Embassy Interviews

[8bithearts 104]

So all my documents are currently with the NVC and I'm waiting for them to be approved.  I was just wondering about the interview situation at the Embassy.  My Embassy is London and the government slightly loosened restrictions last night, not enough I would imagine for interviews to continue.  Anyway my question is do you think the Embassy should (or could) move to video interviews? To me it seems like a perfect solution to keep the line moving and also ensure you have a face to face meeting so to speak.  I know they need to see original documents but this could be done by having to courier them to the embassy a few days before your video appointment.

 

Just a thought wondered what people thought and if they thought it was a possibility

[arken 4,197]

I would say chances are zero. The first thing they do inside is take your fingerprints and/or retina scan before the interview. How do you think that’s gonna happen?

[milimelo 4,503]

You'd sooner see embassy reopen than video interviews. 

[8bithearts 104]

1 minute ago, arken said:

I would say chances are zero. The first thing they do inside is take your fingerprints and/or retina scan before the interview. How do you think that’s gonna happen?

It's a forum and it's a discussion, no need for that tone imo.

 

And as for fingerprint and retina scan we are living in a very technological age I am sure there are solutions to do this without attending the embassy or having to have a face to face interview. 

 

I agree it's unlikely but I'm sure there could be a solution with some brainstorming and investment

[Lucky2Lucky 2,526]

Highly, highly unlikely they would do video visits.

[arken 4,197]

17 minutes ago, 8bithearts said:

It's a forum and it's a discussion, no need for that tone imo.

What tone?🤔🤔

It’s a forum and it was just a discussion.

 

You should really check some posts in this forum to know what “tone” in VJ actually means. 

Edited May 11, 2020 by arken

[8bithearts 104]

13 minutes ago, arken said:

What tone?🤔🤔

It’s a forum and it was just a discussion.

 

You should really check some posts in this forum to know what “tone” in VJ actually means. 

I don't need to check anything, I can tell the difference between a friendly reply and not and yours really wasn't. (Neither was this one) .  I know there is a pinned post about attitudes in the forum maybe you should read that. 

 

[Unlockable 7,315]

*** Please remember to post civilly and constructively. Please do not start going back and forth with comments.This is a public forum and while comments are allowed, they will vary.

 

VJ Moderation

[Unlockable 7,315]

35 minutes ago, 8bithearts said:

It's a forum and it's a discussion, no need for that tone imo.

 

And as for fingerprint and retina scan we are living in a very technological age I am sure there are solutions to do this without attending the embassy or having to have a face to face interview. 

 

I agree it's unlikely but I'm sure there could be a solution with some brainstorming and investment

Not likely to happen. At some point in the process, a person to person or face to face meeting is still a hard requirement. Yes, technology is fast moving. But remember that Government is very slow. that is the key difference. It is the same reason why some documents and payments have to still be mailed into the Government instead of emailing or scanning them doing digital payments.

 

It's the government's way of doing things.

[8bithearts 104]

7 minutes ago, Unlockable said:

Not likely to happen. At some point in the process, a person to person or face to face meeting is still a hard requirement. Yes, technology is fast moving. But remember that Government is very slow. that is the key difference. It is the same reason why some documents and payments have to still be mailed into the Government instead of emailing or scanning them doing digital payments.

 

It's the government's way of doing things.

This is all true but we are in unprecedented times, the Corona virus they may be forced to be dragged into the 21st century, especially the longer restrictions continue 

[Ann Blair 39]

I see your point with concerns about social distancing and the virus, but I would say agree with others on video interviews. I would think not likely. I‘m American and married my sweetie in England. In the UK you have to formally declare intent to marry. They required us both to get those little passport photos again and go to the office in Leeds. The woman we spoke to mentioned, just in conversation that people have tried to send someone else to the interview. I think it might be easier to pull off that kind of thing via video. Also someone off camera could be giving the person answers to questions... There’s the fingerprinting and scans... I think they’re pretty definite about wanting the applicant sitting in front of them. Best of luck with everything!

