Do I really need a translator for AOS interview?

[takuhi 0]

Hi, we have our AOS interview scheduled in a few weeks. My wife is Japanese, and her English isn't very good yet... She can muddle through normal conversations by looking up words in dictionaries, but has trouble in high-pressure situations like interviews.

The letter said that if she didn't speak English fluently, to get a translator. I speak fluent Japanese—can I act as the translator? (Of the questions, mainly, she should be fine answering in English) Do I really need to hire a third-party interpreter? I did a bunch of searches and I've seen conflicting information on this.

This is in Seattle, BTW, which is supposed to be pretty lax?

Any advice would be deeply appreciated!

[ellla 0]

From what I heard you CANNOT be a translator for you wife, this is the rule, although I know about few cases when husband was allowed to translate for his wife. You don't have to hire anybody professional, do you know any preson who speaks English and Japanese? A friend, family member? maybe they can translate for you.

[u2rsobad 0]

Hi, we have our AOS interview scheduled in a few weeks. My wife is Japanese, and her English isn't very good yet... She can muddle through normal conversations by looking up words in dictionaries, but has trouble in high-pressure situations like interviews.

The letter said that if she didn't speak English fluently, to get a translator. I speak fluent Japanese—can I act as the translator? (Of the questions, mainly, she should be fine answering in English) Do I really need to hire a third-party interpreter? I did a bunch of searches and I've seen conflicting information on this.

This is in Seattle, BTW, which is supposed to be pretty lax?

Any advice would be deeply appreciated!

We just had our interview in Seattle last Friday (10/24) and I don't know about them being lax, but we saw many people there with translators and lawyers. It's too bad we live in Vancouver, WA. My husband is Japanese and fluent in English and he'd be happy to help

[frank_cuenca 0]

Hi, we have our AOS interview scheduled in a few weeks. My wife is Japanese, and her English isn't very good yet... She can muddle through normal conversations by looking up words in dictionaries, but has trouble in high-pressure situations like interviews.

The letter said that if she didn't speak English fluently, to get a translator. I speak fluent Japanese—can I act as the translator? (Of the questions, mainly, she should be fine answering in English) Do I really need to hire a third-party interpreter? I did a bunch of searches and I've seen conflicting information on this.

This is in Seattle, BTW, which is supposed to be pretty lax?

Any advice would be deeply appreciated!

We just had our interview in Seattle last Friday (10/24) and I don't know about them being lax, but we saw many people there with translators and lawyers. It's too bad we live in Vancouver, WA. My husband is Japanese and fluent in English and he'd be happy to help

Here in Miami you can not be your spouse's translator, but you can take a friend or family member who is bilingual.

[takuhi 0]

Thanks for the advice, everyone... That is not what I was hoping to hear!

Any idea how I'd go about hiring an interpreter cheaply? Unfortunately, we don't have any friends or family in the area who are up to the task.

[FromJapan 0]

Thanks for the advice, everyone... That is not what I was hoping to hear!

Any idea how I'd go about hiring an interpreter cheaply? Unfortunately, we don't have any friends or family in the area who are up to the task.

where do you live?

[u2rsobad 0]

Thanks for the advice, everyone... That is not what I was hoping to hear!

Any idea how I'd go about hiring an interpreter cheaply? Unfortunately, we don't have any friends or family in the area who are up to the task.

Depending on the interview date (I'm taking a few days off in Nov), and if you want to pay for my hubby's train/plane ticket from Portland to SeaTac (we don't have an extra car and I need ours to get to work), we might be able to help, but maybe there's someone who's already in Seattle.

[Completely 3]

Hi, we have our AOS interview scheduled in a few weeks. My wife is Japanese, and her English isn't very good yet... She can muddle through normal conversations by looking up words in dictionaries, but has trouble in high-pressure situations like interviews.

The letter said that if she didn't speak English fluently, to get a translator. I speak fluent Japanese—can I act as the translator? (Of the questions, mainly, she should be fine answering in English) Do I really need to hire a third-party interpreter? I did a bunch of searches and I've seen conflicting information on this.

This is in Seattle, BTW, which is supposed to be pretty lax?

Any advice would be deeply appreciated!

How did she pass the initial interview for K1 Visa if her english is not really good.. I am just wondering.

[Blaine74 0]

Hi, we have our AOS interview scheduled in a few weeks. My wife is Japanese, and her English isn't very good yet... She can muddle through normal conversations by looking up words in dictionaries, but has trouble in high-pressure situations like interviews.

The letter said that if she didn't speak English fluently, to get a translator. I speak fluent Japanese—can I act as the translator? (Of the questions, mainly, she should be fine answering in English) Do I really need to hire a third-party interpreter? I did a bunch of searches and I've seen conflicting information on this.

This is in Seattle, BTW, which is supposed to be pretty lax?

Any advice would be deeply appreciated!

How did she pass the initial interview for K1 Visa if her english is not really good.. I am just wondering.

at my k1 interview (basically standing in front of a csr behind a glass counter) I translated for my wife. Did the same at my AOS interview. As long as you can speak I don't think there is a problem.

[payxibka 10,045]

How did she pass the initial interview for K1 Visa if her english is not really good.. I am just wondering.

Because the foreign consulate interview is typically offered in English or the native language...

[Blaine74 0]

Hi, we have our AOS interview scheduled in a few weeks. My wife is Japanese, and her English isn't very good yet... She can muddle through normal conversations by looking up words in dictionaries, but has trouble in high-pressure situations like interviews.

The letter said that if she didn't speak English fluently, to get a translator. I speak fluent Japanese—can I act as the translator? (Of the questions, mainly, she should be fine answering in English) Do I really need to hire a third-party interpreter? I did a bunch of searches and I've seen conflicting information on this.

This is in Seattle, BTW, which is supposed to be pretty lax?

Any advice would be deeply appreciated!

yes, you should be able to act as translator.

I did for my wife. Although she could understand a few words, for the most part I did the translations. I had my interview in Seattle too.

don't let the lawyers and other suits make you nervous.

[payxibka 10,045]

According to the USCIS:

Ideally, the services of a disinterested person should be employed as an interpreter. However, in the exercise of judgment, a witness, friend, or relative of the subject may be utilized as an interpreter, depending upon the issues involved and the possibility of adverse action against the subject.

http://www.uscis.gov/propub/ProPubVAP.jsp?...6c231a906c75bfc

[FromJapan 0]

Welp I live in Seattle Area. You don't have to pay me anything...

[u2rsobad 0]

Welp I live in Seattle Area. You don't have to pay me anything...

That's nice! My hubby would do it for free too, we just don't live in Seattle, so getting up there is the problem. We drove up there for our interview, but I need the car to get to and from work.

[takuhi 0]

Wow, thanks for the offers, everyone! I'm really touched by your generosity! I'll talk it over with my wife and see what she wants to do.

My wife crammed for the K1 interview (the questions sounded very predictable so it was easy to study) but as soon as my wife stumbled the interviewer began speaking perfect Japanese. I think she could have muddled through otherwise.

Thanks for the link, payxibka.

Blaine74, did they not mind at all that you translated? They made it seem totally acceptable? Did they ask mostly routine "how did you meet" type questions instead of the trip-you-up "what did each of you have for breakfast yesterday" type that they list on the sample questions page?