Adjustment of Status (AOS) is the process by which a qualified immigrant applicant petitions to become a lawful permanent resident (green card holder) of the United States. Applicants applying for adjustment of status to obtain permanent residency in the United States must, in most cases, appear for an immigration AOS interview at a United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office.
5 Most Common Mistakes in Immigration Status Adjustment Interview
(1) Forgetting Documents
It is very important to bring original documents or certified copies to the immigration interview. The USCIS officer will want to see the original documents submitted with the application, such as:
• Birth certificate
• Marriage certificate
• Divorce Judgment
• Form W-2, pay stubs and tax returns
• Address Verification Document Change Address Verification
• Spouse’s US passport or proof of naturalization (if applicable)
• Arrest reports and court documents
If you forget the documents, offer to mail them or deliver them to a USCIS office.
If there are non-English original documents, there must be a certified English translation. Failure to bring original documents may result in delay or rejection of your permanent residence application.
(2) Late for the Interview
You should always arrive on time for your AOS interview with USCIS. Many USCIS offices may move your case outside of their normal jurisdiction to process more applicants. As a result, you may have to drive a long distance for an interview. You must allow enough time for this to arrive on time.
(3) Lying
USCIS investigates the applicant’s personal background, including criminal activity, records of deportations or removals, or other incidents affecting permanent resident status. So don’t lie to USCIS. This may result in your application being rejected or delayed.
(4) No Interpreter
USCIS does not provide interpreters for immigration interviews. Lawyers cannot legally act as clients’ interpreters. If you are not fully fluent in English, it is important to bring a qualified interpreter to translate questions and answers from USCIS representatives.
(5) Arguing with USCIS Officer
Do not get angry or argue with the USCIS officer during the interview. If it seems that the person in charge has misinformation or doesn’t believe your answer, you should explain the situation politely and calmly. If you think the officer is unfair, you can calmly ask for the supervisor.
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