Bringing my Ecuador wife to US

[Danial/Olga 0]

Hello all. First time on the site and I am hoping for some answers and help during this process. I went to Ecuador for 3 months in 2010 and met the love of my life Olga. I lived with her for most of my stay. When I returned to the US we filed for K-1 fiance visa. All went well until her interview at the Guayaquil consulate...they wanted me to be there. So in November 2011 I went back to Ecuador for the interview and they denied her visa because of our language barrier. Granted neither one of us are fluent...I in spanish and her in english but we know enough to have indept coversations and talk everyday via messenger/skype. The interview was quite strange...a lot of questions about our sex life which I found weird. We had all the documentation needed but as said..denied. So before I had to fly back to the US we got married in Ecuador. Now that I'm back in the US I am filing an I-130 to bring her to the US to be with me.

I'm asking for some information that might help me get her here...will the interview be just as bad as before? (The lady at the consulate didn't seem to be thrilled with either one of us). I am just now starting the paperwork for the I-130 but want to be prepared for what could happen. We have plenty of documentation and supporting documents...I'm just worried about the interview!!! I don't want her to be denied again....we've waited for what seems forever to be together....

And I can't take off work again to travel to another interview!!

I appreciate any input or information!!

Danial/Olga

[Iyawo_Omo_Yoruba 31]

This site is full of information, and you will get many responses from others to help you. I am also new here and gathered enough knowledge to bring me a ray of hope. During an interview, they can and will ask whatever questions they deem necessary to decide if this is a real relationship.

Check out my former question, it will help you in the process for gathering evidence of a bonafide relationship. Keep your head up, and arm yourself with knowledge, it will help you the most! This is the second page on my question, the first response has the most information!

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/356469-bona-fide-relationship-requirements/page__st__15

[Leatherneck 693]

Guayaquil is well known for being a hellhole of a consulate. Read in "Reviews" about the how things are done in Guayaquil, the drama they put couples through and the wholesale denials they're known for.

You would serve yourself well to read the reviews for that consulate.

http://www.visajourn...age=1&dfilter=5

Edited March 9, 2012 by Leatherneck

[Iyawo_Omo_Yoruba 31]

It may also help you to take a crash course in Spanish. The Pimsleur (sp?) Method promises a 10 day turn around for learning a new language. At this point, anything you can do will certainly help.

[Darnell 8,478]

Hi ! Welcome to VJ!

Guayaquil is notoriously difficult.

You had a mild interview on the K-1, all things considered.

Wait a bit, a day or so - the expert on Guayaquil will arrive and tell you all.

Or you could use the search tool here, search on 'Guayaquil' and his posts will pop up.

Guayaquil sucks, much.

[TBoneTX 44,679]

Here I am, sigh man.

OP, if you haven't, you must read this thread in its long, sad entirety:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/110313-us-consulate-in-guayaquil-ecuador/

Also, go atop any VJ page and read "Reviews: Embassy" for Guayaquil. I implore you to ignore the positive or non-negative reviews. Concentrate only on the worst. The worst of many terribly bad experiences was written about by PDXBicycleBoy.

You must and you will take more time off work to keep returning to GYQ, if you want a prayer of getting your wife here. You'll need to go back as many times as they order you to appear.

Welcome to the ranks of the Truly Hosed, si man.

Edited March 10, 2012 by TBoneTX

[Danial/Olga 0]

Here I am, sigh man.

OP, if you haven't, you must read this thread in its long, sad entirety:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/110313-us-consulate-in-guayaquil-ecuador/

Also, go atop any VJ page and read "Reviews: Embassy" for Guayaquil. I implore you to ignore the positive or non-negative reviews. Concentrate only on the worst. The worst of many terribly bad experiences was written about by PDXBicycleBoy.

You must and you will take more time off work to keep returning to GYQ, if you want a prayer of getting your wife here. You'll need to go back as many times as they order you to appear.

Welcome to the ranks of the Truly Hosed, si man.

Oh man that is not good at all...but I suppose I'll do what I have to do. Thanks for the information...I'm sure I'll have more questions as we go along!

D/O

[fantonledzepp 159]

Sorry dude that this happened to you. I sure hope your next interview goes better. But I think it's a good idea to brush up on some spanish and her on some english. My fiancé and I communicate mainly in spanish (I'm fluent), and her english is good, she's just shy. I hope I don't have that problem.

Also, listen to TBone, he's helping all of us that are in love with Ecua's.

Best of luck!

[VivaBaños 2]

Speaking Spanish will only improve your chances, and likely your relationship too.

Out of curiosity, did others (family and friends) attend the wedding? Lots of other questions, but I'll start with that one for now.

There are certainly a lot of factors that go into what occurs at an interview in Guayaquil. Some of those factors you have control over. Try to tighten those up (evidence, records, any things that might look bad from the Consulate's perspective) from before the time you send off your I-130 until the interview.

Suerte!

[Danial/Olga 0]

Speaking Spanish will only improve your chances, and likely your relationship too.

Out of curiosity, did others (family and friends) attend the wedding? Lots of other questions, but I'll start with that one for now.

