SUCESSFUL CP INTERVIEW IN LA PAZ
Las week I had my DV visa interview in La Paz, it was a breeze really the La Paz embassy is very helpful, it is really scary to hear how embassies like the one in Nigeria go a step beyond in the interview.
Shown up at the embassy front door at 8:45 my appointment was schedule for 09:00, there were like 40 people in line all of which had appointments for visa interviews there were mostly tourist visa applicant maybe 3 or 4 student visa people, 3 people for DV and 1 for family based immigration I found out all of this later.
Well after been in line for about 30 minutes it was finally my turn in the line and for what I saw before me I got a little bit worried since even the people that was applying for student visas were ask for forms and proof of their processing payments at the designated local bank, only had my invitation letter and the money in cash in my pocket. I thought I was very well informed of the process so I didn’t take the precaution of calling the embassy to check the process for the interview day. So once I got to the front of the line all they asked for me was the DV invitation and told me to wait at the side of the front that my name was going to be called.
Ten minutes after this I got called inside they requested all electronic devices, my Bolivian ID (not the passport) and I was asked my info to be entered into the system they also requested a local cell phone number, I was then given a visitor badge and a property badge to pick up my stuff on the way out. I was them ask to go to the room were the metal detector was, this after removing my belt, coins and any other metal objects, my briefcase was then X rayed and I was on my way to the embassy lobby.
Once in the lobby I got to the main visa room were there were 8 booths 4 for tourist/student visas one for immigrant visa doc. receiving, 2 for immigrant visa interviews and one for American citizens.
after been in the waiting room for 30 minutes after entering the lobby, I was called at booth number 4 were they asked me first for my birth certificate, then for my ANTECEDENTES which I assumed were the police, court, DMV and Australian police certs in my case, I submitted all of those, them the lady ask for education papers I submitted by high school diploma from BOLIVIAN authorities, my college transcripts (Ingenieria de Sistemas Mayor) currently in 4th year, I also submitted by transcripts from the time I did year 12 in Australia as an Exchange student, the lady at window 5 compiled all of my papers and told me to go pay the 755 us$ fee at the embassy cashier, Once I did this I submitted the proof of payment to the same lady at window 5, I offer to surrender the X ray for TB she said that she didn’t know why everybody takes it to the DV interview that all they need is the doctor report analysing the chest/lung XRAY. She told me that I was going to be called back in a few minutes and that I should wait. At the time it was around 10.15 AM after waiting until around 11.30 which seem like an endless wait I was call to window 7 were I was fingerprinted they scanned all of my 10 fingers in a scan device that look very different from the others at the tourist visa booths.
It was around 11.45 AM when I was called again to window 5 were I was giving an entry pass for 14.30 for my interview they said that the consul was to interview me at 14.30 and that I should be there on time.
I got to the embassy at 14.15 and did the same routine at the entry point, metal detector, X rays, etc, etc, etc
After waiting for another 2 hours in the same waiting room as in the morning except that it was empty this time since there were no B2 (tourist visa) applicants, it was only me and another DV couple.
They were called first at around 16.10 their interview was briefly she is a young dentist she was a young doctor none of them spoke English he was the main applicant they got married after the 1st NL and inform the KCC, their number was around the 500’s but they didn’t know about the VISA BULLETIN and they didn’t get the 2nd NL either so the embassy called them to check why they didn’t show up in November and reschedule them for December, so basically they didn’t know anything…..they also had a baby in October but they didn’t inform KCC nor brought the baby to the interview they said that it was too expensive to fly the baby form Santa Cruz province and that he was too young……long story short they got their GC´s and the baby was going to apply at the consulate in Santa Cruz they were lucky that the people at the embassy is extremely nice to DV winners, since they didn’t know anything about the DV process.
Well after they were interview I got call to window #5 it was a really young American consular officer that called my name she was about 36 very cute young gringita, she requested my docs so I told her that they were already submitted at window 5 in the morning, she was humm OK I got them here.
She ask me to check my forms so I told her that the only changed that I wanted it was about the year that I studied in Australia where the change I wanted was to write HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA EQUIVALENT instead of High School Diploma, she said that it was not necessary but as long as I had the papers for Australia transcripted to Bolivian Format it should be no problem, so she made it easier and started with the questions.
Consular Officer: So How many time have you applied to the DV lotto?
Me: First Time Madam.
CO: Lucky Guy Ha!!
CO: Do you have any relatives in USA?
Me: Yes my sister a LPR married to a US citizen they live in VA.
CO: So do you plan to live with them?
Me: yes.
CO: So what do you study this was asked while she was browsing my UNI transcripts.
Me: System Engineering
CO: She ask me to repeat?..... I think she didn’t understand the mayor name in Spanish
Me. So I repeated Systems Engineering which may be the equivalent to Computer Science, this time she understood, I explain her that I dropped off school 2 years ago and that now I was working.
CO: Do you plan to complete uni studies, and finish them B4 you go to the states?
Me: Told her that I plan to transfer my credits and get as many subjects conversed once in the US.
CO: Ask me where I worked.
Me: I explain her that I run and manage my parents business and had stake in a company with my siblings.
