Our BlueSlip Experience

[warpedbored]

Congratulations Ron. I know exactly how you feel. I think most of the VOs behave in a professional manner but there have been a few that abuse their power. My wife also had a rude VO who refused to speak Putonghua in the interview. In our case the interview lasted about 30 seconds. She was denied on the basis of communication as soon as the VO decided her English wasn't good enough. Three years later I have put it behind me but it still makes me angry when I think about it.

Edited May 27, 2007 by warpedbored (see edit history)

[bosco]

Would it be unreasonable to post info about abusive VO's (when the abuse is clear-cut like demanding the interview subject to speak English) in the Guz Speaks forum so the conscientious person(s) reading our questions can perhaps do something at their end????

[warpedbored]

GZ speaks is a question and answer forum. A question could be posed about the procedure for reporting abusive VOs. Go for it Curt.

[lou]

Ron,

Take all the posts here, wrap them up and thats how I feel.

They said it a lot better then I could B)

Good luck from the both of us!

 

Lou and Guichun

[TootTaLu]

What are the rules about taking a small hidden recording device in to the interview,to catch this kind of vermin in the act?

[lou]

What are the rules about taking a small hidden recording device in to the interview,to catch this kind of vermin in the act?

 

I'm thinking slim to none.

[TootTaLu]

What are the rules about taking a small hidden recording device in to the interview,to catch this kind of vermin in the act?

 

I'm thinking slim to none.

There are very small digital recording devices about the same size as a writing pen.

 

Of course I had to turn my camera over to the guard when I entered a US Consulate in Thailand.They are able to scan your body with a hand held metal detector.

 

I can understand an Officer being strict or even cold and unfriendly,maybe they have their "reasons" for refusing to conduct the interview in Chinese language,but barking orders at a person like that is wrong.

You would think some other officer or supervisor would hear this going on and say something about it.

 

You know,sometimes when the police pull you over in your car,they start off being rude just to test you,to see what your are made of,but then they become more friendly after a minute or so.

[notrevorich]

Ron and Ivy,

You are BOTH to be commended for the way you handled the situation. You knew what had to be done and you just did it.

 

The "joker" analogy is very apt, I think. By the luck (or lack thereof) of the draw,Ivy was dealt someone with an obvious chip on his shoulder.

Instead of whining and feeling sorry for yourselves, you both went about doing what you had to do to overcome an obviously unfair and unnecceary blue slip.

 

Even knowing that you eventually got your pink slip, I had a lump in my throat reading your description of what Ivy went through. I can only hope something like that doesn't happen to my SO. No one should have to go through something like that, regardless of whether their case is a slam-dunk or a difficult call.

 

I think you and Ivy are models for how future CFLers can handle themselves if in the same situation. Let's hope that number is a small one.

 

Congratulations to both of you again for not only getting the pink slip, but for doing it with dignity and class.

 

Best regards.

Dave

The VO sounds like the same one that gave my wife a very hard time on her interview .

She speaks excellent English and so does my step duaghter ,

we went through the same worries and anger that anyone who is well prepared feels when they get a blue slip .

You did overcome and get your visa and that is the most important thing .

There have been VO's that were cruel and who got tamed down because of all the negative responses they recieved .The Black pearl is one of them .

You should consider writting to the agency head and filing a complaint about the VO's conduct during the interview - I think that you are on solid ground in regards to his refusal to perform the interview in her native language .

Anyway

We hope that you have a wonderful life together

[RLS]

I thank you all so much for your kind and supportive comments. I would like to address a few of them. Jim says:

 

is it discretionary to the VO conducting the interview or is it within the rights of the petitioner to politely insist on Mandarin?

 

This would be very useful to know.

 

Yes, Jim, I agree. I think the point is here that either they offer the interview in the native language to everyone or not at all. It is not fair for some to have that privlidge and others not.

 

NYTIMES says:

Ron and Ivy,

You are a symbol of strength for all of us

 

Thank you. I did what I had to do. I think the King of Endurance award belongs to Rick (Rlheim) hands down.

 

From Yimi:

Great post, Ron. When is she arriving?

 

Thanks Yimi, As it stands now, June 15th is the big day. I'm still working on airline tickets.

 

Ling Curt:

Would it be unreasonable to post info about abusive VO's (when the abuse is clear-cut like demanding the interview subject to speak English) in the Guz Speaks forum so the conscientious person(s) reading our questions can perhaps do something at their end????

 

I'm wondering how all the Mods feel about this?

 

Threadbare:

What are the rules about taking a small hidden recording device in to the interview,to catch this kind of vermin in the act?

 

Ha ha! You'd never get through security.

 

I appreciate all of your comments. I don't want to make this post too long, but I did want to address a few of them. By the way, Ivy did pick up her visa and is now back in Nanning (sleeping I hope). The trip took a lot out of her. She said it was very hot there. She does not like Guangzhou, especially the food. She says the food in Nanning is much better. I suppose that's a matter for everyone to decide.

I will add that I thought the streets of Nanning were much cleaner than Guangzhou. Also, the people in Nanning seem to be much more hospitable. But it's a smaller town as they say, only 6 million people.

Everybody hang in there; this game is winable.

