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| Los Angeles CA |  Review on February 5, 2021: |
naijawifelife
Rating:  | Review Topic: Adjustment of Status
We had a straightforward and enjoyable interview that was scheduled for 7:15 am (one of the first ones of the day). We received the interview notice about a month prior to the scheduled appointment, but I was notified that it was scheduled 42 days before the actual appointment through the case tracker app. I couldn’t see the actual interview date in the app or on the USCIS system. Case Tracker App: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/case-tracker-for-uscis/id921827126
We parked in the garage (221 N Los Angeles St, Los Angeles, CA 90012) across from the Field Office but it was early in the day, parking was not hard at all. When we left the interview and returned to our car the garage was almost completely full, so plan accordingly for parking.
We arrived about 20 or 30 minutes late to the interview office due to the long line to enter USCIS Los Angeles in DTLA. We arrived at 6:40 am in the parking garage and had some trouble finding the correct building because we mistakenly went all around the courthouse looking for USCIS, so that delayed us some. This happened because we foolishly followed behind a different couple and lost track of where they walked. This caused us to go to the courthouse instead. Luckily, we still had our phones, which are allowed as long as they are turned off during the interview, and found our way using google maps.
Once we found the Field Office the line to enter the building from the right was super long and slow-moving (this was the only line we could see at the time). Later, after already waiting in the slow line, we learned that there was another line on the left, if looking directly at the building, which was faster according to a man we thought was an Officer. I later learned that he was just a good samaritan who wanted to help people with early appointments get in on time (he was in the fast line and had been to this Field Office numerous times). We tested this theory by splitting up to see who would get near the front of the line first and periodically speaking on the phone to keep each other updated on our progress. I also called my mom to distract myself from the growing anxiety about being late (which could lead to a canceled interview/denied petition which then could lead to the deportation of my husband or restarting the whole tedious Petition process-as you could see I was getting frantic). Luckily I was able to stay calm.
Soon, my husband called and said he was near the front and I came back to the slow line. As I walked back to join my husband in the other line an Officer in the front of the building also confirmed that the other line was faster (the Officer wanted to know why I was leaving the fast line). The slow line/fast line theory seemed true based on my experience but I went back to join my husband in the slow line because he mistakenly thought he was closer than me. Thankfully, we had absolutely no problems as a result of being late (we both were worried while waiting outside in the line. I was probably more worried though). As you can see the anxiety of being late is no fun. I would recommend you arrive really early to be on the safe side. While going through the metal detectors and having our belongings x-rayed; I asked the Officer what was the fastest way to the USCIS Field Office. He let us know the way and once we got to the office, on the 8th floor, we were called into the interview soon after being checked in.
In the interview room, we were sworn in and then started the interview. The Officer (who was a very kind and chatty Latinx woman) wanted to see our passports and original birth certificates, our certified marriage certificate, my husband's EAD and DMV real ID application, my California driver’s license, and evidence of our relationship. Some of the questions she asked were: how we met, describe our first few dates, when we met each other’s parents, when we got married, questions about our siblings, what my husband does for work, what I do for work, when my husband entered the U.S. and on what visa, and when we moved in together. We were able to answer these questions together or she directed them to my husband. In all, she directed most of the questions at my husband and asked us our respective verification questions (SSN, mailing address, residential address, phone number, our parent’s names, and date of birth). I barely had to say anything the entire interview and all of the questions directed at us were easy as pie. We also brought a photo album and the Officer looked through it.
I definitely over-prepared for the interview with all the documents and evidence (I started prepping as soon as we got the interview notice on January 4th, 2021). We also brought our joint sponsor’s tax returns and W-2’s from 2018 and 2019, employment letters from 2020 and 2021, and his last 2 month’s pay stubs. The Officer didn’t ask for any of those documents, which made up the bulk of all the things I printed (around 1200 pages). For some of the printing, Staples print services came in handy and I used CVS to print the pictures. The only thing the Officer asked us about our sponsor was how we knew him (he is a friend of my husband; they met through a previous contracting job). I also re-printed our entire Adjustment of Status application, but better to be too prepared than under right? The Officer looked at/kept roughly 100 pages of the stuff I brought.
The Officer kept the evidence of our relationship (bank statements, health insurance, trips, our pandemic puppy’s AKC and ICA registration which showed both of our last names, leases for the 2 apartments we rented in our time together, SoCal Gas and LADWP utility bills for the past 3 months, renters insurance for both apartments, couples therapy bill and video call screenshots, and about 30 photos of us with descriptions and dates on the back of them. We also provided pictures of our 2 apartments. The Officer said she wanted to copy our passports, my husband’s EAD and DMV Real ID application, and my driver’s license. Then she came back with our approval letter!
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #29109