Interview Preparation

[david_dawei]

I pulled the link and read the "Letter to K1/K2 Applicants". It states the following: "Submit these items during the interview"

"If you were married previously, please bring in documents containing the following information for your interview; your ex spouse's name, date of birth, social security number (if applicable), last know address and telephone number"

 

The letter is addressed to the applicant and not the petioner. The above statement refers to the applicant and not requesting that the petioner provide social security numbers, etc. That is how I read it. I'll give my SO the letter but that is my interpretation. What can I say. B)

Two things we alway have to juggle:

1) Letter of the law (what they say they will ask for)

2) Spirit of the law (what they actually ask for)

 

The fact is, the VOs are asking for the petitioner "ex" in many cases. We know this and it's best not to push it off as 'not on the consulate form'...

 

I'm not saying your doing that.. I just showing that we have to be careful how we might be too strict to the 'letter of the law' when the spirit of GUZ is flying overhead... based on the droppings of member's shoulders, we learn alot about what GUZ just had for lunch.

Edited February 21, 2007 by DavidZixuan (see edit history)

[david_dawei]

CFL FORMS. here's the direct link

David,

 

Are you talking about the GIV-24?...I do not have any bills or formal letter from my ex...But I have her address which I did send to my SO to put in the GIV-24 form!...I also just emailed her to see if she could at least send me an email stating her current address and phone number and date since she's live there...I hope she writes back!...hehehe...

This was in reference to the New K1 letter... at the top of the link.

 

The request for "ex" info is relatively new, but is is a real request that a few have gotten. Get what you can to save some trouble later...

 

Best way to look at the past occurrences are to go to the Historical Timeline and look at the Blue slip tab..

[RLS]

Well now you've got me rethinking this, David. I have the "accordian" type folder which is full right now. I guess I could cut down on 1 inch of emails. I put more of those in because we did not do the on line chat thing. I was thinking that 4 different folders would be hard to handle, and what if she got flustered and dropped them, etc. I guess a big rubber band will hold them all together.

[david_dawei]

Well now you've got me rethinking this, David. I have the "accordian" type folder which is full right now. I guess I could cut down on 1 inch of emails. I put more of those in because we did not do the on line chat thing. I was thinking that 4 different folders would be hard to handle, and what if she got flustered and dropped them, etc. I guess a big rubber band will hold them all together.

She should have a big bag to carry everything in.... give her a bag with a handle please

 

To tell the truth, I was not complete enough.

 

Besides the four folders, we had a fifth...

 

This had the balance of everything not in the four... so for evidence, we only had a few dozen emails, correspondendences, etc.. separated by 'early, mid, late' periods... In the fifth folder, really another small bag, was ALL the emails, etc...

 

---

I'm not knocking an accordian approach... I think that they might be too small as the main folder... but use what works.

Edited February 21, 2007 by DavidZixuan (see edit history)

[aclassic]

Understood! I have already prepared the letter. I guess I have to struggle with as you say the letter vs the spirit of what is required

Geez! I just want to get married. I'm not apply for the FBI or CIA.

I pulled the link and read the "Letter to K1/K2 Applicants". It states the following: "Submit these items during the interview"

"If you were married previously, please bring in documents containing the following information for your interview; your ex spouse's name, date of birth, social security number (if applicable), last know address and telephone number"

 

The letter is addressed to the applicant and not the petioner. The above statement refers to the applicant and not requesting that the petioner provide social security numbers, etc. That is how I read it. I'll give my SO the letter but that is my interpretation. What can I say.

Two things we alway have to juggle:

1) Letter of the law (what they say they will ask for)

2) Spirit of the law (what they actually ask for)

 

The fact is, the VOs are asking for the petitioner "ex" in many cases. We know this and it's best not to push it off as 'not on the consulate form'...

 

I'm not saying your doing that.. I just showing that we have to be careful how we might be too strict to the 'letter of the law' when the spirit of GUZ is flying overhead... based on the droppings of member's shoulders, we learn alot about what GUZ just had for lunch.

[david_dawei]

Understood! I have already prepared the letter. I guess I have to struggle with as you say the letter vs the spirit of what is required

Geez! I just want to get married. I'm not apply for the FBI or CIA.

with any luck, your SO will get to the interview as mine did.. fully prepared and organized, confident to pull out any request..

 

and then leave the interview very angry as mine did... that the VO didn't ask for more, but just gave the visa

[aclassic]

Understood! I have already prepared the letter. I guess I have to struggle with as you say the letter vs the spirit of what is required

Geez! I just want to get married. I'm not apply for the FBI or CIA.

with any luck, your SO will get to the interview as mine did.. fully prepared and organized, confident to pull out any request..

 

and then leave the interview very angry as mine did... that the VO didn't ask for more, but just gave the visa

 

One can only hope. Thanks!

