My USEM Manila Interview Experience

[TatTot 7]

Congratulations to you and your hubby! :dance:

[CJ8611 6]

Grats!

My interview is scheduled at 6:15AM too, I plan on being there by 5:30AM, just like what you guys did. I guess it's safe to say that a total of 4-5 hours will be spent at the embassy. Wow, I need to have a big breakfast meal.

Thanks for sharing!

Edited December 4, 2012 by CJ8611

[ca_babe 129]

- hi.. My ITR or my husband ITR? Thank u

The US Citizen's ITR not the Filipino's.

[eric LOVES janice 6]

this post is very helpful.. atleast when the time comes that i will be going for my interview, i already have some ideas on what to do once inside the embassy.. Thank you:)

[MrsOyetunji 9]

Congrats!!!!!!!!!!

[Mayang M 0]

After all the stress and long wait, it's finally over.

My appointment was for 6:15 am. My husband and I arrived at the embassy at 530. There were different lines separated by purpose and appointment time so we just asked the guard where to go for my schedule. After lining up, I realized I left my pen and my pictures, my husband had to go back to the hotel to get the pictures though in the end I did not need them. The pen was also only used twice, filling out the 2GO form and for the signature for DS230.

By 615, the line started to move forward. Near the gate there was some confusion because nobody was managing the lines but got fixed after some minutes. So at the gate, the person looked at the first page of my appointment letter, circled the time and then gave me the 2GO form. He also placed my passport in a transparent zip lock.

Almost 7am: First door to the embassy building was for security check where they really confiscated mobile phones and some items which are not allowed, most people had to go out and give their phones to friends or vendors outside for safe keeping. Some just threw the small stuff in the trash like lighter or perfume. Actually there were warnings about that even outside, the vendors were saying them repeatedly but the people in my line were saying like maybe it's not true, I, on the other hand,knew that it's not allowed so when someone asked me what I think I just say I read that it's not allowed so it's better not to have any of those things which are on the list.

After security, we went straight to the windows where they asked me if I already had my medical and what things they gave me, after that she just put number 1 on my appointment letter and stapled 6088(my number for the queue) and asked me to drop it at Window 39. We went straight to another building and there's another security check, after that, there was a woman waiting for people and she just collected our app letter instead of dropping it at Window 39. We sat down and waited for my number to be called.

At around 830: my number was called at Window 45. I wasn't expecting that it was already the Filipino consul waiting for me so my husband wasn't there beside me when I did the pre-screening but she said it's fine and just have him with me during the final interview. It took more than ten minutes for the pre-screening. The only document she asked was the 2011 tax form and then she looked at our pictures. She asked me the name of my husband, where I met him, his age, date of marriage, what he does, his first marriage and why it ended, about my in-laws, size of household. She was focused on the documents and was just taking notes. After that she just asked me to wait for my number to be called again.

Around 915: I was called at Window 42 for finger printing. My fingers were a little sweaty because of the mixed emotions so I had to do it twice hehe.

Around 10: I was called for the interview with the American consul at Window 64. My husband came with me this time. The consul gave me the pamphlet regarding domestic violence after the oath. Only two questions were asked to me, date of marriage and if I've been abroad before. He asked my husband where we intend to stay when we get to the US and that's it. After a minute of looking at the documents, he said 'everything looks good, please be seated again and wait for further instructions. That's it! No additional documents were asked. I brought a copy of my NBI, marriage cert, cenomar (which was not sent to NVC), birth cert and many more but they did not ask for them and my husband was just laughing at me because I printed so many copies of so many things, I wanted to be very sure and I don't regret it. hehe

At 10:10, our number was called again at window 71, the person there just said everything is ok now and just wait for my visa to be delivered, she then asked us to give our 2GO form at window 69 and I opted for pick up at one of their branches. We were out of the embassy by 1030.

I felt so good after that, my feet were a bit sore because I wore sandals with heels haha, and I was really tired because I didn't get much sleep the night before. Now, I can sleep better. This whole process has been stressful especially the month before the interview but it all went well. Just make sure to submit everything to NVC and you won't have a problem during the interview. And of course, pray a lot.

Thank you to my VJ family for all the help. Daghang salamat!

WOW!!!CONGRATULATIONS!! How I wish I would also get the same result when the time comes for my interview...I have a question, when they asked you about your hubby's first marriage, why they got divorced, did you give the details, I mean is it reasonable for them if we just answer due to irreconcilable differences?

Just thinking of the interview really freaks me out, even thinking of the medical at SLEC gives me sweat, is the medical really for the whole day, plus you have to comeback again?

I would greatly appreciate your response and thank you for sharing your experience.

Good luck and have a happy life with your hubby.

Mayang

[auchybitchy 0]

The US Citizen's ITR not the Filipino's.

-thank u

[mwilliams 3]

- hi.. My ITR or my husband ITR? Thank u

The US citizen's ITR.

[mwilliams 3]

WOW!!!CONGRATULATIONS!! How I wish I would also get the same result when the time comes for my interview...I have a question, when they asked you about your hubby's first marriage, why they got divorced, did you give the details, I mean is it reasonable for them if we just answer due to irreconcilable differences?

Just thinking of the interview really freaks me out, even thinking of the medical at SLEC gives me sweat, is the medical really for the whole day, plus you have to comeback again?

I would greatly appreciate your response and thank you for sharing your experience.

Good luck and have a happy life with your hubby.

Mayang

Thanks!

