# Applying for Change in Employer & a spousal interview



## RSA_Newbie (Nov 5, 2011)

Can anyone help me with some information about doing a spousal interview as part of the process of applying for a change in status on your spousal permit to update the employer and you working rights? 

I was finally able to secure a job last July after looking for a year. Unfortunately it didn't work out because I could not conduct myself with clients in the manner they required to be successful in a sales job. It was an immigration services company and they were able to get me my work permit in just over 30 days but I just couldn't stomach the sales tactics and no matter how much they told us for every complaint there were numerous success stories, I just never heard very many so I decide to resign. I just didn't feel good about being there.

Anyway, it's a couple months later and I've been offered a new job with a good company and I've accepted even though the position is well below my qualification level and the salary won't allow my spouse and I to move into our own place but it does offer promise so I decided to accept and work additional jobs around my schedule. The problem I'm worried about is I went to Bellville Home Affairs to submit the BI-1740 and was told my spouse must be with me because we needed to do a spousal interview first before my application could be accepted.

Has anyone been through one of these interviews? What exactly do they entail? My marriage is legitimate but since this whole work permit process has been such a pain I'm afraid if they start asking too many questions about our finances it's going to come out that I've been working for myself almost this whole time to support us and I'm going to get in trouble and be deported and my husband get into legal trouble.

Apparently this is a relatively new requirement. We did not have to do an interview for my initial "work permit" application back in July so this caught me quite off guard. I phoned the Barrack Street office to make the appointment as the lady in Bellville said and they told me the interview will be conducted in Bellville when I submit my application, my spouse just needs to be with me but we don't have to go to Barrack Street as I was told by the person in Bellville. We may do the application at Barrack Street now because they seem to know more about what's going on but we don't HAVE to.

I'm just going to be devastated if they deport me because we've been technically breaking the law since I've been here (except for the three months I actually worked legally) or my spouse or his family get in trouble (since we live with them).

I phoned the Home Affairs Helpline and they said he needed to be there to "answer a few questions" and verify that he knew of my change in employer. I didn't want to ask too many questions about what they wanted to know and arouse suspicion.

I hate that we've been put in this situation but I've been told over and over by Home Affairs that I cannot conduct my own business without investing money and employing a certain number of people. I've read to the contrary on line with regard to spouses of SA citizens but no one at Home Affairs will confirm that, so we've struggled and did what we could. I just don't want to be sent home because he can't move to the States with me and we don't have the money to start over in Canada and both try to find work there or anywhere else.

Please help reassure me if you can that my life isn't going to be ruined!


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## Saartjie (Mar 1, 2010)

RSA_Newbie said:


> Can anyone help me with some information about doing a spousal interview as part of the process of applying for a change in status on your spousal permit to update the employer and you working rights?
> 
> I was finally able to secure a job last July after looking for a year. Unfortunately it didn't work out because I could not conduct myself with clients in the manner they required to be successful in a sales job. It was an immigration services company and they were able to get me my work permit in just over 30 days but I just couldn't stomach the sales tactics and no matter how much they told us for every complaint there were numerous success stories, I just never heard very many so I decide to resign. I just didn't feel good about being there.
> 
> ...


Hi there, I can totally understand why you are so nervous because of the uncertainty. BUT this requirement of an interview for change of employer must be VERY new. I applied for change of employer in July this year and my spouse did not need to attend and I went on my own. The only times I had to go for interview was for my first TR when we were taken into separate rooms and asked questions for over half an hour each and our answers were then compared and we also had to be interviewed for the PR application but this was done at the counter and they asked my husband three questions and me three questions which was all to do with our relationship, where we met etc. At no time was I ever asked about finances. I see no reason for this interview to take place when you change employer but they change the rules all the time.

If I were you, I would speak to an immigration lawyer if only to calm yourself down.


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## RSA_Newbie (Nov 5, 2011)

Thank you Saartjie. I hope it's just a formality. One person I spoke with said he needs to be there because my current permit states it for both living with my spouse and working so basically he just needs to show up with me to validate I'm changing employers and I guess so they can see that the ID and marriage license is a real person maybe. I don't know. I'm still a bit nervous about it but we are going in tomorrow to try and get it done. We didn't do any kind of interview either before I left the states or when I arrived for my initial TRP so we've not been through any type of "interrogation" yet.


