Here's my very recent experience last Monday (April 15).
Nakadating ako sa St. Luke's around 4.20am. May pila na. Since may dala akong sasakyan, nagpark muna ako sa may mini stop (before ST. Luke's). Nung pumila na ako and I noticed na humahaba na ang pila, I asked the 2 ladies (before and after me) to save a space in the line. So bumalik ako sa sasakyan ko kase hindi ako comfortable sa parking space kaya I parked my car in a secured parking lot just beside the clinic (maliit lang to so halos puno na rin pag dating ko, Thank God tlaga!).
Mahirap mag park dito lalo na kung late ka na dadating. I suggest super aga pumunta kase makakasabay mo sa pila ang mga immigrant applicants ng Canada, Australia and New Zealand. So make sure na nakapila ka sa US immigration applicants only.
Pang 36 ang number na binigay skin and pinapasok na kme sa registration area. Nag open sila around 6am then a guard started to call out numbers for specific windows. Then nung tinawag na yung number ko, pumunta ako sa window then kinuha yung required docs (copies of appointment letter, passport copy, photo). Scan ng fingers and photo. Then nagbayad sa 5th flr and start lining up na for blood extraction and urine test. Sinasabi naman nila kung anong susunod na step kaya hindi ka mawawala. Xray ang next then physical exam. Matagal sa physical exam tawagin kase kasabay mo na sa pila ang mga immigrant applicants ng Canada, Australia and New Zealand but the US applicants have their own booth and paging system. Sa dami ng paging system, you have to really listen. Blood pressure, weight/height and eye test muna, then tatawagin ulit for an interview with a doctor. Sa cubicle ni female doctor, magtatanong lang about medical history then paghuhubarin ka na. Sa una, nagulat lang ako kase unfriendly ang dating ng doctor and biglang sasabihan ako ng "oh, maghubad ka na", hehe. Then after that, sa interview for vaccines na.Sobrang dami ng tao na sa vaccination area nung dumating ako. that was around 10.30am. Konting interview about vaccine history and sinabi nya din kung anong vaccines ang ibibigay skin. Then she instructed me to proceed to the check-out counter. PInabalik ako kinabukasan for vaccines and medical result. This was 11am.
April 16 (9am ang naka sched skin)
Dumating ako ng 8.15am and tinawag ako ng 9.15. Konting interview ulit, actually pare pareho ang tinatanong nila kaya IMO, this is just to clarify and verify kung tlagang nagsasabi ka ng totoo. So i had 2 vaccines- tetanus/diphteria; and MMR. Kasama na ito sa fee na binayaran ko. Then sa medical result na ko naghintay ng sobrang tagal tlaga. Nasa medical result area ako ng 9.30am and tinawag ang name ko around 12.30nn, sign lang then tatwagin ulit. nag lunch ng mabilisan then Natawag ako ng 2pm na.
FYI, to those who are still waiting for snail mail, wait no more kase tlagang walang dadating na mail na. You see, my packet came to me via email last April 1 and we were waiting for the snail mail kase nga may packet daw na dadating pa according to his experience and hearsay from previous applicants. After research, I found out yung hinihintay namin ng packet is yung P4, na interview date na dumaitng sa email. Kaya nung monday ako nagpa medical exam and my interview is on May 13. My nephew who is also on petition received a snail mail last april 17 from NVC, asking him to register an agent who has an email address kase they're working on Paperwork Reduction Act to see if they can use electronic application for immigrant visa system. yung letter sinulat ng MArch 27. All my documents were submitted via email sa NVC kaya lahat dumating including receipt and notices and packet interview, by email din. YUng sa nephew ko, his documents were submitted to the office then nakareceive sister ko sa states ng snail mail na register ang email address for further notices.
Thanks to all who shared their experiences!
Next: Interview prep:)
