Steve

Hi all,

Planning early next month to attend Embassy spouse visa interview with my spouse.
Does anyone know if it helps if the USC (me) attends the interview, or does it really
make any difference? We are going to the US Embassy in Tokyo, she is a Chinese
citizen living in Japan for the last six years. Also, any questions we should prepare
for or anything special we should bring?

BTW, here is our application timeline (DCF in Japan):

September 18: applied at Embassy for permission to marry November 19: Married at
Japanese Citizen Hall November 19: Applied for Spouse Visa (I-130, they accepted it,
but I have to send my birth certificate and divorce decree) December 05: Mailed
(EMS!) my documents December 27: Received Packet #2 - Yippe! January 09: Spouse sent
request for Interview February 04: Interview appointment February 05: Fly back to US
with spouse (hopefully!)

Not too bad I think, about three months from application of I-130 to visa, probably
would have been two months if I had not had to send my other forms (which of course
was not on their list of required documents on their instruction sheet).

Thanks, Stev

Onigiri

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At Tokyo, the visa hall is about 10 meter X 4 meter long room, with windows on one of
the longer walls. Everybody gets a number and take their seats in this room. And when
the numbers come up on the large LED display above each of the windows, the
interviewee approaches the window. When your spouse's number comes up, she gets to go
to the interview. You may stay put, but the fact that you are there adds speed to the
proceedings. You can advise your wife to tell the interviewer that her husband is
present, in case they forget to ask if you are. Very often the interview is very
brief when the spouse is present in the room. Usually the USC is not asked to come up
to the window or asked anything.

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