|
|
|  Review on October 21, 2011: |
ann and aties
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
Our Interview experience:
The details of lining up at the park near the Public Interest Section in Havana has been written about other times in consulate reviews so I won't repeat all the details here except to say that a crowd gathers by 6:30 am, a Cuban official comes out and reads a list of those that are getting interviews that day. The first group was a different kind of visa. Second were the fiance visas. Everyone gathers around and when the beneficiary's name is called they give their carnet over to the official. You line up across the street and they take you in order about five at a time up the street to line up again in front of the interest section. The U.S. citizen is given a simple paper to fill out, name, DOB, passport #, case # (this gets handed in with your paperwork once inside.)
You first go into a little office, turn over your cell phone (and it looked like sometimes keys, but they didn't take mine), they go through any bags you may have with you. They give you a ticket with a number on it so you can retrieve your cell phone upon leaving.
Then you go up to the office and you are given a number. Pay attention to who is in front of you with that same number. (The wonderful Cuban system of ultima? which works so well there that would be difficult here in the U.S.) Except that the man in front of us was so nervous he practically missed his turn. When your number is called, you go to the window and hand over your paperwork. Then you wait and wait for your interview. Remember, not all of them are fiance visas. Most people went away with a piece of paper, I can only think to call it a "pass", that will let you back in for another appointment.
Two families left quickly after being seen - at least one we witnessed visiting the attorney that works and lives across the street and then they came back later and must have been approved, they were all smiles. Some of the happy people were told "come back to get your visa" and given a pass. Others left with a serious expression.
We were almost last. (bring water and a little food.) When we handed over our paperwork we had also given them our photo album. They gave it back and we took all the photos out of the album and handed them in a pile. The man (Cuban) said nicely, "you are giving me so much paperwork!"
Before coming to the interest section we had already taken our envelopes from our letters apart and flattened them. One family had to do that before being allowed in, so do that in advance.
Finally we were called and we were told that we would be interviewed separately - what a shock! Although, I had been a little prepared for this by reading VJ consular reviews - thank you so much for that! But it was still really nerve racking.
The very nice interviewer did not ask too much about what was in the paperwork. She didn't just ask questions, she offered her opinion so as to get us into a conversation.
Questions asked:
How did we meet?
Asked me why we didn't marry in Cuba? Why didn't we marry in Cuba so his family could be there?
Asked me if he had met my children - didn't they even ever talk on the phone? Asked him what if her children don't like you, if you haven't even talked on the phone?
How do my children feel about me marrying him?
What do I do for a living? They asked him the same thing. This was important for a couple of reasons - his part of the interview was held in Spanish, because he was more comfortable with that. But she didn't know the spanish word for accountant, so he told it to her in English, as well as saying tax preparer, so then they spoke in English for a little while and the interviewer said, "oh, you really do speak English".
She had asked me how he learned to speak English - in school, in university or on his own?
She asked me why there was such a lapse between trips one time (there was almost a year and a half because of finances).
When did it get serious? That is what she asked me. She asked him when did it get serious that we were intimate.
When did he propose?
At one point, I heard her say to him "You are approved", I started to get up and go behind the barrier to be with him, but then she kept asking him questions, so I stopped. That confused him too, because he heard her say it, but then she kept on with the questions, so he thought maybe he didn't hear her correctly?
But then she was done and said it again!
She told him to come back in one week for the visa and handed him the "pass". But he told her he lives a long way away in Santiago, so she took the pass back and told him to come back this week. So he is to go by there this afternoon - I hope his visa is ready!
I am open to any questions and I want to thank y'all for VJ!
How does one rate something so nerve racking? It's a 5 because we got approved, and everyone was very nice, but very emotional also.
| |
|
Consulate / USCIS Member Review #8559