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saradanielle

Visa approved at Rio de Janeiro Consulate

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Brazil
Timeline

We had the interview at the Rio de Janeiro Consulate yesterday; it was quick and painless and I will give you all the details here!

We got to the Consulate just before 7 AM. We were the second ones on line; about 20 people showed up after us. Around 7:30, a woman came by and checked off our names on a list and marked down where we were in line (i.e. put a 2 next to our name).

At 7:40 we went in, went through security check (you are allowed to take your cell phone as long as it is turned off). We went up to the second floor and sat down. A very nice young woman sat at a desk in the same room (all of the windows are in an enclosed cubicle) and was available to answer questions, etc. She came by and gave us a list of documents to put together. I told her that we had already sent most of the documents to the NVC. She said, no problem, just put the passport, one 5x5cm photo and the medical exam envelope together to hand in. After about ten minutes, she called us up (in the order that we were in line) to go to one of the windows. My husband handed in the above mentioned documents and the woman at the window took them. I also gave them my joint sponsor's tax return, since she had filed a tax extension and the NVC didn't receive the actual return. (I don't know if they were actually going to ask me for it or not, but the interview letter gave general instructions to bring the 2007 tax return if a sponsor had filed an extension.) The only other thing that the woman asked for was my husband's military card. We didn't send it in to the NVC because he had not actually served in the military. However, he has a card stating that when he registered for the military, he was excused from initial military service because they had too many people enlisting. So he went and made a copy of his card and handed it in with the original.

We sat and waited for about 45 minutes before they started calling interviews. The first people to be called in were behind us in line but I believe they were called in because they were missing something important in their application. I didn't hear the whole conversation but it sounded like the Consulate did not have a record of them paying the $400 fee (to NVC I assume, unless he had done DCF); the husband (American) had a receipt stating that he had paid it, but I don't think they were going to accept it. The next person that went in was the first on line; a young guy - he was in for about 10 minutes and came out with an approved visa.

While we were waiting, the young woman who first greeted us talked to us about what happens after the interview - namely, you will either receive the visa right away or your case will be determined as "pending" - if there are missing documents or evidence, etc. When you receive the visa, it will come with a sealed envelope (as we all know) and that the envelope must be completely intact when we go through the port of entry. She said that every week someone comes into the Consulate crying because their envelope had been ripped and POE would not accept it and deported them. She stressed that it is extremely important that the envelope is perfect when we get to the US.

We were called in next (about 9:30 AM). I had a bunch of documents and photo albums and evidence, but the woman didn't ask to see any of it. Actually, she moved through the questions pretty quickly, so I didn't even have time to offer them to her to see. She started out saying hello my husband in Portuguese. I entered a minute after him and said, in Portuguese, that I was his wife and asked if I could stay for the interview. She said yes, then said, wait, who are you? I said, his wife, and she said, ok, no problem. She continued the rest of the interview completely in Portuguese and didn't ask if either one of us wanted to speak English (nor did she speak English to me). She was American but her Portuguese was quite clear and good (my husband said so too). While she asked questions, she was flipping through our documents and stamping "Approved" on them, so I thought that was a good sign.

Before the questions, she had my husband take digital fingerprints and sign part 2 of the DS-230. (I figured that was already a good sign.) She gave me back the original documents that I had sent to the NVC. Then we raised our right hands and she swore us in.

Her questions:

1. (to my husband) Have you been to the US before? (no)

2. Have you ever applied for a visa to the US? (no)

3. When did you get married?

4. Is the first marriage for both of you?

5. When did you meet?

6. (to me) Are you here on vacation now? (No, I have lived in Brasil with my husband since Feb 2007)

7. (to me) Did you visit him between the time that you met and when you moved here? (Yes, twice)

8. Have you met each other's families?

9. Do you have any children? (Yes, my husband has one from a previous relationship)

10. Will your son stay with his mother or go with you? (For now, he will stay here and then we will apply for a visa to bring him to the US)

11. Does his mother mind him going to the US? (no)

12. (to me) You have a joint sponsor, (gave her name)? (yes, that's right)

13. Is she your mother? (no, my aunt)

14. Is she married?

I think those are all the questions though there may be one or two that I am forgetting.

