denial because of language barrier

[andersensr68]

I was reading another persons post and his wife or fiancee was denied at her interview because she could not speak english. I am worried now for the same reason. Yulan and I have to use a translator to communicate and we are working on her English skills but I am worried that she to will get denied because she can not speak English fluently. We have not received our NOA2 so what should we do to prepare her for the interview.

[david_dawei]

I would venture to say that many to most cannot speak english fluently... and a good many of our ladies could not speak a word of english.

 

English on it's own is rarely ever an issue... you have to really dissect the interview and relationship as presented to the VO to try and figure out their decision. Often, language is the excuse for something else since language is an easy target but not the bulleye they are shooting for...

 

Build up relationship evidence the best you can... and prepare her as you can... then the final act rests with your lady at the interview.

[The Jeff]

Lots of kissing pictures of eachother? Email and chat logs? Financial support evidence? Large family reunion-type photos of you and your fiance, maybe even bring other members of your own family from the US for a visit? A very nice (noticable, not obvious) engangement ring? These kind of things should sufice.

[warpedbored]

a few years ago blue slips for communication issues were pretty common. Not so much anymore but it still happens. Many people make a video showing how they communicate just in case it is an issue. There is no requirement that your sweet heart speaks english. A visa officer can suspect validity of you your relationship if they think you can't communicate.

[Vanessa S.]

I would think that you guys using a translator is a bit on the negative points side, even with pictures and other kinds of evidence. in all honesty I think you should get her working on english as often as she can! Also drill her on the basic questions the VO would ask and when she does pass you guys can return to the US with her able to speak english (or some english), since im sure you cant have a translator around 24/7!

 

good luck!

[LeeFisher3]

I would think that you guys using a translator is a bit on the negative points side, even with pictures and other kinds of evidence. in all honesty I think you should get her working on english as often as she can! Also drill her on the basic questions the VO would ask and when she does pass you guys can return to the US with her able to speak english (or some english), since im sure you cant have a translator around 24/7!

 

good luck!

Sure you can have a translator with you 24/7, we still do and sometimes it gets crowded in bed.

 

Like many though, it's a pocket translator.

[Vanessa S.]

I would think that you guys using a translator is a bit on the negative points side, even with pictures and other kinds of evidence. in all honesty I think you should get her working on english as often as she can! Also drill her on the basic questions the VO would ask and when she does pass you guys can return to the US with her able to speak english (or some english), since im sure you cant have a translator around 24/7!

 

good luck!

Sure you can have a translator with you 24/7, we still do and sometimes it gets crowded in bed.

 

Like many though, it's a pocket translator.

 

ahahaha well the poket translator is ok...but a live one...hahaha not so much! lol

[jim_julian]

Make sure she has enough English and is rehearsed to open the interview in English. She can always fall back on, "I can do the interview in English but if questions are complex I might have better understanding and may give more detailed answers in Mandarin" (or whatever).

 

Others will point out that many have passed the interview in 100% Chinese but, in my opinion, impressions count for a lot and starting the interview in English will make the right impression.

[chilton747]

I've got one for ya, a member here was white slipped, the denial was sent back stateside to the CIS, then the petitioner got the NOID letter stating the reason(s) for the denial. First on the list was "no common form of communication." When sending in his appeal, he noted that his fiancee had been a English teacher in China for the last 20 years and of course the petitioner was born and bred in the USA. Also, the interview was conducted in English! Of course his appeal was successful but it took a couple of years from their lives of being together.

 

Now try and go figure what this was all about. I can tell you what this IS about but it will surely get me banned from CFL!

 

As long as you and your fiancee feel you can communicate well and you do so whether it is by phone, email chat, or what have you, then try not and worry about this too much as GZ has all the control.

Edited March 30, 2008 by chilton747 (see edit history)

[georgeandli]

Right on Bro. Chilton! Preach to the choir. No rhyme or reason.

[Guest HAMPSTERW]

I've got one for ya, a member here was white slipped, the denial was sent back stateside to the CIS, then the petitioner got the NOID letter stating the reason(s) for the denial. First on the list was "no common form of communication." When sending in his appeal, he noted that his fiancee had been a English teacher in China for the last 20 years and of course the petitioner was born and bred in the USA. Also, the interview was conducted in English! Of course his appeal was successful but it took a couple of years from their lives of being together.

 

Now try and go figure what this was all about. I can tell you what this IS about but it will surely get me banned from CFL!

 

As long as you and your fiancee feel you can communicate well and you do so whether it is by phone, email chat, or what have you, then try not and worry about this too much as GZ has all the control.

I agree (even though I don't know jack Sh_t) If you and your SO can communicate then it "is what it is," I see no reason for anyone to question it, his or her English will improve over time. I am sure that we would all like a SO that was fluent in English, but that is just not the case, it is very hard for our SO's to learn English while they are still in China as that is not a spoken language. Going to English class once a week pales to comparison to being emerced in it, I would take the same stand if the shoe was on the other foot and I was the one learning Chinese here and I was subjected to the same scrutiny.

 

Right on Bro. Chilton! Preach to the choir. No rhyme or reason.