When the Filipino consul asked about the first marriage she just asked why it ended and if they had children that's it. Just keep your answers short. So mine was: "It's because of irreconcilable differences." and "No, they didn't have children." I understand how you feel but after the interview, it'll all be happiness and excitement. Just make sure that you know exactly what's in your documents because the questions come from there.

My medical took two days and I had to go back 14 days after because I was delayed and my husband and I had contact and so they won't give me my vaccines for possible pregnancy. So better go to your medical right after your mens or make sure no contact within 14 days before going to St Lukes. Good luck!

[mwilliams 3]

Grats!

My interview is scheduled at 6:15AM too, I plan on being there by 5:30AM, just like what you guys did. I guess it's safe to say that a total of 4-5 hours will be spent at the embassy. Wow, I need to have a big breakfast meal.

Thanks for sharing!

Hehe, yes I was planning on eating too before the interview but I couldn't so I was really hungry and sleepy after that. Good luck on your interview!

[mwilliams 3]

Congratulations to you and your hubby! :dance:

Thank you! Good luck on your interview!

[GodsGift225 54]

Congratulations!

[shadesandbalcony 1]

congrats! when the filipino consul asked for your husband's itr, is that a copy you brought with you? or did the embassy sent you a copy of those documents? sorry for the dumdum question just confused. and did you send evidences (proof of relationship) when you sent your ds230 package? thanks and God bless!

[mwilliams 3]

congrats! when the filipino consul asked for your husband's itr, is that a copy you brought with you? or did the embassy sent you a copy of those documents? sorry for the dumdum question just confused. and did you send evidences (proof of relationship) when you sent your ds230 package? thanks and God bless!

Hello I brought the latest copy of the itr since the ones I submitted to the NVC were from 2009-2010. The 2011 hasn't been filed that time that's why but before the interview, we got the 2011. The embassy did not send me copies of the documents I gave them. I think my husband already sent evidences during the USCIS step (no pictures of us together though) then it was all forwarded to the NVC, we did not send anymore proofs during the NVC stage - just the forms they asked. So during the interview, the fil-consul just asked to see our pictures.

[tinandy 0]

- hi.. My ITR or my husband ITR? Thank u

petitioner's ITR

After all the stress and long wait, it's finally over.

My appointment was for 6:15 am. My husband and I arrived at the embassy at 530. There were different lines separated by purpose and appointment time so we just asked the guard where to go for my schedule. After lining up, I realized I left my pen and my pictures, my husband had to go back to the hotel to get the pictures though in the end I did not need them. The pen was also only used twice, filling out the 2GO form and for the signature for DS230.

By 615, the line started to move forward. Near the gate there was some confusion because nobody was managing the lines but got fixed after some minutes. So at the gate, the person looked at the first page of my appointment letter, circled the time and then gave me the 2GO form. He also placed my passport in a transparent zip lock.

Almost 7am: First door to the embassy building was for security check where they really confiscated mobile phones and some items which are not allowed, most people had to go out and give their phones to friends or vendors outside for safe keeping. Some just threw the small stuff in the trash like lighter or perfume. Actually there were warnings about that even outside, the vendors were saying them repeatedly but the people in my line were saying like maybe it's not true, I, on the other hand,knew that it's not allowed so when someone asked me what I think I just say I read that it's not allowed so it's better not to have any of those things which are on the list.

After security, we went straight to the windows where they asked me if I already had my medical and what things they gave me, after that she just put number 1 on my appointment letter and stapled 6088(my number for the queue) and asked me to drop it at Window 39. We went straight to another building and there's another security check, after that, there was a woman waiting for people and she just collected our app letter instead of dropping it at Window 39. We sat down and waited for my number to be called.

At around 830: my number was called at Window 45. I wasn't expecting that it was already the Filipino consul waiting for me so my husband wasn't there beside me when I did the pre-screening but she said it's fine and just have him with me during the final interview. It took more than ten minutes for the pre-screening. The only document she asked was the 2011 tax form and then she looked at our pictures. She asked me the name of my husband, where I met him, his age, date of marriage, what he does, his first marriage and why it ended, about my in-laws, size of household. She was focused on the documents and was just taking notes. After that she just asked me to wait for my number to be called again.

Around 915: I was called at Window 42 for finger printing. My fingers were a little sweaty because of the mixed emotions so I had to do it twice hehe.

Around 10: I was called for the interview with the American consul at Window 64. My husband came with me this time. The consul gave me the pamphlet regarding domestic violence after the oath. Only two questions were asked to me, date of marriage and if I've been abroad before. He asked my husband where we intend to stay when we get to the US and that's it. After a minute of looking at the documents, he said 'everything looks good, please be seated again and wait for further instructions. That's it! No additional documents were asked. I brought a copy of my NBI, marriage cert, cenomar (which was not sent to NVC), birth cert and many more but they did not ask for them and my husband was just laughing at me because I printed so many copies of so many things, I wanted to be very sure and I don't regret it. hehe

At 10:10, our number was called again at window 71, the person there just said everything is ok now and just wait for my visa to be delivered, she then asked us to give our 2GO form at window 69 and I opted for pick up at one of their branches. We were out of the embassy by 1030.

I felt so good after that, my feet were a bit sore because I wore sandals with heels haha, and I was really tired because I didn't get much sleep the night before. Now, I can sleep better. This whole process has been stressful especially the month before the interview but it all went well. Just make sure to submit everything to NVC and you won't have a problem during the interview. And of course, pray a lot.

Thank you to my VJ family for all the help. Daghang salamat!