AOS Experience

[maui0831 4]

Hello everyone!

It has been a long journey for me, but during my AOS interview on Feb 4, 2014 I was approved!

Here's my story:

My parents first immigrated here to the US on 2003, my dad was on an H1-B visa. I visited here for summers for two or three times and finally on 2006 my parents decided that it's better for me to go to college here. I was 17 when my dad filed for my status to change to H4. I went to school for nursing, and graduated with an associate's on 2009, however due to retrogression my father's priority date for his I-140 petition is still not current when I turned 21 (In 2010). So from an H4 I changed my status to an F1 visa to finish my bachelor's. In 2011, I filed for my own I-140 (EB3) knowing that once I'm finished with my Bachelor's I may have to go home and wait for my PD for the EB3 I-140 to be current to come back to the US.

During all of that flux, I met my boyfriend (now husband) in 2009, and we started dating in 2011. We were serious and we knew we wanted to get married, and got engaged in 2013. Serendipitously in 2013 DOMA was struck down, and we got married one year after our engagement in 2014.

We filed for AOS in October and we used a lawyer in the process.

Here's my timeline from then on:

10/20- Mailed packet via Overnight USPS

10/21- Packet received (Priority Date)

10/30- Paper NOA received

11/18- Biometrics

12/31- Interview Letter Received

1/2- EAD approved

2/4- Interview Date

I want to point out that I did not find VJ until the middle of January as I frantically looked at every possible AOS interview experience in the internet. I found solace, help and comfort in the experiences of others, and that's why I wanted to share my experience as well.

Prior to the interview our lawyer has reiterated to us plenty of times that our case is very strong (one of the strongest he has filed). We frontloaded our packet, with proof of bonafides including wedding details, wedding pictures with both our families present, affidavit from his mom and my mom, joint bank statements. We are a young couple so we did not have any joint car insurance, car titles, or health insurance. We also lived at my parent's house, so no lease but an affidavit from my mom was submitted instead.

For the interview I brought everything including the kitchen sink. I brought more pictures, letter from pet insurance company that we are both owners of our dog, American Canine Association Certificate where we are both named as owners of our dogs, all cards, and I even screenshotted and printed out our early conversations in FaceBook. We had a tote bag of documents organized and ready to give to the IO.

On 2/4/14, our appointment was for 8:45 am at the Newark Field Office. We arrived at Newark at 7:45 parked across the street and walked to the Federal Building. Our lawyer was running late and he did not arrive at the building until 8:30, thankfully we cleared security fairly easily and was up to the 14th floor and we were checked in by 8:45.

The Newark Field Office does allow you to keep your phones, but it must be silent and any use must occur outside the waiting room. While in the waiting room, we chatted with our lawyer and we were called in by a male Hispanic IO, mid40's to come to door B. He let us in and we walked to his office. My lawyer tried to shake his hand but he did not reach out for it (I may have mildly panicked, but I took a deep breath). The IO was very stoic and professional, I didn't see any prejudice regarding a same sex couple which I was thankful for. He swore us in, asked for our IDs, my husband's birthcertificate, my birthcertificate and our marriage license. (He did not ask for EAD or I-94 so I panicked a little again, but I took a deep breath). We then told him we have additional documents to submit, and he told us he will let us know if he needs anything else.

He then proceeded to inform us that the interview will begin, and as he was making notes in our file he started asking questions. Here are the questions he asked:

To my husband:

1. What's your husband's FULL name.

2. What's his DOB

3. Was he married before

4. Does he have kids.

5. How did you guys meet

To me:

1. What's your husband's full name

2. Was he married before

3. Does he have kids

Then he asked me all the 485- No questions.

After asking me the 485, he returned our birth certificates but kept my passport and our licenses. He dismissed us letting us know he will call us to come to the window. I then informed him again that we have documents if he needed more, and he told us he didn't need anymore. At this point I was very ambivalent, I thought the interview went well (and quick) however all the "good" (take the EAD and I-94, IO expressed he will approve interview) signs of an interview did not occur for us. The lawyer did tell us, "That went really well!". The IO called us to a window and he returned our IDs and my passport. He didn't give any inclination of telling us anything else when I asked him "Sir, do you need anything else? Do you have any other questions or need other documents?". He then answered that he has all he needs. At this point I gave him my best puppy dog eyes impression, and he told us that we will get the result in two weeks, and that the card will be conditional. When I heard that I beamed, and I thanked him. We went to the elevator, I gave our lawyer a hug and kissed my husband.

Me being me, I still obsessed about it, and I didn't want to believe it until I receive the email stating card production. I received the email for card production on 2/4, email stating welcome notice was mailed on 2/4, and I-130 was approved on 2/4 as well. So now it's sinking in that I am FINALLY a lawful permanent resident at the country I have been living in since I was 17, a country I have called home since.

Things I have learned and wanted to share:

1. Lawyer or no lawyer, it depends on you. I felt more comfortable filing with a lawyer, I fully believed that I would rather spend the money and have a relative peace of mind in filing. Caveat: RESEARCH your lawyer if you will use one. The internet is a wonderful resource in researching a lawyer. I will only use a lawyer who has a 4.5/5 rating or better.

2. Overprepare. My husband was actually disappointed (I believe he's joking) he said he was so ready to answer any question about our relationship. Prepare documents, and be creative. We do not necessarily have the traditional bonifide documents, but we submitted documents that were sufficient enough to establish the relationship such as beneficiary info for disability at work, emergency contacts at work, pet insurance etc.

3. Relax. Anxiety is normal, however believe in your relationship. You know your relationship is true, and if you have confidence in this it will shine through. Oddly enough I was more nervous on the days leading up to the interview. I tried to remain calm during the interview as much as possible. Positive thinking works!

Finally, thank you very much guys. I was never active here, I just lurked but knowing other people are in the same boat is very comforting. To those still waiting, hang in there!

One question:

1. How long until we get the physical greencard? I can't wait to go on our honeymoon!

See you in 2016-ish for ROC!

[Manzan76 6]

Congrats and thanks for sharing!

[Darnell 8,479]

hey could you copy/paste your stuff into an aos interview write-up,

stored at

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/profile.php?id=202229