San Jose AOS interview success, but issuance delayed by Homeland Security changeover
Myk Melez
We arrived at 1pm for our 1:30pm appointment, and then I had to bring my
pocket knife (normally attached to my keychain), an apple, and a bottle
of water back to our car, since none of those items were allowed inside
the building.
We went to the second floor waiting room and put our appointment letter
into the box at the window. Shortly after 1:30pm the official opened a
door and called my wife's name. We got up and followed him into his office.
He asked us if we had met online or via a dating service, after which he
asked us how we met, what I do for a living and where, and what my wife
does and where.
He also asked us if we really live together, apparently because he saw
two different addresses on the forms. We moved this summer and filed
all relevant forms about it, plus wrote a letter to the San Jose office,
all apparently successful since they sent the interview letter to the
new address, but I guess any change of address raises suspicion, or
maybe the official didn't have the relevant information or wasn't
reading it correctly.
The official was a strange combination of chatty and serious. He would
start a conversation about Italy (he's Italian-American, we've visited
Italy) or food (Italian vs. Hungarian) and then break into our responses
with more discussion of forms and procedures.
Although he was friendly, he creeped us both out. It felt like he might
start grilling us at any time and even try to trick us into saying the
wrong thing. As it was, the only thing he said even remotely tricky was
when my wife said she started working for a company in September of this
year, at which point he asked "Are you sure it wasn't September of
*2001*?" I got the sense that this guy was more used to conducting
intense police-interrogation-style interviews of suspected lawbreakers
than dealing with easy, obviously legitimate cases like ours.
He asked me for my 2001 tax returns. The interview letter says I need
to bring the original returns for the last three years, but apparently
they accept copies (which is good because the IRS has the originals),
and he didn't want the older returns.
He also asked what kind of evidence we have of our relationship. We
pulled out wedding photos, two sworn letters from friends, a letter from
my employer that my wife is my life insurance beneficiary and health
insurance dependent, our joint bank account statement, our joint auto
insurance policy, and our joint rental agreement. He gave us back the
pictures and added everything else to his file.
He also wanted to see our passports but didn't do anything with them.
He told my wife her photos were unsuitable because they were taken from
too far away. The photos looked pretty close to the ideal to me. He
put them in a little plastic bag, stapled the bag to the "how to take
INS photos" infosheet, and stapled a post-it note to the whole thing
with a note about the rejection and a stamp of his name. He then gave
us a sheet of paper to mail attn: him with new photos.
He asked my wife all the questions from one of the forms about having
been a member of the Communist party, having been arrested, etc.
Finally, he told us he would approve our application, but it would be
delayed until the new Homeland Security Department "authorizes" them to
do it. He said this could take two to three months. I'm not sure
exactly what this means, but apparently at least these kinds of AOSes
are temporarily on hold.
He showed us the letter he would send us approving our application and
another paper that would tell us when to apply for lifting of the
conditional status. He also gave us a letter that says our application
has been retained for processing.
And that was the end of it.
Timeline (2001-2002):
Nov. 12: I129F mailed
Nov. 14: I129F received by INS
Nov. 21: first NOA (received)
Jan. 03: second NOA (approved)
Jan. 09: consulate notified by the INS
Jan. 10: went to consulate to inquire and was given forms
Jan. 29: notified consulate that all forms were ready
and received Feb. 1 interview date
Feb. 01: interview in the morning, visa in the afternoon
~Mar. 12: entered the US at San Francisco POE
~Mar. 18: wife went for INS workshop on "becoming a permanent
resident"
~Mar. 19: wife went to SJ office to inquire about temporary EAD;
was initially rebuffed, but then met workshop instructor,
who issued EAD
May 18: got married on beach in Santa Cruz
~Jun. 5: submitted AOS, EAD, Advanced Parole apps with request
for expeditious processing (so wife could work
and we could travel back to Hungary to do a second
wedding ceremony)
~Jun. 15: received apps back in mail, rejected because we didn't
include G-325s (even though they had them from the I129F
and had also told us we didn't need them)
~Jun. 17: submitted apps again with G-325s this time
~Jun. 25: notified of appointment on 27th
Jun. 27: my birthday; went to INS office, got EAD and Advanced Parole
Oct. 1: letter sent from INS about our AOS appointment,
received a few days later
Nov. 26: AOS appointment
Andy Platt
they need to complete the FBI and CIA checks and leave it at that is
anyone's guess!
Andy.
--
I'm not really here - it's just your warped imagination.
"Myk Melez" <m...@melez.com> wrote in message
news:as1eh6$lop$1...@pixie.nscp.aoltw.net...
sweetdocgirl2002
I posted about a few days before you did and my husband and I had a
similar experience at the INS office in Pittsburgh PA. The interview
man said our interview was approved but said there was about a couple
of months delay in receiving a stamp on my husbands passport. I was
pretty upset and I wrote in here and recieved alot of good advice. I
have spoken with my local INS office which doesnt do interviews and
they said this was normal and that my hubby would recieve his
greenccard stamp soon enough. Well this made me feel 100% better. Did
the man who interviewed you give you a time as to when you and your
wife would be called back? I am glad to know it wasnt just me and my
husband....after the Pitt interview I felt like we had such bad luck!
Anyways good luck to you.
Maggie
Myk,
Thanks for your post. I have an interview scheduled in San Jose office
on Dec 18th and I am sad to find out that I may not be receiving the
stamp on the same day if at all I am approved.
Andy,
When you say, CIA and FBI checks, does that mean the IBIS check? I was
under the impression that my IBIS check had been cleared before issuing
the EAD card in Aug since I had filed in mid July.
Thanks,
Maggie
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Maggie
Posted via http://britishexpats.com
Cyborg2305
should not take more than a few hours. I had an interview in November
and they did not give the stamp right away. They said that they would
send a letter. I got the letter 3 days later. IBIS check has more to
do with CIA more specifically terrorist watch lists. It is more of a
name check. When you get your Fingerprints done, thats when FBI checks
you out. Post 9/11, FBI's role might be different, but they generally
look for criminal records within the US.
Maggie <lma...@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:<580609.1...@britishexpats.com>...
Maggie
Cyborg2305,
Thanks for the info. I am just worried about this whole interview thing.
Which office did you have your AOS?
Caro
Originally posted by Cyborg2305
> should not take more than a few hours. I had an interview in November
> and they did not give the stamp right away. They said that they would
> send a letter. I got the letter 3 days later. IBIS check has more to
> do with CIA more specifically terrorist watch lists. It is more of a
> name check. When you get your Fingerprints done, thats when FBI checks
> you out. Post 9/11, FBI's role might be different, but they generally
> look for criminal records within the US.
>
I am curious why they can not do the IBIS check before the interview. It
is not like they don't have time...
Caroline
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