Consulate Review: Belgium
Review Topic: K1 Visa
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| Event |
Description |
| Review Date : |
June 6, 2017 |
| Embassy Review : |
Before the interview:
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Packet 3 takes a while to come to you by regular mail (about 3 weeks), but you can do the medical before (the addresses and phone numbers found here on visajourney are still the same; the doctors might be different). Make sure to double-check your diphteria vaccination when you go to your regular doctor at some point, because it's likely out of date,and it's cheaper to buy it before (about 2 euros) than it is there (8 or 9 I think).
Packet 3 is an envelope with a checklist on what to do and what to gather. It says to only send it when you've made an appointment with medical (and you have the other documents known here on VJ). Please note that they actually mean to only send it back when you've BEEN to the medical (or it's very close), because the medical results take 2 weeks to come back! They will put the date at 2 weeks after you've sent it back (mostly on Tuesdays and Thursdays). Make a copy of packet 3, because it states which documents you need to bring. Do NOT send these documents with this packet 3; it clearly says NOT to (aside from the DS-160 thing).
Packet 4 comes via email if you've entered a clear email-address, about 3 or 4 days later, and it will contain an interview date, which you cannot choose yourself.
I had to postpone it due to the medical results taking 2 weeks, and was able to do so by replying to that email; note that they're not supposed to change it like that, so please be very polite. They changed it the next day for me.
Day of the interview:
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Bring the documents as mentioned on VJ, and what they've mentioned in the checklist of packet 3 (which you've copied, of course).
For your birth certificate, and any other official documents, bring both the official as a copy. They will accept the copy if they can see the original. I've asked myself, because I wanted to keep the birth certificate for my AOS later. It wasn't a problem.
I arrived at the embassy (other side of the park!! Regentlaan!) an hour early. I was not on the list, so they took my passport and called in: I was supposed to be on the list, and they added me. I was asked to wait until 13h45 (appointment was at 14h). I said okay and stood at the gate. They asked me to "wait somewhere else". Haha. Thanks, buddies. How kind.
(I ended up asking a friend who works nearby to come pick me up for a drink.)
I went back at 13h55 to the line outside the building. They let me in, you go through the airport-like security line, and leave your bag (no need to take off your shoes). I was allowed to keep my jacket and my phone if I wanted to (I didn't see a need), but not my tablet.
The guard gave me a number for the immigration line before I had a chance to do this; they were very nice.
Inside the building, I sat down. Within 5 minutes, they called me up to the booth.
I had arranged all my documents per theme (so for example, everything with regards to the appointment was in one plastic see-through sheet, everything with the payment was in another sheet, etc). He himself had a checklist with the things he needed for my K1 preparation, and he went through them. Because you can follow it upside down, you will know what to get next before he even asks it.
He needed the DS160 (he already had a copy), your criminal record (you can keep the original if you want to, but I had asked for two as they suggested; the federal government actually sent thém a copy as well!!), birth certificate (he checked the copy with the original and kept the copy), the affidavit of support and proof (which he goes over to check with the minimum amount, and checks the tax return with what is written on the document; he also checks if all signatures etc are there).
He then checked if my medical was inputted as it should be, and if I didn't have any of the diseases. He took it out of the envelope and gave it back to me. At this point, you can ask for a copy of the vaccination record (they have a copier there) if you forgot about this. Please be kind, as they are as well.
What he did NOT ask me: NOA2 (he had a copy), fiance letter of intent renewal, proof of my relationship, the divorce decree of my partner, birth certificate of my partner.
He was incredibly friendly, and he was clearly happy that I had an organized folder. You are mostly just standing there, handing him a paper, or taking one back.
Then I had to sit back down, as he needed to boot up the fingerprint equipment (which takes about 15 minutes). I came back, he took my fingerprints, and I could sit back down. At other booths, it was booted up already, and they could do it immediately. He asked me if I had any other questions, but I didn't.
Then I sat back down again. It took about 20 minutes until I could go to the next booth (which are on the other side of the first four booths; they have arrows).
The consular will ask you questions. He'll start with easy ones, like "what's your fiance's name?" (he means first name), what he does for a living, and if you've met his family. And then he'll kinda ask natural questions which you've probably answered hundreds of times for your relatives and friends already, like how you two met, and how you first met in person. He also asked me what our wedding would look like (we're not having a party, nor a church wedding), and what we're doing for our honeymoon (we're not having one; we're just going to an amusement park, but that was perfectly acceptable to him). It's honestly a lot easier to answer his questions than my parents' questions haha.
He was incredibly kind, and he talked to me about how we met, because he knew a bit about that himself. It wasn't an interrogation at all, just some gentle questions.
He didn't ask for any proof either; I never had to give him anything, although I expected I had to.
Then he said my visa was granted, and gave me a piece of paper so I could come pick up my passport. He reassured me that anyone can pick it up, as long as you have that specific slip of paper.
He asked if I had any questions. I was able to ask him what to bring to the border (which he answered: Xray dvds (which the first man took out of the medical envelope for this reason), passport and visa, and the envelope I'd get). I asked more about the envelope. He said to not open it, but that it came inside another envelope where it was clearly stated what to do with everything, and a clear explanation.
He did not sound annoyed at least, and was happy to answer my questions.
So don't be afraid. If you order your forms, the forms are valid, you're polite, and your relationship is real, you're honestly good to go.
I was very nervous, and I didn't need to be one bit. |
| Rating : |
Very Good |
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