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anonymous
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?
12 years 50 weeks ago in Visa & Legalities - China
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.
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
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:
@Ted. That is a very welcomming back you found there.
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.
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.
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.
