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| Sydney, Australia |  Review on November 22, 2006: |
claireybearyloo
Rating:  | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
YAY!!! Our Visa was approved on 14 November!
Our appointment was for 8am, so we aimed to be at Level 10 by about 7:30, so we were able to get through security and beat the rush. We went through the security there (giving them our appointment letter and identification) and sat down (we were in the first row). We didn’t have to wait too long until our row was called to go up to the 59th floor. We waited in another line on Level 59 for security. We had to present them with our ID again, turn off mobile phones and put everything in the bins to be scanned and we had to walk through another security gate. The consulate does not allow cameras or camera phones to be taken in so if you have one they hold them until you come out.
We entered the consulate at about 8:15am and took a ticket for immigrant visas. We sat down until our number was called and we went to the first window. The lady checked that we had everything in order, we had everything out of sleeves (as requested) and held together with a bulldog clip. While the lady was going over the paperwork I went to another window to pay the fee. She also asked us that if our visa was approved, if we would like to pick it up the next day or have it sent to us in the mail (we said we would pick it up the next day if we were approved). We had to sit down and wait again for a little while until we were called to window three. There was a different lady this time, she said everything looked great and she was going to ask another person and if they thought everything was fine too...if they both agreed our visa was going to be approved! It was very exciting. We had to sit down again and wait to be called to window 4. We didn’t have to wait very long that time and we were called again. A man looked through our paperwork and got my fingerprints. He asked us a few questions such as, How long have you been married?, What do you do for a living? Where we met? etc etc... just basic questions. He asked me to raise my right hand and swear everything was true and correct to my knowledge and then asked me to sign one of the forms we had already submitted. He then told us our visa was approved and that we could pick it up the next day from 3:30 to 4pm. We got out of the consulate at 10:30am – VISA APPROVED!!
The next day we went to pick up our visa, we got there about 3:15 and I was only one allowed up as it would only take about 15 mins. I went through the security at Level 10 and then again at Level 59 and entered the consulate. There was no one at the delegated window and I was able to simply walk up and collect my visa. I was in the actual consulate for possibly 1 minute. The security is what takes up the time.
Everyone was really helpful and friendly and the view is absolutely gorgeous!
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #1046