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|  Review on August 3, 2017: |
TatiyPablo
Rating:  | Review Topic: General Review
Hi all! Happy to report that my fiance and I were approved for our K1 Visa at the US Embassy in Havana. My experience was very similar to the below two reviews, but I will do a general overview. I highly suggest anyone applying read related reviews and forums on the K1 process in Cuba on Visa Journey. It is unique in many ways and myself and others have benefited from the wealth of information that is available in these forums.
1. Prepare. I cannot stress this enough. I came with four packets in clear folders, included cover letters and paper dividers in each, as well as small post it notes on each document identifying its purpose. Packet one included all of our personal information and interview documents - passports, appointment confirmation, ds 160 confirmation, visa fee payment confirmation, NVC letter with case number, NOA2, NOA1, fiance's birth certificate, single certificate, antecedentes penales, carnet de identidad, medical exam and receipt, updated statement of intent to marry, my birth certificate, copies of my passports (i have dual citizenship), updated and notarized letter of intent to marry. Packet two, which we learned should be combined with packet one, included affidavit of support and all related documents - my letter of employment, pay stubs, bank statements, w2s and tax returns. Packet three included continuing evidence - photos, a mix of hardcopy and printed, IMO screenshots, copies of airline tickets, baggage fee receipts, passport entry and exit stamps for my trips to visit him, notarized affidavits of bona fide relationship from my mother and one of our close friends, wedding plan proof - our invitation, emails with photographer, I booked for the wedding day, wedding reception guest list, wedding reception restaurant reservation proof, a relationship timeline, hundreds of emails, boss revolution and rebtel call and billing history, my fiance's etecsa phone records showing his calls to me, facebook messenger logs, and instagram and facebook photos from each other social media pages. Packet four included a a copy of our I-129F. I printed everything in color. The embassy workers laughed at how much I provided but thanked me a number of times for making everything so organized and easy for them, ha.
2. Relax and follow all steps by embassy workers. My fiance and I got to Anti-Imperialist park at 5:50 am, our appointment was scheduled for 10:30 am, and the park was filled with people. I was the only American there at the time, it was clear everyone else was Cuban and no one was speaking English. I recommend dressing nicely, though it is not required, it of course helps to look your best. There will be people in the park trying to sell you folders or just general information in order to make extra money, don't give them any of your information as they are not embassy workers. I recommend bringing dry food (we brought energy bars, cookies, water and juice) as it can be a very long process. Around 6:30 am two embassy workers came out and separated the mass into two groups on different sides of the park where they would read your name from a list. The embassy workers up until the interview will only speak in Spanish, which was a little stressful for me as I don't understand Spanish and my fiance had to translate everything to me as it was happening. After we moved to the other end of the park and had our names called, we had to move to another line across the street (the embassy workers will direct all of this, so if it sounds confusing now, it wont be in person). Be patient if they go through an alphabetical list and your fiances name isn't called, there are a number of lists they go through. Once you're in the second line, you wait for the embassy workers to walk you in a group to the embassy, line up again, and wait to go through security. It took us only a few minutes to go through security as we didn't bring cell phones and finished our liquids during the initial wait. We were then brought to a small waiting room to wait to be called into the filing room. After about twenty minutes we were called to this narrow room, which is filled with a number of teller windows. You wait until the teller calls your name to go up and file your packet one and two, which you hand in while on the security line. Once we were called, the woman asked me to slim down my continuing evidence and put it into a dark folder labeled "evidence". I didn't want to slim it down so i stuffed in as much as I could, ha, and then we were told that we could present any additional evidence from that packet and our original I-129F during the interview. They will have a copy of your I-129f (in black and white!) so it's not necessary but good to have in my opinion. Then we were cleared to go into the waiting room for our interview. This whole process took about three and a half hours.
3. Interview. The waiting room is clean and organized, however, interviews are done in teller windows all around you so you will hear people getting both accepted and denied. My fiance and I waited about four hours to be called for our interview. The officers receive each packet in a big pile and sort through them at random. This is why I say bring a lot of food, after the fourth hour and two energy bars my fiance was starting to get really hungry, haha. Every interview I heard was done in Spanish, but ours had to be in English, which I think was helpful and really appreciated by the officer. Before we were called, I saw through the window that the officer was doing a thorough search through our packets and evidence. Once called, we walked up and I said "Hi, how are you?" and she responded in English, and asked my fiance if I knew Spanish, to which he responded in English saying "no," and the visa officer said she was thankful to speak in English. Then she began the questions, she asked my fiance first if he had traveled and if he was a member of the communist party. Then, instead of asking us how we met, she led with information I included in my packet, "So you met last year while you were studying in Cuba..." and I filled in the rest, she then asked how many times I returned, and I responded the number and added, "all to visit Pablo," which made her laugh. Then she asked if I was working, to which I replied yes, and then moved to the wedding question, which was addressed to us both. I decided to take the lead and told her of our wedding plans, she asked why the date, I said because it aligned with my father's work schedule, everyone would be in New York then, etc., and then she asked Pablo, "Is your family sad that they will not be attending the wedding?" and he replied no, as we are planning to have a wedding party in Cuba next year. After this she turned to her computer, entered some information and looked at us and said "Congratulations, you've been approved." I screamed and kissed my fiance all over his face haha. We were so excited we almost forgot the paper she handed us with the approval.
4. Pick up the visa. My fiance left his passport at the embassy and was instructed to come back and pick it up in one week!
All in all it was a very smooth and orderly process, we were just unfortunate to be called close to the end, however, in the end none of matters when you are approved to be with the person you love!  As everyone else has said, be very prepared, be calm and confident, and follow the embassy steps.
Good luck to all!
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #22284