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|  Review on May 3, 2011: |
ErinInBA
Rating:  | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
We arrived at the consulate 15 minutes before our interview as recommended. When we arrived, there were several lines and we were unsure which to stand in. We probably wasted about 5 minutes standing in the wrong line until a guard told us we needed to first get a number from the person in the glass window. Since we were CR/IR 1 filers, we were directed to the glass window ahead of others who were already in line for their tourist visas. We were given a number and a slip of paper and were allowed to enter ahead of the line. Once in, we went through a security check (metal detector) and left our electronics with the guards (cell phones, ipod,etc.). Once we made it through security, we passed through a door that lead us back outside where there was a guard waiting who directed us into another building with a small reception area. Once inside the reception area, there was a person seated at what appeared to be a type of information desk. The man told us first we had to enter the main waiting area to do the biometrics check and then return. As we were waiting in line to do the biometrics, they announced my husband's name over the loudspeaker to go into one of the interview rooms. It turns out, they called his name prematurely, so there was a bit of confusion, but nothing serious. Once the consul in the interview room realized we hadn't done our biometrics yet, he advised us to return to the biometrics line. We went back to the biometrics line and after just a couple of minutes were directed to the biometrics window. A woman at the biometrics window took my husband’s fingerprints and after that we returned to the reception area where we were given a number. With the number in hand, we reentered the main waiting room again and waited less than 10 minutes before they called us in for our interview. Aside from us, I believe there was only 1 other couple there at the same time for the Immigrant Visa interview.
Upon entering the interview room, my husband (the immigrant) sat down as I stood next to him during the interview. The consul who waited on us was bilingual and asked us which language we preferred to converse in. My husband and I agreed Spanish was fine. The gentleman first asked my husband to take an oath that everything in the paperwork and everything he was attesting to was true. Once sworn in, he asked my husband if he'd ever been to the U.S. before/if he was granted a visa. He had been granted visas on 3 prior occasions (twice as a tourist and once as an exchange student). The consul also asked how long he was in the U.S. on each occasion. After having answered, the consul seemed satisfied and then started going through our file, which contained all of the paperwork we'd submitted to the NVC beforehand. As he went through, he asked a few questions:
*Were either of us ever married before
*If either of us have kids together or from a previous relationships/marriage
*Where we're planning on living (which city)
*If my husband had any serious medical problems of which he was aware
*The consul asked me (USC) when my husband's birthday is
*The consult asked me how much money my mother (our co-sponsor) makes annually
*The consult asked for my (USC's) mother's name.
He also double checked to see that we had valid translations of our docs and if we had everything stamped by the Ministerio del Interior. In addition, he double checked to see we submitted a PCC - which we had. He had my husband sign Part II of the form DS-230 as well.
He didn't ask for any evidence of our relationship (no photos, no emails, no financial info, etc). From looking at our documents and photos we'd submitted to the USCIS and NVC, it makes sense he didn’t ask for evidence since it was clear our relationship was legitimate (we’ve been together for nearly 4 years and have tons of photos from all stages of our relationship. On top of that, my husband had been to my hometown before on a tourist visa to meet my entire family, for which I had tons of photos too).
The consul was a really nice guy overall and made several jokes during the interview. When reviewing my husband’s medical records and saw that the doctor had noted my husband was overweight, he said “no way!” and actually had him stand up and take off his jacket. It was a really funny moment and the consul said there was no way my husband was overweight and that the perception of fat is Argentina was totally warped. From the beginning of the interview, the tone of the meeting was very relaxed; the consul mentioned that he was there to help us through this process, contrary to what most people think. He also mentioned several times while reviewing our paperwork - before he even told us whether or not we were going to be approved or not – that once we were “issued our visas…”, which gave us a clue he’d basically already decided we were getting the visa. Once he actually said he was going to approve our paperwork, my husband could tell I was super excited and jokingly told me not to cry. Then, the consul joked and said that if I started to cry he’d revoke the visa, haha.
The consul finally gave us a slip and kept my husband’s passport. He explained we had to take the slip over to the DHL kiosk to pay for the visa shipping costs. He said my husband’s visa, his passport, and a sealed envelope would be arriving at his address within the next 2 weeks.
Overall, it was a relatively quick (I think we were there maximum 1 hour) and painful process. The consul mentioned in our interview as we were wrapping up that our paperwork was much more organized that most people’s and we weren’t missing any documents, which meant we didn’t need to return. I think that really helped him sort through things quickly and efficiently.
My husband will be arriving in the U.S. on July 14 at JFK International Airport in NYC, so we’re hoping that goes just as smoothly as the visa interview!
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #7547