Consulate Review: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
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| Event |
Description |
| Review Date : |
September 22, 2015 |
| Embassy Review : |
I will write in English so the non-Portuguese speaking spouses can also read.
Medical in Rio
As of September, 2015, there is only one place to do it, Dr. Aurelio Garrido in Leblon. Scheduling was easy, all done via e-mail - they prefer that over calling them. You will have to schedule the x-ray by phone, it's done two blocks away from the doctors office and the bloodwork doesn't need to be scheduled, it's done on the same building. The doctor will send you a file with instructions, read the whole thing and there won't be any issues.
I landed in Rio at 10:30am (Santos Dummont Airport), took a bus to Leblon and was done with all medical part (consultation, bloodwork and x-ray) and eating lunch by 1:30pm.
Also, take the shots you need to take before going to the doctor, you can get them for free at a public hospital instead of having to pay for them on a private clinic on the spot. Print the shot list and take that with your vaccination card to a public hospital, they will know what to do.
Getting there from the airports is easy too. There is an express "premium" bus that stops in both airports and heads towards Copacabana, Ipanema and then Leblon. It will drop you off in front of the beach, only 2 blocks away from the doctors office. Ask the driver to drop you off at one of the streets perpendicular to the beach in Leblon. The return trip is the same, go to the beach to catch the return bus. Price per trip was R$14,65 while a cab will cost at least R$45. It took less than 30 minutes and was comfortable.
When booking your medical, if it's an option for you, have it done at least a week before the interview as it may take a couple days for the bloodwork and x-ray results to be done and the whole package shipped by the doctor to the consulate. They say it doesn't delay your visa to be processed but I'd rather have it ready at the consulate before the interview (they mail it) than have the consulate wait for it after the interview.
Interview
I came back to Rio for the interview on another date. The consulate is only a 10 minute walk from Santos Dummont Airport, just cross the walkway over a busy avenue that is on the far right side of the airport. Downtown Rio is "dangerous" at night and on the weekends when it's empty but during the day it's super busy with all the offices and shops, it's very safe to walk.
My interview was at 9:20am but because I was there already and had nothing else to do, I went in around 8:00am. There were no lines at all - make sure you don't wait on the line that forms on the side of the consulate for non-immigrant visas, just walk up to the gate and mention you have an interview for an immigrant visa, they will have your name and time on a spreadsheet and will let you in. They let me in upstairs and there were already a few other people scheduled for 9:20am filling a form they give to applicants. The staff will sort your documents, then you wait sitting for someone else to check your originals and hand them back to you. Read the P4 letter they sent you scheduling the interview and bring what's being asked. I was surprised how unprepared some people were, specially those relying on lawyers. Original birth certificate (beneficiary only) and marriage license are a must have. Police certificates (at least 1 year old) were also being asked and the versions obtained online from Policia Federal and Policia Civil are fine. Besides what's on the list, if you have an older passport with a previous US visa, bring that too - they asked for mine even though it wasn't on the list.
After that, the consular office will call people by name for the actual interview. Mine lasted a whole 3:40 minutes and was approved - I timed it from the time they called my name until I walked away. The whole analysis of your application is done beforehand and if they find everything acceptable, the interview is just a formality. If your documents are incomplete or your application is dubious, then expect more questions. Some other people before me took around 5 minutes and a few were in there for almost 20 minutes. They only asked me when and where we met, what kind of work I did and what visas did I have before.
After the interview, head to the post office around the corner, pay the postage fee and bring back the slip to the consulate. I was done with the whole process by 11:00am.
Overall, the staff was polite and courteous - from the security guards to the consular staff. The process is simple and straight forward if you make a small effort to come prepared and be organized. Also, remember that you are at a consulate and dress accordingly.
(updated on September 22, 2015) |
| Rating : |
Very Good |
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