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| Auckland, New Zealand |  Review on August 12, 2011: |
kiwi>us
Rating:  | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
Just some quick notes on my experiences from in NZ before i get to the interveiw reveiw.
i booked my medical exam as soon as i received interveiw date from nvc.(nvc emailed interveiw date.)Medical was with Dr Marcus Stone.377a Remuera Rd.ph (09)520-1565.He was awesome.Was there probably about 20 mins.My appt was at 1.00 pm and i was at the X-ray facility (which is about 2 mins down the road by car)by 1.30 pm.Was done with x-ray by 2.00 pm and just had to walk around the corner(about another 2 mins)to get a blood test which took 10 mins.Back at medical centre to drop off x-ray results by about 2.20pm.Oh and there is a free public carpark behind the medical centre too,so thats another bonus.
I live about two and half hours from Auckland.My interveiw at consulate was for 8.30am.Went down evening before and stayed at Rendezvous Hotel,corner of Mayoral Drive and Vincent St.(basically right opposite Auckland central police station).Cost $136.00 a night.Parking (undercover) $15.00 for 24 hrs.There is an underground walkway from hotel to aotea square.takes 20 mins from hotel to consulate straight down Queen st.
I arrived at consulate at 8.15 am.Out of elevator and you are straight at the security station.2 people on elevator with me were out first so had to wait about 3 mins till guard ready.I had my appointment letter out ready and handed it to him, he scanned my files thru the X-ray,asked me to emptyH my pockets into a plastic container,received a numbered tag to reclaim them on exit and was asked to proceed thru metal detector,given my wallet back and informed of which window to proceed to once inside.No pat down or anything of that nature.Guard was quick and efficient and did what he had to do with complete professionalism.
Once inside the window I was instructed to had a couple at it already,so took a seat directly behind them.Approximately 10 mins they were done and lady looked at me and called me up.She went through my files and asked various questions relating to documentation like "do you have your Australian police clearance" explained no was only there 8 months,"when did you send in your NZ police clearance",told her April,went off to dig it out of the files,asked for expired and current passports,explained to me that previous overstay in U.S. was no issue as had served out 10 year ban, took a copy of my current bank statement and added it to the file,asked me when i had last seen my wife,either of us been married before,any other kids from outside our marriage etc etc etc.Then went on and done fingerprinting and that was pretty much it.Asked for my self addressed courier bag,asked me to verify some details on
her computer screen,which she swung around so i could see and went thru U.S. adress,names ,birth dates etc etc ,explained to me about not opening THE ENVELOPE when i received it,would arrive in 2-3 days and asked me to take a seat and wait for interveiw with consular officer.
Waited only about 5 minutes and got called to another window.Swore an oath,was asked to sign ds-230 and was asked very similar questions as above about relationship,children etc,studied my affadavit of support for a while,asked some questions about co-sponser,got told about not opening THE ENVELOPE when i received it and was all over in about 10 mins.
All up I was there about 50 minutes.Staff were friendly, helpful and professional.Visa approved and delivered NEXT DAY !!!!! today.(although I was out when courier came so have to wait till tomorrow for them to come back,signature required.)
As others have said,it does seem as if it was aleady approved and it was a verification type scenario,
Best wishs to you all still involved,the process would be fairly easy if we all didnt have to deal with the emotional stuff of being seperated from our families for so long,but what doesnt kill ya makes you stronger.
I am going to sleep for about 3 days now lol.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #8106