Is This Just A Bangkok Thing?

[caledonia]

Hi all,

I was just wondering if anyone knows whether the policy of not letting spouses/sponsors into the interview or even the building is a policy of the British Embassy in Bangkok or is this now a policy accross the board world wide.

Reason I am asking is I know people in other places such as Istanbul that have been able to go into the interviews with the applicants. My husband's interview is coming up and I just wondered (have e-mailed the embassy - no response and I have called them - they are very vague! ).

Anyway I didn't want to hi-jack someone elses topic by side lining it - but just wondered whether it all depended on the local situation of the country.

Thanks

[markuk]

Hi all,

I was just wondering if anyone knows whether the policy of not letting spouses/sponsors into the interview or even the building is a policy of the British Embassy in Bangkok or is this now a policy accross the board world wide.

Reason I am asking is I know people in other places such as Istanbul that have been able to go into the interviews with the applicants. My husband's interview is coming up and I just wondered (have e-mailed the embassy - no response and I have called them - they are very vague! ).

Anyway I didn't want to hi-jack someone elses topic by side lining it - but just wondered whether it all depended on the local situation of the country.

Thanks

I have had the same problem in other countries in the middle east where i wasnt welcome i dont believe it is just thailand.

[the scouser]

As a general rule, visa officers around the world will exclude the sponsor from the applicant's interview in order to prevent collusion. In the event that the visa officer wishes to speak to the sponsor, he/she is then unaware of what the applicant has said.

Cheers,

Scouse.

[camster]

canadian embassy is the same - Thai only in the initial interogation...er I mean interview. Bullet proof glass and all for good reason of course.

[jing jing]

I found it strange, but not only did I attend my fiancee's K1 visa interview (US embassy), the consular officer spoke almost exclusively to me. He only asked her about 2 or 3 questions. Very odd... but the good news was that she got the visa.

[caledonia]

I found it strange, but not only did I attend my fiancee's K1 visa interview (US embassy), the consular officer spoke almost exclusively to me. He only asked her about 2 or 3 questions. Very odd... but the good news was that she got the visa.

Hmm interesting - I have known a few people to go into the interviews but it has never been very clear how this was decided. In fact on couple in Turkey were taken into seperate rooms and interviewed at the same time for a Fiance visa - asked the standard stuff about each others family etc.

Well i may just go along - I won't expect to get into the interview but might be a good idea to be waiting outside, then if they do have any questions I will be on hand. At least I know with it being Lagos they always let me in the building (unlike Bangkok it seems!) - one benefit of the streets not always being safe for a lone female I suppose!

Thanks for the responses - I will just see what happens!

Edited January 8, 2006 by caledonia