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| Switzerland |  Review on June 17, 2010: |
delfo399
Rating:  | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
Our CR1 interview was, without trying to sound like I'm complaining, almost frustratingly easy. I went to Cuba for the interview and I really think that made a difference so I recommend others do the same if possible.
Even though the appointment letter said 8:00 am, you should try to make it to the little nearby park at 7:00. At about 7:10 Cuban officials working for the US Interest Section will start calling people from a list and getting everybody's "Carnet de Identidad". Afterwards, applicants line up to enter the building. My wife C and I arrived a little late, at 7:30am, and people were already in line. We gave the officials her "Carnet de Identidad" and went to the end of the line. C remembered she had read in this forum that one could skip the line, so I talked to the guy at the gate and he let us in in front of everybody.
Once inside the gate we passed the first security checkpoint. We had to surrender our cellphones and a USB drive I had, and I assume they do the same with cameras or laptops. However, they do let you bring paper envelopes, purses and small bags into the main building, which is not the case for non-inmmigrant visa applicants. After the security checkpoint we lined up again (we could not skip this line) to enter the building, and inside we went through a metal detector. Nothing out of the ordinary.
At the front desk they assign us to a window and we sat down. There was only 1 person in line for our assigned window so 10 minutes later we went in. There, a Cuban lady asked us for our documents (C's passport, medical exam report, etc) and any evidence we had of the relationship. We gave her our pictures, Facebook wall-to-wall printout, phone call records and a few pages from our chat logs (keep in mind our complete chat logs which we brought with us were 750 pages printed on both sides). As a US citizen, I was also asked to fill out a form with my name, address, phone number, length of my stay in Cuba, etc.
We were then instructed to wait in the main room for my C's name to be called. A few minutes later they called her to window 8 for her fingerprints to be taken. Then we sat down again.....
Shortly after, a US official explained the process in front of everybody. She said parole applicants and family reunification applicants would have a preliminary interview and then return a month later for their final interview. Immigrant visa applicants such as parents, children, fiancee or spouse of a US citizen would have their full interview on that day and, if approved, they would come back the following day to pick up their visa.
Then the wait began. I am not sure why IR/CR 1 and K1 are apparently left for the end, but we sat there for six (6) hours straight. We wished we had a book to read or something, and thank God we had some crackers but we were so nervous we could not eat them. We were also cold also and numb after six hours sitting with the AC on, and I found myself going to the restroom just to use the warm air hand dryer. I made a mental note to ask our interviewer why we had to go through this experience, but in the end I forgot.
At 2pm the room was getting empty but then more people started coming; they were there to pick up their visas. We assumed they would only be processed after us and that was indeed the case because half an hour later they called C to a window. I was so cold and sleepy I did not even heard the name but she did. We hurried to the window...
The interview itself was completely painless. As she saw me she was surprised we had both come to the interview and she started talking in English; she was smiling.
Interviewer: So, how did you meet?
D: We met at a party back in.... and ... and years later we reconnected though Facebook and started chatting, then I came to Cuba and we met in person again. You have some pictures there showing my trips here.
Interviewer: C, you are smiling, what does that mean, did something happened in that party?
C and D: No, no... laughing.
D: We just met at that time. We only started talking and flirting later, through Facebook.
Interviewer: I see you have here quite a bit of chats (as she picked up the 5 or so pages we had submitted in the morning. Then I showed her through the window the thickness of our two bound "books", hundreds of pages each).
Interviewer: No, no, I have enough. You have overloaded me with information, I don't need to see more. So how come you can chat via Internet C? Are you a system administrator or something?
C: No, I study ....
D (shrugging): Her parents can pay for it.
Interviewer: What do you parents do C?
C: My mom is ... and my dad is ...
Interviewer: I see.
Interviewer (as she picks up the pictures we had submitted): I have here some wedding pictures. Where did you get married? Where was the ceremony?
D: Well, the only place you can marry a foreigner here in Cuba.
Interviewer: No, no, I know that, I mean the celebration.
C: At his house, with his family.
D: There are some pictures about that there.
Interviewer: No, it's ok, I don't want to keep you guys here any longer than necessary. I see you live in ... D, not in Miami. That is great.
Interviewer (to some person next to her that we couldn't see): This is not like our usual cases.
Interviewer (back to us): Good news C, come tomorrow after 2 to pick up your visa.
C and D: Thank you, thank you...
For the first time in my life I was happy to get out to the blazing sun and the 35 degree celsius heat. We were astonished it had been so easy. We were also exhausted and hungry and a little frustrated that our interviwer barely looked at our logs and our pictures. We had prepared so much and we were so passionate about it... but oh well, C got the visa. That is what matters, right?
About my rating:
+1: Everybody treated us nicely
+1: The interview itself was a breeze
+1: The visa was ready the next day.
-1: Six hours seating there, waiting.
-1: No time for the interviewer to review our evidence.
Now, C, would you do the review in Spanish?
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #6229