What is the fiance visa interview?
As part of the complicated fiance visa process, the alien fiance has to attend an interview at a US Consulate or Embassy so that the consular officer can determine whether the relationship between the foreign national and the US citizen is genuine, and whether the foreign national is inadmissible to the United States on any grounds. As long as you satisfy the fiance visa interview requirements, bring all the fiance visa interview required documents with you to the interview, and answer all the fiance visa interview questions, you should have a smooth fiance visa USA experience.
Why is the fiance visa interview necessary?
In order to reduce the chances of immigration fraud being committed, the United States government has to verify that you and your fiance are in a genuine, loving relationship, and that you will not become a threat to public health and safety, or a public charge. For these purposes, you will have to attend a relatively quick interview that will allow a consular officer to determine the validity of your relationship and your admissibility to the United States. The fiance visa interview questions are aimed at verifying that you are not trying to commit visa fraud.
Who should attend the fiance visa interview?
The foreign national fiance will attend the fiance visa interview at a US Consulate or Embassy in his/her country of origin. The US citizen petitioner does not have to attend the fiance visa interview as per the fiance visa interview requirements, but if the consular officer suspects fraud, the US citizen might have to attend a separate interview in the United States.
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Fiance visa interview requirements
Below is a condensed checklist of all the fiance visa interview requirements:
· Bring your nonimmigrant fiance visa fee
· Bring all the fiance visa interview required documents
· Be ready to answer all the fiance visa interview questions
· Show up on time for your fiance visa interview and be honest
As long as you comply with the fiance visa interview requirements, your fiance visa USA experience should be quick, smooth, and uncomplicated.
How to prepare for the fiance visa interview?
The fiance visa interview process is relatively quick and simple. You will not be asked any complicated or convoluted fiance visa interview questions, and you won’t have to study in advance, or do any complex preparation. That being said, there are three things that will help you feel more relaxed and prepared throughout your interview and throughout the whole fiance visa USA experience:
· Prep yourself on frequently asked fiance visa interview questions: in this article, we have compiled a sample list of the various fiance visa interview questions you might be asked during your fiance visa interview. These are not the exact questions you will be asked, but they can give you a general feel of the type of interview this will be. Additionally, the interviewing consular officer will ask you details about your relationship and your fiancé. Make sure to brush up on the timeline and details of your relationship, and to find out whether there is something about your partner that you don’t know yet.
· Gather all the fiance visa interview required documents: it is one of the fiance visa interview requirements to bring all the necessary paperwork to complete the fiance visa interview process. You will have to file Form DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application in order to be scheduled for a fiance visa interview at a US Consulate or Embassy in your country of origin. This form comes with certain supporting documents that you will have to submit at the time of your interview. For your convenience, we have compiled a list of these documents for a fiance visa USA. Be sure to bring all of the fiance visa interview required documents with you to your fiance visa interview, and to have them neat and in order.
· Review your I-129F petition: the first step of the fiance visa process is the filing of Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiance, which your US citizen partner will have filed with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in advance. This form establishes the validity of your relationship. Review the form with all of its supporting documents to ensure that you will not provide contradictory information to your interviewing consular officer.
What does the fiance visa interview assess?
The fiance visa interview tries to assess several factors that help the interviewing officer decide whether to approve or decline your fiance visa application. Because visa fraud, and marriage fraud in particular, is so common, this is a necessary precaution and the biggest hurdle you have to overcome in your fiance visa USA experience. The interviewing officer will want to test the following during the fiance visa interview process:
· Your knowledge about the US citizen fiancé: the consular officer will want to ensure that you can demonstrate sufficient knowledge about your fiancé. You do not need to worry about this. The fiance visa interview questions you will be asked regarding your partner will be the kind of questions that any two people in a committed relationship should be able to answer about each other.
· Your genuine interest in the marriage: the officer will want to verify that you are genuinely interested in marrying your fiance and that you are not simply getting married to circumvent the immigration laws of the United States.
