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| Guangzhou, China |  Review on August 26, 2019: |
Hemutian
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
Fiancee had her interview in Guangzhou today. We're happy to announce that she passed, and that she had a good experience.
Going into it she was really nervous because she'd previously had several bad experiences at the same consulate (applied four times for a tourist visa and was rejected outright 3 times, and had the visa granted 1 time only to have it rescinded days later).
She was very nervous that her previous visa record would affect her this time, but it didn't.
My fiancee conducted her interview in Chinese. Her CO was an older white gentleman who apparently didn't speak much Chinese, but he had two Chinese assistants on hand to help him translate. She described the CO as a friendly man who apparently had read our previously submitted materials quite thoroughly.
She was surprised by how few questions she was asked. We spent months practicing for this interview, practicing about 60 different possible questions, and in the end they asked her fewer than 10. All the questions were about me, the petitioner.
For the first 10 minutes after she was called to the window she wasn't asked any questions at all. During that time, the CO was focused entirely on the Affidavit of Support which she had earlier submitted at the other window. My Affidavit of Support file was pretty thick, containing several documents. Since I'm self-employed, I included both tax transcripts and full tax returns, and since I listed assets in addition to income, I included a list of all my stocks at the end of my I-134, letters from bank and stock broker, and my 1099 form as well. She said they appeared to take all these materials quite seriously, and at one point they disappeared with my tax transcript for several minutes. She suspect that they may have called their contact at the IRS during that time (I don't know how they do this given the time zone difference, but I guess the IRS must have staff answering calls 24/7 for this very purpose) to verify that my tax information was accurate.
Here are the questions she was asked:
1. You’ve been abroad together? (she says when the CO asked this he wasn't so much asking question as he was showing that he was already familiar with her file.
She said yes, we went to Thailand and Laos this past Christmas, and showed him photos from the trip.
2. Where is your fiancee?
She explained that I was in Guangzhou, waiting at the Starbucks around the corner, and here was my passport as proof. And that I have been living with her in Guangdong for the last several months while she navigates this visa process.
3. How many has your fiancee come to China?
She explains that I used to live in China for several years before we knew each other, and how since we became a couple I've been to China to stay with her three times for progressively longer and longer lengths of time, first for one week, then for three months, and this finally for nearly a year. CO flipped through my passport, seeing my many Chinese visas and stamps and nods in approval.
4. Your fiancee speaks Chinese? (again this wasn't so much a question, but the CO confirming that he was already familiar with our case and must have previously seen evidence we submitted with the I-129F that I speak Chinese)
5. CO asks to see more photos. Flips through them quickly. Points to one of my fiancee's friends in one and asks who's that?
6. What is your fiancee's job?
She explains that I'm an urban planner, but I'm temporarily not working as one because I'm in China waiting for her visa to be approved. CO doesn't understand the Chinese word for urban planning, but his assistants do. My fiancee then explains that urban planning in China is considered a sensitive government job and that given the current state of US-Chinese relations it is not realistic for me to work in my field in China right now. The CO seems to understand completely.
7. Does your fiancee have a job lined up back in the States?
She explains that I have previous experience in planning, recently completed an advanced degree in planning, in addition to other advanced degrees, am highly employable, etc.
8. Have you read the domestic violence pamphlet?
Yes
And that was it. When I saw her at the Starbucks she had a big smile on her face.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #26946