CO: She ask few more details
Me: I submitted those extra details I explain her that I run my parents restaurant chain and that I was in charge of the Technical and Administrative area of it.
CO: You must speak pretty good English since it says here that you’ve lived in Australia? (First question in English in the whole interview, from this point the interview went on in English)
Me. I replied in English that I spoke pretty good English and that unfortunately my Aussie accent faded and that now my English sounded a lot more American she laughed.
CO: Are you single:
Me: yes Madam…
CO: Do you have any sons or daughters?
Me: No Madam.
CO: She ask me to sign the papers but I misplaced my signature, she pointed at where was I supposed to sign and again I almost miss it them she very nicely wrote an X and ask to sign there.
Me: : I signed and apologised, I told her that I got distracted and that it had been a very long journey, she said she understood and gave me the phrase I had been waiting for so long (8 ½ months)
CO: WELCOME TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA), the gentleman in window 5 will print your visa and give you all the other details about your visa.
So I went to window #5 and got told that they could not print the visas the system wasn’t allocating any more visas (it said that there were no more visas left) which of course were still available, and that it was obvious a computer glitch she ask for my address so it could be mailed via DHL next day, told him not to worry and that I would pick it up in person the day after since I was to remain in La Pa due to flight combinations. He proceeded and gave me an entry pass for next day @16.30….end of my consular journey.
It went great I wanted to cry I felt relief like if I lost and 80 pound weight off my shoulders.
ID LIKE TO THANK AVERYBODY IN THIS FORUM FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS IT HAS BEEN REALLY HELPFUL AND MADE MY LIFE SO MUCH EASIER I WISH EVERYBODY A MERRY XMASS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR as for ME IT WOULD BE A NEW LIFE WITH THE NEW YEAR.
THE EMBASSY PEOPLE WERE REALLY NICE TO ALL DV´s THEY NEVER ASK FOR MY FINANCIAL INFO ALTOUGH I HAD A JOB OFFER, AFFIDAVIT, AND A GOOD PORTFOLIO WITH VARIOUS ASSETS PLUS CASH IN MY BANK ACCOUNTS, SO I WAS READY FOR ANYTHING THE BRIEFCASE I WAS CARRYING WAS SO HEAVY I THINK I EVEN HAD MY FIRST DENTAL RECORD IN THERE (just a joke)……
THANK YOU EVERYBODY AND GOOD LUCK…….
I’ll be arriving in the US sometime in March next year after tidying up my personal business here selling my apartment and transferring my job to a replacement…..my POE will be MIA and my residency state most likely VA but it could also be northern California.
THANK YOU EVERYBODY ONCE MORE.
Las week I had my DV visa interview in La Paz, it was a breeze really the La Paz embassy is very helpful, it is really scary to hear how embassies like the one in Nigeria go a step beyond in the interview.
Shown up at the embassy front door at 8:45 my appointment was schedule for 09:00, there were like 40 people in line all of which had appointments for visa interviews there were mostly tourist visa applicant maybe 3 or 4 student visa people, 3 people for DV and 1 for family based immigration I found out all of this later.
Well after been in line for about 30 minutes it was finally my turn in the line and for what I saw before me I got a little bit worried since even the people that was applying for student visas were ask for forms and proof of their processing payments at the designated local bank, only had my invitation letter and the money in cash in my pocket. I thought I was very well informed of the process so I didn’t take the precaution of calling the embassy to check the process for the interview day. So once I got to the front of the line all they asked for me was the DV invitation and told me to wait at the side of the front that my name was going to be called.
Ten minutes after this I got called inside they requested all electronic devices, my Bolivian ID (not the passport) and I was asked my info to be entered into the system they also requested a local cell phone number, I was then given a visitor badge and a property badge to pick up my stuff on the way out. I was them ask to go to the room were the metal detector was, this after removing my belt, coins and any other metal objects, my briefcase was then X rayed and I was on my way to the embassy lobby.
Once in the lobby I got to the main visa room were there were 8 booths 4 for tourist/student visas one for immigrant visa doc. receiving, 2 for immigrant visa interviews and one for American citizens.
after been in the waiting room for 30 minutes after entering the lobby, I was called at booth number 4 were they asked me first for my birth certificate, then for my ANTECEDENTES which I assumed were the police, court, DMV and Australian police certs in my case, I submitted all of those, them the lady ask for education papers I submitted by high school diploma from BOLIVIAN authorities, my college transcripts (Ingenieria de Sistemas Mayor) currently in 4th year, I also submitted by transcripts from the time I did year 12 in Australia as an Exchange student, the lady at window 5 compiled all of my papers and told me to go pay the 755 us$ fee at the embassy cashier, Once I did this I submitted the proof of payment to the same lady at window 5, I offer to surrender the X ray for TB she said that she didn’t know why everybody takes it to the DV interview that all they need is the doctor report analysing the chest/lung XRAY. She told me that I was going to be called back in a few minutes and that I should wait. At the time it was around 10.15 AM after waiting until around 11.30 which seem like an endless wait I was call to window 7 were I was fingerprinted they scanned all of my 10 fingers in a scan device that look very different from the others at the tourist visa booths.
