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| Switzerland |  Review on April 5, 2010: |
dviera
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
I traveled to Cuba to be with my girlfriend for the interview. We got to the park in front of the Embassy of Switzerland, where the U.S. Consulate is located at, at 6:45 am. At 7:00 am they started reading the lists of those who were going to be interviewed that day. After three pages of name readings, they called out her name and gave us number 72 and asked us to form a line that didn't start moving until 8:00 am. Just like that, little by little, we walked towards the embassy's gates. When we reached the first security post, they asked me for my passport and after veryfing it they allowed me to proceed acompanying her inside. At 9:30 am we finally came inside the gates and at the second security post they told us that for security reasons we couldn't bring the evelopes inside, asked us to flaten them, and bring everything on hand. That slowed us a littled bit since we had to move from the line and open and flaten every single envelope, including those who served as evidence of our relationship (post mail and greeting cards)At 10:00 am we went inside the builing and after undergoing additional screening, we went to the reception where they gave me a litte form to fill out as a U.S. Citizen accompanying my Fiancee, and asked us to call the last person in line for window 7. At 11:00 am we turned in all of our documentation, including all the evidence of our relationship, the little form I had been asked to fill out, and the affidavit of support. Diana was asked to sign all the forms and was given a small voucher so she could take it to window 9 and pay for the visa. There we paid the $121.00 CUC, which is the equivalent to the $131.00 that the U.S. Government is still charging for the K-1 Visa. At 11:40 am she was called to window 8 to do the fingerprints and at 12:05 pm she was called to window 3 for the interview.
We were interviewed by a 40-year-old funcionary who didn't smile much. He asked Diana what level of education she had, wether or not she had worked as an accountant before, if she had ever belonged to the Cuban Communist Party or the Union of Communist Youth. But things got a little tough when he asked us how we had met. I've known Diana for my entire life since she is one of my best friend's sister and lives half a block away from my granmother's house, where I grew up in Cuba. He asked us where her brother lived. She said Canada. Then he asked her when and how he left to Canada? He asked if she had any other sliblings and where did they live? She told him she had a sister who lived in Italy, so he said a little ironicly: "a sister in Italy and a brother in Canada?" He said it worried him the fact that I was doing a favor to my friend by getting his sister out of Cuba. We defended our cause by telling him that we were just telling him the truth and that seemed to like him a little bit. Then, he turned his attention to my divorce and asked me why had I gotten divorce and after veryfing the date, he mentioned that how come I had applied for her just 13 days after getting divorced. I told him that before I started talking to her, I had not found anyone that would motivate me enough as to invest time and money on the dirvoce proceedings. And naturally, I couldn't petition her until after being divorced.
After 15 tough minutes he pulled a little note of a drawer and started writing on it while he verified Diana's phone number, but still wouldn't say wether we were approved or not. He said that within two or three weeks they would call her, so she could come to pick up her visa, thay we were approved, and gave the note to Diana, which came to be the necessary pass she'd need that day. Right there we hugged, kissed, and thanked him for contributing to our happiness. Then, and only then, he smiled a little bit. The interview was very tough!! Despite all the evidence we had, including the engagement ring's receipt and she wearing it that day, the funcionary continued to pressure us with tough questions about our relationship and the link with her brother. It didn't matter that the affidavit was perfectly done, since he didn't even look at it. You definetly have to have a strong and genuine case, and be prepared for everything because they will look deep into what they might consider the weakest link of the relationship despite everything else being perfect.
I would rate my experience at level "3" for the line and the waiting time outside the embassy and the scare we had to go through while at the interview. But other than that, the treatment was very curtious and professional.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #5883