|
|
| Guayaquil, Ecuador |  Review on October 7, 2010: |
Jeremy12095
Rating:  | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
The day started very early, after a friend informed of me of her Interview Experience. My wife and I got up very early and were at the US Consulate in Guayaquil, Ecuador around 5:00am. We were the first ones in line. We waited until about 7:00am when the consulate workers split everyone in 3 lines, ACS, Immigrant Visa’s and Non Immigrant Visa’s. Around 7:30am they permitted everyone to enter who could fit in the Consulate. The security process was fast and easy. I was then sent with my wife to the small section down stairs in the back. After about 30 minutes the consul came in, gave us some information and made everyone raise their right hands and take the oath, and we swore that we will tell the truth. We waited for about 2 or 3 hours, everyone who was not a CR-1/ IR-1 was processed first. They seemed to do the spousal visa’s last, but this is my own experience. After a long wait my wife was called to Booth 2, I approached with her and was able to appear with her. The lady did not seem to speak English, and only asked a few basic questions. The most important was how she learned so good English!!!! My wife was never in the USA before, but they asked her several times if she’s ever been to USA or Mexico, trying to insinuate that she may have been in America! I came in the Interview armed with every document you could think of. We had over 1,000 pictures and over 400 pieces of other evidence. I asked her if she wanted to see my lease, I put it in the little slot at the bottom of the window. I then asked her what else, she said WHAT EVER YOU GOT ( My wife was doing the translating) So I emptied my 2 plastic binders full of letters, receipts , joint bank account information, joint tax returns
( I got my wife an ITIN number from the IRS , Google Form W-7 so I could file a joint return), Notarized statements and copy’s of passports and visa stamps ( My sister came to Ecuador to visit my wife and I on 2 occasions). We had a huge stack and it took a decent amount of time just to put all the papers through the slot. I then asked her if she wanted pictures, she said yes. I took them all out of the album and put them under the window! She then asked us to sit down, we seen her review every single sheet. We waited for almost 3 hours for her to sift through all of the evidence. She called my wife up and asked her a few questions that have arisen after she was reading the documents. She is an Ecuadorian born in France who speaks perfect English so I guess that brought up some red flags to them. The consulate officer then asked my wife to sit down, and about 1 hr after that she was called up to get her fingerprints taken. We sat down yet again, after about 1-2 hours after that we were called to a different window and asked a few simple questions, together. This consulate worker was very nice; spoke good Spanish and perfect English. We interviewed in English, she just wanted to know how I came to meet her on MySpace and what our plans were as per living. Because up until recently I have been living in Ecuador with my wife, but I returned to NY to get a job since the savings was running out and to get an apartment in the USA since it is a requirement to have one. Then she had a few minor questions about the documents we presented again asking her if she’s ever been to Mexico, USA and she answered no. After about 15 minutes with this woman she said we are going to approve your visa. She handed me everything back through the slot, gave me the purple slip and we sat down kissed and put all the papers away. One thing to remember, bring all original documents. The consulate will require that!!! Luckily we had a back-up copy of our marriage certificate. Anything you sent in copies of i.e Marriage Certificate they will require the original to be presented with your interview. So don’t forget them or you will be asked to come back!!!!! It is very cold; the bathrooms are clean up stairs in ACS, and the water fountain works on the first floor. Overall it was a very intense process, they did literally read every last piece of paper and had some questions about them. My advice to you is bring everything you think relevant, and be honest. We overloaded them with papers, and photos and they had no choice but to approve us. There were no wholes in our story and they can tell right away if you’re a real couple or not. My wife was so nervous but when she got approved she was so happy. We then went to the DHL, if you walk out of the consulate make a right and go down 2 blocks, cross the street and you will see a Movistar Store, go in that store and you will see the DHL kiosk, fill out the form telling you where you want to get the passport sent, I recommend picking it up there, the consulate told me you can get it like 4 days early if you pick it up vs. home delivery. But after almost 9 hours, it was well worth it! My wife can now return to my country and we never have to say good bye again!
(updated on October 6, 2010)
| |
|
Consulate / USCIS Member Review #6696