EPSTEIN
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EFTA02312343 1
So, I have bad news. I went to see a lawyer and was even more upset.
He said this. Usually, after the documents arrive at the local office, no more than four months pass before they call for an interview. They're very strict with everything now, and those applying for asylum are skinned and vetted like no one else, because there's a lot of fraud here, and people marry to get benefits and for taxes. While ordinary marriages don't get divorced for taxes, refugees also receive some special benefits, so there's double demand. Furthermore, the fact that they're taking so long to process us, he said, is a big negative. Nothing good can be expected.
Now, here's our specific situation:
1. We've been married for almost three years, and during that time we haven't lived together.
2. We've never filed taxes together.
3. No joint phone bills or shared bills. When people get married, they rush through all the formalities, and not everyone passes the interview.
In our case, we show up for the interview with nothing but words of love and photos of our vacation together. Which doesn't prove we're a family. In America, everyone loves paperwork and everyone works by the book. No paperwork, no family. The fact that we're moving in together right now, for example. That would also be very suspicious because it's right before the interview.
Then, if they have any suspicions, they pull up everything they can. Places of work, studies, to...track who was where at that time. They pull up all phone calls. Who called where. Messages. And so on.
The chances that we'll pass the interview are zero. The chances that they'll suspect fraud are very high. He said this is a very common practice these days, and fraud is commonplace, and even families with all the necessary paperwork are subject to purging.
He said we could be called for an interview at any moment, but since our documents arrived at the end of August, it's most likely we'll be called before the end of December. But we won't pass it.
He said about Renata that while she's studying, she's not in any particular danger. And to extend her status, she could go for a PhD, and then with a doctorate, it would be easier for her to stay here. Or she should have gotten married when I was already an American citizen (I didn't go into the details of our specific marriage). In that regard, I asked what my wife would do if we divorced now. If we don't divorce and both of us are subject to fraud, we both will suffer.
If they suspect fraud, I'll face jail time. He said so. Since I'm already a green card holder and not awaiting an asylum interview, my own rules apply.
And he said, even if you're in love, your situation is dire. Because you won't be able to prove anything. And you'll have a ton of problems.
So, that's the way it is...
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