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| Frankfurt, Germany |  Review on May 26, 2021: |
annapro
Rating:  | Review Topic: General Review
Hey y'all!
I've been looking at reviews from visajourney for a long time now and I've now decided to sign up and let anyone who's interested know how my process went.
My husband is a US Citizen and has already been back in the US for over a year. We filed for a CR-1 via USCIS Lockbox Arizona and started the process in September of 2020. I had my interview in Frankfurt on May 6th 2021 and my medical appointment also in Frankfurt on May 5th 2021.
About the medical:
I called them as soon as I received my interview appointment letter (April 13th 2021) and they said one day in advance is enough so they gave me an appointment for May 5th and I booked a hotel from May 4th-6th close to the Main Train Station in Frankfurt. I took the U-Bahn to get to the medical appointment it was pretty easy and quick, so I was there more than an hour early I think so I was just walking up and down the streets lol. I was pretty nervous but there is absolutely no reason to be. I went in like 5 or 10 minutes before my appointment and first had to ring the doorbell. After I was let in the super friendly lady at the reception gave me a little note with a number on it and told me to go upstairs. I actually first went to the basement cause I thought that's what she told me but then I was told to go upstairs.. oh well. I had to sit there for a while until another really sweet lady opened the door and told me to come in. I had to give her my passport and vaccination records as well as my interview appointment confirmation. They didn't need any passport pictures she just took a picture of me with their camera which was then put into my profile for the e-medical. She just asked a few general questions about my weight and height, if my address is still correct and if I ever had chickenpox as a kid. I am 99 per cent sure I did so I said yes but I also got the first dosis of the varicella vaccine before my appointment cause I was paranoid.😅 I asked them in an e-mail beforehand if that would be a problem because I didn't have the second dosis yet but they said as long as I am sure I had it as a kid everything's alright. I don't know if I'm forgetting anything but I'm pretty sure that was it. I then got sent down to the basement where they took a blood and urine sample as well as a chest x-ray where you have to undress your upper body and then get pressed against a wall with your naked chest and have to hold that exact position and also can't breathe for like 2 seconds until the process is over but it wasn't bad at all. It was just kind of weird and funny especially because the lady said don't breathe until i come back and I was thinking like damn how long is that gonna be I can't hold my breath for more than 30 seconds. But it only took 2 seconds and then it was over. After that I got sent upstairs again where I had to wait for a few minutes and then got called in by the Doctor. He was pretty friendly and I just had to do a vision test and then take all my clothes off except for my underwear and had to stand up and lay down and he patted my whole body down did a reflex test and all that stuff. He said I have all necessary vaccines and there is nothing I have to do anymore they are just going to send the results to the consulate when they have them. It took about 2-3 days I think. Everything at least for me was electronic I didn't get any x-rays at the end and they sent the stuff to the consulate electronically when they got it from the laboratory. It was pretty quick and everyone was really friendly! No need to worry.
Oh and I had to pay 360 € in the beginning and then got told they'll send me the laboratory bill which was I think 130 € by mail. I got the bill on 05/17/2020 and immediately paid for it the same day.
