Reminder for the noobs with upcoming interviews

[egolessvegan]

I think every situation is different.

B)

[Mengxin]

I really dont think its necessary to travel given you have made adequate preparation and you have a VHS tape made and extra evidence in the stash in the event the dreaded blue slip comes.  The fact that Jade speaks very good English, that we rehearsed the interview about 1000 times, and that I went through the forms with a fine tooth comb, I was very confident that our interview would be a sucess.  Worst case in my mind - she gets a blue slip - turn in the VHS and additional evidence the next day - get the visa a few days later.

 

I stressed to her that the blue slip is not a failure, just a request for more evidence.  I booked her flight a week and a half after interview date to accomodate this possible scenario.

 

To each their own though - If you or you SO feel it is necessary and you have the $$, then by all means do it.

 

 

Jeff

Jeff, I agree with you, your posts in the string are right on. Carl got burned, I remeber the day I read that post. I was shocked.

 

from Carl's point of view, he's just telling everyone "Hey guys don't get burned like I did." But on the other hand it isn't manditory to go with her for the interview. If attendance and Video tape are manditory, I think it should be formally documented somewhere that it is a requirement, but it's not.

 

Whether attending her interview or not, attendance should not be a question of how much anyone loves their wife or fiancee. It seems unjustified that anyone would think that. The "perception" however seems that way.

 

What happend to Carl is a shame. I can see both sides. The expectations for approval should be made more clearly ahead of time so incidences like this don't continue to repeat.

 

Great topic. When I think about 2 things I've read... first one being Carls story and the other is the "2 out of 10 visa's approved". That's enough to get anyone of us stressed out. Like we haven't extended ourselves enough already, we have to go the extra mile one last time. Geez...

 

"somebody throw me a bone here..."

 

There is definately room for heated debate here, way to keep it cool guys.

[Martytb]

So, have there been any reported situations where the sponsor was present, and the petitioner was "Blue Slipped"?

 

I am surprised nobody asked this question earlier.

[warpedbored]

You all are killing me with this talk of needing to be there for the interview.  I'm stressed enough, think you, about the whole thing and as luck would have it the interview is at a time that makes it impossible for me to be there.  I'm fighting that whole space time continuum thing that makes it impossible to be two places at the same time.

It's not the money, it's the job.  I used up the last of my vacation time on a trip to China at the end of September, thinking that the interview wouldn't be scheduled until after the first of the year.  GZ has a way of tripping us up just when we think we got them figured out.  Interview got set for Dec 20th.  We are hoping for the best but I'm prepared to go to China if the worst happens.  It will just have to be after the first of the year. I'm relatively new to CFL and had no idea about the whole video tape thing until after I got back form my last trip and came across this website which I'm thinkful for.  It's been a great comfort and help. Like I said I'm just hoping for the best.  Wish us luck.

I'm not trying to throw everyone into a panic or stir up trouble in an arguement. I am simply trying to give my best advise based on my own experience. The days leading up to her interview when I would talk to Bing on the phone I could tell she was afraid and would liked to have had me there. I tried my best to reassure her that everything would be alright. When she called me after the interview to tell me she was denied she was sobbing. This memory haunts me and I have kicked myself a thousand times for not being there when she needed me. This is a very stressful time for your SO as well as yourself and they often need your support. That alone in my mind is good enough reason to be there if at all possible. Nobody is suggesting that you quit your job in order to be there. If you aren't going because you want to save that money for a down payment on a new car or that new furniture set I would have to say the money would be better spent being there.

[jjbucko]

Carl, your advise is sound and is appreciated. Sorry if it came across as complaining on my part. I agree with you. It's just killing my that I can't take the advise and be there on the 20th. I'll be at the get together on 12/19 though look for moral support.

[sylinchinastill]

If you can't go you can't- then you don't have an option. But I am with Carl and if you can go you should go. If you can't afford it or get off- fine. But I think there will be plenty of trips, like honeymoons you can take in your life- we didn't have a honeymoon and that is fine- when I get out of school and our business really starts to roll out some dough we will go on a trip. I'm not saying that if you absolutely can't go you should feel bad. But if you can go you should. Hengli is the type of guy who looses everything and I think if I wasn't there he would have been really stressed. I think many girls and women just need the comfort- and 20 years from now- which will you remember, the Caribbean Cruise or the interview? I think even if your fiance (or fiancee) thinks they will be okay without you- when they are there- they will feel the sting of not having you. But don't beat yourself up over it if you can't go.

[MoonCarolCafe]

So, have there been any reported situations where the sponsor was present, and the petitioner was "Blue Slipped"?

I sent my wife in with my passport, an expandable folder full of relationship related documentation, my drivers license (which they kept), credit cards in both our names, my checkbook with both our names on the checks... and a pony.

 

I was there, waiting outside the consulate, and we did not get the coveted white slip.

 

I was there, we gave them everything they asked for... and my wife was still sent away without a white slip.

 

Being present does not guarantee that you will get a white slip.

Being absent does not guarantee you will get a blue slip.

 

Being on site for the interview guarantees you won't regret not going if your presence is needed. On the other hand, if you still get sent away empty handed, you are looking at paying for 2 trips where you had originally only planned 1.

