Another Cuban K-1 Approved!

[J.Ro 1]

My fiance has his visa in hand after his interview in Havana on June 26! Deepest gratitude to Barbara y Alexis for helping us get an earlier interview date.

Now Osvaldo will work on getting his carta blanca and hopefully will be on his way here soon. For those Cuban couples awaiting their interviews, here's what happened for us:

We arrived at the USINT at about 6:15 am. No people are allowed to congregate near the building, but everyone was waiting in a small park about 2 blocks away. At about 6:40 am, representatives from the USINT arrived and begin calling the names of persons with scheduled appointments. Their carnets were collected and we lined up across the street. After about an hour or more of waiting in line, we were led to the building. At this point, we and 2 other US Citizen/Cuban couples were escorted to the front of the line and allowed to go in first. I had all our documents organized into numbered folders but they made us throw out all the folders and we had to go through security clutching onto all our loose papers!

Once inside, we were soon called to a window were our documents were checked and added to Osvaldo's file. The Cuban worker did not seem to mind that they were all disorganized. We paid the 121 CUC fee and sat down to wait for the interview. At about 10:20 they called his name and we went to our assigned window where the interview occured. The interviewer was a woman in her 30s, very businesslike and serious. She spoke Spanish and English very rapidly and never smiled. At times it was difficult to understand her because the microphone was not working. We started in Spanish and later switched to English. She asked Osvaldo if he had ever been in the Communist Youth, what his job was, and wasn't it necessary to be a Party member to have that kind of job? Then lots of questions about his 2 ex-wives, his two children, and where they are living, and when he got divorced. Had he ever been out of Cuba? Did he write me those emails in English? How did we meet? Why did I choose to study Spanish in Cuba? How many times did I go to Cuba and why? When did we decide to get married? When did I get pregnant? Was it planned? She verified my profession, and asked what work or study Osvaldo planned to do in the US. We were a bit taken aback by her brusque manner and really didn't know how things were going until she finally said we should come back the next day to pick up his visa. We came back the next day a half-hour earlier than our appointment time, and were again immediately let in to the building. After waiting 30-40 minutes, they called his name and gave us his passport with the visa inside and the packet for US immigration. Then it was real and we were happy!

Thinking things over, I think it's helpful for the US citizen to be there. There were several times that I felt we got preferential treatment because of this. Also, anyone with previous marriages should be prepared to answer a lot of detailed questions about their ex-spouses, no matter how long ago the marriage occured. It was clear the interviewer had read over our file carefully, including my email correspondence with them. We were never separated during the interview, though I understand that the US citizen is often asked to leave.

Another tidbit: for those Cuban couples trying to get an earlier interview date, call the Appt Service Center first thing in the morning (they open at 8 am EST); that's when cancelled appts are re-released.

Now for the carta blanca, the final and murkiest and most unpredictable step ... if anyone has any advice for us, let me know!

[Zee Bee 61]

Congratulations!!!

[sara..... 371]

congratulations :dance:

[Mina76 0]

Congratulations on getting your visa approval!!!

[KC♥MP 0]

Congratulations!!!

[o0pink0o 3]

Congrats!!

[~ANA~ 0]

Congrats!!!!!!!!!

[amorsiempre 0]

Congratulations!!!

[EdwinandMary 0]

Congratulations on your visa approval....What was really helpful for us when we were going through the carta blanca process is ithat we hired a lawyer in Camguey, he did a great job guiding us and filling out the forms. Also, buy the plane ticket as soon as you can, office of immgration will not issue the Carta Blanca without a purchase plane ticket. Good Luck,

Edwin & Mary.

My fiance has his visa in hand after his interview in Havana on June 26! Deepest gratitude to Barbara y Alexis for helping us get an earlier interview date.

Now Osvaldo will work on getting his carta blanca and hopefully will be on his way here soon. For those Cuban couples awaiting their interviews, here's what happened for us:

We arrived at the USINT at about 6:15 am. No people are allowed to congregate near the building, but everyone was waiting in a small park about 2 blocks away. At about 6:40 am, representatives from the USINT arrived and begin calling the names of persons with scheduled appointments. Their carnets were collected and we lined up across the street. After about an hour or more of waiting in line, we were led to the building. At this point, we and 2 other US Citizen/Cuban couples were escorted to the front of the line and allowed to go in first. I had all our documents organized into numbered folders but they made us throw out all the folders and we had to go through security clutching onto all our loose papers!

Once inside, we were soon called to a window were our documents were checked and added to Osvaldo's file. The Cuban worker did not seem to mind that they were all disorganized. We paid the 121 CUC fee and sat down to wait for the interview. At about 10:20 they called his name and we went to our assigned window where the interview occured. The interviewer was a woman in her 30s, very businesslike and serious. She spoke Spanish and English very rapidly and never smiled. At times it was difficult to understand her because the microphone was not working. We started in Spanish and later switched to English. She asked Osvaldo if he had ever been in the Communist Youth, what his job was, and wasn't it necessary to be a Party member to have that kind of job? Then lots of questions about his 2 ex-wives, his two children, and where they are living, and when he got divorced. Had he ever been out of Cuba? Did he write me those emails in English? How did we meet? Why did I choose to study Spanish in Cuba? How many times did I go to Cuba and why? When did we decide to get married? When did I get pregnant? Was it planned? She verified my profession, and asked what work or study Osvaldo planned to do in the US. We were a bit taken aback by her brusque manner and really didn't know how things were going until she finally said we should come back the next day to pick up his visa. We came back the next day a half-hour earlier than our appointment time, and were again immediately let in to the building. After waiting 30-40 minutes, they called his name and gave us his passport with the visa inside and the packet for US immigration. Then it was real and we were happy!

Thinking things over, I think it's helpful for the US citizen to be there. There were several times that I felt we got preferential treatment because of this. Also, anyone with previous marriages should be prepared to answer a lot of detailed questions about their ex-spouses, no matter how long ago the marriage occured. It was clear the interviewer had read over our file carefully, including my email correspondence with them. We were never separated during the interview, though I understand that the US citizen is often asked to leave.

Another tidbit: for those Cuban couples trying to get an earlier interview date, call the Appt Service Center first thing in the morning (they open at 8 am EST); that's when cancelled appts are re-released.

Now for the carta blanca, the final and murkiest and most unpredictable step ... if anyone has any advice for us, let me know!

Edited July 2, 2008 by EdwinandMary

[yala 0]

Congratulations on your visa approval. Good luck with the carta blanca process. Everything would be fine. Please, keep us posted.

[Zuli & Yansel 0]

Congrats again Jen!!!