Am I going to have to travel for the interview?????

[SamanthaNTim 0]

Hey everyone!!

Just want to start of by saying, you are all amazing and without your help, I don't know how we would get through all of this!!

My question is..I live in a semi small town in SD, USA South Dakota(South of Canada for the many of you who probably don't have a clue where that is ) and I was just curious if I would have to travel to do the interview? Is it possible to do an over the phone interview????!!

My fiancee lives in Sydney, AUS so I don't believe he would have any issue.

Thanks again

Samantha and Tim

[belinda63 2,981]

You don't have to do any interview, he will. If you want you can go to Australia to be with him but I don't know if the embassy will allow you in or let you be with him for the interview.

[SamanthaNTim 0]

Wow! Ok I was under the impression that we BOTH had to be interviewed.

Thanx!!

[HeatDeath 430]

There are several possible interviews in this process.

A ) the consulate interview. This is for your fiance only, and will occur at a US consulate in Australia.

B ) the AOS interview. Many people don't have one, but if you two do it will affect both of you. This would be at your local USCIS office, which according to their web site is St. Paul, MN.

C) the Removal of Conditions interview. Again, many people don't have one, but it would also be at the St. Paul MN office, 2 years after the green card is awarded. This would also involve both of you if it occurs.

D ) the naturalization interview. If you fiance eventually applies for US citizenship, he will definitely have to interview at the St. Paul office. This one wouldn't involve you.

[Claudia2010 1]

No u really dont have to go to the interview but some people say its really good cause they can see it was important enough and u actually travel for the interview..this is such a hard process..

[HeatDeath 430]

Certain consulates, particularly those in "high-fraud" countries, are reluctant to give out fiance visas without extremely compelling proof of a bonafide relationship. In these countries, the USC petitioner's presence can be very helpful, even if they are not in the interview booth with the beneficiary during the actual interview.

There is even a handful of consulates (Guyaquil, Ecuador for starters) where the presence of the USC petitioner is absolutely MANDATORY in order for there to be any realistic hope of visa issuance.

None of this, thank G-d, has anything to do with you. Australia is not a "high fraud" country, and the presence or absence of the USC petitioner at the consulate interview will make no real difference. If you want to, and can afford to visit your fiance during the interview, that's fine. If not, that's ok too. It will not meaningfully affect whether the visa is issued or not.

Edited August 10, 2010 by HeatDeath