December 2013 filers

[Jon York 156]

My fiancee's visa interview is tomorrow night at 10:00 p.m. (New York time)!!!! We're getting so nervous!!

[Jon York 156]

Hi All

My fiancé went for her interview today and everything went good, but they gave her the 221g saying they want to see proof of "strained" relationship.

Now as confusing that sounds, let me provide the back story.

We met online and then started talking over the phone since June 2013, we really liked each other and so before we gave in we decided to meet in London. Spend five days and we were good to go. Now to clarify, we are indian and are parents are very traditional. We wanted to meet each other first in person and decide if we liked each other. We then told our parents and we all met again in India early Oct 2013. Her parents were on board and my parents weren't. They were against it due to caste difference. This caused a major rift between me and her for almost a month, where I kept trying to convince my parents and she was running out of patience. She was finishing school in London at that point and the month of Oct and Nov were tough for us, where I couldn't give a concrete answer and she wasn't sure if she wanted to wait around and also go in a family where her inlaws really didn't like her.

Here is the twist, end of November she applied for a tourist visa for the USA, interview date was Dec 3rd, 2014. She had just come back from finishing her school and her mum wanted to take her for vacation to the states. Well they denied her, gave the visa to the mum.

In the mean time we had stopped talking briefly as I was struggling with my parents to convince them, but kept hitting a wall. Those few weeks of not talking, I realized I was going to lose the best thing that happened to me and I decided to take a stand for me and her without my parents blessing. The realization I had was mid December (I guess it was the holidays), I told her, she didn't buy it. She said she really does love me, and its been hard, but doesn't trust my actions. I hence said I would come there and get engaged with her if she and her parents were onboard.

I flew out on new years and we got engaged on Jan 7th, 2014.

Here is what happened at the interview today. The Consulate officer was fine with everything, but says that why did she apply for a visitors visa in that time period (December 3rd, 2013). He thinks it was a ploy to circumvent the system and come to the states with the intention to get married. I understand very well that it looks bad, but it isn't the truth.

He hasn't denied us, but has asked to show evidence of a strained relationship in that time frame (Oct - Dec 2013). This is where it gets tough as all the conversations we had were on phone, a few whatsapp messages and that's it. We are confused on how to "think out of the box" to show evidence of this time frame if it was all over the phone. She explained this to the CO and he didn't budge.

I can request affidavits from friends (hers and mine), who knew about our tough time and can attest to it. I need some suggestions from all of you. Any help, any advise is welcomed. Thanks and please ask to clarify anything.

Masenko, first I think you might want to post this in another forum. This December 2013 filers forum probably isn't the best place where you'll get many answers.

Second, one thing that might be a possibility - is if you can go through your phone records and pinpoint some of the dates and times you talked to your parents by phone about it. Then create a text file and type out the date and time and to the best of your recollection what was discussed in those conversations. It may not be 100% accurate, but these government people just like to see something on paper in black and white. If it were me and I was in your situation and didn't have any advice from anyone, that's what I would do - and I would add it to sworn affidavits from friends.

It may also be something you should talk to an immigration attorney about. It does kind of go beyond the scope of a do it yourself filing.

[Jon York 156]

One other thing - you must have some emails or text message between and your fiancee about this, right? If so, include those. Or use them as guides to figure out what you were talking to your parents about on which dates.

[TheFoxxy 76]

No, that's the problem. I don't owe them money because I was underaged..My fiance hired a new lawyer, an Immigration lawyer, that handles my family's case. He said a waiver is not for us, because it only applies to those who were past the legal age. I was 17 years old when i left the U.S. Minors don't count. But the Embassy acted so stupid, so now we are trying to re-open family's immigration case and vacate order. I don't know how long that takes, but hopefully I will one day be happy like most of you guys. Congratssss to everyone!!

You will be with him one day! I know it. Just be strong and hang in there, you have the ability to be happy like us right now too! Be glad you have someone you love and are ready to spend your life with, thats the biggest step in all of this really. Just remember that nothing worth having comes easy in life. We are sending you good vibes and keeping you in our minds always.

[Jon York 156]

APPROVED!!!!!! But just barely! Really rough interview. And very different from the experiences I've read from other people on VJ. I'll write it up in a few days and post it for everyone.

[ashleyphilly 70]

APPROVED!!!!!! But just barely! Really rough interview. And very different from the experiences I've read from other people on VJ. I'll write it up in a few days and post it for everyone.

. Congrats. How different was it?

[Redlove76 28]

Congratulations!

[ninanina123 28]

Jon York. Congratulation happy for youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu thank god

[TheFoxxy 76]

congrats!

[Jon York 156]

. Congrats. How different was it?

It was really different! Most of the stories I've read on VJ from people who were approved, it seemed they had short, quick and easy interviews, with only a few questions asked - like how did you meet, what does he do, things like that.

But she went through a total interrogation by three different people into every little detail for two and a half hours. The COs had actually really looked at and read all the evidence of continuing relationship that we sent them. At the beginning of the interview the first CO told her, "I just don't believe this is a genuine relationship." And that's how things started! It went downhill from there and they got into really heavy handed police interrogation tactics. Finally after two and a half hours the last two COs who interviewed her together walked out of the room for about 15 minutes. And she started to cry because she was sure they were going to deny her. Finally one of them came back in and saw her crying and started trying to reassure her, he brought her tissues and some water!

Then the female CO came in and said, don't cry, everything's going to be okay. Then she said, "I'm really sorry we had to be so mean to you, but we really didn't believe this was a genuine relationship. But you have convinced us it is, so please go to Window #3."

She didn't really hear or understand what the woman had said, so she went to Window #3 and was still crying and the woman at Window 3 had a big smile on her face and was laughing. Then she said, "Please, don't cry, we have approved your case!!! You've been approved. Welcome to the United States!!!"

Anyway, I want to write it up but it's kinda long but I think it'll really help a lot of people to see how they were thinking. They were actually doing a good honest job and doing what they're supposed to do - weed out the frauds. But we weren't as prepared as we could have been, mainly because I read too many stories on VJ about the easy interviews. I didn't think they would ask all the questions they did or use the tactics they used. So we didn't really prepare for that.

The bottom line is, before you ever interview they've already formed an opinion about your case. They've either decided everything looks good, or something doesn't look right. You need to prepare for the "something doesn't look right" type of interview, just in case. But you have to know what kinds of things might not look right, and it could be based on the particular country and culture the beneficiary comes from. That's the one thing we never considered.

Edited October 31, 2014 by Jon York

[tanak45 17]

Updated, waiver excepted yesterday October 30, now the wait starts....

[tanak45 17]

Update, waiver excepted yesterday October 30, now the wait starts....

[Jon York 156]

. Congrats. How different was it?

I just posted the whole detailed story here, if you want to see what a hellish interview this was:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/521478-interview-from-hell/

Edited November 6, 2014 by Jon York

[tanak45 17]

It's crazy our waiver has only been accepted a week ago, and I find myself checking USICS website everyday, knowing I have a least 6 months to go. He he he

[Kay&Jay 44]

Congratulations!!!