My K1 Visa Interview Day

[MIke n Heather 8]

Hey all,

Finally had my interview on 3rd Feb 2012 and was approved!

Thought I'd write up the experience as closely as I could remember it.

My fiancee, Telisha, (US citizen) and I, Huw, spent the two days prior to the interview making sure that I had copies, and originals of all forms and documents ready for my interview. I had one folder for all original documents, one folder for all our post NOA1 evidence, a second folder, with an additional copy of all the evidence and documents. Another folder of the original I-129F with all the evidence that we submitted, a fifth folder, with an additional copy of all that evidence, and a plastic with the forms I'd need to get in. Overkill maybe, but we decided it was better to be over-prepared than under-prepared.

All together I had the following with me:

Pre-NOA1 folder

Copy of the cheque for the payment of the I-129F fee.

Copy of originally submitted I-129F

G-325A for the both of us.

Passport photos for the both of us.

Copy of Birth certificate for Telisha

Copy of SSI card Telisha

Copy of passport for Telisha.

Copy of final divorce decree for Telisha

Letter certifying intent to marry from Telisha

Letter certifying intent to marry from Huw

Letter certifying our relationship is genuine from Telisha's parents

Copy of Telisha's parents ID.

Letter certifying our relationship is genuine from Huw's parents

Copy of Huw's parents passports

Proof of having met in the last two years, and proof of ongoing relationship (msn/skype convos, flight itineraries, photos of us together, birthday and christmas cards etc.)

A duplicate folder of all the above.

Post-NOA1 folder

Copie of birth certificate for Huw

Medical results for Huw

Police certificate for Huw

Affidavit of support from Telisha for Huw (she meets the requirements), with letter from employeer, one tax return (as she's only worked there just over a year), screen print

Additional affidavit of support from Telisha's father for Huw (he also meets the requirments, included just in case)

New letter certifying intent to marry from Telisha

New letter certifying intent to marry from Huw

Proof of ongoing relationship since original I-129F application (msn/skype convos, flight itineraries, photos of us together, birthday and christmas cards etc.)

Proof of Telisha being in the UK with Huw for the interview (flight info, hotel booking).

Original document folder

Originals of all documents from the other folders

My appointment at the US Embassy in London was at 9.30am. I turned up with my fiancee at 8.30am, and joined the queue of around 50 people that had formed so far. Got to the first Embassy official, who checked my passport, my MRV receipt to confirm payment for the interview (which has to be made in advance) and my appointment letter. She let me past and I progressed down the queue to the next Embassy Official, who again checked my passport, MRV receipt and appointment letter. Next, I was called into the first small building, where I was asked to put all my paperwork into a container, empty my pockets and walk through the scanner. I picked my things up on the other side, and was told to follow the yellow visa signs around the side of the building, and up some stairs, into a reception. The receptionist gave me a ticket, with a number on it. I was I-914.

I proceeded up the next set of stairs, into a big waiting room. The room had a large sitting area, refreshments at the far end, and interview booths 1-11 along the right hand side wall. The courier desk for the return of documents was at the rear. There's a passageway to the right, where the toilets, and interview windows 12-25 are located. There are a few screens in the middle of the room, with the ticket number and interview window number, and this info is called out over a speaker system. I took my seat and waited.

There was N tickets, and I tickets. I assume these are for Non-Immigrant and Immigrant applications. I waited around 30 mins, listing to N ticket numbers being called out, and then I heard the first I number, which to my relief was 901. After around 2hrs of waiting, my number was called and I went to the interview window. The woman at the desk asked me for my passport, my original birth certificate, a copy of the birth certificate, two passport photos and my affidavit of support. I passed all this info, including both of my affidavits, and asked her if she wanted any of the evidence. She said no. She then asked me a few questions from a sheet, things like 'have you ever been arrested, have you ever been to the US, and have you ever been denied entry to the US'. I had been denied entry once before, so I answered Yes. She didn't ask me why. She then gave me back my x-ray, and told me I'd need it for the border, and gave me a pink sheet of paper, that I was to give to the courier desk if my application was successful. She then told me to go and take a seat, and wait for my number to be called again.

