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| Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |  Review on July 15, 2011: |
Natureza
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
We stayed in Copacabana and headed out by 6am but we arrived easily within 20 minutes and were the first ones on the line. I attended the interview with my fiancee and my 7 year old daughter even though I was on crutches from an accident that happened only a week before. If you do happen to bring your cell phone then they have people who come around to the line and offer to hold it for a "fee" - better to leave that and any other electronics at home. There was no priority or handicap entry or anywhere to sit during the hour and a half we had to wait for the doors to open. The elevator was out-of-service so I had to crutch upstairs to the 2nd floor to await the interview. We had all of our papers in the correct order, but they give you an outline of the order again while you are waiting and a paper to fill out and sign so there is ample time to quadruple check (you should have already double and triple checked all of your paperwork before coming to the interview to make sure you have more than you could ever need). MAKE SURE YOUR PASSPORT PHOTOS SHOW BOTH EARS - they made a couple leave and go get new ones prior to their interview just because one of the ears wasn't showing. They call you up to check your paperwork and assign you numbers based on what they have listed. The wait was nerve-racking more than anything, but the first time you are called up and into a room with a glass window in front of where you are sitting, all they do is check your paperwork again. Then the second time you enter a small room right next to it for the interview. There was a young african-american man sitting behind the desk and within the first 2 minutes I could feel the cold in the room. We were pleasant and direct but he had this doubtful suspicious look on his face like he didn't believe anything we were saying even as simple as some of the facts which were on all of our paperwork. He began asking some basic questions about when we met and how we met and he spoke both portuguese and english so we decided to speak portuguese since my fiancee doesn't understand enough english yet. He asked a couple of times while typing information into the computer and then started grilling us about our past marriages and when they ended. His was simple enough, but he seemed fixated on my previous marriage because apparently my ex never officially forwarded his listed mailing address. Granted I had no knowledge of where he lives at the time and hadn't spoken to him in months. He wanted "proof" that I had no contact with him which was extremely frustrating because all I could provide at the moment was my word. He was not interested in seeing any of our photos, our 3 years of travel itineraries or records of our communication. At the end of our interview he said that it was clear that there was something between us, but that our case still required additional processing before it could be considered for approval. We left devastated but we still had to see the same lady at a desk before going downstairs to give her the result of our interview and then pay the shipping to have his passport sent back home (bring extra cash with you at least 80 reals for this purpose). I have to say that crutching back down the stairs and not falling after feeling emotionally floored took every ounce of effort. They didn't tell us anything either way and I feel for those of you who are bound to have similar experiences...I would say make sure you have more than you could think of needing for proof if there are any past marriages especially if you have filed anything for a past spouse. Also make sure you know the detailed history of your relationship even if you are one of those types who don't usually remember the simple things - be prepared about your history together and secure about that. As long as you are there for the right reasons you will eventually get the approval. Fortunately we have the visa in hand, I'm finally off crutches and we are in the process of planning a wedding. Good luck to all of you still anxiously waiting. Use your time apart to plan for what will happen in either case and be honest with yourselves and each other. I hope your experience goes more smoothly as ours was unnecessarily stressful from all of the vague and indirect government correspondences throughout this entire process!
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #7931