Consulate Review: Manila, Philippines
Review Topic: K1 Visa
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| Event |
Description |
| Review Date : |
September 17, 2007 |
| Embassy Review : |
INTERVIEW EXPERIENCE
My appointment was at 730 am AND I was already at the embassy at exactly 6:00 am.
The night before, I arranged my documents in a way that it was very easy for me to locate them when asked and easy to slide into that very thin opening of the pre-screener since from what I've read from the threads the pre-screner is behind a galss window and the opening to give your documents is very thin.
I used 5 short folders and all documents needed to be printed ,I had them in short bond paper. I labeled each folder according to their contents. From my readings in the website one thing is common, the pre-screener will ask for ducuments enumerated in the packet 4 so I also arranged it that way.
So folder 1 I labeled PRIMARY DOCUMENTS which contained my birth certificate, NBI Clearance, Clearance from different country, if any, divorce decrees, CENOMAR, Affidavit of Support, ITR, W-2, Employment Certificate. Also inside the 1st folder are the DS 156, 157 and 156K. The gentleman who oriented us to the process when we took our seats inside took my 156 downloaded from the internet, the one with the barcode although i also filled up the one in the packet 4.
Make sure you fill up the forms, paste your pictures ( Visa size, 2x2 with your ears shown, dont wear earrings when your picture is taken for that purpose)before your interview .When I went to Manila all my forms were already filled up so when I paid the bank for the Visa application, I asked the teller to validate my 157 that is already filled up. They usually give you a blank 157 with validation at the back after payment. I asked her this because I typed my forms and I didnt want my 157 to be different from the others ( I am very particular with neatness in my paperworks) . She accomodated me and still gave me a blank validated 157.
I clipped the forms. . .Appointment letter, 156K, 156 and 157 together. I didnt clip together the documents enumerated above because I was very sure the staff will ask them one by one. . and that formed my Folder 1 .
Folder 2 contains our emails and snail mails. I clipped all the snail mails. . I also clipped the cards separately and clipped the emails separately. I only prepared 10 emails so the compilation was very thin. I printed the emails directly from the inbox so it shows the link the hotmail details ( Pic) and I only printed Joe's emails that would need one page of short bond paper.
Folder 3 contains our Receipts, Tickets, Phone Bills and Pictures: I pasted the receipts and ticket in a short bond paper and stapled it like an album. I just clipped the phone bills and the pictures I pasted them in a short bond paper ( 11 pages) so it was not thick at all. I pasted one picture for each day that Joe was here so they will see that Joe and I were together everyday the whole time he was here.
Folder 4 contains out chats. I printed 10 , 2 for each last 5 months.I also printed 10 chatscreens showing Joe and I chatting while on cam and some shots where I was chatting to his sons and daughters.
As back up, I printed one chat from previous months and placed them in an envelope I labeled BACK UP DOCUMENTS which also contained our other pictures in case the CO will ask for more.I also included there the receipt from the bank where I paid the $100. And it also contained xerox copies of my primary documents.
At exactly 6:30 am the applicants with 730 appointment were allowed inside. I took my documents ( appointment, 156, 156K and 157, all clipped together) and one valid ID, presented it to the guard and it was good. I found it very easy to get and return the docs because the folder can be opened anytime. . and easy to return since the folders were labeld.
Inside, a nice gentlemen checked our forms and he let me sign the 156K. . he checked and it was fast because mine were all filled up correctly and pictures already pasted. He asked me if I want to submit the downloaded 156 or the one from the packet 4 I told him its up to you sir which one you think is best to submit so he chose the downloaded form. A lot of the girls still have blanked forms, pictures not pasted and some wrote wrong entries. Like the question' List all countries that have issued you a passport' one answered N/A when it should be Philippines.
Then at about 7:00 the nice guard asked us to form a line to get our ticket stub from the window near the door . I prepared the forms again ( appointment, 156, 156K, and 157 all clipped together) and gave them to the girl in the window and it was quick because everything was filled up and she gave me stub number 7001. She didnt give me back the forms and instruct me to watch for my number to be flashed on the screen. And so the waiting begin. But it was not too long. The numbers were called in random order so you really have to watch out.
At about 7:30 my number was flashed on the screen and I went to window 19. A very nice filipina lady was my pre-screener. On my way to the window I already opened my bag and removed the folder for primary documents ( I have to say that something or SOMEONE was guiding me what to do) . I said good morning Ma'am with a big smile and she asked for my name and the following questions.
When is your birthday , I immediately answered and at the same time she asked for my birth certificate, then CENOMAR, NBI Clearance. Then she asked if I lived in another country for more than 6 months and I answered yes I lived in Malaysia and she asked for my other country police clearance.
Then she asked for my petitioner's name and address. She then asked if Joe has been married before and I answred yes he was married twice ma'amm and she quickly asked for the divorce decrees. She then asked me for the Affidavit of Support, Joe's ITR aqnd W-2, she didnt ask for the certificate of emloyment but I gave it anyway and she took it.
