Today (June 16, 2009) is my interview at US Embassy in Manila. Last night was terrible, I can't sleep because I was so anxious and something is really bugging me. I dunno what it is so I started to pray and read the whole chapter of Psalm 91. It was already 1:40am and I told my husband to wake me up at 6am even though I have my alarm clock. It's more effective if he is the one waking me up by calling me in YM! lol
Interview schedule time is 8:30am. I left the house at 6:40am. While i was inside the MRT, the rain started to pour out - I have no umbrella at all and my bag is so heavy because of my 2 kilos of evidences and forms.
I arrived in USEM at 8:10am, the guard told me to go to Gate 3 for Immigrant Visa Interviews and Appointment. As i entered, the guard said cellphones are not allowed inside, so I asked him where can I leave my phone and he replied - I don't know Mam - we do not allow phones inside.
I was frustrated because last year, they kept our cellphone and digi cam. I just found out that If you are a US Citizen - they will keep it but if you're not, better look for someone who will watch your phone for few hours outside the bldg. The good thing is, there's some ladies outside the building wherein you can entrust your phone to them(just turn it off and put some password for assurance that they can't open it) however you have to pay them P150 from 8:00am to 12:00noon and additional P50 in the afternoon. I have no choice but to give my phone to this lady named, Dragon! I asked her, can i trust you mam? She said, of course and at that time, there was a lady who just claimed her phone from Dragon.
I felt relieved but still in doubt. It's not just a phone but an NSeries 82 lol.
Anyways, I went inside the USEM and I followed the Green Lane (Immigrant Visa Section). I fall in line at the ticket booth and showed my Appointment letter. The lady gave me my number (6099) and a form stating about my immigrant visa.
I sat down and waited for my number to appear on the queuing board but the thing is they called my name for the fingerprint scanning at Window 33. (you have to be alert while you're sitting coz you will never know that your name was already called).
I went to Window 33, they scanned first my 4 left fingers then the lady inside the window asked my name and my date of birth. After the left hand, they scanned my 4 right fingers then after that they scanned my left thumb & right thumb altogether.
After that, you have to go back to your sit and wait again for your number to appear on the queuing board.
This time is for the pre screener to collect your documents. I was told to go to Window 25 and the lady is soft spoken. She startd to asked my name, my husband's name, my age, where did we met and she asked for the pictures. I gave her some of our wedding, YM & Skype screenshots & honeymoon pictures. After that, she told me that I didn't submit the attachment to my DS230 Form - I told her I submitted it and in fact I have my xerox copy with me.
She said, I dont have here you see? (gosh in my mind i was like, NVC is really a crap or whoever checked my documents how come i have no RFE about this?!)
She put some white paper to erase the word SEE ATTACHMENT and she told me to write down my home address & she told me to sign the last page of the said form. After that, she told me to wait again till my number appear on the queuing board.
This is the waiting time. I've waited from 11:15am to 12:00noon until the operator said to go back at 1pm since its already lunch time. Grrr!
I went out and look for Ms. Dragon who kept my cellphone - good grief she's still there. I told her that I need to go back at 1pm and she said, if you will give your phone again, you have to add P50. Gosh, my money is not enough because I also have to pay the Air21 for visa delivery of P205 (it depends on the location).
I called my husband and he was waiting for the good news but I told him I have to go back again at 1pm.. I didn't eat lunch since i'm really nervous (I just want to hear the word "visa approved" then that's the time that I can eat! lol)
I went back again at 12:45noon and started to wait for my number to be called.. My number (6099 and Window 32) appeared at the queuing board and that was past 2pm. I waited for a few minutes since the door are still closed. After few minutes, this couple opened the door since they're done and as i go inside the small room, I saw this young white guy! He looked at me and he said, Magandang Hapon (Good Afternoon), I replied him in tagalog also. He said, sandali lang po (he was typing in his computer and he was reading a blue paper on his table) I was so nervous coz it was also cold inside the embassy and I started to look at him in the eye while he is looking at the pc and he looked at me back as if he was shocked. He asked me, can you speak English, I said yes. He told me to raise my right hand and swear that I will only tell the truth. Took like 40 seconds... He said, now put your hand down..
This time, he started checking my documents with his hands on his forehead as if he saw something.. I was worried and then he started to ask the following questions:
(this is a random question)
1. What is your name?
2. How old are you?
3. Where did u meet your husband?
4. Does he have kids?
5. Is your husband married before?
6. Does he have any kids? If yes, how many? Where are they?
7. What's the job of your husband? I said he is working in casino as a night auditor, he replied in casino???? I was like gosh, what's on his mind? So what if he works in casino?!
8. Is he a college graduate?
9. Where does he live?
10. When did you meet him? I thought he asked me WHERE that's why i replied, in Myspace.. and he was kinda pissed and he said why you keep answering me the same answer even I'm asking you WHEN not WHERE. I said i'm sorry. Then i gave him the correct answer.. what a snob consul!
11. What is your job?
12. He started looking in our pictures, then he asked me why you dont have any pictures that you are together? I told him, its there! If you want I still have here and by the way, I brought this 2 kilos of evidences. He replied, I don't care about your 2 kilos of documents.. I asked him, what do you want? Honeymoon or wedding? He said anything.. So i gave him the honeymoon pictures.
(I really want to tell him, can you just please check first before you ask it's all there in your table! lol)
13. How come you were thinking to marry him even without seeing him in person? I said, i love him...and we've been talking straight for 2 years before he went here to marry me... I have chat log and emails here if you want. He was silent again.
14. How long did he stayed here?
15. When did he arrived here?
Then after the assessment.. he paused and review the W2 of my husband and he started to file the papers in order and stamp it and encircle something in the paper and he told me, ok your visa is approved! I replied, Oh GOD thank you! He asked me, WHY?? (gosh this consul is really weird! I don't know if he wants to approve me or what?) I told him with a teary eye, we've been waiting for this moment! The consul said, just wait for your number to be called outside for the next further instruction about the visa delivery. I smiled and said, thank you sir.
His name is Thomas...
So, I went outside and waited again for my number to be called. The operator called my name and said to go to window 37 for the visa delivery pink slip.
After that, I went straight to AIR21 booth and I asked the lady if I can pay them once the visa is delivered in our house and she said yes you can.. (Cash on delivery). So she gave me a form where I have to fill up my name, address and cellphone number. Then finished!!!
What a day - tiring yet fulfilling! This is the moment I've been waiting for. Thank GOD for the visa approval.
My husband is so happy and he will start to paint our room and buy some stuffs for decoration, I will start to go shopping.. again!
Praise GOD and Hallelujah!!!
regards, Kathy
She also told us about the culture of other countries in our own culture... its a big difference i know lol
