Manila Embassy Interview Experience

[rjp44 1]

Finally, I had a chance to write down my visa interview at US embassy in Manila last Nov. 21. Been very busy since I arrived US last Nov. 28. I just want to help others who are not yet done with the journey. Well, it is very easy, I am just paranoid with the result. lol

I went to my interview with my husband. We had a 8:30 am schedule but I told him to be there 2 hours before the appointment time since I read to some site that better to be early since its a case to case basis. We arrived in USEM 6:30 am of that day and as we are very lucky, no line outside and the guard asked for my appointment letter, and ID and my husband's passport and allowed us to go straight to the embassy premises. Scanned my purse and ourselves too. lol (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Advice us to go to the immigrant visa unit. Few people are there. The guard inside let us sat down for awhile. Then called me after 30 minutes fall in line in a window that I forgot, asked for my appointment letter and gave me my queue number for the whole interview process. It was 6062. Go back to my seat where my hubby is sitting too. lol (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) After a few minutes, I heard my name called for finger scanning. I fall in line in window 32. I was the last one on the batch but the only one who did the finger scanning very clear. lol The lady from the window and the guy outside who is holding my fingers and pressing it are talking about hollywood actors. Hehehe. And after scanning all my fingers. lol The lady whose doing the computer stuff said that I did very good job. Hehehe. My fingers are not sweating. lol (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) They advised me to go back to my seat and wait for my number to be flash on the queue board. I never get bored since hubby has a lot of story and it was all funny. lol But I got nervous as time passed by. Whew! I dont know whats wrong with me then that I am not talking and felt like I want to faint. lol My husband told me to relax and everything will be ok. Oh, glad I went there with him. Hay. My number flashed for window 22 (this is for the Filipino pre-screener ha?) Me and hubby went there holding my very cold hands. Obviously, I am nervous. I greet the lady "Good morning" while smiling of course. She didn't noticed that I am nervous. She replied with a good morning and a smile too. She asked my husband first if he is Mr. ____. Of course he said yes. She then asked my birthday. I saw her holding all the stuff that we sent to NVC. She let me sign the DS230 part II. She asked my husband when did he arrived in Manila and they talked like they were friends. lol She then asked me how me and hubby met. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) She is very nice. She asked me for all the proofs of our relationship that I gathered. I gave her our wedding pictures and pictures together, phone bills, money remittances, emails, chat logs (I just got one printed and she said its ok), cards and letters, cards and letters from my mom in law too. That's it. She gave back 2 copies of my husband's phone bill since I gave her 5 copies. lol She just told me that the Consul might ask for it. She then advised us to go back to our seat and wait for my number to be flash again for the Consul's interview. We are watching those who are having their interview with the Consul since we can see it. I noticed this Consul from window 42 who is always laughing and having a good time interviewing the applicants. I told my husband then that I wish he will be our Consul interviewer. AFter an hour or less waiting my number flashed on window 41. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) I am sad since I like to be in window 42. We went inside and this American Consul is busy doing and talking to somebody inside. I looked at my husband and gave mne a wink. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) After doing his stuff, he went back to us and so we greeted him good morning. He greeted us back. He is nice and smiling face too. He looked at our papers and asked us to raise our hand and swear that our relationship is true. He then, asked me again where did we met and my birthday. He looked at my proofs and laughed with my pictures coz I made a scrapbook out of it. He said I make fun with the pictures. Hehehehe. Since I put lots of stickers and design it on my own taste. lol (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) We are all laughing. My husband asked him from what state is he from and answered Chicago. They were talking like they were long lost friends. lol He then asked me what part of Florida is our place. *wink* of course, I knew it. Hehehehe. He then said, "ok guys, you are approved. Congratulations." As I heard those words, I felt good and very much happy. He told us to wait for my name to be called again for the visa delivery and giving back my stuff. My husband seemed so very excited and forgot to ask for a visa pick up. We went to window 38 and talked to the lady in the window for the visa pickup since we already had a confirmed flight on Nov. 28. She said that she dont have the right to decied with it and just told us that she will asked the Consul about it and wait for she will call us again. Seated and waited for about 5 minutes. She went back and called us and gave me a violet slip. Asked me to write my contact number and the person who will pickup the visa. SO that means we are approved on visa pickup too. We are both very happy. I asked her then, for how long it will take and she told me, she didnt know and it depends on how fast they will review my stuff. Oh my, I got nervous again coz I though we are on Administrative Review. Hay. But I am still happy coz the Consul told us we are approved. We left USEM around 10 am. We ate lunch at Rob and as we went back to our hotel room, my cellphone rang with inknown number. I answered it and shocked when the lady on the other line told me that my visa is ready for pickup on Friday, Nov 23 around 10 am at window 34. Yehey! I hugged my husband and gave him a sweet kiss. Finally, the long wait will be over. We went back Friday Nov. 23 and hand my violet slip at the guard and proceed to window 34. A guy inside get my slip and id and told me to wait for my name to be called. After 2 minutes, a lady called my name and handed me the brown sealed envelope and told me not to open it. Gave me the stuff for CFO stamping and gave me my passport with my visa on it. Yehey! Im very happy. All of our wait is worth it. We went to CFO for stamping after. No worries about the stamping since I am already done with my seminar. We went to our provibce for a vacation. Now with no worries and less hassle. lol

