After 8 months of waiting notice of second interview

[nemozed 1]

We went to our first Adjustment of Status interview in May in Seattle WA. I had to provide some additional evidence that we had co-mingled our finances, life insurance policy, more documentary proof of payments from the client for my small business. I sent it in a couple of weeks after the appointment. I didn't hear from them again after that. In September, concerned about how long it was taking, I called in and asked about our case and was told that given the date I submitted the documents etc. my wife should be getting the green card in late November/Early December.

Today in early December I receive a notification informing us that they want us to come in for another interview in one week, to bring all of our financial documentation, proof that we intend to live together as man and wife, that we are living together etc. advising that we can bring an attorney if we want to and that the interview may take up to two hours.

Is this a cause for concern?

[Hypnos 6,578]

Yes.

It could be a Stokes interview, in which you will be separated, asked ~50 - 100 questions about aspects of your daily lives together, and then they compare both of your answers to see how well they correlate. Get too many wrong (or just a few "big" questions) and the application would be denied.

You should consult with an experienced immigration attorney, and if possible retain one to attend the interview with you. Second interviews are rarely a good thing, and are usually one step out from a denial.

Edited December 5, 2013 by Hypnos

[nemozed 1]

What would be some of the big questions?

[Hypnos 6,578]

When did you last have sex?

Which side of the bed do you regularly sleep on?

What did you eat last night?

Essentially things which any normal couple would instantly know without needing to think about.

[nemozed 1]

One possible issue: My wife under the influence of her older cousin who already lives here got a separate bank account a couple months after our first interview and deposited her earning from her part time job in that account instead of in our joint account.

She pays for groceries, and contributes to our rent, electricity, and garbage pick up bills but this may be a problem since there is no paper trail of money going into our joint account from her and no way to verify that she contributes to our finances since she gives me her share of the money in cash. We absolutely are together in every way and managing just fine but they're liable to put much more stock in appearances rather than reality. I should have argued more about that one at the time, Hindsight is twenty-twenty.

I know I have something to worry about since I am economically borderline in terms of meeting their requirements. I did meet them but it was close thing. I tend to think they are going to subject us to much more intense scrutiny.

[nemozed 1]

I consulted an Immigration Attorney online. This is the list of typical Stokes Interview Questions she told me we can expect:

Here is a list of Stokes questions

ADJUSTMENT QUESTIONS

Name and address.

Name and Date of Birth of Spouse.

When and where did you meet your spouse?

Describe this 1st meeting.

Did you make arrangements to meet again?

Did you exchange phone numbers?

When did you meet next?

Where were you living at the time? Where was your spouse living?

When did you decide to get married? Where were you at the time?

Did you live together before marriage?

When and where did you get married? How did you and your spouse get to the church, courthouse, etc.?

Who were the witnesses to the ceremony?

Did you exchange wedding rings?

Where had you purchased these rings? Did you and your spouse purchase them together?

Did you have a reception after the ceremony?

Where was it held?

Do you have any photos of the ceremony and /or reception?

Describe the reception.

Did any of your, and your spouse's, family members attend? If so, who?

Did you go on a honeymoon? If so, when and where?

Where did you live after the wedding?

Describe the place where you lived right after the marriage. Number of bedrooms and bathrooms; furnishings; color of walls, floor coverings, appliances, etc; type of air conditioning, heating, etc; # of telephones, televisions, etc. Do you have cable television?

Where did you get the furniture? Was it already there, did you buy it, was it a gift, or did it come from your, or your spouse's, previous residence?

If brought to the house or apartment, describe how it was transported.

Describe your bedroom. Where do you keep your clothes? Where does your spouse keep his or her clothes? Where are the bathroom towels kept? Where do you keep the dirty clothes?

What size is the bed in your bedroom? In the other bedrooms?

Has anyone ever slept over your house? When was the last time? Who was it?

Where is the garbage kept in the kitchen?

On what day of the week is the garbage picked up?

Where do you shop for groceries? Do you go together with your spouse? How do you get there?

Where do you work? What days of the week do you work?

What hours do you work? What is your salary?

What is your telephone # at work?

When was the last vacation you had from work?

Did you and your spouse go anywhere together at that time?

When was the last vacation you and your spouse took together?

Where did you go? How did you get there? Describe it.

Where does your spouse work? What days of the week? What hours? What is the salary, if you know?

What is your spouse's telephone # at work?

When was the last time your spouse got a vacation from work?

Do you or your wife have any scars or tattoos? If so, where on the body?

Do you know your spouse's family members? If so, which ones? If your spouse has children from a previous marriage, their names, ages, where they live, and where they go to school, if applicable.

Where do you live now? (If different from where you lived right after the marriage, then go over the same questions as above). How much is the rent? When is it paid? How do you pay it?

Do you have a bank account together? Where? What kind of account? (Checking, savings, etc.).

Are both of you listed on the account? (Do you have a bank letter, cancelled checks, etc.?)

Did you file a joint tax return this year? Do you have a copy with you?

Do you own any property together? What property? Did you bring copies of the documents with you?

What kind of automobile do you and your spouse have? Describe them.

Do you have an insurance policy listing your spouse as the beneficiary? If so, do you have a copy?

Have you taken any trips or vacations together? Do you have photos from these trips?

Do you have any utility bills, or receipts from items you have purchased together?

What other documentation do you have to show that you are living together as husband and wife?

Do you have any pets? What kind, what are their names, and describe them?

What did you do for Christmas, New Year's, your anniversary, or you or your spouse's last birthday? Did you exchange gifts? If so, what kind of gift?

Did you or your spouse go to work yesterday? If so, at what time did you and/or your spouse leave the house and return?

Who cooks the meals at the house?

What is your spouse's favorite food? What is your favorite food?

Does your spouse drink coffee? If so, does he or she use cream and/or sugar?

Did you eat dinner together last night? Did anyone else have dinner with you? What did you have?

What time was dinner served? Who cooked it?

Did you watch TV after dinner? What shows did you watch?

At what time did you go to bed? Who went to bed first?

Did you have the air conditioning or heater on?

Who woke up first this morning? Did an alarm clock go off?

Did you or your spouse take a shower?

Did you come to the interview together? Who drove?

Did you have breakfast? Where and what did you eat?