Biometrics appointment for green card-immigration officer interrogated me about my marriage

[ScarletNIW 5]

Hi all,

today I went for biometrics appointment and after that I asked a simple question to an immigration officer and he decided to interrogate me on my marriage even if my green card process is employment-based and not marriage-based (my husband and I are in AOS based on my approved i140 EB2-NIW). The officer asked me a huge amount of questions on my marriage because my husband and I are not living together (temporary) for work. I told him that it's for work (I had a grant and I have to stay here for a year) and he asked me what's more important for me, my career or my husband. I said both and he told me that I should move and live with my husband instead. Is it so unusual for a woman to care about both? After several questions about my marriage, I have been told that my husband's application should be denied because if we do not live together it's not a relationship. I am honestly shocked that in 2017 a woman has to go through these #####. I also don't even think that they are allowed to interview people at the biometrics appointment without a notice. Anyone had a similar experience?

Edited June 5, 2017 by Ryan H
Reason for edit: to remove profanity.

[Vaug21 14]

2 hours ago, ScarletNIW said:

Hi all,

today I went for biometrics appointment and after that I asked a simple question to an immigration officer and he decided to interrogate me on my marriage even if my green card process is employment-based and not marriage-based (my husband and I are in AOS based on my approved i140 EB2-NIW). The officer asked me a huge amount of questions on my marriage because my husband and I are not living together (temporary) for work. I told him that it's for work (I had a grant and I have to stay here for a year) and he asked me what's more important for me, my career or my husband. I said both and he told me that I should move and live with my husband instead. Is it so unusual for a woman to care about both? After several questions about my marriage, I have been told that my husband's application should be denied because if we do not live together it's not a relationship. I am honestly shocked that in 2017 a woman has to go through these #####. I also don't even think that they are allowed to interview people at the biometrics appointment without a notice. Anyone had a similar experience?

Sorry for that , but yes its looks like that guy had abad day. and yea just to raise points you should stay with your husband... I didnt know they interrogate on the biometrics appointment,, sorry dear but I don't think they will deny it 

Edited June 5, 2017 by Ryan H
Reason for edit: to remove profanity in quote.

[ScarletNIW 5]

Just now, Vaug21 said:

Sorry for that , but yes its looks like that guy had abad day. and yea just to raise points you should stay with your husband... I didnt know they interrogate on the biometrics appointment,, sorry dear but I don't think they will deny it 

Thanks. I honestly don't think that they can deny it just based on the different address but he scared me and he was very rude for no reason.  Never ask questions to an immigration officer!

[Jordan8768 107]

2 hours ago, ScarletNIW said:

Hi all,

today I went for biometrics appointment and after that I asked a simple question to an immigration officer and he decided to interrogate me on my marriage even if my green card process is employment-based and not marriage-based (my husband and I are in AOS based on my approved i140 EB2-NIW). The officer asked me a huge amount of questions on my marriage because my husband and I are not living together (temporary) for work. I told him that it's for work (I had a grant and I have to stay here for a year) and he asked me what's more important for me, my career or my husband. I said both and he told me that I should move and live with my husband instead. Is it so unusual for a woman to care about both? After several questions about my marriage, I have been told that my husband's application should be denied because if we do not live together it's not a relationship. I am honestly shocked that in 2017 a woman has to go through these #####. I also don't even think that they are allowed to interview people at the biometrics appointment without a notice. Anyone had a similar experience?

I think the officer must've just been in a bad mood. When I went to my biometrics they were nothing but nice to me. They never talked about my case but more a pleasant conversation. But I'm sure the conversation would've been "off record" and will have no bearing on the outcome. 

Edited June 5, 2017 by Ryan H
Reason for edit: to remove profanity in quote.

[Vaug21 14]

5 minutes ago, Jordan8768 said:

I think the officer must've just been in a bad mood. When I went to my biometrics they were nothing but nice to me. They never talked about my case but more a pleasant conversation. But I'm sure the conversation would've been "off record" and will have no bearing on the outcome. 

Me too ,, the thing is don't ask them questions and don't answer irrelevant 

[Vaug21 14]

2 hours ago, ScarletNIW said:

Hi all,

today I went for biometrics appointment and after that I asked a simple question to an immigration officer and he decided to interrogate me on my marriage even if my green card process is employment-based and not marriage-based (my husband and I are in AOS based on my approved i140 EB2-NIW). The officer asked me a huge amount of questions on my marriage because my husband and I are not living together (temporary) for work. I told him that it's for work (I had a grant and I have to stay here for a year) and he asked me what's more important for me, my career or my husband. I said both and he told me that I should move and live with my husband instead. Is it so unusual for a woman to care about both? After several questions about my marriage, I have been told that my husband's application should be denied because if we do not live together it's not a relationship. I am honestly shocked that in 2017 a woman has to go through these #####. I also don't even think that they are allowed to interview people at the biometrics appointment without a notice. Anyone had a similar experience?

And he is right the fact that you don't stay together and your married can raise a redflag you would have put the same address even if your working in different city afterall your married meaning you share everything,, i have aperson I know filed for AOS but both lived in different states and had different addresses but he told me he went through a lot .. but that was back then who knows 

Edited June 5, 2017 by Ryan H
Reason for edit: to remove profanity in quote.

