Consulate Review: Dominican Republic
Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
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| Event |
Description |
| Review Date : |
September 20, 2012 |
| Embassy Review : |
Warning: Very long and detailed.
Our cita was for 8:30 AM. We stayed at jardines del teatro. Great great place to relax the night before and its one block away, perfect location. We get up at 5:45 to go over our toughest questions and what we did yesterday, (who fell asleep, what we watched on tv, what we ate, etc.) Also to check our proof one more time. I wanted to make sure that my husband knew how I had everything prepared so that if he was asked to get soemthing he would be able to do it himself and not have to call or look for me.
We leave at 7:40. I tell him baby we got this and we close our door after one last prayer. Proofs in a TJMaxx recycle bag, pictures from each trip in plastic zip lock bags and I put those in a small adidas sport bag, and a large photograph of us in a plastic frame. I wanted this picture to basically mark us. In other words, I knew there wasn't going to be anyone else with a picture frame so we would stand out and I wanted to make sure we stood out, I didn't want to be just another couple in the room.
So, We walk up the street and see a bunch of people accross the street from the consulate. We had a few mix ups as to which line we were suppose to be in because it all looked like 10 lines going 11 ways lol. But we eventually got it. I had dress pants, comfy heel shoes, and a nice top. Hubby had nice black shoes, nice dress pants, and a long sleeve dress shirt, sleeves rolled up. My poor baby was sweating like crazy and I think he was a bit embarrassed, and I told him look I don't care I don't care about anybody or what they think, just relax. I was on a mission lol. I honestly thought that I was going to be a nervous wreck the day of cita but it turned out to be the complete opposite I wasn't leaving without a visa. I fan my husband with our interview letter as we try and tolerate the heat and the lady in front of us who wouldn't stop turning around to talk chisme. Oh and of course you know there was that one dominican who just HAADD to skip in front because her cita was at 8 and ours at 8:30 but I didn't even care ahead dude lol.
Ok, inside. I pass all my stuff to hubby as we approach door thinking they seperated men and women and women move slower as I've read hear but they didn't we went in together and the only reason we didn't stay together was because he had bags and I didn't. I passed through and went inside waiting for him. I was praying that they wouldn't give him issues because of the frame and the sports bag. They said soemthing but the guy was like well alright lol. So we're in. It felt like a cafeteria in high school, where to sit, and everyone starring at you. I didn't care I strutted in there like I owned it grabbed my hubby's hand and said let's go baby. Thank God my loving husband was just as confident as I felt.
We find seats. I had previously told hubby when they call us the second time I was going to stay sitting to save our seats, but sitting there feeling the pressure I told him to forget about that because what if i they tell us to go right away to the next window for fingerprints. Well, that's exactly what happened. About half and hour after getting in our number flashes to go to window 17. They ask for hubby's acta de buena conducta, cedula, passport, and his BC. THANK GOD we took out extra actas because we already sent his original BC to NVC so i don't know what happened there but oh well. The lady confirmed my address, and hubbys address and our phone numbers, and his signature on DS-230, if he has ever traveled, problems with the law, had him sign a paper about the drafting in the US military blah blah..then tells him to go to window 15 for fingerprints. It was annoying because at the same time a guy next to her is doing the same thing to a family right next to us so 2 cases at 1 window like really?
We grab our stuff, the family saids buena suerte and it makes me blush lol we return the good luck and head to 15. I was trying to see 11 I saw the # sign but could make out any obvious indications that it was more of a room than a window. At 15 it's a complete gringa but she was nice just like the last window. Afterwards we are told to sit so we do.
Everyone and I mean everyone is starring at us we are a young couple dressed like we own the place with a giant "mystery" bag, a black bag loaded with something heavy (well we had a little over 2,000 pictures in that bag lol) and a picture frame, all eyes on us, just like I wanted it. Any consul who was watching us through their cameras saw as carrying to ese motete lol and while we sat we were laughing and smiling kissing hugging everything. We made sure not only the consuls but EVERYONE around us felt that love lol.
We make friends with a couple sitting next to us who had a baby because my husband told me he caught the guy pointing to our picture with his mouth and the lady made a face like "asii mismoo!" lol, and we wish them good luck after they get up to go to their interview. My husband had to pee (again!) but didn't want to go until our new friends were finished, but seeing as he could no longer hold it he got up to leave and as he's heading to the bathroom the couple is walking out of the window lol. The guy gave me a look like "piece of cake" lol and as I'm smiling back I hear our number flash. Oh no, hubby's in bathroom, oh noooo! Hurrrrrrrrryyyyyy!! I'm thinking and right there the lady's coming to sit again saying good luck as I'm trying to see how I could grab all this luggage we had, everyone looks right at me as if they knew I had that number, I'm starring to see my huband and as soon as I do I wave him down "COMEEE ! COMEE !!" And he makes a face like OMG ! Lol and literally does a little run, as he's passing people and they're saying good luck and slapping his hand lol I swear it was like everyone knew who we were and that we just got called to the interview.
