Bring a translator to the interview or not?

[toby]

I’d like to hear opinions, and actual experiences in the interview.

My wife feels that if she brings one, that will suggest to the Visa Officer that we cannot communicate adequately in English, and therefore our relationship must be on shaky grounds.

One the other hand, her English is fine when we speak calmly at home, but if she gets into unfamiliar territory, her vocabulary becomes inadequate. If this happens during the interview, the Visa Officer might become impatient, and might even deny her a visa.

I know this topic has been discussed before, and I apologize for the repetition, but I’d like to hear from more people about their experiences with/without translators at the interview.

Second, I got a call from a translator’s office urging me to arrange a translator partly because it was required, that the security guard at the Hong Kong Consulate General would insist we have one before letting us enter. This seems highly improbable, so I thought I’d ask.

 

[angelbrat]

I cannot answer your questions, just sending you and your wife positive thoughts for the interview.

and my 2 cents worth... ....a translator could hinder your wife's interview if one of the reasons initially for refusal, was lack of communication. I see nothing wrong, however, if your wife calmly states before the interview, that although she can speak English, she gets flustered under pressure and would the IO be kind enough to be patient with her.

Once again, toby......good luck

 

[toby]

I cannot answer your questions, just sending you and your wife positive thoughts for the interview.

and my 2 cents worth... ....a translator could hinder your wife's interview if one of the reasons initially for refusal, was lack of communication. I see nothing wrong, however, if your wife calmly states before the interview, that although she can speak English, she gets flustered under pressure and would the IO be kind enough to be patient with her.

Once again, toby......good luck

Thanks, Angelbrat. Going to change your name to simply "Angel". ;D

 

[rjessome]

I'd like to hear opinions, and actual experiences in the interview.

My wife feels that if she brings one, that will suggest to the Visa Officer that we cannot communicate adequately in English, and therefore our relationship must be on shaky grounds.

One the other hand, her English is fine when we speak calmly at home, but if she gets into unfamiliar territory, her vocabulary becomes inadequate. If this happens during the interview, the Visa Officer might become impatient, and might even deny her a visa.

I know this topic has been discussed before, and I apologize for the repetition, but I'd like to hear from more people about their experiences with/without translators at the interview.

Second, I got a call from a translator's office urging me to arrange a translator partly because it was required, that the security guard at the Hong Kong Consulate General would insist we have one before letting us enter. This seems highly improbable, so I thought I'd ask.

Did you get the CAIPS yet toby?

 

[toby]

Did you get the CAIPS yet toby?

Not yet, Rjessome. I won't get them before mid-March.

Do the CAIPS note influence a decision on bringing a translator?

 

[jmni1]

I would use a translator if you have any concerns about communication. I had an interview is Buffalo, NY and the letter stating the date of the interview stated that if I chose NOT to use a translator and the IO felt they could not understand me that they would cancel the interview and have to reschedule it. This could cause months delays. You do not want the IO to misunderstand you. At least if a translator is there it gives you the option to use them, but you would not be forced to. So you could switch between speaking and using the translator. Also FYI the translator must be approved by the consulate you need to follow their procedures for getting a translator, you cannot just bring your own translator. Hope this helps

 

[mayasita]

I'd say bring the translator, and set the tone of the meeting at the beginning by saying the translator is there for support and to help out incase she becomes flustered... let her carry out the interview to the best of her ability in English and if she does stumble, she's got backup to help her out... just knowing that she does have the option to express herself without flailing will probably keep her calm enough to answer most, if not all questions without needing the help... it would probably be very frightening and unnerving for her to go in there alone and stumble...

good luck

 

[rjessome]

Not yet, Rjessome. I won't get them before mid-March.

Do the CAIPS note influence a decision on bringing a translator?

Well I'm just wondering what the Officer wrote during the paper screen and if communication (or doubt about the ability to communicate) was a concern. It's good to know what their issues are when planning your strategy and whether or not to bring a translator is part of it for you. However, I agree with mayasita's comments and think I may have advised something similar to you awhile back regarding this. Let your wife run the interview and utilize the translator only when she doesn't understand something or where she doesn't have the right English words to express herself completely. Make this completely clear to the VO upfront and your wife can use the translator as support.

