Not going to be with fiance during interview......

[Damara/Esteban 0]

Is it a problem that I won't be going to the interview with my fiance? I live in Seattle and am currently studying and working....plus I don't have an extra $1200 to spend on a flight down to Chile at the moment...

Are pictures and emails and phone bills enough evidence of our relationship if I can't be there with him?

[Dakine 26]

Is it a problem that I won't be going to the interview with my fiance? I live in Seattle and am currently studying and working....plus I don't have an extra $1200 to spend on a flight down to Chile at the moment...

Are pictures and emails and phone bills enough evidence of our relationship if I can't be there with him?

Alls I can tell you is ALL the petitioners whose beneficiaries were denied now kick themselves in the butte for not attending the embassy interview.

LOTS get approved without attending. However !!!!!!!

[Lisax 0]

Of course it's fine! my fiance wasn't with me and many many others don't have theirs with them! don't worry! yeah, thats good for evidence.

[rebeccajo 14]

Research the anecdotal evidence for your consulate as to the outcome of visa approvals with or without the American by the beneficiaries side.

What happens in London can be very different from Chile from Vietnam from Frankfurt from Manila.............

[NCWife 0]

May be fine for some consulates and may not be fine for some others. I have read that some consulates require the petitioner to be present, for instance Dominican Republic ( I think) Just have your fiancee to contact the embassy and get the answers from them

Cheers!

[*JG* 2]

I wasn't with my then-fiance when he interviewed.

[Cassie 8]

Research the anecdotal evidence for your consulate as to the outcome of visa approvals with or without the American by the beneficiaries side.

What happens in London can be very different from Chile from Vietnam from Frankfurt from Manila.............

There is the key statement right there. From what I have seen, quite a few Central / South American consulates automatically deny until the USC can make an appearance. RJ's advice is spot on.

[Roy&katy 1]

Research the anecdotal evidence for your consulate as to the outcome of visa approvals with or without the American by the beneficiaries side.

What happens in London can be very different from Chile from Vietnam from Frankfurt from Manila.............

There is the key statement right there. From what I have seen, quite a few Central / South American consulates automatically deny until the USC can make an appearance. RJ's advice is spot on.

I didnt attend, and ours was denied. They requested I attend a second interview, which is in june...The consulate dont factor money(tickets) over love, thats what i gather... hope that helps..

[BigCityDave 0]

I am facing the same problems. Can't decide if I should buy a ticket or not. I do know the consulate in Hungary has been known to deny people for "Relationship appears fake, need more evidence."

[TBoneTX 45,284]

What happens in London can be very different from Chile from Vietnam from Frankfurt from Manila.............

There is the key statement right there. From what I have seen, quite a few Central / South American consulates automatically deny until the USC can make an appearance. RJ's advice is spot on.

SI, MAN. Go now or go later, probably with much less flexibility, and certainly after having lost months of your lives that you could have spent together.

[motu 5]

I have followed my wife's friends' case in Colombia and it seemed that the case wasn't 'straight' forward - they girl had applied for a visa before (visitor) (and the sponsor for the visa was another man) - she was told to have her fiance attend and when he did ( a month later) she was granted the visa. It seems to me - if you are both 'clean' - no previous marriages/divorces and no other visa applications etc. - you should be OK without the USC being present for the interview. Perhaps there have been several instances where the K1 visa recipient upon arrival in USA - didn't get married and get adjusted to resident status, instead just became an illegal - and the thought in the consulate's mind might be - that its a sham relationship entered into for money - and hence the request to produce the USC fiance at the interview. The worst thing that can happen for you - is a delay of a few weeks and the expenses of flying, hotel etc. Good Luck

Edited May 22, 2008 by motu

[soulprovider915 4]

Research the anecdotal evidence for your consulate as to the outcome of visa approvals with or without the American by the beneficiaries side.

What happens in London can be very different from Chile from Vietnam from Frankfurt from Manila.............

There is the key statement right there. From what I have seen, quite a few Central / South American consulates automatically deny until the USC can make an appearance. RJ's advice is spot on.

I didnt attend, and ours was denied. They requested I attend a second interview, which is in june...The consulate dont factor money(tickets) over love, thats what i gather... hope that helps..

I would agree. Get to the interview. It's too risky. Part of this process is inconvenience. I went through Guayaquil 5 years ago and have a sister-in-law who went through last October. Both times the petitioners were present.

