Adjustment Of Status (AOS) is the process where an eligible immigration applicant petitions to become a legal permanent resident (green card holder) of the United States. Applicants who file for adjustment of status to get their green card in the United States must in most cases appear for immigration AOS interviews at an office of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
An AOS interview is part of the marriage-based adjustment of status process, and USCIS uses it to confirm information that you have already submitted and to present new evidence. The purpose of the interview is to verify that you are qualified for a visa, that you are not inadmissible and that you and your spouse entered into a legitimate marriage, not a marriage of convenience to qualify for a green card.
You will receive an interview confirmation notice that tells you what to bring with you to the interview, such as:
• Photo identification, your passport, U.S. visa and most recent I-94
• All work and travel documents
• Originals of any documents submitted to USCIS with your application such as birth certificates, marriage certificate, social security card, state IDs, etc.
• A completed and sealed medical examination report (Form I-693)
• All documents that support your shared life as a married couple such as joint bank and credit card statements, a wedding invitation, joint lease agreement, evidence of any joint mortgage(s), joint utility bills showing joint residence, photo album with your photos together while dating, a wedding ceremony and other family photos
• Any updated documents that were submitted with your application
• Signed affidavits from family and friends who will testify that your marriage is real
The purpose of the marriage-based AOS interview is to verify that you are legitimately married and that you qualify for a green card. Each marriage interview is unique and the immigration officer can ask any questions needed, but spousal green card applicants can expect questions such as these to test the validity of their marriage. The questions will cover a wide variety of topics that married couples know about each other including your relationship, each other’s families, your employment, your spouse’s employment and other topics such as:
• How did you meet?
• How soon did you start dating?
• When did you meet each other’s families?
• Why did you decide to get married?
• Where did you buy the ring?
• How many people attended your wedding?
• Where was the wedding held?
• What did you do after the wedding?
• Do you go to church? How often?
• Draw your bedroom layout
• What car does your spouse drive?
• What did you do last night?
• What did you do for Christmas?
• What gift did you give your spouse?
• When was the last time your spouse saw their mother?
• Who are your spouse’s brothers and sisters?
• Does your spouse have any tattoos?
• Has your spouse ever been hospitalized?
• Who are your spouse’s friends?
• Where does your spouse work?
The immigration officer will tell you it is your duty to tell the truth and nothing but the truth during your interview. In addition, the immigration officer may visit your home, speak to family members or neighbors and take other steps to verify that your marriage is valid.
An immigration lawyer with experience in Adjustment of Status and other green card applications can help you prepare for your marriage-based AOS interview, and accompany you to your interview.
Learn More:
Top 5 Mistakes Immigration Applicants Make at AOS Interviews
How to Prepare for Your Immigration Interview
What Is In A Green Card Marriage Interview?
The experienced Adjustment of Status attorneys at Godoy Law Office assist noncitizens in Greater Chicago and throughout Illinois with adjustment of status and other immigration matters. The immigration lawyers at Godoy Law Office can assess your situation and advise you on your best options. Call today at 630-912-0322.
Immigration Attorney Mario Godoy has years of experience guiding clients with immigration issues through the immigration process along with guiding clients through the criminal case. Godoy focuses on family-based immigration law, business immigration law, removal defense, and criminal defense representation of immigrants. A criminal charge or conviction can be devastating to your immigration case. With over a decade of immigration law experience and memories of family members who were deported due to bad legal advice, Godoy is committed to helping other immigrant families receive the legal justice they deserve. As a legal entrepreneur who practices immigration law, criminal law, estate and probate law, and running two successful law firms, Mario Godoy understands the importance of keeping families together and making a home and future in America.