· Whether you are inadmissible to the United States on any grounds: if you are healthy, you have not committed any crimes, and your fiance meets the fiance visa income requirement, you should not worry about any questions that try to assess your inadmissibility.
The fiance visa interview questions
To help you get a feel of the kind of questions you will be asked at your fiance visa interview, we have compiled a sample list of fiance visa interview questions you can use to prepare yourself. There is no predetermined list of questions that the consular officer can use. You may be asked some of the fiance visa interview questions below, or you may be asked totally different questions. This list is simply to prepare you for the nature of the questions you will potentially have to answer. Being acquainted with these fiance visa interview questions will help you feel more relaxed during the entire fiance visa USA experience.
Fiance visa interview questions about you
Your interviewing officer will ask you a variety of questions regarding your background and your previous trips to the United States, if any. The main objective behind these questions will be to verify your identity, and to identify whether or not you are inadmissible to the United States on any grounds. Below is a sample list of the fiance visa interview questions you may be asked about yourself:
· What is your name?
· When/where were you born?
· What is your nationality?
· How old are you?
· Have you ever been to the U.S.? If yes, on what visa? How long and where did you stay in the U.S. on that trip? Did you overstay your visa?
· Do you have any family members currently in the U.S.? If you do, where are they?
· Have you been sponsored for the K-1 fiance visa before? What happened?
· Have you been married before? What happened?
· Do you have any children? How old are they? Are they applying for a K-2 visa? Will they live with you when you get married? How will you incorporate them into your new family?
· Do you currently work?
· Do you plan on working when you go to the US? Do you have a job offer lined up?
· Have you had a K-1 fiance visa before? If so, when?
· Have you ever been arrested? If so, for what?
· When do you plan on entering the US?
· Do you know what you need to do after being approved for a K-1 fiance visa?
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Schedule a consultationFiance visa interview questions about your US citizen fiance
The interviewing officer will want to make sure that your relationship is genuine. For this purpose, you will be asked some questions regarding your fiance that anyone in a real relationship should be able to answer. Below is a sample list of the fiance visa interview questions you may be asked about your fiance :
· What is your fiance ’s full name/age/date of birth?
· Where was your fiance born?
· What is the color of your fiance’s eyes?
· Where does your fiance live? Do they live in an apartment, or do they live in a house? Do they own the place or do they rent it? How long have they lived there? Where did they live before that?
· Where do your fiance’s parents live?
· What is your fiance’s job? What is their salary?
· Does your fiance have any pets?
· Have you met your fiance’s parents? If you haven’t, why not?
· Does your fiance have any siblings? What are their names, and have you already met them before? If you haven’t, why not?
· Has your fiance ever been in a previous marriage before? What happened in their relationship? Was the marriage annulled? What is your fiance’s ex-spouse’s name?
· What do you love most about your fiancé?
· What languages does your fiance speak?
· Does your fiance have any other children? If they do, do you know their name and age? Have you met them before? Will they live with you when you get married? How will you incorporate them into your new family?
· What kind of food does your fiance like/dislike?
· Has your fiance ever been arrested?
· What is your fiance ’s phone number/email address?
· Does your fiance have some favorite hobbies or interests?
· Did your fiance go to college? Where? What is their degree in?
Fiance visa interview questions about your relationship
These fiance visa interview questions will further help the interviewing officer in determining the validity of your relationship. Below is a sample list of the fiance visa interview questions you may be asked about the timeline and details of the relationship:
· When did the two of you meet? Describe how you met and how you both fell in love.
· How long have you two been dating before you decided to get engaged?
· How many times have the two of you met in person? On what occasion? What did you do together?
· How do you maintain communication during a long-distance relationship? Is it difficult for you to be apart from each other?
· When/where/how did your fiance propose to you?
· How have you kept in touch with your fiance (by chat/phone/email)?
· In what language do you and your fiance communicate?
