Consulate Review: Manila, Philippines
Review Topic: K1 Visa
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| Event |
Description |
| Review Date : |
May 25, 2013 |
| Embassy Review : |
Time of Appointment: 7:30 a.m.
Arrived at the embassy: 6:00 a.m.
The line for the K-1 visa was short and we were asked to enter the embassy around 6:30. While in line outside the embassy, the staff asked us to hand them our passport along with appointment letter, DS forms 156, 157 and 156K. They put my passport in a ziplock bag and stapled the forms together and handed them back to me.
1. Passed through airport like security #1. Make sure you don't bring any gadgets/USB/electronic greeting cards or they won't let you in. I forgot that my fiance gave me a singing greeting card so I had some stranger outside the embassy rip me off 100 pesos just so they can keep it for me for a while. :P
2. Lined up to a booth wherein they gave me my priority number. Before you get to the other building you will pass by a Kodak booth and a small canteen. You can eat first if you're hungry. You're gonna stare at a board for a couple of hours. 
3. Passed through security #2. Was asked to drop my stapled DS-forms on a certain window (window 39, I think).
4. Sat in the waiting area and stared at a board and waited for my number to show up. There's no specific order so you have to pay attention on the numbers showing up on the board (or Spongebob on TV, in my case.) The board will indicate which "window" you're going.
The last 4 steps:
1. Biometrics - was asked when I was born and then proceeded to take my fingerprints. I went back to the waiting area and waited for my number to show up again (and watched Spongebob).
2. Filipino interviewer - Asked for the I134 form, CENOMAR, NBI Clearance, Birth certificate. Asked me when my fiance was born, how we met, what's his job, and if I worked on the countries I have visited. It was pretty quick..around 3 minutes?  Went back to my seat again and Spongebob was still on.
3. American consul - was asked to raise my right hand and swear to speak the truth (of course!). He asked how we met, where was the picture taken (he was browsing through the pictures my fiance submited and showed me a picture of me and my fiance in Halong Bay, Vietnam), asked how the trip was, and if we're planning to have kids. That was it. He didn't even asked for any evidence from me! :P Around 3 minutes too...
Consul while doodling on my docs: "Looking good so far... there will be a slight delay but that is not your fault, my computer is just slow."
4. Instructions (sit near window 71,72,73) - Went back to sit in the waiting area again but this time I didn't have to look at the board. Just waited for my number/name to be called. Lined up to window 72. While some were told about the documents they still have to submit, I was just told that I can go home now and wait for my visa to be delivered at home.
That was it. Thank god. I was nervous as hell but it was surprisingly easy. It helps to have your docs well organized - from filing of petition (by my awesome fiance), down to the interview itself (by awesome me?). Tip: Quadruple check your documents!
It ended around 10ish.
I was hungry. But a hungry happy camper. :D
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| Rating : |
Very Good |
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