In my experience most applicants get called for an interview. Not just when the visa officer has a specific concern.
The supporting documents filed are absolutely crucial to the process, and more important than the interview. If the officer is impressed by the supporting documents then your chances of success are very good indeed, and the interview may be quite short.
Obviously you will submit the documents specifically requested. But you are not limited to that.
There is no magic list for what documents you submit. Every case is different and so you should submit documents that help prove the claims are relevant to YOUR case even if they have not been specifically requested. Obviously, I cannot tell you what documents are appropriate in your case unless I know all about your case.
Answer the questions calmly, even if the officer is being aggressive (this happens sometimes). I have seen many cases where the officer was rude and aggressive but the case was approved anyway. Do not allow yourself to be distracted by an aggressive officer's attitude.
Listen to the questions very carefully. If you do not understand the question say so, and ask for the question to be repeated or rephrased.
Answer the question directly. Do not give long explanations before you answer the question. If you think you need to give an explanation, give the short direct answer first and then give the explanation. If you give the explanation first you risk confusing the officer. And confusion is bad for your case.
Do not guess when you answer the question. If you are not sure of the answer say so. If you are not sure but you think you have a pretty good explanation anyway, make sure you say something like "I am not sure, but maybe it is like this ...". It is very important the officer understands you are making an educated guess rather than giving a solid answer.
Do not assume the officer is stupid and will not notice any bad document or exaggerated claim. These officers have seen every trick in the book and they are not stupid. Some of them have been lied to so many times that they are quite cynical and will review your file very closely looking for things that do not make sense.
Do not give any false documents, even if they are not relevant. I have seen cases (more than one) where an applicant showed his wife's education certificate to an officer, even though his wife's education was not relevant (such as in a marriage case). The officer will refuse such a case even though the document was not necessary in the first place. The applicant argued that he didn't know his wife's document was false, that her family had created the document for cultural reasons to make her look like a more suitable wife. She did not do it to mislead immigration authorities. It doesn't matter. If ANY document or statement is untrue (or if the officer thinks it is untrue) that can and probably will ruin the whole case.
Remember that the officer comes from different culture than you (even if the officer is a local officer). Their culture is a bureaucratic culture, and as such it is quite idiosyncratic. If the officer is Canadian then there are other, obvious, cultural differences which can lead to unnecessary confusion. This is one reason why you need to make sure that you understand what is going on at all times in the interview, and not take anything for granted.
Get a good night's sleep TWO nights before the interview. This is because, as much as you try, you might not be able to get a good night's sleep the night before the interview. You will likely be quite nervous and if you will have to travel to the interview you will find yourself sleeping in a strange bed. Those two things do not encourage a good sleep.
When the interview is over, find a quiet spot and write a record of the interview. Do it in whatever language you are most comfortable in. The officer kept notes, and so should you, even if the officer said you were going to be approved and congratulated you. The decision is not final until the supervising officer signs off on the decision. It is rare, but I have seen cases where the interviewing officer was very encouraging but the applicant still received a negative result.
I would encourage you to get professional counsel to assist you with the application. Too many applicants make innocent mistakes that end up ruining their case. Of course, many applicants win without having counsel. But many good applicants lose too, because they do not have any experience with this, because their case is different from the case of the friend they are getting advice from (EVERY case is different, if it is not unique that is a red flag for the officer), and because they do not understand the bureaucratic culture. It is far better to get it right the first time, than it is having to appeal or re-do an application.
I saved this recommendation to the end, because I did not want to give the impression I am just advertising myself. You do not have to hire me if you want counsel. But make sure you hire someone who is licensed to do this (i.e. professional counsel).
Winning this application would be one of the biggest events in your life. Why take any risks?
Gregory James
Immigration Lawyer
gjames@GregoryJamesLaw.com
