Should I attend interview

[Chrism 4]

Hi everyone.We are still in the early stages of getting my wife here CR1.As most already know this is very hard being far apart.

I have 2 weeks vacation left this year,i was going to fly out for her medical and interview.Then fly back a couple of weeks later after she gets her visa to pick her up so she doesnt have to do an international flight alone.My question is .Is there any benefits to attending interview in Manila with her? I know she has to do interview alone but I want to be there to help ease the anxiety for her.Does it look better if I attend?

Im seriously thinking about splitting that 2 weeks vacation up so I can go visit her soon.And leave the remaining week to go pick her up.Only getting 4 weeks vacation a year and having to submit vacation requests well in advance is proving to be a problem.

[thelastpetitioner 218]

my embassy wasnt in manilla but my answer is yes.

they didnt let me petitioner in,which scared me ###### less.BUT the interview asked about where he was and how many flights he took to get to ankara.its not common but they do ask questions of that sort from time to time. on and all,im glad he attended.knowing when i go out i can see him instead of having to call him,was amazing

[Markieboy 104]

Hi everyone.We are still in the early stages of getting my wife here CR1.As most already know this is very hard being far apart.

I have 2 weeks vacation left this year,i was going to fly out for her medical and interview.Then fly back a couple of weeks later after she gets her visa to pick her up so she doesnt have to do an international flight alone.My question is .Is there any benefits to attending interview in Manila with her? I know she has to do interview alone but I want to be there to help ease the anxiety for her.Does it look better if I attend?

Im seriously thinking about splitting that 2 weeks vacation up so I can go visit her soon.And leave the remaining week to go pick her up.Only getting 4 weeks vacation a year and having to submit vacation requests well in advance is proving to be a problem.

Hello!

Are there any benefits to attending the interview? There sure are. For one, all questions regarding your financial situation (employment, taxes, etc) would be better answered by you, personally. Perhaps your wife know your situation very well. However, I feel that you know better than anyone else. Another reason would be to lower her anxiety, as you mentioned. Many beneficiaries are extremely nervous, especially when they are interviewed alone. It is like they are cramming for an exam! Having your petitioning spouse there would definitely lower the anxiety level; and will subsequently have a more natural and relaxed interview.

OTOH, I don't believe that your absence would negatively affect the outcome of the interview. Many approved interviews have been with just the beneficiary present. I completely understand your situation with the vacation time. It can be very tricky and stressful when requesting time off.

Good luck with whatever you decide! And good luck with the upcoming interview! Keep us posted.

[DavenRoxy 1,073]

It's up to you to decide if it's worth the extra $$$ to travel there twice. Of course, I am sure she would love to have you at the interview with her, I know my fiancee would. But I can't be there, so she will have to do it on her own. Not sure you could do the exam and interview in just one week, though. Might be better to just let her do the physical alone, then you go for the interview, if you choose to travel.

From what I have read on VJ, most ladies attend the interview alone, and it's not a big deal at the end of the day. But many worry about it, because it's such a big thing to them; I'm sure you being there would help offset this stress for your lady.

[gretchen_darren 67]

Chrism, I am planning on doing the same thing. I am taking time to go to pick up her and her parents at the home, then fly them to manila for the medical and interview. It will be a chance for her to fly, and let me know how well she can handle flying. The process is exciting for them, but also stressful. this is one of those things where everythingn rests on your fiance. Depending on the CO, you may or may not be asked questions. It just depends on the CO. But it does help to be there. It shows how much it means to you. Philippines is less strict. It just depends on you and the relationship.

Just do not buy tickets for the second trip until she has the visa in hand. Also, make sure your employer knows the second trip is based on the visa being issued, Normal timelines, etc. The visa issuance can play havoc waiting. Sometimes it is just 2 or 3 days, sometimes 0 days. And sometimes on rare occasions a month or more.

Wish you the best on the journey.

[Tahoma 2,292]

Chinook was very confident about going to her interview alone, and she did just that. Also, because she was an experienced international traveler, she had no problem flying to the U.S. alone.

As a result, we were very happy that I had saved my vacation for when she was here in the U.S.

We saved quite a bit of money too. We spent it traveling around the western U.S. and had a great time.

[jrmejia 31]

Hi everyone.We are still in the early stages of getting my wife here CR1.As most already know this is very hard being far apart.

I have 2 weeks vacation left this year,i was going to fly out for her medical and interview.Then fly back a couple of weeks later after she gets her visa to pick her up so she doesnt have to do an international flight alone.My question is .Is there any benefits to attending interview in Manila with her? I know she has to do interview alone but I want to be there to help ease the anxiety for her.Does it look better if I attend?

