Embassy Interview Advice/Pitfalls

[little immigrant 801]

Have you talked to her about your ex spouse? She might need to know details on your past marriage. 

[bakphx1 789]

24 minutes ago, Andrina said:

Have you talked to her about your ex spouse? She might need to know details on your past marriage. 

In reading the posts over the past year, ex spouses aren't a problem unless the divorce is possibly very recent, there is unexplained continued contact with the ex (inadvertently submitted with phone bills), or someone divorcing someone from a high fraud country and then marrying another from the same country.   His fiancée should be aware of the ex and know what a normal fiancée would know.  

 

[ThomasNC1988 762]

14 hours ago, greg1984 said:

I'm just curious what the point of the USCIS involvement in this is then...because they have already deemed our relationship to be legitimate.  The list you sent was regarding USCIS and we have already cleared that hurdle.  I have lived with her for over 6 months in SA...she has a B1/B2 Visa already and has visited here etc.  Jesus this is scary now.

I never understand why people think USCIS wants proof of relationship. They don't. They don't ask for it in any way shape or form. They just ask for proof you have been in each other's presence for at least one second in the past 2 years. All the USCIS does it verify that your beneficiary is eligible to apply for a visa based on your petition. The embassy stage is where your beneficiary will have to prove they are eligible for a visa based on having a bonafide relationship.

[Saadat Alam 24]

14 hours ago, adil-rafa said:

This is the high fraud country list

http://mypathtocitizenship.com/which-countries-are-on-the-uscis-high-fraud-list/

and SA is on it 

they can deny for any reason like any of the following

not same religion

big age difference

not enough face time to know each other well

similar name is on terrorist watch list

she must know everything about you,  your family,  your life in the US 

she must prove a real loving and lasting relationship 

we can not really put your mind to ease

it will be up to the 2 of you to prove all things

so, create a timeline on this site

let the VJ community know how many visits and length of time you have spent together 

how you met and how long you have known her

does her family approve of the relationship 

age difference

religions of both

those things help answer your questions

Can you please not say anything about fraud countries because there is no such a think as a fraud country so please don't scare people.

[hm139 55]

7 minutes ago, Amir Alam said:

Can you please not say anything about fraud countries because there is no such a think as a fraud country so please don't scare people.

What are you talking about? Of course there are places that have higher incidences of immigration fraud than others.

[Saadat Alam 24]

10 minutes ago, hm139 said:

What are you talking about? Of course there are places that have higher incidences of immigration fraud than others.

I am talking about a real fact. Like it or not.

[hm139 55]

1 minute ago, Amir Alam said:

I am talking about a real fact. Like it or not.

I don't know what your fact is. There are always going to be countries with more fraud and countries with less fraud. Calling a country "high fraud" isn't passing judgment on the citizens of that country. It's just saying that for whatever reason, more people in that country submit fraudulent petitions. 

[caliliving 606]

4 hours ago, hm139 said:

I don't know what your fact is. There are always going to be countries with more fraud and countries with less fraud. Calling a country "high fraud" isn't passing judgment on the citizens of that country. It's just saying that for whatever reason, more people in that country submit fraudulent petitions. 

exactly!!!! someone from canada is NOT treated the same way as someone from a high fraud country! that is a fact! that is why you need to find out how your country deals with the visa you are going for. 

also, some embassays (i think that is what they are called) deal with their high fraud country differently!  basically, they deny more!  
i could tell tell you how my interview went, but would that really help you?  

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

4 hours ago, Amir Alam said:

Can you please not say anything about fraud countries because there is no such a think as a fraud country so please don't scare people.

 

4 hours ago, Amir Alam said:

I am talking about a real fact. Like it or not.

Real fact is that there are countries where fraud is much more prevalent than others. Such countries tend to have a much higher visa refusal rate than average. It’s such a real fact that official documents talk about it.

[caliliving 606]

Just now, SusieQQQ said:

 

Real fact is that there are countries where fraud is much more prevalent than others. Such countries tend to have a much higher visa refusal rate than average. It’s such a real fact that official documents talk about it.

People need to understand this and us at VJ are here to help them through the process!!!! that is why more people who are on VJ get approved from those 'high fraud' countries then if you dont join!!! we are not judgemental at all on the relationship! 

[caliliving 606]

2 minutes ago, SusieQQQ said:

 

Real fact is that there are countries where fraud is much more prevalent than others. Such countries tend to have a much higher visa refusal rate than average. It’s such a real fact that official documents talk about it.

exactly! and i am here to talk about my experience to help someone understand how the system works! 

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

1 minute ago, caliliving said:

exactly! and i am here to talk about my experience to help someone understand how the system works! 

That said, SA is not considered a high fraud country so I’m not sure how that uscis list works...

[JFH 12,190]

28 minutes ago, SusieQQQ said:

That said, SA is not considered a high fraud country so I’m not sure how that uscis list works...

Maybe it's because the SA embassy also handles cases from other, smaller African nations for which the refusal rate and suspected fraud might be higher? These lists are based on embassy refusal rates, not nationality. So the smaller countries that "share" an embassy muddy the waters a little. 

[JFH 12,190]

20 hours ago, greg1984 said:

I'm just curious what the point of the USCIS involvement in this is then...because they have already deemed our relationship to be legitimate.  The list you sent was regarding USCIS and we have already cleared that hurdle.  I have lived with her for over 6 months in SA...she has a B1/B2 Visa already and has visited here etc.  Jesus this is scary now.

USCIS adjudicates the I-129F petition only. This is just a petition. Almost every petition is approved (I think the recent figure was 99.7%). All they are concerned about is that you have met the required criteria to petition for your fiancé, namely:

 

- you are a USC (and can prove this by way of a passport, naturalization certificate or birth certificate)

- you are both free to marry (and can prove this by way of divorce decrees or death certificates of any prior spouses on either side) 

- you have met in person at least once in the last 2 years (and can demonstrate this by way of passport stamps, hotel receipts, tickets, photos, lease, etc, etc)

- you intend to marry within the 90-day period immediately after her arrival into the country (demonstrated by letters of intent)

- you are not barred from petitioning due to the AWA (for this a criminal record check is carried out by USCIS) 

 

Thats it. Nothing else is required or wanted by USCIS. Their policy handbook specifically states that their adjudicators must base their decisions on the above facts only, not on their feelings whether you make a good couple or whether they think your relationship will last a long time. A former adjudicator used to post on here and he said the adjudication process for an I-129F takes around 15 minutes, more if the file is weighted down with all sorts of extra photos and stuff that takes them a while to sift through to find what they really need. They have a check list to follow and if the above 5 criteria are met, it's approved. 

 

Some people like to front-load the petition with all sorts of photos and other things as "evidence" (this is not "proof") of a bona fide relationship as this is the only way to ensure that such stuff reaches the interviewing officer before the applicant arrives at the embassy. 

[caliliving 606]

10 minutes ago, JFH said:

Maybe it's because the SA embassy also handles cases from other, smaller African nations for which the refusal rate and suspected fraud might be higher? These lists are based on embassy refusal rates, not nationality. So the smaller countries that "share" an embassy muddy the waters a little. 

makes sense! 
also, some 'high fraud' countries the immigrants stay long and dont leave right away.

 

i think we can not group overstay countries with high fraud. USCIS may deny countries a tourist visa based on them overstaying but that does not relate to them finding a USC and marrying.