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DV 2008 CP Interview Experiences

Sponsorship issue

Thanks alot Moon&Star i am very grateful.Yet another issue just arose... Please how can my sister go about changing her sponsor? The initial person she used is no longer willing to sponsor her but she has gotten another sponsor who is willing to send the required documents for the interview?
 
Stress-free interview experience in Zagreb, Croatia

Just sharing my dv "interview" experience...

It was yesterday at 8 am in Zagreb, CRO. I was the only DV winner there, and from what it looked like the only Slovene who claimed her DV visa this year--or at least the only one doing the CP! They (the consular workers) seemed a little surprised that I actually came.

At the immigrant visas counter I gave to a Croatian lady the original documents, she looked through them and said "I guess you have everything," she was pleasantly "surprised" that I even gave her a sponsorship letter and called it affidavit ;), then told me to pay the 775$ fee at the next counter and come back. So I paid, waited five minutes, she called me back, took my fingerprints and told me to wait for the consular officer. After less than 10 minutes later at another counter in the same room a younger, very nice and laid-back consular lady went through all my documents and looked pleased, she was impressed that I had graduated from an American university, my diploma and transcript were pretty much the only things she looked at more thoroughly - she looked curious more than anything. She asked me where I want to live in the U.S., what I'm planning to do, nothing else...Then she told me to sign the oath, said congratulations and good luck. That was it! It was so unbelievably easy!

The whole "process" lasted less than an hour. It was the easiest hardest "interview" I've ever done!:D

No tax transcript was required and nobody asked for financial proof, although they were pleased to see it. They didn't expect I-130 or 10,000 $ minimum on my account! I can't speak what's required for a family, but if you're single with no "skeletons in your closet", educated and know English, you can relax because you'll be fine! They really aren't out there to find a reason to reject you.

A big thanks to all who're providing useful information! Good luck to all!
 
Report form our today interview in Frankfürt, Germany.

Its just a ten minute drive from our home to the embassy. Arrived there at 7:15 and stand in the waiting line. At 7:45 we got our number, made the security check and walked to hall with all the counters. First we had to pay fees, a total of $1550. I gave the money to the cashier, he started to count it twice and told me "That only $1550". Holy shit, where was the the missing $100 bill? Ok, took my credit card and that worked well. Then we were called to the next counter, they took our passports, one pictures from everyone and gave us a list how to sort the papers and the envelope for the visas.
After that, walked to the third counter where the lady checked all documents and our bank statement. Everything was fine and she told us we have to wait for the interview with the consul. After some minutes they called us again, we should come to the cashier. Surprise, surprise, he found the missing $100 bill under his desk. About 40 minutes later, next call to the consuls windows. Good morning, please sign the sworn statement and please make finger prints from both of your hands. Thank you, your visa will arrive in some days. :) Total time, 2 hours :)

Thanks to all of you and good luck :)
 
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Congratulation and all the best in USA.
Please could you tell us how they want to sort the documents:
original than copy and then again original and copy...., or all originals at one place and in same order coresponding copies. And how do the bank statemet have to look, just print outs from the maschine or some statement from the bank with signature and stamp.Tnx.
 
To make things easier, a scan what you have to do:
documentorderconsulatefq6.jpg


And a note, if you are married, each person need a copy of the marriage certificate. They also asked for the military records, which are not on the form.

For proof of our finances we only had printed online statements from our accounts with us.
 
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Tazmania said:
Report form our today interview in Frankfürt, Germany.

Its just a ten minute drive from our home to the embassy. Arrived there at 7:15 and stand in the waiting line. At 7:45 we got our number, made the security check and walked to hall with all the counters. First we had to pay fees, a total of $1550. I gave the money to the cashier, he started to count it twice and told me "That only $1550". Holy shit, where was the the missing $100 bill? Ok, took my credit card and that worked well. Then we were called to the next counter, they took our passports, one pictures from everyone and gave us a list how to sort the papers and the envelope for the visas.
After that, walked to the third counter where the lady checked all documents and our bank statement. Everything was fine and she told us we have to wait for the interview with the consul. After some minutes they called us again, we should come to the cashier. Surprise, surprise, he found the missing $100 bill under his desk. About 40 minutes later, next call to the consuls windows. Good morning, please sign the sworn statement and please make finger prints from both of your hands. Thank you, your visa will arrive in some days. :) Total time, 2 hours :)

Thanks to all of you and good luck :)
Click to expand...
Congratulations to you and your family and the best in USA
 
Tazmania said:
Report form our today interview in Frankfürt, Germany.