I knew at that point that all the primary documents were submitted so I anticipated that she will soon ask me for proofs of our relationship so I quickly took out folder 2, 3 and 4:
Going back to the prescreener, I was right, she then asked me for pictures, my 'album' fit perfectly in the small opening as well as my emails cause they were not bulky. I have my other pictures in a small album given my photo shops in case the consul will ask for more, it was in my other documents envelope. She asked for our snail mails, emails, pictures. She didnt ask for our phone bills receipts ,and chat. Believe me she was very fast in asking and I was kind of fast too trying to catch her in answering and giving the documents so in about 5 minutes I was done with the prescreening.All the documents and 'made albums' went in the small opening without problems so I suggest dont make them very bulky. If ever, jut be ready with back up documents in another folder in case the consul will ask for more mails , pictures etc during the interview proper.
It pays to have all the documents enumerated in the packet 4 and all others you believe will be needed. She then instructed me to wait for my number to be flashed again on the board.
After 10 minutes of sitting down my name was called to proceed to window 16 for finger scanning, 5 names were called and i was the second. We lined up and I observed carefully how the first girl did it with the help of the staff giving the instructions. When it was my turn, I did just fine because I already know how to palce my finger properly on the screen. It pays to really observe whats going on.She then instructed me to wait for my number to be flashed again.
I waited and at about 8:00 my number was flashed again on the board to proceed to window 30. .I told myself this is it, this is the interview proper. I sat down outside room 30 because an elderly couple were being interviewed, the consul was speaking to them in tagalog. I prayed and prayed while waiting. I said God, I know ive done my best, I leave everything to you, thy will be done" When it was my turn, I was very calm because I knew I gave all the documents asked and I was prepared with whatever questions the consul will throw at me.
I expected the room to have a table. .the room by the way has no door, its just open. . but the consul was behind a glass window with a built in microphone. I gave him my biggest smile and said Goodmorning Sir, he said good morning back and I gestured to the chair and asked May I, and he answered yes please. I noticed a thick compilation of documents infront of him and on top was the Form I129-F we filed with the USCIS . He asked me to stand up and have the oath.
While looking at the form he asked me the following questions:
1.Whats your name?
2.What's your petitioner's name?
3.Where was your fiance born?
4. When was he born?
5. Where did you meet? What website?
6. When you met Mr. Lahman in the website were you talking to other men online? Without batting an eyelash I answered YES. .
7. And why did you choose him? I answered , smart, intelligent, funny and I dont know what got into me but I added very sexy and that placed a big smile on his face. I was happy with his reaction. I was more relaxed after he smiled with my joke.
8. Does Mr Lahman still have parents?
9.What are their names?
10. Does he have siblings? How many? What are their names?
11.DO you know if your fiance have been married before?
12.TO whom?
13. Do they have children? How many? Do you know their names?
14. Do you already have wedding plans? Tell me about it.
15. What is your fiance's favourite food?
16. What do you do? What kind of law?
17. Did you work in other countries? What kind of work?
18. How did you become a nurse first and then a lawyer the next? I answered , believe me Sir, I read a thousand books and he laughed again. Then I added, I wanted something new in my life Sir so I shifted to law.
19. And you are willing to give up your being a lawyer to live in America? I answered Yes, he asked again why and I think I made a home run when I answered " because thats the only way that I will be with the man I love"
While he was asking questions he was also browsing the pictures, emails and snail mails.
He then said everything looks fine and told me to wait for my name to be called for further instructions , I gave him the biggest smile and said thank you very much Sir and he added that I was the first nurse/lawyer he ever interviewed for a fiance visa . I replied, well Sir there is always a first time and he smiled again. He was such a nice man and I thank God he was the one who interviewed me.
The interview finished quick even if there were many questions because I also answered him quickly and didnt hesitate. I knew all the answers, especially the names and the dates so it was quite fast. I recited them in my mind every night, hahaha.
After about 10 minutes, my name was called again to proceed to Window 37 and there the guy handed me a pink slip, returned my emails, snail mails and pictures. I asked if i could get back my Malaysian police clearance but he said NO  . . I wanted it back because I read that in the adjustment of status after marriage it will be required too.
I looked at the time ,it was about 840 and I was already filling up the form for the DELBROS. I paid and by 9:00, i was already on my way out . . I approached the other girls I befriended who I also met during the medical and wished them luck. They were still waiting for interview.
By the way, some were called first for the finger scanning before the pre-screening.
Regie, the girl with me from Iligan also finished early. She had number 7002 and we had the same time in everything. We also waited same time outside door of consul ( she was in room 28) but I got in first and finished ahead but we were called same time at window 37. We went outside and hugged each other. By 9:30 were were back in the GSP building where we were staying and gave the taxi driver P100.00 even though the fare was only P45.00. We told him we just passed the interview and wanted to share our blessings. That gave him a big smile. We also bought the guards of the GSP building ice cream.
From there I can conclude that the ways to pass are: Have all the documents ready, be confident and positive, be early, make the interview an 'informal' one by "talking" to the consul and not just answer the questions like a robot, MEMORIZE dates, names and places of fiance's family, always look at the consul straight in the eyes when answering, as much as possible dont hesitate and just tell the truth when it comes to very personal questions ( Like my # 6 - I didnt expect that to be asked) , and the most important thing is PRAY.
You might be asked only 3 questions or 30, nobody knows so it pays to be ready to answer everything. And oh, I also read and read the copy of our I-129F and G-325 forms.
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| Rating : |
Not Rated |
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ver 5.0