Today was definitely a day that I will remember forever!
I arrived to the Consulate around 7:15, my interview was at 8:00 am. I was assigned the No. 3 and entered the Consulate until 9:00 am, later they called me to the first window, where they checked my papers, everything was in order... UNTIL the woman (who was guatemalan), told me that I had not realized we needed a co-sponsor, I responded quickly "No, we don't". Later, she started to "explain", if that can be called explain, because she obviously had no idea what the heck she was talking about, that my fiance's 1040 of 2006 did not report enough income, then I explained her that the reason was that my fiance is in the military and was deployed in 2006 and he was exempt of paying federal taxes during that year, but he did file for the forms anyway, I offered to show her a letter signed by his commander, and she refused. I told her, why do we need a co-sponsor, even if you want to believe that he did not have enough income in 2006, which isn't true, he DOES meet the income TODAY, you can see it on the I-134 and his employment letter, she said NO, we need the tax declarations, and then she said: "If he is marine ( I never said he was a marine, so I don't know where she got that from), and did not pay taxes then he CAN NOT BE YOUR SPONSOR" I tried to explain her again, in the nicest way I could, but I was getting really upset at this point, this woman was talking non-sense! I said, so just because he was in the military overseas he can not be my sponsor now? eventhough he DOES meet the requirement today (and back then he did too!), she said.. well if you want to, you can debate that with the Vice-Consul, I'm advising her that your application is incomplete and that you must come back another day with a new I-134 and tax declarations of a co-sponsor! Then she put a big yellow paper with her recomendation on my file.
I was beyond upset! I went back to the waiting room and took a sit for 1 loooooooooooooong hour, I waited and waited and went crazy, trying to figure out where did she got all that crap from?
When the Vice-Consul called me by my name, to my surprise...she was sooo nice to me! She smiled at me and said hello in spanish, the interview took less than 10 minutes, she asked:
How did you meet?
How many times have you been in the U.S.?
How many times has he been in Guatemala?
Does he speak spanish?
Do you speak english?
What do you do in Guatemala?
What does he do, besides being in the N.G.?
She reviewed all the papers, asked about my fiance's deployment, asked again if he was still in the N.G. I gave her the letter that my fiance's commander signed. She did not ask me ANYTHING about the tax forms! She just checked them and checked the rest of the papers too, she was not saying a thing... and I was starting to get more nervous. And then.. she grab the yellow paper.. and threw it away!!!!! I was soo anxious for her to say something! Then she finally talked to me again. she said: "I will cancel your tourist visa, because you will receive your K-1" I had a huge smile on my face when she said that! Then she said: "Everything is in order, CONGRATULATIONS! You have to come tomorrow at 3.30 pm to pick up your passport and visa and rest of the papers"!!!!!!!!!!! I was sooooooo happy and wanted to get out of the consulate ASAP to call Eric!!!!
I could not be happier about the approval, but I'm still wondering why does the Consulate has this type of local employee's and does not even mind, about explaining them the rules! And the worst part is that this guatemalan lady, is the same person who replied to an email I sent to the Embassy a long time ago, where she gave me the wrong requirements for the interview (she thought I was applying for residency) I know because I asked for her name on that ocassion after I was aware of her mistake, and today when I saw the yellow paper she filled out it had her name on it too!!!!
I wonder if the Consulate ever realizes what kind of inepts the have working there!
I love these emoticons!
On thursday, when I went back to pick up my visa, I was so happy to see him there, this woman (the guatemalan woman who gave me a hard time) said his fiance needed to send a letter, explaining why she was a student in 2006, I don't know if that is standard procedure or not.. but he got approved by the Vice-Consul without that letter. We are definitely going to inform the Consulate about it, I can only imagine how many others have gone through this type of confusion because of her!
