Was this a stokes interview?

[Pbl 192]

Hi, guys. We just had our interview last week. The officer was very professional and organized.

 

My husband (the petitioner) and I were separated at the interview. Does that mean we had a stokes interview?

 

 The officer started with me and interviewed me for about 40 minutes. He asked me so many questions! Some of the questions he asked: 

• Did you come on a j1 visa?
• When and how did you meet? (We met online)
• Which website?
• Where do you live?
• When did you move there?
• Where did you live when you first got married?
• Did you have a wedding? Where was it? Did family attend it? (I showed him our wedding album as I answered the questions)
• Where did your husband graduate?
• What was his major?
• What year did he graduate? (Apparently, the officer went to the same university as my husband - my guess is that the officer recognized my husband the moment he looked at the wedding album. They don’t know each other, but, from the reaction the officer had when he turned the first page of the wedding album - asking questions about college - it is clear to me my husband’s face looks familiar to the officer)
• How much do you pay for rent?
• When is trash day?
• When was the last time you came to the United States?
• What do you do?
• How many times have you been married?
• How many times did you visit? When? Did he go to Brazil? When?
• Do you have any children? Does your husband have children?
• What does your husband do? Where does he work?
• What did you do yesterday? What did your husband do yesterday?
• What did you have for dinner last night?
• What did you do last Sunday? What did your husband do? 
• When was the last time you entered the US?
• What do you like doing together?

 

There were more questions, but I don’t remember them anymore. I wrote these down on my phone as soon as I left the office so I could remember them.

 

Then he asked my husband to get in and I stepped out. He asked my husband (American citizen) way fewer questions:

- what did you do last Sunday?

- what did you do yesterday?

- what did you have for dinner last night?

- what is your dog’s name? (I had mentioned her at one point of my interview)

- where and when did you graduate?

 

The officer said we would be getting an RFE because I translated my own birth certificate, which is considered a conflict of interest. I am very disappointed that we did not get this RFE before the interview, as we could have brought a new translation to the interview had we been informed about it beforehand. Well, I already have a fresh translation (by a certified translator, registered in the Brazilian consulate website and all), but no status change so far and no letter. I wonder how long it will take for the RFE to be issued and for it to arrive.

 

My questions:

- was that a stokes interview?

- how long does it usually take for an RFE to be issued and mailed/received?

 

My feelings: I am emotionally exhausted. Never have I ever suspected they would separate us during the interview.

 

Some info about us: we have been together for 3.5 years, married for one. I am eight years older than my husband. He is almost a foot taller than me. I left family, friends, and my dream job to be with him. His family is my family now (love them to pieces) and he is my best friend. 

 

 

[Dashinka 24,497]

Sounds like it was a Stokes interview.  As to when you will get the RFE, I don’t really know, but since it seems to be related to you translating your own BC, you may want to see about getting it translated by a third party.

 

Good Luck!

[Going through 5,671]

It seems you had a Stokes interview, yes.

Surely you discussed it afterwards---did most of your answers match up?  That's what the CO was looking for.

If the only issue afterwards seems to be the BC, then get that done and submitted as soon as possible.

 

The age difference is not really an issue considering your home country.  Him being taller than you is irrelevant.  Leaving friends, family, job etc. behind is something pretty much everyone here has been through---believe me, we understand.  Best of luck.

[Pbl 192]

8 hours ago, Bill & Katya said:

Sounds like it was a Stokes interview.  As to when you will get the RFE, I don’t really know, but since it seems to be related to you translating your own BC, you may want to see about getting it translated by a third party.

 

Good Luck!

Thank you, Bill & Katya! We already procured a new translation by a certified translator. We are just waiting for the RFE now.

 

6 hours ago, Going through said:

It seems you had a Stokes interview, yes.

Surely you discussed it afterwards---did most of your answers match up?  That's what the CO was looking for.

If the only issue afterwards seems to be the BC, then get that done and submitted as soon as possible.

 

The age difference is not really an issue considering your home country.  Him being taller than you is irrelevant.  Leaving friends, family, job etc. behind is something pretty much everyone here has been through---believe me, we understand.  Best of luck.

Yes, the only issue was the birth certificate. All our answers matched.

 

Oh, and the extra info about us was just a way to humanize the description a bit. I know our age and height difference have no impact on a possible approval or denial. I am also aware that every single applicant left their lives in their home countries behind. What your comment helped me realize is that I naively thought it should have counted as proof of how much I love my husband. And of course it doesn’t... In my specific case, leaving my family, my amazing friends, and my dream job is an absolute testament to my love for my husband - but I get that they have no way to assess that.

