Interview Confidence

[Jilly30 16]

I need some help getting my husband's confidence up before his interview. No, it hasn't been scheduled yet, but we should be hearing "case complete" any day now.

He's had a couple of bad experiences at the US Consulate in Mumbai, so he's feeling really nervous despite my continued reassurances.

I've told him that this visa IR-1/CR-1 is all about proving the bona fide relationship and that we have all the evidences they could request.

A little about us:

We met working together on a cruise line and worked together while dating for just over a year, then I went to India on vacation for 3 months and we married at a court ceremony. We will have been married 2 years come this July. We worked together another 7 months for the cruise line after that and currently have been living together in Mumbai for 1 year. I will be returning to the US in the next few weeks, so will be re-patriated well before his interview. Unfortunately his parents are not supportive of the marriage (they wanted him to be earning in a good job before marrying, so until we are both soundly employed, they will not give their blessings). As such, they were not present at the marriage ceremony. My parents ARE supportive,, have chatted with him via Skype many times and cant wait to meet him in person. They also were not present at the ceremony obviously for financial reasons. We don't own property together, but our names were on the rental agreement for our flat in Mumbai and we are both in the process of adding eachother to our bank accounts.

My husband is nervous because we don't have pictures from our court ceremony (it lasted less than 5 mins and pics weren't allowed in the judge's chamber) We took a few pics at our hotel afterwards. Also because there are no pics of me with his family (difficult to take pics when the mood of the first & only meeting is not a happy one!) :-(

He also has a prior US C1/D (crew member) visa which was stamped "cancelled without prejudice" because his job with the cruisline was terminated. He is afraid they are going to hold this against him, even though that goes against the very meaning of "without prejudice". Crewmember visas are only issued for the sole purpose of traveling to and from a ship...no job...no visa. No problem? He also applied for a B2 visa about 6 months after our marriage for the purpose of visiting me and meeting my family. He was denied and told to apply for a spousal visa. We were not entirely surprised by that denial, though to prove without a doubt that he was going to return to India when he was going to visit his american spouse.

His experience in getting the C1/D visa was also a bad one because the officer asked him for a document from his previous job at the airport in Mumbai, that had he actually followed proper protocol upon quitting his job, he wouldn't have actually even had in his possession...but he luckily still had it and the officer told him to return home, get it and bring it back, otherwise he would deny his visa. (And to think, then I would have never even met him!) Between that incident and the B2 denial he is very nervous especially that they will ask him for some document he didn't prepare or doesn't have. I told him his confidence is key because even though he knows all the answers to the possible questions, if he seems nervous, they will be able to tell and think he is lying or hiding something.

We spent all night reading previous visa denial cases and 221g situations and it helped a little, but I don't know how else to assure him that we have everything in order. We've made copies of everything we ever submitted at every step along the way and have everything neatly organized in a folder which he will carry, along with even MORE photo proof in addition to that which we already submitted.

Any thoughts, votes of confidence, suggestions or words of wisdom I can offer him?

Thanks for the help!

[Super King 26]

I need some help getting my husband's confidence up before his interview. No, it hasn't been scheduled yet, but we should be hearing "case complete" any day now.

He's had a couple of bad experiences at the US Consulate in Mumbai, so he's feeling really nervous despite my continued reassurances.

I've told him that this visa IR-1/CR-1 is all about proving the bona fide relationship and that we have all the evidences they could request.

A little about us:

We met working together on a cruise line and worked together while dating for just over a year, then I went to India on vacation for 3 months and we married at a court ceremony. We will have been married 2 years come this July. We worked together another 7 months for the cruise line after that and currently have been living together in Mumbai for 1 year. I will be returning to the US in the next few weeks, so will be re-patriated well before his interview. Unfortunately his parents are not supportive of the marriage (they wanted him to be earning in a good job before marrying, so until we are both soundly employed, they will not give their blessings). As such, they were not present at the marriage ceremony. My parents ARE supportive,, have chatted with him via Skype many times and cant wait to meet him in person. They also were not present at the ceremony obviously for financial reasons. We don't own property together, but our names were on the rental agreement for our flat in Mumbai and we are both in the process of adding eachother to our bank accounts.

My husband is nervous because we don't have pictures from our court ceremony (it lasted less than 5 mins and pics weren't allowed in the judge's chamber) We took a few pics at our hotel afterwards. Also because there are no pics of me with his family (difficult to take pics when the mood of the first & only meeting is not a happy one!) :-(

He also has a prior US C1/D (crew member) visa which was stamped "cancelled without prejudice" because his job with the cruisline was terminated. He is afraid they are going to hold this against him, even though that goes against the very meaning of "without prejudice". Crewmember visas are only issued for the sole purpose of traveling to and from a ship...no job...no visa. No problem? He also applied for a B2 visa about 6 months after our marriage for the purpose of visiting me and meeting my family. He was denied and told to apply for a spousal visa. We were not entirely surprised by that denial, though to prove without a doubt that he was going to return to India when he was going to visit his american spouse.

His experience in getting the C1/D visa was also a bad one because the officer asked him for a document from his previous job at the airport in Mumbai, that had he actually followed proper protocol upon quitting his job, he wouldn't have actually even had in his possession...but he luckily still had it and the officer told him to return home, get it and bring it back, otherwise he would deny his visa. (And to think, then I would have never even met him!) Between that incident and the B2 denial he is very nervous especially that they will ask him for some document he didn't prepare or doesn't have. I told him his confidence is key because even though he knows all the answers to the possible questions, if he seems nervous, they will be able to tell and think he is lying or hiding something.

We spent all night reading previous visa denial cases and 221g situations and it helped a little, but I don't know how else to assure him that we have everything in order. We've made copies of everything we ever submitted at every step along the way and have everything neatly organized in a folder which he will carry, along with even MORE photo proof in addition to that which we already submitted.

Any thoughts, votes of confidence, suggestions or words of wisdom I can offer him?

Thanks for the help!

Tell your husband not to worry much about that. ( I know its hard, but being too anxious at time of interview will do more harm than good) The more confident he will be during interview more easy the interview will be. As its an immigrant visa, past denial for nonimmigrant visas won't have any effect. (especially it was rejected without prejudice)

About marriage pictures, he needs to be ready to explain. As long as he can explain that, not having wedding pictures won't affect the end result. He needs to be ready for all other documents that proves bona fide marriage. You guys can also take sworn affidavit from friends about your bona fide marriage relationship. Tell him to stay positive.

Good luck, hope it helps.

[Kat&Abhi 42]

I agree with Samhunter, be ready to explain (short and sweet) and don't be nervous.

Also, not sure what bank(s) you are trying to get joint, we did IDBI, Kotak and Citibank within 1 week so that helps too to further show that you truly are married.

I think the point is not to dwell too much on what you don't have (the pics) but to further emphasize what you DO have (all your other evidence) and just be sure to have a short explanation for what you don't have. I think you guys should be fine!

[sf786 22]

Completely agree with above two answers.

And tell one thing to your husband that Immigrant visa can never be denied, it can only be delayed by officers. All the best!

[dwheels76 5,469]

Completely agree with above two answers.

And tell one thing to your husband that Immigrant visa can never be denied, it can only be delayed by officers. All the best!

Sure a CR1/IR1 can be denied And many have and there's no a[peal or reaffirm and no sending back. If fraud is found or misrepresentation. They can be denied.

[sf786 22]

But why you need to think about it? You just need to prove a bonafied relationship..thats it.

[Al422 221]

Practice interviewing with him. You play the role of the interviewer from hell. He will feel comfortable with you. Once he gets through your "interview", he should feel fine with the real McCoy.