K-1 interview questions - how in-depth do they get?

[Vernacular 0]

Hi all,

My fiancee has her K-1 visa interview in a couple weeks, and the two of us have been preparing for the interview by quizzing one another on what might be asked. Anyway, she has told me some unfortunate stories where her friends were asked questions that, in my opinion, were kind of unfair to be honest. The main example is in regards to questions asking the beneficiary to describe the city that the petitioner lives in; any major landmarks, directions (?!?) to get there, what places I frequent to, things of that nature. Well, she's been kind of stressed out and obsessed with this aspect of the interview. I tried to reassure her that the questions will be rooted in our actual relationship. Everything else is secondary. But now she's harping me on providing her with a whole bunch of places that I go, asking me to describe them in detail, history of the relationships between my closest friends, in essence leaving no stone unturned. And that's okay, I understand her concern; she's the one being interviewed after all, and many of her friends have told her stories of people being denied visas because someone couldn't tell the interviewer directions to a bar or something.

Long story short, do these types of questions come up regularly? Has anyone experienced or heard of such things? What I don't get is, why they would expect you to know about something in a country you've never set foot in? And would it be a deal-breaker in terms of passing the interview? I'm giving her all the information I can about where I live and where I go, who I hang out with, etc. etc., but I still think it's getting a little out of hand. It's not like it's and hour long interview right?

[YuAndDan 153]

Moving this to consulate embassy forum.

The questioning can be easy if the case file and background data looks solid, or it can get quite intense if they dont beleive there is a bonafide relationship. Also can vary by a bit if the consulate is in a high fraud country like Philippines or China

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/profile.php?id=64682

You will get better answeres if you fill in profile data with country, and other details. http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...rCP&CODE=01

[TBoneTX 47,589]

And some consulates will kick the fiancee out after three minutes without accepting evidence that was brought to the interview, and order the USC to appear (on his own time and his own dime) for a "joint" "marriage" interview that's really a Stokes Interrogation (not even with an American interviewer), and not make a decision even then, and not let the USC speak with an American, and stall and delay and request more and more and more information that's somehow never enough. If that scares you, relax -- your fiancee is NOT interviewing at Guayaquil, Ecuador.

[Gary and Alla 3,696]

And some consulates will kick the fiancee out after three minutes without accepting evidence that was brought to the interview, and order the USC to appear (on his own time and his own dime) for a "joint" "marriage" interview that's really a Stokes Interrogation (not even with an American interviewer), and not make a decision even then, and not let the USC speak with an American, and stall and delay and request more and more and more information that's somehow never enough. If that scares you, relax -- your fiancee is NOT interviewing at Guayaquil, Ecuador.

His fiancee is interviewing in HCMC and that can be the worst, reading some of the threads here. I would suggest you go to the regional forums and get some insight and also the consulate reviews for HCMC.

One member here, Ahn Map, went thorugh HCMC and usually posts some very good information about it. I just read a horror story from HCMC today, so have all your documents and evidence prepared.

[YuAndDan 153]

Thanks for updating profile, Vietnam can be a tough one.

In my case I had my wife conduct interview in English, this eliminated the "Common Language" issue, this along with her listing "English Teacher" on her forms helped. In our case we had no red-flags, so the interviewing officer tossed her soft ball questions.

[Anh map 2,098]

Yu and Dan are right, based on the bona fides the questions can go up in difficulty (fiance's favorite restaurants for a $1000, Alex).

I'd have to imagine that the questioning about bars, etc. was a follow up to "what does your fiance do in his free time?" I've never heard of anyone being asked to describe major landmarks of a place that they've never been. My wife was asked where I live and what part of the US is it in. That seems normal.

More often than not in HCMC the CO's like to see more than one visit and a Dam Hoi / Dinh Hon (engagement party). Lately we've been seeing that a long gap in time from the last visit to the interview trips up some petitioners causing the CO to question the validity of the relationship.

Linh was asked: how we met; who introduced us; how many times I'd visited; the dates of those visits; where I live, what is my occupation; was I married before; where does my ex live; what is ex's name; questions about immediate family; did anyone from my family come to our Dam Hoi; where will we live when she arrives in the US; when will we marry, where will we marry; where did we go in VN; etc.

Having your fiance feeling confident and relaxed (as she can be) for the interview is key. They do ask the same question a couple of different ways to check for consistency. She shouldn't feel flustered if that happens. It's to be expected. A great piece of advice that a fellow VJ'er game to us was to be sure that the finace can tell your "love story." It shouldn't be just a recitation of facts and figures. She should enjoy telling the story and display the typical emotions of telling a fun story.

