Does the interviewing Consular Officer Coming From the same Cultural background and speaking same language as interviewee increase chance of Approval for Tourist Visa?

[yuruioh 4]

Just curious if this has an impact. I noticed a trend. My (at the time ) fiance went to interview for a tourist visa twice on different occasions a few years ago, and the officers who interviewed her were white Americans who didn't speak the native language of the country at least during the interview, but once she went for the interview for the fiance visa, she had a guy interview her who came from the same cultural background and spoke the native language with her during the interview and she was approved. I do understand that most US consular officers who work in a particular country likely would speak the local language as it's typically a requirement for the job, but oftentimes their language proficiency may not be to the same level as native speakers who may also work as US consular officers at the same place. So it's easy to be a little biased or even prejudiced and discriminatory due to cultural differences or language barriers that may occur during the interview. Now fast forward almost 2 years and my (now wife's) mother goes to interview for a visitor visa (once again her mother is not a native English speaker but is interviewed by a white American woman and the interview is totally in English) and her mother is denied a tourist visa. Now I wonder if the outcome would be different if she was interviewed by an officer who is of the same ethnic/cultural background and speaks the same language. It just seems wildly unfair when things like language barriers aren't well taken into account. I understand translators and interpreters are available, but evidently, they don't really do enough to solve that problem.

[powerpuff 6,744]

6 minutes ago, yuruioh said:

but once she went for the interview for the fiance visa

Criteria to approve a fiancé visa are completely different from a B2. This is not a fair comparison at all.

[powerpuff 6,744]

*** Topic moved to Tourist Visa forum ***

[yuruioh 4]

Just now, powerpuff said:

Criteria to approve a fiancé visa are completely different from a B2. This is not a fair comparison at all.

I'm aware of that but just to stay focused on the topic. Do you think there's a lot of prejudice and bias involved in the decision-making for visas? 

[powerpuff 6,744]

17 minutes ago, yuruioh said:

I'm aware of that but just to stay focused on the topic. Do you think there's a lot of prejudice and bias involved in the decision-making for visas? 

I am focused on the topic and I cannot ignore the part about your wife’s K1 being approved by someone from the same ethnic/cultural background because that is the whole basis of your argument about prejudice and bias. She would’ve been approved even if the interviewer was white American who, let’s say for argument’s sake, was anti-immigration and had prejudice towards people from her country.  

 

To answer your question, I’m sure there are some officers who have prejudice and bias but no, I don’t think it’s pervasive and widespread. In that case hardly anybody would get B2 visas. Per the Department of State, in 2022 alone, 1,244,484 B1/B2 visas were issued worldwide. 

[yuruioh 4]

2 minutes ago, powerpuff said:

I am focused on the topic and I cannot ignore the part about your wife’s K1 being approved by someone from the same ethnic/cultural background because that is the whole basis of your argument about prejudice and bias. She would’ve been approved even if the interviewer was white American who, let’s say for argument’s sake, was anti-immigration and had prejudice towards people from her country.  

 

To answer your question, I’m sure there are some officers who have prejudice and bias but no, I don’t think it’s pervasive and widespread. In that case hardly anybody would get B2 visas. Per the Department of State, in 2022 alone, 1,244,484 B1/B2 visas were issued worldwide. 

How do you know she would have been approved regardless though? Don't plenty of k1 visas get denied?

 

That amount is quite a lot. Pretty Interesting.

[powerpuff 6,744]

I don’t think a lot of K1 visas get denied. I think many more I-129f get denied due to not meeting the criteria (haven’t met physically in the last 2 years, criminal background, didn’t include certain documents), but I think most K1 visa applications that are well put together are approved. Even looking at this forum, which is a fraction of all those going through an immigrant or non-immigrant processes but still paints a good picture, the amount of threads on B2 denials outweigh threads on K1 denials by a mile. And K1 forum is one of the busiest here on VJ.

[Boiler 45,767]

I know it made no difference in my situation.

