Consulate Review: Bucharest, Romania
Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
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| Event |
Description |
| Review Date : |
July 22, 2020 |
| Embassy Review : |
Interview experience:
I arrived at the Embassy with 30 minutes earlier, went directly across the street under the covered area. Soon I was approached by one guard, who asked me if I have an appointment and for what hour. There were 4 people (including me) with appointment for the same hour (out of 5, found out later someone didn't show up).
One employee came out and told us to come in front of the entry area, checked our names on the list and passports, and we entered one by one in the security check building. I only had my folder, my purse and wallet, and they kept my phone (not allowed to enter with electronic devices, USB sticks or CDs). From there, I walked through the yard into the next building, in the waiting room. The same employee asked for my name again, and told me to take a seat.
There were 3 windows open, where ladies were processing our documents. I was called at the window, and I handed her: my passport, the old passport with the tourist visa, one picture and the original documents (birth and mariage certificates, police record). Asked me a few questions (if any of us was previously married, if I lived in another country more than 1 year- in that case you need to bring police records from that country). I also gave her the confirmation page for the courier company TNT. For proof of relationship, they are interested in the pictures (I put them in an envelope), and I had a binder with plane tickets, hotel receipts, chat logs, authorized user for account/ credit card, form I-94 with US entry.
Even if in the instructions received in the email, they said to bring IRS transcripts for my husband, she didn't ask for them, but I brought it up, and I handed her proof on income for my husband (not required to file taxes) and IRS transcripts for our co-sponsor (NVC said income is not enough, even if it was over the poverty limit, and advised to get a joint sponsor, which we did, just to be on the safe side).
She also took my finger prints, informed me about the instructions to pay USCIS fee after I get the visa, and handed me a flyer about domestic violence. Invited me to take a seat and wait to be called for the interview.
Wasn't asked for DS-260 confirmation page nor NVC interview letter.
After about 20 minutes, I was called by the consul. He was very friendly and smiling, asked me how am I doing, informed me that I have to take an oath (you swear that you're telling the truth), checked my finger prints again, and the questions started.
First thing, he asked 'how we met', 'where does my spouse live', he made some observations which I confirmed, and then asked 'what do I do for a living', 'what are my plans when I get to the US', 'where did we get married'. All this time he smiled which made me feel confident and at ease. He put less questions than I expected. He handed back my binder, photographs, old passport (he canceled my tourist visa) and also the original certificates. He told me that my visa was approved, and will take between 2-3 days to print it and send it.
I asked about travel to the US, but he said they usually don't give advice on this matter, and I should follow travel.state.gov page.
I was out of the embassy after 40 minutes, time which explains by the low number of cases processed, during this period.
After 2 days, I received my passport with the handout about instructions to pay USCIS fee, the original police record and the photograph. There was no sealed envelope, because there is an annotation on the visa, saying "IV Docs in CCD", meaning that the visa was issued under the new electronic process (sent scanned docs on CEAC) (See: https://www.ustraveldocs.com/ro/ro-gen-faq.asp bottom page).
Medical exam at Regina Maria:
I made the appointment for the 9th (interview on the 20th) at 9:30. On the phone, the doctor said it takes about 1 week for the results to show up in the embassy data base. There won't be any package to pick up, they will send it directly to the embassy.
Get there at least 30 min earlier, since you have to check in at the reception. The lady informed me that I have take a urine sample. Took a long time to be called for the blood tests, and I panicked a bit since it was over 9:30 already. Found out later that the others (about 3 people) had also appointment for the same hour.
Dr. Mariana Toma scanned and made copies for all the required documents and handed everything back to me (passport, photo, NVC appointment letter, medical certificate stating I am healthy and vaccination record from my family doctor, and I prepared a paper with the address in the US and my email. She put questions about health issues, allergies etc., checked my height and weight, blood pressure, and listened with the stethoscope. She said that I should take 2 shots: Adacel (Vaccin difteric, tetanic ÅŸi pertussis acelular) and Varilrix (varicela), since I told her I had no childhood disease. She was friendly and professional.
The chest X-ray I had to make at the hospital Regina Maria, 1 minute away from the clinic. The nurse gave me a CD with the X-ray. I had to pay here for the X-ray.
Costs: 1380 lei (800 lei medical exam + 580 lei vaccines)
Time: 2 hours and 40 min |
| Rating : |
Very Good |
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Elllena on 2020-07-10 said:
IsItLekker on 2020-07-25 said:
ver 5.0