POE Language

[chris4336 3]

Hi all, my fiancee does not speak English, and I'm wondering how this will affect him at his POE (JFK - He'll be here on Friday). He speaks Spanish, French and Arabic. Will they get him a translator? We've been practicing and he can answer the basic questions (ie: What is the purpose of your trip), but anything beyond that he will not understand. Anyone else have this experience?

Thanks

Christina

[tweety 1]

I don't have personal experience, but his best guess would probably be to try with Spanish. This seems to be the universal second language here in the US, and chances that there is a spanish speaking officer at his POE should be high.

Teach him a phrase like "do you speak spanish?" or something.

Good luck!

[Reynaldo 0]

According to my experience in JFK he won't need to say anything...

They didn't ask me anything when I got there and the only thing they said was: "You have to get married within 90 days"

So much for "Welcome to America"...

[tweety 1]

According to my experience in JFK he won't need to say anything...

They didn't ask me anything when I got there and the only thing they said was: "You have to get married within 90 days"

So much for "Welcome to America"...

I really don't think that this is the usual experience... my POE officers always were up for a small chat and asked me questions about the nature and lenght of my trip. I couldn't imagine just standing there staring in the air and waiting on my passport to be processed.... unless of course you happen to encounter an extremely rude officer....

[brtlmj 0]

I couldn't imagine just standing there staring in the air and waiting on my passport to be processed.... unless of course you happen to encounter an extremely rude officer....

An extremely rude officer is not quiet, believe me

Bartek

[chris4336 3]

Thanks all for the info...the countdown begins...he'll be here in 48 hours!

[ELW 5]

There are plenty of places with interview questions - any threads anyone knows of, giving the usual/possible POE questions? I want my SO to practice too, he only speaks broken English...

[flutter95 4]

I couldn't imagine just standing there staring in the air and waiting on my passport to be processed.... unless of course you happen to encounter an extremely rude officer....

An extremely rude officer is not quiet, believe me

Bartek

This is very true!

I've always been asked SO many questions and stuff before.

When I arrived with my K-1 I didn't, just stood around, I was called in to a small office where I sat and was asked three questions about my age, was this the same guy that I used to visit and will I be marrying in 90 days, and given an EAD form from '98!

[ivona 0]

At Atlanta POE while waiting in line I saw plenty cases of the officer calling for an interpreter for a certain language and then that person was asked to wait asidde until the interpreter showed up.

I would think they have something like this at every major POE...

Good luck

[Minya's wife 25]

At Atlanta POE while waiting in line I saw plenty cases of the officer calling for an interpreter for a certain language and then that person was asked to wait asidde until the interpreter showed up.

I would think they have something like this at every major POE...

Good luck

But what if the language that your SO speaks is not one that you can find an interpreter "quickly". This question has been nagging at me. I'm still at the early stages of the K1 process, but I'm anxious about this point. My fiancee only speaks Hungarian. Its not an issue in our communication, since my native language is that...but I'm wondering how this will be dealt with at the POE? Is it possible to communicate in advance with the officials there and have an interpreter ready if needed? Any ideas?

Thanks,

-P

[Otto 83]

At Atlanta POE while waiting in line I saw plenty cases of the officer calling for an interpreter for a certain language and then that person was asked to wait asidde until the interpreter showed up.

I would think they have something like this at every major POE...

Good luck

Especially JFK - it shouldn't be a problem.

Remind him they can be rude and not to get upset, it is ok to say I do not understand

[ELW 5]

Besides teaching him a few simple phrases (why are you coming to USA, who is your fiancé, will you marry within 90 days), he can carry a short statement in English with him. (Like "Hi, my name is --, I am – years old, I only know Hungarian language, I have come to the USA on a K1 visa to marry my fiancée --, we will get married within 90 days,” etc). I think I saw that idea on another forum in the distant past…

[tom&tata 2]

I was on CR-1 and I remembered that asked/they reconfirmed the address listed on the paperwork(Chicago ORD was POE). And they told me that the endorsed I-551 was good for a year because GC can take up to 6 months for processing, and that I will get conditional GC as we haven't been married more than 2 years at entry and and I need to remove condition within 90 days of temporary GC expiry date.