 

Truth is, I was completely blindsided by a stokes interview. My husband and I have fought long and hard to get here. I love him like crazy and I mean the world to him. I understand that, before an interview, it is hard to realize that. I still don’t get why we would be picked for a stokes interview.

 

 

Thank you for your kind words. This is a very emotionally taxing journey, but my husband is 1000% worth it.

 

[Going through 5,671]

On 9/28/2019 at 11:30 AM, Pbl said:

Thank you for your kind words. This is a very emotionally taxing journey, but my husband is 1000% worth it.

I'm sure he is  

Immigration is a stressful process even when things seem to be going smoothly and you know you have nothing to worry about (ie. stellar background, lots of evidence, etc.) .  You'll be stressed out again when the time for your ROC rolls around, and that's just a straightforward application with normally no interview....but it will still play on your nerves a bit due to the pressure of wanting to get everything done correctly on the petition.

Best of luck, and keep us posted!

[Pbl 192]

6 hours ago, Going through said:

I'm sure he is  

Immigration is a stressful process even when things seem to be going smoothly and you know you have nothing to worry about (ie. stellar background, lots of evidence, etc.) .  You'll be stressed out again when the time for your ROC rolls around, and that's just a straightforward application with normally no interview....but it will still play on your nerves a bit due to the pressure of wanting to get everything done correctly on the petition.

Best of luck, and keep us posted!

 

‘Your words are really comforting. Thank you for that.

 

i’ll sure keep you posted.  

[Cheschirecat 176]

I had a Stokes interview today. Did you ever hear back? 

[Pbl 192]

22 minutes ago, Cheschirecat said:

I had a Stokes interview today. Did you ever hear back? 

I am sorry you have been submitted to that as well. No, no news here. My case status remains "interview was completed and my case must be reviewed".

 

What questions did they ask you during your interview? Can you describe how it went? 

[Cheschirecat 176]

1 minute ago, Pbl said:

I am sorry you have been submitted to that as well. No, no news here. My case status remains "interview was completed and my case must be reviewed".

 

What questions did they ask you during your interview? Can you describe how it went? 

Almost identical to what you were asked.  I’m the Petitioner and I went first. It was like 40 minutes and his was about the same. Then we went in together. We were told that if they needed anything else they Would let us know. Decision in 30 days. I was NOT ready for that interview 

[Pbl 192]

1 hour ago, Cheschirecat said:

Almost identical to what you were asked.  I’m the Petitioner and I went first. It was like 40 minutes and his was about the same. Then we went in together. We were told that if they needed anything else they Would let us know. Decision in 30 days. I was NOT ready for that interview 

Oh, no! Your experience sounds even more challenging than ours. Our officer did not promise any timeline. We are almost at the 30 day mark at this point. I will let you know as soon as I have an update.

 

Do you know what might have triggered your stokes interview?

After having talked to many people across different forums and platforms, we came to the conclusion that, in our case, it was either the fact that we met online or our age difference, as I am eight years older than my husband. 

[Cheschirecat 176]

21 minutes ago, Pbl said:

Oh, no! Your experience sounds even more challenging than ours. Our officer did not promise any timeline. We are almost at the 30 day mark at this point. I will let you know as soon as I have an update.

 

Do you know what might have triggered your stokes interview?

After having talked to many people across different forums and platforms, we came to the conclusion that, in our case, it was either the fact that we met online or our age difference, as I am eight years older than my husband. 

I am 12 years older, we met online, he came here on a B2 visa and he is from Nigeria 

[Pbl 192]

16 hours ago, Cheschirecat said:

I am 12 years older, we met online, he came here on a B2 visa and he is from Nigeria 

Oh, I have heard that some officers are highly suspicious about Nigerians due to alledgedly high fraud numbers. Sorry you have been going through that! I hope things work out for you guys.

[Cheschirecat 176]

2 minutes ago, Pbl said:

Oh, I have heard that some officers are highly suspicious about Nigerians due to alledgedly high fraud numbers. Sorry you have been going through that! I hope things work out for you guys.

Yeah, we feel so sad right now, but we aren’t giving up! We’ll wait and see what we receive. They did not say we received an RFE.

[Umka36 781]

We had a stokes interview during the AOS stage. Received the approval within a few days FWIW.

[Cheschirecat 176]

8 hours ago, Umka36 said:

We had a stokes interview during the AOS stage. Received the approval within a few days FWIW.

Really?!? There’s hope!