Recently Successful GREEN Card interview

[Helpme123 9]

My change of status from J-1 Visa to Green Card (by marriage to a US citizen) was recently approved.

I was interviewed at the Fairfax immigration office in Virginia.

Entry into USCIS:

I arrived 20 minutes early went through the security where

I thought I had to surrender my cellphone or photographing device but that wasn't the case

they only require you to put your phone on "silent" mode and to agree not to take any photos

while visiting the office. Although this was only communicated by signs posted on the walls

no one really reinforced it. After going through the metal detector and putting our bags through

the X-ray. We walked around to the front desk and flashed our interview letter to a lady sitting

at the front desk before entry into the main corridor leading to the elevators. She glimpsed at

as we explained we were here for the Green Card interview she just just told us to go up to

level 2. We took the elevator up with another couple to level 2 and entered a large waiting room

with about 100 seats and approximately 30 people waiting. We noticed a reception desk in the center

of the waiting room handed her the notice and she just said "thanks we'll call you up"

We waited for about 15 minutes before we were called up. At this stage it was about 5 minutes after

my scheduled appointment, an African-American lady in her late 30's came out of a doorway adjacent

to the reception desk and called out my name. We stood up and responded to her and followed her

through the doorway into a corridor which was lined with interview rooms our interviewr just said

please go into "office number 4".

The Interview Process:

We were interviewed by the lady in her small office. She sat behind her desk at her computer

and we sat opposite in two plastic chairs. The interview lasted about 15 to 20 minutes. She asked

us both to stand and hold up our right hands and she asked "do you swear to tell the truth" and we

replied "yes". Her questions are shown below in order:

1) Can you please give me your Drivers licence or Government ID, Social Security and Passport?

2) Can you please give me your Sponsers Drivers licence? Our financial affidavit of support proof of US

citizenship? (passport of my father in law)

All directed at me the immigrant:

3) What is your Full name? And Date of birth?

4) What is your wife's full name?

5) What is your mothers first name?

6) What is your fathers first name?

8) What Country were you born in? What City?

9) What date did you get married? Have you been married before?

10) Do you have any children?

11) When did you last enter the USA?

12) Have you been here the entire time since your last entry?

13) What is your address here? How long have you lived there? What is the phone number?

14) What was your last address?

All directed at my petitioner

15) What is your date of birth?

16) She then asked us how we met my petitioner spoke for about 3 or 4 minutes.

Then she asked me about 20 question regarding being a terrorist or spy or criminal in my past present

or future. Basically asking if I had good intentions in the country all questions i just said "no" to.

17) Do you any thing to support your case of a relationship?

We mentioned things that we had already submitted with our I-130 and I-485 packages like photos and

bank statments and wedding certificates.

But then she said "well do you have anything NEW to submit" and we said "no" because we forgot to bring

a photo album haha. She said "ok well i'm going to go ahead and approve you for the green card but you will

need some more proof of your relationship over the next 2 years before you get your permanent residence.

Then she explained that our GC would arrive in the mail, that I would start paying Social Security

and if we had any questions etc.

We then went out to the waiting room as she made a photocopy of my father in-laws passport (he is the I-864 affidavit of support filer)

Was anyone else's interview more thorough? Or less thorough? Please explain differences I hope this helped.

[didopage 337]

Thank you for the detailed review. Please repost it in the review section of the website: http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/

Edited May 5, 2013 by didopage

[Helpme123 9]

Thank you for the detailed review. Please repost it in the review section of the website: http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/

You're welcome! I hope it helps and good luck with your application!

[didopage 337]

My AOS got approved last year, but thank you. It will help others for sure!

[Helpme123 9]

Got my Green Card and EAD card sent in the mail less then a week later. EAD card has AP notice on it. EAD only valid for a year though which is annoying.

[didopage 337]

Got my Green Card and EAD card sent in the mail less then a week later. EAD card has AP notice on it. EAD only valid for a year though which is annoying.

Your EAD/AP card is void: it was just a temporary document while your AOS was pending. Your green card is your proof of work and travel authorization. Don't forget to renew it before its expiration date to keep your status (and work/travel benefits).

You just happened to have your AOS case approved quickly, while the EAD was approved in average time. You can either keep your EAD as a souvenir or destroy it.

Edited May 15, 2013 by didopage

[TBoneTX 45,972]

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