US citizen present at interview?

[AngelnSteve 0]

Please excuse and age old question - just wondered.. I'm filling out my 230 156 and 156k as advised by a link sent in a letter from the London embassy and my wife (the US citizen) is wondering whether or not she should come and visit me around time of interview.

She has tremendous difficulty in getting time off from work.

So basically would her being here at time of interview hold any sway on a visa approval (looking like K3 at the moment - though possibly CR-1/IR-1) - any likelihood of "them" wishing to speak with her also?

It looks like our first wedding anniversary will occur sooner than interview - and that'd make it almost a year since we last saw one another.. it's been hellish

Interested to hear any personal experience

[TracyTN 237]

It can't hurt, but there's no evidence that it really helps either. I suppose if they had any questions as to whether or not it was a legit relationship, it would help - but there's no way to predict that. So if it's tough for the USC to be there, then I wouldn't break my neck to get there.

I contemplated going to (now) hubby's K1 interview, but decided it was best to save the $$ for other things. He passed w/ flying colors.

[Rebster 0]

I was with my husband at his K-3 interview. It just made sense as I had completed all of his paperwork and had done all the research as to which records needed to be presented at the time. If my husband had been doing the paperwork himself it would have been just as simple for him to go alone. The officer talked to me but didn't ask me anything that my husband couldn't have answered. (Except the officer called me "Miss X" and I corrected him to call me "Mrs. Y" )

I was not with my husband for his CR1 interview and it went very smoothly. But of course that one is pretty much just a formality once you have the K-3. (plus I had organized his folder of evidence with tabs for him, so he couldn't miss anything )

As long as you have all of your paperwork in order it probably won't matter if she is with you or not. I would say nearly half the people we saw inside the Embassy were without their partners.

[Nik+Heather 121]

It can't hurt, but there's no evidence that it really helps either. I suppose if they had any questions as to whether or not it was a legit relationship, it would help - but there's no way to predict that. So if it's tough for the USC to be there, then I wouldn't break my neck to get there.

I contemplated going to (now) hubby's K1 interview, but decided it was best to save the $$ for other things. He passed w/ flying colors.

Ditto for us. I would have really liked to have been there for Nik's interview, but it was a lot of money for what would only be a long weekend, and I also wanted to save up my good will credits with my boss instead of use them for a measly 2.5 days with him. Will need them for our trip to NYC this fall!!

The only issues I have read about during interviews in London are for people who are not UK citizens or who weren't born in the UK.

[MARM 7]

I initially wanted to be there for my fiance's K-1 interview--for moral support and just because I had prepared most of the documents and wanted him to be at ease at the interview. But we decided to save up the money instead for stuff like AOS, etc.

I personally regret not being there at my fiance's interview. The only reason for this is that my fiance has been put on Admin Processing after his interview for verifying his qualifications for the visa. In the past week, I have received a phone call from a CO at the US Embassy in London asking me the exact same questions that were asked of my fiance at the time of his interview, it was a phone investigation. I feel that this delay would not have been necessary if I was present at my fiance's interview.

But, as you are interviewing for a CR-1/IR-1, you are already married. And also, you are a native of the UK, unlike my fiance, who is a Pakistani citizen and a resident of the UK, so you will not be scrutinized as much as my fiance has been.

Your wife doesn't need to be at the interview, you will be fine

Good luck!

Edited July 29, 2009 by MARM