Im seriously thinking about splitting that 2 weeks vacation up so I can go visit her soon.And leave the remaining week to go pick her up.Only getting 4 weeks vacation a year and having to submit vacation requests well in advance is proving to be a problem.

If you feel happy doing it and if she is not an experience traveler why not? Then you both can come together like cute lover birds.!

[damulag 26]

Save up the vacation time to spend with her when she arrives in the US.

[gretchen_darren 67]

it depends on how well traveled she is, and how well she adapts to new areas. This is a decision you have to make with her. As for me, Vacation is vacation, sometimes I get paid for it, sometimes I don't. I prefer to fly back with her from the philippines, just because she is coming to a new country, a new place to live, I want my finace to know I am there for her through the whole journey. I think my fiance could manage the trip by herself. But not being a world traveller, or having travelled even by ferry outside of her area, I worry how well adjested she would be. I do know she does have relatives in USA, Canada, Manila, Leyte, and elsewhere.

[vertman 4]

If there's any doubt - attend the interview. I just came back from Manila last week where I attended the interview with my fiance. You won't be able to attend the medical but the embassy interview is no problem. They swore both of us in, asked a few simple questions and we were done. It is possible to do it all in 1 week but it doesn't leave much room for error .. St. Luke's has a carrier send the medical results to the embassy on a daily basis. On that Friday I went to Prism with my fiance to get the seminar over with .. I hung outside with the BDO guards .. love those shotguns they carry.

[PAGE 11 14]

I went alone for the interview and it wasn't a problem. On the day I was there most beneficiaries were alone too and I would estimate an 80% approval rate.

Would I have loved my fiance to be there? Yes! Was it necessary? No.

I think you need to decide based on how confident your fiancee feels, and whether your case has any issues that may benefit from you being there. Oh and if there is any need, they have translators on standby.

Best of luck to you.

[carton025 38]

I agree with this previous post:

"Save up the vacation time to spend with her when she arrives in the US"

Unless you have plenty of $money$ and time to just $burn$ there is absolutely no benefit for you to attend the interview process. There is and will be lots and lots of people around to offer help and advice to your gal.

[gretchen_darren 67]

I have never been to manila. My fiance has never been to manila or even on a plane. Just think it would help to expose her to some "american" areas of manila, to help her transition. Plus be fun to have a "mini-vacation" in manila with her. Once she comes to america, there is much work on the house to do. Many things to accomplish. PLus I have my kids every other weekend. I work many long hours sometimes. (at least from home mainly) Yes, I want to travel with her. Show her america. Meet my family. But that will also be taking my kids with me when we go. It will be much "family" travel, family building. So the times we have there are the "honeymoon" before the wedding.

to each person, they must make their own decision. For me and my income, it is almost like why isn't he here type of question. So am making plans to be there. For me, my fiance has not travelled much, the last two times have helped her with ordering in a restaurant. She had never been in one before. So, I think it helps here a bunch just me being there. But again to each person, they have to decide what is best tfor them. No one can tell you what is right, only your heart can.

[jrmejia 31]

I have never been to manila. My fiance has never been to manila or even on a plane. Just think it would help to expose her to some "american" areas of manila, to help her transition. Plus be fun to have a "mini-vacation" in manila with her. Once she comes to america, there is much work on the house to do. Many things to accomplish. PLus I have my kids every other weekend. I work many long hours sometimes. (at least from home mainly) Yes, I want to travel with her. Show her america. Meet my family. But that will also be taking my kids with me when we go. It will be much "family" travel, family building. So the times we have there are the "honeymoon" before the wedding.

to each person, they must make their own decision. For me and my income, it is almost like why isn't he here type of question. So am making plans to be there. For me, my fiance has not travelled much, the last two times have helped her with ordering in a restaurant. She had never been in one before. So, I think it helps here a bunch just me being there. But again to each person, they have to decide what is best tfor them. No one can tell you what is right, only your heart can.

You keep on saying fiance but then you refer to "she" .who is the fiancee and who is the fiance in your situation? I am wonder just wondering.

Edited June 24, 2011 by jrmejia

[DavenRoxy 1,073]

You keep on saying fiance but then you refer to "she" .who is the fiancee and who is the fiance in your situation? I am wonder just wondering.

Some don't distinguish between "Fiancé" and "Fiancée". And as you should know very well, it is common to intermix "he" & "she" when Pilipinos speak,lol.