AOS Interview completed by held for review

[acme555 0]

I entered USA on F1 Visa back in 2009. Currently I am still on H1B visa (going to expire in June, 2015). I received my EAD card but I didn't use it because I was thinking "why not wait till I get my green card? It has to be approved on spot since the marriage is so real ".

Here are my timelines and yes, this is how slow of Dallas USCIS office is!

8/20/2011 Started dating

4/23/2014 Got Married

5/8/2014 USCIS received my package

7/26/2014 EAD approved

12/12/2014 Interview scheduled

1/12/2015 Interviewed but I 485 wasn't approved on spot.

I gotta say my husband and I didn't prepare for the interview at all because we were so confident. First, we dated almost 3 years before getting married and my status has been always legal for the past 5 years. Second, both of us have good jobs. Third, we bought a house 2 months after married and the settlement document/loan has both of our names.

However ,the interview wasn't very smooth. First, IO didn't really turn on his computer and type stuff. Instead, he just made some notes on the file.I can see there are some stickers on our file which might indicate that he review everything before the interview.

1. I accidentally said my husband's birthday wrong. (should be 12/14 but for some reason, I said 12/24).

2. IO asked if I was going to change my last name and I said not really.

3. IO asked if we were going to have kids. My husband said 4 years later and I said 5 years later. And IO made a comment that he saw hesitation from me (of course, because I didn't know where the 4 years came from. After the interview, husband told me that he thought it's 2015 so he should deduct 1 year from what we agreed on.)

4. IO asked what's proposal like and we were like, there was no proposal nor wedding. Husband said that we are pretty practical people and I said I am not romantic and doesn't want to deal with the drama.

5. IO asked if my husband was married before. The answer is yes. Husband said his ex wife is from XX country and got green card from him. IO asked if she is a citizen now and my husband said probably but he didn't really know. At this point, I felt my husband was so stupid. He should have made more explanations, like they were high school sweat hearts and got married after college and the marriage lasted for 5 years. But he didn't.

6. And IO asked me if I met ex wife before. I said one time.

I felt awkward in the whole interview. IO went through our pictures (most are travelling pictures taken in the past 3 years) very quickly. I brought the wedding cards, birthday cards and new year cards I received from his family but IO didn't look at it.

Husband asked when shall we heard back from USCIS and IO said there were some many case in the pipeline, so probably a couple of months later. At the end, the IO took our joint account statements and house settlement notice away and gave us a notice, stating held for review and please contact 120 days later.

Does anyone from Dallas has the same experience like mine?

Did I really screw the interview? We are afraid of doing stroke interviews but honesty, I just hope the whole thing ends ASAP. I am not a patient person and this process just took way to long.

Again, please don't make the same mistakes like I made. Please practice the interview a little bit at home and this is going to save you from panic!!!

Edited January 13, 2015 by acme555

[NancyNguyen 1,657]

There is no wife would call her spouse STUPID on public forum. Be prepared for the worst.

[Mariam&Smith 45]

There is no wife would call her spouse STUPID on public forum. Be prepared for the worst.

Well said, can't agree more with you. Actually, OP messed up whole thing with birthday answer, one of most crucial questions.

[acme555 0]

I want to correct one thing We are not afraid of doing stroke interviews but honesty, I just hope the whole thing ends ASAP because of my personality. I am a inpatient people,

I even had a hard time to recall my SSN number. Just not sensitive to numbers.

There is no wife would call her spouse STUPID on public forum. Be prepared for the worst.

Seriously? I really think the fact that he didn't want to go details making the interview more awkard.

Anyway, don't make the same mistake we made. We were too relaxed and too casual because we were exactly just being ourselves, bringing too much personalities while asnwering the questions.

Edited January 14, 2015 by acme555

[Leo7777 243]

Yes, the advice here is generally . . . relax and be yourself and everything will be fine.

Doesn't always work.

I highly recommend the 'practice' approach before any such interview, whether it be for a job or anything.

[Leo7777 243]

Info on Stokes Interview:

http://immigrationroad.com/green-card/stokes-interview-marriage-based-immigration.php

[Darnell 8,478]

so, when you are checking status recently, today, yesterday, on the CRIS system,

what's the status on the I-485 receipt # ?

