Guayaquil Consulate - Translations?

[paciencia y fe 2]

hey folks, i'm looking for people who have been through the guayaquil consulate. I saw from another thread that we will need certified translations for the interview for the official documents. so, i'm looking so see if anyone can recommend a place in guayaquil to get it done quickly??

i'm a bit stressed about this as i had thought i read somewhere that for this consulate the translations weren't necessary but i'm guessing i misremembered and perhaps that was only for the relationship evidence.

anyway, we likely won't have much time between getting the documents and the interview in guayaquil, so i'm hoping someone can give us some leads for the translations. thanks all!

[MoonStar9913 0]

I had remembered reading that we don't need the translations as well. As I said in my previous post, they never asked for our certified translations. We had them just in case but they never needed them. If you had the birth certificate translated for your original application, I think they will have that and they never asked about one for the police record. If you want to have them just in case, go ahead, but I would suggest not stressing too much if it is impossible. Unfortunately, I don't know where in Guayaquil they have translators so you will have to get help from someone else on that. Good luck though!

[seananda 1]

Paciencia y Fe,

Your handle sounds familiar from conversations with my wife over the past year and a half.

The Packet 4's from the consulate's website don't say anything about certified translations. In fact, the example birth certificates, marriage certificates, and divorce certificates are all in Spanish. There is a list of people in Guayaquil available to do translations on the consulate's webpage at http://guayaquil.usconsulate.gov/media/pdf...agosto-2009.pdf . I can send you the contact info for a good immigration agent who used to work at the consulate and also does translations. You would want to count on a week to turn around a translation if you want it notarized at the consulate. Our immigration agent/lawyer didn't mention anything about translating the police record. You could probably email the consulate as well, if you really need to be sure, but I don't think it is necessary. I seem to remember that the translations were necessary to start the process with the I-129f/I-130, I want to say.

My wife just called on Wednesday to schedule the interview, and they had appointments open on the 9th. We were able to schedule it for the 14th, which is when I'll be in the country. Let's stay in touch about how the interviews go and when you're scheduled. Good luck!

MoonStar9913,

Did you write a consular review? I'd be interested in what information they looked at the most, what questions they asked, if there were any hitches, etc.

[Wildbill 0]

We just had our interview on Dec. 2nd and my wife was approved. We had everything that was in Spanish (except the police record) translated but none of it was certified. The translator just wrote Translated By:her name and then signed it. They DID keep the tranlsations of her birth certificate and our marriage certificate. We also had letters from friends here in Ecuador and my employer, etc. All of which we had translated, but they gave them all back.

I would say for SURE get both the Birth Certificate and the Marriage Certificate tranlsated because they are hand written and difficult to read. I wouldent worry about the Police Record unless it says more than NO REGISTRA ANTECEDENTES ON IT.

I know there are cheap notaries here in the city who will notarize translations while you wait. I can get you some info if you want, just let me know.

Good Luck!

[TBoneTX 45,312]

Seananda,

MoonStar did just post her review. It sounds as though PERHAPS the practices and atmosphere of the ####### consulate has reached its nadir and is on a slight upswing (although two positive VJ experiences does not constitute a pattern). Still, take NOTHING for granted. That female consul sounds unstable (read PDXBicycleBoy's review, a couple below MoonStar's!). Also, as a favor to all of us, ask at the consulate whether Phil Linderman is still the Section Chief of the Immigrant Visa unit (where you'll be interviewing). Please insist on an answer. If he's gone now, we can have more hope that the situation in Guayaquil may improve.

[MoonStar9913 0]

As Tbone stated, yes, I have posted my review, feel free to read it and PM me if you have any further questions. Our interview went well but as Tbone said, don't take things for granted, be as prepared as possible. Maybe there have been more approvals because of the advice we have received ahead of time and not because the consulate has changed. Good luck with everything!

[TBoneTX 45,312]

Maybe there have been more approvals because of the advice we have received ahead of time and not because the consulate has changed.

Perceptively said, si man.

[seananda 1]

Thanks for all the tips and info posted here! I'm feeling good about our application as our letters of support come in, etc. I'll try and find out if Phil Linderman is still the section chief.

[seananda 1]

As Tbone stated, yes, I have posted my review, feel free to read it and PM me if you have any further questions. Our interview went well but as Tbone said, don't take things for granted, be as prepared as possible. Maybe there have been more approvals because of the advice we have received ahead of time and not because the consulate has changed. Good luck with everything!

Thanks for the detailed review MoonStar! That's really helpful. I'll give a detailed review as well.

[paciencia y fe 2]

Paciencia y Fe,

Your handle sounds familiar from conversations with my wife over the past year and a half.

The Packet 4's from the consulate's website don't say anything about certified translations. In fact, the example birth certificates, marriage certificates, and divorce certificates are all in Spanish. There is a list of people in Guayaquil available to do translations on the consulate's webpage at http://guayaquil.usconsulate.gov/media/pdf...agosto-2009.pdf . I can send you the contact info for a good immigration agent who used to work at the consulate and also does translations. You would want to count on a week to turn around a translation if you want it notarized at the consulate. Our immigration agent/lawyer didn't mention anything about translating the police record. You could probably email the consulate as well, if you really need to be sure, but I don't think it is necessary. I seem to remember that the translations were necessary to start the process with the I-129f/I-130, I want to say.

My wife just called on Wednesday to schedule the interview, and they had appointments open on the 9th. We were able to schedule it for the 14th, which is when I'll be in the country. Let's stay in touch about how the interviews go and when you're scheduled. Good luck!

MoonStar9913,

Did you write a consular review? I'd be interested in what information they looked at the most, what questions they asked, if there were any hitches, etc.

thank you so much, everyone, for your advice & tips! Re: the translations, It sounds like we will be able to get his friend in guayaquil who is fully fluent in both languages to do the translations and just write a letter certifying they are accurate and the translator is fluent, as per some of the examples on this site. I'm hoping that will be good.

Moonstar9913, thanks for your review! i'm poring over all the information about the consulate and of course TOTALLY STRESSING OUT about the interview.

Seananda, i am eagerly awaiting the debrief of your interview! i hope it goes great. i am so jealous that you have an interview so soon. we have to wait until january unfortunately, because my fiance works on a boat in the galapagos and he doesn't have his next vacations until Jan. I'm going to try to call tomorrow for an appointment...i hope they will let us make one that far away. otherwise i'm just going to have to try calling every week until we can make the appointment for the week I am there and he is home...did they seem flexible as far as choosing the date for the interview?

thanks again all!

[TBoneTX 45,312]

I'm going to try to call tomorrow for an appointment...i hope they will let us make one that far away. otherwise i'm just going to have to try calling every week until we can make the appointment for the week I am there and he is home...did they seem flexible as far as choosing the date for the interview?

Not to sound like a broken record, but be prepared to be stalled by those cackling young hags on the PIN appointment line until your 8 minutes is up and you're obliged to buy another $12 pin. (I feel certain that they receive commissions for how many times they can get people to call back.) If you sense delay, or if they try to play games with the dates ("you can have an appointment a week from next Leap Year"), sternly demand to speak with a supervisor. In my case, that frightened them into action.

Oh, if I were elected President, my first action would be to beat it down to GYQ and clean them all out... and bring certain COs back to the U.S. in chains. Si, man.

[MoonStar9913 0]

Your welcome for the interview, the website is only as good as its users! Good luck at your interviews and don't stress too much, it doesn't help. Just make sure you are prepared. I stressed quite a bit in these past two months (to the point that I think I was affecting my health) and its not worth it just do what you can, the rest is out of your hands. GOOD LUCK!!!