Speaking your native language at the interview...

[000 0]

My wife insist on speaking portuguese at her interview stating that it is easier for her to think and less chance of a communication error that could prove costly. While I agree about the communication error part of it do you think she will be penalized for speaking Portuguese VS English?

[Dakine 26]

My wife insist on speaking portuguese at her interview stating that it is easier for her to think and less chance of a communication error that could prove costly. While I agree about the communication error part of it do you think she will be penalized for speaking Portuguese VS English?

If she has to have a interpreter it's better if she speaks English as things can be misunderstood .

Happened to my fiancee the first time around. She ended up being denied!

Edited June 4, 2008 by Haole

[YuAndDan 153]

This is not a problem. Only if the counselor officer questions how you and your wife communicates, if evidence demonstrates that you can communicate, then interviewing in foreign language is not a problem.

My wife was interviewed completely in English, but I instructed her to ask the CO to repeat any question in Chinese for any question that may be not completely understood, she did not need to do this. The question of communication was quickly handled by her answer to what her job before the interview was, she was an entry level English Teacher.

Edited June 4, 2008 by YuAndDan

[Mononoke28 135]

Since the interview will take place in Brazil, the CO will most likely speak to her in Portuguese and ask her how she communicates with you, English or Portuguese. There is absolutely nothing wrong in handling the interview in the native language, in fact, it is standard procedure.

Diana

[joeyjoey 1]

My wife insist on speaking portuguese at her interview stating that it is easier for her to think and less chance of a communication error that could prove costly. While I agree about the communication error part of it do you think she will be penalized for speaking Portuguese VS English?

Fala Portuguese! There's no penalty for speaking Portuguese at the US Consulate in Rio.

Boa sorte!

[Precious 2]

My own K-1 interview experience at Rio's consulate: the CO started off in portuguese, but, poor thing, as hard as she tried, her portuguese was terrible. And I'm a brazilian native

So, I had to ask politely if she wouldn't mind us having the interview in english, which I thought it would be better for both of us.

But, as far as I know, your wife can do it in either language, the important thing is to breathe and keep calm and be comfortable with her language choice.

Good luck!

[Gator's Bike 0]

My wife insist on speaking portuguese at her interview stating that it is easier for her to think and less chance of a communication error that could prove costly. While I agree about the communication error part of it do you think she will be penalized for speaking Portuguese VS English?

if interviewee understand her dialect yes she can but if the interviewee cannot, then she needs an interpreter only if it is allowed there.

Edited June 4, 2008 by gurl

[bora bora 1]

It is not at all necessary that your fiancee speak English during the interview. God knows that my husband didn't know ANY English at the time, and had no choice. I went to the interview with him and we both spoke together with the CO in Portuguese. However, the CO is American and was interested in Manaus so we spoke in English unless it had to do with the interview, then I spoke in Portuguese so my husband would understand.

The CO couldn't have cared less what language we spoke, as long as it is the same one .

Even at our AOS interview we spoke both English and Portuguse and the CO only speaks English - so she let me translate what my husband didn't understand.

[Nessa 23]

I don't see a problem. She doesn't have to speak English, it's not like she's applying for citizenship. An idea would be stating in English at the beginning of the interview something like ''Do you mind if I answer your questions in portuguese?'' So the interviewer will knopw she speaks English and you two can communicate. Unless you both speak portuguese then you two speak portuguese the woman will know you can communicate.

[000 0]

Thanks everyone, my portuguese is pretty bad when it comes to speaking it, I can read and write it fairly well but speaking it is way different, my wife on the other hand can write english very well and can speak it enough to get her point across, she still lacks the vocabulary that I would like her to have but the basics are there. The only problem is I have spoiled her and havent corrected her as much as I should so the sentence forming could use some help and again I know what she means and know how to say things in very simple english so she can understand me until I start to challenge her with new words. I suppose it doesnt matter that much from what i can see on here, we have 7,000 dollars in phone bills starting from January of 07 that she will be taking to the interview, I will have been there 3 times since we have been married(my third trip is next week) so she will have all my plane ticket stubs, MSN chat logs from April, Our wedding pictures and my other visits pictures as well, and atleast 4 affidavits from my family and friends. I hope that will be enough. Thanks everyone for the responses.