More Than Grateful: Visa Approved! Thank God!

[R. Lee 1]

Appointment time for the interview: 7:30AM. I arrived at 6:15 at the US Embassy. It was November 9, a Friday. There was some gentle rain (but stopped after a few minutes I got there). I sort of considered the area and saw lots of people already waiting outside. There were also guards walking around and assisting people.

First step was done outside the gate, lining up until we got to the women in blue shirts who checked for the appointment confirmation and passport. They put a sticker with the name of the applicant on the passport before placing it inside a ziplock plastic bag. Please remember to keep the passport in there.

Next, joining another line to get to the security check facility. All items go through the x-ray machine. Other than the typical items that are not allowed like cellphones or cameras, once detected, lighters, food and even flash drives are also confiscated. That's what happened to the 2 persons who went ahead of me.

After that step, there was yet another seemingly secured door leading to the internal grounds of the embassy. I got in line again to get my number stub, it's 6154.

Apparently, specific sets of numbers are assigned to particular visa application categories. So just because one gets that number doesn't mean the interview will happen after you've fallen asleep or have lost vitality and enthusiasm due to dullness out of endless waiting.

As I was getting the number, the woman at the window was asking me 'Is it on CD?' and I got confused as to what it was that's supposed to be on CD. When I overheard another that's it's about the medical exam and since I got the CD for that as well, I answered yes and she handed me the stub and I was told to sit at the back part of the waiting area.

This waiting area has roof but no walls, it's got ceiling fans and there's a food vendor to be found in the middle part. Guys and some women who got handheld radios with them, also in blue shirts, were there to give instructions like where we should be seated as it's according, again, to the visa category. They also tell you when to get inside that building where interviews take place and some other instructions. There are LED queuing boards that give the numbers being served with the corresponding windows. Just a reminder, there really is a need to persistently look at the boards as the numbers are in fact, randomly flashed.

It was about 8:30, when a woman called our numbers to get inside the building to submit the DS forms, i.e., DS-156, DS-156K, and DS-157. As one enters the door, there is another walk through metal detector and guards check the bags again, and yes, no food again.

After submitting the forms, we had to go back at the waiting area outside as the waiting area chairs inside the building were all occupied. I needed to wait again and tried to read a book. I was not feeling well at the time and so I did not talk much with other people around me when it’s the usual thing that I do, like when I was at St. Luke’s that I got to meet and was able to get my new friends’ (6 women) addresses even. Then I saw my number flashed on the board and so I went inside. This is why you really need to keep up with the queuing board because most of the time your number or your name will not be called out. This experience gave my primary sense a real work out.

At the window, I found out that the purpose of this next step was the fingerprint scanning. True as the instructions being shown on the queuing board, one has to place the "first four fingers" of the left hand on the scanner, followed by the "four fingers" of the right, and lastly, both thumbs. For sure, they will ask you about a few questions like your full name and date of birth before all that.

When the scanning was over, I decided to just sit at the waiting area inside the building as I saw there were already seats available. While seated, one can see queuing boards on the walls and there are flat screen TVs that are tuned into some news or kiddie show but are muted so as most likely to avoid interfering with the announcements made by the embassy people.

Time and again, the guys in the blue shirts would ask questions like "Who are the ones who haven't accomplished the fingerprint scanning or interview with the Filipino consul or haven't gone through any of the steps at all?" I must say they can be very helpful because it can be easy to lose track of your number on the queuing board. So in case you need help, they are the persons who can attend to you.

I probably waited for 2 hours until I saw my number again on the board. It's the interview by the Filipino consul I thought. He was a bit stern when he asked me to bring out all the certificates like birth, NBI, police clearance. Afterwards, he made sure I filled in correctly some parts of the DS-156. Remember that part on the DS-156K that tells you not to sign yet? That's the guy's job to tell you it's time you put your signature there.

While he was checking the forms that I returned to him, he was, at the same time, asking me questions. For instance, "Have you been married?" That question was nevertheless brought up even with the CENOMAR or Certificate of No Marriage that was already in his possession. But then even being asked "Do you have children?" when it's clearly stated in the form that I don't have any did not come as a surprise anymore. "Where do you teach?", "What do you teach?", "How long did you stay in Japan?" were the other questions.

Then he came to the fiancé part. He asked how I and Richard met.

"When?"

"How many times he got divorced?"

"Does he have children?"

"When did he come here?"

"How long did he stay?"

"May I see your photos?" I showed him our photobook sent by Richard. When he saw the picture of the engagement ring he asked me of it so I showed him my ring, my beautiful ring to be exact.

