AOS Interview Package

[Autumnal 25]

My goal is to provide a resource (or sticky!) for material and documents that other VJ members have brought with them to their AOS interviews. It's a popular question and for those of us preparing for the interview, it would be a great comfort mentally.

Q. What items did you bring to your interview?

Was there anything the immigration offficer asked specifically to see?

What all would you take with you if you had to advise a fellow VJer?

[Autumnal 25]

Anyone?

[Ephesia 0]

This is what we brought:

1. One big box that contained the following:

a. wedding guest cards (we made big cards for our guests to sign instead of the standard-issue guest book)

b. congratulatory cards from our wedding guests

c. variety of mementos from our wedding

2. Carry-on bag that contained the following:

a. Folder with copy of original AOS application + supporting documents

b. Folder with K1 visa application documents

c. Updated I-864 and supporting documents

d. All other compulsory documents listed in the appointment letter

e. Folder with evidence of our marriage, i.e. copies utility bills, husband's life insurance policy, joint bank account statements, and e-mails.

f. Three big photo albums

At our interview, we didn't have to dig much into the carry-on bag. In fact, we let it sit behind us and plain forgot about it during the interview. Our interviewing officer only asked to see some joint documentation, so I whipped out the folder of evidence and passed him some bills, e-mails, and a copy of the life insurance policy. He kept two bills and one e-mail, and returned the rest of the motherload to us.

Edited March 3, 2006 by Ephesia

[jaaaaamas 0]

What we brought with us:

-both our birth certificates

-both our pasports (his with his I-94 in it)

-our marriage certificate

-Dean's EAD card

-joint checking and savings statements

-our joint taxes from this year

-a utility bill in both our names

-completed I-864 forms (one by a cosponsor and one by myself. Make sure that whichever one of you is the USC brings and fills out a I-864, whether you make a considerable income or not. I did not know this.)

-I-693 medical supplement sealed in an envelope

-The original vaccination supplement from the overseas medical exam, as well as Dean's vaccination records from his doctor.

-letters from both our employers

-paystubs for both of us

-letter from my aunt stating we live with her and pay rent

-credit card bills (showing Dean as an authorized user)

-a magazine in both our names

-a TV Guide in our names

-plane tickets showing we;ve travelled together

-pieces of junkmail

-a photo album full of wedding and other random photos

-christmas and wedding cards from friends

What our officer actually asked to see:

-I-864 from me (because as I said, I never knew that I had to send one in, despite not having an income). Along with this, she took my taxes from this year.

- she randomly asked for "any evidence we have proving our relationship, and not something specific. So I only handed her our cable bill, bank statements, plane tickets letter from credit card company stating Dean was an authorized user, the letter from my aunt stating we live with her,

-our photo album (the officer STRESSED our important photos were for her, as there is no better way to see how genuine a couple is, then lots of photos of vacations and stuff.) She looked through the album quite thoroughly and asked a few questions (more of casual conversation) about some of the photos. She kept one of the photos of us on vacation.

-the I-693 supplement. (Again the officer stressed how important this was for people to do, saying that often times the medical results given at the airport when arriving in the US, get lost on the way to the actual office and many times people who don't do the supplement for piece of mind, end up being forced to redo the whole medical exam when they find out at the interview that the results were lost. SO DO THE SUPPLEMENT FOR SURE, whether you recieved an RFE about it or not!!)

-The EAD card.

That was it. She didn't ask for anything else. She kind of left it up to us with what we wanted to hand over, and I didn't even show her half of it. She did say however to save all plane tickets and make lots and lots of copies of them when we go to remove our conditions. She said plane tickets go over really well when applying for your 10 year card

Other than all that, we were asked lots of questions. First she asked me these questions about Dean, and then she had Dean answer these questions about me. Here they are:

Are you a member of a terrorist organization?

Do you belong to any communist parties?

Are you a spy?

Were you ever arrested or deported from the US before?

Have you taken advantage of American benefits?

How did we meet?

When did we meet?

What's Dean's birth date?

What are Dean's parents names?

Where do his parents live?

Where were we married?

What day were we married?

Did we marry within 90 days of entry?

Where was Dean born?

Does Dean have any siblings, and if so what are their names?

Where do Dean's siblings live?

Did Dean have a job when I met him, and if so, what did he do?

Is Dean working right now, and if so, what does he do?

It was more questions than I ever anticipated, but it was not frightening. It felt more like nice conversation. It was so not scary.

You have nothing to worry about. Hope this information and helps and GOOD LUCK! Let us all know how it goes!

[Autumnal 25]

Lovely, thanks!

[motu 6]

Basically I took 5 folders with us.

Folder 1 - Had copies of all the K1 stuff (about 16 pages- no pictures.)

Folder 2 - Had copies of the AOS packet (about 35 pages)

Folder 3 - Had Original documents

Originals for AOS Interview

1) Marriage Certificate

2) Birth certificate

3) Translation of Birth Certificate

4) Vaccination Worksheet (DS3025)

5) NOA2 - approval of petition

6) Letter of Income

7) Receipt Notice AOS

8) Interview Letter AOS

9) SSA Letter Jan 17, 2006

10) SSN card

11) Pay stubs (2) - mine

12) Certificate of Naturalization - mine

13) Passport - mine

14) Biometrics Appointment

Folder 4 - had some of the copies of the originals in folder 3 -

1) Marriage Certificate (AOS Package)

2) Birth certificate (AOS Package)

3) Translation of Birth Certificate (AOS Package)

4) Vaccination Supplement (AOS Package)

5) NOA2 - approval of petition (AOS Package)

6) Letter of Income (AOS Package)

7) Receipt Notice AOS

8) Interview Letter AOS

9) SSA Letter Jan 17, 2006

10) SSN card

11) Pay stubs (2)

12) Certificate of Naturalization - mine

13) Passport - mine

14) Biometrics Appointment

Note: AOS in parenthesis means I did not make additional copies, as there were copies already in the AOS Folder.

Folder 5 - Relationship stuff

1) Her Drs report

2) Her Lab test

3) Her CIGNA healthcare Bill/Coverage notice

4) Her medical center Mammogram notice

5) Her Dental coverage notice

6) Water Bill (with both our names)

7) Bank Statement (with both our names)

8) Visa Reward notice (with both our names)

9) Her Health Insurance card

10) Her Visa card

11) Pictures - 1 Envelope with 10 or 12 pictures from our wedding.

The officer redid a part of the I485 and had her sign it again (he corrected the A#.) He only asked to see proof of relationship and from the folder he kept all except 8, 9, 10 and 11. He did make copies of 9 and 10. He did not even open the envelope containing the pictures!

Good luck

Edited March 4, 2006 by motu