· How and when did you or your fiance propose?
· Has your fiance ever visited you in your country? Have you visited your fiance in the U.S.?
· Do you know any of your fiancé’s friends?
· What is your religion & your fiancé’s religion? How do you plan on addressing your religious differences?
Fiance visa interview questions about your wedding
Since you have 90 days to get married once you enter the United States, the consular officer will be interested to see whether you have any concrete plans in place. Below is a sample list of the fiance visa interview questions you may be asked about your wedding:
· When and where are you getting married?
· What day of the week is the wedding?
· What are your wedding plans?
· Where will the wedding be? How many guests will be invited?
· Will your family be able to attend? What if they cannot go to the U.S. for the wedding?
· Why aren’t you getting married in your home country?
· Where is your honeymoon going to be?
· Where will you and your fiance live after the wedding?
Fiance green card interview (questions)
If you are searching for “fiance green card interview questions”, please note that there is no such thing as a “fiance green card.” The K-1 fiance visa is a type of nonimmigrant visa that allows you to travel to the United States to marry your US citizen partner. It does not entitle you to any immigration benefits. You can acquire a green card through your marriage to your US citizen fiance but a fiance visa in itself does not lead to a green card.
A checklist of the fiance visa interview required documents
Below you can find an itemized list of the fiance visa interview required documents. Note that some of these are copies, but others are the originals of these documents.
Fiance visa interview required documents from the US citizen petitioner:
· Duly filled in Form I-134, Affidavit of Support
· The US citizen petitioner’s most recent federal tax returns. While only the most recent tax returns are required, it is always a safe bet to provide your tax returns for the past three years. Recent paystubs and Form W-2 may also be submitted as proof of income.
· A copy of the approved I-129F package originally filed with USCIS as proof of the US citizen’s relationship to the foreign fiancé.
Fiance visa interview required documents from the foreign national fiancé:
· Two passport-style photos
· The alien fiancé’s birth certificate
· A copy of the alien fiancé’s valid, unexpired passport
· A police clearance report from any country the fiance has lived in for more than six months since they were 16
· Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination placed inside a sealed envelope.
Along with all the fiance visa interview required documents, you will also have to bring the DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application fee to your interview.
What is the fiance visa USA experience like?
Your fiance visa interview will take place at a US Consulate or Embassy in your home country. Your fiance visa interview will probably involve a several-hour drive, or even an overnight stay if you do not live near where the Consulate or Embassy is located. You will receive your notice several weeks in advance, so you will have sufficient time to make arrangements, if necessary.
The US Consulate or Embassy is a federal building, so you will have to undergo a routine security check, like at an airport. Plan accordingly to not bring any items with you that will not pass a security check.
Your fiance visa interview will take about 15-30 minutes. You might be taken to a separate room, or you might interview at a window in a larger room, depending on the size of the consulate or embassy.
If you are not fluent in English, an interpreter may be present. Your interpreter will have to take an interpreter’s oath, and is required to strictly translate the questions, without providing opinions, answers, or commentary of their own.
Do’s and Don’ts for the fiance visa interview experience
· Be punctual. Your interview notice will indicate a certain time, but be at the US Consulate or Embassy at least 30 minutes earlier.
· Wear appropriate clothing. Dress smart and conservative. Do not wear provocative clothing, or anything overtly political.
· Do not try to memorize precise answers. If you try to have answers memorized, you will most likely forget the wording, and you will come across as ingenuine.
· Be honest. Even if you do not know the answer to a question, do not hesitate to tell the interviewing officer so. It is better to admit you don’t know than it is to lie.
· Be polite and respectful, and speak clearly and articulately.
· Relax and be yourself. You will be answering questions about yourself and your relationship. You know your partner, and you know yourself, so you have nothing to be worried about. If you are relaxed, you will be more confident, and less likely to make a mistake.
What are some fiance visa interview common red flags?
