AOS Interview prep: how should I collate the documents?
 

I have made a big pile of documents proving our marriage and financial co-mingling. Now, how should I assemble them to get the interview done smoothly?

I have visions of myself fumbling through folders giving them this and that and the next thing?

Should I just make a whole folder of copies with a list at the front and hand it over or wait for them to ask adn then give things one by one. Or perhaps have my file there with originals and the copies behind it? i have seen some examples mentioned in "experience" pages.. but most often people just say they "handed over" the documents.

Sorry this is a dumb question. BUT

How?

What works well?

Shannon

AOS Int. Seattle. Aug 22

Re: AOS Interview prep: how should I collate the documents?
 

Shannon,

Sort the documents so that you can find what you want quickly and easily.

It is unlikely that your interviewer will ask for all your documents and then search them for what (s)he needs. The usual way is that (s)he will go through the INS file and ask you for whatever it is they are missiong, leaving it up to you to hand over 1 doucment at a time as they ask for it.

Regards, JEff

Speaking of my own experience, I took the list the INS provided of suggested documents to bring and put the documentation in the very same order. I made two piles. One of the originals and one of the copies. Then I two hole punched the copy pile. Bound it with an ACCO binder clip and gave that one to the examiner. The only thing original in the copy pile were the Affidavit of Support, tax transcripts and any documents that I didn't mind not having returned. I made a checklist of each document, separated them with tabs and indicated that on the checklist. In this way if she asked for an original I had it in the same order as the copy binder and handed her the original look at.

Remember to take your fingeprinting receipt with you. We were asked for it in NYC. Also you marriage certificate, birth certificates, passport, driver's licenses and original I-797 notice of approval if you came on a K-1.

Rete