Fiance Visa Interview
The Fiancé(e) visa process is consistently one of the most confusing immigration paths to take, but it is a great option for couples who wish to be able to be together as soon as possible and want to get married in the US.
Once your I-129F petition is approved by USCIS, your case will be transferred to the National Visa Center and then on to the US embassy or consulate where you will attend your interview. The purpose of the interview is to prove to the officer that your relationship with your fiancé(e) is genuine, and that you’re not getting engaged solely for the benefit of receiving this visa. If your relationship is genuine and you’ve prepared well, it should be relatively easy to have a successful interview.
To prepare, go over sample questions to make sure that you will be confident answering them and go over all of the paperwork you’ve submitted so far. Discuss any questions or concerns with your immigration attorney. Make sure to bring all necessary documents to the interview, including the completed I-129F form, your medical examination, and original copies of civil documents such as your birth certificate and passport. If you have evidence of wedding plans, such as wedding invitation designs or receipts for wedding-related purchases, it can be helpful to print them out and bring them as additional evidence.
You may or may not be able to have your fiancé(e) with you at the interview, depending on the embassy your interview is held at. Check with the embassy, and if your fiancé(e) can attend, it can be comforting to have them there supporting you; it may also be another way to show the strength of your relationship to the officer.
You should dress nicely for the interview. You don’t need to wear a full suit-and-tie or a fancy dress, but nice pants or a skirt and a nice button down shirt or blouse is a good idea.
The officer will ask you basic questions about your place of birth, family, and criminal background, as well as basic questions about your fiancé(e) that will prove how well you know them. Then, they will move on to questions about your relationship, which may include questions such as:
- When did you and your fiancé(e) meet?;
- How did you meet?;
- Where does your fiancé(e) live now? Is that where you will live?;
- When was the last time you saw each other in person?;
- What are your wedding plans?;
- Why do you want to come to the U.S.? (with this question, they are typically trying to determine if people are coming to the U.S. because they are in love and want to get married or if it is more for work/economical reasons);
- When did you and your fiancé(e) decide to get married? Was there a formal proposal and, if so, how did the proposal happen?;
- What kinds of activities do you and your fiancé(e) like to do together?
They will also go over your application with you and ask you the security questions. If you don’t know the answer to a specific question, remember that it is better to be honest rather than lie by making up an answer.
After the interview, it is possible that the officer may approve your visa on the spot, but don’t be concerned if they do not; oftentimes background checks or other administrative processes need to be completed before official approval. The consular officer will take your passport and, if you are approved, return it with the K-1 affixed to the passport via mail. Sometimes, your passport will be accompanied by a sealed envelope of documents. If that is the case, it is very important that you do not open the envelope. Recently, it seems that the consulates are moving more toward uploading the additional travel electronically so CBP can just pull it up when they scan your passport. If your travel documents were issued electronically, your passport will arrive with a letter explaining that.
Depending on your home country, you may have special requirements or extra steps to complete during or before the interview; check with your immigration attorney and your consulate.
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