Interview waived - our experience

[Devale 9]

 

 

 

So, our interview was waived and I decided to share our experience hoping to help someone that might need it.

Timeline

16 September 2020 - I came in the US with ESTA (I’m Italian). I landed in Chicago, the officer asked me what I came for (meet my boyfriend), what’s his job (CRNA and military) and where he is stationed (Texas). I answered honestly. I did not plan in any way to stay: the idea was just to meet the guy I was in love with after one year of constant communication, in fear we might have took different path while waiting for the coronavirus pandemic to subside, then go back to my two jobs (I was hired in a university as a tutor and just finished a internship in medical and healthcare communication) and university degree.

 

12 November 2020- we eloped after my husband proposed. It was a surprise. We didn’t t had family for obvious reasons so we invited everyone on streaming in a Facebook room. There idea was still to go back but the mix of lockdown in Italy and the uptick of cases in Texas made us chose otherwise. Meanwhile, the school decided to put the internship on hold, so I was let go for the moment and my university degree was online.

 

14 January 2021 - we sent the second application for aos. The first one was rejected for a clerical mistake. We sent the same application, with a few add and a new cover. It reached USCIS the 27th and got accepted.

 

May (forgot the day) 2021 - we received RFIE for birth certificate. I received a copy of the extended version and send it back. I sent the birth certificate with the name of my parents the first time, but the second I also sent a copy of the civil registrar book. 

 

June 2021 - we receive the medical form courtesy letter

 

15 October 2021 - they took my fingerprints and we requested an expedite for the green card.

 

25 October 2021 - we received communication that the expedite was accepted.

 

3 November 2021 - the I-130 was accepted (Potomac center)

 

8 November 2021 - RFE for medical. It was ready and we sent it immediately. 

 

9 November 2021 - case ready to be scheduled for an interview.

 

3 December 2021 - AoS was accepted (San Antonio field office).

 

 

Our interview was waived. I was really worried about the bona fide proof, since our relationship was so new and without a social security our options were limited. We sent some screenshot of our ongoing communication (not just the romance, but also some day to day stuff, like when I was talking about my project with university and he was talking about his ex wife or the search for a house). We had: whatsapp(with daily x2 phonecalls), Skype, a online game website, Spotify, Instagram, Facebook and bond touch. We also sent pictures of the gifts we exchanged and screen from social media from our friends congratulating for the marriage, and screen from the Facebook room and a song my dad dedicated to us. We included deers, health insurance, living will and shared credit cards. 

Also, we included affidavits from family and friends (my dad, his wife - USC as well and my best friend and his best friend and his wife and his sister and mom). None was notarized but had all the generalities of the person, a handwritten signature, plus an ID with a handwritten signature and date.  Plus, some communication between both of us and a child he is legal guardian of. We include pictures but not a tons of it. 

 

I did the medical much later, with a military doctor in a military facility; I had the COVID shots and a pregnancy statement that waived some vaccines (I will have it anyway) and for the ones that requires more than one shot for which I didn’t have antibodies, I did the first shot in order to complete the medical. They did all the possible test: HIV; Hep A, B and C (A and B they look for active infection and antibodies from vaccinations); STDs; a complete health panel and Hpv and pap smear and breast exam; Turbecolosis and ultrasound (to verify if I had PCOS).

 

None of us had a criminal history; I was never married and my husband was married and divorced in 2020 (it was close because of coronavirus). We had the first child while waiting. We are both professionals, even if I’m not (yet) college educated.

 

In the folder, we included a statement explaining our weird timeline and my return tickets, that I ended up paying for but never used. It was the second time I was using this ESTA; my step mom is American as well but living in Europe; I never asked for a visa (I was planning to finish my degree in Mexico) and it was my 3rd time in the States.

 

One of the perks I’m sure, is the tons of fiscal documents we sent: tax returns, 12 months of bank statements (we try to notarize it but the bank didn’t help us), W-2, pay stubs, degree and employment proof and house deeds. 

 

This is a short recollection of this year of anxiety. If you want to know anything else, feel free to ask. 😁

 

Edited December 12, 2021 by Devale

[Chancy 6,242]

*** Moved from AOS from Work/Student/Tourist Visas to AOS Progress Reports ***

 

[Rocio0010 5,580]

Congrats!!! Just to let you know that in two years you’ll have to file for ROC, so keep proactively collecting evidence 

[Devale 9]

13 minutes ago, ra0010 said:

Congrats!!! Just to let you know that in two years you’ll have to file for ROC, so keep proactively collecting evidence 

Thank you!

 

I didn’t know they wanted to waive the interview, so I already have a huge file with new evidence and I’ll keep collecting in these 2 years. Unfortunately almost half of it will be at a distance again 🙄

[Rocio0010 5,580]

5 minutes ago, Devale said:

Thank you!

 

I didn’t know they wanted to waive the interview, so I already have a huge file with new evidence and I’ll keep collecting in these 2 years. Unfortunately almost half of it will be at a distance again 🙄

That’s ok, it might be more challenging but nonetheless doable. I also had my AOS interview waived. What I mean with proactive is to enroll under same health/ life insurance, have joint bank accounts, etc etc