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| Boston MA |  Review on October 18, 2017: |
True_South
Rating:  | Review Topic: Adjustment of Status
Our AOS interview was on August 30th 2017 at 9:30 am at the Boston office in JFK building. First of all, both Apple and Google maps on my phone kept pointing us to other buildings, so it took us some time to find the correct one. The entrance is through the low-rize building - if your maps point you to the hi-rize it's OK, there's a sign that redirects you to the public entrance.
I was aiming at getting there 30 minutes earlier. You need to keep in mind that there might be at least two lines to wait in - the security line and then the line at the reception. As you enter the building, the signage for the interview section is immediately to your right, past the Infopass kiosks. You'll still need to go straight through the security and then circle back to the hall. The security guards were very nice and joking. They were fine with us bringing in our phones and even my husband's vape.
The reception has two separate lines, each clearly marked (although people kept just walking up to the wrong receptionists, only to be redirected). Infopass is on the left, interviews - on the right. Just have your invitation and ID ready. They check you in and ask you to go sit in the hall behind the reception.
The hall just has rows of chairs, Infopass windows in the back, and a couple of doors on both sides - the IOs are come out of those doors. There are screens all along the walls, but for some reason they don't use them to display the next Infopass appointment or interview. And while Infopass numbers are called out via PA, the interviewees are called in by the IO personally. So you REALLY need to listen for the beneficiary name to be called. I'm pretty sure the IOs were coming out of more than one door. Ours was in the closest right corner to the reception.
I think about 15-20 minutes after our scheduled time a female IO called my name and when we headed to her, she told my USC husband that she'd talk to him first, and for me to wait. I waited for what seemed like eternity and kept getting more and more nervous. They were talking for maybe 30 minutes, if not more. Finally she came out and invited me in.
My husband was in a very cheerful mood, exclaimed "Oh, hello!" when I walked in, and the IO joked "You know this guy?" She was very calm and laid back and neutrally friendly. I gathered and brought all of the originals and copies of what we've already sent (except for stuff like paperwork from the joint sponsor and the medical - that I only had copies because I've sent in the originals). I also got text and call records for the past 5 years, to demonstrate how much we text ALLLL the time. When I handed her my usage records I think she asked me if we are on the same plan, and I said "No, I'm on AT&T" and she comes right back at me with "What operator is he with?" So I had to say that he keeps changing them, and I remember at one point it used to be Sprint, but now I think it's ummm... Metro PCS? She smiled when I said he keeps changing the cellular plans, and nodded.
The questions were simple, but I forgot most of them the moment the thing was over. I remember she asked how we met, how he proposed, how we got married, did we have a reception. We didn't have a wedding, but we did have a cookout with his family the next day, so she asked who was there. After the interview my husband told me that I didn't name his buddy who I had never met before that. He had to remind me "came with his wife and a little kid", and I was like "oh my god, I totally forgot, and I don't think I really remembered his name for more than a minute". He said he himself also almost forgot that guy came and has told the IO that I probably won't remember him. I'm pretty sure she asked about our siblings too.
The IO also asked me about where we live, including the color of the carpet, of the shower curtain, what floor we live on, what amenities the building has, the address, maybe the previous address too? I think she did ask how many floors are in the building, but what surprised me was her question "How many apartments are on your floor?" I said that I had no idea and really never cared, but it's a big building. My husband later said he couldn't answer that question as well. She asked "Who do you live with?" and I pointed at my husband and said "Him and our two cats".
Basically, the questions were about our time together, our families - and it's probably fine for the USC to not know the immigrant's overseas family that well, especially if they don't speak English - and not-too-intricate details of our life together.
In the end she sort of nodded at the stack of my phone records for 5 years and said "I have a lot of reading to do", and then something about how we'll probably get approved. I have to say I was disappointed that she didn't say "approved" right then and there, and of course I was freaking out for the next 24 hours until I got a case status update from USCIS.
In general, even thought I was driving myself crazy with worry, it was a good and positive experience. I only wish that they did something about them calling the names - it can be really difficult to hear the IO, especially if you are sitting across the hall from the door the IO emerged from.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #22700