Ok, hubby grabs stuff and I walk up the steps and all of a sudden my knees feel weak but as i open the door I take a deep breath, it becomes silent you can't hear the noise outside but they can allllll see you and I knew everyone was watching us. I grab my baby's hand and say lets go babe. Its about 9:40, We reach window 25 and its an african american guy and thank the Blessed Lord he was extremely coool.
A pair of hellos and then our oath. We begin. He asks me if I'd like it in english or spanish and I say Is it ok in spanish so we can do it together? He saids yes no problem. But then he asks me in ENGLISH how we met so I respond in english too-with good narration, smiles and complete smoothness. So it turned into a english/spanish interview lol, but that was ok because my husband understands a lot of english and what he would ask me he would as him in spanish.
He tenido algun problema con la ley o imigracion? - Hubby
Usted ha salido del pais?-Hubby
What state do you live in in the US? - Me
Did anyone come from the US to the wedding- I say ohhhh of course! My mother and sisters
And he asked my husband what is my mother's name.
Asks me where my husband works
Asks my hubby where I work and what I do.
How long I've been in each job - Hubby
If I knew how long my hubby had in his job
****Now hubby and I had a sign for if either one of us saw the green slip we were suppose to talk about/complain about our feet hurting, something not so obvious. So of course I'm searching and one minute I just see all the stuff I sent in and the next I see the precious green slip! The whole time I'm caressing my husband's back and resting on his shoulder and I tell my baby "Ay amor me molestan los pies"and he smiles and tells me "Yea I know, esos zapatos..." -Sign for, -Yea I saw it toooo lol.
Ustedes se casaron por el Civil oh por Iglesia? - Hubby
Tienen fotos de la boda?
I say yes do you want the civil or ceremony? He saids which ever just wedding pictures, so my husband pulls our this huge album and we start flipping through. As I'm flipping I start talking without him asking anything, just going over who is who etc. I say and those are our testigos and he asks who they are and I give their names as I point them out, and he asks if they are my family I say no no my husband's friends. He then asks my husband in spanish if the testigos are his family and he saids no no they're just friends of mine. He points to a lady and asks if thats my mom I say yes. He points to another lady later and asks my husband who is that and he saids it's my aunt.
Then asks if we had any other pictures besides the wedding and I say oh sure, (just what I was waiting for lol).
I seperated each trip in it's own baggy but i made a "special baggy"which had all of our BEST pictures from each trip so I pull that baggy ONLY and pass it to my husband I say toma mi amor and my husband takes it as I pull out the first batch and slide it under the glass. That baggy had a good 275 pictures. I bend down and grab as many other baggys as I can and mini-slam them on the ledge..being a little obvious here lol and he saids oh just a few is fine I'm like sureeee lol, pass him another small packet y como quiera I take out the last pack that was left in the bag and hold it in my hand, in that one alone I had 500  So he flips through or pictures from this trip where we are in his house having a good time with his family and a surprise romantic setting he made up for me and then he see's pictures from my last trip, points to one of us kissing outside the airport with "AEROPUERTO INTERNACIONAL DE LAS AMERICAS" right behind us like the freaking HOLLYWOOD sign lol and asks me when this was and I tell him when I was hear in May, and then he see's a picture of hubbys mom suffocating me as we are laughing (it was the moment I arrived to the house and she was greeting me lol) and he asks hubby who that lady is and he saids my mom.
At this point I'm thinking we are doing good we are doing good! I'm just waiting for him to say those words any moment. But then he asks my husband to go sit down that he is going to speak with me alone and my heart drops two floors. But I take a deep breath and wait patiently looking straight at him the whole time.
Questions are in no order...
What is your full name?
What airline did you arrive in?
What time of day was it?
Who picked you up? Here I gave a flirty smile and said oh my hussbbaannddd lol there he smiled
If he came alone?
Who came with him?
Where do I stay when I come to DR?
What color is his house?
Is there a colmado close by?
How close?
What's it called?
Hubby have tattoos,marks,scars? Here I explained without him asking all his tattoos one in particular is a chineese M for his mom..
Do I have any tattoos,scars,marks... here I only responded to the tattoos but I remember me and hubby said we would stick to the scar I have on a breast from a Biopsy
So he continued and said I'm sorry for the personal question but did you have sex last night?
I answer, and then I said to him, I'm sorry but did you also ask me if I had any scars? And he said yes or any identifiable mark and I told him about the biopsy scar I said I don't know if that's what you mean and he said yes yes
What my husband likes to eat? And I said he loovees meat and he laughed
If we planned on having kids?
