Embassy Interview Advice/Pitfalls

[greg1984 19]

Hello all,

 

So my fiancée has her interview at Johannesburg SA embassy on December 19th.  The paperwork from the embassy clearly states "do not quit your job or sell your things etc..." but given our particular circumstance she is having to do much of this prior to the interview.  Our paperwork has been meticulous.  I have sent over what I believe everything we need for the interview.  Work information, bank statements, the support form, etc.  We did use RapidVisa and I followed all of their checklists.  I am divorced and included original official divorce docs.  She has never been married.  Neither of us have "hidden spouses" lol and everything is on the up and up.  She wanted me to ask you guys because she is freaking out...at this point what could get us denied?  I told her if anything there is no way we could be denied...they may ask for something additional perhaps (can't think of what it would be) but I do not believe if you cleared USCIS and you are legitimate that you really could be denied for much...any thoughts to put her worried mind at ease?

 

Thanks!

[Jeanne Adil 1,651]

This is the high fraud country list

http://mypathtocitizenship.com/which-countries-are-on-the-uscis-high-fraud-list/

and SA is on it 

they can deny for any reason like any of the following

not same religion

big age difference

not enough face time to know each other well

similar name is on terrorist watch list

she must know everything about you,  your family,  your life in the US 

she must prove a real loving and lasting relationship 

we can not really put your mind to ease

it will be up to the 2 of you to prove all things

so, create a timeline on this site

let the VJ community know how many visits and length of time you have spent together 

how you met and how long you have known her

does her family approve of the relationship 

age difference

religions of both

those things help answer your questions

[greg1984 19]

I'm just curious what the point of the USCIS involvement in this is then...because they have already deemed our relationship to be legitimate.  The list you sent was regarding USCIS and we have already cleared that hurdle.  I have lived with her for over 6 months in SA...she has a B1/B2 Visa already and has visited here etc.  Jesus this is scary now.

[bakphx1 785]

Here's a link to the SA consulate reviews.  It doesn't sound particularly grueling.  

http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/index.php?cnty=South Africa&page=1&dfilter=5&topic=

[Kush_Omaded 29]

Honestly, I opt for a more optimistic approach. Most of the world is on the high-fraud list, and while it pays to be well-prepared for the interview, it's no reason to panic unnecessarily. Just be sure you have abundant evidence of in-person meetings and proof of a legitimate relationship. If you guys have lived together for a long amount of time, make sure you have saved boarding passes, receipts, passport stamps, photos--all the evidence you sent along with your original packet. Be sure to have updated evidence, from the time that's elapsed between your initial form submission and the date of your interview. Review sample interview questions with your fiancé; make sure that you don't get in trouble just because there's some silly personal detail you two never reviewed. Review major details of your life together, make sure she has answers to a variety of potential questions. If there's a potential problem you can foresee, try to be prepared for it. If you've been previously divorced, have originals of all the associated documents. Not to rude in the face of previous posters, but being from a high-fraud country is no reason to panic. It just means you have to prepare thoroughly and be extra sure you're prepared for the interview. The interviewer isn't out to "get you," they're just trying to ensure that you and your fiancé have a legitimate relationship. So prepare as much as possible, review all the potential questions you can find, and triple-check everything. You'll be fine; just be thorough.

Edited November 22, 2017 by Kush_Omaded

[greg1984 19]

Does anyone know if the consulate actually receives our completed I129F?  I was thinking of couriering over additional copies of proof of relationship, i.e., the pictures, plane tickets, etc. that I already sent with the I129F but I assume they already have that?

[jan22 2,901]

2 hours ago, greg1984 said:

I'm just curious what the point of the USCIS involvement in this is then...because they have already deemed our relationship to be legitimate.  The list you sent was regarding USCIS and we have already cleared that hurdle.  I have lived with her for over 6 months in SA...she has a B1/B2 Visa already and has visited here etc.  Jesus this is scary now.

Actually, USCIS has confirmed that you submitted paperwork documenting the stated relationship...they have no way to verify that I t u s, in fact, a legitimate relationship.  Not saying this to cause you to panic, as there's nothing you said that makes it sounds like your case will be difficult. I just wanted to clarify that'she part of why it's a two-step process -- the paperwork submission to USCIS and the verifying interview.

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

3 hours ago, adil-rafa said:

This is the high fraud country list

http://mypathtocitizenship.com/which-countries-are-on-the-uscis-high-fraud-list/

and SA is on it 

 

I’m surprised. SA doesn’t have a high refusal rate for visas in general.

