ATTENTION JULY FILERS! (2)

[rae_and_scott 1]

Haha - yeah I can understand though - it is so close in theory that especially if you live on the border it must be so frustrating to be so close yet so far!!!

Yep, exactly. I grew up in Michigan. My mom still lives less than an hour from the border. When I was a kid there were times we would take field trips in Canada. Depending on the airline you fly, you don't necessarily check in at the international counter, you're at domestic! All of these things contribute to our feelings about it, ya know?

[Jeraly 4]

Whereas I have an ocean to cross... I'm not sure what would be worse - being really far away and knowing it or benig really close and not being able to do anything about it!

[rae_and_scott 1]

Whereas I have an ocean to cross... I'm not sure what would be worse - being really far away and knowing it or benig really close and not being able to do anything about it!

Actually I prefer not having the ocean to cross. I feel for all of you who go months and months without seeing each other. Scott was here last weekend and he'll be here again this Friday! Being able to see each other more often is definitely worth the headache and annoyance we'll face waiting for AP. It just makes AP really really annoying!!

[BabyBlueSusie 1]

we got approved!!!!! i got back from albania last nite, what a wonderful trip it was...i met the whole family and got to see his country for the first time!!! oh, and the best part of course, adriano got his visa on friday!!!! he will be here on the 25th, i cannot wait!!! i will post more later, about the process and the questions and what not

[rae_and_scott 1]

congrats susie!!! that is so awesome!!

[joelunchbox 0]

WOW...time is compressing! Lola's visa approved the 13th of March! Lucky 13! She was supposed to be able to pick up the visa the 15th but they are snowed under. Not important because she will be coming here the 19th of April. HOkey Smokes!! One month!!! I actually thought she would wait until May so I have to get on the stick! She has airline reservations and will quit her job the end of March. Our last conversation sounded different...I think we both realize that it is finally happening. I am not sure if we are relaxing or getting more nervous! Can't wait to see her again.

OH, anyone have any suggestions for things she should bring here? any special spices? or whatever?

thanks!

[Ovaltine Jenkins 5]

Congratulations to Sue and Adriano and James and Lola

[BabyBlueSusie 1]

thanks for all of the congratulations!!!

good luck to everyone who still has their interview coming!!!!!

im going to write my embassy review now, ill post it here when im done

[BabyBlueSusie 1]

The interview:

We arrived at the Tirana Consulate at about 8:30 am on the day of our interview (March 12th), roughly half an hour early for the 9 am appointment. The entrance to the consulate is quite strange, and is located in an alleyway. You will most likely have to ask one of the guards where to go for your interview, because it is a very obscure location. They had everyone (about 10 people or so) wait outside until 9 am, when they started calling people's names. They called the names one by one and the people proceeded through security (no cell phones, belts, cameras, etc). They would not let any US Citizens in at that time, they are only permitted between 2-4 pm Monday-Thursday. Adriano went inside while I waited (quite nervously!!), with his brother outside. There is a little caffe right outside the entrance to the consulate, where you can sit and wait for those who are interviewing inside.

Meanwhile, this is what Adriano told me was happening inside....

I don't have exact details, obviously, because I wasn't inside with him, but I will try to remember everything that he told me. He told me he went through security and then had to wait inside. They called him up and the officer laughed because she saw huge stack of papers that he had with him, and she saw all of the phone cards (probably about 200) that I had piled up in there as well. She knew immediately what they were and she laughed with him about them. I think this is when they had him do an eye scan, took his fingerprints and made him sign the paper that states everything he is saying is truthful. He also had to pay the $131 visa fee. They then told him to come back at 1 pm with a 5x5 cm passport photo. He came out of the consulate at about 9:45 am.

So we went to get the passport photo and did some other things as well. We returned at about 12:30 pm, and were the first ones there. Again, it was the same deal as that morning, we waited outside until 1 pm and they started to call the names again. Adriano went inside and this is when he had his actual visa interview. He said that the consular officer was a very nice American woman who spoke some Albanian. There was also an Albanian woman there with her in case the American needed some help with translation. She spoke to him in Albanian. I don't know the order of the questions, but this is a general idea of what the interview was like:

CO: Where did you meet Susie?