[ericeblack]

In my P4 it mentions something about writing the names of all the people in the photographs. Is this really necessary if my wife can easily explain who the people in the pictures and and what their relationship is to us? We have an awful lot of pictures with an awful lot of people, it can turn into a huge project.

[jim_julian]

Eric ... what I did was copy, paste, resize the photos into Microsoft Word. Then I typed captions for each under the picture ... easy to do.

 

The result was printed, using a color laser printer, on plain paper. Looked very good, not too much trouble.

[david_dawei]

In my P4 it mentions something about writing the names of all the people in the photographs. Is this really necessary if my wife can easily explain who the people in the pictures and and what their relationship is to us? We have an awful lot of pictures with an awful lot of people, it can turn into a huge project.

If you or someone can scan the CR1 P4 doc, then we can put one on the Form area...

 

I'm not aware of this as a requirement.

[david_dawei]

I was thinking that 4 different folders would be hard to handle, and what if she got flustered and dropped them, etc. I guess a big rubber band will hold them all together.

Another clarification:

When I say folders, I do not mean those that are open and anything will slip out...

 

We used large plastic (see-through) folder with a string/wheel securing method.

 

By being see-through, you can put a piece of paper on one side with the contents listed for reference or any notes.

 

Being see-through, you can put pictures on top of that folder (best one on top!), so that when placed on the counter top (if there's room), the picture can be seen.

 

But your concern is noted... one should do what works for best the SO, not just what appears most organized to us.

[Guest Duke]

In my P4 it mentions something about writing the names of all the people in the photographs. Is this really necessary if my wife can easily explain who the people in the pictures and and what their relationship is to us? We have an awful lot of pictures with an awful lot of people, it can turn into a huge project.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by "mentions something about". Perhaps it's nothing more than a suggested option.

 

Even though you have many photographs, I think you would be smart to select no more than 20 or 30 key photos, spread over the life of your relationship to readily show at the interview. Writing names, dates and places on those won't be a big project. They are unlikely to look at even that many. If you want to have her carry in an additional big photo album mostly for show, that's up to you but I wouldn't expect them to actually look at very many pictures in the decision making process.

Edited February 21, 2007 by Duke (see edit history)

[SinoTexas]

Well, I was trying to explain the four folder concept to my fiancee and she understood that part. Then I said that I would organize each folder with the appropriate forms and label them. At that point, she asked that if she could not locate something in the folder that the VO is asking for, could she call me to tell her where I put it. I told her, I didn't think they would allow cells phones at the interview so I wouldn't be of any help. Now I have suggested that I just send her all the papers and information and let her assemble the information herself into the four folders. I know she'll be nervous and trying to find something that she didn't put together might just add more pressure, even if she reviewed my folder a hundred times. I'll just let her assemble the folders and hopefully, she'll know where everything is, if it's asked for. Any thoughts? Unfortunately, I will not be at the interview

 

As aye,

 

Jim

[david_dawei]

Well, I was trying to explain the four folder concept to my fiancee and she understood that part. Then I said that I would organize each folder with the appropriate forms and label them. At that point, she asked that if she could not locate something in the folder that the VO is asking for, could she call me to tell her where I put it. I told her, I didn't think they would allow cells phones at the interview so I wouldn't be of any help. Now I have suggested that I just send her all the papers and information and let her assemble the information herself into the four folders. I know she'll be nervous and trying to find something that she didn't put together might just add more pressure, even if she reviewed my folder a hundred times. I'll just let her assemble the folders and hopefully, she'll know where everything is, if it's asked for. Any thoughts? Unfortunately, I will not be at the interview

 

As aye,

 

Jim

sounds like a good plan.. sometimes, building something yourself leaves a visual impression as to just where it is (and no one else to blame). And she can write notes on each folder as she desires or not... if she's happy, then I'm guessing you'll be happy.

[aclassic]

I plan to assemble as much as possible befoe I meet with my SO. I figure we can go over everything together before her interview. I'm just waiting for her to let me know when she receives her P4 and the interview date so that I can make my reservations.

 

Well, I was trying to explain the four folder concept to my fiancee and she understood that part. Then I said that I would organize each folder with the appropriate forms and label them. At that point, she asked that if she could not locate something in the folder that the VO is asking for, could she call me to tell her where I put it. I told her, I didn't think they would allow cells phones at the interview so I wouldn't be of any help. Now I have suggested that I just send her all the papers and information and let her assemble the information herself into the four folders. I know she'll be nervous and trying to find something that she didn't put together might just add more pressure, even if she reviewed my folder a hundred times. I'll just let her assemble the folders and hopefully, she'll know where everything is, if it's asked for. Any thoughts? Unfortunately, I will not be at the interview

 

As aye,

 

Jim