Manila Embassy Review and summary of experiences

[David & Kezia 25]

7:00AM - Scheduled Interview Time

6:03AM - At the queue outside the US Embassy

They've began letting people in as early as 5:30AM according to some, so when I got there, there were already a lot of people inside and the queue was not that long.

I was feeling cold earlier though & it dries my skin so I brought a big bottle of lotion, forgetting that I shouldn't bring liquids, so I had to hide it in the bushes outside (and it wasn't there anymore when I got out).

After the appointment check outside, and the security check by the door, I went straight to the Immigration Section and got into another queue, this time to get my ticket stub or my number for the queues. They got my DS forms, appointment letter, and the BDO receipt. My ticket stub was stamped 6:25AM.

The long waiting started after that. I couldn't read novels or do anything else, lest I miss the numbers going through the electronic boards quickly and not in order. I know why they were not in order though, and it's because they distribute them to a lot of people and they have to look for the rest of your records first, so if they take too long finding your records, you'll wait longer.

I was tired, sleepy, hungry and cold, but finally, I saw my number come up, at around 8:29AM. I draw the bad luck card with that though, because I got a pre-screener that was too curt (and almost bitchy) like she was having a bad day, while some of my seatmates had pre-screeners who even joked with them. I was still luckier though, because there was one other pre-screener who was so much worse and asked too many questions that we all thought wasn't hers to ask because hers was just to verify the records (for completeness and for correctness of entries). Mine asked just 4 questions, I think, like how I met my fiance and when was our first meeting.

After that, another long wait. I got called for fingerprinting at past 10AM, and they actually call for names.

While waiting, we've been observing the people coming out of the final interview rooms. There was one room where people are almost always coming out sad and where the interview always took too long, and we were all praying that we wouldn't get that consul. There was also another who was very cheerful and polite, and we would hear his good morning all the way to the seats before they close the door. This other consul also had a lot of people coming out of his door smiling widely, so we were also praying that we'd go to that consul instead.

I didn't get either consul, but got the one at the end at 10:25AM. He wasn't as cheerful as the one next to him, but he was polite and looked like a quick reader, as he skimmed through our thick folder of documents, although I admit that he took longer looking at our pictures. After swearing me in, I just sat there with my two hands around my face, smiling at him while he was looking at our papers. My transparent envelope where all my other documents and proof of continuing relationship, including the pictures of David's pamanmahikan and engagement parties, and our logs of everything, could be seen through the plastic if he glanced at it. I was ready for anything and all the proof and all the answers, and I was very confident and just eager/happy to get it done and over with. He didn't ask me much, just 3 questions I think: When did I first meet David, When was he last here, and when do we plan to get married. Then, before even 5 minutes has passed, he told me that my visa has been approved and he congratulated me. I was already expecting it and wasn't expecting any trouble, but I was still stunned when it was done that quick, that I wasn't able to respond for a few seconds and my smile froze. Then I finally absorbed it and thanked him, and paid more attention to the instructions that he was giving me.

I was done at the interview by 10:30AM, and I went straight to the queue at Counter Y as instructed by the consul. Unfortunately, I didn't hear the first part of the instructions, and that part said that I will have to wait for them to call my name and the counter which is usually around the counter Y. I had to go back to my seat, and later (around 10:40AM) my name was called and it was way across the room near the seafarer's side. I got the rest of my instructions there, and the form for the Air21.

By 10:45AM, I was done with everything, including filing up my delivery information at the Air21 booth and paying for the delivery of my visa which they tell me will be delivered within 24 hours of releasing from the embassy.

By 11AM, I was out of the embassy, hungry and sleepy, but successful.

