Back from the interview today, the good, the bad and the absurd!

[igomo 0]

Overall it was much easier than I expected. The officer was actually a human being just asking questions. Here's how it began:

He asked my (USC) questions about me for about 5 mins. Then he asked me a few questions.

Then he said I'm going to question you separately and I usually begin with the USC. So my wife was questioned for 10 minutes. Then he questioned me, had me instruct him to draw a diagram of our bedroom, where the dressers are, the bed, etc... asked about our pets and the last question was about sex which in our case it's a complicated answer but both my wife and I answered the same.

He brings my wife back and then he disappears for a minute and comes back. Here's the deal, you're great people and you answered everything correctly. However I have a problem with your age difference so I'm scheduling you for another interview but don't worry about it, you'll be fine, just do like you did today.

I didn't go there expecting to get approved on the spot, due to our age difference I figured they'd come up with a technicality or RFE so they don't approve us on the spot. But both my wife and I are angry (but not overly, I prepared her yesterday and told her the chances of an approval was low) that the officer basically told us he's discriminating against us because of our age difference.

PREJUDICE = The outcome of our interview was pre judged before we even got there. They have the power. Is it right?

We'll just go to the next interview. If there's more BS we'll just have to contact congressmen/senators.

He did take my I-94 and asked us to pick a picture of us together...

[Melyssa 0]

Overall it was much easier than I expected. The officer was actually a human being just asking questions. Here's how it began:

He asked my (USC) questions about me for about 5 mins. Then he asked me a few questions.

Then he said I'm going to question you separately and I usually begin with the USC. So my wife was questioned for 10 minutes. Then he questioned me, had me instruct him to draw a diagram of our bedroom, where the dressers are, the bed, etc... asked about our pets and the last question was about sex which in our case it's a complicated answer but both my wife and I answered the same.

He brings my wife back and then he disappears for a minute and comes back. Here's the deal, you're great people and you answered everything correctly. However I have a problem with your age difference so I'm scheduling you for another interview but don't worry about it, you'll be fine, just do like you did today.

I didn't go there expecting to get approved on the spot, due to our age difference I figured they'd come up with a technicality or RFE so they don't approve us on the spot. But both my wife and I are angry (but not overly, I prepared her yesterday and told her the chances of an approval was low) that the officer basically told us he's discriminating against us because of our age difference.

PREJUDICE = The outcome of our interview was pre judged before we even got there. They have the power. Is it right?

We'll just go to the next interview. If there's more BS we'll just have to contact congressmen/senators.

He did take my I-94 and asked us to pick a picture of us together...

That is so weird. They actually asked you about sex? The diagram thing kind of sounds like fun. I've never been good at diagrams though so if they ask me and my husband that eventually hopefully I won't forget the important things. LOL

And that's weird that he scheduled you for another interview if everything was fine. Your age difference shouldn't matter! Although I guess I can sort of understand especially if she is much older than you or something - but still, I have close friends where the man is much younger than his wife - both Americans - and they probably have one of the best marriages!

Edited November 15, 2007 by Melyssa

[igomo 0]

Yes, she's older than I am but we've been together for 7 years.

Both she and I were caught off guard with the sex question, but we both answered the complicated question the same way explaining in detail (but not graphic).

I'm angry because the guy not only blatantly told us he's discriminating but also because he kept saying you're great people. You can't be both a nice and bad guy. Pick one

[saratara 0]

I am curious, what was the age difference?

[Nanusia & Lukaszek 0]

Something is not adding up for the interviewing officer if they are asking for another interview. I read here on VJ about "stokes" interviews. I believe that is the 2nd one and its more stringent on the type of questions they ask you.

Was this your first interview? That is real weird for them to ask you to draw your bedroom. Do they suspect you don't live together? Did you have proof of mail or utilities in both names to the same address? Did you bring a lot of pictures together since you are in a relationship for 7 yrs?

Also, why did you suspect the negativity before you even went to the interview? Seems a bit weird to me.

Not sure what kind of sex questions they asked you, but maybe whatever you guys answered prompted them to do another interview later.

[igomo 0]

We brought all the evidence you talked about. He liked our pictures, he says he's a cat person too. Maybe something is not adding up in his mind and he's covering up by saying that he has a problem with our age difference

The second interview can be as stringent as possible, we do not care. We know everything about each other. But we're bringing a lawyer next time to keep their asses in line.

Something is not adding up for the interviewing officer if they are asking for another interview. I read here on VJ about "stokes" interviews. I believe that is the 2nd one and its more stringent on the type of questions they ask you.

Was this your first interview? That is real weird for them to ask you to draw your bedroom. Do they suspect you don't live together? Did you have proof of mail or utilities in both names to the same address? Did you bring a lot of pictures together since you are in a relationship for 7 yrs?

Also, why did you suspect the negativity before you even went to the interview? Seems a bit weird to me.

Not sure what kind of sex questions they asked you, but maybe whatever you guys answered prompted them to do another interview later.

[igomo 0]

Can anyone give me an idea of the average wait for the second interview? Is it another 4 months away?

[Nanusia & Lukaszek 0]

We brought all the evidence you talked about. He liked our pictures, he says he's a cat person too. Maybe something is not adding up in his mind and he's covering up by saying that he has a problem with our age difference

The second interview can be as stringent as possible, we do not care. We know everything about each other. But we're bringing a lawyer next time to keep their asses in line.