 

I've never done K1 but done a few B visas and our immigrant visa interview. Never been much of an issue. The immigrant visa slots are quiet, not a lot of that happening from SA, and it’s generally pretty chilled as far as these things go - assuming all paperwork etc is in order.

Edited November 22, 2017 by SusieQQQ

[No-Where-Man 147]

5 hours ago, Kush_Omaded said:

Honestly, I opt for a more optimistic approach. Most of the world is on the high-fraud list, and while it pays to be well-prepared for the interview, it's no reason to panic unnecessarily. Just be sure you have abundant evidence of in-person meetings and proof of a legitimate relationship. If you guys have lived together for a long amount of time, make sure you have saved boarding passes, receipts, passport stamps, photos--all the evidence you sent along with your original packet. Be sure to have updated evidence, from the time that's elapsed between your initial form submission and the date of your interview. Review sample interview questions with your fiancé; make sure that you don't get in trouble just because there's some silly personal detail you two never reviewed. Review major details of your life together, make sure she has answers to a variety of potential questions. If there's a potential problem you can foresee, try to be prepared for it. If you've been previously divorced, have originals of all the associated documents. Not to rude in the face of previous posters, but being from a high-fraud country is no reason to panic. It just means you have to prepare thoroughly and be extra sure you're prepared for the interview. The interviewer isn't out to "get you," they're just trying to ensure that you and your fiancé have a legitimate relationship. So prepare as much as possible, review all the potential questions you can find, and triple-check everything. You'll be fine; just be thorough.

I conquer 

[Teepee 14]

you are right, u sometimes barely see people going to thee  embassy unlike some countries in the 3rd world  countries, so refusal rate is minimal, even with non immigrant applications

[usmsbow 796]

6 hours ago, adil-rafa said:

This is the high fraud country list

http://mypathtocitizenship.com/which-countries-are-on-the-uscis-high-fraud-list/

and SA is on it 

they can deny for any reason like any of the following

not same religion

big age difference

not enough face time to know each other well

similar name is on terrorist watch list

she must know everything about you,  your family,  your life in the US 

she must prove a real loving and lasting relationship 

we can not really put your mind to ease

it will be up to the 2 of you to prove all things

so, create a timeline on this site

let the VJ community know how many visits and length of time you have spent together 

how you met and how long you have known her

does her family approve of the relationship 

age difference

religions of both

those things help answer your questions

That link is irrelevant for K-1 visas. The overwhelming majority of countries are low fraud and easy for K-1 visas. The VJ reviews are a better gauge of how difficult an embassy is. 

[usmsbow 796]

5 hours ago, greg1984 said:

Does anyone know if the consulate actually receives our completed I129F?  I was thinking of couriering over additional copies of proof of relationship, i.e., the pictures, plane tickets, etc. that I already sent with the I129F but I assume they already have that?

Yes, they should already have it. Additional evidence is always helpful though. 

[Russ&Caro 1,548]

6 hours ago, greg1984 said:

I'm just curious what the point of the USCIS involvement in this is then...because they have already deemed our relationship to be legitimate.  The list you sent was regarding USCIS and we have already cleared that hurdle.  I have lived with her for over 6 months in SA...she has a B1/B2 Visa already and has visited here etc.  Jesus this is scary now.

From my experience, a person's immigration case seems to be re-adjudicated at every step of the way. At least in your case (k1) it is only judged twice, at USCIS and at the embassy. The CR1 cases are re-adjudicated 3 times at USCIS, NVS, and at the embassy. So even though you were cleared by USCIS, doesn't mean the consulate officer (CO) isn't going to ask questions that should have been resolved by USCIS.

[bakphx1 785]

7 hours ago, greg1984 said:

Hello all,

 

 Neither of us have "hidden spouses" lol and everything is on the up and up.  She wanted me to ask you guys because she is freaking out...at this point what could get us denied?  I told her if anything there is no way we could be denied...they may ask for something additional perhaps (can't think of what it would be) but I do not believe if you cleared USCIS and you are legitimate that you really could be denied for much...any thoughts to put her worried mind at ease?

 

I think you are fine.  You've used Rapid Visa and still were meticulous separately.  Just to give you a taste of what questions are like from high fraud countries that sound like good denial candidates,  you see a lot of people who met once online, the person flew over for a week and they are filing for a K1 right after that and doing it as quickly as possible.  Sometimes 3 months from online meeting to K1 submission. 

 

If you've already lived together for some time, I think you are just overthinking it at this point. Also realize that at least my experience was they were more often looking for the ability to approve the Visa as opposed to looking for any small reason to deny it.

[Jeanne Adil 1,651]

What?   Every interview / every CO asks and looks at the same evidence 

i have been through both K1 and CR 1 cases and husband did both types of interviews