2017 Post NOA2 for Cuba K1 - getting ready for interview

[eruiz3 24]

2 hours ago, TatiyPablo said:

@forena99 @058rocale

 

Hey guys  I ordered the clear folders you suggested and trying to organize all my docs so they fit. Question - did you bring a copy of your original I-129F petition? I was going to bring mine but it is like probably more than 200 pgs with all the phone records, emails, and evidence that I included. Yikes. I figured I could leave some information out but what are your thoughts? thanks!

i am taking mine for sure I know it's 400 and some pages but I don't want to risk it. Which folders did you order? I found clear colored ones at the Dollar Tree.

[eruiz3 24]

Hey guys..so my cousin today had a CR1 interview with his wife and son. Thought I'd let you know what happened in his interview. So he is ONLY a US Resident but was still allowed inside, also, because his wife does not speak fluent English the questions asked only he had to answer (he's the petitioner). I thought this was interesting because my fiance does not speak English, I wonder if the same will happen at our interview. 

[TatiyPablo 32]

3 minutes ago, eruiz3 said:

i am taking mine for sure I know it's 400 and some pages but I don't want to risk it. Which folders did you order? I found clear colored ones at the Dollar Tree.

Cool! Me too, right now I'm going through my original petition (a copy i made) and thinning out what i can, like divider pages, filing fee receipt, and reprinting everything i can double sided and writing notes/highlights. I ordered the plastic folders @058rocale suggested, they come in a pack of 10. I'm just worried about my original i-129f fitting in one of them. ha.

[Mayeli 1]

On 6/26/2017 at 7:44 PM, eruiz3 said:

Hi Mayeli! I didn't include any letters besides the intent to marry in the initial I-129F packet. I might take a couple to our interview in August. 

 

Not sure how that's related to the affidavit of support. You can take a letter from your employer, pay stubs, w-2 & income tax as evidence of your yearly income. 

Thank you @forena99, @TatiyPablo, and @eruiz3 for replying!  From what I've read letters from family/friends validating the relationship aren't related to the Affidavit of Support (which is mainly financial).  I guess depending on the number and quality of our supporting documents, I'll decide whether or not to include the letter.  Appreciate everyone's help!

[TatiyPablo 32]

For those who has their interview, how many of the clear folders can you bring, does it all have to be in one? Right now I have 4.

 

Also did you submit copies of NOA1, NOA2, and NVC letter or originals? And for petitioners did you submit your original birth certificate or copy? Thanks!

[TatiyPablo 32]

Sorry for all the questions but for the petitioners, should we scan each page of our passport, in. Addition to bringing the actual passport? Thanks!

[058rocale 74]

13 hours ago, TatiyPablo said:

@forena99 @058rocale

 

Hey guys  I ordered the clear folders you suggested and trying to organize all my docs so they fit. Question - did you bring a copy of your original I-129F petition? I was going to bring mine but it is like probably more than 200 pgs with all the phone records, emails, and evidence that I included. Yikes. I figured I could leave some information out but what are your thoughts? thanks!

Hello @TatiyPablo!
I brought with me just the I-129 form, but nothing else since I brought new extensive evidence of a relationship for the interview. I put the I-129 in a separate folder in case they asked for it, but they did not. So you can bring the form if you like but it seems like they don't review it at this stage  

[058rocale 74]

8 hours ago, TatiyPablo said:

Sorry for all the questions but for the petitioners, should we scan each page of our passport, in. Addition to bringing the actual passport? Thanks!

Hello! I did that, I brought my passport and an every page copy, but they did not ask for my passport copy. I just used my passport to get in the embassy. 

[058rocale 74]

11 hours ago, eruiz3 said:

Hey guys..so my cousin today had a CR1 interview with his wife and son. Thought I'd let you know what happened in his interview. So he is ONLY a US Resident but was still allowed inside, also, because his wife does not speak fluent English the questions asked only he had to answer (he's the petitioner). I thought this was interesting because my fiance does not speak English, I wonder if the same will happen at our interview. 

 

Hello! That is interesting bc it seems like it all depends on who you get as an interviewee. Our interview at the Havana embassy was all in Spanish and the questions were directed to both of us.

[058rocale 74]

On 6/26/2017 at 6:08 PM, forena99 said:

Hi all! 

Just an update.  My fiance came into FLL last Thursday from Holguin, CUBA.  He took about 10 minutes to go through customs!  It didn't take him very long at all.  They looked at his papers.  They spoke to him in English so he responded in English and everything seemed to be fine.  There is no carousel for baggage claim for his flight, so he had to ask someone after the customs POE process and they showed him where his bag was.  But he said he felt comfortable and never felt like there was a stressful moment.  They were all really friendly with him.  Just thought I'd share his experience with you guys.  

We were united last Thursday at the FLL airport and we spent the weekend in Miami and FLL just touring around.   It was great to see his face when we saw the tall buildings and planes flying banners at the beach.  All in all he took everything really well, since this was his first time to the US.

Cheers,

Forena

I am so happy for both of you!! ♥ It's so surreal to have them here ♥ 

[058rocale 74]

Hello everyone!! 

I wanted to let you all know that two days ago we went to petition for his Social Security, and it will be mailed to us in about a week.

I read that its good to have it now so that later on when he gets his permission to work, he can start working immediately, as well as have access to other benefits like getting his driver's license. We also waited the recommended two weeks before going to the SS office. 

