Another interview story

[SerenityNOW 11]

Hi, everyone! Well, I posted last night in response to another's question about the interview, but I swore before I left that I would post as much as I could remember about the interview process for everyone else. Before my interview on Monday, I read every single post I could find about people's interviews to try to get a feel for what I could expect, good or bad. I couldn't find any CR-1/IR-1 reviews from our consulate so I searched the region - thanks to all who posted from Macedonia, Albania, Romania and Turkey!

The good ones always gave me hope, so here's the brief run-down of my experience:

The bad news first. We discovered that the medical exam info. was on the wrong form AND that there was an additional document required only by Bulgaria. The good news is that we were approved without any other problems and we managed to submit the new documents within 24 hours.

The details for those interested:

We arrived early for our 8 am interview. Everyone was just standing around outside waiting to be cattle-herded inside. I had checked the statistics @ the DOS site and found out that Bulgaria only processes ~90 spouse visas each year, so that means about two per week. There are no special provisions for us - we are thrown in with the tourist and student visa applicants, AND interviewed by the same COs. (We had the same woman who prepared my affidavit showing I was legally able to marry in November.)

The interview takes place in the big room through the bulletproof glass, so luckily I was prepared for that possibility by others. You hear everything, and everybody hears what you say. The added bonus was the occasional person hysterically crying when the visa is denied. That is hard to watch!

When we got to the pre-security station, I peeked in at the list. That day there was one CR-1 visa interview (us), one IR-1, and another one (maybe an adoption?).

After an hour or so, we were called up for the pre-interview. I of course was craning my neck to see inside what she was looking at. There was my good ol' I-130 form that I hadn't seen in 7 months!!! It had red markings all over it, and my new address written in by someone (I moved in March).

She asked my husband all kinds of basic questions based on the I-130 and G-325, just confirmation of where he lived, his divorce, his sons, etc. All in Bulgarian.

The big surprise of the day was some hitherto unmentioned, unknown yet CRITICAL document required only by Bulgaria. A marriage certificate is NOT enough to prove that you are married!!! We needed some bogus certificate from the mayor of my husband's town, and of course this document has to be translated. <big sigh> They were quite matter-of-fact about this requirement being mentioned *nowhere*, including the official checklist the NVC sent.

Also, setback #2: the medical clinic we went to used the WRONG FORM. Actually, that part was kind of my fault. I found the I-693 form online at the DOS site and I thought that was the one we were to use, so I filled it out and brought it. I now think it is only for AOS people doing the medical in the U.S. - but anyway, did the clinic tell me this? Nooooo... they used the form I brought and of course the embassy said no way and told us to go *back* after the interview and have the right form done. And the clinic didn't ask for the photo the first time either..... grrrrr. I didn't really know what to expect, so I didn't know what to look out for...

Two things made our actual interview super-easy. First, that I was there. Their whole attitude changed when he said I was his wife. (Who they thought the woman standing next to him was before that, I have no idea!). Of course that is not required, and many consulates don't even let you in - actually I had no idea if I could go in or not until the actual day - but in our case it helped a lot.

The other thing was the photos. The pre-interviewer asked for photos. She seemed to really enjoy looking through them, and specifically asked if we had any photos with my mother, which we did, since she visited Bulgaria in May. We gave them 40 labeled photos in plastic pages, plus 8 or so extra of him with my mother. The interviewer laughed when she saw the giant stack of extra photos and didn't want to see them.

NOTE: if you don't have photos of the beneficiary with the petitioner's family, there are creative ways to document that the petitioner's family supports the marriage through photographs. I was told that that's what the COs care about most, and at least in our case it was true. I used a few "creative" photographs, since only my mother met him in person. For example, I had 9 family members hold up a big Christmas greeting for him. Cheesy, yes, but we're all desperate here

So when we finally got to the interview, the consular officer said, almost verbatim: "I have seen your photos so I know your whole story." She literally didn't ask us a single question, just said to him: "So you were in the US for 6 months and that's how you met?" and to me: "Your mother was visiting here?". That's it.

No mention of any of the things I thought might cause a problem.

So all of our practicing potential interview questions and my giant notebook full of evidence was for naught. hahaha

After the interview, we drove back to the clinic and got the right medical form. And we managed to call to his town, get the mayor's document and have it put on a bus to Sofia that afternoon. Yay, small countries!

We translated it first thing the next morning. It took four tries to get the translation right. <another big sigh>. Then we went back to the embassy and turned in the documents. Now we are just waiting for the visa to be mailed.

GOOD LUCK to all of you with upcoming interviews!! It's terrifying but once it's over the feeling is soooo good! You will probably soon be posting your own success stories here.

My heart goes out to any of you with difficult interviews. I was fully expecting that. I had a back-up plan if we were denied: I was going to go home next week and contact lawyers and congresspeople, and of course write to VJ folks for advice...

What calmed us down as the interview approached was just constantly reminding ourselves that I *am* a US citizen and he *is* my spouse. Repeat over and over.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU again for all the postings about NVC process and interviews. I stayed marginally sane through this forum. I can't imagine dealing with all this stuff alone...

Keep the stories - and support - flowing. We all need it!!

/bb

[CaNdiD wiTcH 0]

Congrats and best of luck..

[ROZA 0]

Congratulations you both.

Have a Happy marriage life

[redglasses 1]

Congratulations! and thank you for the detailed story.

Best wishes for "happily ever after!"

[trinket 30]

Congratulations . Glad that the minor glitch wasn't a deal breaker at the consulate

Have a wonderful life ahead.

[beccainturkey 0]

Congradulations!!!!!!!!! I hope our interview goes as smoothly as yours did!!!!!

[KIMCORENE 0]

CONGRATULATIONS!

[LRA 0]

Congrats and GREAT job!

[sara..... 371]

congratulations :dance: :dance:

[Aman 0]

Congrats...N Good Luck 4 D rest of Real Journey...have a Blesed life

[Bani 0]

Congrulations... .. Have great married life together...

[LotofPatience 65]

Congratulations !!!

[Em4oAndKrisi 0]

Hi BulgarianBride congratulations on your approval, I have couple of questions about your experience with the NVC. Did you use any shortcuts and if you did what wore they, did you find them helpful?

Congratulations !!!

[Yiyi and Chris 0]

DON'T FORGET TO SUBMIT YOUR STORY TO THE REVIEW OF EMBASSY, THAT WAY YOU WILL HELP OTHERS FROM YOUR COUNTRY KNOW HOW IT IS!!!

[happyinlove012408 0]

Thanks for posting your interview and it was a nice story. I am wishing the best.