Interview

[ujones 148]

I know we are no where near interview but I’m planning to be with my fiancé during the interview. Will the embassy let me be my fiancé ‘s  interpreter ? 

[geowrian 22,338]

The interview can be conducted in the local language. They also have interpreters at the embassy/consulate.

 

I can't say with full confidence that it is not allowed there, but I would be kind of surprised if they let you be the interpreter since you are not a neutral party.

 

I'll just note this differs from an AOS interview, in which they may allow you to be the interpreter (USCIS vs DOS rules).

[GreatDane 366]

7 minutes ago, ujones said:

I know we are no where near interview but I’m planning to be with my fiancé during the interview. Will the embassy let me be my fiancé ‘s  interpreter ? 

No, I highly doubt it. The interpreter needs to be unbiased. Your fiance is far from unbiased. 

 

The interpreter must be impartial and able to interpret without bias. An impartial and unbiased individual is one who does not have a predisposition or preconceived opinion about a matter. A predisposition or preconceived opinion may prevent the individual from interpreting information accurately, literally and fully or making a reliable interpreter declaration. As such, family members will generally be disfavored as interpreters if there is another qualified interpreter available to the customer.

[T_P 872]

Like mentioned before, it is hard to tell whether or not you can attend the interview, but reading this post below makes me believe you can. I would encourage you to read more feedback from people here that applied from the same region.

 

 

[Ann&James 179]

Just now, ujones said:

I know we are no where near interview but I’m planning to be with my fiancé during the interview. Will the embassy let me be my fiancé ‘s  interpreter ? 

The embassy will not allow the petitioner to be an interpreter at the interview,  they have paid employees at the embassy working as interpreters.

[Crazy Cat 42,032]

I'm sure I would (unintentionally or otherwise) waiver outside the area of interpenetration and into editing what my fiance/spouse said....I just wouldn't do it.......in my wife's case, the officer asked whether she wanted the interview to be conducted in English or Mandarin.  My wife said "either language is OK"........so the officer started speaking to her in Mandarin.

[Hello729 74]

I am pretty sure they don’t allow it.  

[Amit&Julie 180]

What language does your fiance speak?

[ujones 148]

He’s from south India / malayalam .

[Amit&Julie 180]

9 minutes ago, ujones said:

He’s from south India / malayalam .

When I went with my fiance to Mumbai back in March, they did have south Indian language interpreters available for K1/CR1 interviews. So the fact that they're available combined with the fact that you're probably biased...no, you will not be allowed to be an interpreter. 

 

If you just want to be present, please note that Mumbai will allow the US Citizen petitioner to enter the consulate as long as you have your US passport with you. It is up to the Consulate Officer's discretion to allow you at the window.

 

You just filed, so I recommend you start reading through India-specific posts and consulate reviews now. If your fiance doesn't already have an Indian passport, I would get on that ASAP. Same goes for any birth certificate records. See what documents will be needed, because if you have to go through Indian bureaucracy to get them, it could take a long while.

[WeGuyGal 1,052]

1 hour ago, Amit&Julie said:

When I went with my fiance to Mumbai back in March, they did have south Indian language interpreters available for K1/CR1 interviews. So the fact that they're available combined with the fact that you're probably biased...no, you will not be allowed to be an interpreter. 

 

If you just want to be present, please note that Mumbai will allow the US Citizen petitioner to enter the consulate as long as you have your US passport with you. It is up to the Consulate Officer's discretion to allow you at the window.

 

You just filed, so I recommend you start reading through India-specific posts and consulate reviews now. If your fiance doesn't already have an Indian passport, I would get on that ASAP. Same goes for any birth certificate records. See what documents will be needed, because if you have to go through Indian bureaucracy to get them, it could take a long while.

India COs do not allow the USC fiance/spouse to be at the interviewing window. They may enter the premises with their US passport, be at the various windows, but would be asked to return to their seat at the time of interview in whatever language chosen prior. 

[Amit&Julie 180]

19 minutes ago, WeGuyGal said:

India COs do not allow the USC fiance/spouse to be at the interviewing window. They may enter the premises with their US passport, be at the various windows, but would be asked to return to their seat at the time of interview in whatever language chosen prior. 

The Indian CO is by no means *obligated* to speak to the US citizen petitioner. Again, it is up to their discretion to have the citizen at the window and when. So the US citizen should not *expect* to be allowed up at all--it's the beneficiary's interview, after all.

 

HOWEVER, recent first-hand experiences, including mine, have shown that the Indian COs do sometimes allow the USC to be at the window for the interview, whether alone or with the beneficiary. Read through the Mumabai reviews and you will see some examples.

 

Again, it's up to the CO, so a USC planning to go should be aware that they may or may not be allowed at the window.

 

 

Edited July 20, 2018 by Amit&Julie
typo

[WeGuyGal 1,052]

43 minutes ago, Amit&Julie said:

The Indian CO is by no means *obligated* to speak to the US citizen petitioner. Again, it is up to their discretion to have the citizen at the window and when. So the US citizen should not *expect* to be allowed up at all--it's the beneficiary's interview, after all.

 

HOWEVER, recent first-hand experiences, including mine, have shown that the Indian COs do sometimes allow the USC to be at the window for the interview, whether alone or with the beneficiary. Read through the Mumabai reviews and you will see some examples.

 

Again, it's up to the CO, so a USC planning to go should be aware that they may or may not be allowed at the window.

Ah, good to know. Mumbai seems a bit different than delhi. 

[Amit&Julie 180]

50 minutes ago, WeGuyGal said:

Ah, good to know. Mumbai seems a bit different than delhi. 

Yep. Nowadays, all K1s and CR1s go to Mumbai only (a fairly recent change), so @ujones, keep an eye on those incoming consulate reviews while you wait.

[ujones 148]

@Amit&Julie, Thankyou.