[Sarah&Facundo 598]

I don't think so. B2 vs. K1 comparisons are not fair at all. A majority of K1 visas get approved. You just need to meet the requirements. With a B2, you need to improve you don't have immigrant intent which is WAY harder than proving a real relationship (if you have the documents). It is much easier to prove a positive than prove a negative. 

 

 

For what it's worth, my now-husband applied for a B2 visa with a Spanish speaking officer and was approved. He applied for a K1 and had a white American guy who spoke English and sort of spoke Spanish and he was approved. It made no difference.

Edited November 16, 2023 by Sarah&Facundo

[yuruioh 4]

28 minutes ago, Sarah&Facundo said:

I don't think so. B2 vs. K1 comparisons are not fair at all. A majority of K1 visas get approved. You just need to meet the requirements. With a B2, you need to improve you don't have immigrant intent which is WAY harder than proving a real relationship (if you have the documents). It is much easier to prove a positive than prove a negative. 

 

 

For what it's worth, my now-husband applied for a B2 visa with a Spanish speaking officer and was approved. He applied for a K1 and had a white American guy who spoke English and sort of spoke Spanish and he was approved. It made no difference.

By any chance, do you know if you can request the officer speak the language that you speak or have them conduct the interview in your native language, or is that not something that we have control over?

[SalishSea 17,981]

4 hours ago, yuruioh said:

Just curious if this has an impact. I noticed a trend. My (at the time ) fiance went to interview for a tourist visa twice on different occasions a few years ago, and the officers who interviewed her were white Americans who didn't speak the native language of the country at least during the interview, but once she went for the interview for the fiance visa, she had a guy interview her who came from the same cultural background and spoke the native language with her during the interview and she was approved. I do understand that most US consular officers who work in a particular country likely would speak the local language as it's typically a requirement for the job, but oftentimes their language proficiency may not be to the same level as native speakers who may also work as US consular officers at the same place. So it's easy to be a little biased or even prejudiced and discriminatory due to cultural differences or language barriers that may occur during the interview. Now fast forward almost 2 years and my (now wife's) mother goes to interview for a visitor visa (once again her mother is not a native English speaker but is interviewed by a white American woman and the interview is totally in English) and her mother is denied a tourist visa. Now I wonder if the outcome would be different if she was interviewed by an officer who is of the same ethnic/cultural background and speaks the same language. It just seems wildly unfair when things like language barriers aren't well taken into account. I understand translators and interpreters are available, but evidently, they don't really do enough to solve that problem.

No.   Visa approvals at US consulates are made by US citizens.

 

Denials of tourist visas are based entirely on risk of immigration.   If your wife’s mother wants to immigrate, she needs to be petitioned.

[SalishSea 17,981]

4 hours ago, yuruioh said:

I'm aware of that but just to stay focused on the topic. Do you think there's a lot of prejudice and bias involved in the decision-making for visas? 

No.   The visa behavior of your country’s citizens greatly informs US decisions about visas.   People from countries with high overstay and fraud numbers have more denials, which makes sense.

[SalishSea 17,981]

25 minutes ago, yuruioh said:

By any chance, do you know if you can request the officer speak the language that you speak or have them conduct the interview in your native language, or is that not something that we have control over?

Yes, you can request to have the interview conducted in the local language.   You cannot request the race or ethnic background of the interviewing staff person.

[jan22 3,056]

23 minutes ago, yuruioh said:

By any chance, do you know if you can request the officer speak the language that you speak or have them conduct the interview in your native language, or is that not something that we have control over?

If your native language is one of the official languages of the country where the interview occurs, it can be in that language.  If not, it may or may not be possible -- totally depends on whether there is an officer at post who speaks your particular language.

 

 

[yuruioh 4]

6 hours ago, SalishSea said:

No.   Visa approvals at US consulates are made by US citizens.

 

Denials of tourist visas are based entirely on risk of immigration.   If your wife’s mother wants to immigrate, she needs to be petitioned.

But her mom isn't trying to immigrate. She has so many ties to her country, but my wife is pregnant and wanted her mom to be with her for a few

 

9 hours ago, Boiler said:

I know it made no difference in my situation.

So the interviewer was of the same cultural background?