Interview questions for a CR-1 visa

[JusticeWarrior67 3]

Hi everyone! My case was complete at NVC a few days ago, and now I'm waiting for the interview date.. I usually get nervous at interviews so i hope my reactions wont make a bad impressions on the consulate officer..

I've got a few questions that I'm kind of concerned about and would like to get your feedback on (my interview is going to be in Jerusalem btw, so if any of y'all have been interviewed there, I'd much appreciate you telling me about the experience)

1. our weeding ceremony was pretty big (we did it in a venue we rented in her hometown) my wife (the petitioner) brought many of her relatives and friends, however my family couldn't make it so do you guys think that it may raise any red flags?

2. I've met my wife's parents multiple times (taken some pictures with them at thanksgiving etc) but my wife never met mine so far

3. we communicate mainly via phone calls (barely texting each other) how can I show proof of ongoing relationships??

[JFH 12,189]

It's understandable that people can't always make it to the wedding. None of my family came to mine. They just couldn't afford it. Likewise my family haven't met my husband as he is not able to enter the UK and my family either cannot afford to or are not able to fly to the USA.

Do you have communication between your family and her? Did your family send her something for her birthday? Do they email her or send letters? Have you travelled to see each other since the wedding?

[Penguin_ie 5,984]

None of my husband's family came to our wedding... they'd never been abroad and didn't intend to change that

It is the totality of circumstances that count; for example, if your family hate your wife, it could be more of an issue. If you got married on the first meeting, it may be an issue but if you met several times/ for long period, less so.

On the showing a relationship, do you have phone records or bills? Do you sometimes comment on eachother's FB or other social media? Did you send an y letters or presents? Again, this could be an issue if you have not met a lot, whereas if you have met several times for several weeks, it won't be a problem.

[LionessDeon 2,060]

I was able to print my phone logs from my cell phone. It showed the cell number, date, time, and length of all our phone calls. You got married in your home country but not one of your friends or family members came yet, many of hers flew all the way from USA to attend? To me, that sounds odd, but it might not to others I guess. I would just be prepared to have a good reason in case your asked about it..

Good Luck!

[JFH 12,189]

I was able to print my phone logs from my cell phone. It showed the cell number, date, time, and length of all our phone calls. You got married in your home country but not one of your friends or family members came yet, many of hers flew all the way from USA to attend? To me, that sounds odd, but it might not to others I guess. I would just be prepared to have a good reason in case your asked about it..

Good Luck!

No, they got married in her hometown. He flew to the US to get married but his family couldn't.

[JusticeWarrior67 3]

I was able to print my phone logs from my cell phone. It showed the cell number, date, time, and length of all our phone calls. You got married in your home country but not one of your friends or family members came yet, many of hers flew all the way from USA to attend? To me, that sounds odd, but it might not to others I guess. I would just be prepared to have a good reason in case your asked about it..

Good Luck!

the wedding was in the USA - her home country, all of her family were already in the country so they didn't have to deal with the whole visa application thing the way mine would have - which is basically what prevented them to come.

I have met her parents and friends in person though - multiple times, she saw mine via Facetime as she's a full time student and cannot afford a flight to my country (which costs around 2000 dollars, plus she's already stressing out with her exams etc anyways)

[LionessDeon 2,060]

the wedding was in the USA - her home country, all of her family were already in the country so they didn't have to deal with the whole visa application thing the way mine would have - which is basically what prevented them to come.

I have met her parents and friends in person though - multiple times, she saw mine via Facetime as she's a full time student and cannot afford a flight to my country (which costs around 2000 dollars, plus she's already stressing out with her exams etc anyways)

Ahh ok that makes sense then

[mollenne 11]

My now-husband did his interview for a K1 visa at the Jerusalem consulate and we were approved, it was kind of a weird scenario though. For some reason, the computer system would not let them open his file in their database, so he waited for about 5 hours (I was waiting outside and I'm the petitioner/USC; they would not let me in for the interview with him). They finally insisted he step outside to get some lunch and they took his phone number and said they would call him in a couple more hours when they reset the computer. An hour or so later we both came back to the check in window at the consulate to see if they would let him back in and they invited me inside to interview with him. Everyone there was very nice, including the security team.

The CO who interviewed my husband was very nice and very apologetic about the computer trouble. She seemed familiar with my husband's case file and she asked us a few questions about how we met and how long we've known each other and about our families. She told us we were approved and it was a very emotional moment for us and she was tearing up with us!

I think what makes the biggest difference is how organized and complete your paperwork is. We kept everything in a ringed binder with page protectors. We had original documents with a matching copy of everything. Anything in Hebrew had certified English translations. We brought more than they asked for; extra tax transcripts for more than one year, lots of pictures, messages screenshots, handwritten letters, etc. Start off the binder with the table of contents, and the printoff of your interview appointment barcode/confirmation. The officer who first interacted with my husband complemented him and said "wow you are so organized!" (We handled our AOS interview paperwork the same way and also received the same complement; it pays to be organized!).

When my husband was sitting in the waiting area before his interview, he was watching other applicants for K1 interview (they just step up to a counter with glass windows, kind of like a bank teller window) and saw several people get denied because they neglected to bring the right documents or they volunteered incriminating information that they could have omitted (one guy admitted to being expelled from high school because he was caught smoking weed at school, for example).

I am sure you will be fine, just bring all of the documents they ask for and more than you think you need. Always better to be overprepared than missing items! Good luck!