Documents and Interview Experience

[rheanick 42]

Just sharing..... Documents Preparation and Interview Experience

Documents preparation: Packet Source: www.travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_4323.html

Items in [bracket] are my personal notes

- 2 COPIES DS-156

[Completely filled up the form. For my flight date, I just put in my proposed schedule.]

- 2 COPIES OF DS-157

[1 copy bought from BDO worth USD 131 paid in Philippines peso. I included a supplement page]

- 1 COPY OF DS-156K

[bottom part, the one with note DO NOT WRITE BELOW THIS LINE, i wrote my fiance name and signed prior to submission]

- BIRTH CERTIFICATE NSO copy

[i acquired online. Got it less than a week. BC has no expiration]

- NBI CLEARANCE

[i applied last October. it is valid for one year from date of issue.]

- OTHER COUNTRY POLICE CERTIFICATES

[not applicable for my case. Did not work outside the Philippines for 6 months or longer]

- COURT AND PRISON RECORDS

[not applicable for my case]

- MILITARY RECORDS

[not applicable for my case]

- EVIDENCE OF A MEETING PRIOR TO THE PETITION

[i included passport stamp entries, photos, hotel/resort reservations, plane tickets (e-tickets or paper copy), boarding pass. To organize my data, I printed out 3-4 photos in a bond paper from a particular trip, stapled together photocopy of our passport entry stamps, used plane tickets, original copy of hotel/resort reservations, original copy of receipts and original copy of boarding pass]

- EVIDENCE OF A GENUINE ENGAGEMENT

[my fiancée filed last May 2008, I only included phone bills from May’08 to November’08, emails from May’08 to November’08, engagement ring receipt, photos during our engagement dinner with my family. I had no chat logs (my fiancée and I don’t chat)]

- PROOF OF TERMINATION OF A PRIOR MARRIAGE

[i included my fiance's divorce paper with judge signature]

- CERTIFICATE OF NO MARRIAGE RECORD (CENOMAR) NSO copy

[i acquired online last september]

- EVIDENCE OF SUPPORT

[ Submitted Form 1040, Form W-2, Bank Statement, Employment letter with salary data]

- VISA PHOTOGRAPHS.

[two 2 X 2 colored photographs. Specification: http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/info/info_1287.html]

- PASSPORT AND MEDICAL RESULT

[My passport and medical results were forwarded by St Luke’s to USEM.]

Interview Experience: Nov 26’08 7:00 am

I arrived 6:00 am and looked for K1/K3 applicants lane. Enter US embassy, asked the security guard for the pavilion for K1 visa applicants. [K1 is a nonimmigrant visa but not a tourist visa. Don’t go to the pavilion for tourist visa applicants.] Pavilion is just one big room that have 1). windows for assigning number, finger printing, pre-screening, payment, & delbros and 2) rooms for oath taking & final screening. Upon entering, a guard advised us to sit down and wait. During the wait, an embassy personnel checked our DS 156, DS 156K, DS157. The Guard called first those people with 6:30 appointment, then with 7:00 am appointment, then… etc…

The guard called those people with 7:00 am schedule, I stood up and we were advise to fall in-line to get our number. I got 7004. Then back to my sit again. After several minutes, I heard my name called for finger printing. I stood up and went to window 33(?). Back to my sit again. After several minutes, my number flashed on the board to go to window 22. I brought all my stuff. Window 22 is for the pre-screening. Pre-screener is a Filipino. She asked several questions and requested several documents:

1. When did we first met?

2. How did we met?

3. When did we started the relationship?

3. Have I been out of the Philippines?

4. What is the longest duration of my travel?

5. What did I do in Japan?

6. What is my longest stay in Japan?

7. What are the reasons for my travels

8. She asked for my old passport.

9. Do I still have a job?

10. She asked for my BC, NBI, CENOMAR

11. She asked for evidence of support (Form 1040, Form W2, Bank Statement)

12. She asked for photos. I submitted photos printed on bond paper and 5R photos

13. She asked if I have money remittances. I said “no”. She was quite insistent about it. I was slightly irritated when I said “NO” again. She stopped asking.

14. She asked for packages. I said I did not brought any packages but i have some birthday cards...

I went back to my seatt and waited patiently. By the way, food and drinks are available inside the pavilion. Price were slightly expensive. To prevent boredom, I ended up talking with another K1 applicant, not a member of VJ.

Then my number was called for oath taking. Very short oath taking… all I said was “I swear”

Another long wait… Finally, my number was called for the final interview. I entered the room. The consul asked few questions:

1. Do we (fiance and I) have children before?

2. Have we (fiance and I) been married before?

3. When did my fiance divorced his first wife?

4. Have I worked in the USA?

After the 2nd question, the consul verified my file for my CENOMAR. Unfortunately, she could not find my CENOMAR. She asked if I submitted, I said yes. She looked for the 2nd time. Still, no cenomar. I told her that I submitted CENOMAR and it’s a yellow paper. She looked for the third time and finally found it. After she saw the CENOMAR, we were both relieved and she immediately informed me that I am approved. She gave me a pink slip. During the interview, I felt like that I’m just talking to my American friend and not to a Consul.

[sweet_wifey22 0]

Wow!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jhcruz18 3]

Cool! Yay! Congratulations! Best wishes!

[chunsan 0]

Congratz! Thanks rheanick for sharing your experience and info's, especially the forms. A very big help and guide for the up coming interview. God Bless!

[yankee 0]

Congrats... hope you will get visa asap!!

[lykatodd 0]

Congratulations

[ccndyeth 0]

Congratulations!!! thanks for sharing it..

[pRetTy_aNgeL 1]

:thumbs: CONGRATULATIONS!!!! :dance:

[AngelSaint 0]

Ate, thanks a lot for sharing these experiences with us.

[my_life 0]

This is very helpful! im adding this to my favorites thanks for sharing!