Leah’s Cafe

After beating all the dragons, arrived at the embassy gate at 8.55 a.m,. About 3-4 people were lining up beside the gate,  we were allowed into the embassy building after security clearance.

Security clearance again at the entrance of building. Got a number (the second person for immigrant visa). The waiting room was almost full with at least 60 people inside, eight out of nine windows were opened and it went really fast. The interviewers were mostly whites, only one Asian interviewer who looked  and sounded like a Filipino.

 When I entered the waiting room, the numbers for non immigrant visas had already gone up to 50+. Looked like they had  interviewed about 50+ non immigrant visa applications at 9.00 a.m, starting from 7.30 a.m! Pretty efficient, I would say.

I was quite sure it was a local staff who was in charged of the IV documents submission  in the morning when they did not start calling the first applicant at 9.15 a.m. And, I  was right !  Time is rubbery as in Boleh Land.:-)

The KL consulate conducts the immigrant visa (IV) interview in two parts. Morning for submitting documents and afternoon for the actual interview. The first part was handled by a local staff and the second part by an American staff.

My number was called at window 8 at 9.45 a.m. Submitted all the documents and paid the $400 visa application fee. Was told to go back there at 1.30 p.m for the actual interview.

Got out of the embassy at 10.oo a.m. Then I walked back to the train station at a leisurely pace. There was really no need to hurry as I had 3 hours to kill before the interview at 1.30 p.m.

At first, thought of taking a train to the next train station - KLCC, as there is really nothing much to see at Ampang Park. Second thought, better preserved some energy for the afternoon session. So, sat down at the McD for a little people watching, then window shopped a bit, bought a handbag and had an early lunch there.

It was too hot at 1.00 p.m and was too lazy to walk, so I took a cab to go back to the embassy. It was easy to get a cab this time! It took only 5 minutes to reach the embassy from Ampang Park by cab!

It was a bit too early, the guard said he will let me in at 1.15 p.m. Security clearance and entered the building again. Could see many embassy staffs got back from lunch break.

I was the only person at the waiting area! A white man was sitting at  window 7  and was typing something on the computer. He called my number at 1.20 p.m. and the interview began!

He had me placed the fingers of both hands on the scanner, first four of the fingers, then the thumb. The biometrics data was online and connected to database in Washington DC. Matching any records would mean further administrative processing a.k.a. bureaucratic blackhole. Mine didn’t match any, obviously. :-)

The interviewer had me took an oath and then signed the part 2 of the DS-230 form before he started asking me questions about my previous stay in the US and our marriage. He asked quite a few questions, but he was not hostile and was rather casual.

He flipped through all the documents submitted, kept the photocopy and returned the originals, except for the Certificate of Good Conduct which he kept the original.

He opened the old passport and stamped “Canceled without prejudice” on the  ten years visitor visa. Then ticked at the box next to “meet the requirements of section 213A” on affidavit of support form and wrote down his name as reviewer. I could see it started with a J, not sure it was Jimmy or Jerry.:-)

Then he asked whether I have any evidences of our  relationship that I can show him. I passed him some photos of us and with other people, cards, letters from the big boy’s parents addressed to us and a document that showed  my name on his health insurance.

Then, he told me everything looked alright and asked me to take a seat and waited to be called again. I sat down, in less than one minute, saw the local staff whom I submitted the documents this morning appeared  at window 7,  my number was called again within seconds.

He tried to pull my leg, he asked in a typical Malaysian way “Got approved ah ?”

Then, he smiled and gave me the slip that has the instruction for picking up passport and visa.

Yup, the long awaited IR1 visa is approved!  Can pick up the passport and a package  tomorrow at 3.00 - 4.00 p.m !!

The friendly woman security guard asked me on my way out: you the only person this afternoon? I have no idea where was this guy who was supposed to be in front of me.  I guess the interviewer decided to call my number first as I was the only person at the waiting room !!

All in all, it took 15 minutes in the morning for the documents submission and 15 minutes in the afternoon for the actual interview.  But it was like killing a few dragons, all the  waiting, commuting, walking, loitering at the mall had me exhausted, would need a good massage!