K1 Experience Dec 09-Apr 10

[sowmyak 0]

A quick over-view of my timeline

17 Dec 09 - Filed I-129F

21 Dec 09 - Received NOA1

16 Mar 10 - NOA2

27 Apr 10 - Interview at Chennai

The interview itself was as expected with the regular questions that you find on VJ. I went in at 900 am and was out by 12.30 pm. Some of the questions I rmbr are

1. Who is your petitioner?

2. What does he do?

3. How did you meet?

4. About his family

5. How did he immigrate

6. What do I do?

7. About my family

8. When/where was the engagement?

9. Why get married in the US instead of in India?

10 Will my parents be attending the wedding?

Some of my experiences with the K1 process that might be useful to you

1. We didn't receive a NOA2 update online despite subscribing for it and it arrived by mail a week later.

2. We did not submit any photos of the 2 of us together at the time of filing for I-129F. We had submitted boarding passes and copies of passport stamping of my finance's travel, phone bills and an affidavit from my dad. Our NOA2 was approved. We did take plenty of photos for the interview though.

3. Apollo is the only hospital in Chennai now to get your medical done. It is a 2 day procedure. My experience with Apollo wasn't great although it eventually had no bearing on the outcome of my interview. I had submitted my passport at the passport office to get the PCC and I informed the person whos number is listed on the chenai consulate pdf this. She asked me to carry an attested copy of my passport in-lieu which I did. On arriving in the hospital we were told by a co-ordinator that the attested copy of the passport would not do. She asked us to come back to Apollo on the day of the interview a few hours before and collect the medical reports by showing the original passport. We agreed as we didn't have a choice. Later the examining doctor told us they have to release the reports within 24 hours of the examination and that she will have to make a note on my report saying that she has not seen my passport but only my PAN card. It was sheer co-incidence that I was carrying my PAN card. It was ridiculous that 3 different people in the same building were telling us 3 different things. The doctor was pretty rude and did make a note in the reports. Luckily it had no bearing on the interview result. I was not even questioned about it.

4. The people at the VFS also do not accept the documents without the passport. I paid the fees and submitted all my docs on the 21st of April for the interview on the 27th as suggested by the VFS person. So they are not very strict about the 15-10 working day window.

5. Get to the embassy only about 10 minutes before your interview. Will save you the trouble of waiting in the queue in the heat and you'll get to bypass it and will be ushered in.

Finally the CO at the chennai consulate told me my visa was approved after the interview and returned all my documents along with my passport. I was too thrilled to notice and it hit me as strange after I got back to the hotel. I called up the consulate enquiring about it. They told me it was a goof-up and asked me to return it at the embassy. I havent received any acknowledgement that they have my visa. My tickets are booked to the US for May 17th and I hope I receive my passport without any more goof-ups

Hope this helps.

Sowmya

[sachinky 465]

Congrats on your approval. Hope you get your visa/passport soon!

[sowmyak 0]

A quick over-view of my timeline

17 Dec 09 - Filed I-129F

21 Dec 09 - Received NOA1

16 Mar 10 - NOA2

27 Apr 10 - Interview at Chennai

The interview itself was as expected with the regular questions that you find on VJ. I went in at 900 am and was out by 12.30 pm. Some of the questions I rmbr are

1. Who is your petitioner?

2. What does he do?

3. How did you meet?

4. About his family

5. How did he immigrate

6. What do I do?

7. About my family

8. When/where was the engagement?

9. Why get married in the US instead of in India?

10 Will my parents be attending the wedding?

Some of my experiences with the K1 process that might be useful to you

1. We didn't receive a NOA2 update online despite subscribing for it and it arrived by mail a week later.

2. We did not submit any photos of the 2 of us together at the time of filing for I-129F. We had submitted boarding passes and copies of passport stamping of my finance's travel, phone bills and an affidavit from my dad. Our NOA2 was approved. We did take plenty of photos for the interview though.

3. Apollo is the only hospital in Chennai now to get your medical done. It is a 2 day procedure. My experience with Apollo wasn't great although it eventually had no bearing on the outcome of my interview. I had submitted my passport at the passport office to get the PCC and I informed the person whos number is listed on the chenai consulate pdf this. She asked me to carry an attested copy of my passport in-lieu which I did. On arriving in the hospital we were told by a co-ordinator that the attested copy of the passport would not do. She asked us to come back to Apollo on the day of the interview a few hours before and collect the medical reports by showing the original passport. We agreed as we didn't have a choice. Later the examining doctor told us they have to release the reports within 24 hours of the examination and that she will have to make a note on my report saying that she has not seen my passport but only my PAN card. It was sheer co-incidence that I was carrying my PAN card. It was ridiculous that 3 different people in the same building were telling us 3 different things. The doctor was pretty rude and did make a note in the reports. Luckily it had no bearing on the interview result. I was not even questioned about it.

4. The people at the VFS also do not accept the documents without the passport. I paid the fees and submitted all my docs on the 21st of April for the interview on the 27th as suggested by the VFS person. So they are not very strict about the 15-10 working day window.

5. Get to the embassy only about 10 minutes before your interview. Will save you the trouble of waiting in the queue in the heat and you'll get to bypass it and will be ushered in.

