Sharing a language

[duraaraa 203]

I have what might be a somewhat unique situation, where my fiancee does not speak English, but I do speak her language (I lived in Mongolia for about 1.5 years, so I can speak the language).

I have heard stories of people being denied visas because their 'communication skills' were not up to par. My fiance has absolutely zero English, as she never thought she would need it until we met. We've always used Mongolian to communicate.

Is this something that they will take my word on, considering the time I spent in Mongolia? Most Americans who live in Mongolia don't learn the language. The people at the embassy, as well, need interpreters to interview in Mongolian, so it may be considered a hard language for Americans to learn.

I am considering a few options:

1. Handwrite a letter in Mongolian to show that I can speak the language. Maybe write it in front of a notary or in another way to prove that I wrote it myself.

2. Ask a Mongolian teacher to evaluate my Mongolian language skills. Submit the evaluation.

3. Trust that they will believe my fiancee when she tells them that I can actually speak Mongolian.

Has anyone faced a similar situation? Of course, if I had a Mongolian background/name, they would know that I can speak it, but being someone completely unrelated biologically to Mongolia and learning the language while living there shouldn't be considered fishy. I'm just concerned because I've heard that there may have been denials when the fiancee doesn't communicate in English.

I should mention that the fact that I speak Mongolian and that we use it to communicate was written in the packet I sent to USCIS. Will this make it an 'approved fact,' or am I right to worry that they won't believe me. The only other experience people I know have had with the US Embassy was a 'guilty until proven innocent' B-2 denial experience, so maybe, since the K-1 seems to be innocent until proven guilty, I'm a little too paranoid?

Thanks for any input.

[aws&ndd 103]

My fiancee doesn't speak English, and we only communicate in Spanish. Our ability to communicate with each other was never a question at her interview. I understand that your case may be a bit more difficult than ours, considering Spanish is a relatively easy language to learn. With that said, I would go ahead and do the first 2 you suggested just to be on the safe side. You may need it or you may not. Also are you able to attend the interview? If so, then if there are any doubts to your ability to speak Mongolian, then the interviewer can ask you questions in Mongolian to see if you really do understand.

[AmyWrites 593]

I think the issue arises if you have no common language. If you do, even if that language is not English, I don't see how it can or has been an issue.

[duraaraa 203]

I think the issue arises if you have no common language. If you do, even if that language is not English, I don't see how it can or has been an issue.

I certainly hope it isn't an issue.

Just, in my case, every international couple I've encountered in Mongolia has communicated in English. I think the fact that I'm American but I speak her language is rare, and am worried it could be viewed as suspicious, so maybe I should have solid proof that I do speak the language.

We definitely can communicate without issue, and my phone records back that up. I just wonder if anyone has faced scrutiny or suspicion for this issue.

[Darnell 8,478]

Ages past, in China at the Guangzhou IV Unit,

a petitioner would be asked to submit a video of him speaking Mandarin, either alone or with her,

after the interview,

when the visa was denied.

It's been rare, and I've not read of it happening these last two-three years, but ..

Language , and use of language, is best covered in an evolution of relationship letter,

see my example at EOR - http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=260331&view=findpost&p=3995116

Perhaps you can craft an EOR that covers the language usage between you two?

Edited January 9, 2013 by Darnell

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

Do you by any chance attend a language school or take any courses in Mongolian?

BYU has tests that they can send out to be proctored in pretty much all languages. http://flats.byu.edu/proctor.php

[baron555 934]

What language you communicate in is of no concern for the interview.....just proving that you have a legit relationship. You'll have to translate all documents not in English unless the Embassy specifically states no need.

But...what about when they move to the US? There is a bigger concern....but that won't be factored into the CO's decision.

[duraaraa 203]

What language you communicate in is of no concern for the interview.....just proving that you have a legit relationship. You'll have to translate all documents not in English unless the Embassy specifically states no need.

But...what about when they move to the US? There is a bigger concern....but that won't be factored into the CO's decision.