The pink sheet said be prepared for a wait of several hours. Luckily, my number was called again after around 25 mins, and I proceeded to the interview window for my actual interview.

An American man interviewed me, and this is what he asked (as best as I can remember). He passed me back my original birth certificate, said good morning and asked me how I was. Then he told me he was going to ask me a few questions.

Interviewer: So your fiancee's name is Telisha?

Huw: Yes

I: How did you meet Telisha

H: We met on an internet stratergy game

I: What was the name of the game?

H: Tribalwars

I: So how did you first talk to her? I imagine there are thousands of people playing it?

H: I was the leader of one 'tribe' and she was the leader of another. I mailed her to discuss diplomacy between our tribes.

He laughed at that

I: So what happened after that?

H: We talked a bit about the game at first, and then started talking on msn and became friends.

I: So does Telisha live along?

H: No, she has two sons, Wesley and Wyatt.

I: Are they good kids?

H: Yeah there well behaved, most of the time.

I: Do you get on with them?

H: Yes very well, they're nice kids.

I: How old are they?

H: Wyatt is 7 and Wesley is 12.

I: What year are they in in school?

H: Erm, I don't know, it's a different system over there and I don't understand it yet! I think Wesley is in Year 7/8?

I: He's in year 6, he'd be in 7/8 over here. (nervous smile from me, chuckle back from the interviewer).

I: So what do they kids like doing, what do they like playing?

H: Well Wyatt is really into Thomas the tank, he loves it, but Wesley prefers dinosaurs, that's what I got them last Christmas.

I: Ok. So what does Telisha do?

H: She's a customer services manager for Walmart at the moment, but just got promoted to a Corporate Manager, so she'll be in charge of several stores.

I: Where will you be living?

H: We'll be living in Hastings, Michigan, we just bought a house there.

I: You bought it together?

H: No, Telisha bought it.

I: So you said that you were denied entry to the US, can you tell me about that?

H: Sure, I went over to visit Telisha in Dec 09, and stayed for 89 days. Then I went to Canada for a few days, and came back into the US with the intention of staying for another couple of weeks, but I was denied at the POE. I wasn't aware that I wasn't allowed to do that, so I then went back to Canada and took a flight back to the UK.

I: Ok that's fine, that's not a permanent denial, and I'm happy with the rest of the interview, so I'm happy to say you're approved.

At this point I broke into a HUGE smile, and he smiled back. I asked him if he wanted any of the evidence that we'd collected, anything for the affidavit etc, and he said no it was fine, so I said thank you very much, and he wished me good luck!

I then went to hand in my pink courier sheet, paid the fee for the return of my documents, and left.

I was a little disapointed that he didn't want any of our evidence after we spent all that time putting it together, but so happy that it was now all over! All in all a nice, pleasant experience!

Congrats !! i just got approved a week ago and they didnt look at our evidence at all either but it is way better to come PREPARED than not !

[JJ and Patty 9]

Congratulations!

[xjoseyx 19]

great post! congratulations

[K1waiting 0]

thanks everyone, 5 days until I we fly back to the US, can't wait

[K1waiting 0]

I'm finally in the US!

Flew over on the 7th of March. My POE was Detroit, and it was nice and easy.

Went up to the CBP officer, handed him my passport and told him I had a K1 visa. He said ok great, and handed it to him. He opened the envelope, had a quick look (like 30 seconds) and said ok lets get this processed. He pulled up my info on the screen, pointed out that I'd been denied entry into the US under the visa waiver program once (as I stayed for 89 days, went to Canada for 3 days and came back) and he said that wasn't a problem.

He took me into the back room and told me that it would be 15mins while he checked the details. He asked me a couple of basic questions like my fiancee's name, my mother maiden name, and then finished it up and told he was done, and to go pick up my bags.

All in all a very pleasant, easy experience!