Edited May 27, 2007 by RLS (see edit history)

[C4Racer]

Congrats on the overcome.

Wonderful write up on Ivy's experience.

This should be helpful for others as they plan.

 

Seems like something should able to be done about abusive VO's.

We had this problem at Portland POE. IO's were very abusive and

done right nasty to visitors or immigrants coming into the US.

Somehow the news got wind of this and Portland POE found

themselves on TV. Things have changed, now they are one of the

nicest POE's I've gone through. Change can happen, we just need

to figure out the best way to handle it. TV news won't help here.

Still you would think there has to be a way.

 

Again, congrats on the overcome.

Welcome Ivy to the US when she gets here.

Enjoy you new life together.

[RLS]

Congrats on the overcome.

Wonderful write up on Ivy's experience.

This should be helpful for others as they plan.

 

Seems like something should able to be done about abusive VO's.

We had this problem at Portland POE. IO's were very abusive and

done right nasty to visitors or immigrants coming into the US.

Somehow the news got wind of this and Portland POE found

themselves on TV. Things have changed, now they are one of the

nicest POE's I've gone through. Change can happen, we just need

to figure out the best way to handle it. TV news won't help here.

Still you would think there has to be a way.

 

Again, congrats on the overcome.

Welcome Ivy to the US when she gets here.

Enjoy you new life together.

 

Thank you Michael. I just hope she arrives safely on June 15th or thereabouts. And yes, there are always those who let power go to their heads and use it. I work for a County government and it happens there as well. Sooner or later, they come falling down.

[SirLancelot]

I thank you all so much for your kind and supportive comments. I would like to address a few of them. Jim says:

 

is it discretionary to the VO conducting the interview or is it within the rights of the petitioner to politely insist on Mandarin?

 

This would be very useful to know.

 

Yes, Jim, I agree. I think the point is here that either they offer the interview in the native language to everyone or not at all. It is not fair for some to have that privlidge and others not.

 

 

This aspect about GUZ does puzzle me. My wife and I prepared fully in English for her interview. We had assumed that since she studied English in college that the VO would surely conduct the interview in English, but were we wrong. We composed and rehearsed all answers in English. Admittedly, my wife's VO was very friend and polite, she spoke Chinese to my wife no matter what. My wife would start to reply to her in English but the VO continued in Chinese so ultimately my wife answered everything in Chinese but she has prepared in English and it was very confusing for my wife to compose replies in Chinese on the fly. It was very disorienting to her. Nevertheless, my wife did end up passing and the interview only lasted less than 5 minutes.

 

It seems to me it really is up to the VO to decided which language to use, not which language the applicant desires.

[RLS]

I thank you all so much for your kind and supportive comments. I would like to address a few of them. Jim says:

 

is it discretionary to the VO conducting the interview or is it within the rights of the petitioner to politely insist on Mandarin?

 

This would be very useful to know.

 

Yes, Jim, I agree. I think the point is here that either they offer the interview in the native language to everyone or not at all. It is not fair for some to have that privlidge and others not.

 

 

This aspect about GUZ does puzzle me. My wife and I prepared fully in English for her interview. We had assumed that since she studied English in college that the VO would surely conduct the interview in English, but were we wrong. We composed and rehearsed all answers in English. Admittedly, my wife's VO was very friend and polite, she spoke Chinese to my wife no matter what. My wife would start to reply to her in English but the VO continued in Chinese so ultimately my wife answered everything in Chinese but she has prepared in English and it was very confusing for my wife to compose replies in Chinese on the fly. It was very disorienting to her. Nevertheless, my wife did end up passing and the interview only lasted less than 5 minutes.

 

It seems to me it really is up to the VO to decided which language to use, not which language the applicant desires.

 

I agree with you Lance, but it seems to me that they should be consistent on this issue and either allow it for all or none. It is not fair to allow some to speak their native language and make others speak English.

[Randy W]

The English language is not a requirement. What is required is that you and your SO be able to communicate. It is strictly at the discretion of the VO whether proof of that is required.

 

By announcing that the interview would be in English, and that Ivy would follow along with everything he said, the VO was in effect, announcing a blue slip. He was within his discretion (by claiming they need to prove an ability to communicate), but basically made it a two-trip process, and put both Ron & Ivy through a lot of agony.

 

As I see it, the problem was basically the arrogance of the VO and his failure to have a cup of coffee prior to the interview.

[chilton747]

The English language is not a requirement. What is required is that you and your SO be able to communicate. It is strictly at the discretion of the VO whether proof of that is required.

 

By announcing that the interview would be in English, and that Ivy would follow along with everything he said, the VO was in effect, announcing a blue slip. He was within his discretion (by claiming they need to prove an ability to communicate), but basically made it a two-trip process, and put both Ron & Ivy through a lot of agony.

 

As I see it, the problem was basically the arrogance of the VO and his failure to have a cup of coffee prior to the interview.

As we well know, being able to communicate does not necessarily mean that the Chinese woman needs to speak very good english. If the VO was trying to prove an ability to communicate then he was going about it the totally wrong way. I say that he was not within his discretion with the means that he chose to use. Perhaps he had wayyyyyyyy too much coffee.........