Its just a ten minute drive from our home to the embassy. Arrived there at 7:15 and stand in the waiting line. At 7:45 we got our number, made the security check and walked to hall with all the counters. First we had to pay fees, a total of $1550. I gave the money to the cashier, he started to count it twice and told me "That only $1550". Holy shit, where was the the missing $100 bill? Ok, took my credit card and that worked well. Then we were called to the next counter, they took our passports, one pictures from everyone and gave us a list how to sort the papers and the envelope for the visas.
After that, walked to the third counter where the lady checked all documents and our bank statement. Everything was fine and she told us we have to wait for the interview with the consul. After some minutes they called us again, we should come to the cashier. Surprise, surprise, he found the missing $100 bill under his desk. About 40 minutes later, next call to the consuls windows. Good morning, please sign the sworn statement and please make finger prints from both of your hands. Thank you, your visa will arrive in some days. :) Total time, 2 hours :)

Thanks to all of you and good luck :)
Click to expand...


Congratulations
 
Tazmania said:
To make things easier, a scan what you have to do:
documentorderconsulatefq6.jpg


And a note, if you are married, each person need a copy of the marriage certificate. They also asked for the military records, which are not on the form.

For proof of our finances we only had printed online statements from our accounts with us.
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot, exactly what I need.
 
Tazmania

I have one another question about medical examination, did you wait for the second letter and medical forms and then you went for med. examination, or they have the forms there and there is no need to wait for the second letter.
Thx
 
Please see my signature. We did the medical 10 days before the interview. In Germany, the doctors have all neccessary forms, so nothing in the second letter.
 
Tazmania said:
Report form our today interview in Frankfürt, Germany.

Its just a ten minute drive from our home to the embassy. Arrived there at 7:15 and stand in the waiting line. At 7:45 we got our number, made the security check and walked to hall with all the counters. First we had to pay fees, a total of $1550. I gave the money to the cashier, he started to count it twice and told me "That only $1550". Holy shit, where was the the missing $100 bill? Ok, took my credit card and that worked well. Then we were called to the next counter, they took our passports, one pictures from everyone and gave us a list how to sort the papers and the envelope for the visas.
After that, walked to the third counter where the lady checked all documents and our bank statement. Everything was fine and she told us we have to wait for the interview with the consul. After some minutes they called us again, we should come to the cashier. Surprise, surprise, he found the missing $100 bill under his desk. About 40 minutes later, next call to the consuls windows. Good morning, please sign the sworn statement and please make finger prints from both of your hands. Thank you, your visa will arrive in some days. :) Total time, 2 hours :)

Thanks to all of you and good luck :)
Click to expand...

Congratulations Tazmania
 
I stayed at the Travelodge hotel on Philip Street near Martin Place. It was fine except they don't provide facewashers or handtowels (!) I have taken photos of the room and the MLC Tower and I will put these on my Flickr tonight. This account will also be placed on my blog.

I got to the MLC tower at 7.40am and proceeded straight to the lifts to get to Level 10 which is the 'US Consulate Reception' is located.

Here there were already 5 people ahead of me in the queue to go through the metal detector - none of those people had the package of 'stuff' that I had - they were all in the queue for non-immigrant visas. Lots of Qantas staff!

I lined up and I noticed another guy come in after me - he had a whole heap of paperwork as well so I figured that he was a DV winner as well.

I finally got up to the metal detector. The security staff checked my passport and appointment letter than ushered me to the x-ray where I had to take my boots off and put my handbag and all my documents through.

