Second Interview at the Embassy in Riyadh

[RealAI 1]

After being on Administrative Review for about 3 months and making numerous calls to the Embassy in Riyadh my husband and I have been asked to appear at the embassy for a second interview. I was told that we will be interviewed by a different consular officer than the first time. They asked us to bring our wedding pictures and proof of ongoing relationship as emails and phone bills. we have phone bills, chat history and e-mails. But dont have wedding pictures. we just registered our marraige in the presence of our parents and have a few pictures while signing the documents. We were not even wearing formal wedding attires. does anyone have any suggestions for us. Please help. We do have a lot of other pics together.

[Used to be broken 146]

After being on Administrative Review for about 3 months and making numerous calls to the Embassy in Riyadh my husband and I have been asked to appear at the embassy for a second interview. I was told that we will be interviewed by a different consular officer than the first time. They asked us to bring our wedding pictures and proof of ongoing relationship as emails and phone bills. we have phone bills, chat history and e-mails. But dont have wedding pictures. we just registered our marraige in the presence of our parents and have a few pictures while signing the documents. We were not even wearing formal wedding attires. does anyone have any suggestions for us. Please help. We do have a lot of other pics together.

Bring what you have and additional photos. The ones that have other family members are quite relevant. Different locations, dates and trips

[Christi85 86]

Sounds like they suspect you of fraudulent marriage which is why they have asked both of you to appear for an interview.

You should expect to be taken to different rooms where you will be asked a similar set of questions, and your answers will be reviewed and compared later.

Be prepared that some of these questions may be very personal (e.g. people on VJ and elsewhere have been asked about their sexual habits with their spouse in the past). They have no interest to invade your personal life, but asking about sexual habits is one very good way of establishing if the marriage is legit or not.

This type of an interview is called a "Stokes interview". I suggest you do a search here on VJ to find out about other people's past experiences with Stokes interviews, and you can also google it for additional information. Don't go unprepared for this type of an interview.

As for the wedding pictures, I suggest presenting a signed declaration explaining why you have no formal wedding pictures, and bring along all other proof you have of your ongoing marriage.

Apart from pictures, it's a really good idea to demonstrate a co-mingling of any financial assets you may have (this is another thing immigration people love to see - as no fraudulent couples will ever mingle their assets together). Any joint bank accounts, credit cards, joint lease, joint ownership of house/vehicle, joint utility bills, joint insurance etc. you may have - bring proof of any of that if you have it.

Remember to be prepared, but don't panic. If your marriage is legitimate, they will be able to tell and the truth will shine!

Edited August 3, 2011 by Christi85

[TBoneTX 43,528]

Read the first few in this short thread:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/207292-embassy-wants-petitioner-at-next-cr-1-interview-any-advice/

and then start again with message #21.

[Sergi9 110]

Sounds like they suspect you of fraudulent marriage which is why they have asked both of you to appear for an interview.

You should expect to be taken to different rooms where you will be asked a similar set of questions, and your answers will be reviewed and compared later.

Be prepared that some of these questions may be very personal (e.g. people on VJ and elsewhere have been asked about their sexual habits with their spouse in the past). They have no interest to invade your personal life, but asking about sexual habits is one very good way of establishing if the marriage is legit or not.

This type of an interview is called a "Stokes interview". I suggest you do a search here on VJ to find out about other people's past experiences with Stokes interviews, and you can also google it for additional information. Don't go unprepared for this type of an interview.

As for the wedding pictures, I suggest presenting a signed declaration explaining why you have no formal wedding pictures, and bring along all other proof you have of your ongoing marriage.

Apart from pictures, it's a really good idea to demonstrate a co-mingling of any financial assets you may have (this is another thing immigration people love to see - as no fraudulent couples will ever mingle their assets together). Any joint bank accounts, credit cards, joint lease, joint ownership of house/vehicle, joint utility bills, joint insurance etc. you may have - bring proof of any of that if you have it.

Remember to be prepared, but don't panic. If your marriage is legitimate, they will be able to tell and the truth will shine!

