The place to ask China-related questions!
Beijing Shanghai Guangzhou Shenzhen Chengdu Xi'an Hangzhou Qingdao Dalian Suzhou Nanjing More Cities>>

Categories

Close
Welcome to eChinacities Answers! Please or register if you wish to join conversations or ask questions relating to life in China. For help, click here.
X

Verify email

Your verification code has been sent to:

Didn`t receive your code? Resend code

By continuing you agree to eChinacities's Privacy Policy .

Sign up with Google Sign up with Facebook
Sign up with Email Already have an account? .
anonymous
0
0
You must be a registered user to vote!
You must be a registered user to vote!
0

Q: Does the interpreter for spousal interview need to be Certified?

I am a US citizen.

My wife and I are getting ready for her interview in the US Consulate in Guangzhou for the Spousal Visa. She does not speak any English, so we were told to bring an interpreter.

 

Does the interpreter have to be an official, licensed or certified interpreter, or can a friend with good command of English/Chinese  serve as such?

 

11 years 2 weeks ago in  Visa & Legalities - China

 
Answers (6)
Comments (5)
Posts: 18

Governor

0
0
You must be a registered user to vote!
You must be a registered user to vote!
0

I've researched this before and it's a no, be it for asylum, spousal, etc whatever kind of interview. The US does not provide interpreters, but you can provide your own through a friend etc as long as it's not your lawyer, a witness testifying for you, or a representative of China. Friends are cool. And they're Chinese/English both have to be very good.

Report Abuse
11 years 1 week ago
 
Posts: 1198

Shifu

0
0
You must be a registered user to vote!
You must be a registered user to vote!
0

well you are here and dont speak chinese (probably). maybe the op can speak fluently chinese

still weird to go to us without any english

Report Abuse
11 years 1 week ago
 
Posts: 7204

Emperor

0
0
You must be a registered user to vote!
You must be a registered user to vote!
0

Don't know about usa but Australian embassy likes the applicants to be able to show communication skills even if it is a electronic one
You need to look further into the usa embassy criteria regarding criteria that shows a genuine relationship
Good luck to you

Scandinavian:

Welcome back

11 years 1 week ago
Report Abuse

TedDBayer:

Welcome back.

11 years 1 week ago
Report Abuse

Scandinavian:

@Ted. That is a very welcomming back you found there. 

11 years 1 week ago
Report Abuse

TedDBayer:

I wonder how long it gets starred at?

11 years 4 days ago
Report Abuse

TedDBayer:

repost, this should not be buried in a collapsed comment

11 years 3 days ago
Report Abuse
Report Abuse
11 years 1 week ago
 
Posts: 4935

Emperor

0
0
You must be a registered user to vote!
You must be a registered user to vote!
0

My wife's interviewer was able to speak Chinese if she needed that. My wife insisted on English anyway. I do not know if you need a translator. You, on the other hand, are not allowed to translate for her under any circumstances.

 

Regardless, they will understand the Chinese if you bring a translator, so if the translator tries to coach anyone on any questions or give the "correct" answers, you will be screwed. If they try to do anything funny, you will be screwed. There are translators in the offices downstairs, but they're "shady" according to the USCIS. The interview is also recorded.

 

Please contact the U.S. consulate in Guangzhou and ask if you will need a translator.

Report Abuse
11 years 1 week ago
 
Posts: 2409

Emperor

0
0
You must be a registered user to vote!
You must be a registered user to vote!
0

The Hulk is correct.  While they will tell you to bring a translator, many, if not all, of the interviewers speak at least moderate Mandarin.  (Several former consulate staff were friends of mine.)  So the translator will have to be very careful about the translation, because any changes to the translation could go badly for you.

 

Also, the interviews are recorded.  So, should the translator and your wife speak in some dialect that the interviewer doesn't understand, they will find someone who speaks that dialect to translate the meeting later just to make sure nothing shady was going on.

 

And, as Hulk said, not being able to speak at least basic English is a negative point.  But it isn't a blocker.  I know several guys who married bar/KTV girls who couldn't speak a word of English and they were all (except for one who was still married to someone else) able to get visas to the US.

 

Another thing they look at strongly is how long you have been married.  If it has been less than a year, that is a negative as well.

 

Either way, good luck.  The people in the consulate are generally very good people.  But, they are a little jaded because they have seen every kind of scam in the book.  So at the first hint of a scam, it is over.

Report Abuse
11 years 1 week ago
 
Posts: 401

Shifu

0
0
You must be a registered user to vote!
You must be a registered user to vote!
0

I have gone through this with my wife. We simply brought along along her friend who can speak both languages [English and Mandarin]  for that interview at the US Consulate. The 'interpreter' only had to sign an affidavit that she was translating everything correctly and to the best of her knowledge and understanding.

Report Abuse
11 years 1 week ago
 
Know the answer ?
Please or register to post answer.

Report Abuse

Security Code: * Enter the text diplayed in the box below
Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.
  • Allowed HTML tags: <a> <em> <strong> <cite> <code> <ul> <ol> <li> <dl> <dt> <dd> <img> <br> <p> <u>
  • Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically.
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
  • Textual smileys will be replaced with graphical ones.

More information about formatting options

Forward Question

Answer of the DayMORE >>
A: No, it's not allowed to work under RP at 2nd job! I'd say, Z visa
A:No, it's not allowed to work under RP at 2nd job! I'd say, Z visa/RP sponsor can have an objections to your part-time job. I did the same at my English teaching in China and elsewhere, butT ... I casually mentioned at my prime job, some kindergarten or another school asked me to work with them part-time. Then, my Q: "Is that permitted?" ...  Answer from RP sponsor was always "Yes, but you can't be late or miss the classes at our school ..." with my reply: "No, our work schedule has a priority, and I'll arrange classes at kindergarten only in my free time." When I cleared that, I was undertaking any extra teaching hours at other schools and private students in my free time.Sometimes, teachers at my prime job asked me if I'm willing to have some extra classes elsewhere.I accepted after the talk with School's principal. I suggest, you test the felling at your Z/RP sponsor and once you see they don't object, you can work at 2nd job. Keeping your 2nd job as a secret from your employer won't work, 'cause you're laowai and Chinese know exactly what you do in your free time. However, despite your employer's agreement for extra work, you are still in violation of Chinese Labour law, and even if your sponsor agrees to your extra work, you can still get in trouble, because it's clearly written (somewhere ... ) that under Z/WP, one can work only at the Z-sponsor and nowhere else. Penalties ... I'd say, there won't be any warnings and you'll be required to exit China in short Exit time.It never happened to me, so I can't really advice how is when manure hits the fan ...  -- icnif77