 

[javcil]

My spouse's CAIPS notes indicated language as an area of concern for them (although we didn't know this at the time of his interview because we didn't receive the CAIPS notes on time).
His interview was conducted half in English (presumably to ascertain his English skill level) but they conducted the other half in his native language.

 

[jdwhite21]

Toby:
My husband is like your wife, his english is fine unless he is under pressure. So we thought it best to have a translator for him at his interview so that there were no issues. Our IO took it as a negative that we had a translator and told us that she did not believe that we could properly communicate to each other as if he spoke no english at all. We tried to explain that it was just that he gets nervous but you could tell she doubted us. Another negative with having the translator and our IO was that she asked my husband if he even knew my name because the translator kept saying my wife even though he was saying my name. The IO said that it was a bad thing that he was not using my name and again when we tried to explain that he was saying my name it was the translator that was not using it she didn't seem to listen. I don't know if we would have been approved the first time had we not used a translator but this is just my experience.

Hopefully your IO is a little more understanding and if you do use a translator it's not an issue.
Good luck.

Jess.

 

[Mrs. Turan]

I never knew that it was an option to use a translator when my husband had his interview. It sure would've helped if he had
because we asked to have his interview conducted in Turkish because his english was atrocious(love you honey!)
but the woman who interviewed him was not fluent in Turkish in my husbands opinion and did not fully understand him as did
he not fully understand her. So I think for the sake of communication having a translator woudn't hurt. I can't imagine that
it would hurt your case if you explain how well you two communicate.
No one understood me better here in Turkey than my husband did(my Turkish-english blend of talking. Though now it has
improved immensely and his whole family understands me)

 

[medellinguy]

I thought spouses and wifes didn't have to speak English or French to enter Canada. For example, I speak fluent spanish with my wife...but she is struggling with english and french...she just started intensive french clases with her CSQ in COlombia...

Now I am afraid the interviewer in Bogota will start to talk in French since we fill the papers in that language.

 

[PMM]

Hi

I thought spouses and wifes didn't have to speak English or French to enter Canada. For example, I speak fluent spanish with my wife...but she is struggling with english and french...she just started intensive french clases with her CSQ in COlombia...

Now I am afraid the interviewer in Bogota will start to talk in French since we fill the papers in that language.

They don't but during interviews of spouses where there are doubts about the relationship where neither speaks the other's language, you can see why they would interview.

 

[toby]

Hi

They don't but during interviews of spouses where there are doubts about the relationship where neither speaks the other's language, you can see why they would interview.

Exactly, PMM. If my wife uses a translator, instead of speaking in her intermediate English, won't the visa officer conclude that she can't speak English adequately, and therefore our relationship cannot be valid.

Therefore, it might be better to have her speak in English, without a translator, even if she becomes flustered at times.

Surely the visa oficer is not going to tey to trick her, is he/she?

 

[babynsx]

Exactly, PMM. If my wife uses a translator, instead of speaking in her intermediate English, won't the visa officer conclude that she can't speak English adequately, and therefore our relationship cannot be valid.

Therefore, it might be better to have her speak in English, without a translator, even if she becomes flustered at times.

Surely the visa oficer is not going to tey to trick her, is he/she?

Toby,

In your case, where your wife can speak some English, I see the translator as an insurance measure just in case your wife gets asked a question she doesn't understand or if she gets nervous and simply stumbles with her English.

Your wife will have the option of conducting the entire interview with our without the aid of the interpreter even if she brings one to the interview. If she decides to use the interpreter during some or the entire interview the officer will at some point in the interview test your wife’s ability to communicate in English. Obviously if she doesn’t use the interpreter during the interview testing her English wouldn’t be necessary.

If your wife doesn’t bring an interpreter and she gets stuck on questions as a result then she will likely fail the interview.

Considering these consequences it is completely reasonable for your wife to bring an interpreter even if she doesn’t feel one is absolutely necessary. The risks involved far out way any (if any) negatives conceding the need for an interpreter might appear to create. To the contrary I think providing an interpreter when one might not be needed can be seen as a sure indication of how serious you are handling this and that failure is not an option for you.