There are some aspects of your relationship with your US citizen fiance that might raise the interviewing officer’s suspicion and that might cause complications with your fiance visa USA. If any of these apply to you, be prepared to answer questions about these aspects of your relationship that will help alleviate the consular officer’s concerns about the validity of your relationship.
· Large age gap between you and your fiancé.
· You and your fiance don’t speak the same language.
· Your relationship is too short: if you file your Form I-129F mere weeks after meeting each other, this will naturally raise suspicion.
· There is insufficient evidence of a bona fide relationship: this will usually not result in an outright denial, and you will probably receive a Request for Evidence (RFE) asking you to provide further documentary proof of the validity of your relationship. Pictures, correspondence, and evidence that you and your fiance have met, as well as a support letter from your friends and family will usually be sufficient proof. The more of these you submit, the better.
· There are disparities in your answers: the answers your US citizen fiance provided in Form I-129F do not match with the answers you provided at your fiance visa interview. To avoid this, make sure to review the petition before the interview.
· Your relationship is a secret: if your family or your fiancé’s family does not know about the relationship, this might alert the interviewing officer to potential fraud.
· The US citizen petitioner has filed marriage-based or fiance visa petitions on behalf of another foreign national, or somebody else has filed a marriage-based or fiance visa petition on behalf of the alien fiancé.
What are the next steps after the fiance visa interview experience?
Once your fiance visa is approved, you can book your ticket to the United States. The K-1 fiance visa is a temporary nonimmigrant visa, which means that it allows you to enter the United States in legal status. It expires in 6 months, meaning that you have 6 months to enter the United States. The fiance visa does not lead to a green card. When you enter the United States, you have 90 days to get married. If you do not get married within this 90-day period, your fiance visa will expire. You have to leave the United States immediately if you do not want to risk being deported.
As soon as you get married, you can file Form I-485, Application for Permanent Residence or Adjustment of Status. On a K-1 fiance visa, you are only eligible to adjust status through a marriage, and you can only marry the US citizen who filed the I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiance on your behalf.
If your fiance visa is denied, your consular officer will likely provide you with the reason. The most common reasons for denial are insufficient proof of a bona fide (genuine) relationship with your US citizen fiancé, fraud, or ineligibility for a fiance visa. You have three options if your visa is denied:
· You can appeal the decision.
· You can reapply for a K-1 fiance visa.
· You can get married and apply for a marriage-based immigrant visa.
Keep in mind that using the services of an experienced family-based immigration attorney can help minimize the chances of your fiance visa being denied.
Our Fiance Visa Services
Are you a US citizen who would like to sponsor your foreign national fiance for a US visa? Are you a foreign national engaged to a US citizen who needs help applying for a K-1 visa? Do you need someone to guide you through the whole fiance visa USA experience? Would you like help in preparing and assembling all of the fiance visa interview required documents? Do you want to make sure you meet all of the fiance visa interview requirements?
Our immigration attorneys can devise a fiance visa and marriage-based green card strategy tailor-made to accommodate the particular needs of your case and prepare your fiance visa petition and subsequent marriage-based green card application in accordance with all the pertinent immigration rules.
To schedule a consultation with one of our immigration attorneys, please click here and click on “Schedule a Consultation.” You can also email us at [email protected], or call us at (212) 220-6652.
During your consultation, our family-based immigration lawyers will provide an honest assessment of your case, and a recommendation about your next steps.
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Schedule a consultationDisclaimer: This blog article is provided by Pandev Law, LLC for general educational and informational purposes only. Although this article discusses general legal issues, it does not constitute legal advice nor does it establish an attorney-client relationship. No reader should act or refrain from acting on the basis of any information presented in this article, or elsewhere on this website, without seeking the advice of appropriate legal counsel, or other professional counsel, licensed in the relevant jurisdiction. Pandev Law, LLC expressly disclaims any and all liability with respect to any actions taken, or not taken, based on any content of this article or website. This blog article may constitute attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
