AOS interview experience, approved!! Sept 2014 (k1 visa entry)

[millionmileslove 8]

Hello VJ friends,

This is my AOS interview experience, hope could help fellow immigrants

Brief info: I entered US on a K1 visa on April 17, 2014, got married May 2014 applied AOS June 2014 (my marriage certificate took a month to process ugh!) received Biometrics August and EAD/AP at the same month then scheduled for interview Sept 22, 2014 received greencard September 29, 2014 (fast enough for me yay!!)

AOS: AOS or Adjustment of status is basically an application for greencard (permanent resident) done after marriage or shall i say after receiving your marriage certificate (no RFE goal, photocopy the marriage certificate not the customers copy) to be able to legally work and travel in and out of US. You will sent a packet (like the ones sent on K1 petition). For more info go to USCIS website or other forums regarding AOS application

AOS interview: main goal is to prove bona fide marriage. Just picture yourself in a court trying to prove to the judge that you are truly married with pure intentions or rightful motivations (not just to go in the US). Many people kinda questions this process but I personally understands its purpose, it is to eliminate human trafficking and fraud.

*AOS interview letter will provide a checklist of requirements like marriage license, divorce decrees, birth certs, passports and others so i would like to emphasize on bona fide marriage proofs because it was not further discussed in the letter

PREPARATION:

PROOF of bona fide MARRIAGE

1. "Joint everything"

Joint accounts (bank or credit cards), joint insurances (car, life, health), joint house (lease agreement, utility bills) joint membership (gym etc)

Joint accounts: The bank will need 2 government issued IDs to join an account

My husband is a Chase member for so long so we figured it would be easy to join in there so I presented my foreign passport, with my maiden name so i also brought our marriage license, my foreign ID, and my EAD combo card. They asked for my driver's license (i still have none because I just got my EAD). In short, they didnt allow me to join into my husbands account because I do not have TWO US government issued ID. (sucks)

SOLUTION: apply to Bank of America. your Foreign passport and marriage license will work. add your EAD combo card if you already have it. So basically we opened an account for additional proof for the interview. My husband usually gives me cash since i cannot join in his chase account but again we need to prove bona fide marriage so we opened an account just for that, but we are using it now. I can say more convenient than cash haha

*you need to print ACCOUNT SUMMARY and BANK STATEMENT which includes both your names on the paper and you can also photocopy your atm/credit cards

Joint insurance

We printed benefit summary of his health and life insurances where my name is on it. always remember both of your NAMES must be indicated. You can also photocopy both of your health cards and also bring it to the interview

"Joint house"

In our case, we live with my in-laws so all the lease agreement and utility bills are named after them so we just decided to bring letters sent to us with same address. You can bring letters (like from government or health insurances, cards etc) sent to you individually with the same address (ofcourse) It is important because "truly" married people live together but we still need to prove it.

*some people without lease agreements came up with affidavits of people living in the same house signing a paper that they indeed live together

2. Pictures

We brought an album of our "entire" relationship, from courtship to marriage to our US trips. The interviewer only asked for the wedding pictures and those with each others relatives so might as well bring what you can, any of those maybe asked.

*it will be helpful to pose into a landmark of a certain place together, like welcome to las vegas so it will be obvious that you really went to that place, always keep in mind that they dont know us personally we need to prove them our genuine relationship. No room for doubts.

3. More more and more

You can bring "best wishes" cards or invites with both of your names, plane tickets or hotel reservations as long as it has BOTH OF YOUR NAMES on it.

OTHER DOCUMENTS/REQUIREMENTS:

* the interview notice is the most important document you should bring

*your husband (duh??) you may be interviewed separately or together

*cards (atm, credit card, health card) of those accounts you have joined

*house keys (some are asked if they have it to prove they really live in the same house) (brilliant huh?)

*SSN card, EAD card, passports (all other documents are stated in the interview letter)

INTERVIEW EXPERIENCE

When: Sept 22; 7:15am

WHere: Los Angeles

*parking is across the LA bldg. called LA MALL we were shocked it was 2.50$/10mins (it was the closest parking and most convenient) but the interview went very fast so we just paid less than 10$ all the parking areas near the place was closed it was very early but there are cheaper parking spaces around the block.

6:30am parked at LA mall

6:40am went in line at the right side of the entrance (i asked the guards inside if we were at the right line, better to be safe than sorry) there were about 6 people ahead of us and as time passes the line went longer and longer.. the earlier the better

7:00am they opened and we went through the take-off-your-belt-take-out-your-things-airport-type xray scan

7:10am we went into the room (at 6th or 7th flr sorry i forgot) and the guard lead us to window 1 the lady asked if all of the interviewee present, we said yes and we handed the AOS interview notice and then we sat and wait to be called

*some have lawyers with them for it is stated in the interview form that you have the right to bring your lawyer or interpreter with you so you have to wait for them before handing your notice, we didnt have a lawyer or interpreter

7:30am my name was called (i thought its just gonna be me) she asked for my husband (in our native language hooraayyy kabayan!!!) whew!

