How to prove your relationship is legitimate
Q: When I recently went to the United States Embassy for an immigrant visa interview, I was told that I must provide more documents proving that my relationship with my spouse is legitimate. I love my wife, and I don’t understand why the consular officer did not believe what I said. What must I do in order to move to the United States?
A: Individuals who are applying for an immigrant or fiance visa because they are married or engaged to a US citizen should come to their visa interviews with materials that demonstrate that they are in a legitimate and ongoing relationship.
Consular officers are tasked with determining whether a relationship is legitimate or solely for immigration purposes. At your visa interview, you should present documentary evidence In order to demonstrate that your relationship is not solely for immigration purposes. Some examples of documentary evidence are photos, emails, letters, phone records, copies of the petitioner’s passport showing recent travel to Jamaica and wire transfer receipts. If you have a child with the petitioner, you should also bring your child’s birth certificate to your interview.
If the consular officer is not convinced that your relationship is legitimate after reviewing the evidence you provide and evidence from the interview, the consular officer will return your immigrant visa petition to the US Citizenship and Immigration Service for further review.
My husband is an American citizen, and I am beginning the process of applying for an immigrant visa so that I can join him in the United States. I am nervous about the process. Can I bring my attorney to my visa interview, since he understands the immigration process better than I do?
At the time of your visa interview, the consular officer will seek to determine whether your relationship with your husband is legitimate. The only way for the officer to make this determination is through an interview directly with you.
Due to space and security concerns, individuals other than the applicant are not permitted to attend an interview. There are only three exceptions to this rule:
* Minors who are applying for a visa should be accompanied by a parent.
* Individuals who require special assistance may be accompanied by an assistant. However, the assistant may not participate in the interview.
* At the consular officer’s request, some individuals may be asked to bring their US citizen spouse or fiance to their interviews.
The US Embassy staff in Kingston will answer questions you may have regarding the US Mission, including consular law, regulations and/or practice. In order to respect privacy, staff will not answer questions about specific visa applications. The embassy employs a visa appointment system, so it is only necessary for visa applicants to arrive 15 minutes before their scheduled appointment.
Send your questions to: editorial@jamaicaobserver.com and we will send them to the embassy.