K-1 Interview Booking Question

[JFH 12,189]

She is out of work which is why we were worried, but the sad thing is they started grilling us and being rude before even asking us ANY questions about what she does in the UK. They didn't ask for the proof of residence etc... which we had ready to give them. I offered it to the person at the window and he just shook his head as if we were "all wrong" and said "they will deal with you".

I think perhaps the red flags for us were two fold - we were flying through Dublin where you do pre-flight screening, and we were travelling together. We were doing that because my wife was so nervous she wanted me with her, and she didn't want to fly all the way to Houston to be made to turn around in the airport. However, I think they saw us travelling together and going through Dublin and "asusmed" we were taking the "easy way" and we were suspicious.

Ah, Dublin pre-clearance. It wasn't a thin man with ginger hair, by any chance? I had him once there and he was awful to me. He let me through without going to secondary but I felt he was very unprofessional in his approach. I used the machines but it wouldn't read my finger prints so I had to queue up for a desk. When I got to the desk he commented that my fingerprints couldn't be read by the machine and asked me to do them on the machine in front of him. As I lifted my hand he commented on the fact that I had 'multiple layers of clothing on' (I had a jacket, sweatshirt and t-shirt on but he would only have been able to see the jacket and sweatshirt). I explained I was going to Colorado (it was mid-December!). Seriously, not every Brit going to the US is headed to Orlando! He quizzed me why I was going to Colorado alone and I told him I was going to see my husband. He said 'So that explains why you're so nervous and clammy and your fingerprints won't read. Are you planning to stay there and not return?'. I was taken aback by this. I understand they have to question people and treat people with suspicion but I have a very good record of over 40 entries and exits - I used to work for American Airlines. I have always returned when I said I would. I'm 42 years old with a university degree and a career, not a teenager who thinks it would fun to run away to America. It was the assumption that I was lying that took me aback. At that time we were in the process of filing for a settlement visa for my husband for the UK and I showed him all the paperwork related to that. I told him I had no intention of staying, on the contrary - we were planning to have my husband move to the UK. He seemed to be offended by that and could not for the life of him imagine why anyone would want to leave the US for the UK. Very arrogant man.

[bcking 3,157]

Ah, Dublin pre-clearance. It wasn't a thin man with ginger hair, by any chance? I had him once there and he was awful to me. He let me through without going to secondary but I felt he was very unprofessional in his approach. I used the machines but it wouldn't read my finger prints so I had to queue up for a desk. When I got to the desk he commented that my fingerprints couldn't be read by the machine and asked me to do them on the machine in front of him. As I lifted my hand he commented on the fact that I had 'multiple layers of clothing on' (I had a jacket, sweatshirt and t-shirt on but he would only have been able to see the jacket and sweatshirt). I explained I was going to Colorado (it was mid-December!). Seriously, not every Brit going to the US is headed to Orlando! He quizzed me why I was going to Colorado alone and I told him I was going to see my husband. He said 'So that explains why you're so nervous and clammy and your fingerprints won't read. Are you planning to stay there and not return?'. I was taken aback by this. I understand they have to question people and treat people with suspicion but I have a very good record of over 40 entries and exits - I used to work for American Airlines. I have always returned when I said I would. I'm 42 years old with a university degree and a career, not a teenager who thinks it would fun to run away to America. It was the assumption that I was lying that took me aback. At that time we were in the process of filing for a settlement visa for my husband for the UK and I showed him all the paperwork related to that. I told him I had no intention of staying, on the contrary - we were planning to have my husband move to the UK. He seemed to be offended by that and could not for the life of him imagine why anyone would want to leave the US for the UK. Very arrogant man.

Our primary screening man was entirely forgettable since he didn't ask us a single question, and didn't let us tell him a single piece of information. We didn't try using the computers first since it was her first time travelling on her updated passport (after the name change when we got married) so the ESTA was "fresh".

The second person (in secondary) was a "short-ish" man with brown hair, fairly non-descript. The most memorable thing was that he started his "meeting" with me in private by talking about himself and how he had worked at Miami International for some number of years and how I wouldn't be able to get anything past him and he would "see through my bullshit" (his actual words). This was before he asked me ANY questions about our relationship, who travelling intentions etc...

It was the perfect example of "guilty until proven innocent". Nothing made them suspicious, they were just automatically suspicious. It was a good 10 minutes before I could actually get any information in edge-wise (like, for example, that I had a copy of our NOA2, her current address in the UK with active utilities/bank accounts, etc...). His response to all the paperwork was essentially "Yes but can you prove to me that she will get on the flight going back to the UK?". To him, having a ticket to return wasn't enough "proof", nor was the 15+ times she had already travelled to see me and returned responsibly. I honestly don't even know why he let us through, unless he was just doing all of this to show his "power" over people and he gets off on it.