[Jordan8768 107]

3 minutes ago, Vaug21 said:

And he is right the fact that you don't stay together and your married can raise a redflag you would have put the same address even if your working in different city afterall your married meaning you share everything,, i have aperson I know filed for AOS but both lived in different states and had different addresses but he told me he went through a lot .. but that was back then who knows 

I agree with this. What the officer was getting at is somewhat correct. Just make sure you're prepared when it comes to the interview stage. 

[ScarletNIW 5]

8 minutes ago, Vaug21 said:

And he is right the fact that you don't stay together and your married can raise a redflag you would have put the same address even if your working in different city afterall your married meaning you share everything,, i have aperson I know filed for AOS but both lived in different states and had different addresses but he told me he went through a lot .. but that was back then who knows 

that may be right for marriage-based green card but mine is employment-based and it's common for researchers to have to move for grants for a while. Only the same address is not a proof of a bona fide marriage. We are both from the same town in Italy, we have shared bank account, credit card, health insurance, phone plan, and he is the beneficiary of my pension...this is much more than just an address!

4 minutes ago, Jordan8768 said:

I agree with this. What the officer was getting at is somewhat correct. Just make sure you're prepared when it comes to the interview stage. 

Not true: for employment-based green card people are not supposed to have the interview (only in rare cases)...that's the marriage-based one!

Edited June 5, 2017 by ScarletNIW

[Vaug21 14]

2 minutes ago, ScarletNIW said:

that may be right for marriage-based green card but mine is employment-based and it's common for researchers to have to move for grants for a while. Only the same address is not a proof of a bona fide marriage. We are both from the same town in Italy, we have shared bank account, credit card, health insurance, phone plan, and he is the beneficiary of my pension...this is much more than just an address!

Not true: for employment-based green card people are not supposed to have the interview (only in rare cases)...that's the marriage-based one!

Ok then the immigration officer just had  a bad day and also that's a lesson never to ask them questions unless they asked

3 minutes ago, ScarletNIW said:

that may be right for marriage-based green card but mine is employment-based and it's common for researchers to have to move for grants for a while. Only the same address is not a proof of a bona fide marriage. We are both from the same town in Italy, we have shared bank account, credit card, health insurance, phone plan, and he is the beneficiary of my pension...this is much more than just an address!

Not true: for employment-based green card people are not supposed to have the interview (only in rare cases)...that's the marriage-based one!

All in all wish you the best

[ScarletNIW 5]

1 minute ago, Vaug21 said:

Ok then the immigration officer just had  a bad day and also that's a lesson never to ask them questions unless they asked

All in all wish you the best

Thanks! 

[Jordan8768 107]

6 minutes ago, ScarletNIW said:

that may be right for marriage-based green card but mine is employment-based and it's common for researchers to have to move for grants for a while. Only the same address is not a proof of a bona fide marriage. We are both from the same town in Italy, we have shared bank account, credit card, health insurance, phone plan, and he is the beneficiary of my pension...this is much more than just an address!

Not true: for employment-based green card people are not supposed to have the interview (only in rare cases)...that's the marriage-based one!

Ohhhh. Sorry I misunderstood what you were saying. Well in which case that was odd. The officer was just in a bad mood 

[Illiria 980]

Was it the person taking your fingerprints or the person you gave your appointment letter to at the door that gave you a hard time?

 

I find the people you give appointment letter to at the door have zero social skills and are know it alls, they are just security people effectively and they act like they are immigration when they are not. 

 

They usually have comment boxes in the office on the way out so you can leave feed back. 

[ScarletNIW 5]

2 minutes ago, Illiria said:

Was it the person taking your fingerprints or the person you gave your appointment letter to at the door that gave you a hard time?

 

I find the people you give appointment letter to at the door have zero social skills and are know it alls, they are just security people effectively and they act like they are immigration when they are not. 

 

They usually have comment boxes in the office on the way out so you can leave feed back. 

He was an immigration officer in a separated room for questions on an application. I only asked him about my husband's appointment because he still did not receive the notice. I saw the feedback box but after I was interrogated so bad I just wanted to leave that place!

[Illiria 980]

27 minutes ago, ScarletNIW said:

He was an immigration officer in a separated room for questions on an application. I only asked him about my husband's appointment because he still did not receive the notice. I saw the feedback box but after I was interrogated so bad I just wanted to leave that place!

Gods that sucks, sorry. Totally understand not wanting to hang around.

 

For non case related complaints including rude treatment by uscis employee or sub contractor you can submit a complaint by Contacing USCIS offices, in-person or by mail. If at a USCIS office, contact a supervisor. (Addresses can be found at www.uscis.gov, under the “About Us” section.)

 

NCSC toll-free number: 1-800-375-5283

(TTY number: 1-800-767-1833)

 

This is from their own policy manual on the uscis website, it's a bit hard to navigate to the right bit so I copied it here. 

 

https://www.uscis.gov/policymanual/HTML/PolicyManual-Volume1-PartA-Chapter13.html

Edited June 5, 2017 by Illiria

[Transborderwife 4,666]

Are you certain that he was even aware that it was an employment based card?