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| Dominican Republic |  Review on May 6, 2012: |
mad1nola
Rating:  | Review Topic: I-1 Visa
We stayed at the Jardines del Teatro the night before. It was only a couple of blocks from embassy. We arrived at the embassy at 5:30 am and there were already about 75 people in line. At around 5:55 we got the blue letter stapled with the number 282 then at 6:10 they separated men from women and started letting us in thru security. Saw those infamous metal benches and just laughed(but wasn't laughing after 4 hrs...my butt as numb. At 7:15 we were called to window 15 and we handed in documents. Somehow I left DS 156k and we had to fill out another and Marc had to retake one passport photo because one that he gave was too dark. Then he had to go to Banc Popular because he had a receipt for PIN and not visa processing fee. He got the photo taken in the embassy and then went to bank and came back and gave to CO at around 8:30. We we waited til 1030 for our number to be called to go to window 13 to get fingerprinted. Then they called again to pay visa fee of $80 at window 12. Then around 11:00 we were called to window 21. There was a very nice young lady and she swore us in. The asked my fiance, in spanish, why he wanted to marry in the US. He said, in Spanish, he would marry me anywhere. In fact, we tried to last October but my divorce was only 2 months and couldn't do in DR cause of law for women there (I think that signaled we may be married already)Then she asked me if I spoke Spanish and I said no. Then she asked did we have any pictures and I said yes and showed them to her. Then she said ok. Go wait and a CO would call. I knew then was trouble. We waited for about 10 minutes and we were called to window 21 again. Then she asked did we have kids in common(in English), and I said no cause Marc didn't understand the question. Then she asked him in Spanish and he said no. Then she said, oh, I thought you did...I must have gotten the cases confused and sent us back out to wait and said CO would call. Now we waited for another 2 hours and nothing. Numbers were being called. People were getting approved left and right and we were sitting on those benches and I was wilted from the heat. We saw about 3 couples that didn't get approved right away and had to wait like us. One couple had to go to window 11. and they came back and waited about 3-4 hrs and were called back to their original window and then denied. That's when I got really nervous. Was feeling really negative but Marc kept my spirits up! With small gestures and kind words and gentle touches. Then our number was called but this time for window 11. The interrogation room!!!! We were greeted by a tall white guy and he told me to wait outside and asked Marc to come in with the evidence. He was in there for about 10 minutes and then he called me in(on his way out Marc said baby take it easy, it will be ok and gave me our evidence and kissed me) and he asked me questions. Then he asked Marc to come back in and they spoke in Spanish. Then Marc was making hand gestures and then the guy asked him to turn around and then it looked like a light went on in Marc's head and whatever it was they both laugh and I was like what are you guys talking about. And the officer told me and I said, wow Marc take it easy. javascript:emoticon(' ') Then he told us to go back out and a CO would call us. We waited another hour or so and then our number was called again to window 21. We were so tired by now and it was sooo hot. We went up to the window and the lady told Marc in Spanish that everything was ok and that we were approved and that we needed to pay domex and he would receive his visa. I didn't know what she was saying so I blurted ARE WE APPROVED? She laughed and said yes, javascript:emoticon(' ')you are approved. She gave us that green card to take to Domex cubicle. I shrieked before we left out to pay. I couldn't stop smiling and kissing him. Marc paid the lady at Domex. We left at aroung 3:45 pm and the rest will be history.
Some of the questions asked to me during interview:
How did you meet?
Where do you stay when you come?
when did you arrive this trip?
How did you get here?
Where is the television in his house?
how many times have you been here, when was the first time?
When did you first kiss?
When did you first have sexual relations?
When was the last time you had sexual relations?
Were the lights on or off?
What side of the bed does he sleep on?
Who showered first this morning?
Did you use protection the first time you had sex?
Do you use protection now?
Does he know?
Does he have any family in the states?
Have you met them?
How many children do you have, what are their names?
how did I give birth
Does he have any children?
Where do they live?
Have I ever been married before and how many times?
When did I get divorced?
Has my fiance ever been married?
When did you get engaged?
where did you get engaged?
When did he buy the ring?
When did he give you the ring?
Was any family present?
Where will you get married?
will it be a ceremony?
who will attend the wedding?
What do you do for a living?
How long have you been doing it?
What does your fiance do for a living?
where does your HUSBAND, I mean your fiance work? (think CO's thought we were already married cuz Marc told 1st CO that we tried last October)
Does he have any tattoos?
There were probably a dozen more questions but I just can't remember them all but more or less they asked Marc the same questions. We got tripped on one question each. But it was understandable with all the stress of the day.
If not for the heat and the long wait I would say that overall the whole process was great! We had some red flags going in and we faced them head on: age difference(9 yrs), professional/educational status, language(His English is sooo much better than when we met...my Spanish/Kryol...not so much...lol). They didn't ask anything about them. We put God first and let them see that we are in love and there are no barriers to love. Looking back on everything I can see how God's hand moved all obstacles even when I thought they would be insurmountable.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #9619