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| Armenia |  Review on February 11, 2017: |
Joanna_Keyvan
Rating:  | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
My husband had his interview 1/24/2017. He is Iranian, so I came from America and he came from Iran. We stayed in a flat in Yerevan for a week before and a few days after his interview. First we did his medical appointment. No one spoke English, but they did speak Farsi, which was nice. His medical was on a Friday, and the interview was on Tuesday. He went to pick up his medical sheet on Monday and brought it with him to the interview. For the actual interview, we arrived about an hour early, but the security officer told us we would be waiting in the cold outside, because she could not let us in. Therefore, we came back exactly 15 minutes before the start time. They actually kept us waiting outside passed his scheduled start time, and a crowd other people with similar start times began to show up. They finally started letting people in one at a time, but first everyone's passport had to be checked with the security guard out front. My husband was fine, as his name was on the interview schedule, however I was not allowed in, even though I had my American passport. I went to a restaurant nearby to wait. Two hours had gone by and, even though my husband knew where I was, he had not yet arrived, so I was starting to get nervous. They didn't allow him to bring his cell phone into the embassy, so he had given it to me. I called the embassy probably 3 or 4 times to find out if he was still waiting for his interview or if something had happened. Finally someone went and checked for me. He had not even been called yet. He said he could tell the Armenians were being called first. They called the Iranians last. He said the consular officer addressed him in very formal Farsi at first, but was clearly struggling. He asked my husband if he could switch to English. My husband does not speak English, and we exclusively communicate in Farsi, so my husband told him he could not. He then told my husband to continue speaking in Farsi, but stopped him, because he said he wanted to fully understand my husband's words. He brought over an English/Farsi translator, who was an Armenian woman, and native in neither tongue. At first my husband was worried, because at some parts she had trouble understanding her, but ultimately it worked out. First the officer asked him how we met, how our families felt about our marriage, if we had a wedding or were planning on a big wedding later. He asked if I have any brothers or sisters, and what my profession is. I think the most important question he asked was if it was important to my husband that we live in America. My husband truthfully answered that he would happily live in Iran with me, or anywhere with me, but that I want to stay in America for my job. The officer asked this question once at the beginning of the interview and once at the end, but worded differently. At the end of the interview he told my husband that although our story was unique, he believed us, and that his visa would be approved. However, because he is Iranian, they put him on AP and gave him a blue 221g form. They told him the AP could take between 3 and 6 months, and that he needed to check the website for when the visa is ready. My husband then came and met me in the restaurant to tell me everything. Over all good experience, only wish the AP could be shorter.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #21374