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| Peru |  Review on April 18, 2012: |
davido
Rating:  | Review Topic: Direct Consular Filing
Went in to present the I-130 (DCF for my Peruvian wife). Got there a few minutes before it opened at 7:50 AM (or was that 8:50 AM? my memory is fading now as it was 2 weeks ago  , and stood in the line. Then the line started progressing and when I got near the front the official looked at what I was presenting and told me I was in the wrong line, and pointed me to the right where there was no line, so I went over there. I had to leave my cellphone, but they gave me a ticket so that I could get it back later, and then walked back and to the left and a guy who was the guard gave me a number and I had to wait my turn. I'm not sure how I was # 72 in line when I got there right at 8 AM, but anyways, I waited until my turn. Everybody was seated down outside under a shade tent thing, and when it was your turn you approach a window and talk to a lady through the window. She reviewed my documents very quickly (and took off the clip I had) and then said something linke "our office has particular requirements and you don't have them." I then responded "Actually, this particular embassy emailed me a list of all those required documents and they are all in there." She reviewed again then found the migratory movement document that she was looking for. I got the impression that she really didn't want the ACCO binders recommended for when you are MAILING it in. I thought about putting them on, but then someone I met on here advised me not to do it, and I agree that was good advice. She then returned a couple documents. It turns out she only wanted a copy of the front main page of my passport and not every single page of it. She took off my clips and stapled the photos to the G-325a, and stapled some other things together like she wanted, then gave me a ticket or something and told me to pay the $420 in another place. The guard pointed me to the other building, but told me I didn't have to wait in line, but that I had to enter and then go to the back of the long narrow space passed all the people waiting in line to window 14 to pay. When I got there there somebody walked me personally all the way to the window and found nobody attending it, so they told me to wait there and they found the guy to accept the payments. He told me that he hoped that I had a credit card, I said yes and paid him. He was very friendly and we talked as the transaction took place. I think I could've paid probably in dollars or soles, but he just preferred a credit card as I guess it was easier on him for whatever reason. Then I got the receipt, and I walked back outside and took it back to the first window and didn't have to wait in line, just wait within view of the window so that when the person who was being attended to was done I could be the next person in line. She took the receipt, stapled it to something, and told me that I would be contacted in 3 weeks. It's been 2 weeks and I think I had everything they requested and ample evidence of our relationship, so I hoping there will be no problems. The lady at the window told the guard to stop letting people in at 10:15 AM, so anybody who arrived later was not allowed to enter. Then the guard later approached the window to explain there was a lady with a baby and he wanted to give them a number too, and the lady relented. Then it happened again, so obviously the rules as far as how many people to let in before shutting the doors were flexible due to the persistent guard. It was obvious that the lady would have to work passed the official cut off time because the line was still a long way behind me. The process was pretty efficient, but I should've brought a book to read for the 45 minute wait. No complaints, pretty efficient, but make sure not to arrive after 10 AM!
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #9491