Finally the CO at the chennai consulate told me my visa was approved after the interview and returned all my documents along with my passport. I was too thrilled to notice and it hit me as strange after I got back to the hotel. I called up the consulate enquiring about it. They told me it was a goof-up and asked me to return it at the embassy. I havent received any acknowledgement that they have my visa. My tickets are booked to the US for May 17th and I hope I receive my passport without any more goof-ups

Hope this helps.

Sowmya

More things as I remember

6. Chennai consulate does not issue Packet 3 for the K1 visa and its a direct P4.

7. As evidence of relationship we carried pictures (20-25), telephone bills (we had spoken for several hours each day and this ran into several pages ) copy of my finance's passport indicating that he travelled thrice to meet me between the engagement in september to april, printouts of a couple of emails.

8. My finance accompanied me to the interview but was not allowed to enter the embassy at the same entrance. He waited at the US citizens waiting area where he was treated very well and was informed as soon as my interview was over so that he could come out.

Edited May 2, 2010 by sowmyak

[JohnAnwesha 4]

A quick over-view of my timeline

17 Dec 09 - Filed I-129F

21 Dec 09 - Received NOA1

16 Mar 10 - NOA2

27 Apr 10 - Interview at Chennai

The interview itself was as expected with the regular questions that you find on VJ. I went in at 900 am and was out by 12.30 pm. Some of the questions I rmbr are

1. Who is your petitioner?

2. What does he do?

3. How did you meet?

4. About his family

5. How did he immigrate

6. What do I do?

7. About my family

8. When/where was the engagement?

9. Why get married in the US instead of in India?

10 Will my parents be attending the wedding?

Some of my experiences with the K1 process that might be useful to you

1. We didn't receive a NOA2 update online despite subscribing for it and it arrived by mail a week later.

2. We did not submit any photos of the 2 of us together at the time of filing for I-129F. We had submitted boarding passes and copies of passport stamping of my finance's travel, phone bills and an affidavit from my dad. Our NOA2 was approved. We did take plenty of photos for the interview though.

3. Apollo is the only hospital in Chennai now to get your medical done. It is a 2 day procedure. My experience with Apollo wasn't great although it eventually had no bearing on the outcome of my interview. I had submitted my passport at the passport office to get the PCC and I informed the person whos number is listed on the chenai consulate pdf this. She asked me to carry an attested copy of my passport in-lieu which I did. On arriving in the hospital we were told by a co-ordinator that the attested copy of the passport would not do. She asked us to come back to Apollo on the day of the interview a few hours before and collect the medical reports by showing the original passport. We agreed as we didn't have a choice. Later the examining doctor told us they have to release the reports within 24 hours of the examination and that she will have to make a note on my report saying that she has not seen my passport but only my PAN card. It was sheer co-incidence that I was carrying my PAN card. It was ridiculous that 3 different people in the same building were telling us 3 different things. The doctor was pretty rude and did make a note in the reports. Luckily it had no bearing on the interview result. I was not even questioned about it.

4. The people at the VFS also do not accept the documents without the passport. I paid the fees and submitted all my docs on the 21st of April for the interview on the 27th as suggested by the VFS person. So they are not very strict about the 15-10 working day window.

5. Get to the embassy only about 10 minutes before your interview. Will save you the trouble of waiting in the queue in the heat and you'll get to bypass it and will be ushered in.

Finally the CO at the chennai consulate told me my visa was approved after the interview and returned all my documents along with my passport. I was too thrilled to notice and it hit me as strange after I got back to the hotel. I called up the consulate enquiring about it. They told me it was a goof-up and asked me to return it at the embassy. I havent received any acknowledgement that they have my visa. My tickets are booked to the US for May 17th and I hope I receive my passport without any more goof-ups

Hope this helps.

Sowmya

Very nice work Soumya!

I hope you get your visa soon and big big congratulations

the feeling must be awesome !

[BlueTrap 0]

Awesome, Sowmyak!!! A BIIIIIG CONGRATS! Must be an awesome feeling -- I myself keep daydreaming about the moment I get the good news about my fiance's visa.

[jjcentral 0]

Congrats Sowmya, my fiancée got her visa in Chennai and is ready to board to USA too. Her interview experience was great but the Apollo doctor visit experience was rude and insulting in many ways. Hope we can report this doctor in some way. Anyway congrats again.

[DanielParul 50]

Congratulations!

[sowmyak 0]

Congratulations!

Thank you everybody.

I arrived in the US on the 17th of May 2010 at the Baltimore (BWI). I filled out the white I 94 form in the flight along with the customs declaration form. Post finger printing at the immigration counter, i was asked a few questions in the second room after some waiting. It was basic stuff like who is you petitioner? Where will you live? when is the wedding date? What does he do? What did you do? Do you have family in the US? Has he come to pick you up today? My passport was stamped and a stub of I 94 was returned.

I have carried a copy of my vaccination record in case I need it later.

The details aside, its wonderful to complete one leg of this long process and be able to move in with your loved one. To look back we filed I 129F on Dec 21st 2009 and I reached the US on May 17th and I must thank the USCIS Vermont Centre and Chennai Embassy for this.