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| France |  Review on February 1, 2016: |
sega10028
Rating:  | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
We had our immigration visa interview Jan 28, 2016. There are a few steps. First, you arrive and might have to wait outside the consulate (across the street even) until they let you in, so dress appropriately. If you're hungry, eat something beforehand because they don't let you bring food in, even candy bars. There are vending machines inside though.
Also, bring something to read because they take *everything* electronic and dangerous (lip gloss!) from you when you enter the consulate.
Once you enter the main building after security, you take a number and wait in the waiting room. When they call your number, the first clerk just takes your convocation and makes sure you registered on the visainfo site. Then you wait again. This clerk was pretty cold.
The second time your number gets called, you meet with a clerk who has all the paperwork you sent to the NVC. She collects copies of any original documents that you sent copies of to the NVC. In our case, we gave her originals of my husband's birth certificate, our marriage certificate, his police record and military record. Actually, she let us keep his military record and just took a photocopy since that one takes a long time to get. She also asks if the financial info you included on your Affadavit of Support is still correct. I said yes, and she left it at that - she didn't care that exchange rates have changed, etc. This clerk was French and super nice.
Then you wait again.
The third time you are called up for your interview. Our clerk was a young American and very friendly, and we were joking with each other. We've been married 3 years and together 5, so I didn't expect much in the way of questions testing the authenticity of our relationship, but she was either just curious about us or doubtful. She asked us:
- How did you meet?
- When did you meet each other's families?
- How did you propose?
- What is your wife's favorite movie?
What was funny is he didn't propose, and he responded "do you mean like American style, down on one knee?!" and she laughed. I had to explain that we were already PACSed and getting married was more of a decision we both made so I could work. Gulp, it's the truth, but I think it's obvious we're also in love.
Also, when she asked my husband what my favorite movie is, my husband responded "Me? I love Scorcese!" My husband is a huge movie fan and also a bit self-centered, so this response was hysterical to me. The clerk said "Not you, your wife!" and he looks at me and says "I'm not sure, maybe It's a Wonderful Life?". In his defense, I have lots of favorite films but not one in particular, so I said No, it's not It's a Wonderful Life. So I'd count that as a wrong answer.
Anyway, at the end she said congratulations!
We arrived at 12:15 for our 1:00 appointment because I wanted to be the first in line (which we were). I believe we were done by 3:30.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #18866