About the Interview:
I was so nervous the days before and the morning of the Interview I felt physically sick from being so anxious but that's probably just me. There would've been no need to be scared but I was scared anyways. I got a taxi at 7 in the morning my appointment was at 8.45. I was there at around 7.15 and again walked around in the area for over an hour and at 8.30 I got in line because they said online to not arrive more than 15 minutes early . There weren't that many people and I was only in line for about 5 minutes then had to go to the first window and gave her my passport I then got a piece of paper with a number attached to my passport and got sent to the next window. I don't even remember what happened at the window she just told me to get in line for security screening I think. So I did that and had to wait about 10 minutes until I was told to go inside.( The first two windows are outside)I didn't bring my phone or any liquids etc. Turned out I could have brought my phone and they keep it for you. It said that there's no possibility to store your phone anywhere when I looked it up online but apparently that's not true anymore and during security screening they just take your phone from you? But I just didn't bring it at all just in case and left everything at the hotel. The security screening room is pretty small and everyone was nice and in a good mood. They emptied my whole wallet and I actually got rid of all the unnecessary stuff in it before I went there for that reason. Also there is a taxi stand right next to the Consulate which I didn't even know in advance but was very happy to see so I could just get into a taxi to go back to the hotel afterwards and didn't need a phone for it. Anyways, I was inside at like 9 I think and they told me to just go to window 22 once I'm inside but I thought I had to sit down and wait for my number to be called even for window 22 until I realized after about 10 minutes you just get in line for window 22 right away lol no need to wait for your number to be called. Again everyone in the Consulate was so friendly!! The first gentleman at window 22 just asked for the Delivery Registration Confirmation and 1 US passport picture and I was glad to hear that I didn't have to use the same one that I submitted to the NVC because that one looked horrible. I didn't need to pay anything which is what people mostly do at that window but if you've already paid everything to the NVC you're all done. He just wanted my passport, the confirmation I mentioned above and 1 picture and I think that was it. He even cut the picture for me because I brought 4. Then I had to sit down and wait for my number to be called. It took about maybe 5-10 minutes until I had to go to another window and had to give another man my birth certificate, police certificate and marriage certificate. He didn't want anything else from me I brought so much stuff lol. I even brought a whole photo album but no one asked for anything besides the few documents I've already mentioned. But it's better to be well prepared for anything and bring everything you could possibly need! I had to sit down again and the next wait seemed endlessly to me but it was probably about 15-20 minutes. Also for anyone who's never been there and likes to know what things look like etc: After security screening you get out of the little room and are outside again where you follow the lines on the ground and get to a bigger building where you get into a pretty big hall and head straight to the window you were told (I think it's always 22 for immigrant visas). Just don't make the same mistake and sit down first like I did haha. I imagined the interview would be in a separate room before I got there but it's just a big hall with a lot of windows and while waiting to be called to the last window which is right next to the other two you can actually see and hear people having their interviews which made me a little nervous. But I also didn't hear anything bad so I was relieved as well. I finally got called to the interview or so I thought one of the guys just says the last name instead of displaying the number above the window and it sounded like he called my name turns out he didn't lol had to go back and wait another like 10 minutes. Then I finally had my interview. It was with a super sweet lady. I first had to take fingerprints and then the oath. After that she gave me my documents back and then started asking a few questions like
-when did me and my husband meet and where
-when did we decide to get married
-when did we get married
-have we ever lived together
-where is he stationed right now
-when do I plan on moving
I think that was it.
She said everything seems fine and they're just waiting for the medical results and that it may 7-10 days until I get my passport back.
At the previous window, I forgot to mention, the gentleman also explains all the upcoming "procedures" to you and you can ask any questions you may have. They even show you what the passport package will look like etc. Super helpful and pleasant.
You can track your visa status via CEAC and mine first changed to REFUSED on the day of the interview which made my heart stop for a second but that's just the new way of saying they're waiting for the medical results for example. It changed to READY on the 21st I think which I assume meant they got and reviewed my medical results and yesterday on the 25th it finally changed to ISSUED. I am now waiting to get my passport back and I'm just super impatient😅. I was hoping it would get sent out today but I haven't received any email yet and the status on ustraveldocs says no update.
I have looked at some previous timelines but there aren't too many from Germany recently, one of them got their passport back after 3 days and someone else after 3 weeks so I was hoping maybe someone that had their interview around the same day as me has some more information? How long did it take for you to get the passport after the visa was ISSUED?
I'll probably get it within the next few days but I'm just super impatient🥲
Well this was a lot but I personally like knowing all the details before an important appointment and if this just helps one person I'd be glad.
As I said don't worry about anything if you have your interview soon, everything is super easy if you're prepared!!!
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #29674