After landing at San Francisco International Airport at 10:00am, our sister-in-law drove us home. We quickly freshened
up, grabbed our paperwork and hopped in the van to head to our AOS Interview downtown. The battery in the van was
dead. (Apparently "somebody" left the dome light on Thursday night....) Brian went to the leasing office and asked
the maintenance manager to come jump it, which he did. We were on our way. We found the INS Building and found
parking relatively close by.
On the side of the building closest to Sansome Street, there was an entrance, but it said "San Francisco Assayers Bureau"
or something similar, even though the address was the same as on the INS letter. Around the corner, there was a LOOOONG
line of people waiting to get into a door marked "Immigration and Naturalization Service", so we waited in that line.
It took us about 25 minutes to get to the door and to get through the Security Checkpoint - X-Ray and Metal Detection, just
like at the airport. After the checkpoint, there is only one way to go; wait in yet another really long line before
getting to the desk.
While we waited in this line, it was getting closer and closer to our Appointment time and we were getting nervous.
Nobody around us knew if people with appointments had to actually wait in this line or not. I skirted the line and went
up to the desk, showed them the Interview letter and asked if I had to wait in the line or not. The man at the desk
said, haughtily, "No! Just go to Room 200B like it says to do! *sheesh!*" I replied, "Sir, this is my first
time in this building and there are no signs anywhere directing me to anyplace other than this line here. How do I get
to Room 200B?" He dismissively pointed in the general direction of the elevators. I called to Brian to come
out of line & we headed toward the elevators. The elevator lobby opens on to the other door we had seen on the street.
There is a Security Checkpoint there, too, but the line there is only a few minutes long. Next time, we know to go in
through that door.
We arrived on the 2nd floor at approximately 12:29pm. Upstairs, Room 200B is on one side of the room and Room 200C
is on the other. Our Interview letter references both rooms, so we didn't know which way to go. The door to Room
200C has a sign on it which said, "If you're here for an AOS Interview scheduled for TODAY, MAY 28, 2002, go to Room 200B
and put your letter into the basket." We did. No later had we done this (no time to even sit down) than Brian's
name was announced over the PA system. It was time for our interview.
The INS Official was a very nice gentleman. He had a gentle manner and a nice sense of humor. He seemed to
be trying to put us at ease. He had Brian sign both sides of a form and took his thumbprint on the form, too.
Then, we went into his office. While our letter specifically said that the interview would be videotaped, a camera was
not in evidence. If they taped it, we don't know where the camera was. The Official had us both stand and raise
our right hands, then swore us in. He asked us several questions, such as:
- How did you meet?
- When did you meet?
- Were you friends first, or did you hit it off right from the start?
- Brian, what is Michèle's birthday?
- Have you met each other's families?
- How many times have you been to Canada, Michèle?
- How many times have you been to the US, Brian?
- What sort of things do you like to do together for fun?
- Have you taken any vacations together? Where did you go?
- Brian, have you ever applied for a Green Card before or had anyone apply for a Visa on your behalf?
- This is a second marriage for both of you? Do either of you have any children from previous relationships, either
legitimate or illegitimate?
- Brian, do you have any paternity suits against you?
- Michèle, was your previous husband a US Citizen? Have you ever applied for a Visa or Green Card for anybody besides
Brian?
He asked about our timeline, too -- sequence of visits and how we ended up in Las Vegas getting married. He asked
if we had had a reception and we explained that we had one in Cleveland in August of 2001 and were planning another in Calgary,
hopefully later this year.
We gave him our supporting evidence, which included copies of bank statements showing both of our names, photocopies of
joint credit cards, apartment leases showing both of our names, insurance documents showing beneficiary information, plus
lots and lots of pictures of us together and with friends, plus ticket stubs from various places we've been together.
He took our packets of information and put them into our file.
He then asked if Brian had had his medical examination yet. We replied that he had not. Apparently, this is
a difference in procedure between Cleveland and San Francisco. The AOS Interview letter we got from Cleveland directed us to bring the "Medical Exam results, Form I-693, Appear even if not completed" to our interview. We had
never been given any information from Cleveland as to which doctors could be used for the Exam, and so had not scheduled it.
Apparently, in San Francisco, the Exam results are to be submitted with the Application for AOS and so they don't ask you to bring the results to the Interview, because they already have them.
So, we ended up with a continuance. We have 90 days to have the Exam and submit the results. The Official also told us to send in the AP documents
when we send in the Medical results. He cannot approve the case with an outstanding AP, but he couldn't take it
from us at that time because we might need to use it.
He said that everything else is in order.
