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| Dominican Republic |  Review on April 11, 2011: |
Carlos' Wife
Rating:  | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
We arrived at 5:15 a.m. and there were about 40 people in line. The area to stand in is covered (which is good because it was raining that morning). Around 6 a.m. they opened the doors and started letting people inside. They separate men and women to go through the security checkpoint.
Once inside the area is large with multiple metal benches to sit on. The benches weren't that bad because they have a back to them so you can lean backwards. There are five televisions that were playing the channel "TNT" (american movies). The cafeteria area is located at the end of the building. We didn't try any of the food but it seemed basic. There are multiple fans blowing air (thankfully the day we were there was BEAUTIFUL weather so it wasn't hot at all)
The bathroom had no toilet paper so plan accordingly. There is water available for free to drink.
At 7:20 a.m. we were called to Window 14. The P.A. system is somewhat hard to hear and they talked really fast over the P.A. system. At Window 14 the woman asked my husband some questions confirming his and my address and phone number and also if his parents were alive and how many times he has travelled to the US. They took his passport and the current copy of the police certificate. They gave him a paper slip with a number on it that would be ours for the rest of the days proceedings.
At 8:00 a.m. the number on the paper slip was flashed on the screen at the front of the room. They also announced the number over the P.A. system. We went to Window 13 where they did his fingerprinting.
At 9:00 a.m. our number flashed to go to Window 22. I KNEW this was the time of the interview and took a deep breath and gathered all of our evidence. We brought about 15 pounds of stuff including phone bills, emails, letters from our friends and family, my boarding passes from all my trips to the DR, cards we have given each other, receipts from purchases we've made for each other and for vacations together, photos, a current letter from my employer, copies of the paperwork sent to USCIS and NVC, etc. I put the evidence in individual plastic sleeves in a binder so each section could be removed and handed to the officer if needed. I know we over-prepared but it felt good to know that we had so much stuff if we needed to present it.
The area for the interview is very small. We were standing on the other side of a glass partition. So, the interviewer swore us both in and he asked a few times if my husband spoke english. He does (very well!). I don't remember the exact order of the questions he asked (I was SO nervous from excitement). They guy was a middle aged, caucasian guy with a beard. He asked the following to both of us. Sometimes he spoke in Spanish to my husband and asked the same question to me in English.
1. what do you do for a living?
2. how much money does my husband make?
3. how old are we?
4. if I like my job (I am a forensic scientist)
5. what i did when i worked in the DR?
6. any previous marriages for us?
7. asked my husband where he learned to speak english
Then he asked us if we had any kids. We both replied "no" and the officer seemed surprised and asked us "why?". Then he asked us if we wanted kids together and my husband and I both started smiling and said "oh yes!". The officer smiled.
THEN he said we were approved and stamped this little green piece of paper and gave it to my husband. We were so happy! The officer then smiled at us and said "Have a good life together!"
The interviewer did NOT ask to see any "evidence of relationship" or photos or anything. I had the binders with everything placed on the counter so he could see them. There is only a small area to slip things between you and the interviewer so plan accordingly and don't bring anything that can't be easily fit through that slot.
We went to the DomEx counter and paid the fee. We opted to have my husband pick up his Visa and paperwork at the DomEx office. They said it would take 1-2 weeks for it to be ready BUT we received a call from DomEx the NEXT day!!! We picked up the Visa and the yellow "secret envelope" to give to the immigration people at his POE two days after the interview. YAY! VISA IN HAND!!
Just a note: the yellow envelope that is not to be opened and given to the immigration people at the POE has the corner of the envelope cut off. This is NORMAL (I asked the immigration officer when I went through New York yesterday)! The rest of the envelope is sealed with a lot of clear packing tape.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #7415