Interview review and common mistake on DS forms

[Luis & Yan 0]

Step 1: LINING UP. It’s advisable to be at the embassy an hour before your interview schedule. Not too early as it will just tire you.

Step 2: CHECKING OF FORMS. The embassy guard will ask you to proceed to the tent outside the embassy and line up where it says “Immigrants and Fiancee” lane. Prepare your passport, appointment letter, DS Forms. A staff from the embassy will be checking your forms. A sticker with your name and passport number will be stamped at the back of your passport and will give you a plastic bag where you will place your passport.

Step 3: SECURITY CHECK. Please make sure that you don’t bring the following to the embassy:

• mobile phones, gadgets, electronic devices, perfumes, candies, water, usb
  
• bring a regular black pen and not a sign pen
  

Step 4: QUEUE NUMBER. Once you finish the first security check, you will be asked to line up to the first four windows you will see inside the embassy. In there, they will be collecting your Passport, DS Forms, and appointment letter. They will staple your DS forms and appointment letter with a queue number and will hand you a copy of your queue number, then you will be instructed to drop the forms to Window 39. Your passport in a plastic container will be returned to you, but you have to hold on to it as you will be submitting the passport to the Filipino pre-screener.

Once you’re inside the main building, a second security check will be made. After dropping the forms in Window 39, find a seat and wait for your number to flash in the queue screen. Make sure you find a seat as they don’t allow people (except embassy staff) to stand around.

Step 5: FILIPINO PRE-SCREENER: I waited for about 30-45 minutes until my number flashed in the queue screen and proceeded to Window 48. A young Filipino pre-screener greeted me. He has the forms I dropped on Window 39. He asked me to fill out some blank spaces on my DS Forms. PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THE FOLLOWING COMMON MISTAKE IN FILLING OUT DS FORMS.

• DS 156: Do not leave blank spaces. If it’s not applicable, write NONE or mark the NO boxes. Please take note on item 37. If you choose one item and marked it YES, make sure you also mark NO for the other options. See sample below.
  

• DS 157: Do not leave blank spaces. Write NONE or mark NO if not applicable. Please take note of item no. 10. If you have not gone out of the country yet, do not answer NONE on this item. It should be PHILIPPINES. See below: (tricky question )
  

After filling out corrections on the DS Forms, he asked for my passport in a sealed plastic bag, NSO copied Birth Certificate, Cenomar, NBI clearance, and the affidavit of support (I-134, Employment Letter, paystubs, bank statements, tax transcripts).

The Filipino pre-screener asked me the following questions:

1. Name of petitioner:
   
2. How did you meet?
   
3. Has he ever been married?
   
4. Have I ever been married?
   
5. Do I have kids? Does my fiancé have kids?
   
6. Do we have a wedding date yet?
   
7. Asked for see pictures
   

Then after that, he told me to take a seat and wait for my number to flash again for biometrics.

Step 6: BIOMETRICS. It only took about 15 minutes until my number flashed again for biometrics. TAKE NOTE: Be attentive with your queue number. For biometrics, you will be asked to say your complete name and birthday.

After biometrics’ done, take a seat and wait for your number to flash again for the final interview with the consul. This is where you will wait a bit longer. I waited for more than an hour until I saw my number again on the queue board.

Step 7: CONSUL INTERVIEW. My consul interview was very quick; it only lasted for about 10 minutes (or not even). He was a middle-aged white guy and he was very nice. I greeted him good morning and he replied back. After swearing, he started asking me the following questions.

1. How did you meet your fiancé
   
2. Since we met at work, he asked me for the name of the company we both worked for.
   
3. How long have we been in the relationship?
   
4. How long have known each other?
   
5. What course I took?
   
6. Do I plan to work in the US?
   
7. Do I intend to marry within 90 days?
   

Then he said, "ok, you’re VISA is approved. Wait for your number to be called by either Window 72 or 73 to finish the process". Then I smiled and said “Thank You!”

Headed back to find a seat and waited for my number to be called again.

Step 8: FINAL INSTRUCTION/ 2GO Delivery. I waited not so long until my number was called to Window 72. The Filipina lady asked for my name, and returned my appointment slip. She told me that I can go now and to wait for my VISA to be delivered in the specified home address they have on file.

I left the embassy around 10am with happy thoughts! I wish everyone who are about to have their interviews soon ALL THE BEST OF LUCK!

[Mhayonaise 14]

Congratsulations! :dance:

[TeapotGirl 66]

well done..these are very helpful tips.

[TeapotGirl 66]

[*]DS 156: Do not leave blank spaces. If it’s not applicable, write NONE or mark the NO boxes. Please take note on item 37. If you choose one item and marked it YES, make sure you also mark NO for the other options. See sample below.

The YES or NO are the choices and it's on the left side of the question. So just simply answer what's applicable.

[*]DS 157: Do not leave blank spaces. Write NONE or mark NO if not applicable. Please take note of item no. 10. If you have not gone out of the country yet, do not answer NONE on this item. It should be PHILIPPINES. See below: (tricky question )

The question is about a country that issued a passport, you can have a passport but not have been out of the country as pictured, so Philippines should be your answer if that's the only one. Do you mean we need to write "Philippines" on both questions 9 and 10 if we haven't gone out abroad yet?

