The Process for Recording the Interview
Good case notes are critical as a record. This is because they accurately log all the events that transpired at an interview. This section details the procedures that officers would need to follow for recording an interview.
Officers would need to refer to their case notes for:
- Preparing refusal letters
- Responding to enquiries and,
- Serving as the record in the case of an appeal and for court challenges
Given their importance in the scheme of things, officers would need to ensure that their case notes:
- Are detailed and reflect all the events that transpired at the interview
- Document any and all the decisions made during the case evaluation process
- Reflect the process followed in arriving at those decisions accurately and,
- Do not contain irrelevant, inappropriate and prejudicial comments
For preparing good case notes, officers would need to ensure that their case notes contain the following information:
- Setting the scene
- This involves including the ‘where’, ‘when’ and ‘who was present’ language of the interview, the use of interpreters etc.
- It involves identifying if the officers made a decision on reviewing the paper file or after conducting an interview
- Using signposts
- Officers could make it easier for people reading the file by using headings to guide the readers
- Similarly, they could also structure their case notes logically for people going through the file
- In addition, officers could consider choosing to use a variety of entries or headings such as:
- A paper file review
- Representation
- Pending
- Interview
- Enquiry
- Ensuring the completion of the electronic file
- This entails the recording of all non-routine correspondence and telephone conversations
- It also involves the jotting down of all routine correspondence sent
- In addition, officers would need to ensure that all information that has a bearing on the case must appear in the notes
- Completing sentences and thoughts
- This involves ensuring that the notes are easy to understand so that officers have the ability to answer representations without asking for any clarifications
- In addition, officers would need to avoid the use of jargon
- Identifying the interpreter used
- This entails recording the interpreter’s name and the interpreter’s relationship to the applicant (if applicable)
- It also entails recording the language of the applicant as well as that of the interpretation
- In some situations, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) might be providing the interpreter
- In this scenario, the officers would need to ensure that the applicant is comfortable with the quality of the translation provided and note this down
- Noting down objective facts
- Officers would need to avoid any personal judgements
- In addition, they would need to ensure that they are qualified enough to make the conclusions at which they arrive
- For instance, officers must not jump to the conclusion that the applicant is mentally ill, without seeking the benefit of a professional opinion first
- Recording the basis on which the officers made their decisions
- In this, officers would need to explain or elaborate on their thought processes
- For instance, the officers would need to explain why they did not consider the applicant satisfactory in convincing them that the applicant is a genuine visitor intending to enter Canada for a temporary purpose etc.
- Similarly, officers would need to avoid making baseless assumptions
- Recording anything out of the unusual
- This involves noting anything out of the ordinary such as:
- If the applicant had a seizure during the interview
- Whether the atmosphere was hostile
- Whether the applicant was extremely nervous and sweated profusely
- Whether the applicant shook when asked for details about military service etc.
Source: Citizenship and Immigration
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