Thank you all for your comments; here comes Part II. Feel free to ask any questions.
-atiq.
A friendly Reminder : THE FOLLOWING POST CONSISTS OF MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS/IDEAS ABOUT A SUCCESSFUL CONSULAR PROCESS AT US CONSULATE ISLAMABAD, AND SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN AS LEGAL ADVISE. THAK YOU.
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Part-II
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Medical Examination
===================
Once you are ready to go to the Consulate, make sure you have:
1.
got an appointment from the consulate in WRITTEN. They fax it to you in the US. But again, it depends upon the beneficiery or the person who is attending your phone calls in the consulate that they will allow you to get an appointment date on phone without actually sending them the forms/documents asked in Packet-3.5
I was personally always refused for an appointment date and was asked to send the required first UNTIL I reached a nice, well-spoken, knowledgable lady in the consulate (by chance) who gave me an appointment on phone sending an appointment letter via fax here in the US. I told her I don't have time as my employer was not giving me enough time to go to Pakistan, and requested her to plz. give an appointment on phone.
2.
got an appointment with one of the physicians on the pannel; so that you will not get into trouble. Most of the physicians work on appoinments ONLY. So make sure you have an appointment before you leave. Also, they charge thousands (pakistan rupees) in vaccinations/tests. So be prepared for that. Medical examination takes atleast 4 hrs (depends on the facility and patient-load) but be prepared that they will take blood-test, X-ray, and physical examination (height/weight/blood-pressure, etc). So go after taking enough rest in Pakistan so that your pulse is normal and BP is also normal (after 24 hrs in flight!).
3.
double-check with the Consulate before leaving, via phone, that you HAVE the appointment and tripple-check it a couple days before the appintment. REMEMBER, you did not go to Pakistan to meet family and friends, but basically to get the immigrant visa. Whenever you feel trouble talking to someone at the Consulate, let them know how important it is for you to get the things done. You spent a lot of time and thousasnds of dollars for this cause; don't let someone reschedule your interview dates for some stupid reasons.
4.
MOST IMPORTANTLY
Check the Check-List you got with packet-3.5 Make sure you have all documents. The Employment Letter (proof of continued employement from the employer) is THE MOST IMPORTANT document. I would say don't go without it under any circumstances. There are a lot of stupid questions asked about this employment letter in many of the discussion forums (about what it should have and what it should not). Use common-sense; it should say what any employment verification letter says, with one exception. And that is "you will continue to work as usual after getting the immigration". In a snap-shot, it will:
-you are a full-time employee since _____ as _________ (designation)
-and that your current salary is _______.
-and that you will continue your employment as _____ (the designation, used when filing the Labor Certification) after getting the immigration.
Keep it simple and professional. I would say go to the same http://www.immihelp.com for a sample letter.
Going to Consulate
==================
Don't make your life miserable. They call everybody at 8:00am. Going at 6:00am will cause standing out in cold (if you are going in winter) for two to three hours (they don't open at 8:00 sharp as you might think) and then sitting inside on hard chairs for atleast 4 more hours. I would say take it easy; come with enough food (and something for children) and come normal. If you are getting late for an extra 30 minutes (reaching at 8:30am instead of 8:00), don't panic just relax. In fact the last person standing out in the queue won't go inside until 9:30am or so.
Things Have Changed!
if you have not been to Embassy recently then there are more barriers now! You cannot just hire a TAXI and get-off in front of the Consulate. NO MORE....
There is a tight security around the embassies (yes, not only the US Consulate but the whole area). So you cannot go with friends or family on personal vehicles. You MUST go to "Convention Centers Parking Lot" which is closer to the convention center (almost at the corner of Constitution Ave and Diplomatic Enclave). All Taxi drivers know this and will take you to the parking lot even if you tell them to go to the Consulate/Embassy. There you park your vehicle or whatever and are issued a 'token' at the cost of 10 rupees per person. ALL OF YOUR BAGS/BRIEF-CASES/ECT ARE TAKEN HERE. SO DON'T BRING VERY FANCY BRIEF-CASES/BAGS WITH YOU. Women are alowed to take their personal purse after a thorough checkup. They will raise objections on any food so be prepared and satisfy them. If you have children, BE PREPARED TO STAY FOR **8** Hrs. From Diapers, to candies, take whatever you can in small bag and let the checkup person know that this is for the baby (ies). THE SMALL CANTEEN INSIDE THE CONSULATE WAS NOT OPEN WHEN I WENT. So be prepared, this is very omportant.
After you are given the 'tickets' there is a long queue for mini-vans to take the passengers to the Consulate(s). This van starts from there and circles the whole diplomatic enclave stopping at different embassies. I believe it goes first to the US Consulate as there are more applicants.