Then she said, "well, Rodrigo, we have a visa for you. Go ahead out to the woman at the desk and she will give you instructions on receiving your visa." Wee hoo! The interview went fast - 10 minutes at the most - and felt pretty easy. I was almost disappointed (but not really of course), since I had brought so much stuff to show her. It felt like our visa was pretty much approved before we went in and she was just checking all of our information for validity, etc. I thought she would have asked me more about what I was doing in Brazil, what our plans were to go to the States, etc but she didn't ask.

We went out to the desk and the woman wrote my husband's name and case number on a green piece of paper. She then sent us downstairs to the TNT (express mail) desk, where we filled out a postal address card (for my mother in law's house, since we are visiting them in SP), and paid R$24. They said the passport and the immigration envelope (to be handed in at the port of entry) will arrive in 3 business days. We were out of the door at 10 AM. I almost feel silly for having stressed out so much, but there was no way to know that the interview day would be as easy as it actually was. :dance::dance::dance:

USCIS

August 16, 2007: Filed 1-130 at VSC for CR-1 Visa

December 21, 2007: NOA1 issued (I-130 now at CSC)

February 27, 2008: NOA2 issued

NVC

March 07, 2008: NVC case # received

March 26, 2008: Fee bills arrive

April 01, 2008: Fee bills paid

April 11, 2008: NVC processes fee bill payments

April 24, 2008: AOS and DS-230 requests arrive from NVC

May 13, 2008: Completed AOS and DS-230 packages sent to NVC

May 23, 2008: RFE for Police Certificate (even though all original docs were sent!)

June 30, 2008: Checklist Letter Response received at NVC (new documents)

July 8, 2008: Case complete

July 16, 2008: Case forwarded to Consulate

US CONSULATE - RIO DE JANEIRO

July 22, 2008: Case arrives at Consulate

July 24, 2008: Medical Exam

August 14, 2008: INTERVIEW! Visa issued!

August 18, 2008: Received immigrant visa and document package via DHL

January 16, 2009: Enter US at LAX POE

1-751 JOINT PETITION

November 5, 2010: Mailed file for 1-751 Removal of Conditions

November 6, 2010: Petition package arrival at CSC [check cashed on 11/10/10]

November 12, 2010: NOA1 received

December 14, 2010: Biometrics appointment

February 11, 2011: Approval of Removal of Conditions

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Colombia
Timeline

Congratulations!!!

And thank you for sharing the details with the rest of us. :thumbs:

Diana

CR-1

02/05/07 - I-130 sent to NSC

05/03/07 - NOA2

05/10/07 - NVC receives petition, case # assigned

08/08/07 - Case Complete

09/27/07 - Interview, visa granted

10/02/07 - POE

11/16/07 - Received green card and Welcome to America letter in the mail

Removing Conditions

07/06/09 - I-751 sent to CSC

08/14/09 - Biometrics

09/27/09 - Approved

10/01/09 - Received 10 year green card

U.S. Citizenship

03/30/11 - N-400 sent via Priority Mail w/ delivery confirmation

05/12/11 - Biometrics

07/20/11 - Interview - passed

07/20/11 - Oath ceremony - same day as interview

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Congratulations... Perfect way to start the day!

Service Center : California Service Center

Consulate : Nicaragua

Marriage : 2008-02-21

I-130 Sent : 2008-03-27

I-130 NOA1 : 2008-04-01

I-130 Approved : 2008-07-10

NVC Received : 2008-07-11

Received DS-3032 / I-864 Bill : 2008-07-21

Pay I-864 Bill AND Return Completed DS-3032 : 2008-07-22

IV Payment Online: 2008-07-30

Sent Completed I-864 and DS230: 2008-08-01

DS230 and I864 entered to the system:2008-08-06

Case Completed at NVC : 2008-08-14 //// 35 days! /// Not bad!

Medical Exam: 2008-09-18

Interview Date : 2008-10-08

Visa Received : 2008-10-16

US Entry : 2008-10-18 POE: Houston

Lifting Conditions

CIS Office : California Service Center

Date Filed : 2010-07-16

NOA Date : 2010-07-20

Biometrics Taken: 2010-07-29

RFE 2010/10/12

RFE Respond 2010/11/05

Aproverd: 2010/11/23

Card Received: 2010/11/27

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Brazil
Timeline

Thanks! It was faster and easier than I thought it would be. I am so relieved that this whole year of stress and anxiety is over! Lots of luck to everyone!