Asking about sexual matters is totally inappropriate and not in accordance with DOS policy or procedure. If asked any of these type of questions, the interview subject should pause, pull out a pen and paper, ask the CO to repeat the question and write it down verbatim, along with CO's name then politely decline to answer that question. In the event the CO is persistent in inappropriate questions then politely say I am not comfortable speaking of these matters but if the VISA is contingent on my answering them, please give me your email address and your supervisors and I will answer them in written form and email that tommorow.

That should end the discussion.

[RealAI 1]

Thanks, everyone for advice. We gathered the following supporting documents;

E-mails

chat history on skype

phone bills

pictures taken at the time of marraige registration

pictures taken at different times over last 3 years - some r with extended family

statement from my father and 2 uncles, one of them signed on the marraige document as a witness

statement of our relationship from his best freind

His name on my car insurance

Hotel receipt from a trip

We are also trying to go over some common stokes interview answers together so we are prepared.Our interview is on August 8th, Monday. I am very nervous. Please pray for us.

[taniya 1]

I just read your case history & really feeling sorry to know that you had to go through all these.

My spouse is also working in Khobar, Saudi Arabia & we both are from Bangladesh. As far as I learned about Saudi, the cosulate over there does not take as long as Bangladesh or pakistan to schedule interviews & process cases. I believed, Riyadh embassy is having less applicant & more functional way to work. So, I thought it would be earlier to get interview there & easier to cummunicate with them compare to Bangladesh & Pakistan.

However, I think they were suspicious in your case for the reason that your husband is from Pakistan & you are from Bangladesh. As this type of couples are very rare in Saudi Arabia. But dont worry, as long as you have all requested documents & proof of ongoing relationship to convince them about your marriage is real, hopefully they will allow your husband to have the visa soon after the interview on 8th August. Just be confident and remember that you will be in our prayer....

[taniya 1]

We are waiting to hear some good news from you sis. Hope you were able to beat them out today!!!

[RealAI 1]

Finally my husbands IR1 visa was approved yesterday. We got to the US embassy in Riyadh at 9:00 am yesterday. We showed the appointment letter at the front wondow and were let in. We were the only interview for immigration yesterday since immigration matters are not handled on mondays. A little before 11:00 the CO called us at the window. He asked my husband to wait at the lobby ans asked me some questions.

1. How and when did u meet your husband?

2. When did you get married?

3. Why did you get married so fast - only 6 months after you first contacted each other.

4. This is your 2nd marraige. When and where did u get married the 1st time?

5. Was your 1st husband a US citizen?

6. Do u have any contact with your 1st husband since you have a child with him.

7. Did u have a wedding reception?

8. Who were present at the time of your wedding?

9. Where do you live in the United States?

10.Where do you work in the United States? Since u have been here in Riyadh for over a month do you still have a job to go back to in the US?

11.who did you live your daughter with?

12.What is your husband's favorite food?

13. Do u cook for him and what do u usually cook for him?

14. Which side of the bed do u sleep on? and which side does your husband sleep on?

15. Where does your husband work?

16. Where does he live?

17. If given visa what are his plans to join you?

18. How many brothers and sisters do you have?

19. Where does your sister live?

20. Is your sister married?

21. Does your sister have any how old are they?

22. Did your daughter ever meet your husband?

After that the CO asked me to wait in the lobby while he spoke to my husband.

1. When did you get married?

2. who were present at the wedding?

3. was your wife's sister present at the wedding?

4. what is your favorite food.

5. Which side of the bed do you sleep on? which side of the bed does your wife sleep?

6. Where do you work?

7. If you are given a visa what are your plans to join your wife?

8. How many children do you have?

9. Where does your wife's sister live in the United States.

After talking to my husband the CO called both of us to the window and said that everything looks ok. Your visa is approved. It will take some time to finish the processing. We will send your passport via Fedex. The CO was freindly. He did not even ask for ant pictures or any proof of relationship. We are now waiting for the visa stamped and the welcome package. I hope it will be done soon. I hope the name check doesn't take long.

Thanks to everyone for the support and suggestions.