London interview yesterday - approved

[kins 0]

Well it was my interview yesterday at the London US Embassy and all went well and I am approved! Visa should arrive next week. So relieved...

I met up with Lina there also from VisaJourney - it was great to have someone there to talk to.

I arrived at the embassy around 10am, queued for half an hour to get in, showed my passport and interview letter to anyone who asked, handed over my mobile/ipod/carkeys at security, showed my interview letter again, took a number, then waited inside. There were hundreds of people there but it was pretty well organised. They sell drinks and food there by the way. The tea was nearly drinkable...

When I was finally called to a window the first stage was to hand over the various documents to a lady with a quite dificult-to-understand accent. Friendly though. Anyway I gave her:

DS-230 part 2

my birth certificate and a copy

one photo

police certificate thingy and copy

I-864

copy of husband's latest tax return - they didn't want transcripts and they didn't want W-2s as he'd only worked in the UK

information on using our house as an asset - I had...

letter from estate agent confirming offer, and copy

statement from mortgage company showing outstanding balance, and copy

entry on land registry to prove it's really our house (just in case), and copy

I'd taken along loads of extra stuff just in case, but none of it was needed... blank I-864, children's birth certificates, husband's birth certifiicate, husband's job offer letter, old tax returns.

The woman behind the window had my file there, plus she could see that in the past I had applied for a K-1 visa and that I'd previously held a green card, so she asked why I was going through all of this again, and was happy with my explanation. She asked about my kids briefly. She scanned my fingerprints and thumbprints.

Then she told me my paperwork all looked fine, so to go and pay the visa fee at the cashier's desk and bring the receipt back to her. And she handed me a big brown envelope with my chest X-ray in it - hmm that was fun to carry all around London...

I got called again eventually to a different window for my interview, where I had my fingerprints scanned again, then I had to hold up my right hand and swear that everything I was saying was the truth. Then she didn't really ask me any questions, just said everything was fine and gave me back my original documents. She told me that the visa will be with me in 3-5 working days, that I had to pay for the courier on the way out, and that I will also receive a brown envelope which I shouldn't open. I asked her what to do with the X-rays and she checked through my file then said I could just pack them in my suitcase.

So we are approved! And I am flying out to the US with my three children on 30th June! And now I have SO much to do before then aaaarrrrrgggghhhh! The other good news is my husband has found us a house to live in when we get there, which is a nice bonus ;-)

By the way the whole thing including queueing took two hours, I think I was lucky...

[John/Sam Miles 0]

Well it was my interview yesterday at the London US Embassy and all went well and I am approved! Visa should arrive next week. So relieved...

I met up with Lina there also from VisaJourney - it was great to have someone there to talk to.

I arrived at the embassy around 10am, queued for half an hour to get in, showed my passport and interview letter to anyone who asked, handed over my mobile/ipod/carkeys at security, showed my interview letter again, took a number, then waited inside. There were hundreds of people there but it was pretty well organised. They sell drinks and food there by the way. The tea was nearly drinkable...

When I was finally called to a window the first stage was to hand over the various documents to a lady with a quite dificult-to-understand accent. Friendly though. Anyway I gave her:

DS-230 part 2

my birth certificate and a copy

one photo

police certificate thingy and copy

I-864

copy of husband's latest tax return - they didn't want transcripts and they didn't want W-2s as he'd only worked in the UK

information on using our house as an asset - I had...

letter from estate agent confirming offer, and copy

statement from mortgage company showing outstanding balance, and copy

entry on land registry to prove it's really our house (just in case), and copy

I'd taken along loads of extra stuff just in case, but none of it was needed... blank I-864, children's birth certificates, husband's birth certifiicate, husband's job offer letter, old tax returns.

The woman behind the window had my file there, plus she could see that in the past I had applied for a K-1 visa and that I'd previously held a green card, so she asked why I was going through all of this again, and was happy with my explanation. She asked about my kids briefly. She scanned my fingerprints and thumbprints.

Then she told me my paperwork all looked fine, so to go and pay the visa fee at the cashier's desk and bring the receipt back to her. And she handed me a big brown envelope with my chest X-ray in it - hmm that was fun to carry all around London...

I got called again eventually to a different window for my interview, where I had my fingerprints scanned again, then I had to hold up my right hand and swear that everything I was saying was the truth. Then she didn't really ask me any questions, just said everything was fine and gave me back my original documents. She told me that the visa will be with me in 3-5 working days, that I had to pay for the courier on the way out, and that I will also receive a brown envelope which I shouldn't open. I asked her what to do with the X-rays and she checked through my file then said I could just pack them in my suitcase.