He looked into the photobook further and so even the picture of the fresh fish taken at a market in Zambales did not elude his interest. That's what transpired during that interview. I did not forget to thank him and with a more relaxed tone, he responded, "You're welcome...teacher!"

At about 10:50, I was somewhat amazed that I was called to go to the next window after the interview with the Filipino officer as I thought I needed to wait longer again. But it was a welcome surprise indeed. I knew it was the last interview. The American consul's initial words apart from the ‘good morning’ pleasantries were "How are you today?"

"I'm fine, quite nervous!" was my response.

She smiled and asked me to raise my right hand as she did the same and stated "Do you swear that everything here (she was looking at our documents right in front of her) is true?"

With my right hand raised, I answered "Yes, everything is true."

The American consul's questions were mostly about my fiancé Richard and these were generally the same questions asked by the Filipino officer. She asked me of the pictures and so I showed her the photobook. While going through the pictures, I told her of my bracelet given by Richard. "Oh yes, and I see your engagement ring too" as she took notice of it. Her final question was, "So he's the one for you?" It’s a question that required no thinking. I answered as naturally as the beat of the heart, "Yes, definitely!" I knew it came with a vibrant smile when I said that, despite my not feeling well.

She was smiling as she closed the folder that contained our documents and told me "Well, your case has been approved, please be seated and wait for the last instruction, have a good day!"

"Thank you so much!" I told her. I was more than grateful!

I returned to the waiting area and about 20 minutes later, names were called out that included mine and so we got in line for the last step. The woman asked me which BPI branch I paid the visa fee at and then said, "Everything is okay now, please wait for your passport to be delivered."

It obviously rained while I was inside the building but at 11:20AM, the sky was clear and there was sunshine as I stepped out of the embassy.

My fiancé, Richard, was the first person to know of the great news.

Thank God for answered prayers! May your applications be approved as well!

[pigmonk 16]

congratulations!

[R. Lee 1]

congratulations!

Thanks a lot Pigmonk! (^^,)

[InHisTime 110]

Congratulations! have a safe trip !

[malene 0]

Appointment time for the interview: 7:30AM. I arrived at 6:15 at the US Embassy. It was November 9, a Friday. There was some gentle rain (but stopped after a few minutes I got there). I sort of considered the area and saw lots of people already waiting outside. There were also guards walking around and assisting people.

First step was done outside the gate, lining up until we got to the women in blue shirts who checked for the appointment confirmation and passport. They put a sticker with the name of the applicant on the passport before placing it inside a ziplock plastic bag. Please remember to keep the passport in there.

Next, joining another line to get to the security check facility. All items go through the x-ray machine. Other than the typical items that are not allowed like cellphones or cameras, once detected, lighters, food and even flash drives are also confiscated. That's what happened to the 2 persons who went ahead of me.

After that step, there was yet another seemingly secured door leading to the internal grounds of the embassy. I got in line again to get my number stub, it's 6154.

Apparently, specific sets of numbers are assigned to particular visa application categories. So just because one gets that number doesn't mean the interview will happen after you've fallen asleep or have lost vitality and enthusiasm due to dullness out of endless waiting.

As I was getting the number, the woman at the window was asking me 'Is it on CD?' and I got confused as to what it was that's supposed to be on CD. When I overheard another that's it's about the medical exam and since I got the CD for that as well, I answered yes and she handed me the stub and I was told to sit at the back part of the waiting area.

This waiting area has roof but no walls, it's got ceiling fans and there's a food vendor to be found in the middle part. Guys and some women who got handheld radios with them, also in blue shirts, were there to give instructions like where we should be seated as it's according, again, to the visa category. They also tell you when to get inside that building where interviews take place and some other instructions. There are LED queuing boards that give the numbers being served with the corresponding windows. Just a reminder, there really is a need to persistently look at the boards as the numbers are in fact, randomly flashed.

It was about 8:30, when a woman called our numbers to get inside the building to submit the DS forms, i.e., DS-156, DS-156K, and DS-157. As one enters the door, there is another walk through metal detector and guards check the bags again, and yes, no food again.

After submitting the forms, we had to go back at the waiting area outside as the waiting area chairs inside the building were all occupied. I needed to wait again and tried to read a book. I was not feeling well at the time and so I did not talk much with other people around me when it’s the usual thing that I do, like when I was at St. Luke’s that I got to meet and was able to get my new friends’ (6 women) addresses even. Then I saw my number flashed on the board and so I went inside. This is why you really need to keep up with the queuing board because most of the time your number or your name will not be called out. This experience gave my primary sense a real work out.

At the window, I found out that the purpose of this next step was the fingerprint scanning. True as the instructions being shown on the queuing board, one has to place the "first four fingers" of the left hand on the scanner, followed by the "four fingers" of the right, and lastly, both thumbs. For sure, they will ask you about a few questions like your full name and date of birth before all that.

