Separated during Adjustment of Status interview?

[EllisAndRenz 196]

My wife and I were separated during our Adjustment of Status interview.  In fact, they never called me in.  For her, they asked her very few questions about our marriage, mostly national security questions.

 

Has anyone else had this happen?  I'm reviewing others posts, and this feels like an unusual situation.

 

[SalishSea 17,829]

6 minutes ago, EllisAndRenz said:

My wife and I were separated during our Adjustment of Status interview.  In fact, they never called me in.  For her, they asked her very few questions about our marriage, mostly national security questions.

 

Has anyone else had this happen?  I'm reviewing others posts, and this feels like an unusual situation.

 

It is quite unusual.  Besides the obvious large age difference, are there other details they may have wondered about, like how you met?

[EllisAndRenz 196]

5 minutes ago, Jorgedig said:

It is quite unusual.  Besides the obvious large age difference, are there other details they may have wondered about, like how you met?

We aren't THAT far apart in age.  But if there were questions, they didn't ask about them.

They also told her unless anything comes up in a background check, she was approved. 

 

 

[SalishSea 17,829]

5 minutes ago, EllisAndRenz said:

We aren't THAT far apart in age.  But if there were questions, they didn't ask about them.

They also told her unless anything comes up in a background check, she was approved. 

 

 

Background check for AOS?   That doesn't really make sense......

 

Stokes interviews are generally done when there is suspicion of marriage/immigration fraud.

[Boiler 45,514]

I agree it is unusual but then again so is not having a age difference, who knows?

[EllisAndRenz 196]

5 minutes ago, Jorgedig said:

Background check for AOS?   That doesn't really make sense......

 

Stokes interviews are generally done when there is suspicion of marriage/immigration fraud.

What is a stokes interview?

 

The ONLY other thing I can think of is that I'm in the process of updating my government security clearance, and I do know a lot of questions came up about my being married to a foreign national.  So I'm wondering if this is possibly all connected? 

[SalishSea 17,829]

9 minutes ago, EllisAndRenz said:

What is a stokes interview?  Google/Wikipedia for details.  It is a DOS/USCIS interview in which the two parties are separated and questioned separately.  Very unusual for an AOS interview.  More common for certain countries/consulates.

 

The ONLY other thing I can think of is that I'm in the process of updating my government security clearance, and I do know a lot of questions came up about my being married to a foreign national.  So I'm wondering if this is possibly all connected? 

 

[EllisAndRenz 196]

12 minutes ago, Jorgedig said:

Background check for AOS?   That doesn't really make sense......

 

Stokes interviews are generally done when there is suspicion of marriage/immigration fraud.

OK, I looked this up.  If this were a Stokes interview, they would have also interviewed me.  I was never called in, nor did they speak to me.  Just her.  She said it was extremely friendly, but nearly all of the questions were related to national security.  The only relationship questions were "What date did you get married" and "What address do you live at?"

[SalishSea 17,829]

5 minutes ago, EllisAndRenz said:

OK, I looked this up.  If this were a Stokes interview, they would have also interviewed me.  I was never called in, nor did they speak to me.  Just her.  She said it was extremely friendly, but nearly all of the questions were related to national security.  The only relationship questions were "What date did you get married" and "What address do you live at?"

Sorry, I thought you meant that you were questioned separately.

 

So they just left you sitting in the waiting room?  I have absolutely never heard of this happening for an AOS based on marriage.  I don't think my husband would have been admitted to his AOS interview had I not been present.

[SalishSea 17,829]

7 minutes ago, EllisAndRenz said:

She said it was extremely friendly, but nearly all of the questions were related to national security

What do you mean related to 'national security?'  Our questions were related to how we met, the names of all our kids, our jobs etc.   Nothing even remotely related to national security.  Mostly the officer went through the I-485 and updated any changes, as we had to wait 14 months to get an interview.

[Letspaintcookies 2,310]

I don't know, I feel with Covid everything is possible. Maybe that's just how the IO does things and if he would have gotten suspicious about something they would have called you in too.

[EllisAndRenz 196]

9 minutes ago, Jorgedig said:

Sorry, I thought you meant that you were questioned separately.

 

So they just left you sitting in the waiting room?  I have absolutely never heard of this happening for an AOS based on marriage.  I don't think my husband would have been admitted to his AOS interview had I not been present.

They told me to stay in the waiting room and said they would call me later.  They never did.  They just told her that pending anything showing up in a background, she passed and she could go home. 

[Boiler 45,514]

Sounds good?

[EllisAndRenz 196]

8 minutes ago, Jorgedig said:

What do you mean related to 'national security?'  Our questions were related to how we met, the names of all our kids, our jobs etc.   Nothing even remotely related to national security.  Mostly the officer went through the I-485 and updated any changes, as we had to wait 14 months to get an interview.

Questions such as:

- Have you ever been a member of a terrorist group?

- Have you ever done work for your home countries Government?

- Is your intent in the USA to commit espionage against the United States?

- Have you ever murdered one or more persons?

- Do you have any intent on overthrowing the US Government?

 

The only marriage related questions was:

- When did you get married?

- What address do you live at?

 

[SalishSea 17,829]

6 minutes ago, EllisAndRenz said:

They told me to stay in the waiting room and said they would call me later.  They never did.  They just told her that pending anything showing up in a background, she passed and she could go home. 

The only thing I can think of is that maybe it is a new COVID thing, with trying to limit the number of people who are around the officers?  Please keep us updated!