What size shirt he wears? And i told him M usually but lately he's been getting a little chubby so he's leaning more towards L and he had a good laugh and I proceeded to tell him Ï'll make sure he looses it all over there" hahahahaha
If hubby likes any sports in particular?
How many trips I made since we met? This was my 5th trip
What I gave him for his birthday?
What he gave me for my birthday and I told him with whine to my tone that we never spent my birthday together and then I got a cheerful and I told him actually this saturday is the first time I'm spending my birthday with him! And he's liek so your birthday's the 23rd? I'm like no the 22nd thats saturday right? And he checked and said oh yes it is. lol
Do you guys have a special song together?
When did we get engaged?
Did he give you a ring?
The engagement ring only or the wedding too?
When did he give it to you then?
Then he said I'm sorry whats your husband's full name again? And after I told him he calls my hubby through the loudspeaker and in a second my husbands at my side and he asks me to go sit.
So I walk out and I feel the stares of everyone in the room and I walk to the first seat I see and just start praying all I could see was a little bit of my husband and I'm like umm helloooo then movee lol I get up and walk towards a pole where I could at least see my hubby's body language and I'm completely oblivious to everyone looking at me I have my hands together in full prayer mode knees shaking eyes close I didn't care about a single thing lol a lady scares me when she interups lol and asks me if they seperated us I'm thinking duhhhh as I smile and say yes and she asks me what they asked me and I spit a few of the questions at her as I'm focusing my stare at my husband who is leaning on the window sill. Good he's feeling comfortable, I'm thinking.
My husband is asked the same questions and as he asks them he saids ok ok ok to each one he was getting right and would right ok next to each question he had written down from when he asked me. When he asked my husband if I had any scar my husband said yes and the consul was the one who said "On her breast?" ....When he asked when I arrived he said was it de madrugada verdad? And my husbands like no noo it was in the morning like 9:30.... He saids to my husband "She was here for her last birthday right?"Hubby saids noo noo this birthdays the first one we spend together...he asked hubby if he had any tattoos and hubby said yes and consul said on your leg? what does the symbol stand for?... he asked hubby what he likes to eat and hubby said anything and started naming stuff and he saids ohh so you like meat?" and he saids to my husband what type of pizza you like? and hubby said Pepp and consul said only Pepp ? and hubby said well its that mi esposa no le gusta tanta cosa... so basically he tried to catch hubby on a few Q's but my baby had this lol
Then I see him walk out and I'm thinking omg they didn't call my name we're going to window 11. Omgg  But he didn't have any of our proofs in his hands and as he walks out he just stands at the steps looking and again it was like evryone knew he was looking for me and the lady tells me good luck and I walk to my husband when he spots me he smiles and waves me towards him and I'm thinking omg did he aprove him without me ?! Lol.
So I walk up and grab his hands take a breath, I see people looking at us thorugh the glass and we reach the window. The kind guy saids "Ok jovenes your visa is approved" and we let a little scream and my husband grabs my head and kisses me as I'm crying and trying to say thank you through my sobs I never knew I could cry on cue like that lol and the guy like stops talking to let us hug a moment then saids pueden ir a pagar a domex and we say thank you and we stayed there hugging and he saids congratulations again we say thank you again and walk out half hugging/half falling over from balancing the evidence.
We walk out and of course I have a wet face everyone just saw us attack each other so no need to ask whether we got it or not. I follow my baby who looks like he knows a short cut to the domex line lol as we're passing we hear felicidades felicidades lol a lady stopped me and asked to see the picture and I show her and she starts asking me where this was and some other stuff I just left her talking like I really want to discuss this right now lol I meet hubby in line and people in line are asking if we had proofs in the TJMaxx bag, like nooo its a dead body lol.
We pay and walk out and the security all look at us and one saids dike "Oh frekome tienen mucha prueba" y mi esposo le dice "Ah eso es pa darle de to lo lao!"el otro security dice dike "va feliz!" y mi esposo dice "tu no sabbeeee normal!" lol
I will say I am 19 years old and my husband is 23 I was worried from the start about our young age and that didn't come up at all. I soo happy we went over all the questions from the reviews here on VJ and DTTUSA it helped us a lot. You can be a real couple and still fail on questions so just go over a decent list at least once and then from there you can decide whether you need to really practice or not.
Also to point out that it looked like the visas were free that day because everyone was getting in that Domex line lol.
Advice I'd give is to FEEL confident because that will deffinitely help you BE confident, look happy I saw a couple who sat down after their interview and even when they were walkiing up to the window as well as afterwards when they sat down they didn't even talk to each other they sat there in their own seats in silence like really? (Coincidentally though they happend to be staying at jardines and we later found out they were approved) And lastly, prepare for the worse, but most deffinitely expect the best.
Thank you VJ for all your help and to my special VJ friends who where there from the beginning. God is Good.
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| Rating : |
Very Good |
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ver 5.0