Officer makes decision before visa interview?

[Dianalorena 1,153]

I don't know if this is the case, but I'm guessing they have some idea of who they're interviewing based on the paperwork provided, but they are trained to check for inconsistencies and body language during the interview. How we conduct ourselves is very telling. I on the other hand, can imagine them playing match with our passport photos. ''This person looks better with this other person, don't you think, Julie?'' ''Oh this is clearly for immigration porpoises'' 

 

 

[Shauneg 762]

I suspect nothing gets looked at until just before you've sat done for the interview.  When do people expect con officers to review files?  They have interviews all day so are they reviewing them at night?  No.  Weekends?  No.  In the morning before any interviews are held?  No, they don't know who going to show up and who isn't plus they're not gonna remember everything about everyone.  They glance over everything just before the interview and hit on key indicatiors and determine how in depth the interview needs to be or not to be.  

 

Some indicators that may automatically make the interview go easier is if the sponsor is military, they're close in age, same religious background, long sustained relationship.

 

Some indicatiors that may spark a more in depth interview are huge age gap, multiple divorces, multiples filiers, short relationship, infrequent visits.

 

Just what I imagine the con officers will quickly glance over.  I'm sure each has their own indicators they've develeoped a sense to look for.  Once you've done it long enough it's probably easy to pick up on context clues.

 

Edited August 5, 2017 by Shauneg

[Boiler 44,985]

I can only speak for my personal experience, 2 applications, both were extremely quick, no thinking process involved, no time to make a decision based on anything I input.

[S*UK 543]

57 minutes ago, Shauneg said:

Some indicators that may automatically make the interview go easier is if the sponsor is military, they're close in age, same religious background, long sustained relationship

 

I know you were just using this as an example but... my sponsor is military, we are 22 and 25, we are both atheist (fam history of christianity), have been together for almost 4 years, have same level of education etc. I hope they go easy on me at interview

[Shauneg 762]

21 minutes ago, S*UK said:

I know you were just using this as an example but... my sponsor is military, we are 22 and 25, we are both atheist (fam history of christianity), have been together for almost 4 years, have same level of education etc. I hope they go easy on me at interview

Nailed it. Lol...

[Scandi 4,111]

4 hours ago, ConOfficer said:

All opinions offered here are wrong. At every consulate I've worked at I've never seen an officer review proof of relationship before calling the applicant up to the window and starting the interview. It's true that I might take a look at the petition and see that the petitioner has been divorced three times or that there is a 40 year age difference, but I never make a decision before the interview. 

 

As to tourist visas, there is no review prior to the interview. We know absolutely nothing about the applicant until they start talking. 

They went through my relationship proof at the embassy before the interview. I was called up at first to drop off my documents and relationship proof to a very nice lady. Then I sat around for an hour or two before I was called up again for the actual interview. The man who interviewed me gave back the relationship proof (chatlogs, photos, hotel/flight bookings etc) before he started interviewing me, before he even took my fingerprints and swore me in. He asked me questions about some of the photos etc, so I'm 100% sure he looked through it all before interviewing me. 

[Boiler 44,985]

I got asked a couple of questions including for a photo, I was self sponsoring so was expecting to be quizzed on that but not so then it was just sitting waiting for the Visa, then you walked out with it.

[Dutchster 1,106]

Before I was called in for my interview, I did see the CO going through my application package. Somehow, I do have a feeling that *some* officers kind of make up their mind by going through the petition before they interview you.

[mallafri76 1,012]

Like Boiler's, my case had also been reviewed by the CO BEFORE I came there for an interview. In fact, the CO had even taken the time to call my husband's prison to get information before my interview. And during my interview, I could see notes in my application pack from before my interview.

 

They don't interview back to back and they prepare before holding the interview, just like HR at a company will do. 

[geowrian 22,337]

4 minutes ago, mallafri76 said:

Like Boiler's, my case had also been reviewed by the CO BEFORE I came there for an interview. In fact, the CO had even taken the time to call my husband's prison to get information before my interview. And during my interview, I could see notes in my application pack from before my interview.

 

They don't interview back to back and they prepare before holding the interview, just like HR at a company will do. 

Yeah, the experience really varies from embassy to embassy. At USEM, they do interviews back to back to back. You don't get even get "assigned" a CO...you go up to the counter based on where you are in line (so the CO doesn't even know who they will get beforehand).

Edited August 5, 2017 by geowrian

[Hq1987 5]

8 hours ago, S*UK said:

The officer will almost certainly be familiar with your case before you are called to the 'window' for interview. By this point background checks have been done, the relationship has been proven to be legitimate and they are happy that you have the intent to marry.

 

Not true. If that's the case with background checks then why is there Administrative Processing?

[janet3 1,170]

56 minutes ago, geowrian said:

Yeah, the experience really varies from embassy to embassy. At USEM, they do interviews back to back to back. You don't get even get "assigned" a CO...you go up to the counter based on where you are in line (so the CO doesn't even know who they will get beforehand).

I actually find this topic very distressing....okay, it's down right scary....

What if your fiance is in a "high fraud" country?

I plan on attending the interview....

Will being there for the interview have any effect on the outcome of the interview? 

(Or am I just whistling Dixie and should plan on moving to Algeria)

[useful89 692]

46 minutes ago, Hq1987 said:

 

Not true. If that's the case with background checks then why is there Administrative Processing?

They definitely do background checks before the embassy stage. Was told that on the phone a week ago by a tier 2 officer

[geowrian 22,337]

12 minutes ago, janet3 said:

I actually find this topic very distressing....okay, it's down right scary....

What if your fiance is in a "high fraud" country?

I plan on attending the interview....

Will being there for the interview have any effect on the outcome of the interview? 

(Or am I just whistling Dixie and should plan on moving to Algeria)

Certainly not all embassies are setup like that, and the high fraud ones that I can think of aren't setup like that. At many embassies, as others have stated their experiences, they have time to review the individual's case in more detail beforehand.

If you are concerned about the success of your case, then I would suggest being at the interview with your fiance. This goes doubly for high fraud embassies. It certainly won't guarantee success, but in cases that could go either way, it can be the difference.

Good luck.

Edited August 6, 2017 by geowrian

[janet3 1,170]

3 minutes ago, geowrian said:

Certainly not all embassies are setup like that, and the high fraud ones that I can think of have aren't setup like that. At many embassies, as others have stated their experiences, they have time to review the individual's case in more detail beforehand.

If you are concerned about the success of your case, then I would suggest being at the interview with your fiance. This goes doubly for high fraud embassies. It certainly won't guarantee success, but in cases that could go either way, it can be the difference.

Good luck.

Thank you! Appreciate the input.