|
|
| Senegal |  Review on December 15, 2006: |
taurean
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
As the first reviewer said, there are three choices of approved doctors for the Dakar Embassy. My fiance chose the first doctor as well, Dr. Bahsoun. He went for the medical tests one day and got the results the same day in the after noon. He mentioned that this doctor seemed to be very nice and thorough. I believe the vaccinations were completed the next day, so he had all of the medical prerequisites completed in about two days. The results were placed in a sealed envelope and given to my fiance.
I was in Dakar on a pre-planned trip so we decided to try and schedule the interview during the time I was there and that worked out fine. We also called ahead to make sure that it was alright for me to attend the interview with my fiance and that was ok'd. In the days before we gathered all of our evidence and went over papers at least 5 times just to make sure everything was set. I was very nervous that we did not have enough documentation. It was not the foremost thing in our minds to have to document every facet of our relationship, but in the end I think we had enough.
We discussed before hand that we would be at the Embassy by 6:30am since his appointment was at 7:30am. We arrived a little after 6:30am and found a line already! But it was fine. The line was escorted through the concrete barrier around the Embassy at a little after 7am and then we were ushered through security one at a time.
Once inside the Embassy we took a number and waited on these metal benches. I guess it took maybe a little more than an hour for my fiance's number to be called. After his number was called we went up to the a series of windows where the woman asked for his documents. First, the non-immigrant visa forms in French and English. Then the supplemental K-1 visa form in English. Then his police reports and birth certificate and then the passport. Then the Affidavit of Support. Last was the filing fee, and here is where we had a slight problem. My fiance followed the instructions and paid the filing fee at the location that is listed in the instructions and received a receipt of payment. However, the woman at the window seemed to think that this was not acceptable and said that we'd need to come up with the additional funds. She was confused because she said $100 or 25,000 CFA which not the correct conversion. So we started scrambling trying to see if we had that amount on us. We could not understand why he would have to pay yet another filing fee after he'd already paid one.
When we got to the window for payment (and after the guy FINALLY came to the window) he said that we'd need to pay either in CFAs or US Dollars and we didn't have enough in either. So we thought we'd have to run out to the bank and then come back. However I insisted that my fiance ask the man about the reciept and found out after some discussion that this receipt was fine. Crisis averted!
Next we waited in the room where the windows were for his name to be called. There is very little privacy in that room because the interviews are conducted right at the window. So we were privy to what transpired with the folks before us. All of the visas were granted for the people that went before us except for one, which made us feel a little more at ease. TO this point all of the interviews were conducted by a man, later a woman came to another window and started looking through files. My fiance said I think she is going to call my name, and she did right after he said that! So he goes up to the window and motions for me to come up with him. I am standing there while he does the fingerprint thing and swears to tell the truth. My fiance requested that his interview be conducted in French. You have the choice of Wolof, French or English for the interview language. After the preliminaries, she asked (in French) if I were the fiance, I answered that I was and then she told me to have a seat. There were no chairs in the small waiting areas so I went into the oustside waiting area. Which for me was actually better because I would have been to nervous listening to the grilling.
About 5 minutes later my fiance came out and said everything was fine. He never said either way if he received the visa. Then he had to run back in and get something so I am standing there wondering what the heck happened. Finally on the outside I asked, "did you get it?????" He flashed a smile and said "YES."
My fiance was surprised by the fact that the CO did not ask that many questions of him. Just things like where I live, how we met, did I speak French, does he speak English, things of that nature. And she asked for no documented evidence of our relationship. Didn't ask for pictures, phone bills, nothings at all. And we were very prepared for that. The other K-1 visa applicant (a woman) was asked for pictures and asked a lot more questions. It could be that because I was acutally there, she did not need to ask a lot.
Overall, the experience was good. The staff at the Embassy was very nice. Except for the one lady at the outside window, but that was of no matter to me really. I really thought that the interview would be more in depth and that my fiance would have to go further to "prove" our relationship but everything worked out just fine and he picked up his passport with the visa inside two days later.
| |
|
Consulate / USCIS Member Review #1121