Good idea to bring a lawyer to make sure they dont say stupid stuff like they did at the first one. Because I'm sure if an attorney heard the part with everything being ok except for them not liking the age difference, that would definitely be grounds for a discrimination case!

By the way, out of curiousity, what is the age difference between you guys?

[igomo 0]

Yeah. The reason why our lawyer didn't go, he said our case was perfect and the only reason he'd recommend him go is the age difference. We're having financial difficulties since I haven't been able to work for years but now that I got a job it'll be easier for us to make ends meet.

I asked my wife about the sex question and it turns out we both answered the same way. He did keep saying that we got everything right... Maybe it'll look bad for an officer to approve us without any extra hassles...

I'm not sure I should disclose the age difference as it may bring some discrimination in this forum, but it's no more than 25 and no less than 15 :-)

My lawyer said, if the older were the man the officer would have been congratulating me on such a catch

We brought all the evidence you talked about. He liked our pictures, he says he's a cat person too. Maybe something is not adding up in his mind and he's covering up by saying that he has a problem with our age difference

The second interview can be as stringent as possible, we do not care. We know everything about each other. But we're bringing a lawyer next time to keep their asses in line.

Good idea to bring a lawyer to make sure they dont say stupid stuff like they did at the first one. Because I'm sure if an attorney heard the part with everything being ok except for them not liking the age difference, that would definitely be grounds for a discrimination case!

By the way, out of curiousity, what is the age difference between you guys?

[Nanusia & Lukaszek 0]

Yeah. The reason why our lawyer didn't go, he said our case was perfect and the only reason he'd recommend him go is the age difference. We're having financial difficulties since I haven't been able to work for years but now that I got a job it'll be easier for us to make ends meet.

I asked my wife about the sex question and it turns out we both answered the same way. He did keep saying that we got everything right... Maybe it'll look bad for an officer to approve us without any extra hassles...

I'm not sure I should disclose the age difference as it may bring some discrimination in this forum, but it's no more than 25 and no less than 15 :-)

My lawyer said, if the older were the man the officer would have been congratulating me on such a catch

We brought all the evidence you talked about. He liked our pictures, he says he's a cat person too. Maybe something is not adding up in his mind and he's covering up by saying that he has a problem with our age difference

The second interview can be as stringent as possible, we do not care. We know everything about each other. But we're bringing a lawyer next time to keep their asses in line.

Good idea to bring a lawyer to make sure they dont say stupid stuff like they did at the first one. Because I'm sure if an attorney heard the part with everything being ok except for them not liking the age difference, that would definitely be grounds for a discrimination case!

By the way, out of curiousity, what is the age difference between you guys?

Too bad you landed on a stereotypical officer. I hope everything will go great for you in the next interview

[four 0]

Funny. I've heard of those Sex questions, but in California. I thought my wife and I wouldn't have to worry about that in Newark, but it looks like a possiblity. Our interview is on 11/30.

If you don't mind me asking, how did the officer look like? Just so I know to be prepared.

Also, how many pictures did you bring? And did you bring paystubs as well?

My wife and I have an age gap, but only 1 year.

Thanks!

[igomo 0]

We had everything, he liked our pictures and all (we had about 100 pictures). He didn't complain about a single piece of document and said we answered everything correctly.

The officer actually looked like one of the friendly ones, and even though he asked us a lot of questions he was always professional. I saw a lot of the officers there and most of them seemed okay. There were only a couple I saw that seemed unfriendly.

Just to clarify I didn't go there being negative. I went there being realistic. I didn't think that an approval was likely, I thought that because of our difference there'd be some RFE/delay and I was right.

After he separated us and questioned us I figured this was a stokes interview so it's out of the way and we'll get approved. But it didn't matter we beyond passed the interview. Prejudice still ruled the day!

Funny. I've heard of those Sex questions, but in California. I thought my wife and I wouldn't have to worry about that in Newark, but it looks like a possiblity. Our interview is on 11/30.

If you don't mind me asking, how did the officer look like? Just so I know to be prepared.

Also, how many pictures did you bring? And did you bring paystubs as well?

My wife and I have an age gap, but only 1 year.

Thanks!

[MissStacey 1]

That really is a shame you have to go for another. It sounds like your Interview went great and you had great rapport with the guy who interviewed you.

[JeanneVictoria 55]

I'm not sure I should disclose the age difference as it may bring some discrimination in this forum, but it's no more than 25 and no less than 15 :-)

I was concerned at first with our age difference but it played ABSOLUTELY NO PART IN GETTING OUR VISA.

Our DCF is CR1 which means the AOS has already been processed.

Just don't know why they would want you for another interview !

Anyway I hope your AOS will go smoothly and your second interview will be as easier as the first.

[libyloba 0]

Yes, she's older than I am but we've been together for 7 years.

Both she and I were caught off guard with the sex question, but we both answered the complicated question the same way explaining in detail (but not graphic).

I'm angry because the guy not only blatantly told us he's discriminating but also because he kept saying you're great people. You can't be both a nice and bad guy. Pick one

That's Illegal. You can go to you congressman/congresswoman office and they would write a letter to that officers supervisor and they will investigate the matter(that is why they have to record the interview). On our fist interview the officer asked us lots of religious question(which is illegal too) but because we did not bother to make copies of anything or even remember her name we could not investigate. We were not approved in our 1st interview but the 2nd interview went much better. P.S. Maybe you should not worry, I have a friend who is 25 years younger than his wife and after a month from their interview he got the Welcome letter.