It was around 11.45 AM when I was called again to window 5 were I was giving an entry pass for 14.30 for my interview they said that the consul was to interview me at 14.30 and that I should be there on time.
I got to the embassy at 14.15 and did the same routine at the entry point, metal detector, X rays, etc, etc, etc
After waiting for another 2 hours in the same waiting room as in the morning except that it was empty this time since there were no B2 (tourist visa) applicants, it was only me and another DV couple.
They were called first at around 16.10 their interview was briefly she is a young dentist she was a young doctor none of them spoke English he was the main applicant they got married after the 1st NL and inform the KCC, their number was around the 500’s but they didn’t know about the VISA BULLETIN and they didn’t get the 2nd NL either so the embassy called them to check why they didn’t show up in November and reschedule them for December, so basically they didn’t know anything…..they also had a baby in October but they didn’t inform KCC nor brought the baby to the interview they said that it was too expensive to fly the baby form Santa Cruz province and that he was too young……long story short they got their GC´s and the baby was going to apply at the consulate in Santa Cruz they were lucky that the people at the embassy is extremely nice to DV winners, since they didn’t know anything about the DV process.
Well after they were interview I got call to window #5 it was a really young American consular officer that called my name she was about 36 very cute young gringita, she requested my docs so I told her that they were already submitted at window 5 in the morning, she was humm OK I got them here.
She ask me to check my forms so I told her that the only changed that I wanted it was about the year that I studied in Australia where the change I wanted was to write HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA EQUIVALENT instead of High School Diploma, she said that it was not necessary but as long as I had the papers for Australia transcripted to Bolivian Format it should be no problem, so she made it easier and started with the questions.
Consular Officer: So How many time have you applied to the DV lotto?
Me: First Time Madam.
CO: Lucky Guy Ha!!
CO: Do you have any relatives in USA?
Me: Yes my sister a LPR married to a US citizen they live in VA.
CO: So do you plan to live with them?
Me: yes.
CO: So what do you study this was asked while she was browsing my UNI transcripts.
Me: System Engineering
CO: She ask me to repeat?..... I think she didn’t understand the mayor name in Spanish
Me. So I repeated Systems Engineering which may be the equivalent to Computer Science, this time she understood, I explain her that I dropped off school 2 years ago and that now I was working.
CO: Do you plan to complete uni studies, and finish them B4 you go to the states?
Me: Told her that I plan to transfer my credits and get as many subjects conversed once in the US.
CO: Ask me where I worked.
Me: I explain her that I run and manage my parents business and had stake in a company with my siblings.
CO: She ask few more details
Me: I submitted those extra details I explain her that I run my parents restaurant chain and that I was in charge of the Technical and Administrative area of it.
CO: You must speak pretty good English since it says here that you’ve lived in Australia? (First question in English in the whole interview, from this point the interview went on in English)
Me. I replied in English that I spoke pretty good English and that unfortunately my Aussie accent faded and that now my English sounded a lot more American she laughed.
CO: Are you single:
Me: yes Madam…
CO: Do you have any sons or daughters?
Me: No Madam.
CO: She ask me to sign the papers but I misplaced my signature, she pointed at where was I supposed to sign and again I almost miss it them she very nicely wrote an X and ask to sign there.
Me: : I signed and apologised, I told her that I got distracted and that it had been a very long journey, she said she understood and gave me the phrase I had been waiting for so long (8 ½ months)
CO: WELCOME TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA), the gentleman in window 5 will print your visa and give you all the other details about your visa.
So I went to window #5 and got told that they could not print the visas the system wasn’t allocating any more visas (it said that there were no more visas left) which of course were still available, and that it was obvious a computer glitch she ask for my address so it could be mailed via DHL next day, told him not to worry and that I would pick it up in person the day after since I was to remain in La Pa due to flight combinations. He proceeded and gave me an entry pass for next day @16.30….end of my consular journey.
It went great I wanted to cry I felt relief like if I lost and 80 pound weight off my shoulders.
ID LIKE TO THANK AVERYBODY IN THIS FORUM FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS IT HAS BEEN REALLY HELPFUL AND MADE MY LIFE SO MUCH EASIER I WISH EVERYBODY A MERRY XMASS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR as for ME IT WOULD BE A NEW LIFE WITH THE NEW YEAR.
THE EMBASSY PEOPLE WERE REALLY NICE TO ALL DV´s THEY NEVER ASK FOR MY FINANCIAL INFO ALTOUGH I HAD A JOB OFFER, AFFIDAVIT, AND A GOOD PORTFOLIO WITH VARIOUS ASSETS PLUS CASH IN MY BANK ACCOUNTS, SO I WAS READY FOR ANYTHING THE BRIEFCASE I WAS CARRYING WAS SO HEAVY I THINK I EVEN HAD MY FIRST DENTAL RECORD IN THERE (just a joke)……
THANK YOU EVERYBODY AND GOOD LUCK…….
I’ll be arriving in the US sometime in March next year after tidying up my personal business here selling my apartment and transferring my job to a replacement…..my POE will be MIA and my residency state most likely VA but it could also be northern California.
THANK YOU EVERYBODY ONCE MORE.