US CRBA and Citizenship
We got Kyra Mexican birth certificate on November 6th and had her US consulate Appointment for November 7th . I had heard horror stories about IP being stuck in Mexico for months and the CRBA process being a real horror. I was told by our lawyers we would need to do a DNA test and that will have to be ordered by when we go for our first appointment and then we will have to to again to do in consulate, get the results and we will get Kyra CRBA and Passport. A process that would have taken 2-3 months.
Our appointment was at 7.30 AM, I showed up an hour early to the consulate there were probably 1000+ Mexican’s at the consulate all in line at 6.30 AM applying for visa. It remined me of my days in India where you are in the middle of sea of people and there is total chaos. I called the US Consulate for directions and fortunately they had a separate line for US passport services. If there was ever a day I was glad I had US citizenship it was that day.
After going through somewhat unfriendly security check, we got to the US consular. Kyra passport picture’s got rejected as it had a shadow on them. The consular recommended I go out of the embassy and get fresh ones taken. So me Kyra and the nanny all found a photographer shop that does Passport pictures near the embassy. Kyra was fast asleep and did not want to wake up, after what seemed like for ever we got 1 set of pictures that didn’t have a Shadow and had her eyes open.
We rushed back to the Embassy and had the same unfriendly security check, by this time I was convinced that today was a horrible day, we will probably get rejected and I will probably have a infamous Maini outburst and get arrested.
Well our luck changed, after getting the pictures and submitting the application, we waited patiently for our name to be called. We got window 9 and were greeted by a very friendly US Consular, she looked at all the documentation I had, and commented ” I have never seen such complete documentation, I have no questions, this looks good” , had me and Gaby raise our right and take the oath. No DNA testing, no waiting in Mexico for 2 months.. We are going home!!! I couldn’t believe after what a rotten morning it was, we caught a break!!! I was a very proud day for that day for being prepared for the interview. Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance!!! Home Baby Home!!!
AND BOOM, KYRA IS OFFICALLY A US CITIZEN. We got her emergency passport, went back to the VRBO, we could have taken the evening flight, but didn’t think we had enough time to back booked the first flight out of Mexico City