[8bithearts 104]

40 minutes ago, Ann Blair said:

I see your point with concerns about social distancing and the virus, but I would say agree with others on video interviews. I would think not likely. I‘m American and married my sweetie in England. In the UK you have to formally declare intent to marry. They required us both to get those little passport photos again and go to the office in Leeds. The woman we spoke to mentioned, just in conversation that people have tried to send someone else to the interview. I think it might be easier to pull off that kind of thing via video. Also someone off camera could be giving the person answers to questions... There’s the fingerprinting and scans... I think they’re pretty definite about wanting the applicant sitting in front of them. Best of luck with everything!

 

Thanks for the response and my wife is American

 

I can see everyone's point that its unlikely for them to go to video calls, however the longer the lockdown and pandemic continues the more all businesses (and even government agencies) will have to look at alternative ways to do things.  Maybe the video call could be done in neutral 'hub' away from the embassy but where the identity of the applicant can be checked (this would mean less people having to travel to London which even when the embassy reopens is going to be an issue for some time) , a town hall or something?  We have fingerprint technology on phones so surely there is a solution to do this remotely.. logging into the portal to do it with a code sent directly to the applicant from the embassy.  I suppose this doesn't stop someone fraudulently trying to use someone else's fingerprints (for whatever reason they would do that). I would think though the number of people sending someone else to do the interview or trying to use someone else's fingerprints are in the extreme minority, extra checks could be added on to mitigate as much as possible the chance of this happening...  checking fingerprints at the port of entry and they have to match the ones provided to the embassy, if they don't instant 10 year ban for instance...

 

[Melc 138]

I personally can't see it happening any time soon. Aside from the security concerns highlighted above, it feels like the recent trend has been to reduce/hamper immigration, not facilitate it.

 

In the specific case of London, I managed to book my appointment for July, so it seems like they are at least planning to be back in action at some point. 

[8bithearts 104]

30 minutes ago, Melc said:

I personally can't see it happening any time soon. Aside from the security concerns highlighted above, it feels like the recent trend has been to reduce/hamper immigration, not facilitate it.

 

In the specific case of London, I managed to book my appointment for July, so it seems like they are at least planning to be back in action at some point. 

Its a good point, the Trump administration have clearly been doing as you say, reducing/hampering immigration by adding extra hoops and criteria, with the massive unemployment in the USA currently I expect they will be much more likely to tighten rules rather than loosen them. .

 

Thanks for the second bit, gives me hope that it wont be forever and at least they are still booking interviews, even if they have to be moved in the future.

[ViktorS 11]

2 hours ago, 8bithearts said:

 

Thanks for the response and my wife is American

 

I can see everyone's point that its unlikely for them to go to video calls, however the longer the lockdown and pandemic continues the more all businesses (and even government agencies) will have to look at alternative ways to do things.  Maybe the video call could be done in neutral 'hub' away from the embassy but where the identity of the applicant can be checked (this would mean less people having to travel to London which even when the embassy reopens is going to be an issue for some time) , a town hall or something?  We have fingerprint technology on phones so surely there is a solution to do this remotely.. logging into the portal to do it with a code sent directly to the applicant from the embassy.  I suppose this doesn't stop someone fraudulently trying to use someone else's fingerprints (for whatever reason they would do that). I would think though the number of people sending someone else to do the interview or trying to use someone else's fingerprints are in the extreme minority, extra checks could be added on to mitigate as much as possible the chance of this happening...  checking fingerprints at the port of entry and they have to match the ones provided to the embassy, if they don't instant 10 year ban for instance...

 

This "hub" is called a consulate  Some of them have glass booths with microphone-speaker and a drawer do pass documents. IMO, unfortunately it is more likely for the embassies to just stop issuing visas than go to some unprecedented measures to continue issuing them.

Edited May 11, 2020 by ViktorS