If you're Viet Kieu and your families are from the same town/village that can be another hurdle. If she's got family in the US she will need to know where they all live and proximity to where you two will live.

Please don't be hard on your fiance about prepping for the interview. As you can tell she's got everyone in her ear giving advice. The pressure that a lot of our fiances / spouses feel is significant. IN HCMC they go in alone, no USC petitioners allowed in with them. Just the group of family and S.O.'s waiting across the street.

Read the guides on here. Surf through the Asia: East and Pacific regional forum to see the posts for all of the HCMC'ers. There is a lot of good input and interview recaps.

Best of luck. Bring home the PINK!!!!!!!

[Hiep & Thao 0]

The "ridiculous" questions that they ask seem to be excuses for them to reject your case. If you get asked these questions, it's already 99% hopeless. Anyway, make sure your fiancee knows *everything* about you, your personal, professional, family life. Make sure she has a pretty good picture of how life is going to be once she comes over. There are things that cannot be studied but have to be talked about in normal conversations. My fiancee saw quite a few women bringing in a "cheat sheet" and review it while waiting to be interviewed, like they think the cheat sheets contain the entire person that they're supposed to be in loved with and willing to take that leap of faith to come to a totally strange place with.

All that said, make sure your beneficiary answer loud and clear, only when she really understands the questions. Make sure you can describe perfectly clear to the smallest detail how you know eachother, who introduce you two, or if you met online, how did you initiate a conversation (where to click on your nickname etc). Do not try to evade the question, always give direct answers.

Photos are important, make sure they all look different, different hair styles, clothings, if many look the same, only present one. Studio shots are not as good as natural photos. Each photo should be labeled clearly time and place right on the front . Organized by the year.

[Gary and Alla 3,696]

The "ridiculous" questions that they ask seem to be excuses for them to reject your case. If you get asked these questions, it's already 99% hopeless. Anyway, make sure your fiancee knows *everything* about you, your personal, professional, family life. Make sure she has a pretty good picture of how life is going to be once she comes over. There are things that cannot be studied but have to be talked about in normal conversations. My fiancee saw quite a few women bringing in a "cheat sheet" and review it while waiting to be interviewed, like they think the cheat sheets contain the entire person that they're supposed to be in loved with and willing to take that leap of faith to come to a totally strange place with.

All that said, make sure your beneficiary answer loud and clear, only when she really understands the questions. Make sure you can describe perfectly clear to the smallest detail how you know eachother, who introduce you two, or if you met online, how did you initiate a conversation (where to click on your nickname etc). Do not try to evade the question, always give direct answers.

Photos are important, make sure they all look different, different hair styles, clothings, if many look the same, only present one. Studio shots are not as good as natural photos. Each photo should be labeled clearly time and place right on the front . Organized by the year.

I only want to add "Congratulations" to all those that have dealt with things like this. It is a shame visa fraud does this to some people. I think my wife and I were as nervous as anyone before our interview, but for no reason. Who needs a reason? Good luck. I would definitely follow the advice of those that have been there with success. Better "too much gun".

[Craneman 2]

Hi all,

My fiancee has her K-1 visa interview in a couple weeks, and the two of us have been preparing for the interview by quizzing one another on what might be asked. Anyway, she has told me some unfortunate stories where her friends were asked questions that, in my opinion, were kind of unfair to be honest. The main example is in regards to questions asking the beneficiary to describe the city that the petitioner lives in; any major landmarks, directions (?!?) to get there, what places I frequent to, things of that nature. Well, she's been kind of stressed out and obsessed with this aspect of the interview. I tried to reassure her that the questions will be rooted in our actual relationship. Everything else is secondary. But now she's harping me on providing her with a whole bunch of places that I go, asking me to describe them in detail, history of the relationships between my closest friends, in essence leaving no stone unturned. And that's okay, I understand her concern; she's the one being interviewed after all, and many of her friends have told her stories of people being denied visas because someone couldn't tell the interviewer directions to a bar or something.

Long story short, do these types of questions come up regularly? Has anyone experienced or heard of such things? What I don't get is, why they would expect you to know about something in a country you've never set foot in? And would it be a deal-breaker in terms of passing the interview? I'm giving her all the information I can about where I live and where I go, who I hang out with, etc. etc., but I still think it's getting a little out of hand. It's not like it's and hour long interview right?

If there is a bonafide relationship it is hard to ask question to which the answer is not known.