|
|
| Frankfurt, Germany |  Review on December 16, 2009: |
dasaleph
Rating:  | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
I did the required medical exam already before the interview.
My wife and I were there already at about 6.25 a.m. and my appointment was set for 7.30 a.m. So we were the first ones there. 
The first people showed up at around 7 a.m., so being there at about 6.45 a.m. should be on the safe side.
Shortly after 7 the first guard showed up. He is a really funny guy, that is basically around to tell people that they can't take ANY electronic devices inside (You will be thrown out again if you do. You have to get rid of the device, then you can come back) and he also knows how to cheer people up. That was a great start.
Then at about 7.30 a.m. the "greeter", as he was called, came out and basically told people that the non-immigrant-visaline was on the left and everything else (All U.S. citizen services and immigrant visas) were on the right side. Then he went to everybody in the non-immigrant-visaline and answered their questions. In the meantime, the first counter started already by calling the next U.S. citizen in line. The second counter called us, I had to hand in the invitation and my passport, my wife handed only her passport in. So I got a paper slip with a letter and a three-digit number (the letter and the first digit specify for which kind of visa you are there and the other two digits show which number for that specific matter you are in line, at least that's what I gathered) and my wife got a little laminated card showing an "A" which allowed her to go in with me.
Then we went through the security check. As far as I could tell all the guards at the security check were German. There is nothing special about the security check at the consulate. Same thing as at the airport. My wife and I had printed out photos with us, but we wanted to be absolutely on the safe side, so we also burned a lot of photos on cd. The cd was confiscated and I got a plastic card for it. When we were leaving I got the cd back by exchanging it with the plastic "property receipt". So save yourself the trouble of bringing cd's. (Time exposure about 5 minutes)
After the security check we could go to the building where the interview and everything else would be conducted. I was really positively surprised. I had expected a dark, cold hall and generally an unfriendly environment.
It is a pretty big hall, but not unfriendly looking at all. They used a lot of light-colored wood in that hall. The building has a glass roof and believe it or not, they even have a magazine rack and a little café in the corner that has coffee and pastries.
A man looked at my paper slip when we came in and told us that we had to sit at the left side of the hall. The non-immigrant-visas are on the right side.
So we sat down and after 10 minutes we already were called to the first counter (No. 23). The woman behind the counter was also German and she was also friendly. She told us that we would have to pay the visa fee of $400 first. We then told her that we had already paid that. She first didn't seem to believe that for whatever reason but after insisting, she checked back with somebody or looked into the computer and then agreed. Then she gave us a blue sheet of paper with information about how the documents that would have to be given to the person behind the next counter would have to be sorted. Now that was a little bit unsettling for the following reason: In the invitation for the interview the INS had clearly stated that I wouldn't have to bring anything anymore to the interview, since we already had sent every document they ever wanted. So I had a lot of stuff with me, but of course I didn't get another police certificate (13 €) since they had written that I wasn't required to do so. I told her exactly that and then she told me to simply disregard the blue sheet of paper. Then she asked me to fill out the DS-230 part II which I had already done together with the DS-230 part I (both were sent to the INS), so I didn't have to do that either. After that she told us that we needed 4.25 € worth of stamps. We knew that and had already brought them with us. Eventually she asked me for a passport picture. The ones I had with me were not accepted, since I was wearing my glasses on them. Somehow I had missed that I wasn't allowed to wear the glasses on those pictures. So I used one of the two photo booths (6 €) that they have in there. We went right back to her with the photos and then we were done with counter 23. (Time exposure with taking the pictures less than 20 minutes)
The next wait was about 25 minutes and was the longest waiting period. We were called to the next counter (I think counter 16, but not sure anymore) and the woman behind it was also German again. She was very friendly and said, since we already had sent them every document they required, she didn't need anything from us. She just explained how it would work with my Social Security Number once I got to the States. She gave me an envelope and told me that I would have to put the stamps on the envelope and write my address on it and give it to the consular officer at the next counter. She said everything looked good and I could expect the visa within a week, except if the consular officer would decide something different. She explained that my passport would stay at the consulate and it would get a stamp in it and also outlined that the actual visa consists of three parts: The stamp in the passport, the information in the sealed envelope and the x-rays with the doctor's findings. My passport would be within the first envelope and of course the sealed envelope would also be contained within the envelope. Should the contained envelope somehow be opened, as I understood it, even if it would be just a little crack, I would have to come back to the consulate. She also explained that my visa would only be valid for 2 years from the date of entry to the U.S., since my wife and I have been married less than two years. At the earliest, I could file for adjustment of status ninety days before the greencard would expire to remove the temporary status. She also said, that staying out of the States for more than a year would result in the visa expiring, except if I would have a re-entry permit. And that was that. (Time exposure about 5 minutes)
We sat down again and I started to put the stamps on the envelope and scribbled my address on it. I was barely done when we were already called to the last counter where the interview took place ( I think it was No. 12). The consular officer, a very friendly American woman, asked if I wanted to be asked the questions in English or in German and I finally decided for it to be in German. I think I can say that I a have a really good command of the English language, but I thought having it in German would be even better. She first asked my wife if she would understand German too. Then she asked me where and how we met and we both told her. She asked me then where we would stay in the States and asked my wife if she would be working in the States. She also wanted to know if my wife would have stayed with me in Germany and I told her that my wife only visited but never lived here. I think the last question was about when we wanted to leave for the States. At no point were we under the impression that we were being interrogated. It was a normal, really pleasant conversation. And I think, during such a "normal" conversation it's much easier to see for them how the couple interacts. The last thing she told us was that we could expect the envelope within two weeks, usually earlier and that everything looked good. She wished us a nice day and we were on our way out. (Time exposure about 10 minutes).
Like I mentioned earlier on the way out I got the cd back in exchange for the property receipt. And that was the end of a surprisingly postive experience. We were out the door at 8.45 a.m.
So all in all we were in there about 1 hour and 15 minutes. I will have to give them definitely 5 out of 5 stars. It was as pleasant as something like that could be. 
(updated on December 18, 2009)
| |
|
Consulate / USCIS Member Review #5421