DCF Frankfurt - Success Today!

[Candace 2]

I hope those of you still to go to Frankfurt will find some of this useful:

We stayed last night at the Hotel Alleenhof on Nibelungenallee. We booked via hotel.de and the double room cost us 52,50 Euros, plus we were able to park our car there from arrival yesterday afternoon until after our interview today for only 5 Euros. The hotel is a few minutes’ walk from the Nibelungallee stop on the U5 line, only four stops with no changes to Giessener Str. For the Consulate. We left the hotel at 7:00am this morning and arrived at the Consulate at 7:15am. We were the seventh in line for our type of visa.

We entered the consulate just after 7:30am and went straight to the Cashier’s desk to pay the fee $380.00. We paid cash but Cards and Euros were okay too (their exchange rate was $1=EUR 0,85 for anyone paying in Euros.)

I then got my photos from the photo booth in the lobby (5 Euros, there is also a change machine there) and my stamps from the machine (I got a 4,25 Euro Stamp as requested in Packet 4, however at the second desk we were told that 3,50 would have been enough.)

Around ten minutes’ later we were called to a second window and asked for the completed DS-230 Part II, the receipt for payment and the photo. This was the only problem we encountered; my ears are very flat to my head and because the instructions everywhere scream ‘show both ears’ I purposefully put my hair up so my ears (well, in my case the space where my ears would be if they stuck out at all) were showing. The lady at the second desk said at first that my photo was unacceptable as my ears were not showing. I asked her (politely) how I could make my ears show more (?!) and I felt the photo was perfectly acceptable since I was standing in front of her and she could see my ears could not show any more than they were. She concurred and said ‘You will have to argue it with the Consular Officer at PoE if he or she has a problem with it’ to which I just agreed, as I was getting a bit stressed out at this point. (As a sidenote, neither of the two COs I spoke to afterwards had any problem with the photo.) She took the DS-230 Part II, the photo and my receipt from the Cashier, and gave me an envelope to self-address.

We waited around 15 minutes more and then were called to a third window for checking of paperwork. I was asked for my Birth Certificate and a copy (original was checked and then returned to me) and my Police Certificates from the UK and Germany (they keep the originals.) She also asked for the I-864, plus my husband’s most recent tax return and one payslip. I was not asked for my marriage or annulment (of my first marriage) certificates, although I did have them as requested. I guess since they had the copies I sent with the I-130 they didn’t want to see the originals. I had sent a notarized copy of the marriage certificate with the I-130 so perhaps this is why. The CO then stamped ‘Approved’ on the top of my paperwork, and explained about what the visa would look like, removal of conditions and how I would have the ‘interview’ shortly with another CO and if that is okay and the medical is okay (I went to the medical after the interview) then I would receive my passport back in the mail within two weeks.

Then we waited another ten minutes or so and were called again. The CO asked my husband for his ID and then asked him a couple of questions about when we were returning to the US. We told them we did not know when it would be but that we would be entering in January and moving permanently to the US sometime before December. He then asked me to review the DS-230 Part II and then asked me to sign it in front of him. Both my husband and I then had to raise our right hands and swear that the information therein was correct to the best of our knowledge etc. The CO then asked my husband to leave so he could ask me some questions. He asked me:

How did you meet your husband?

When did your relationship begin?

Have you been to the US before?

Who was at your wedding?

When did you move to Germany?

I gave detailed answers and after each one he typed into his computer. He then said ‘Well, that’s all okay’ (or something like that!) and said pending the medical results they will mail my visa to me. He gave me the dreaded ‘Green Slip’ (the one you get if you’re missing something) but it was only to provide the telephone number to call if I had any questions or had not heard from them in two weeks.

We were out of the Consulate and on the way to the medical by 9:45am. The medical took about 1.5 hours total and afterwards the doctor said everything was okay, gave me my X-Ray and said they would get the paperwork to the Consulate tomorrow. Pending blood test results (which I hope are okay!) I guess I’m done until January 3rd, POE Seattle!!!

A huge thankyou to everyone here for all your help, information and support. Apologies for typos or waffling, this sleepy monkey is off for a nap

~Candace

[Michaela_Hassan 1]

Congratulations Candace!!! Looks like you're on your way!!!

Michaela

[sophyie 0]

Congratulations!

I remembered you had your interview this morning and had hoped to hear from you, and such good news!

Great!

All the best!

One question though: when I went to the medical, the doctor told me to keep the xrays in my handluggage when going over- did he tell you that, too?

[CarolineM 0]

YAY! Congrats

[zauberblume 0]

Congratulations, Candace!

[meauxna 15]

WoooooHoooo!

Congrats Cnadace, and fear not, therea re others coming right behind you who will be so happy for your great report!

sophyie, yes, everyone is "supposed" to carry the xray with them. I've never read where anyone needed to produce it. Gamble as you will.

[samantha_lou 0]

Thats great news Candace, it'll be fantastic to see you once you get out to Seattle!

[Peggy 1]

Congrats

[Candace 2]

Thanks for the good wishes guys!

Yes, Sophyie regarding the x-ray - it's such a huge bulky thing, how annoying! I guess it can't go through the machines at the airports (even if nobody asks for it... it's one of those 'just in case' things, huh) so I'd better find a carry-on bag big enough to cart it around in!

Thats great news Candace, it'll be fantastic to see you once you get out to Seattle!

We'll be in Seattle for two weeks; maybe we can meet up for a coffee? I'll email you

[SuzyBandseer 0]

Congratulations!

About the xray... in the visa packet we got from the Frankfurt consulate, there is a latter that says that the xray can go in your checked luggage.

[Candace 2]

Congratulations!

About the xray... in the visa packet we got from the Frankfurt consulate, there is a latter that says that the xray can go in your checked luggage.

Awesome Suzy! I'm really pleased about that.

The visa came in the mail on Tuesday but of course I was working and of course the Post Office is only open one hour a day, so I am hoping to have VISA IN HAND later this afternoon!

[sophyie 0]

Oh how exciting

Can't wait for my interview in (less than!) two weeks...

[tammytoes 0]

What fantastic news! This must just be sucha weight off!

Congratulations to you two!

I am sure I will be in touch once my fiance and I finally get married in Denmark and officially start our DCF Frankfurt journey!

[Milka 0]

Congratulations and good luck on your further journey!