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| Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |  Review on February 17, 2012: |
aldob
Rating:  | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
The outcome of the consulate interview is determined by three principal elements: documentation, documentation, documentation. The períod in the process where the NVC communicated its requirement for document and fees proved to be enormously bwnificial by the time the embassy interview rolled around háving complyed with the NVC's request for AOS, Visa application , fees and police , marrige and birth certificates the interview appointment letter later confirmed the reciept of all required documents. That relieved a great deal of uncertanty going into the interview over weather the documents being presented would meet the embassy requirements. By the time the interview was scheduled our biggest concerns were where we would stay while in Rio, the medical exam and the required fotos and money for paying the passport postage after the interview.
After some consideration we decided to stay át Hotel Itajuba. It is located three blocks from the US Embassy. The hotel is an inexpensíve, clean, safe, frendly, dignified and convient option for folks visiting the US Embassy. On the list if doctor's approved to perform the immigrant visa medical exam is one doctor that is located directly across the street from the US Embassy Dr. Joaquim Duarte
át 21 Rua México on the 19th floor. The office asked the date for the interview and schedule the exam for the day prior. After presenting a valid passport and a photo át the completion of the exam, the taking of a blood sample and review of medical records and vacine históry the office provided us with a sealed evvelope to be presented át. the interview .
Upon arrival át the Embassy for the interview there were two lines leading to one entrance át the corner of Rua Mexico and Av. Wilson. The line for immigrant visas was the shorter of the 2 lines. The line was attended by an agent in a green vest who asked to see the appointment letter and the 2 fotos. After a quick review of the items the agent gave us a form to fill out with the case mumber and contact information. The agent then checked the case number on the appointment schedule and asked if we had any electronic devices. if you do you will be required to check your cell phones with an agent for a fee of R$4,50. Upon entering the Embassy all visitors are required to go through metal detectors after which immigrant applicants are ushered to a second floor waiting room that is divided into two áreas: one for Immigrant Visas and the other for US Citizen Services. From what I could determine the Embassy schedules approximately 20 to 25 interviews per morning session. The room has 4 numbered doors. The agent who inspected our fotos outside sat at a desk at the back of the room and called all the applicants in the order in which we arrived on the line. He handed out yet another form asking for more contact information and instructions indicating the order for which documents were to be presented. The agent then called each applicant in the same order and inspected the order of the documents and told each applicant where to sit in order as they waited to be called into room 1 or 2. In short order our turn came and we were called into room 1. There a pleasant lady took our documents and presented us with documents we had previously provided to the NVC with notations on diffrent color stick-its as well as a bill to pay for the passport postage. We were instructed to go downstairs and pay the postage then return for the interview. It wasn't long before our name was called to enter door 3. My wife was interviewed by another nice lady who reviewed her documents and asked four questions: when did we meet, what was my original reason for coming to Brasil, what was my birthday, and why did we wait so long before applying for residency. Upon responding to those 4 questions. The interviewer informed my wife that the application was approved. The actual interview took 3 minutes and 47 seconds.
My overall impression of the process is that the people responsible for administering the process have gone the extra step to make it efficient and friendly realizing that the applicants are under a great deal of stress. It is apparent to me that they have been doing this for a while and they are skilled at detecting inconsistencies and again it all points back to the provided documentation. My advice to anyone who is going through this process is: the clearer your documentation speaks to the validity of your circumstance the better your chances are for approval. I hope my ramblings helped more than confuse future applicants. Good Luck.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #9165