Very true. I am also worried about this. Mongolians, culturally, are very adaptable people, and can usually learn foreign languages very quickly. I hope that being around my parents and siblings, alongside English classes and school (for the kids) will get them fluent in English within a year. I work in a Japanese company (I also speak Japanese,) and it's very interesting to me to see that the workers from Japan can live here for eight years and speak no English whatsoever, or can become fluent within one. It really depends on the environment, so I'm hoping to keep the Mongolian community in LA's Koreatown secret from my fiancee until she learns English

Edited January 9, 2013 by duraaraa

[duraaraa 203]

Do you by any chance attend a language school or take any courses in Mongolian?

BYU has tests that they can send out to be proctored in pretty much all languages. http://flats.byu.edu/proctor.php

I haven't ever taken any courses. I studied on my own with a textbook, then learned by immersion when I was there. I worked as a volunteer worker with children in the beginning, and being around kids really helped me learn, since they will not pretend to understand you when you mispronounce something, and will make fun of you until you become fluent.

The BYU test is an interesting idea. I don't know that it necessarily covers speaking so much as reading and writing, though. Luckily, in LA, there is one Mongolian language school, mainly for Mongolian immigrants' children to not forget about their mother tongue. I had been in touch with a teacher from there, and I am hoping she wouldn't mind interviewing and evaluating me.

[AmyWrites 593]

Also, how fluent is your Mongolian? If it's just enough to survive or speak very basically IMO that can be suspicious. If you're at least an intermediate level I think you're all good.

[duraaraa 203]

Also, how fluent is your Mongolian? If it's just enough to survive or speak very basically IMO that can be suspicious. If you're at least an intermediate level I think you're all good.

It's definitely beyond survival Mongolian. I can understand maybe 90% of what I hear on TV, and have done many processes (buying and registering a car, opening bank accounts, renewing my visa) completely in Mongolian. I basically was completely immersed in Mongolian the whole time I was there, so I had no choice. The only thing I feel I'm missing is high-level vocabulary words, many of them which are actually Russian-based . For example, until my car's battery died, I wouldn't know that they call a battery an akkumulator, or that they would call spark plugs sevchee... then again, many Mongolians don't know these words as well

[Villanelle 4,121]

I believe your first two ideas are very good things to have just in case. (a handwritten letter and an evaluation from a certified teacher). Also somewhat building off of what Darnell posted you can also consider making a video. You can have your fiance bring it with her on a flash drive and also upload it to youtube. The interviewer can either connect her flashdrive and play it or access it directly online.

IMO because of the cost of the visa and the waiting time, the last thing you want is a denial. Its better to send your fiance with a bunch of unused evidence then not enough.

No where in the rules does it say the immigrant has to speak English, but it does say you have to have a legitimate relationship. Common sense says to have a legitimate relationship you need to be able to communicate with each other. So of course theyre going to want to know that you can. Because its not a common language its not unreasonable for them to question if you speak it and ask for some kind of proof.

So if you dont want to be denied ad you dont want any delays send in as much proof as you can and make it as strong as you can.

[duraaraa 203]

I believe your first two ideas are very good things to have just in case. (a handwritten letter and an evaluation from a certified teacher). Also somewhat building off of what Darnell posted you can also consider making a video. You can have your fiance bring it with her on a flash drive and also upload it to youtube. The interviewer can either connect her flashdrive and play it or access it directly online.

IMO because of the cost of the visa and the waiting time, the last thing you want is a denial. Its better to send your fiance with a bunch of unused evidence then not enough.

No where in the rules does it say the immigrant has to speak English, but it does say you have to have a legitimate relationship. Common sense says to have a legitimate relationship you need to be able to communicate with each other. So of course theyre going to want to know that you can. Because its not a common language its not unreasonable for them to question if you speak it and ask for some kind of proof.

So if you dont want to be denied ad you dont want any delays send in as much proof as you can and make it as strong as you can.