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## Saartjie (Mar 1, 2010)

RSA_Newbie said:


> Thank you Saartjie. I hope it's just a formality. One person I spoke with said he needs to be there because my current permit states it for both living with my spouse and working so basically he just needs to show up with me to validate I'm changing employers and I guess so they can see that the ID and marriage license is a real person maybe. I don't know. I'm still a bit nervous about it but we are going in tomorrow to try and get it done. We didn't do any kind of interview either before I left the states or when I arrived for my initial TRP so we've not been through any type of "interrogation" yet.


Don't worry. Just stay calm. They usually are more interested in if you are in a serious relationship. There are so many sham marriages that they are very strict on finding out whether you are married for 'the right reasons' and not just for a permit. In our first interview (when we were taken into separate rooms) they asked stupid questions like, what is your husband's favourite food, what colour is the walls in your living room, what is your husband's best friend called etc etc. Stupid really but they then compared our answers to make sure they matched. Luckily I had an attorney then who had prepared us for what questions there might be so we kind of knew what was coming. In the PR interview it was a totally different story, they just asked us where we met etc but they did that with both of us there so there was no comparison of answers. I am sure it is just a formality and you will be just fine. Let us know how you get on.


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## RSA_Newbie (Nov 5, 2011)

Well everything went off without a hitch. I explained what I was there for and my spouse stood right next to me the whole time. The lady was very business-like and went through all of the documents I provided and just had me sign the BI-1740 there in front of her, shuffled the order of some copies, stamped my originals and copies and gave me my receipt of acceptance. My spouse asked her about spousal interviews and she said Pretoria would contact us if that is needed. Hopefully not but the process has started. January 7th I start calling for my permit. I need it before 11 Feb so I can start my job as contracted. Fortunately they will just delay my start date if necessary but then I'd have to wait until May when the next training class starts so I hope to avoid that possibility. 

Clients are hard to come by for my training business and our income is very, very small right now. Thankfully my husband has been doing some admin work which helps but that doesn't pay much either. So it's a daily struggle. I have a few other things possible like doing some transcription work but I haven't finished all the tests yet and they will have to agree to let me register under my husband and have him get paid for my work if I pass all the tests.

Life goes on I guess and I just need to be thankful I have my spouse and we have place to live while all of this drags out. It's very demoralizing though, I tell you, with my skills, education and background. I guess I just need to adjust my expectations and take it one day at a time.

Big Smile


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## Saartjie (Mar 1, 2010)

RSA_Newbie said:


> Well everything went off without a hitch. I explained what I was there for and my spouse stood right next to me the whole time. The lady was very business-like and went through all of the documents I provided and just had me sign the BI-1740 there in front of her, shuffled the order of some copies, stamped my originals and copies and gave me my receipt of acceptance. My spouse asked her about spousal interviews and she said Pretoria would contact us if that is needed. Hopefully not but the process has started. January 7th I start calling for my permit. I need it before 11 Feb so I can start my job as contracted. Fortunately they will just delay my start date if necessary but then I'd have to wait until May when the next training class starts so I hope to avoid that possibility.
> 
> Clients are hard to come by for my training business and our income is very, very small right now. Thankfully my husband has been doing some admin work which helps but that doesn't pay much either. So it's a daily struggle. I have a few other things possible like doing some transcription work but I haven't finished all the tests yet and they will have to agree to let me register under my husband and have him get paid for my work if I pass all the tests.
> 
> ...


So glad it all went well!!:clap2: Have you received your sms yet to show that they have received your application? Once you have this at least you know it is in the system. The current waiting time for these applications is between 3-4 months so fingers crossed for you.


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## RSA_Newbie (Nov 5, 2011)

No Saartjie, she told me yesterday I would only get an SMS when they receive the application in Pretoria. I figured that would take at least two weeks. Should it be sooner?




Saartjie said:


> So glad it all went well!!:clap2: Have you received your sms yet to show that they have received your application? Once you have this at least you know it is in the system. The current waiting time for these applications is between 3-4 months so fingers crossed for you.


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## Saartjie (Mar 1, 2010)

RSA_Newbie said:


> No Saartjie, she told me yesterday I would only get an SMS when they receive the application in Pretoria. I figured that would take at least two weeks. Should it be sooner?


It depends on each application. Last time I applied in Cape Town I got my sms the day after I applied. When I applied for my first TR I got the sms as I was walking out of HA after having made my application. Saying that, it can take a week or two before you get it.


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