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| Islamabad, Pakistan |  Review on February 18, 2020: |
aceegreene
Rating:  | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
My interview was on 14th Feb 2020. I'm going to divide this review (and guide) into two parts: 1. Before entering the embassy and 2. After entering the embassy.
Before entering the embassy:
So I reached the shuttle point (visa seeker shuttle service on Google Maps) around 6:15 am. Around 6:30 they asked everyone to get into a line to enter and go towards the waiting area for the shuttle. Soon after, they called up people who had 7 am interviews at the US embassy. I then bought an insurance token for Rs. 100 and then the shuttle ticket for Rs. 1000 (they ask for your passport and NIC copy here). After depositing my cell phone, then I waited for the shuttle. Then the shuttle took me to the embassy. Right before entering the embassy, I was part of a line with non-immigrant visa applicants. There's a person there asking if you are an immigrant visa applicant, who then sent me directly into the embassy.
After entering the embassy:
Once I was in the consular section, I was seated along with other immigrant visa applicants. Soon they asked us to form a line along the first counter to get our numbered tokens; which would be called at later counters. The second counter was for bio-metrics. After waiting a while, I was called to the third counter.
Third counter was for document collection; the guy here asked me for my passport, original nikkahnama, its translation, NADRA marriage certificate, NADRA and original birth certificate and its translation. He also asked me the following questions:
1. Who is calling you to the USA?
2. Is this the first marriage for both of you?
Then he asked me to wait before being called for the interview.
After a longer wait, I was called to the fourth counter for the interview. The officer was a polite but stoic guy. He greeted me and then made me take the oath. He asked me the following questions:
1. I previously had a J1 visa so he asked about that and when I came back from the USA (this was particular to my case).
2. How did my wife and I meet?
3. What does she do in the USA? (to which I said she is in Pakistan)
4. He then asked me what has she done to establish domicile or show intent to re-establish domicile in the USA.
5. How long has she been here since?
6. Is my marriage love or arranged?
7. What my joint sponsor in the USA does for a living?
8. What my plans are once I move to the USA?
9. Which city we plan on moving to.
He then looked at our photos on his screen (since they were already uploaded) and some other documents. Then he said he has everything he needs and handed over my original documents back to me and said he will be keeping my passport and I should get it back in two weeks. At that point I asked if it meant that my visa is approved? He replied "That is the idea. I cannot approve it right away but it takes one day and then we will print and paste it on your passport and send it in two weeks."
Overall a decent experience, I was out of the embassy by 9 am. My visa status changed to 'Issued' on 18th Feb 2020.
I hope this review helps and good luck to everyone in the process! 
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #28042