Edited October 14, 2011 by teapotgurl1983

[Jim N Augie 16]

Thanks for taking time to post this

[Luis & Yan 0]

The YES or NO are the choices and it's on the left side of the question. So just simply answer what's applicable.

DS-156 Form:

Yes, you choose the option that is applicable but you also have to mark those that are not. Please take note that they will ask you to mark everything. Like the sample given.

The question is about a country that issued a passport, you can have a passport but not have been out of the country as pictured, so Philippines should be your answer if that's the only one. Do you mean we need to write "Philippines" on both questions 9 and 10 if we haven't gone out abroad yet?

DS-157 Form:

No, for question 9 you must answer "none" if you have not gone out of the country yet, or list any countries that you have visited.

For question 10 you must enter ALL countries that have issued you a passport. If you only hold a Philippines passport, then you must enter "Philippines".

Edited October 15, 2011 by Luis & Yan

[SteveKarlaMayer 21]

Step 1: LINING UP. It’s advisable to be at the embassy an hour before your interview schedule. Not too early as it will just tire you.

Step 2: CHECKING OF FORMS. The embassy guard will ask you to proceed to the tent outside the embassy and line up where it says “Immigrants and Fiancee” lane. Prepare your passport, appointment letter, DS Forms. A staff from the embassy will be checking your forms. A sticker with your name and passport number will be stamped at the back of your passport and will give you a plastic bag where you will place your passport.

Step 3: SECURITY CHECK. Please make sure that you don’t bring the following to the embassy:

• mobile phones, gadgets, electronic devices, perfumes, candies, water, usb
  
• bring a regular black pen and not a sign pen
  

Step 4: QUEUE NUMBER. Once you finish the first security check, you will be asked to line up to the first four windows you will see inside the embassy. In there, they will be collecting your Passport, DS Forms, and appointment letter. They will staple your DS forms and appointment letter with a queue number and will hand you a copy of your queue number, then you will be instructed to drop the forms to Window 39. Your passport in a plastic container will be returned to you, but you have to hold on to it as you will be submitting the passport to the Filipino pre-screener.

Once you’re inside the main building, a second security check will be made. After dropping the forms in Window 39, find a seat and wait for your number to flash in the queue screen. Make sure you find a seat as they don’t allow people (except embassy staff) to stand around.

Step 5: FILIPINO PRE-SCREENER: I waited for about 30-45 minutes until my number flashed in the queue screen and proceeded to Window 48. A young Filipino pre-screener greeted me. He has the forms I dropped on Window 39. He asked me to fill out some blank spaces on my DS Forms. PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THE FOLLOWING COMMON MISTAKE IN FILLING OUT DS FORMS.

• DS 156: Do not leave blank spaces. If it’s not applicable, write NONE or mark the NO boxes. Please take note on item 37. If you choose one item and marked it YES, make sure you also mark NO for the other options. See sample below.
  

• DS 157: Do not leave blank spaces. Write NONE or mark NO if not applicable. Please take note of item no. 10. If you have not gone out of the country yet, do not answer NONE on this item. It should be PHILIPPINES. See below: (tricky question )
  

After filling out corrections on the DS Forms, he asked for my passport in a sealed plastic bag, NSO copied Birth Certificate, Cenomar, NBI clearance, and the affidavit of support (I-134, Employment Letter, paystubs, bank statements, tax transcripts).

The Filipino pre-screener asked me the following questions:

1. Name of petitioner:
   
2. How did you meet?
   
3. Has he ever been married?
   
4. Have I ever been married?
   
5. Do I have kids? Does my fiancé have kids?
   
6. Do we have a wedding date yet?
   
7. Asked for see pictures
   

Then after that, he told me to take a seat and wait for my number to flash again for biometrics.

Step 6: BIOMETRICS. It only took about 15 minutes until my number flashed again for biometrics. TAKE NOTE: Be attentive with your queue number. For biometrics, you will be asked to say your complete name and birthday.

After biometrics’ done, take a seat and wait for your number to flash again for the final interview with the consul. This is where you will wait a bit longer. I waited for more than an hour until I saw my number again on the queue board.

Step 7: CONSUL INTERVIEW. My consul interview was very quick; it only lasted for about 10 minutes (or not even). He was a middle-aged white guy and he was very nice. I greeted him good morning and he replied back. After swearing, he started asking me the following questions.

1. How did you meet your fiancé
   
2. Since we met at work, he asked me for the name of the company we both worked for.
   
3. How long have we been in the relationship?
   
4. How long have known each other?
   
5. What course I took?
   
6. Do I plan to work in the US?
   
7. Do I intend to marry within 90 days?
   

Then he said, "ok, you’re VISA is approved. Wait for your number to be called by either Window 72 or 73 to finish the process". Then I smiled and said “Thank You!”

Headed back to find a seat and waited for my number to be called again.

Step 8: FINAL INSTRUCTION/ 2GO Delivery. I waited not so long until my number was called to Window 72. The Filipina lady asked for my name, and returned my appointment slip. She told me that I can go now and to wait for my VISA to be delivered in the specified home address they have on file.

I left the embassy around 10am with happy thoughts! I wish everyone who are about to have their interviews soon ALL THE BEST OF LUCK!

This is a great interview experience! Thank, sis. So much important information I've found on this post. Congrats and stay happy!

[C-ma'am 684]

**Moved from K1 main to K1 Progress Reports