*i have read in some forums that some couples were interviewed separately to see if answers match

FLOW OF THE INTERVIEW:

She was a small lady very serious looking with a bulky folder with her (guessing it was our file)

*raise your right hand and repeat after me blah blah blah

*What is your name, address (MEMORIZE YOUR ADDRESS) and other demographic data was asked to me, the immigrant, while she was checking the AOS packet I think it was the form I-485 she was checking the part where have you been arrested yes or no questions.

*Do you work, do you drive? (immigrant)

*How long have you been working? where do you work? (petitioner)

*where did you meet? (we answer in chorus haha)

*when and where did you got married?

*can you show me some pictures? (i took out a magazine type album and some loose pictures, she opened the magazine and asked where certain pictures was taken)

*can you show me pictures of both of you with each other's families? (we showed her a lot but she told us we have provided enough on the k1 petition anyways so she didnt get anything, i kept them all)

*show me documents of any joint accounts, everything you have brought. (We gave her all our joint assets and a void bank check with both our names, she took all of them and stapled them on our file)

*she excuses herself and went out came back with a paper and told us.....

You have been approved congratulations (i shouted yehey a little haha she smiled ) and explained to us the content of the paper she was holding. it was an approval letter of conditional permanent resident and explained that we need to apply the conditions be removed after 2 years specifically 90 days before the date stated in the paper. She told us that the greencard will arrive through mail in a few weeks

*she saw our cards (atm and healthcard) still on the table and told us she needed it. she asked us to follow her near the door, there was a photocopy machine near there. we had a little chitchat about the Philippines and asked us if we have further questions while she copies our cards.

*she told us that the greencard must be brought at all times that I can now work and travel as long as I have that card with me and report immediately if stolen or lost. She told us to build more proof as time goes by so that it will be easier to remove the conditional greencard and make it permanent because most couples tends to forget that.

*we shook her hand and she sent us on our way it was just 10mins i think in total, very fast and light interview, we are truly blessed

in just 7 days i received my greencard!!! wohooo!!

TIPS/SUGGESTIONS:

There have been reported fraudulent marriages. Some are asked for hidden tattoos husband says none wife says there is, some presented a joint account found used in different cities proving they are fraudulent, some are asked even of room furniture. There are millions of possible questions but you will answer it right if your are REALLY MARRIED. We werent nervous, we will fight if we got declined, we will appeal. So no worries but prepare early to lessen the hassle. After passing, continue gathering proofs so that removal of conditions will be as easy breezy as AOS, keep cards, take pictures, use the joint accounts so we can present a yearly summary or accounts and not just recent months.

I hope I was able to help all of you. Feel free to message me here for questions or comments.

Good luck to all of us!

NEXT AGENDA: Drive and work. Wish me luck!!! :jest:

[Girl from Celebes 588]

Congrats!

[TBoneTX 45,319]

Congratulations!

[Moderator hat on]

Unanswered duplicate thread removed.

[Zedayn 485]

Congrats! Excellent write-up of your AOS interview process!

[hellostranger57 18]

Congrats!!

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

Congrats!

~ Moved from AOS from Family Based main forum to Progress Reports sub-forum - topic is case status ~

[Sweetmelissa 82]

Congrats and ty for the post! Bookmarking this page

[AuroreJeremy 26]

Congrats!

[Calikitkat 16]

Congrats, millionmileslove!!! And thank you so much for your comprehensive review! Helps a lot!!!

[millionmileslove 8]

Thanks everybody!!

[joyce1213 0]

Thank you for sharing this, atleast this time i will have background for the AOS.

By next week, im gonna have my biometrics. So hopefully, i can have the EAD soon.

Would you mind if i ask, from the biometrics schedule to receiving the COMBO CARD...how long was it?

[millionmileslove 8]

Thank you for sharing this, atleast this time i will have background for the AOS.

By next week, im gonna have my biometrics. So hopefully, i can have the EAD soon.

Would you mind if i ask, from the biometrics schedule to receiving the COMBO CARD...how long was it?

i received it a month after my biometrics...then i was scheduled for an interview.... you are getting there just more patiece Goodluck

[icv21 110]

Congrats!!! And Thank you for sharing with us You had a very fast process

[Vanessa + Mario 4]

Congratulations!!! Thank you for the detailed experience! We will use this when as we prep for my husbands AOS.

[gmarian28 0]

Thanks kabayan for sharing this!! MY K1 petition is still under process... Still waiting for NOA2