[acme555 0]

so, when you are checking status recently, today, yesterday, on the CRIS system,

what's the status on the I-485 receipt # ?

I-485 ：interview is scheduled for 1/12/2015

I-130 ：Case was received.

Here are more background. My husband's ex wife got green card through him in 2005. They were high school sweet hearts (since 17 years old) and got married after college (2005) but separated at the beginning of 2011. The divorce is finalized in 2012 March. Their relationship lasted 10 years. My husband didn't give any detail about his previous relationship to the IO because he insists that it's none of the IO's business. What IO knew is he was married before and ex wife got green card through him. IO asked one more question about his ex wife, "is your wife a citizen now?" He answered "I don't really know but probably is. It has been a long time since she got green card." For some reason, I feel the question "is your wife a citizen now" is a very very important question for my case based on the research I did....

What do you think Darnell?

Another thing is, my H1B is going to expire on 6/3/2015 and EAD is going to expire on 7/21/2015. I am still on H1B. Should I extend my H1B or renew my EAD just in case that this GC thing is going to last forever....

Thanks!

[Darnell 8,478]

for your type of AOS,

the person that interviews you won't grant anything,

as

the case needs supervisor review.

keep checking CRIS for status...

[acme555 0]

for your type of AOS,

the person that interviews you won't grant anything,

as

the case needs supervisor review.

keep checking CRIS for status...

Can you please be more specific? I swear it's my last question.

When you say "your type of AOS", do you mean due to my husband's sponsor history , they need a higher rank IO to review the case?

No wonder that IO never turned on his computer from the very first moment when we stepped in.

Edited January 15, 2015 by acme555

[Darnell 8,478]

adjusting from H1-B,

with a prior F-1

that's the type of 'prior' I'm trying to refer to.

as to the ex-wife, well, it may or may not be an issue

but they have to look hard at these types of AOS,

as it's seeming 'just another way' to stay in the USA.

A supervisor has to review all. Time and Timing? Unknown. The portion of the Dallas office (in Irving) that I was dealing with , wasn't the portion you two are dealing with. That place is huge.

as to 'not turning on the computer' - look - if the A-File was in front of him, then no need to turn on the computer.

But I really think it's going to be the totality of the circumstances, not just his current status that he's adjusting out of .

I wish I could be more specific, but I am not meshed into the brain of the adjudicating supervisor - please cut me a wee bit o slack, aye?

In general terms, based on my personal experience, I absolutely hate and loathe the Dallas Field Office in Irving, TX. personal experience listed on my profile page. <EOM>

[TBoneTX 45,308]

*** Thread moved from "AOS from WS&T Visas" main forum to the Case Progress subforum. ***

[ezekiel2020 2]

Pls Darnell, help on my case, I wa told by l2 officer that my case has just been forwarded to the department for a decision. Is this true has anyone witnessed this issue before? It's chicago field office and it's been 8 months post interview . Need help please.

[Darnell 8,478]

Sorry, when you refuse to make a timeline, up at

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/profile.php?id=164071

is very difficult to give you advice.

[sunnyinca 3]

adjusting from H1-B,

with a prior F-1

that's the type of 'prior' I'm trying to refer to.

as to the ex-wife, well, it may or may not be an issue

but they have to look hard at these types of AOS,

as it's seeming 'just another way' to stay in the USA.

A supervisor has to review all. Time and Timing? Unknown. The portion of the Dallas office (in Irving) that I was dealing with , wasn't the portion you two are dealing with. That place is huge.

as to 'not turning on the computer' - look - if the A-File was in front of him, then no need to turn on the computer.

But I really think it's going to be the totality of the circumstances, not just his current status that he's adjusting out of .

I wish I could be more specific, but I am not meshed into the brain of the adjudicating supervisor - please cut me a wee bit o slack, aye?

In general terms, based on my personal experience, I absolutely hate and loathe the Dallas Field Office in Irving, TX. personal experience listed on my profile page. <EOM>

May I ask why you think adjusting from H-1B with a prior F-1 makes this a more complicated case? The H-1B already has dual intent and I would imagine it's easier to do AOS from H-1B than from other visas. I would agree and say it's more likely that it has to do with the petitioner's sponsor history...