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| Ethiopia |  Review on May 2, 2016: |
me-&-her
Rating:  | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
My wife and I arrived at the embassy about an hour before time. There was a long line as usual. A lady officer was going along the line checking to see if everyone has the necessary documents and at the end of the line was another lady putting stamp on the interview letter and checking passport and photos. Unfortunately, our photos were small (2cm x 2cm) instead of (5cm x 5cm) so she told my wife to take new photos across the street. It took only few minutes to get new photos and got back on line. The final step before getting into the embassy door was to put any belongings into the plastic container so they can go through the scanner. The officer also did a quick check of the documents and passport. At the point I was stopped and the officer said only these with appointment letters can go in, so I had to wait outside.
My wife had brought many documents for proof - skype phone transcripts, many copies of western union and money gram, tax returns, employment letters, original birth and police certificates, receipts for everything I had bought her, airline tickets showing my visits and copies of visa stamps etc.
She told me that inside the embassy was fully packed. Also a guys started insults (fuck America, you think your country is the best, Ethiopia is the best) and violence after he was refused a visa and had to be escorted out by security guards. She was asked whether to interview in English or Amharic, she choose Amharic and so was given a translator. When she was called to the window, the translator was standing next to a lady interviewer. Both the counselor and interviewer were standing, and the wife was also standing on the other side of glass windows speaking through speaker phone.
Counselor: Do you swear all you say is true to the best of your knowledge?
Translator: Translated in Amharic and my wife said yes, I swear - in Amharic.
Counselor: Is your husband from America?
Wife: (In Amharic to Translator) No, he is from xx country.
Counselor: Does he speak Amharic?
Wife: (in Amharic to translator) No, but knows a few words.
Counselor: What language do you communicate in?
Wife: (in Amharic to translator) In English.
Counselor: Since you communicate with your husband in English I will interview with you in English, translator can now leave.
Wife: (in English) My English is not good, please let the translator stay.
Counselor: Don't worry you will be fine.
Counselor: How long has he been in America?
Wife: He has been in America for xx years.
Counselor: How long have you been married?
Wife: One year and 4 months.
Counselor: How did you two meet?
Wife: We met in a restaurant, at xx Hotel.
Counselor: What were you doing in the restaurant?
Wife: I was invited for a dinner by my cousin who had come to visit from Saudi Arabia.
Counselor: What was your husband doing in Ethiopian?
Wife: He was on vacation.
Counselor: How long did you marry him after you met?
Wife: After three weeks.
Counselor: I see you husband has been married many times before? Do you know that?
Wife: I know he is married twice before.
Counselor: What is the name for his first wife?
Wife: Her name is xxx.
Counselor: Wrong, that is not correct.
Note: Got her first name correct but wrong last name
Counselor: When did they divorce?
Wife: Final divorce was six years ago but actual divorce ended years before.
Counselor: Why did they divorce?
Wife: Because of xx reasons.
Counselor: What is the name of his second wife? And how long were they married?
Wife: Her name is xxx and were married for xx timeframe.
Counselor: Why did they divorce?
Wife: They divorced because of xxx reasons.
Counselor: How else was he married to?
Wife: No anymore, only two.
Note: She is trying to trick her to give more names
Counselor: Does he have any children?
Wife: No, no children.
Counselor: Has he come to visit you since you got married?
Wife: Yes, he has come to see me three times, he is outside now, the officers would not allow him inside.
Counselor: How long was his first visit?
Wife: Two weeks
Counselor: What about his second visit?
Wife: Ten days?
Counselor: How long is he visiting now?
Wife: He will be here for one weeks.
Counselor: Where does he work?
Wife: He works in xx city.
Counselor: Where does he live?
Wife: He lives in xx town.
Counselor: Do you have family member in America? Brother, sister, cousins, uncle etc.
Wife: No. I don’t have any.
Counselor: Can I see a photo?
Note: my wife has an album with three hundred photo. She opened a page and slide part of it over the window since the whole thing would
not go through. And then the counselor pointed at one photo and asked.
Counselor: Where was this photo taken?
Wife: In Hawassa.
Counselor: Okay.
Counselor: Do you know your husband is xx years older than you? Is that okay?
Wife: Yes is okay.
Counselor: Congratulations, your visa is approved!
Counselor: By the way your English is perfect.
The consoler never asked to see annoying else other that one photo that she pointed out, not even tax returns or any of original documents. The wife told me that counselor was a first talker and that the whole questioning took about three minutes.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #19419