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| Dublin, Ireland |  Review on May 3, 2006: |
J&D
Rating:  | Review Topic: Direct Consular Filing
Here is a summary of my interview experience following application for a CR-1 visa directly via DCF thru the US Embassy in Dublin, Ireland.
Rule number 1 is to double/triple check your documentation. The Dublin Embassy will be anal about it. I was number 3 in line and watched the 2 people ahead of me being told they did not have the correct documentation, one had a baptismal cert not a birth cert as was required and another did not have their spouses 2005 taxes filed and even though they said they had requested an extension with the IRS, they had no proof of the extension. But the staff were nice and explained exactly which documents were missing and told the people ahead of me to contact the Embassy again for another interview when they had the missing documents ready. Although the officer did get annoyed at having to make copies of docs such as Marriage certs that people wanted back but did not bring copies with them, so make sure you bring copies!
When it was my turn the officer asked my date of birth (I guess to make sure it is listed correctly in the system and not confused by American/Irish date formats), then she asked for the documenation which I had ready in the order I had noticed that she had asked the others for it, which was Birth Cert + Copy (I did thankfully have copies of everything!); Marriage Cert + Copy; Police Cert(s); any court orders, deportation or military papers (none of which applied to me); affidavit of support from my wife plus her 2005 1040 (she had a Form 2555 to show exemption from US taxes and no W2 since all her income was made in Ireland in 2005 both of which were fine); affidavit of support from the co-sponsor (since Irish income for my wife and I did not count) plus the co-sponsors 1040 and W2 for 2005, a copy of the co-sponsors permanent resident card and a recent pay stub; Medical exam results; and finally DS-230 Part II.
The officer went thru it all as I stood at the window, then she asked me to pay my $380, took my fingerprints, asked me to raise my right hand and swear that all the info in the docs was true to the best of my knowledge and said that my visa would take a little while and to sit down and wait some more. After being approved I could have waited a week! :-)
Eventually I was called up yet again, given my passport back with a I-551 permanent resident visa and I also received the mysterious brown envelope.
I was in the Embassy for 3 hours, but only spent about 15 minutes in total at any of the windows (doc collection, interview with consular officer, cashier, passport/visa collection). All in all, a little nerve-wracking, especially watching other people being told they did not have everything they needed, but other than that pretty painless. Besides your double and triple checked documentation and copies of everything, just bring water, a sandwich, a good book and plenty of patience (you'll be sitting & waiting 95% of the time)!
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #541