Houston Immigration Attorneys | Preparing For Adjustment of Status Interview

As Houston Immigration Attorneys we have had the pleasure of assisting numerous families with marriage-based Adjustment of Status (AOS) Interviews.

The AOS interview provides the officer an opportunity to review the adjustment application and allow the applicant(s) to clarify any discrepancies as well as submit any additional documents that may prove that the marriage is bona fide or genuine.

Below are some simple but important tips that should be kept in mind when preparing for an Adjustment of Status Interview:
∙Arrive early but no later than 30 minutes ahead of the scheduled time. As the old adage goes, showing up is half the battle. Failure to appear for an interview is grounds for automatic denial unless there is an exceptional circumstance for failing to appear. Give yourself time and avoid the unnecessary stress of running late. We always advise clients to drive to the site of the interview a couple of days before  so that way they will know the exact location thus avoid getting lost.
∙ Have proper identification. In order to gain entry into the USCIS building for the interview it is required that all persons entering present a proper government photo identification, usually a license, state ID, or a passport.
∙ Dress appropriately. Business casual is recommended.  It doesn't hurt to say but avoid, cut-offs, ripped clothing, articles of clothing that are revealing or not appropriate for a business environment. Don't make a bad first impression with the officer before the interview starts.
∙ Have all required documents (with copies if necessary) ready and organized for easy and quick access. It is always better to have an extra copy in case the interviewing officer can not find the document in the file or if the document was misplaced by USCIS.  This will avoid receiving a request for evidence or attending a subsequent interview because a required document is not in the file.
∙ Make sure that your spouse is present for the interview. All marriage adjustment of status interviews require the presence of the U.S. Citizen and the I-485 applicant. As previously stated, failure to appear by all required individuals is grounds for automatic denial of the application and may certainly complicate the case.
∙Be cool, calm and collective. The interviewing officer is there to do a job and that is to determine if the marriage is bona-fide. If the marriage is bona fide then there is nothing to worry about. Its natural to be a bit nervous but know how to manage any anxiety properly. Take deep breathes, keep answers short, simple and directly to the point. Most interviewing officers have years of experience and are good at what they do. They know how to spot sham marriages and know what to look for in bona-fide marriages. Let the officers do their job by developing the questions and requesting clarification to any discrepancies in the application or circumstance regarding the marriage.


Check back soon for part II of this blog entry where we will discuss several of the common questions interviewees will encounter during a marriage based Adjustment of Status interview. If you need an immigration attorney in Houston to assist you with a marriage-based adjustment of status or would like to request a copy of interview questions feel free to contact us at 713-222-2828.