I am now here in Florida. I arrived last Nov. 28. I will never forget all the experience I had during the whole process. It made me a strong and positive person. Good luck to the rest who are still waiting. Just be patient and trust in our dear Lord, for He will never let us down. Good luck. :DHope this one would help. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Pineapple 0]

Finally, I had a chance to write down my visa interview at US embassy in Manila last Nov. 21. Been very busy since I arrived US last Nov. 28. I just want to help others who are not yet done with the journey. Well, it is very easy, I am just paranoid with the result. lol

I went to my interview with my husband. We had a 8:30 am schedule but I told him to be there 2 hours before the appointment time since I read to some site that better to be early since its a case to case basis. We arrived in USEM 6:30 am of that day and as we are very lucky, no line outside and the guard asked for my appointment letter, and ID and my husband's passport and allowed us to go straight to the embassy premises. Scanned my purse and ourselves too. lol (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Advice us to go to the immigrant visa unit. Few people are there. The guard inside let us sat down for awhile. Then called me after 30 minutes fall in line in a window that I forgot, asked for my appointment letter and gave me my queue number for the whole interview process. It was 6062. Go back to my seat where my hubby is sitting too. lol (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) After a few minutes, I heard my name called for finger scanning. I fall in line in window 32. I was the last one on the batch but the only one who did the finger scanning very clear. lol The lady from the window and the guy outside who is holding my fingers and pressing it are talking about hollywood actors. Hehehe. And after scanning all my fingers. lol The lady whose doing the computer stuff said that I did very good job. Hehehe. My fingers are not sweating. lol (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) They advised me to go back to my seat and wait for my number to be flash on the queue board. I never get bored since hubby has a lot of story and it was all funny. lol But I got nervous as time passed by. Whew! I dont know whats wrong with me then that I am not talking and felt like I want to faint. lol My husband told me to relax and everything will be ok. Oh, glad I went there with him. Hay. My number flashed for window 22 (this is for the Filipino pre-screener ha?) Me and hubby went there holding my very cold hands. Obviously, I am nervous. I greet the lady "Good morning" while smiling of course. She didn't noticed that I am nervous. She replied with a good morning and a smile too. She asked my husband first if he is Mr. ____. Of course he said yes. She then asked my birthday. I saw her holding all the stuff that we sent to NVC. She let me sign the DS230 part II. She asked my husband when did he arrived in Manila and they talked like they were friends. lol She then asked me how me and hubby met. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) She is very nice. She asked me for all the proofs of our relationship that I gathered. I gave her our wedding pictures and pictures together, phone bills, money remittances, emails, chat logs (I just got one printed and she said its ok), cards and letters, cards and letters from my mom in law too. That's it. She gave back 2 copies of my husband's phone bill since I gave her 5 copies. lol She just told me that the Consul might ask for it. She then advised us to go back to our seat and wait for my number to be flash again for the Consul's interview. We are watching those who are having their interview with the Consul since we can see it. I noticed this Consul from window 42 who is always laughing and having a good time interviewing the applicants. I told my husband then that I wish he will be our Consul interviewer. AFter an hour or less waiting my number flashed on window 41. