Dear Client:
Great news! Your Adjustment of Status interview has been scheduled. 🎉 You are now one step closer to the finish line.
We understand you must have a lot of questions on how to prepare for this very crucial interview. So, let’s address them:
Who has to attend this interview?
→ If you are being petitioned by your parent or child, it is only necessary for you, as the beneficiary, to attend.
→ If you are being petitioned by your spouse, both you and your spouse must attend the interview.
What time do I show up?
Please arrive 15-20 minutes before your scheduled time, so that you can meet with your attorney in the parking lot before your interview.
What documents do I need to bring?
→ Beneficiary: Any original documents you have in your possession, such as:
- Original court documents (if you have ever been arrested)
- Birth certificates
- Marriage license
- Passport from your country of birth
- Divorce decrees (if applicable)
- Employment Authorization Card
→ Petitioner
- Drivers’ License or State ID
- Documentation for the most recent year you filed your taxes
→ For marriage-based petitions: updated Good Faith Marriage evidence!
- New pictures
- Joint financial documents (including your most recent tax returns if they weren’t submitted with your application already, and new leases/ bills/ bank
- account statements)
- Birth certificates for any shared children between the two of you that were not already submitted (if your child was born after your petition was submitted, but before this interview)
Please bring your USCIS interview notice with you.
What can I expect when I show up?
Attending this interview is very much like going through the airport. There’s a security guard, a machine that will scan your belongings, and you may even be asked to take off your shoes. To enter the USCIS building, you will have to present the guard with your interview notice. After you go through security, you will check-in at the USCIS reception desk and they will give you a ticket with a letter and a number, and this is what will be used to call you when it is your turn.
What are they going to ask me?
If this is a marriage-based petition, you will be asked about your relationship, in order to determine that this is a Good Faith marriage, and that this marriage is not solely for the purposes of gaining an immigration benefit.
You may be asked questions along the lines of: Where did you have dinner last night? How did you meet? What was your first date like? When did you decide to get married? Who proposed to whom? …and so on.
You will be scheduled for an interview prep session with your Attorney beforehand in order to prepare you for this interview, and do a run through of a practice interview . After the prep session, your attorney will email you about any case-specific instructions or additional documents you should bring.
What is my attorney’s role?
Your attorney will be present to ensure that your interview stays on track, but they cannot answer questions on your behalf. Your attorney can help clarify if the question is unclear, or step in if there are legal issues that need to be explained. Your attorney’s main role is to ensure that you are not being asked any inappropriate, unreasonable, or irrelevant questions, and that the interview flows smoothly.
What should I wear?
Your Sunday best. You don’t have to wear anything too formal, but please don’t wear jeans with holes in them, for example . Your attorney will also let you know what the COVID-19 rules require, since they change often.
How long will this interview take?
The wait times vary depending on the time of day your interview is scheduled. The waiting time before you get called in for your interview can range anywhere from 10 minutes, to a few hours. Unfortunately, there is no way to predict the wait time.
The actual interview, however, normally does not run very long. Around 20 minutes, or so.
Are there any COVID-19 procedures?
Yes. Please bring a mask and your own black-ink pen. Additionally, the interview rooms are small, and although there are glass protectors, please let us know if these social-distancing measures cause you any concerns. If you prefer that your attorney does not go in-person with you, in order to reduce the number of people in the interview room, please let us know, so that we can arrange to represent you via telephone.
If you have an emergency before your appointment, please contact us as soon as you can, so that your Legal Team may request a new interview date for you.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your Client Care Specialist. Your Legal Team is readily available to address any questions or concerns you may have.
Thank you for your trust and confidence.
Our best,
Lincoln-Goldfinch Law – Abogados de Inmigración
