Mylene's Interview Experience ..

[CountryBoy 0]

Just a couple of notes about Mylene's interview on July 9, 2007 .. Hopefully it will help some here ..

Mylene said that once she was inside the Embassy all of her worries went away. She spent most of her time assisting other filipinas in organizing documents and answering questions, all of which she had knowledge of from the great community here at VJ....

Submitting the DS Forms

Mylene said that organizing your DS documents in the following order is very important... She was given this information by an employee of the embassy while waiting inside to be called to turn in the forms and it worked perfectly...

1.) Appointment Letter on top

2.) DS-156k filled out

3.) DS-156 that was filled out online (with barcode and picture glued) 3 pages

4.) DS-157 with the bank validated copy, filled up (remove the stapled paper from the form and keep it)

5.) Second copy DS-156 filled out online (with barcode and picture glued) 3 pages

6.) Second copy DS-157 not validated copy

When she submitted the documents in this order, they took the documents, gave her her queue number, and told her to have a seat and wait for her name to be called .. no problems whatsoever. Other beneficiaries didn't have the forms filled out completely, didn't have the bar code version of the DS-156, didn't have their picture pasted to the DS-156, had the documents all out of order .. all of this lead to the process of sorting, correcting, and organizing by the embassy employee which made it take them alot longer.

The Finger Scan

Very simple, just wait for your name to be called, go the appropriate window, and get your fingerprints taken.

The Pre-Interview

Mylene had just completed her fingerprints and went to the restroom; when she came out her number was flashing to go to window 14 (I think). Mylene thought there was a problem with her finger scan and she was going to have to redo it or something so she cocked off some smart azzed comment to the filipino at the window. Little did she know that she was being called for her pre-interview ... lol ...

I don't know if her smart comment cought the pre-interviewer off guard or what, but he gave her a funny look and said, "Maam, I'm only asking you some questions." with a smile on his face. He then asked her for the petitioners proof of support paperwork, (this was in flexible plastic with everything suggested to include on VJ plus 5 years of tax returns - he took out the I-134 and 2006 tax return), her Japanese Police Clearance, he asked to see our pictures together (but only looked at it thru the glass and said he didn't need any of the pictures), NBI, Cenomar, Birth Certificates (for her and Ashley).

The whole process was very fast and painless; the filipino pre-interviewer was very professional, respectful, and kind.

NOTE: Mylene commented on the way that some of the filipinas were being treated badly by the pre-interviewers. In some cases the beneficiaries were lacking evidence or the evidence that they did have was very unorganized, things like that .. the pre-interviewers were very rude to these girls ... maybe Mylene was just lucky to get the "nice guys" at the embassy, but I'd be more apt to say that she was treated so well because she was so well prepared. (I sent in ALOT of evidence with my petition initially and she had TONS more for the interview. Not only that, the evidence that she had with her for the interview ... she knew where every item was at and could pick it out within seconds upon request)

The Interview

Ashley (5 years old) was playing during the entire interview process with the CO and wasn't asked a single question. Just as a point of reference because he was the only one there, Mylene's interviewer was a black man. Mylene said that the CO never smiled during entire interview but spoke respectfully to her and was very much a gentleman. He asked her a few questions about when we met online and in person he looked at our pictures at this time he asked what I do for work, he asked to see her engagement ring, he asked about her flight to the US and when we plan to get married, he asked when my birthday was (the day her flight arrived in the US ... woohoo). He said that he had no more questions for her (this is when she should have given the request to pick up the visas in person and a copy of the flight itenerary, but she didn't .. ugh .. oh well, after several calls to the embassy made by me and a fax to the embassy made by Mylene we got it all straightened out in the end .. 2 days after her interview she had the visas in hand) She also asked if their visas were approved and he said, "Not until I get Ashleys medical and passport." (they were misplaced for a while but were found while Mylene was still at the embassy)

Releasing

Mylene was called to window 37, this is where they stapled her queue number, pink slip to pay delbros, and interview appointment letter together and gave it to her. They also returned alot of the original evidence that I sent with the I-129F petition; she asked why they were returning the evidence and they told her that they had plenty. This is also where she read the word APPROVED written on her documents.

Paying Delbros

Very simple, take the pink slip from the releasing window and pay Delbros.

Go Home and WAIT

Picking Up the Visas

Mylene was called in the morning on July 11, 2007 to be at the embassy to pick up her visas that afternoon before 3:00 p.m.. She took a seat and was waiting for someone to come to the window where she was told to report for picking up the visas, time kept going and noone came to the window. At 2:00 Mylene explained to a security guard why she was there and told him that she had been waiting for a long time but noone had come to the window, he said, "Maam, just take a seat and someone will call you. At 2:30 she went to window X and she explained it to the filipina there .. she told Mylene just to knock on the window and someone will come. Voila .. it worked Mylene had the visas within minutes.

Side Note

Other things that might have helped Mylene during the process; Mylene's middle name (her mothers maiden name) is the same as one of the people that handled her(this was discussed between them); also Mylene's last name is Luzon and some the employees were kidding her .. "Do you own Mindanao and Visayas too .. or just Luzon?"

Whatever you do, be well prepared with your documents and have plenty of evidence .. also be confident with your answers to the pre-interviewer and CO.

Good Luck,

CB and Mylene

Edited July 12, 2007 by CountryBoy

[alexandra8886 0]

hi CB,

thanks for posting this!

have a blast bday....

cheers!

alexandra

[raymaga 25]

Congrats on the successful interview!!!!

Best wishes to you both!!!

[Sheriff Uling 3]

Very cool! Thank you so much for sharing...

[Jasman0717 9]

I love reading posts like this, they are so very helpful for those still to do the interview. Thanks

[vsmtghdy 2]

Thanks for sharing the interview experience, it will be a great help tho those who are yet to be scheduled for their interview, so they can prepare well. Have a safe trip Mylene!

[CountryBoy 0]

You are all welcome, I just hope it might help someone.

CB