Once you reach the consulate, you are in a queue where security does the check-in. The land-surface is a little rocky, and you have to stand there for a while (I mean, hours? I was there at 8:15am and got into the consulate at 9:45). There is a queue before the security and then after the security. You are not yet into the consulate, so if it will rain then you are wet. Shel+t5er is not enough. If you are going into rainy season, take an umbrella with you. Take strollers for the babies who cannot stay for this long.
Once you are inside, there is a long wait. I had to wait from 9:45am to 2:45pm. I was called at a window by a Pakistani guy meanwhile who was calling the applicants for a preliminary check of documents. He asked for Police Report (which I did not have) and the Marriage Photographs (what a nonsense! I am married for four years for now and have a child who was with me who was born in the US, and we went there from the US). I was irritated and showed some aggression. He said "you will be in trouble at the time of interview coz you don't have the required documents with you"... I said I will see, just let me go!
CONCLUSION: Nobody at the consulate knows about your CP, and how special you are!! except those who should know (Thanks God!)
After your name is called you go to some window and it is where the whole 'easy stuff starts'.... they asked me only one question : "what is your job at the company" after saying an english 'aasaalaamo laikum' and apologizing for the long wait.
AND THAT WAS IT!!!
They said I will get my passport in 5 minutes. They give you your passport(s) and a packet for each and everyone who is comin back to US with you. They said NOT TO OPEN THE PACKET coz it is for the immigration officer at the port-of-entry.
NOTE : Like others I was guessing where I would be called but the window where I was called was not where others were going (immigrant visas or visitors). Except, I was called on a window where the consular had a very senior designation. Don't worry you are special and are treated like special at the right spots. Everything else is just like small irritations so don't worry, you will Insha-Allah go through.
Coming Back to US
=================
Ofcourse I was worried about the uncertainty at the port of entry; specially after Pakistan was added to the list of countries requiring special registeration. I went to 'Returning Residents' counter where I showed my passports and the Packet that the Cponsulate gave me. The immigration officer called a lady and asked me to follow her. they took me to a registeration counter (which was NOT the special registeration counter). This counter was for the registeration of immigrants and it is like that for many years where immigrants are photographed and finger-printed. NO QUESTIONS WERE ASKED HERE. I was said a welcome to the United States after this process. After I asked for any further processing, they said "No! you will recieve your green card in mail"....
I took a deep breath, took my belongings and proceeded to the exit with my gray hair... an end to a torture of its kind!
-atiq.
A friendly Reminder : THE FOLLOWING POST CONSISTS OF MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS/IDEAS ABOUT A SUCCESSFUL CONSULAR PROCESS AT US CONSULATE ISLAMABAD, AND SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN AS LEGAL ADVISE. THAK YOU.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part-II
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Medical Examination
===================
Once you are ready to go to the Consulate, make sure you have:
1.
got an appointment from the consulate in WRITTEN. They fax it to you in the US. But again, it depends upon the beneficiery or the person who is attending your phone calls in the consulate that they will allow you to get an appointment date on phone without actually sending them the forms/documents asked in Packet-3.5
I was personally always refused for an appointment date and was asked to send the required first UNTIL I reached a nice, well-spoken, knowledgable lady in the consulate (by chance) who gave me an appointment on phone sending an appointment letter via fax here in the US. I told her I don't have time as my employer was not giving me enough time to go to Pakistan, and requested her to plz. give an appointment on phone.
2.
got an appointment with one of the physicians on the pannel; so that you will not get into trouble. Most of the physicians work on appoinments ONLY. So make sure you have an appointment before you leave. Also, they charge thousands (pakistan rupees) in vaccinations/tests. So be prepared for that. Medical examination takes atleast 4 hrs (depends on the facility and patient-load) but be prepared that they will take blood-test, X-ray, and physical examination (height/weight/blood-pressure, etc). So go after taking enough rest in Pakistan so that your pulse is normal and BP is also normal (after 24 hrs in flight!).
3.
double-check with the Consulate before leaving, via phone, that you HAVE the appointment and tripple-check it a couple days before the appintment. REMEMBER, you did not go to Pakistan to meet family and friends, but basically to get the immigrant visa. Whenever you feel trouble talking to someone at the Consulate, let them know how important it is for you to get the things done. You spent a lot of time and thousasnds of dollars for this cause; don't let someone reschedule your interview dates for some stupid reasons.
4.
MOST IMPORTANTLY
Check the Check-List you got with packet-3.5 Make sure you have all documents. The Employment Letter (proof of continued employement from the employer) is THE MOST IMPORTANT document. I would say don't go without it under any circumstances. There are a lot of stupid questions asked about this employment letter in many of the discussion forums (about what it should have and what it should not). Use common-sense; it should say what any employment verification letter says, with one exception. And that is "you will continue to work as usual after getting the immigration". In a snap-shot, it will:
-you are a full-time employee since _____ as _________ (designation)
-and that your current salary is _______.