Adriano: Florence, Italy.

CO: Where, in the street?

A: No, in a bar.

CO: Was it a bar, a pub, a caffe, etc?

A: It was a pub.

CO: Do you remember the name of the pub?

A: Nova Bar.

CO: When did you meet?

A: 2006

CO: Does Susie speak Albanian?

A: Only a little.

CO: Do you speak English?

A: I only speak a little too.

CO: Well, then how do you communicate?

A: We speak to eachother in Italian.

CO: (now speaking in broken Italian) OK, then you don't mind if we speak in Italian, do you?

A: No, not at all.

CO: Did Susie study Italian in the United States?

A: Yes.

CO: And did she study in Italy as well?

A: Yes.

CO: What does she study?

A: Psychology.

CO: How many times has she come to visit you?

A: Three times in Italy, and she is here in Albania now.

CO: She's in Albania now?

A: Yes, she is waiting for me outside. I have her passport and plane tickets here if you want to see them.

CO: No, that's OK.

CO: Did you ever travel with Susie?

A: Yes, we took a trip to Naples.

CO: What did you visit when you were in Naples?

A: We went everywhere, to the city center, Mount Vesuvius, Pompeii.

CO: Do you have pictures from Naples?

A: Yes. (hands her a small photo album) The first picture is the best pizza in Naples.

CO: Wow! What a pizza! (calls over two other consular officers to look at the ridiculous pizza, it really is quite a pizza! lol) What do you call this pizza?

A: It's called 'Pizza Otto (8) Gusti', each piece has something different on top.

CO: OK. Where does Susie live?

A: Brooklyn, New York.

CO: Does she live alone or with family?

A: She lives with her mother and her brother.

CO: What plans do you have for your wedding? Do you want to have a party?

A: We want to get married right away and then plan a party, with family, for a few months later.

CO: Well, Adriano all of your documents seem to be in order, but you are missing certificates from the District Court and Attorney.

She then issued him a 221(g) for missing certificates from District Court and Attorney. The sheet of paper said to come back Monday-Thursday at 1 pm, once we obtain the documents, get the notarized and translated into English.

We went right away to the Gjkaten, which was just about to close at 3:30. We were able to get that certificate right away and we got the other one (from the Prokuriria) the next morning (they open at 8 am). We got them both translated and notarized, and then returned to the Consulate at 1 pm that day (the day after the original interview). This time we waited for all the names to be called, and then anyone who was back for the second time was allowed to go in. He went inside and came out less than 30 minutes later. He told me that he had spoken to the same woman that had given him his interview the day before. She took the documents and told him to come back the next day (Friday) at 11:30 am to pick up his passport, and she also told him 'buona fortuna!' (good luck).

[Jeraly 4]

Wow - lots of questions!! So cool that he is approved though!!!!! Gratzies! YOu must be so excited!!

[BabyBlueSusie 1]

Wow - lots of questions!! So cool that he is approved though!!!!! Gratzies! YOu must be so excited!!

yea, it was quite the lengthy interview, but he handled it like a champ!! thanks again

[CBR 0]

Thanks for the review Susie, I really enjoyed reading it.

[BabyBlueSusie 1]

Thanks for the review Susie, I really enjoyed reading it.

glad you enjoyed it...i wanted to write a detailed account, because i know that when i read other people's reviews, i like when they tell the whole story...also, there arent many tales from the tirana consulate, so it was a bit of a mystery for me going in...hopefully this will help some future albanian interviewees

[Ovaltine Jenkins 5]

Very nice interview review, thank you Glad it went so well

[janaus 0]

we got approved!!!!! i got back from albania last nite, what a wonderful trip it was...i met the whole family and got to see his country for the first time!!! oh, and the best part of course, adriano got his visa on friday!!!! he will be here on the 25th, i cannot wait!!! i will post more later, about the process and the questions and what not

Congrats!!!!