So we are approved! And I am flying out to the US with my three children on 30th June! And now I have SO much to do before then aaaarrrrrgggghhhh! The other good news is my husband has found us a house to live in when we get there, which is a nice bonus ;-)

By the way the whole thing including queueing took two hours, I think I was lucky...

Hi there

I really enjoyed reading your post. It is always nice to hear exaclty what others go through and what to expect.

Congratulations!!!!

Good Luck for your Future!!!

Sam

[UK-to-USA 0]

From reading your post, it seems that your spouse is already in the US. Is that so? Currently, my wife (UKC) and I (USC) are waiting for our Packet 4/Interview Date and it looks like I might have to go to the US to start a new job before her interview. Will my "moving" to the US before the interview screw up her CR1 application?

Thanks.

Edited June 9, 2007 by UK-to-USA

[homesick_american 1]

From reading your post, it seems that your spouse is already in the US. Is that so? Currently, my wife (UKC) and I (USC) are waiting for our Packet 4/Interview Date and it looks like I might have to go to the US to start a new job before her interview. Will my "moving" to the US before the interview screw up her CR1 application?

Thanks.

It shouldn't. The petitioner (you) does not have to be present for the interview.

[Duffbeer 0]

CONGRATS KINS...THAT'S EXCELLENT NEWS....

I hope it all goes as smoothly for me tomorrow!

[elmcitymaven 9,711]

CONGRATS KINS...THAT'S EXCELLENT NEWS....

I hope it all goes as smoothly for me tomorrow!

Hey Duffbeer -- I'm adding you to the London Embassy thread over in the UK forum. We love it when yet another of us gets approved, so hope you don't mind.

Good luck tomorrow!

[MaydayDas 1]

Congratulations for your interview I wish you all of you a happy life in the States

[Duffbeer 0]

CONGRATS KINS...THAT'S EXCELLENT NEWS....

I hope it all goes as smoothly for me tomorrow!

Hey Duffbeer -- I'm adding you to the London Embassy thread over in the UK forum. We love it when yet another of us gets approved, so hope you don't mind.

Good luck tomorrow!

Thanks Elm,

Sure i dont mind but where is this uk forum?

Cheers

Andy

[elmcitymaven 9,711]

Thanks Elm,

Sure i dont mind but where is this uk forum?

Cheers

Andy

Have you never come over to visit us in the UK sub-forum? Well, come on in, you're name's down on the list! http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...amp;s=&f=99

Check out this topic to see how we've all been doing on our interviews: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...mp;#entry975520

See you there!

[kins 0]

From reading your post, it seems that your spouse is already in the US. Is that so? Currently, my wife (UKC) and I (USC) are waiting for our Packet 4/Interview Date and it looks like I might have to go to the US to start a new job before her interview. Will my "moving" to the US before the interview screw up her CR1 application?

Thanks.

This is exactly what we did. Filed the I-130 back in January when my husband (the US citizen) was living in the UK. He moved to the US early May to start a new job. My interview was in June. No problems! (Well, other than me being left in the UK with three children under six to look after on my own!) In fact it would help you with establishing domicile in the US, not that it seems to be a big deal when applying via London anyway...

Good luck!

[bevray 0]

Kins

can I ask when you received your interview letter did it state as mine does if you sent I864 to NVC it is not needed for the interview? I noticed you handed over yours. My husband has sent me a photocopy of the I864 he sent to NVC along with copies of his last three years accounts. I am just worried they will want an original copy and my interview is Monday. I have highlighted the part on the letter to show them if they question the copy. I just dont understand they want the same information over and over again. I thought the paperwork was sent from NVC to london which includes the I864.

By the way congratulations and have a good flight.

Bev

[kins 0]

Kins

can I ask when you received your interview letter did it state as mine does if you sent I864 to NVC it is not needed for the interview? I noticed you handed over yours. My husband has sent me a photocopy of the I864 he sent to NVC along with copies of his last three years accounts. I am just worried they will want an original copy and my interview is Monday. I have highlighted the part on the letter to show them if they question the copy. I just dont understand they want the same information over and over again. I thought the paperwork was sent from NVC to london which includes the I864.

By the way congratulations and have a good flight.

Bev

I didn't file via a Service Center so there wasn't any mention of it on my interview letter. The interview was the first time anyone saw my I-864. I hope a copy is good enough for your interview! And thank you for the congrats :-)