I went to get a taxi, but there was one last incident that I had to comment on. There was this couple (late 30-something or early 40-something American guy with a 18-22 year old Filipina) that I've been noticing at the embassy earlier. They looked like they were arguing, and I thought that they've been rejected, but I was puzzled. because I saw them fill up the Air21 form too. Directly outside the gates near the seats outside, before I crossed the street, I was surprised when this american just threw their small luggage on the ground, and he behaved like he was having a tantrum. I thought that he'd hit the girl soon. Two older ladies picked up the bag, and they must be aunts of this girl, and they went after him. I crossed the street with them, and I couldn't resist asking the girl what was wrong with him and if they got rejected. He was acting like a spoiled kid, and a very arrogant and impolite one at that. The girl said that he's been angrily shouting (in a hushed way) at her even inside the embassy, and she couldn't really understand his problem because they were approved. I told her that if that's his attitude while he's still here, and inside the embassy at that, then she shouldn't go with him because he'll probably just beat her up when she gets to the US, and make a slave out of her (both for labor and sex, and maybe even sell her to others). I wanted to stop them and report that arrogant guy, because he looks like a good-for-nothing or a bum anyway, and his attitude irritated me so much. However, because it all happened too quickly (within 2 minutes I think) and he was walking so fast (in a tantrum) and they were trying to keep up with him, while I was also hungry and eager to go home, I didn't have enough time to react or to report him before they were already away. I just vented off about it with the taxi driver and shared some more experiences and opinion with him.

Anyway, today was a mix of good and bad experiences, starting with my broken eyeglasses last night and the further accidents with the superglue, but over-all and where it mattered most, it was a very successful day.

I'm excited to join my David soon.

:-)

Kezia

[edp333 9]

Congrats and thanks for sharing. It's a nice write up about the experience.

[John+Lourdelie 28]

Congratulations on your approval. Sorry about your difficulties and a big thumbs down to the idiot that caused such a scene. The important thing is that you will be on a plane soon to your loved one... and somebody got a free bottle of lotion

John

[marriedtomrg 141]

Congratulations, and great recount of events! :-)

[maximus 0]

Congrates and thanks so much to share your experiance. It helps so much that I can have my fiancee read some stories like this so shes not so nervious when her time comes and can know ahead what to expect.

[BigJohn 4]

Thanks for the good read.

A couple questions. What was the fee for AIR21 delivery you paid and also was there a fee for biometrics and if so what? Any other fees you had to pay that day (visa related)?

[TravellingNomad 12]

congratulations D & K! excited for both of you. wife and kids' are coming up in about 3 weeks. im thinking that with us being married 10 years the month of the interview and with two kids to show for it (how's that as proof of a bonafide marriage? ), USEM will not give the wife a hard time. but when they get their visas...still have to wait 'til Feb to bring them over here.

kelan ang alis mo?

[Tahoma 2,292]

Congratz on your successful visa journey, Kezia!

Thanks for sharing your interview experience.

I wonder what was really going on with that Pinay and the 'tado 'Kano...

[David & Kezia 25]

Thanks for the good read.

A couple questions. What was the fee for AIR21 delivery you paid and also was there a fee for biometrics and if so what? Any other fees you had to pay that day (visa related)?

I paid a little over 250 pesos for the Air21 delivery, and that was it.

Congratz on your successful visa journey, Kezia!

Thanks for sharing your interview experience.

I wonder what was really going on with that Pinay and the 'tado 'Kano...

Sana makapag-isip-isip ang batang yun at hindi na sumama. Or pagdating nya dun, as soon as bugbugin sya nung 'tadong 'Kano, isumbong nya kaagad sa pulis para divorce kaagad at makuha nya rin kaagad ang greencard nya. Inis ako sa mga nangloloko ng tao para magka-visa at magka-greencard, pero mas inis ako sa mga nang-uuto ng mga bata para gawing domestic & sex slave (at minsan ay ibinebenta pa sa iba) tapos nambubugbog pa. Pero malamang, mabubugbog na lang ng todo ang batang yun at walang mangyayari, dahil mukha syang aanga-anga at walang kamuwang-muwang sa mundo. :-(

congratulations D & K! excited for both of you. wife and kids' are coming up in about 3 weeks. im thinking that with us being married 10 years the month of the interview and with two kids to show for it (how's that as proof of a bonafide marriage? ), USEM will not give the wife a hard time. but when they get their visas...still have to wait 'til Feb to bring them over here.

kelan ang alis mo?

Dec 30 ang flight ko, PAL going to Las Vegas via Canada (brrrr!)... Kelan ang alis nila? baka magkasabay pa kami sa airport.