USCIS

August 16, 2007: Filed 1-130 at VSC for CR-1 Visa

December 21, 2007: NOA1 issued (I-130 now at CSC)

February 27, 2008: NOA2 issued

NVC

March 07, 2008: NVC case # received

March 26, 2008: Fee bills arrive

April 01, 2008: Fee bills paid

April 11, 2008: NVC processes fee bill payments

April 24, 2008: AOS and DS-230 requests arrive from NVC

May 13, 2008: Completed AOS and DS-230 packages sent to NVC

May 23, 2008: RFE for Police Certificate (even though all original docs were sent!)

June 30, 2008: Checklist Letter Response received at NVC (new documents)

July 8, 2008: Case complete

July 16, 2008: Case forwarded to Consulate

US CONSULATE - RIO DE JANEIRO

July 22, 2008: Case arrives at Consulate

July 24, 2008: Medical Exam

August 14, 2008: INTERVIEW! Visa issued!

August 18, 2008: Received immigrant visa and document package via DHL

January 16, 2009: Enter US at LAX POE

1-751 JOINT PETITION

November 5, 2010: Mailed file for 1-751 Removal of Conditions

November 6, 2010: Petition package arrival at CSC [check cashed on 11/10/10]

November 12, 2010: NOA1 received

December 14, 2010: Biometrics appointment

February 11, 2011: Approval of Removal of Conditions

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Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Ecuador
Timeline
Thanks! It was faster and easier than I thought it would be. I am so relieved that this whole year of stress and anxiety is over! Lots of luck to everyone!

I really enjoy reading the reviews of interviews, especially when it all ends positively. Matter of fact, this one sounds PERFECT!

Congratulations to you both!

I hope the rest of us have this same kind of experience at our embassies/consulates!

Time Line

2007-11-10.....Marriage in Ecuador

2008-01-11.....I-130 Sent

2008-04-28.....I-130 Approved

2008-05-02.....NVC Received

2008-08-20.....Case Complete at NVC

2008-10-14.....Interview--221g, asked to present joint sponsor inspite of NVC approval

2008-11-07.....Visa due to arrive. DHL truck delivering visa was robbed, Consulate required us to present I-864s and DS-230 again, had to get a new passport and other related documents

2008-11-14.....Presented all new documents in person at Consulate, visa printed same day

2008-11-25.....POE Atlanta

2008-12-26.....Green Card and 2nd Welcome Letter arrive

2010-09-02.....Date of NOA ROC 1-751

2010-12-13.....Approval of ROC

2011-01-12.....10 year Permanent Resident card arrived

2011-12-20.....N-400 Application mailed

2011-12-29.....NOA

2012-02-02.....Walk-in biometrics (appt was for 2/16)

2012-04-17.....Interview

2012-05-18.....Naturalization Ceremony

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Brazil
Timeline
Thanks! It was faster and easier than I thought it would be. I am so relieved that this whole year of stress and anxiety is over! Lots of luck to everyone!

I really enjoy reading the reviews of interviews, especially when it all ends positively. Matter of fact, this one sounds PERFECT!

Congratulations to you both!

I hope the rest of us have this same kind of experience at our embassies/consulates!

Thanks! I like reading reviews of interviews as well, which is why I made it a point to post mine ASAP. Lots of luck. I know everyone is stressing out about their interviews (I gave myself a stomachache two days before ours), so it is hopefully a little relieving to hear of interviews that have gone well.

Good luck!

USCIS

August 16, 2007: Filed 1-130 at VSC for CR-1 Visa

December 21, 2007: NOA1 issued (I-130 now at CSC)

February 27, 2008: NOA2 issued

NVC

March 07, 2008: NVC case # received

March 26, 2008: Fee bills arrive

April 01, 2008: Fee bills paid

April 11, 2008: NVC processes fee bill payments

April 24, 2008: AOS and DS-230 requests arrive from NVC

May 13, 2008: Completed AOS and DS-230 packages sent to NVC

May 23, 2008: RFE for Police Certificate (even though all original docs were sent!)

June 30, 2008: Checklist Letter Response received at NVC (new documents)

July 8, 2008: Case complete

July 16, 2008: Case forwarded to Consulate

US CONSULATE - RIO DE JANEIRO

July 22, 2008: Case arrives at Consulate

July 24, 2008: Medical Exam

August 14, 2008: INTERVIEW! Visa issued!

