Should I attend the interview

[gumbi2400 1]

Hello all!

So, I'm still in the NVC stages of the CR-1 visa process for my wife. Even though we aren't there yet, I'm starting to think about the interview. I have a few things that may be a bit difficult for getting the visa. Both of our divorces were less than a year before we married, and last year I was beyond broke (though this year has been fantastic). I've already been out to visit her once, and will be going again for Christmas and New Year (yay!). The question is about the interview, it looks like its possible it could be as early as January or February, and my concern is simply that it will be very difficult financially for me to attend.

All that being said, if I don't attend, will I be hurting our chances of getting her visa? Should I just bite the bullet and go anyway? Or am I just worrying to much.

Any advice you can offer will be greatly appreciated. Also, if this has already been asked, I do apologize, I did a search but with no luck finding any solid information.

Thanks much!

Joel

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Hello all!

So, I'm still in the NVC stages of the CR-1 visa process for my wife. Even though we aren't there yet, I'm starting to think about the interview. I have a few things that may be a bit difficult for getting the visa. Both of our divorces were less than a year before we married, and last year I was beyond broke (though this year has been fantastic). I've already been out to visit her once, and will be going again for Christmas and New Year (yay!). The question is about the interview, it looks like its possible it could be as early as January or February, and my concern is simply that it will be very difficult financially for me to attend.

All that being said, if I don't attend, will I be hurting our chances of getting her visa? Should I just bite the bullet and go anyway? Or am I just worrying to much.

Any advice you can offer will be greatly appreciated. Also, if this has already been asked, I do apologize, I did a search but with no luck finding any solid information.

Thanks much!

Joel

My personal opinion is that it doesn't seem to matter in London if the partner attends the interview, unlike some of the more difficult consulates. London doesn't seem to get suspicious of relationships. I don't think they would care when you got divorces as long as you were free to marry and are legally married.

For your financial information, provide a lot of proof of your current earnings. Also try to get your 2010 taxes done as early as you can if they will show a better picture than your 2009 return. Having a new return before the interview would help, but that depends on when you get sent all the info for filing.

[JoannaV 174]

The London Embassy is pretty used to people getting married having only known each other for a short time (ie a shorter time than how long ago your divorces were), so the divorces aren't really relevant. Sometimes people get married immediately after divorcing, because they were separated for a long time before the divorce came through, and in those case the Embassy is likely to want an explanation. (The explanation being that they were separated.) But even then it shouldn't be a problem.

There's no guarantee that they would let you come up to the counter with your fiancee for the interview anyway (it varies), so really would be a total waste of money to fly out just for that. Focus on getting the proof of financial support and collating evidence of your relationship, that's what will give you the best chance of success!

[gumbi2400 1]

The London Embassy is pretty used to people getting married having only known each other for a short time (ie a shorter time than how long ago your divorces were), so the divorces aren't really relevant. Sometimes people get married immediately after divorcing, because they were separated for a long time before the divorce came through, and in those case the Embassy is likely to want an explanation. (The explanation being that they were separated.) But even then it shouldn't be a problem.

So this is where it gets a bit strange for my wife and I. We met years ago while I was out there with my now ex-wife. Nothing happened until this year. Its a bit of a sordid history (that I won't go into here). I guess we live and we learn. That being said, we actually got together before my ex-wife and I got divorced, though that was simply because of the amount of time it takes to get a divorce (and the expense for that matter). As for her, she got her divorce in January. They had been separated for about 5 years, just couldn't afford, the divorce, and had no reason to rush. That shouldn't be a problem though right since its something we can explain?

I'm starting to feel a bit better about it now. Thanks for all the help so far!

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

The aren't going to judge you by any "moral" standards. If you offered up that you were having an affair for 20 years, they don't care. About the only question of divorce or prior marriages is to make sure the foreign fiance knows the past of the USC. It's about protecting the fiance/spouse from hidden secrets, if you will. So they will say in a conversational manner...how did you meet?...what does he do for a living?....has he ever been married?...does he have children by his first marriage? And to make it conversational they will often comment things like "my brother met his wife bowling too....or I have three kids also....

It's really not such a big deal.

Edit: Forget to say, my husband and I met years before and had visited each others homes when we were both married before and knew the exes.. My husband died, His wife divorced him and we started corresponding again, a few trips back and forth, and decided to marry. We wrote that in the K1 "how did you meet" section. So the guy at the interview said, "so when did this get romantic after knowing each other so long as friends?" That was about it?

Edited November 30, 2010 by Nich-Nick