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| Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |  Review on November 5, 2014: |
Mariana M.
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
My appointment was at 8:20, so I arrived at the consulate at 7:30. I waited in line with other people for what felt like forever, but we were let in at 8:40. A man (Filipe) had already given us forms to fill out later and asked our names to see if we were on his list. I wasn't for some reason, so he asked for my appointment letter and it was fine, he added me.
Security: my mom was getting a tourist visa right after me, and we both left our phones with the people who keep them in the "booth" on the sidewalk. It seemed pretty safe, everyone does it, and it is only 5 reais.
We all went to this room and were told to sit and wait. Filipe then told us how to fill out the forms (no big deal, pretty fast). I had made a little mistake, so when I was done I asked him if it was ok. He said yes, and if I was done, to go show him everything. That's when I was lucky, because I was the first person of our group to do that, therefore the first person of our group to do everything else. He checked all my documents.
Things I was in doubt, if you are too: I took one blank sworn statement and one notarized, he said the notarized one was fine, but it wasn't clear if the blank one would be ok as well; I'm using a co-sponsor, and he asked for my fiance's I-134 anyways (I had it even though it seemed pointless to me); and the DS-230 is really only pages 1 and 2.
A consular officer called me on a booth and started reviewing everything again, along with my original petition. He took my fingerprints, asked what I do, asked if all the addresses are still the same, asked for some more repeated information, asked to see my old student visa, asked if I'm excited, gave me a sheet with the rights of an immigrant in cases of abuse or something like that, and told me to go downstairs to pay the fee.
I went downstairs to pay the U$265 fee. I paid in reais (665 as of today). I had a R$50 that I hadn't seen, but it was damaged on a corner and taped over. The lady said she couldn't accept it, but I had another one. So make sure your bills are in a good state.
Back upstairs, we all just waited forever. The consul would call one by one, with intervals of long minutes of him reviewing the cases, I imagine. I wasn't that nervous until a girl before me came out saying that they told her her fiance will have to come because she had a visa denied in the past.
It is a booth, but there is a door you close behind you, so there is privacy.
He was a nice Asian-looking man. I took the oath and he started asking questions in Portuguese, with a strong accent that made me feel better for some reason:
"When did you two meet?"
"How did you keep in touch?"
"Did you go visit him again?"
"Did he come to Brazil?" and seemed pleased to hear when I said "yes, 3 times"
"Did he propose?" I said we decided this was the best decision together, he seemed fine with it
"Well, are you ready to move to America?" kind of laughing, I said "yes, I know I look very young", he laughed (I am 20, I look 15)
Then he asked if I did my medical, and since I did it yesterday, he said the visa would be issued when the exams got there if everything is ok, but that I am approved, and said congratulations. Also, my passport is supposed to arrive 2 weeks after my exams reach them. It wasn't a tense conversation at all, and I am a very tense person.
I was done by 11:20, so I went to the Correios to pay the Sedex fee (R$69 for Porto Alegre), went back in the consulate to give the receipt to Filipe, ran into my mom waiting for her tourist interview and got to wait for her inside, sitting on a bench. After me, there were still around 7 more people/couples.
The whole experience surprised me regarding how clearly and easily everything flew.
P.S.: I think K-1 interviews are all on Tuesdays.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #15534