyer showed up at the interview venue? So, we don't need to send anything

to USCIS before interview day just to let them know that some attorney will be joining at the interview?

Just for the interview thing. How it works as attorney hardly know about the couple? How you managed that?

[Brian&Ivy 1]

big cong!!!

[YasJun 1]

Thanks everyone!

You got pretty good price & Attorney too !!

In Bay area, they charge 500-700 just for attending interview.

When the lawyer showed up > You mean when Lawyer showed up at the interview venue? So, we don't need to send anything

to USCIS before interview day just to let them know that some attorney will be joining at the interview?

Just for the interview thing. How it works as attorney hardly know about the couple? How you managed that?

I never sent anything before the interview day.

And the way it worked for us since they hardly know us as a couple was that we went to the lawyers office a few weeks before the interview date. We met with one of the attorneys and he went through all of the paperwork and told us what to expect and the general process. He also told us that he would not be attending the interview, but another one of the lawyers from the firm would. However, he provided her with notes about our case and everything we talked about at the interview prep meeting.

I didn't really mind that the attorney hardly knew us, because our case was straight forward. I don't think they can answer for you anyway. I just wanted one there so that there was no funny business from the IO. I'd been waiting for this for so long so I just wanted to make sure everything went smoothly. The lawyer was just there for a sense of protection just in case (although, i didn't need it at all)

[didopage 337]

Congrats!! I advise you to copy your review in the reviews section of the website, so it's easier to find for future members who will deal with the same USCIS local office.

http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/

[Darnell 8,479]

Thanks for the report ! I'm so happy you took my advice and obtained an attorney for the interview.

Being an overstay is never easy, but you made it through the big gate.

Congratulations !