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| Chile |  Review on March 27, 2011: |
Lisa & Vinko
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
I arrived in Chile on March 17, hoping for the "luck of the Irish" to bless our interview process javascript:emoticon(' ') The only thing we got out of that was several nights of bagpipes and U2 Tribute bands from the Irish pub across the street from the friend's apartment we were staying in... javascript:emoticon(' ') We stayed there, because it was only a 5 minute walk from the embassy...and well, we hadn't see each other for 10 months...we needed the privacy javascript:emoticon(' ') It was our luck then, that this friend was in Serbia for a month!
Of course, we didn't know how Obama's visit to Chile was going to change things slightly. Nervously, we got all our paperwork ready days before the originally scheduled interview on March 21, and left the apartment to find out some minutes later at the embassy that all appointments that day were cancelled and that we would have to return during the embassy's public hours on March 23. I felt crushed. I worried that they'd schedule Vinko's interview for a later date and that my trip to Chile was in vain. I knew that my presence at the interview was going to make a big statement and that if I couldn't be there that things would not result well for Vinko. Turns out, a message was left for Vinko on his cell from the embassy on Friday the 18th saying that the interview was cancelled and that to come to the embassy on the 23rd. Still confused about what was to happen, I wrote an email to the embassy to clarify if the interview would take place on this date. It was going to be my last day in Chile and my plane was not leaving for the States until late. Thankfully, they responded quickly as always and emailed a new appointment letter for Vinko to take to the embassy stating an appointment date and time of March 23 at 2:00pm. Regardless of this, we still arrived at the public hours in the morning, hoping for an earlier interview, but they were too busy with the public inquiries and asked us to come back at the interview time.
When we did come back, we showed up an hour early. They allowed us to enter at 1:30. I agree that the architecture of the building is beautiful, but the courtyard once you leave the security portion and enter the consulate is breathtaking. We entered the consulate building being the first of two other couples, which I presumed were already married and obtaining either K-3's or IR-1/CR-1's. They called us up to window 7 at 2:00 almost precisely and we were greeted by the same beautiful woman that greeted us earlier. She apologized for not being able to take us earlier and began to solicit our application materials, Vinko's medical exam results, mine and my mother's I-134 documents, and my divorce papers. I asked them if they wanted our relationship proof and she told us to hold on to it, that if the second person who interviewed us needed it, then they would ask for it. We never had to show it! They returned my mother's birth certificate; one because it was an old original, and two because I think they thought my income was enough to sponsor. I also got them to return my original divorce papers, because my petition (which they had already) contained them. The woman asked questions to me about my visits to Chile, and about my children. Curiously, I was asked more questions than Vinko was...maybe because I'm just more forgoing in general. We were asked then to sit back down.
We were then called to the 6th window by another woman. I think this woman was originally from the Midwest as she commented on liking to hear my "Midwest accent". She asked more information about our careers, our relationship, how the relationship started, and why we basically thought we were the "ones" for each other. She made us feel very comfortable, and all of us switched back and forth with the English and Spanish. Following this, she had Vinko take an oath that all of the information he presented was truthful. She scanned his fingertips and had him sign the fiance application. Then she said, "well, I think we have everything you need here, you are approved!" I of course said, "Happy dance of joy" and started dancing around!! We then went to the DHL counter to make arrangements for Vinko's passport and visa to be sent to his house. It is now the 27th and we've checked the status of the mailing and it is on it's way! Hopefully he will have it in hand by tomorrow. The whole process from entering the consulate and being called to the first window and leaving the consulate took only 45 minutes.
So, there were some setbacks, but all in all, working with this embassy is rather painless. They go out of their way to help you with the process!javascript:emoticon(' ')
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #7323