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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #22217
Islamabad, Pakistan Review on July 25, 2017:

abfar




Rating: 		Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa

Approved.  

Still can't believe this is real.

I reached the diplomatic shuttle station in Islamabad around 5.30am. They don't let anybody in until 6 so you've to wait outside the station gate.
It started raining so we were let in a bit early. The station staff was late but finally started issuing Bus/Car travel vouchers by 6.05am.

I paid 1000 PKR for the car but you can also go in bus for 500 PKR (5 USD)

Then 15 more mins wait on the mobile collection counter as the employee was yet to report for duty. I was given another receipt while they took my phone.

The car voucher also lets you in the slightly better waiting area. That's where I waited. around 6.40am you can pass through the security check and can get into the Cars. 4 passengers per car.  Unlike the station's overall condition, the cars were comfortable and very clean. They travel in a Caravan of 5-10 cars.

2,3 mins drive to the outer gate of the Red Zone (fenced diplomatic area where all embassies are), there's another 5-10 mins of wait while the cars are checked for security and your travel voucher will be checked.

Then another 5 minutes drive in the Red Zone and you're at the US embassy.

There were over 50 people waiting outside the first security scanner just outside the embassy building. Too many people for such an early appointment. After a while, we were asked to form two lines and I was able to get through the checkpost as one of the first 5 people. They will check your appointment letter here.

Then a walk next to embassy wall to the embassy gate. An airport like scanner. Once past, were were given our Tokens. Luckily I was the second person for interview token-wise. Inside, we were guided where to sit and how to proceed to each counter. Within 10 minutes the Counters were ready (around 7.30am) and I was called for Finger prints. They also gave us the domestic violence brochure. (I have rights! and I know it!)

5 minutes after that, called for documents collection. The pakistani lady who collected the documents was kind and friendly. She smiled over one of the mistakes we made in ds260. 

Back to waiting, 5 minutes later, I was called as the first person for interview. The american CO was friendly. They asked:

CO: Who is calling you?
Me: ans
CO: What does your wife do?
Me: ans
CO: What do you do?
Me: ans
CO: Name of the company?
Me: ans
CO: Was the marriage arranged or love marriage?
Me: ans
CO: Who arranged it.
Me: ans
CO: How many people were at your wedding?
Me: ans
CO: Do you have any photos of the wedding?
*I gave them the whole album, which had all our photos in chronological order. They see the marriage, then our honey and finally our family pics with our child*

CO: Do you have a child?
Me: yes, she's x years old.

CO: Do you have any proof documents?
Me: Yes, I have the US birth certificate. * I hand it over *

CO: *examines it thoroughly, matches my name from child's birth cert with my own birth cert*
CO: *smiles* Mubarak Ho (Congratulations) *in urdu*

*I'm not sure if its for saying congrats on having the child or for approval*

Me: Thank you. 
CO: You will receive your passport in 2 weeks
Me: I also have a correction statement for a DS260 mistake.
*I hand it over*


I then left the embassy. I then walked to one of the waiting Cars, showed them my voucher and they took me back to the shuttle station. It was about 5-8 mins drive. 
I was back at the shuttle station by 8.30am as I can see in chat logs thats when I called my wife and everyone also started calling me phone around that time. Gave my wife a mini heart attack when I told her they didn't keep my passport and asked me to wait 2 months. xD

ONE THING I missed:  We got a checklist for 2016 W2. The CO never asked for it and I forgot to mention it. Is this going to be an issue? Should I contact the embassy for that?

Thank you visa journey and all the couples who contribute. You've all been a tremendous help. Kudos to JBMG for the spreadsheet initiative. It was a ray of home back when waiting NVC 11 weeks felt like a lifetime of pain.



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