Lima, Peru DCF CR-1 Immigrant Visa Interview review

[amymariko 13]

My husband's interview was set for Dec 12th at 7:30am. We arrived at about 6:50am. The company that watches your bag/phones sets up shop at 7:00am to the left outside of the embassy. Get in line for that first and leave everything you won't need inside. They charge 10 soles per backpack/purse and I believe 5 soles per phone. You take your wallets inside. You aren't allowed to take plastic folders inside so make sure your documents are in paper or manila folders/organizers.

The line for IMMIGRANT VISA is to the very left. Don't be alarmed by the large tourist visa line, ask for the immigrant visa line. The US citizen (spouse/petitioner) can go in with their spouse. You just need to show your passports, the visa photos, and your interview confirmation page. Once you get inside you go straight to the visa section. Follow the lines for the immigrant visa. They will tell you where to go. 

 

Once you get called to go inside the building (only took 2 minutes), go all the way to the back of the room. They will call the applicant's name and you go to the window and they give you a document that lists how to organize your papers and tell you to sit back down. I took a lot of supporting evidence which they did not need (or ask for) but it's better to be safe than sorry! 

So you sit down, organize your papers how they ask, then eventually (about 5-7minutes later) they call you up to the same window. The lady (I believe a Peruvian lady—spoke only Spanish to us) checks all of your documents and returns all the supporting evidence they don't need (like photo evidence, joint bank account statements, my proof of maintaining US domicile).

 

Then we had to wait for the actual interview with the officer. This was a 30ish minute wait because there was only one officer interviewing the immigrant visa applicants. He did a couple of interviews (they are like bank teller windows so everyone can hear the questions and answers) then he went somewhere for like 15ish minutes then came back and did 1-2 more interviews. Then he finally called my husband's name! We went up to the window together. The officer spoke Spanish with a heavy American accent and was very friendly! My husband swore to tell the truth, then the officer asked him these questions: When did you meet? When did you start dating? When did you get married? Then he asked me if I was living in Peru. I said yes and explained my parents are missionaries here. The officer said, I bet you wanted to be here too till this was all over. And I said yes. He asked what relation the Co-sponsor (I-864 AOS) was to me. I answered that he was my uncle. Then he asked my husband if he spoke English. He said yes. Then the nice officer said with a smile: Tu visa esta aprobada! Your visa is approved! 

He gave us a little slip with information on how to check the passport (with visa) DHL tracking status and said it would be ready in 3-6 business days! We said thank you and walked out with huge smiles! Praise the Lord all of our investment wasn't in vain.

 

This is the list of documents we took (but half of them they returned to us—copies and supporting evidence):

 •    Two (2) color passport style photos
•    Visa interview date confirmation page
•    DS-260 Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Confirmation Page
•    Visa interview appointment letter from US Consulate
•    Copy of un-expired Peruvian Passport
•    Copy of Peruvian national identity card
•    Original Peruvian Birth Certificate certified by RENIEC
•    Police certificates:
•        Judicial criminal records
•        Penal criminal records
•        Police criminal records
•    Evidence of Bonafide Marriage
•        Copy of Marriage Act (certificate) from Peru
•        Copy of Certified Record of Marriage Registration RENIEC
•        Spousal Affidavit
•        Copy of Joint Lease Agreement
•        Joint Bank Account Statement
•        Photo Pages as evidence to our bonafide relationship
•    Form I-864 Affidavit of Support by US petitioner
•        Copy of US passport photo page
•        Proof of Maintaining US domicile and Intent to Return
•        Copies of IRS tax returns for 2018, 2017, and 2016
•        Bank statements for valid US bank accounts/cards
•    Supplementary Form I-864 Affidavit of Support by uncle in US
•        Copy of US Birth Certificate
•        Copy of 2018 IRS tax return
•    Medical exam results in sealed envelope 

[amymariko 13]

I forgot to mention! I looked everywhere online before the interview to pay the immigrant visa processing fee but couldn't find a place to pay online. On the day of the interview after we organized our documents and the lady at the window went through and checked to see they were all in order and met the requirements—then she gave us a paper to take to go pay the visa fee. You go out of the visa interview room, down the "walkway" and there is a little black gate. Indicate to the guard (they speak only Spanish I believe) that you were instructed to go pay. He'll let you go through the gate and you go down the other walkway (the US citizens side of the embassy) and in the huge heavy doors. Once you get through the security, go to the door on your left and once inside the room go straight to the window all the way on the left. You give the nice American lady your paper and then the money and then go back out and all the way to the immigrant visa section again. Make sure you follow the lines (like when you first enter the visa area) or else they will yell at you for trying to go in the exit (it was a much shorter route back!).