Yun nga lang, worried ako sa delivery ng visa ko. I'm leaving within 7 hours, uwi ako ng probinsya to turn-over some things in the clans and my highschool batch, at para makapagpaalam na rin, pero hanggang ngayon ay wala pa rin ang visa ko. Nag-iwan ako ng authorization letter sa kapatid ko, but she'll also be starting a new job on Tuesday and will be out all days starting then kaya walang maiiwan sa apartment ko. I'll be back on Dec5 pa, and I'll get busy with my driving lessons, my job and reunions, kaya baka bihira din ako mag-stay sa bahay ko. This week sana ang perfect delivery time, dahil dito lang kami sa apartment the whole day, pero wala eh, kaya eto worrying tuloy ako.

[Tahoma 2,292]

Congratz on your successful visa journey, Kezia!

Thanks for sharing your interview experience.

I wonder what was really going on with that Pinay and the 'tado 'Kano...

Sana makapag-isip-isip ang batang yun at hindi na sumama. Or pagdating nya dun, as soon as bugbugin sya nung 'tadong 'Kano, isumbong nya kaagad sa pulis para divorce kaagad at makuha nya rin kaagad ang greencard nya. Inis ako sa mga nangloloko ng tao para magka-visa at magka-greencard, pero mas inis ako sa mga nang-uuto ng mga bata para gawing domestic & sex slave (at minsan ay ibinebenta pa sa iba) tapos nambubugbog pa. Pero malamang, mabubugbog na lang ng todo ang batang yun at walang mangyayari, dahil mukha syang aanga-anga at walang kamuwang-muwang sa mundo. :-(

Huh? My Tagalog sucks!

[David & Kezia 25]

Huh? My Tagalog sucks!

Ah, sorry, let me translate that.

"I hope that that kid will be able to think things through and not go with him. Or when she arrives there, and as soon as the bad american beats her up, she should report him to the police, so she could divorce him right away and get her greencard right away too. I hate people who use other people and scam them into getting their visa and greencard, but what I hate more are people who goes around fooling children into making them into domestic and sex slaves (sometimes even selling them to others) and then they even beat them up. However, it is more likely that that young girl will just get beaten up really bad and nothing will really happen, because she seems to me to be a very naive girl and doesn't really know much about the world." :-(

[Tahoma 2,292]

Ah, sorry, let me translate that.

"I hope that that kid will be able to think things through and not go with him. Or when she arrives there, and as soon as the bad american beats her up, she should report him to the police, so she could divorce him right away and get her greencard right away too. I hate people who use other people and scam them into getting their visa and greencard, but what I hate more are people who goes around fooling children into making them into domestic and sex slaves (sometimes even selling them to others) and then they even beat them up. However, it is more likely that that young girl will just get beaten up really bad and nothing will really happen, because she seems to me to be a very naive girl and doesn't really know much about the world." :-(

Hey Kezia...thanks for the translation. I agree with you...the scamming can work both ways! I'm convinced that there are some rotten American apples who petition naive young Filipinas. In the case that you witnessed, I can't excuse the American's behavior. He was behaving badly. I fear for the Pinay's safety, security, and happiness. I hope she pays close attention at the CFO seminar.

[David & Kezia 25]

Hey Kezia...thanks for the translation. I agree with you...the scamming can work both ways! I'm convinced that there are some rotten American apples who petition naive young Filipinas. In the case that you witnessed, I can't excuse the American's behavior. He was behaving badly. I fear for the Pinay's safety, security, and happiness. I hope she pays close attention at the CFO seminar.

Ah yeah, the CFO seminar. I almost forgot that. I sure do hope that she pays close attention (memorize some numbers and other important information), and that she gets better advice from there. However, as the guy goes with her all the time, he'll also be there and could keep her distracted. I hope the nuns there give him enough trouble though, and give him a real interrogation that he didn't get at the embassy interview. In fact, I'm praying that he misbehaves there like lose him temper, and I'm sure that it would mean that not only they wouldn't get the stamp, but he would also get reported.

-Kezia

[BigJohn 4]

I'm pretty sure the man is not allowed to attend the CFO seminar.

[crystal01 29]

Hi Kezia! I just read this today and would just wanna say Congratulations! . I always liked reading your posts because they are very thorough and informative. Happy Holidays and wishing you a safe journey to finally be with your love! It's just a matter of days now..