|
|
| London, United Kingdom |  Review on August 19, 2014: |
Beefheart
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
8:15am -- Arrived at the embassy ahead of my 9:30am appointment, and was immediately directed to the shorter of two lines which had formed outside the security offices immediately outside the embassy building itself. I was handed a small plastic bag in which to deposit my phone, belt and watch.
8:25am -- After showing my appointment letter and passport at the head of the shorter queue, I was then told to join the back of the ever-growing second line.
8:55am -- Showed my DS-160, passport and appointment letter to a member of staff immediately outside the security office before being called inside (groups of 4) the office where you undergo the same security check you get at any airport.
9:00am -- Enter the embassy proper, show appointment letter and passport again and received a ticket number from reception which was stuck onto the appointment letter. This is where I lost track of the time as I spent every few seconds glancing up at the screen inside the waiting area to check if my number was being called. Quite cleverly, if a little annoying -- the alert sound for each number is the same error noise you get from windows when unsuccessfully trying to close a window or when you enter an illegal command. Prepare yourself for lots of looking up.
I guess I must have waited roughly half an hour before my number was called (note: K1 Visa numbers start with the letter 'I'; other visa numbers started with 'V' or 'N' from what I can remember. There also seemed to be distinctly less 'I' numbers being called, which surely can't be a bad thing). The British lady who asked for my documents was very approachable and not at all intimidating. I handed over to her: Birth Certificate (original), Police Check (original), proof of visa payment, DS-160, one 5x5 American size passport photo, and the Affidavit of Support I-134). I was asked for scans of my right fingers, then my left, then both thumbs together -- again, just like immigration at US border control in any airport. She then over a quick check list of questions along the lines of: "Have you ever been married before?"; "Have you ever been convicted of a criminal offence in this country or any other?"; "have you ever lived in any other country outside the UK?"
Quick and painless. She informed me everything was in order, handed me an envelope containing a disk with my Chest X-ray results from the medical (which you MUST keep to hand to immigration along with everything else when you next enter the US) and told me to keep an eye out my ticket-number on the board again when I went to go sit back down to wait for my interview.
Approximately 10:45? -- Ticket-number was called again and I returned to the windows around the corner out of the main waiting area, one window down from where I handed over my documents. I was greeted by a pleasant American man who couldn't have been much older than 40. What followed was nothing more than a pretty informal chat; not overly pally, but certainly not an interrogation or chat steeped in an uncomfortable job-interview atmosphere.
He asked me to first off raise my right hand and swear an oath that everything I was about to say would be the truth and that all the information provided was -- to the best of my knowledge -- accurate and truthful. I then placed my right-hand fingers on the scanner again and he leafed through my file, checking a few things as he casually asked a number of questions: "How did you and your fiancee meet?"; "have you met her mother?"; "What does your fiancee do for work?"; "What do you do for work?"; "When's the wedding?".
He also asked a leading question about where my fiancee lives, which I think was an honest mistake by him as he got her place of residence wrong . . . "So, your fiancee lives in Phoenix" -- she actually lives in LA, but when I corrected him he quickly said he must have got it mixed up with a vacation we took last labor day. That was actually to New Mexico, but Albuquerque and Santa Fe aren't a million miles away from Phoenix. Anyway, it wasn't a problem at all. I guess maybe they do throw in techniques like this to catch out those who are applying for their visa under false pretenses. But as I'm (and everyone on this forum) a good guy/gal with honest, healthy desires, there's obviously nothing to worry about whatsoever. The Con-officer didn't strike me as being an underhand, sneaky type anyway, so it's just as likely he was just getting the info muddled up a little.
He flicked through a few of our photos provided in the original petition and without any fanfare or drum-roll casually informed me that the application would be approved  . The following info regarding my passport being sent back along with the envelope for immigration when I next enter the US went straight over my head as I was too relieved and happy for the whole thing to be over. I thanked him and went on my way.
All in all, the whole thing -- especially the interview -- is nothing to worry about. This may not mean a lot to those of you yet to attend your interview -- and I know all the reviews I read still didn't stop me from worrying and getting nervous -- but as long as you have all your paperwork in order and you've nothing to hide then there is absolutely NOTHING to worry about. In truth, it's all a little anti-climatic and the interview itself is not intimidating or grueling at all.
I hope this information may help to ready a few of you for your (big) day, and sets your mind at ease somewhat. I know for me, just being aware of what to expect on the day helped me to not get in a fluster or overwhelmed by anything.
Good luck -- not that you need it!
| |
|
Consulate / USCIS Member Review #15031