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| South Africa |  Review on February 8, 2024: |
lenny_k
Rating:  | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
Summary: Honestly, a bit hectic and slow, but relatively efficient. We got there at 6:50 for a 7:30 and there was already a line. We waited and were let in with other people in our time slot. Husband’s English isn’t great, they had a consular officer who speaks Portuguese help.
Needed originals and photocopies of birth certificate, marriage certificate, and police record. They also needed relationship evidence. Every document was looked at thoroughly. Also, we had to tell them to look in the system for the medical, they thought that the medical wasn’t ready (both drs in SA are super busy).
Details: Got to the embassy around 6:50 for a 7:30. There was already a line, but we ended up being the 4th people in for the 7:30 slot (lots of people seemed to have an 8). Petitioner allowed in, but it sounds like that's a policy that changes a lot. Went with my husband through security (you leave your phones) and then waited in the waiting area with the windows. They asked for my help translating at the first window - they took the original of all civil documents (birth certificate, police record, marriage license) and if they are in a language other than english, they need to be officially translated (sworn translation). They also asked for relationship evidence, but didn't go through it at this point.
I was told to go wait outside, my husband was brought back up to a window to check is documents again, and then was sent into the itnerview. His interview was pretty long, but I think he just got someone who was excited to speak his (my husband's) native language. They went through the photos and asked him who people were, asked who the people were who wrote our letters of support, asked about how we met, how he proposed, where he will live in the US, what I do for my job, what he plans to do in the US. Most people seemed to take about 10 minutes, I'm pretty sure my husband took 20.
They were going to put him into administrative processing automatically, assuming his medical results weren't there, but he told them they were in the system since we had confirmed with the doctors office the day before that they had been sent. They seemed surprised there were no documents outstanding, and approved him! They asked if he wanted his passport back so he could go to his country of origin but, since he already said his good byes and left, he gave them his passport that day. They said 2-3 weeks until his visa is ready and he gets his passport back. will update.
(updated on February 9, 2024)
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #32938