 

I wish it were as easy as saying "Stand outside the consulate today and you'll fly back to the USA with your S.O. tomorrow", but then all those who engage in visa fraud (may they fall feet-first into a wood chipper) would know exactly what it takes to game the system.

[tywy_99]

I was just glad I was there. My wife got a blue slip, I could tell the instant I saw her walk out that something was wrong and with the lawyer's sharks all hanging around. Moon is right, should you get a blue slip, hide it before you come out into the public.

With me being there, I cleared the matter up that day. Two days later, she got her visa. If I wasn't there, my wife would have been lost and no telling what would've happend as far as getting the visa. Instead of a couple of days, it might have took a couple of weeks or more and another trip to GZ for my wife.

[oregonknl]

I like Don's advice that this isn't where you second guess or pass judgement about someones "values" ... after all we just re-elected the "Values" president, so we have that base covered! Again..

 

No one is better than the other (or loves their SO more) because they make the interview --- or not.

 

As I said earlier, I really was going to pass on the whole interview process, based on Fei's knowledge of English and my prep work on the original application...

 

But this is where the Candle has become very useful to me ---- over the months that I have been a member I have just read too many personal accounts that have indicated that this process is more like a "Beauty Contest" than anything rational, or objective...

 

... we have recently learned that one applicant actually saw the white slip BEFORE the interview began.... Which is powerful evidence that you are being judged nearly 100% based on the original submission of application materials, wayyyy back when...

 

Either they LIKE you ..... or they don't ....... This is nothing like the adoption process, since the element of fraud is far more remote -- ( the Amercan parent background checks are substantial).

 

But two points: 1. Given the capricious nature of the blue slips ---- don't EVER think you have all your bases covered, no matter how well you are prepared. 2. By Chinese standards, Fei is very "hip" to American culture, but if she were to draw a blue slip, I can't imagine that she could respond accurately, 100% of the time --- (and accuracy is EVERYTHING in response to a blue slip!) --- to a request by American Federal bureacratic culture...

[MarkLuvsShuPing]

Kim, You weren't trying to get political there in your opening remark were you? Just checking.

 

Excepting your first remark, , I agree with you, nothing about this process has any rhyme or reason to it, at least from our point of view. There is never a sure bet white slip and the blue one always looms large.

 

Still, it's everyone's choice about being there or not. It's a decision we all have to weigh heavily.

[oregonknl]

RMark~!

 

Me ?

 

I'm SHOCKED! Political ~?

 

I........ NEVER ~!!!

[Guest Gene]

I agree with you, nothing about this process has any rhyme or reason to it, at least from our point of view.  There is never a sure bet white slip and the blue one always looms large.

Mark are you saying there is no such thing as a "Slam Dunk" ??? Sorry couldn't help myself

[warpedbored]

Carl, your advise is sound and is appreciated.  Sorry if it came across as complaining on my part.  I agree with you. It's just killing my that I can't take the advise and be there on the 20th.  I'll be at the get together on 12/19 though look for moral support.

Moral support my friend is something you will find in abundance on CFL. We will be pulling for you.

[Martytb]

So, have there been any reported situations where the sponsor was present, and the petitioner was "Blue Slipped"?

I sent my wife in with my passport, an expandable folder full of relationship related documentation, my drivers license (which they kept), credit cards in both our names, my checkbook with both our names on the checks... and a pony.

 

I was there, waiting outside the consulate, and we did not get the coveted white slip.

 

I was there, we gave them everything they asked for... and my wife was still sent away without a white slip.

 

Being present does not guarantee that you will get a white slip.

Being absent does not guarantee you will get a blue slip.

 

Being on site for the interview guarantees you won't regret not going if your presence is needed. On the other hand, if you still get sent away empty handed, you are looking at paying for 2 trips where you had originally only planned 1.

 

I wish it were as easy as saying "Stand outside the consulate today and you'll fly back to the USA with your S.O. tomorrow", but then all those who engage in visa fraud (may they fall feet-first into a wood chipper) would know exactly what it takes to game the system.

Did they keep the pony?

[Robert S.]

Carl, your advise is sound and is appreciated.  Sorry if it came across as complaining on my part.  I agree with you. It's just killing my that I can't take the advise and be there on the 20th.  I'll be at the get together on 12/19 though look for moral support.

As radical as this suggestion may be, you might want to think about asking them to postpone the interview until after the first of the year.

 

Check this out, I will tell a horror story. Way back when my wife was to go for her interview I did not know that she was supposed to take her daughter with her, I thought the daughter's K4 was just like riding along with the mother's K3 and the daughter did not need to be there for the interview, and I did not know where to find out the answer to this question. Not only that, but our translator young lady who had been helping Ping with all the immigration paperwork, well she was unavailable so I told Ping to just go alone. The first thing they asked her was where was her daughter. They gave her another inteview date and told her to come back. Well, that date was too early for me to have the money to buy her and the girl their plane tickets so I had to call GZ and ask for a later date, which they arranged for me over the phone. Later mother and daughter went back to GZ and got their visas. The daughter was asked one question "Do you want to go to America?"

 

So don't be afraid to ask for a later interview date if it would be helpful to you. This scheduling thing is not a problem. If you are worried about the interview itself then that is the major problem to be taken care of.

 

Good luck to you with your case.