Likelihood of interview?

[NinaInOT]

Just curious what are the chances of an interview being requested?
Is an interview requested when you don't have a lot of "legal" proof? Such as joint etc...
Also, would my boyfriend have to come with me to the interview location? What if he can't travel... how could we go about this?

What are the red flags?

My boyfriend and I have proof to show our relationship is genuine, but we don't have a lot of "legal" documents, and he's much older than I am. I'm worried those two things alone will make our application look suspicious.

 

[mikeymyke]

I think if there's not a lot of "legal" proof, they would just simply ask for those documents instead of interview. Where an interview is required is usually for cases involving how genuine a relationship is.

Red flags include large age difference (not a problem if its normal in your country, ex. USA, Australia), large educational or cultural difference, short courtship before marriage, neither parent attending the wedding, etc. Some of these red flags will not matter if in your country that they are considered normal.

Since you're from the US, you have absolutely nothing to worry about.

 

[Decoy24601]

By "legal proof" are you referring to proof of common-law? If you don't have enough proof that you are common-law (have lived together 12 consecutive months) they would most likely request more documents, not have you attend an interview. If you don't have enough to prove your relationship is genuine, they would ask for more and then maybe schedule you for an interview. Interviews for Americans are very rare and are usually the result of criminality or other serious issues.

As mikeymyke said, you don't have anything to worry about since you're from the U.S (in terms of proof of relationship at least). My husband is 10 years older than me and I'm fairly young. Half the time we have been together was spent in an online long-distance relationship before we had the chance to meet in person. We got married within a year of meeting in person. We probably sent much more proof of our relationship than was needed. My application was just approved and we had no issues with it, no interview.

 

[NinaInOT]

By "legal proof" are you referring to proof of common-law? If you don't have enough proof that you are common-law (have lived together 12 consecutive months) they would most likely request more documents, not have you attend an interview. If you don't have enough to prove your relationship is genuine, they would ask for more and then maybe schedule you for an interview. Interviews for Americans are very rare and are usually the result of criminality or other serious issues.

As mikeymyke said, you don't have anything to worry about since you're from the U.S (in terms of proof of relationship at least). My husband is 10 years older than me and I'm fairly young. Half the time we have been together was spent in an online long-distance relationship before we had the chance to meet in person. We got married within a year of meeting in person. We probably sent much more proof of our relationship than was needed. My application was just approved and we had no issues with it, no interview.

Thank you! My relationship with my boyfriend largely developed online as well. We were in a LDR for two years before I finally moved in with him in Oct. 2013. We haven't gotten married as I'm not quite ready for that yet, but we have ample amounts of proof for how genuine our relationship is through thousands of chat logs and emails. I'm really struggling with not including every email we've sent each other. A large amount of our proof for how genuine our relationship is - is through text. Did you include a lot of your emails etc... in your application? I've already printed out well over 100

 

[NinaInOT]

I think if there's not a lot of "legal" proof, they would just simply ask for those documents instead of interview. Where an interview is required is usually for cases involving how genuine a relationship is.

Red flags include large age difference (not a problem if its normal in your country, ex. USA, Australia), large educational or cultural difference, short courtship before marriage, neither parent attending the wedding, etc. Some of these red flags will not matter if in your country that they are considered normal.

Since you're from the US, you have absolutely nothing to worry about.

Thank you! you've really helped put my mind at ease!

 

[Decoy24601]

Thank you! My relationship with my boyfriend largely developed online as well. We were in a LDR for two years before I finally moved in with him in Oct. 2013. We haven't gotten married as I'm not quite ready for that yet, but we have ample amounts of proof for how genuine our relationship is through thousands of chat logs and emails. I'm really struggling with not including every email we've sent each other. A large amount of our proof for how genuine our relationship is - is through text. Did you include a lot of your emails etc... in your application? I've already printed out well over 100

We didn't really have any proof of relationship before we met in person because we used google hangouts and it didn't save any of our conversations. Afterwards, we communicated mostly through texts and at least a few calls a week (we were both busy because of work and it's hard to multitask with running errands etc while talking on the phone). I didn't count the pages, but I did send maybe an inch worth's of text screenshots, cell phone text/call logs, and skype text screenshots at the most. I ordered notes a few weeks ago so I should be getting them soon, but I suspect they shredded most of the chat logs without looking at them. We also sent about 40-60 pictures of us on our visits and our wedding, along with a transcript of our simple wedding ceremony (I planned it via email with the officiant), a wedding invitation, wedding cards that family members sent us. Some of the pictures were of me meeting his family, which I think was probably one of the most important parts, along with him meeting my mother (I don't really have any family besides my mother and sister). We sent a hotel receipt from when he visited me before I had my own apartment and any travel receipts he had from visiting me. I do think we actually went overboard on our proof.

I really wouldn't worry. The burden of proof for Americans is very low and you have been in a relationship longer than my husband and I have by two years and a month exactly. What I thought could have been red flags when I submitted my application ended up being nothing. It takes some pretty serious questions about the relationship for an American to need an interview based on doubts about the relationship.

 

[NinaInOT]

We didn't really have any proof of relationship before we met in person because we used google hangouts and it didn't save any of our conversations. Afterwards, we communicated mostly through texts and at least a few calls a week (we were both busy because of work and it's hard to multitask with running errands etc while talking on the phone). I didn't count the pages, but I did send maybe an inch worth's of text screenshots, cell phone text/call logs, and skype text screenshots at the most. I ordered notes a few weeks ago so I should be getting them soon, but I suspect they shredded most of the chat logs without looking at them. We also sent about 40-60 pictures of us on our visits and our wedding, along with a transcript of our simple wedding ceremony (I planned it via email with the officiant), a wedding invitation, wedding cards that family members sent us. Some of the pictures were of me meeting his family, which I think was probably one of the most important parts, along with him meeting my mother (I don't really have any family besides my mother and sister). We sent a hotel receipt from when he visited me before I had my own apartment and any travel receipts he had from visiting me. I do think we actually went overboard on our proof.

I really wouldn't worry. The burden of proof for Americans is very low and you have been in a relationship longer than my husband and I have by two years and a month exactly. What I thought could have been red flags when I submitted my application ended up being nothing. It takes some pretty serious questions about the relationship for an American to need an interview based on doubts about the relationship.

Thank you so much! I was really having a breakdown over here lol I feel a lot better now knowing a lot of my worries are just in my head and I'm overwhelming myself.

Another worry I have is family. I also don't have much family and neither does my spouse. He only has his kids and ex-wife. No other family. Would their testimonies be good enough for letters of support?