We went to our local social security office and brought his passport, his original birth certificate, the Online Electronic I-94 (which is a paper saying when he arrived and I just printed it from the website)  and the SS-5 form all filled up. They immediately return his passport and Birth Certificate once they were done corroborating all information. 

This page really helped me: http://www.visajourney.com/content/ssn

To get into the SS office is worst that getting into airport security. No food, drinks, nothing, and they go through your belongings like no other haha You have to go through metal detectors as well. So if you can, just bring your documents and that is it.

After that, the waiting was not bad, and the process of getting his SS # was super easy. No questions of any kind, they just look at your papers and then gave us the receipt that his ss will come by the mail. We arrived at 9:30 and left around 11:00. I did no make an appointment, I just got did the self-check in once there. Definitely, the earlier you get there in the morning the better for waiting times. 

 

**My fiance got a couple of his birth certificate copies in Habana (but only legalized the one we gave at the Embassy's interview). Getting this was great because the airport does not return any of the documents he brings in that POE package. I highly recommend your fiance(e) brings extra copies of their birth certificates from Cuba.  

Edited June 29, 2017 by 058rocale

[TatiyPablo 32]

Hi all! Thanks for sharing your story @058rocale! It prompted me to call my fiance and remember to get extra birth certificate copies haha.

 

I wanted to raise the following question again - 

 

For those who has their interview, how many of the clear folders can you bring, does it all have to be in one? Right now I have 4.

 

For your copy of I-129F and continuing evidence packet, did you print single or double side? Also did you submit copies of NOA1, NOA2, and NVC letter or originals? And for petitioners did you submit your original birth certificate or copy? I can't seem to find my NVC letter, do you think this will be an issue? 

 

Thanks!

[058rocale 74]

1 hour ago, TatiyPablo said:

Hi all! Thanks for sharing your story @058rocale! It prompted me to call my fiance and remember to get extra birth certificate copies haha.

 

I wanted to raise the following question again - 

 

For those who has their interview, how many of the clear folders can you bring, does it all have to be in one? Right now I have 4.

 

For your copy of I-129F and continuing evidence packet, did you print single or double side? Also did you submit copies of NOA1, NOA2, and NVC letter or originals? And for petitioners did you submit your original birth certificate or copy? I can't seem to find my NVC letter, do you think this will be an issue? 

 

Thanks!

I am glad it helped!

You can bring how many clear folders you want. They are more for you to keep things organized and be able to give them what they ask for in each step of the interview day. I took 5 folders. And since they don't allow purses inside, I used one folder for all the random smaller documents and granola bars for eating inside.

I did everything I could double sided. 

I brought copies of all the Noa's but they did not even ask to see them at any point od the interview. They will ask for the interview confirmation page and the Ds-160 confirmation page only. I also brought the original and a photocopy of my birth certificate but they did not ask for it either. I say bring the original and a copy just in case, but odds are they won't look at them. I think you will be fine without the NVC letter since that letter just has general information you have in other documents.

[TatiyPablo 32]

On 4/28/2017 at 10:25 AM, 058rocale said:

Hi @TatiyPablo!

I got my NVC number last month, about three weeks from my noa2

I read that putting the Wac number is something many people do. At the end it all ties to the same thing, we have our DS-160, and all of our documents that tie the case to us and to the k1. And the appointment said to put the case number, starting with a three letter word, which we did. I noticed that the official statement is always more complicated that what it is. At the end you do whatever makes you feel comfortable  

How is your fiance with the process of getting his medical records, certificado de solteria, birth certificate and criminal records? Keep in mind that to legalize the certificado de solteria and his birth certificate they need three weeks. And the medical exam results are given to your fiance in 15-19 days after the exam takes place. So your June could be spent just waiting to receive everything. 

Yes, I do what Cuba and Chill does, plus I get a screenshot of the imo chats log since it says I was in a video Call and it says the date and time. But you have to do this a day later, since it's it shows a date stamp. I'll send you a picture. 

Oh wow! 200 pages!? haha That is great! With all the documents you have gathered since you submitted your petition, do everything double sided, and have your folder super organized. I've read they might ask for very specific things, or a certain amount of specific evidence. I've read many accounts of people interviews in Habana, and from all of it, I noticed that by consensus the officials at the embassy are very impressed with us having a lot of evidence and having it organized. Even if they don't ask to see all of it. But keep in mind that every folder has to fit in a one-inch high slot  Most people get denied because they don't bring good enough evidence, or barely any evidence at all. So we are covered! haha

 

Hi @058rocale, I meant to ask you this ages ago, but what do you mean that our folder has to fit into a one inch slot? I have 4 folders as of now, hahaha.

[TatiyPablo 32]

On 5/19/2017 at 1:52 PM, 058rocale said:

Oh wow! They are taking so long and making mistakes! That is horrible. A month for the package get to Habana? I am so sorry to hear all of this  I guess sit was a good idea to cancel it until later since they are making so many mistakes. 

 

My fiance went yesterday to pick up his medical result examination and they were not in a sealed envelope. I keep being so surprised by the differences between the 'official' way and how it turns out in reality. I am going to put those papers in an envelope and seal them and put his name and info on the front of the envelope. I don't want to risk the embassy not liking us giving his medical results without an envelope. It also seems there were having some problems processing the medical exam results for many people.

This process is an extreme obstacle course, but we can do this! ♥ 

Same happened with my fiance! They didn't put his exam in an envelope, and just said the people at the embassy will know what to do. Did you have any issue with this?

 

Thanks! x