[TBoneTX 45,284]

I would agree. Get to the interview. It's too risky. Part of this process is inconvenience. I went through Guayaquil 5 years ago and have a sister-in-law who went through last October. Both times the petitioners were present.

I'm currently STEAMED at Guayaquil. Directly on their website is stated "Only the applicant is allowed in the interview" (answer to their FAQ #8). My fiancee brought copious proof of relationship, which wasn't looked at AT ALL, and the consul gave her the bum's rush after 3 minutes, stating "You need to prove the validity of your relationship. Set a second interview, and bring your fiancee!"

Naturally, the 221g "suggests" that the USC could "consider" attending:

---

Dear applicant:

We regret to inform you that the evidence presented today was not enough to prove that your relationship with the petitioner is valid. Therefore we suggest that you consider having a joint interview. This interview can take place the next time that your fiancée comes to Ecuador. To do so, please follow the instructions bellow:

1.- Call between 8am and 6pm, Monday through Friday at 1-800-010-145 if you are calling from Ecuador or at 1-800-919-5290 from the United States. Ask for a joint interview appointment.

2.- Please write the day and the hour and confirm it with the person who is assisting you before the call ends. It is very important that you do not lose the appointment information because scheduling a new interview can take many more weeks.

3.- You should then call your fiancée and tell him/her the day and hour of the appointment. Remember that this appointment is scheduled in Ecuador’s time zone. Please be on time since we have a very tight interview schedule.

4.- Once the joint interview is concluded you may return to your home. When we finish our internal processing of your case, we will contact you to request your passport through DHL service or we will send you a letter through DHL with more information about the case.

Sincerely,

Immigrant Visa Chief

---

The consulate also told my Congressman's office that the USC's presence is "suggested." Well, bite me -- I was ORDERED to attend. The first thing that I will do is introduce myself to the consul (it better NOT be the same one), slide the 221g under the window, and state (firmly but not nastily), "Sir, this 221g is formally rejected, for two reasons. First, OVERWHELMING proof of relationship was brought to the first interview, but it was NOT looked at. Second, HAD the evidence been looked at, the 221g would never have been issued." Unless I accept the denial, they can't give it to me.

I'll be ready to fight, but I'll channel my primary energies toward compiling and organizing the paperwork.

This is an example of what can happen and the kind of defense that may then be necessary if you, the USC, do NOT attend the interview. Even if you're not allowed in, just be there in the cattle pen while your foreign other-half is in there. Si, man.

[motu 5]

I'm currently STEAMED at Guayaquil. Directly on their website is stated "Only the applicant is allowed in the interview" (answer to their FAQ #8). My fiancee brought copious proof of relationship, which wasn't looked at AT ALL, and the consul gave her the bum's rush after 3 minutes, stating "You need to prove the validity of your relationship. Set a second interview, and bring your fiancee!"

This is a big factor that people overlook - they only spend 2 to 5 minutes with a candidate so if the person doesn't respond in a confident manner, doesn't have or can't produce the documentation needed and can't answer some of the questions - they may easily take this stance - produce your USC petitioner for proof of relationship.

Having just 2 or 3 minutes requires you to be prepared (and in my opinion not carry so much junk as many people do). Good Luck

[TBoneTX 45,284]

This is a big factor that people overlook - they only spend 2 to 5 minutes with a candidate so if the person doesn't respond in a confident manner, doesn't have or can't produce the documentation needed and can't answer some of the questions - they may easily take this stance - produce your USC petitioner for proof of relationship.

Having just 2 or 3 minutes requires you to be prepared (and in my opinion not carry so much junk as many people do). Good Luck

Wise advice, si man. A complicating factor was that the consul's interview just before was with some nut-job with a story that my fiancee overheard and characterized as "worse than a confessional with a priest" -- or, "like a bad telenovela." The consul spent a full hour with this clown. That would have been enough to fry anyone's brain, but this consul showed poor judgment in not taking a break for 15 or 20 minutes in order to clear his head. As a result, we were victimized (and still are suffering).

As the USC, I will insist that any consul review and understand EVERY piece of documentation that we have, in detail, while I am standing there, until he says, "Enough -- we will issue the visa." They may be able to bully a sweet Ecuatoriana, but I'm going to have my day in their court, and woe betide them if they try to pull any monkeyshines. Si, man.