[chilton747]

I've got one for ya, a member here was white slipped, the denial was sent back stateside to the CIS, then the petitioner got the NOID letter stating the reason(s) for the denial. First on the list was "no common form of communication." When sending in his appeal, he noted that his fiancee had been a English teacher in China for the last 20 years and of course the petitioner was born and bred in the USA. Also, the interview was conducted in English! Of course his appeal was successful but it took a couple of years from their lives of being together.

 

Now try and go figure what this was all about. I can tell you what this IS about but it will surely get me banned from CFL!

 

As long as you and your fiancee feel you can communicate well and you do so whether it is by phone, email chat, or what have you, then try not and worry about this too much as GZ has all the control.

I agree (even though I don't know jack Sh_t) If you and your SO can communicate then it "is what it is," I see no reason for anyone to question it, his or her English will improve over time. I am sure that we would all like a SO that was fluent in English, but that is just not the case, it is very hard for our SO's to learn English while they are still in China as that is not a spoken language. Going to English class once a week pales to comparison to being emerced in it, I would take the same stand if the shoe was on the other foot and I was the one learning Chinese here and I was subjected to the same scrutiny.

 

Right on Bro. Chilton! Preach to the choir. No rhyme or reason.

 

Bottom line, I feel is is no business of GZs how we communicate with our loved ones! This is such a gray area and there is NO WAY that they could ever understand!!!

[Guest HAMPSTERW]

I've got one for ya, a member here was white slipped, the denial was sent back stateside to the CIS, then the petitioner got the NOID letter stating the reason(s) for the denial. First on the list was "no common form of communication." When sending in his appeal, he noted that his fiancee had been a English teacher in China for the last 20 years and of course the petitioner was born and bred in the USA. Also, the interview was conducted in English! Of course his appeal was successful but it took a couple of years from their lives of being together.

 

Now try and go figure what this was all about. I can tell you what this IS about but it will surely get me banned from CFL!

 

As long as you and your fiancee feel you can communicate well and you do so whether it is by phone, email chat, or what have you, then try not and worry about this too much as GZ has all the control.

I agree (even though I don't know jack Sh_t) If you and your SO can communicate then it "is what it is," I see no reason for anyone to question it, his or her English will improve over time. I am sure that we would all like a SO that was fluent in English, but that is just not the case, it is very hard for our SO's to learn English while they are still in China as that is not a spoken language. Going to English class once a week pales to comparison to being emerced in it, I would take the same stand if the shoe was on the other foot and I was the one learning Chinese here and I was subjected to the same scrutiny.

 

Right on Bro. Chilton! Preach to the choir. No rhyme or reason.

 

Bottom line, I feel is is no business of GZs how we communicate with our loved ones! This is such a gray area and there is NO WAY that they could ever understand!!!

This is true, we can only "deal with it" if you will, grey area, man, no doubt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[heyjimi]

Make sure she has enough English and is rehearsed to open the interview in English. She can always fall back on, "I can do the interview in English but if questions are complex I might have better understanding and may give more detailed answers in Mandarin" (or whatever).

 

Others will point out that many have passed the interview in 100% Chinese but, in my opinion, impressions count for a lot and starting the interview in English will make the right impression.

 

 

Geez,This post has got me worried.I mean,I sent my wife to english school,which frustrated her,because they were teaching more about grammar instead of basic english,so now her and i teach each other on yahoo chat,webcam and yahoo voice.She is actually picking it up very well now.But at the interview"opening the interview in english"what should she rehearse and what should she say in english?Wont this give them the impression she can speak english well and start asking her questions in english,and she will probably not be able to answer many of the questions in english.i mean we have to be realistic,she will have to answer most questions in Chinese.Yes?

 

jimi

[shyaushu]

My then wife got a visa (12/06) despite her not speaking a word of English. She is a very charming and self-confident woman (and, unfortunately, a green card chasing scam artist) and our communication was never an issue. Self-confidence and attitude during the interview do have an impact on the decision, I am sure.

 

Also, I was struck by your comment ". . . we are working on her English skills . . ." Yes, I know Chinese is a very challenging language, but my feelings, at least, are that "communication", by its very nature, is a two-way street. "Talking" and "communication" are not the same.

 

I happen to be "good" at learning languages, and my current wife and I speak only Mandarin together (I am learning a lot of Chongqing-hua, too!). I know she will get to learn English when we are together in the US, and learning it here is so hard (i.e., it is so easy to fall back on Chinese). But our communication is excellent because my Mandarin is pretty good, and she is a patient teacher and tone-forgiving person.

 

My point is perhaps your trying to also learn Mandarin might count big in the "communication" department. You don't have to be fluent or even "good"; just a sincere effort may pay off big time, both in the interview and in your lives later on. She is making a huge effort and perhaps you would do well to do the same.

 

I await the tirade of disagreeing members!

 

 

 

 

I was reading another persons post and his wife or fiancee was denied at her interview because she could not speak english. I am worried now for the same reason. Yulan and I have to use a translator to communicate and we are working on her English skills but I am worried that she to will get denied because she can not speak English fluently. We have not received our NOA2 so what should we do to prepare her for the interview.