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) I am sad since I like to be in window 42. We went inside and this American Consul is busy doing and talking to somebody inside. I looked at my husband and gave mne a wink. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) After doing his stuff, he went back to us and so we greeted him good morning. He greeted us back. He is nice and smiling face too. He looked at our papers and asked us to raise our hand and swear that our relationship is true. He then, asked me again where did we met and my birthday. He looked at my proofs and laughed with my pictures coz I made a scrapbook out of it. He said I make fun with the pictures. Hehehehe. Since I put lots of stickers and design it on my own taste. lol (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) We are all laughing. My husband asked him from what state is he from and answered Chicago. They were talking like they were long lost friends. lol He then asked me what part of Florida is our place. *wink* of course, I knew it. Hehehehe. He then said, "ok guys, you are approved. Congratulations." As I heard those words, I felt good and very much happy. He told us to wait for my name to be called again for the visa delivery and giving back my stuff. My husband seemed so very excited and forgot to ask for a visa pick up. We went to window 38 and talked to the lady in the window for the visa pickup since we already had a confirmed flight on Nov. 28. She said that she dont have the right to decied with it and just told us that she will asked the Consul about it and wait for she will call us again. Seated and waited for about 5 minutes. She went back and called us and gave me a violet slip. Asked me to write my contact number and the person who will pickup the visa. SO that means we are approved on visa pickup too. We are both very happy. I asked her then, for how long it will take and she told me, she didnt know and it depends on how fast they will review my stuff. Oh my, I got nervous again coz I though we are on Administrative Review. Hay. But I am still happy coz the Consul told us we are approved. We left USEM around 10 am. We ate lunch at Rob and as we went back to our hotel room, my cellphone rang with inknown number. I answered it and shocked when the lady on the other line told me that my visa is ready for pickup on Friday, Nov 23 around 10 am at window 34. Yehey! I hugged my husband and gave him a sweet kiss. Finally, the long wait will be over. We went back Friday Nov. 23 and hand my violet slip at the guard and proceed to window 34. A guy inside get my slip and id and told me to wait for my name to be called. After 2 minutes, a lady called my name and handed me the brown sealed envelope and told me not to open it. Gave me the stuff for CFO stamping and gave me my passport with my visa on it. Yehey! Im very happy. All of our wait is worth it. We went to CFO for stamping after. No worries about the stamping since I am already done with my seminar. We went to our provibce for a vacation. Now with no worries and less hassle. lol

I am now here in Florida. I arrived last Nov. 28. I will never forget all the experience I had during the whole process. It made me a strong and positive person. Good luck to the rest who are still waiting. Just be patient and trust in our dear Lord, for He will never let us down. Good luck. :DHope this one would help. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

wow thank you so much for sharing such a wonderful experience of yours good luck to your new life now

[todd1000 0]

congrats and thanks for the review and info

[SweetAngel06 0]

Congrats!

[ace3 0]

hi...just a little bit confused about your timeline...could you pls update it?

[Jim♥Michelle 0]

CoNGRaTuLaTioNS!

[Jasman0717 8]

Congrats

[rjp44 1]

hi...just a little bit confused about your timeline...could you pls update it?

This was not my experience but was posted by LehtyJoe in the Phillipine forum. I just copied and pasted it here so others going thru CR-1 could maybe learn a little from the experience. They just arrived in the U.S. so their experience is within the last month.