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| London, United Kingdom |  Review on January 16, 2017: |
Zoe_Doodah
Rating:  | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
Arrived at 9:30 for my 10:30 appointment and was told to report back to the desk outside at 10:00, so after a little walk around a very pretty but chilly Grosvenor Square, I went back and showed my passport and Courier booking confirmation print-out, which also had details of my appointment on. I was ticked off the printed out list and shown to the security hut. After having my bag scanned and walking through the body scanner (no pat down or anything), I headed towards the consulate entrance round the corner, showed my passport again and was given a sheet of paper with my number on to look out for on the screen.
The room was very busy and I took a seat and waited for my number to come up. I was I902 so when I901 came up, I knew I wouldn't be long behind and ten minutes later my number came up, so I headed to the appropriately numbered desk. Unfortunately the person in front of me was still at the desk handing over paperwork, so I kept a respectful distance behind him and waited til he was done. I was then called up by the clerk who asked for the following:
Original birth certificate
Original wedding certificate
Original police certificate
2 photos, one of which I had to print my name on the back
Passport
I was not asked for any other documents and didn't offer any as the instructions on the big screen at the front tell you clearly not to offer any documents other than those which are specifically asked for by the clerk. I could see that they were in possession of the documents we had filed with the NVC, complete with our handwritten post-it notes detailing what was what.
The clerk put everything, including the results of my medical, into a larger clear file, gave me my TB X-ray on a disc for POE, and told me to go back and wait in the same room as I had been waiting in earlier. You don't have to remember your number as you will be given a piece of paper with it on.
After about an hour (seemed like longer), the entire waiting room was almost empty except for the 8 or so Immigrant Visa applicants who were still waiting. When I901 was called up, I assumed that I would be up soon as before but unfortunately it was another 45 minutes before I was called. By this time I was pretty nervous but when I got to the window, a very nice gentleman asked me to take the oath and then said we would begin the interview. He asked the following questions:
1) Where is your husband now?
2) What's the longest time you have ever spent in the US
3) Why did you wait 2.5 years after your husband became a US Citizen to apply for a Permanent Residency?
Then he said he was going to approve the visa now. I was a little taken aback as the person in front of me had been up at the desk for 45 minutes so I asked if that was it and he said it was. Delighted wasn't the word! He gave me back my original certificates and wished me well and that was that. I went back to the waiting room to put my documents away and wrap up warmly before going back out into the cold.
The man who had been in front of me was still there and he said he had been sent away to get more documents before they would approve his visa, but it did sound like a particularly complicated case with lots of original certificates needed, and also there was another guy in there who had turned up with literally just his passport and nothing else, so was also sent away to get more information.
My advice would be to bring everything they specifically ask for, even though they may not request it, and more besides. I had lots of prof of relationship, which they do specifically ask you to bring, but wasn't asked for any of it. Hopefully you won't need it at all but it is always best to have everything with you, just in case. In the end, they didn't even ask for everything I had been told to bring but I did feel a lot more comfortable knowing I had all potential bases covered.
I'm giving this a "5" not only because my interview was successful but because the whole process was efficient and professional and I was treated with courtesy at all times.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #21184