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| Islamabad, Pakistan |  Review on May 2, 2010: |
HMN
Rating:  | Review Topic: Other Experience
Our case was F4 and the interview was scheduled at American Embassy Islamabad in beginning of March, so we flew to Islamabad a day before the interview, and headed for the interview early in the morning at about 5:50 AM just after offering Fajr prayers and reached at the DSS service center by 7 AM, here we had to wait for about 30 minutes, then we bought the tickets of the bus after showing off the passport and interview letter, the tickets were a bit expensive as Rupees 500 for each family member, Diplomatic Shuttle Service center (DSS) is located at the road going out of Islamabad to Bara Kahu/Murree, one have to find Sareena Hotel in Islamabad as the way to DSS is near to this hotel, DSS is a huge single storey building containing a big comfortable waiting room and a large waiting hall, several wash rooms, general stores/bakery and restaurants with reasonable rates, few fax and photocopy shops are also there inside the DSS, it is advisable not to bring large bags with you as security staff may object on such, along with US embassy we saw many other candidates there for different countries like Turkey, France etc. about 7:30 the DSS SpeedEx staff announced the departure of first bus for US embassy, it was a large 40 seater bus, don\\\\\\\'t know why they charge 500 for this as the bus took only 10-15 minutes to reach at the embassy, we have to pass through a simple security check, all security staff was local and friendly, no food or electronic (mobile, camera etc) items were allowed so its better not to bring such things with you, there were three lines, one for US citizens, 2nd for Immigrants, and 3rd for visitors, so after this security check we were sent to inside the embassy building, just with the entrance there are few rooms for taking finger prints, so first we went in one such room, there finger prints of both hands were taken, kids are exempted for this, at this time they would also require the photographs, remember that never bring your photographs which is improved with touching etc but bring your photos simply as you are and no touching up, some people have difficulty in giving finger prints so they were required to rub hands together and put some gel over the hands (they themselves provide gel if required so) finger print taking staff was local but the lady inside the room was American, she was behind the glass window and was examining the finger prints over a computer screen, about 30 minutes were taken in this procedure, then we were requested to go inside the interview room, this is a large room about 70 chairs are there and an asian type wash room is also attached with this room, a small canteen/shop and a water cooler is also there just at the entrance of interview room, chairs are placed in the middle of the room while there were about 4 glass sealed windows at left hand and 4 similar windows at backside of the room, on front wall some US related pictures were pasted, left hand windows basically deals with visit visas while backside windows deal with immigrant visas, we had to wait there for about 15 minutes then some one called our name from one of the windows, he was a local boy, friendly and polite, he took our papers and passports and requested to sit and wait for an other call. so about 30 minutes after we were again called by them, that was an other window, again was a local man, he asked for the original police certificates and medical certificate and asked us for the preference of the language for the interview, then again we went back to our seats, after another 30 minutes finally called for interview, here interviewer was an American lady, she was also very polite and friendly, the interview was very easy, they did ask only few basic questions, e.g why do you want to go to USA, who has filed the petition, what is his name and profession, how long since he is living there, and how many kids he and you have. They did not ask any question with other family members, and told me that everything is proper and in place, and they can readily issue me and my daughter the visas but for my husband some administrative process would be required and that might take 2 to 8 weeks, so asked our preference that if we prefer to take visas now and husbands later on, but I said that we would prefer visas together because once visas are issued they are valid for 6 months so its good to take visa together with family so that get same time period for every family member, they kept our passports and gave us purple stickers that would be required for getting the visa passport from the American Express courier and a white paper sheet that says the visas will be issued after some administrative process, so about 12-1 PM we were out side the embassy, took the bus again to DSS, from where we got back to my sisters home, and after a day we flew back to Karachi, exactly after 6 weeks we got a telephone call at about 11 AM from the American Express courier that our passports have just been arrived and we may collect them from their office, so we went there the next day, they took our purple stickers and delivered our passports with visas printed on them thanks GOD!!!, they also gave us paper sealed large envelopes which should not be opened and to be provided at the port of entry at USA.
So our experience is very nice and good, everyone was friendly and cooperative, we request you all to please pray for us and remember us in your prayers with good wishes, may Allah bless you all.
(updated on May 2, 2010)
In early August 2010 we reached at Raleigh-Durham (RDU) Airport NC, the staff members there are extremely friendly very polite, professional and cooperative people, simply what one can say that it was an excellent POE experience with really great and helping people, they have even themselves helped us to complete all the required forms at the entry, and we were out of the airport in less then an hour only!!!
Our last connecting flight was AA (American Air) their plane was small in comaparation to Gulf Air plane but the Air staff at AA was very good and very polite to the pessengers, they had also served us with Halal food all the times.
Within 20 days we got our Welcome letters (A number), SSN cards and finally our Green Cards all this completed in 3 weeks.
I went to the Driving Licence office (DMV) after getting the Green cards, there you have to answer 25 MCQ questions on computer screen regarding driving, I did that and got the driving permit instantly on payment of 15 USD, next day I went again at DMV and given Road Driving test on my friends car, here again the police officer was very polite so just driving on the roads for 10 minutes I got my perminant Driving Licence for 8 years validity, I bought a used car full automatic 2002 model under 3000, its a perfact car, we have seen the entire city with it. If you find this review helpful please keep us remember in your all prayers. Good Luck!
(updated on January 1, 2011)
(updated on July 16, 2012)
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #6004