Post interview - what to do and when

[davenjanet 22]

My wife had her interview about a month ago. The interviewer was a bit tough on us due to the "age gap". Nonetheless she only asked for one document. I asked her did she need anything else or have any other questions and she said no.

It took me a couple weeks to get the document and I sent it registered mail (to ensure that I had a record that it was received). That was a couple weeks ago. In the online tool it still shows us as at the interview stage.

So my question is - how long should we wait before trying to follow up and who do we call to follow up?

[aussie_jason 195]

They have 60 days to respond to an RFE, you cal try calling and asking to speak to a Tier 2 IO to see what is happening but they may not be able to tell you anything further.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

I wouldn't call for 6 months. If RFE is sufficient, then you'll be approved sooner. But it could lead to AP or a second interview. So... I would wait.

[davenjanet 22]

I wouldn't call for 6 months. If RFE is sufficient, then you'll be approved sooner. But it could lead to AP or a second interview. So... I would wait.

6 Months! I had no idea. What else could they be investigating, if anything?

The document they asked for was mostly a formality. I had a state-issued divorce decree from my marriage which ended in divorce over 20 years ago, but I didn't have the complete court-decree. Getting it from a small, rural county took some doing. I just assumed the asked just for formality-sake.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

6 Months! I had no idea. What else could they be investigating, if anything?

The document they asked for was mostly a formality. I had a state-issued divorce decree from my marriage which ended in divorce over 20 years ago, but I didn't have the complete court-decree. Getting it from a small, rural county took some doing. I just assumed the asked just for formality-sake.

Well, I wasn't at the interview.

So, you say you were grilled, and you got a RFE.

If everything was fine, then I would guess the IO would have said "I will approve you once I get this one thing."

I get the impression it was a bad interview plus an RFE.

But, you didn't describe in detail what happened, so it's hard to know.

But yes, it is possible to have delayed approval after an interview; they can do second interviews, home checks, or just other internal checks.

I wouldn't worry too much though, as you got a K-1 you were already somewhat vetted, and most people get approved in the end. Good luck.

[davenjanet 22]

Well, I wasn't at the interview.

So, you say you were grilled, and you got a RFE.

If everything was fine, then I would guess the IO would have said "I will approve you once I get this one thing."

I get the impression it was a bad interview plus an RFE.

But, you didn't describe in detail what happened, so it's hard to know.

But yes, it is possible to have delayed approval after an interview; they can do second interviews, home checks, or just other internal checks.

I wouldn't worry too much though, as you got a K-1 you were already somewhat vetted, and most people get approved in the end. Good luck.

Frankly I don't know if it was an RFE or not. I know what receiving an RFE is in context of a Visa. But in this case she said she wanted the real divorce decree handed me a sheet with the address of where to mail it (the address of where we had the interview) and said she didn't need anything else.

I don't know what constitutes a "bad" Interview. She did question our age difference. I was frank in my responses but certainly respectful. She asked how my kids were taking it and I responsed that my 14 year old daughter had some concerns but she and Janet shopping at the mall seem to be helping She liked that.

She made photo copies of the other evidence we brought (bank account, utilities, etc.) told us there was nothing more she needed and that was it.

Edited February 28, 2014 by davenjanet

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Okay, so maybe just a plain RFE. Any request for more evidence is an RFE, so you got one at your interview.

Either way, you can't force them to approve you, so wait at least 60 days, maybe call them, but they probably won't tell you anything. Call again at 6 months (if it gets that far). Probably just one day you'll wake up to an approval email.

Best of luck.