-and that you will continue your employment as _____ (the designation, used when filing the Labor Certification) after getting the immigration.
Keep it simple and professional. I would say go to the same http://www.immihelp.com for a sample letter.
Going to Consulate
==================
Don't make your life miserable. They call everybody at 8:00am. Going at 6:00am will cause standing out in cold (if you are going in winter) for two to three hours (they don't open at 8:00 sharp as you might think) and then sitting inside on hard chairs for atleast 4 more hours. I would say take it easy; come with enough food (and something for children) and come normal. If you are getting late for an extra 30 minutes (reaching at 8:30am instead of 8:00), don't panic just relax. In fact the last person standing out in the queue won't go inside until 9:30am or so.
Things Have Changed!
if you have not been to Embassy recently then there are more barriers now! You cannot just hire a TAXI and get-off in front of the Consulate. NO MORE....
There is a tight security around the embassies (yes, not only the US Consulate but the whole area). So you cannot go with friends or family on personal vehicles. You MUST go to "Convention Centers Parking Lot" which is closer to the convention center (almost at the corner of Constitution Ave and Diplomatic Enclave). All Taxi drivers know this and will take you to the parking lot even if you tell them to go to the Consulate/Embassy. There you park your vehicle or whatever and are issued a 'token' at the cost of 10 rupees per person. ALL OF YOUR BAGS/BRIEF-CASES/ECT ARE TAKEN HERE. SO DON'T BRING VERY FANCY BRIEF-CASES/BAGS WITH YOU. Women are alowed to take their personal purse after a thorough checkup. They will raise objections on any food so be prepared and satisfy them. If you have children, BE PREPARED TO STAY FOR **8** Hrs. From Diapers, to candies, take whatever you can in small bag and let the checkup person know that this is for the baby (ies). THE SMALL CANTEEN INSIDE THE CONSULATE WAS NOT OPEN WHEN I WENT. So be prepared, this is very omportant.
After you are given the 'tickets' there is a long queue for mini-vans to take the passengers to the Consulate(s). This van starts from there and circles the whole diplomatic enclave stopping at different embassies. I believe it goes first to the US Consulate as there are more applicants.
Once you reach the consulate, you are in a queue where security does the check-in. The land-surface is a little rocky, and you have to stand there for a while (I mean, hours? I was there at 8:15am and got into the consulate at 9:45). There is a queue before the security and then after the security. You are not yet into the consulate, so if it will rain then you are wet. Shel+t5er is not enough. If you are going into rainy season, take an umbrella with you. Take strollers for the babies who cannot stay for this long.
Once you are inside, there is a long wait. I had to wait from 9:45am to 2:45pm. I was called at a window by a Pakistani guy meanwhile who was calling the applicants for a preliminary check of documents. He asked for Police Report (which I did not have) and the Marriage Photographs (what a nonsense! I am married for four years for now and have a child who was with me who was born in the US, and we went there from the US). I was irritated and showed some aggression. He said "you will be in trouble at the time of interview coz you don't have the required documents with you"... I said I will see, just let me go!
CONCLUSION: Nobody at the consulate knows about your CP, and how special you are!! except those who should know (Thanks God!)
After your name is called you go to some window and it is where the whole 'easy stuff starts'.... they asked me only one question : "what is your job at the company" after saying an english 'aasaalaamo laikum' and apologizing for the long wait.
AND THAT WAS IT!!!
They said I will get my passport in 5 minutes. They give you your passport(s) and a packet for each and everyone who is comin back to US with you. They said NOT TO OPEN THE PACKET coz it is for the immigration officer at the port-of-entry.
NOTE : Like others I was guessing where I would be called but the window where I was called was not where others were going (immigrant visas or visitors). Except, I was called on a window where the consular had a very senior designation. Don't worry you are special and are treated like special at the right spots. Everything else is just like small irritations so don't worry, you will Insha-Allah go through.
Coming Back to US
=================
Ofcourse I was worried about the uncertainty at the port of entry; specially after Pakistan was added to the list of countries requiring special registeration. I went to 'Returning Residents' counter where I showed my passports and the Packet that the Cponsulate gave me. The immigration officer called a lady and asked me to follow her. they took me to a registeration counter (which was NOT the special registeration counter). This counter was for the registeration of immigrants and it is like that for many years where immigrants are photographed and finger-printed. NO QUESTIONS WERE ASKED HERE. I was said a welcome to the United States after this process. After I asked for any further processing, they said "No! you will recieve your green card in mail"....
I took a deep breath, took my belongings and proceeded to the exit with my gray hair... an end to a torture of its kind!
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