August 18, 2008: Received immigrant visa and document package via DHL

January 16, 2009: Enter US at LAX POE

1-751 JOINT PETITION

November 5, 2010: Mailed file for 1-751 Removal of Conditions

November 6, 2010: Petition package arrival at CSC [check cashed on 11/10/10]

November 12, 2010: NOA1 received

December 14, 2010: Biometrics appointment

February 11, 2011: Approval of Removal of Conditions

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Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Sweden
Timeline
Congratulations :D !!!

2008-05-06 I-129F sent

2008-05-10 Delivered to NVC 3:12pm

2008-05-20 NOA1

2008-05-23 Touched

2008-06-26 Touched

2008-06-27 Touched

2008-09-07 NOA2

2008-09-11 Received at NVC

2008-09-12 Left NVC

2008-09-18 Consulate received

2008-09-25 Pkt3 Received

2008-09-28 Pkt3 Returned

2008-09-30 Pkt4 Received

2008-10-09 Interview

2008-10-13 Medical

2008-10-24 Visa Received

2008-10-30 Fying home to my Jonathan

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Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Ethiopia
Timeline

Congrats on your visa. Thanks for sharing your interview experience.

USCIS Journey

03/15/08 Sent I-130

03/17/08 I-130 received (USPS) (Priority Date)

06/28/08 Received NOA2 hardcopy: NO RFE FROM USCIS:101 days

NVC Journey

07/01/08 NVC case# assigned

08/14/08 CASE COMPLETE: NO RFE FROM NVC:44 days

09/15/08 Interview date assigned

Embassy Journey

10/01/08 Case at embassy

10/08/08 Document verification and got interviewed (Approved)

10/09/08 Pick up visa (original interview date)

10/18/08 P.O.E ~ Seattle

Removing Conditions

07/23/2010 Mail off I-751(USCIS received on 07/26 via usps)

07/26/2010 NOA1 date (notice received 8/2/2010)

07/28/2010 Check cashed

08/20/2010 Biometrics appt.(notice received 8/7/2010)

08/20,21,23 touched

10/22/2010 Approved NO RFE(2 months and 3 weeks from filing date)

Citizenship

10/7/11 N-400 Submitted

10/13/11 NOA date

10/20/11 appt letter sent for biometrics

11/9/11 Biometrics appt

11/11/11 Email of interview scheduling received

11/14/11 Interview scheduled and mail sent

11/21/11 Interview letter received

12/19/11 Interview date

12/19/11 passed interview and oath Finally a citizen(2 months 1 week and 5 days from sending N-400)

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  • 1 month later...
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Brazil
Timeline
:dance: Whoo Hoo! My wife and daughter had their visas approved in Rio today! 439 Days since filing...

CR1 - Maristela (Wife)

California Service Center (CSC)

Day 0 - May 22, 2007 - Married

Day 0 - July 28, 2007 - Sent I-130 to CSC

Day 21- August 18, 2007 - NOA1 (took 21 Days)

Day 168- January 12, 2008 - NOA2 (took 147 Days)

National Visa Center (NVC)

Day 206- February 19, 2008 - Received I-864 Fee Bill / DS 3032 (took 38 Days)

Day 206- February 20, 2008 - Sent I-864 Fee Express Mail (took 1 Day)

Day 220- March 4, 2008 - Received I-864 Packet (took 14 Days)

Day 221- March 5, 2008 - Sent I-864 Packet Express Mail (took 1 Day)

Day 237- March 21, 2008 - Received I.V. Fee Bill (took 17 Days)

Day 237- March 21, 2008 - Sent I.V. Fee Bill Express Mail (took 0 Days)

Day 267- April 21, 2008 - Received DS-230 Instructions (took 30 Days)

(May - July was spent trying to gather and REPLACE original police clearance letters from Germany, Italy, & Brazil. Birth Certificates, Marriage Certificate, and all the translations after the US POST Office and/or US Customs Border Protection at JFK Airport LOST the package! ARRGH!)

August 27, 2008 - Case Completed at NVC

DAY 439! - October 8, 2008 - Interview in Rio - Visa Approved!

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Filed: K-3 Visa Country: Brazil
Timeline

Thanks for posting! My husband has his interview in Rio today. We are planning to file a 601 for unlawful presence, so the best case scenario is that he will have everything they ask for and they will make him the appointment to come back and submit the waiver.

I'm sitting here a nervous wreck waiting for him to get back to the hostel and email me.

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