Visa Approved! Review and Details of Interview!

[AnnaMaria 68]

Hi everyone, I'm the petitioner for my wife Ana and today we had her interview at the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest, Romania. I'd like to share with you our experience.

First, we were an expedited case. We completed the USCIS normally and were expedited at the NVC phase after paying the AoS Fee and completing the DS-261 Choice of Agent form. We were required to bring in the AoS Packet and IV Packet along with the supporting documents of a bona fide marriage to the interview. That being said, here is the outline of our Interview day.

A list of ALL documents we prepared and brought are listed here : http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/516575-interview-tomorrow-last-minute-help-would-be-greatly-appreciated/#entry7267344

The interview was scheduled at 13:00 and we arrived at the embassy at about 12:15. There was only one other lady there when we arrived and we were told to wait across the street until we were called to go through security. By the time it was 12:50 a security guard came over to the waiting area and asks for the passports of those people waiting. They let us across the street a moment after that and let us in two at a time through security.

Security was your typical airport style security, they held our cell phones, Portable USB we brought, and my wife's headphones. They gave my wife a ticket thing to retrieve them when we were done. The security was very friendly, spoke Romanian to my wife and English to me once they saw I as an American. I wish the TSA would learn from them

At about 12:55 we entered the embassy and were told to take a seat by the security at the door. Exactly at 13:00 two windows opened and they started calling names. Our name was called 2nd at Window #2 and they asked us to provide the AoS and IV documents. Of ALL THE THINGS we had prepared, they only took about half of the documents. They took all of my wife's IV packet, especially the Police Certificate and Courier confirmation, and only the I-864 Form for me and my mom who was my Joint Sponsor, along with my Joint Sponsor's 2013 Tax Return. Since my income was entered as 0 since my disability benefits are not taxable, she asked if I had a letter explaining why I didn't file, which I provided. This whole process took about 5 minutes as we had to provide more than someone who's case had gone through the NVC. She called things a bit out of order, but we had everything labeled nicely and had memorized our file so we could access them quickly.

At the same time my wife was providing the documents to the lady at Window #2, the lady behind the window handed me a piece of paper with a check next to Immigrant Visa and asked me to go pay the IV Fee (which we had not paid at the NVC due to expedite) at Window #12. I took the $325 U.S. Dollars and went to window #12 and a lady the amount. She then provided me with TWO receipts which were requested when I returned to Window #2. The lady spoke to my wife in Romanian and discussed the AoS packet for me and my mother with me in English. The mood was professional and the lady was business oriented.

After about 15 minutes, we heard my wife's name called to go to Window #11. There was a middle aged gentleman behind the window who was to be our interviewer, and if I were to describe his personality, professionalism, and kindness it would be no less than Absolutely Outstanding. I wish I had gotten this gentleman's name, he was so very polite to me and my wife and really shook the nerves off.

So during the Interview, he had our documents I suppose in front of him and asked my wife about 2-3 questions.

1) Do you speak English?

2) Where would you like to work in America?

3) What are you doing here for a job?

And after those three questions, the interview pretty much turned to me and he asked me a few questions.

1) Do you think you can afford to support your family with your benefits? (He knew this was a no, but my mother who is our Joint Sponsor makes plenty) I replied "Not alone, but we have support until my wife gets established.

2) Is your Joint Sponsor willing to help you out? I responded "Yes sir, absolutely." I then began rummaging through our file looking for a supporting document my mother has written stating she would make sure we would not fail financially and would be providing us residence. I notified him that I would like to give him a supporting document from my mother stating she will be happy to help us initially. He just smiled and said "There is no need, I think I have it right here in your file."

3) Did I serve in Iraq or Afghanistan when I was in the Army

4) How did the Veteran's Affairs Disability Pension work

At that point he started typing something into the computer and looked at us and said, "Well, everything looks good, we just need to do the necessary security checks which take less than 24 hours, and you might be able to pick up your visa on Friday once we have that." I of course, being paranoid, only heard "Need to do necessary checks, and thought it was a way of saying that we were in AP for some reason. So I gathered up the guts to ask him as we were gathering our stuff "Sir, I am just curious, but are we approved or do you need to do more processing?" He kinda look shocked that i'd ask and said "Oh, you have been approved, we just need the security check, we should have that back by tomorrow, then your visa should be ready on Friday." We exchanged goodbyes and my wife moved our belongings to a chair, packed up, and exited the embassy.

I believe we maybe had around 100 documents total and around 58 pictures. They did not ask us for one single piece of bona fide evidence. We had TONS AND TONS. My wife asked "Sir I have some pictures in our album here if you'd like to see them" he said "Thank you for offering them, but I can see that you two are just fine." I'd also like to add that I've lived in Romania with my wife for the past 14 months and we were only apart for 2 months of the marriage.

They kept her passport which I assume is a good sign. And they confirmed we were approved which is the best sign. I guess they just need to do her security check today and we'll be picking up her Visa on Friday and start planning the trip home.

I hope this was helpful. Thank you to Visa Journey and all of its members for the guidelines, responses, and sharing your stories. I don't think our preparations could have gone more smoothly.

The whole interview process took less than one hour from the moment we entered, until the moment we left.

Definitely a wonderful experience.

[Phillip Kazuto 28]

Congratulation and thank for sharing the experience , it surely helps !