There are certainly a lot of factors that go into what occurs at an interview in Guayaquil. Some of those factors you have control over. Try to tighten those up (evidence, records, any things that might look bad from the Consulate's perspective) from before the time you send off your I-130 until the interview.

Suerte!

[Danial/Olga 0]

It was a small wedding just my fiance, myself, and 2 of her relatives. There was a small reception following with her family members present.

So I take it from your post that I will again have to go to Ecuador for another interview.

I have been gathering evidence and proof of relationship before I send the I-130....some of the items they want are impossible for me to gather...such as lease agreement...she's never been to the states. What are some other items for proof of relationship that the consulate will be "pleased" with!

And yes I know....I need to brush up on my spanish and her on her english.

Thank you so much for your help!!!

Danial/Olga

[TBoneTX 44,679]

What are some other items for proof of relationship that the consulate will be "pleased" with!

Fotos, fotos, fotos (Spanish spelling, si man) of you two together in every conceivable situation. Get to Guayaquil at least a day early (the consulate is known for phoning people a few hours ahead of their scheduled interview and saying "get down here NOW or it's an automatic refusal"), take more fotos, print them off (there's a place in the big mall), and take them.

In regard to every foto, be sure that you both know every detail about where you were and what you did.

Bring copious e-mails of what YOU want THEM to see. Include those with significant discussions about your relationship (talking about your future). Again, both of you should be intimately familiar with every detail of what you give them.

Also, be very prepared to answer every conceivable question about your sex life -- the first day, the most recent, how many times, and much, much more.

Read the entire thread that I posted the link to.

Edited to add: If they again question how you could communicate if her English is poor, say (and this is true) that Ecuadorians learn English but have no way to practice it, and thereby become rusty. If you speak slowly and distinctly, she can understand better.

Edited March 12, 2012 by TBoneTX

[Danial/Olga 0]

Fotos, fotos, fotos (Spanish spelling, si man) of you two together in every conceivable situation. Get to Guayaquil at least a day early (the consulate is known for phoning people a few hours ahead of their scheduled interview and saying "get down here NOW or it's an automatic refusal"), take more fotos, print them off (there's a place in the big mall), and take them.

In regard to every foto, be sure that you both know every detail about where you were and what you did.

Bring copious e-mails of what YOU want THEM to see. Include those with significant discussions about your relationship (talking about your future). Again, both of you should be intimately familiar with every detail of what you give them.

Also, be very prepared to answer every conceivable question about your sex life -- the first day, the most recent, how many times, and much, much more.

Read the entire thread that I posted the link to.

Edited to add: If they again question how you could communicate if her English is poor, say (and this is true) that Ecuadorians learn English but have no way to practice it, and thereby become rusty. If you speak slowly and distinctly, she can understand better.

Having already been denied for the K-1 Visa in November of 2011....we married Feb. 28th in Ecuador. I then had to return to the US. Will being denied on a previous visa have any effect on my filing for the I-130?

Thanks to you all for the information you are providing!!!!

[Matt & Rocio 28]

It was a small wedding just my fiance, myself, and 2 of her relatives. There was a small reception following with her family members present.

So I take it from your post that I will again have to go to Ecuador for another interview.

I have been gathering evidence and proof of relationship before I send the I-130....some of the items they want are impossible for me to gather...such as lease agreement...she's never been to the states. What are some other items for proof of relationship that the consulate will be "pleased" with!

And yes I know....I need to brush up on my spanish and her on her english.

Thank you so much for your help!!!

Danial/Olga

In my opinion one of the best ways to show proof of a relationship is to visit her in Ecuador as often as you can. At the interview you can show your passport stamps along with copies of plane ticket receipts. Also, take lots of pictures when you are together. The typical processing time from the time you file the I-130 petition to the day of the interview is generally 6-8 months or more. I visited my wife in Chile twice since we filed back in July 2011.

Another thing I did was to request a credit card in my wife's name from one of my accounts. I have her use it as much as she can so that I can show credit card statements with charges made to her card. This helps show financial co-mingling which can be tricky to do when you don't live together. I have read on other threads that Bank of America will allow you to setup a joint bank account even if she doesn't have a social security number. Smaller banks and credit unions will almost always insist on a SSN to add someone to a bank account.

Other VJers have used chat logs, skype records, etc that show that you've been communicating with each other on a daily basis. Some have even gone to extreme lengths to print out hundreds of pages worth of these logs to bring to the interview. Personally I think that is over-the-top because they will never look through the logs and if they already have serious doubts about you, these logs wouldn't make much of a difference because they can easily be faked.

I have heard that Ecuador can be a tough embassy/consulate, but it is absurd to me that they can deny a visa because you aren't fluent in each others native language. Good luck to you and your spouse and don't give up hope!

Edited March 15, 2012 by Matt & Rocio

[TBoneTX 44,679]

Having already been denied for the K-1 Visa in November of 2011....we married Feb. 28th in Ecuador. I then had to return to the US. Will being denied on a previous visa have any effect on my filing for the I-130?

You need to know and overcome their reasons for having denied the K-1. Did you receive a NOID from USCIS in regard to the K-1 attempt? If so, you need to respond to it, unless you proactively and formally withdrew the I-129F fiance petition. There are plenty of posts about that.