This is compared to my visits to the UK where I go through the UK-passport line since I'm a "registered traveller" and I don't even need to talk to anyone. I just use the automated machines.

[Kat&Jon 84]

Hi Kat,

Nice to hear from you To book and then reschedule sounds like a good idea! Do you mind updating me on how easy it was to reschedule, when you guys try to re-book?

Thank you so much!!!!

Following up as promised Kasulia!

Jon rescheduled his interview for the day we wanted in January which is the Friday before I fly back home from my visit. He said it was super easy and you just have to log in and select reschedule and you can pick the later date.

It looks like they open up the dates for scheduling the interview about 8 to 9 weeks out with the earliest available always being around the 6 week mark from when you try to schedule. They don't seem to let you schedule any later than that 8 to 9 week mark from the two times we have checked so far.

I hope this helps with your plan to schedule in February! Good luck!

[Kasulia 1]

Following up as promised Kasulia!

Jon rescheduled his interview for the day we wanted in January which is the Friday before I fly back home from my visit. He said it was super easy and you just have to log in and select reschedule and you can pick the later date.

It looks like they open up the dates for scheduling the interview about 8 to 9 weeks out with the earliest available always being around the 6 week mark from when you try to schedule. They don't seem to let you schedule any later than that 8 to 9 week mark from the two times we have checked so far.

I hope this helps with your plan to schedule in February! Good luck!

Hi guys,

Thanks a lot! This is exactly what I needed. I think I will copy your example and book for the date before my petition expires and then reschedule for when I need

All the best for your journey!

[valentinanola 17]

Ah, Dublin pre-clearance. It wasn't a thin man with ginger hair, by any chance? I had him once there and he was awful to me. He let me through without going to secondary but I felt he was very unprofessional in his approach. I used the machines but it wouldn't read my finger prints so I had to queue up for a desk. When I got to the desk he commented that my fingerprints couldn't be read by the machine and asked me to do them on the machine in front of him. As I lifted my hand he commented on the fact that I had 'multiple layers of clothing on' (I had a jacket, sweatshirt and t-shirt on but he would only have been able to see the jacket and sweatshirt). I explained I was going to Colorado (it was mid-December!). Seriously, not every Brit going to the US is headed to Orlando! He quizzed me why I was going to Colorado alone and I told him I was going to see my husband. He said 'So that explains why you're so nervous and clammy and your fingerprints won't read. Are you planning to stay there and not return?'. I was taken aback by this. I understand they have to question people and treat people with suspicion but I have a very good record of over 40 entries and exits - I used to work for American Airlines. I have always returned when I said I would. I'm 42 years old with a university degree and a career, not a teenager who thinks it would fun to run away to America. It was the assumption that I was lying that took me aback. At that time we were in the process of filing for a settlement visa for my husband for the UK and I showed him all the paperwork related to that. I told him I had no intention of staying, on the contrary - we were planning to have my husband move to the UK. He seemed to be offended by that and could not for the life of him imagine why anyone would want to leave the US for the UK. Very arrogant man.

Officer DIMATTINA (I will never forget his name and stupid face) at preclearance in Dublin made me miss my flight to New York when we had just filed the petition and I was travelling under ESTA.

I had to pay for my own hotel room in Dublin and had to get on another flight the next day, that MY AIRLINE was nice enough to gift to me. But when I got back to the UK from my New York trip I sent a long complaint to preclearance and they refunded my flight as the staff was being unprofessional and they saw other people before me, even tho I was the one with the most urgent flight. They kept me in secondary for no reason whatsoever only to ask me if I was bringing food to New York and why was I staying only for a week instead of 3 months.... CAUSE I HAVE A JOB???????

Seriously the worst experience ever, never ever flying into Dublin ever again.

[JFH 12,189]

Officer DIMATTINA (I will never forget his name and stupid face) at preclearance in Dublin made me miss my flight to New York when we had just filed the petition and I was travelling under ESTA.

I had to pay for my own hotel room in Dublin and had to get on another flight the next day, that MY AIRLINE was nice enough to gift to me. But when I got back to the UK from my New York trip I sent a long complaint to preclearance and they refunded my flight as the staff was being unprofessional and they saw other people before me, even tho I was the one with the most urgent flight. They kept me in secondary for no reason whatsoever only to ask me if I was bringing food to New York and why was I staying only for a week instead of 3 months.... CAUSE I HAVE A JOB???????

Seriously the worst experience ever, never ever flying into Dublin ever again.

Interesting, thanks for sharing. Maybe it's because they are working overseas that they think they can act differently? Kind of how people always seem to behave differently on work trips away from the office and management. The house rules don't apply? Something like that. I wonder if it was because you were female that you were treated like that. Would be interesting to see if any men have been intimidated by them. Here we have had at least three reports if females being overly questioned by them at Dublin.