My bag was then checked into a pigeon hole (all bags were checked) and given a pass with a number on it that would allow me to collect my bag. I quickly remembered the magazine I had to keep me occupied while I waited so he let me take that up with me. I was then instructed to sit on the 'end seat' in the 'front row'. The other non-immigrant people were seated in other seats. The other guy with the documentation was about three people behind me and he was instructed to sit beside me. I was talking to the security guard and he did say that today was very quiet and the day before had been extremely busy. After about 10 minutes of nervous waiting we were told we could go up in the lift. I let the non-immigrant people who were in front of me go first then us two DV people followed. We were put in the lift and taken up to level 59.

Once the lift doors opened there were another set of instructions to get out to the 'left' and stand behind a red line. Even though I was first to get out, I let all
the non DV people go in front in the same order that we were originally as I knew they wouldn't extend our time there.

I finally got to the next reception desk where the person checked my appointment letter and passport again. I then had to remove my boots while she wrote details down and walk through another metal detector and back to her desk.

She then told me to grab my things and walk through the glass doors.

Upon entering the glass doors, I saw the device that prints tickets. I pressed immigrant visa and out popped the ticket number 001! YAY! The guy behind me got 002. I sat down and within 2 minutes was called to window 2.

The lady was SOOOOO nice. She asked for my appointment letter and then voila! Out came a folder that looked like a manila folder for medical records. It had name typed on the side and when she opened it there were all the forms that I had filled out after the 1st NL as well as my actual entry for the DV that I sent
through from the webpage!

She then stapled some papers together and asked for all my paperwork. I had divided them with post it flags to make it easier and she checked that I had copies and originals all in order. She then instructed me to go to window 8 and pay my fee and then bring the receipt back to her. I went to the lady at window 8 and paid by credit card and then took the receipt back to window 2. She put that with all my paperwork and then told me that she would now have to check my paperwork and instructed me to take a seat and wait.

If any of you get the chance to do CP in Sydney, forget the nerves of the interview and check out the view of Sydney Harbour while you are there. It is stunning. I expected to now be waiting a long time so settled in and kept chatting to the other DV winner. I had been sitting there for about 5 minutes when I was called back up to window 2. I immediately thought there must be a problem... but instead she said something along the lines of "I have checked your documentation and I recommend that you be approved for the visa. I have to ask though have you ever been or are you a member of a terrorist organisation?" I replied no. She then asked when I planned on arriving in the USA and I said "Around August". She then said that she had to pass my paperwork onto her colleague for him to assess and then I would be called to see him and he will also take my fingerprints. Before I sat down she asked me to fill
out my name and address on the express post satchel so that my passport could be sent back to me. She also handed me back all my original documentation and gave me a brochure on immigration and instructions for what will happen when I enter the country.

So then I thought that this must be the part where I must have to wait the long time. So I went back to my seat and waited another 5 minutes. But then, I heard the alert tone and looked up and I was being called to window number 5. There was a lovely guy there who told me that he felt my application was fine and he could start fingerprinting. The fingerprinting machine was being temperamental so we had to engage in small talk while the system rebooted. He asked me when I was planning on leaving Australia, where I was planning on going and what I do. I told him I was a Librarian and he remarked that he read something about it being one of the boom jobs. Anyway after all this talk the machine rebooted. I had my left hand scanned, my right hand and then my thumbs. He then gave me a sheet of paper detailing the delivery of my passport and documentation with my express post number stuck on the
front. I was then free to go. This was at 8.40am! I was back at the hotel at 8.45am and absolutely exhausted and in shock. I actually hardly remember even returning to the hotel as I was just running on pure adrenaline.

I should receive my passport via express post by Friday (my interview was Tuesday).

My plans are to arrive in New York at the beginning of August and coming from Australia this means I do my POE at LAX.

I hope that helps... it was so uneventful and quick and nothing like I was expecting I was going to have to go through as I am never that fortunate! I have actually been questioned more when I have been entering on a normal visa waiver when I have been going on holidays!

All in all, I cannot believe that it is over!
 
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