When the scanning was over, I decided to just sit at the waiting area inside the building as I saw there were already seats available. While seated, one can see queuing boards on the walls and there are flat screen TVs that are tuned into some news or kiddie show but are muted so as most likely to avoid interfering with the announcements made by the embassy people.

Time and again, the guys in the blue shirts would ask questions like "Who are the ones who haven't accomplished the fingerprint scanning or interview with the Filipino consul or haven't gone through any of the steps at all?" I must say they can be very helpful because it can be easy to lose track of your number on the queuing board. So in case you need help, they are the persons who can attend to you.

I probably waited for 2 hours until I saw my number again on the board. It's the interview by the Filipino consul I thought. He was a bit stern when he asked me to bring out all the certificates like birth, NBI, police clearance. Afterwards, he made sure I filled in correctly some parts of the DS-156. Remember that part on the DS-156K that tells you not to sign yet? That's the guy's job to tell you it's time you put your signature there.

While he was checking the forms that I returned to him, he was, at the same time, asking me questions. For instance, "Have you been married?" That question was nevertheless brought up even with the CENOMAR or Certificate of No Marriage that was already in his possession. But then even being asked "Do you have children?" when it's clearly stated in the form that I don't have any did not come as a surprise anymore. "Where do you teach?", "What do you teach?", "How long did you stay in Japan?" were the other questions.

Then he came to the fiancé part. He asked how I and Richard met.

"When?"

"How many times he got divorced?"

"Does he have children?"

"When did he come here?"

"How long did he stay?"

"May I see your photos?" I showed him our photobook sent by Richard. When he saw the picture of the engagement ring he asked me of it so I showed him my ring, my beautiful ring to be exact.

He looked into the photobook further and so even the picture of the fresh fish taken at a market in Zambales did not elude his interest. That's what transpired during that interview. I did not forget to thank him and with a more relaxed tone, he responded, "You're welcome...teacher!"

At about 10:50, I was somewhat amazed that I was called to go to the next window after the interview with the Filipino officer as I thought I needed to wait longer again. But it was a welcome surprise indeed. I knew it was the last interview. The American consul's initial words apart from the ‘good morning’ pleasantries were "How are you today?"

"I'm fine, quite nervous!" was my response.

She smiled and asked me to raise my right hand as she did the same and stated "Do you swear that everything here (she was looking at our documents right in front of her) is true?"

With my right hand raised, I answered "Yes, everything is true."

The American consul's questions were mostly about my fiancé Richard and these were generally the same questions asked by the Filipino officer. She asked me of the pictures and so I showed her the photobook. While going through the pictures, I told her of my bracelet given by Richard. "Oh yes, and I see your engagement ring too" as she took notice of it. Her final question was, "So he's the one for you?" It’s a question that required no thinking. I answered as naturally as the beat of the heart, "Yes, definitely!" I knew it came with a vibrant smile when I said that, despite my not feeling well.

She was smiling as she closed the folder that contained our documents and told me "Well, your case has been approved, please be seated and wait for the last instruction, have a good day!"

"Thank you so much!" I told her. I was more than grateful!

I returned to the waiting area and about 20 minutes later, names were called out that included mine and so we got in line for the last step. The woman asked me which BPI branch I paid the visa fee at and then said, "Everything is okay now, please wait for your passport to be delivered."

It obviously rained while I was inside the building but at 11:20AM, the sky was clear and there was sunshine as I stepped out of the embassy.

My fiancé, Richard, was the first person to know of the great news.

Thank God for answered prayers! May your applications be approved as well!

[malene 0]

cOngratS :)

[R. Lee 1]

Congratulations! have a safe trip !

Thank you InHisTime!

cOngratS :)

ThAnKs Malene!!! :)

[Tintin and Mike 127]

Congrats!! Keep 'em approvals comin' :dance:

Awesome review also. BTW if you could post the same on the Embassy Review. Here's the link:

http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/

[MrsOyetunji 9]

Congratulations

[R. Lee 1]

Congrats!! Keep 'em approvals comin' :dance:

Awesome review also. BTW if you could post the same on the Embassy Review. Here's the link:

http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/

Thanks so much again Tintin and Mike!!! ^_^

[R. Lee 1]

Congratulations

Thank you MrsOyetunji!

[Justo 0]

Congratulations and thank you for sharing your interview experience.

- Alma

[R. Lee 1]

Congratulations and thank you for sharing your interview experience.

- Alma

Thank you also Alma! God bless you!

[Hank_ 9,173]

Congrats!!

[bigdog 376]

Congratulations, thanks for the well written and informative report.