Do you think the CO would be willing to watch it? I think I could prove beyond any doubt that we can communicate if given a chance to present a video. It was what I first considered, in fact, but I somehow doubt the CO will be willing to take the time. There is a lot of evidence of our relationship that I want to write in a letter to the CO... how I feel about the relationship, various facts I know about her and her kids that no one else would. This would prove how much I know about them, which would, I believe, show the bona fides of the relationship. My worry is that it will be largely ignored at the interview.

Anyone with experience submitting such a letter? Do they actually get read?

Edited January 9, 2013 by duraaraa

[Villanelle 4,121]

The CO will conduct the interview in whatever fashion they see fit.

The whole point of the interview is to determine if the relationship is valid.

(Theres been interviews in which the CO has reviewed both the immigrants and the USCs facebook pages.) You can bring pictures and the CO can choose to look at them or not. Some COs just want to chat, others want to examine every document you bring with a magnifying glass.

Remember youre sending your fiance with evidence of the relationship for the CO to review. Its part of the interview. Once the CO is satisfied with that, they will move on and review the financial 134 to see if you meet those requirements. So its a two part process. If you pass both parts, youll get the visa.

Like I said because of the language 'issue' its not unreasonable to expect the CO to inquire if you speak the same language and ask for proof of such. So have some damn good proof ready. If for some reason they dont ask, well better safe then sorry.

Its the same thing with anything they can ask in the interview- how did you meet? where is your proof? is it just verbal? (thats ok) When did you meet in person? Where did you stay? do you have pictures? Do you speak on the phone? do you have proof? phone call bills/logs? do you email/write letters? proof of that? let me see it. Have you meet each others family? did you take pictures of that? where is it? etc.

[duraaraa 203]

The CO will conduct the interview in whatever fashion they see fit.

The whole point of the interview is to determine if the relationship is valid.

(Theres been interviews in which the CO has reviewed both the immigrants and the USCs facebook pages.) You can bring pictures and the CO can choose to look at them or not. Some COs just want to chat, others want to examine every document you bring with a magnifying glass.

Remember youre sending your fiance with evidence of the relationship for the CO to review. Its part of the interview. Once the CO is satisfied with that, they will move on and review the financial 134 to see if you meet those requirements. So its a two part process. If you pass both parts, youll get the visa.

Like I said because of the language 'issue' its not unreasonable to expect the CO to inquire if you speak the same language and ask for proof of such. So have some damn good proof ready. If for some reason they dont ask, well better safe then sorry.

Its the same thing with anything they can ask in the interview- how did you meet? where is your proof? is it just verbal? (thats ok) When did you meet in person? Where did you stay? do you have pictures? Do you speak on the phone? do you have proof? phone call bills/logs? do you email/write letters? proof of that? let me see it. Have you meet each others family? did you take pictures of that? where is it? etc.

Thanks for your reply. I will try to prove every facet of our relationship to the best of my ability. In our case, we met in person, I lived in her country, we spent nine months living together, and the last picture I took in Mongolia was the two of us at the airport. I think I have a pretty solid case. She doesn't even know what facebook is, doesn't have the internet, but we still talk on the phone and I can prove that. I think worrying is just the way that I can make the time pass and feel like I'm doing something while I wait for the people I love to join me. So long as the CO is willing to look at the case as any normal person would, there's nothing I can think of that would lead them to consider it a sham.

As for the money situation, my current salary is more than 125% of the poverty limit. However, I have not had this job for over a year, and my taxes will show much less (I was living in Mongolia, after all.) Therefore, I'll show pay stubs and a letter from my employer. I don't think it will be a problem.

The only issue is that our relationship could be viewed as unconventional. She is older than I am by 11.5 years and has four children. She doesn't speak English. I'm from an upper-middle class family and she is from a poor district in Ulaanbaatar. These are some of the things which made me love her, though, as it has turned her into a very mature, kind, drama-free, understanding person. I'd like to write such things so that the officer can understand why I would fall in love with this person as opposed to someone younger and well-educated, as most of the Americans who I know who had relationships with Mongolians do. I hope they have an open mind enough to realize that everyone looks for different things in a partner.

Edited January 10, 2013 by duraaraa