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| Memphis TN |  Review on February 4, 2006: |
happilyeverafter
Rating:  | Review Topic: Adjustment of Status
We met last fall online, he from Belgium, me from TN, he came to visit in Jan 05 and I never let him leave...we eloped in April 05. AOS sent end of April, Receipt in May, Fingerprint in June, Bio in Sept, Interview letter came end of October for Feb 2, 2006
We arrived the day before on Wednesday since the office is seven hours away.. The directions listed were exactly opposite to what they should have been...once we finally found the exit, if the directions said left we were really supposed to go right. We found the office then found a hotel close by.
The next morning we went in, the guard at the door asked for our original letter, then put our bags thru the metal detector and had us walk thru as well..He told us to go thru door 125 and put our letter in the slot and wait for our names to be called...
There were 25-30 people waiting with us..some were dressed in 3 peice suits some in high fashion and some like us, in jeans and a nice sweater...not too casual not to fancy..we thought we should look like we normally do, but on the less casual side. I wore dark jeans and black shoes, a white collared button down under a purple sweater, he wore jeans black boots a dark grey sweater and a white t underneath. We looked clean and presentable. (sorry guys I always worry about what to wear and I cant be the only girl with that worry ) I had a bag with my docs and my purse.
My originals were in a 3 ring book with the pages in plastic sleeves, I had copies of everything including our IDs Passports, Drivers License ect. Then in another plastic sleeved folder with the plastic thing that slid down on the edge to keep it together I had exact copies of everything.
There were a few people called before us. We got there at 9:20 our appt was at 9:30 we were called at 10:30. we tried to watch the faces as they came out...but most didnt have much expression...A couple or two were called then a family then a single man or two, then one of the couples came back...well the husband was sent out by himself...he sat in a chair with his leg bouncing the whole time... All of us still waiting started reviewing our files...again. We were finally called by a male officer.
He asked us how we were but really wasnt interested in an answer.
We followed him to his office and sat down. He asked for our IDs, passports and Birth Certs. Hubbs didnt have his because he thought he had sent in his birth cert with the original paperwork and the replacement didnt arrive in time..after he shuffled thru the file he found it and was satisfied.
We stood and swore to tell the whole truth nothing but the truth..blah blah blah...answering yes he pulled up a few things on the computer and checked his file..then asked us .. 'did I swear you in?" Um...yes ..well lets do it again so we stood up and raised our hand again..then he said oh yeah I remember now. we kinda got worried at that point
Hubbs had answered one of his original questions about his birth cert with a 'yeah' he quickly remanded him with 'answer yes or no I cant testify to hearing a 'yeah'...Officer whatshisname was not exactly the most friendly or warm types of people. Mr NP as we referred to him (mr no personality)
He asked where we married and who was there and why no family was present..we told the truth it was spur of the moment..no planning just did it.
He asked hubbs to verify his original app, then the commie questions then he asked if we had been living as husband and wife, if we had kids, if I had any from previous life, divorces (took my copy) and marriage license, if he worked (no, no ead), joined bank accounts? (no social due to no ead we kinda figured all that out too late and didnt want to waste the app fee on something he would hopefully get in 3 months) he asked where we lived and if we had a lease..we dont because the apt is part of my salary I live on the biz premises, so he asked for my check stubs proving rent and utilities were taken out. He asked for my tax info..not my w-2 my 1040 for 2004 I gave him 2005 w2 and 2004 tax transcript I had ordered from the Irs. He asked if we had life insurance and I gave him copies of the life insurance binders showing each other as beneficiaries (we only got them the day before thank god he didnt look at the dates) our car/personal property/renters insurance and car title/registration in both our names..everything was very organized and easy to find and he could see I had origs and copies of everything.
Then he stamped his file and mumbled your card should arrive within 30 days. walked us out..that was it.
we were a little bit disappointed...I was so upset because most of our pictures were lost when my hard drive crashed so we only had a few, he never asked for the letter from my employer, cards with addressed to us, all those taxes for which '03 was $877 short...any of the things I was most worried about He didnt even mention the '90 days before our 2nd aniversary thing'
It was rather anti climatic...but we werent complaining. We had his file safely stamped. He gets to stay!
btw we didnt go see Graceland...it was $22 bucks a person!!!
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #398