Advice for K1 Interview in Ghana

[Tosh Love 77]

A quick synopsis on my specific case. I applied for K1 for fiancé and he went to the interview and was asked to come back with more evidence which I flew down to Ghana to attend with him but we were denied and told by the CO that she does not believe we have a "romantic relationship."

UPDATE -- I requested a congressional inquiry and got the letter yesterday and their reasoning was that we did not provide ANY evidence when we came back the second time. This are some of the items we brought with us to the second interview: Proof of 5 visits to see him in the last 2 years, email correspondence, more photos, Fb conversations, a site plan for our new home we are building in Ghana with both names, a copy of a tattoo of his name on my wrist and the date he proposed and MYSELF.

So why did they say we did not bring anything? Because we held on to everything until we got to the window where I was asked to have a seat while they spoke to my fiancé (now husband) and then I was called to the window and given the determination and CO already had the sheet in front of her and was not even interested in anything I had to say by then.

The moral of the story is to try and give all your evidence to whomever collects your interview letter once you get into the building because by the time you make it to Window it might be too late. Just my two cents and thanks to P.A@2013 for also pointing out this fact to me.

Best Wishes and Good Luck to those who are in the process!

[Pitaya 2,576]

~Moved from K-1 Process to Sub-Saharan Africa Forum~

~Commentary is embassy-specific~

[del-2-5-2014 1,339]

A quick synopsis on my specific case. I applied for K1 for fiancé and he went to the interview and was asked to come back with more evidence which I flew down to Ghana to attend with him but we were denied and told by the CO that she does not believe we have a "romantic relationship."

UPDATE -- I requested a congressional inquiry and got the letter yesterday and their reasoning was that we did not provide ANY evidence when we came back the second time. This are some of the items we brought with us to the second interview: Proof of 5 visits to see him in the last 2 years, email correspondence, more photos, Fb conversations, a site plan for our new home we are building in Ghana with both names, a copy of a tattoo of his name on my wrist and the date he proposed and MYSELF.

So why did they say we did not bring anything? Because we held on to everything until we got to the window where I was asked to have a seat while they spoke to my fiancé (now husband) and then I was called to the window and given the determination and CO already had the sheet in front of her and was not even interested in anything I had to say by then.

The moral of the story is to try and give all your evidence to whomever collects your interview letter once you get into the building because by the time you make it to Window it might be too late. Just my two cents and thanks to P.A@2013 for also pointing out this fact to me.

Best Wishes and Good Luck to those who are in the process!

Sorry to hear this. You're the second person that had this happen in the past two weeks.

For other USC, please remember that it's the beneficiary that is having the interview (especially in embasies/consulates that don't allow petitioners in there).

We are there for emotional support and if we're lucky they may call us in. But the primary evidence is and should be on the beneficiary.

Good luck on the next moves.

Edited October 8, 2013 by Gowon

[Aya_P 17]

Gowon, i think u are missing the point.

tosh love, i admire your strong spirit, i wish u well and look forward to you announcing your visa approval this time round.

tony

[del-2-5-2014 1,339]

Gowon, i think u are missing the point.

tosh love, i admire your strong spirit, i wish u well and look forward to you announcing your visa approval this time round.

tony

I didn't but I can see why you would think so.

[reneegh724 14]

A quick synopsis on my specific case. I applied for K1 for fiancé and he went to the interview and was asked to come back with more evidence which I flew down to Ghana to attend with him but we were denied and told by the CO that she does not believe we have a "romantic relationship."

UPDATE -- I requested a congressional inquiry and got the letter yesterday and their reasoning was that we did not provide ANY evidence when we came back the second time. This are some of the items we brought with us to the second interview: Proof of 5 visits to see him in the last 2 years, email correspondence, more photos, Fb conversations, a site plan for our new home we are building in Ghana with both names, a copy of a tattoo of his name on my wrist and the date he proposed and MYSELF.

So why did they say we did not bring anything? Because we held on to everything until we got to the window where I was asked to have a seat while they spoke to my fiancé (now husband) and then I was called to the window and given the determination and CO already had the sheet in front of her and was not even interested in anything I had to say by then.

The moral of the story is to try and give all your evidence to whomever collects your interview letter once you get into the building because by the time you make it to Window it might be too late. Just my two cents and thanks to P.A@2013 for also pointing out this fact to me.

Best Wishes and Good Luck to those who are in the process!

Thanks for the info ToshLove, you're the second person out of Accra recently (read another in the Embassy Review section) that has said to give ALL evidence at the first window upon arrival and they give the evidence 'approval' stamp on the documents before given to the CO... kind of like a happy precursor to the actual interview.

[Chris_B 9]

I really feel for you ToshLove. It's absolutely ridiculous that they wouldn't explain these procedures to you while you are physically in their presence. The officer that collects the evidence could clearly SEE that you not only have extra documents that you are holding in your hands but both of you are together, and chose to remain silent. That's infuriating, that someone could be so cold. I hope that things will go better for the 2 of you, and that the bureaucratic b.s. is left out of it this time around.

[Iamhis 0]

I really feel for you ToshLove. It's absolutely ridiculous that they wouldn't explain these procedures to you while you are physically in their presence. The officer that collects the evidence could clearly SEE that you not only have extra documents that you are holding in your hands but both of you are together, and chose to remain silent. That's infuriating, that someone could be so cold. I hope that things will go better for the 2 of you, and that the bureaucratic b.s. is left out of it this time around.

True. Tosh Love I am really sorry this happened to you.You know what to expect now, you are prepared. Keep your head up, stay strong. You got this!

[kari81 18]

Tosh Love you are very very right about giving all the evidence in the first place. I just returned from Ghana to give my fiancee moral support on her interview. From what I saw there are four steps during the interview. First you are called to submit all the documents you brought with you. Second is to pay the visa fee, third is the figure print and finally the interview. So don't hold on to any document until the interview, the final step. Everything should be given during the first step. The CO only rely on the documents you give when to the first person.

[del-2-5-2014 1,339]

Tosh Love you are very very right about giving all the evidence in the first place. I just returned from Ghana to give my fiancee moral support on her interview. From what I saw there are four steps during the interview. First you are called to submit all the documents you brought with you. Second is to pay the visa fee, third is the figure print and finally the interview. So don't hold on to any document until the interview, the final step. Everything should be given during the first step. The CO only rely on the documents you give when to the first person.

How can we we make this information readily available to Ghana folks?

[Tosh Love 77]

How can we we make this information readily available to Ghana folks?

I am hoping this would be a good place for anyone that types in Advice+K1+ Ghana otherwise I don't know where else. In our case since it was the second interview a young man came around and asked for the letter that he was given telling him to return but we did not know that would be our last chance before we got to the window. Apparently we should have given everything to him. Live and Learn.

[dwheels76 5,463]

I am hoping this would be a good place for anyone that types in Advice+K1+ Ghana otherwise I don't know where else. In our case since it was the second interview a young man came around and asked for the letter that he was given telling him to return but we did not know that would be our last chance before we got to the window. Apparently we should have given everything to him. Live and Learn.

Ever member on VJ has access to update the consular section of their country. I would update there. I know I have some updating to do for Nigeria. Let me get Darnell here to tell you how (its a wiki thing).

[kari81 18]

How can we we make this information readily available to Ghana folks?

I had the opportunity to advice three folks who came to pick their interview dates and directed them to this site too. What I also realized was that folks back home think once the petition is approved by USCIS the visa is 100% guaranteed so they don't really prepared well for the interview. For example I asked one lady who interview is next month if she is asked " How her fiance proposed to her" how would she answer it ? She could answer the question to my satisfaction but this is one of the most asked question in Accra. I helped her register for this site.

[del-2-5-2014 1,339]

I had the opportunity to advice three folks who came to pick their interview dates and directed them to this site too. What I also realized was that folks back home think once the petition is approved by USCIS the visa is 100% guaranteed so they don't really prepared well for the interview. For example I asked one lady who interview is next month if she is asked " How her fiance proposed to her" how would she answer it ? She could answer the question to my satisfaction but this is one of the most asked question in Accra. I helped her register for this site.

Looking back at it now, our K1 failed, not due to an evil and mean CO, but simply due to my Wife being unprepared and not answering questions adequately. Her using an interpreter also compounded that because the interpreter that she got was not going beyond the call of duty.

Despite the fact that I constantly told her to practice stuff like those basic questions above she instead listened to family/friends who felt that the "visa was waiting for her".

Interestingly enough another group of friends assured her that she couldn't get any visa unless she spoke English fluently.

This is why I recommend that benes also register on here and that the app also attend the interview so that they can do practise runs days before.

[kari81 18]

I also believe male beneficiaries have tougher time during K-1 interview than I-130 or marriage. Two people who came before my fiancee were all males and all of them were told to come back with more evidence. So you can imagine how my fiancee was feeling but I told her to relax because everything would be fine for us.