Scheduling Visa Interview in Paris

[ritac23 11]

I've been trying to schedule a visa interview (K-1) at the U.S. Embassy in Paris for 2 weeks now and can't find any available slots. I've filled out the DS-160 and created an account on the ais website, but can't even pay the fee because there are no times available. Is anyone else going through this as well? Should I get worried?

 

I've phoned the embassy multiple times and they've told me to "just keep checking." Do time and dates get posted at a particular time of day that I don't know about and "sell out" in a couple of minutes?

 

I'd really love your help, thank you!

[VersaVersa 6]

11 minutes ago, ritac23 said:

I've been trying to schedule a visa interview (K-1) at the U.S. Embassy in Paris for 2 weeks now and can't find any available slots. I've filled out the DS-160 and created an account on the ais website, but can't even pay the fee because there are no times available. Is anyone else going through this as well? Should I get worried?

 

I've phoned the embassy multiple times and they've told me to "just keep checking." Do time and dates get posted at a particular time of day that I don't know about and "sell out" in a couple of minutes?

 

I'd really love your help, thank you!

I've been on trying to get an interview date too since the first week of August. 

I guess some consulates/embassies are not ready to process cases for now. 

I've even paid the visa fee, booked an appointment for the medicals.

[Paris DC 3]

hi all, 

it is indeed very frustrating that the embassy is not giving interviews, but i reassure you i am in this situation since July 2020 time of my 1st interview officially booked in Paris that got canceled the day prior and since then the only communication i had from the Embassy was in May 2021 asking me to update my documents followed by a sentence saying that the IV section will email me for an interview. 

After that .. Nothing.

my NOA is back from January 2020 so i feel your insecurity and everything else.

Some applicants were able to get their interviews before summer 21 even if their NOA was in September 2020 or later in the year. ( maybe it s a random pick who knows)

Just keep the good mind and try to have your fiancé(e) to come to France to ease the distance turmoil it should be no problem if they are vaccinated.

Write soon and keep us posted.

best 

G

[ritac23 11]

4 hours ago, Paris DC said:

hi all, 

it is indeed very frustrating that the embassy is not giving interviews, but i reassure you i am in this situation since July 2020 time of my 1st interview officially booked in Paris that got canceled the day prior and since then the only communication i had from the Embassy was in May 2021 asking me to update my documents followed by a sentence saying that the IV section will email me for an interview. 

After that .. Nothing.

my NOA is back from January 2020 so i feel your insecurity and everything else.

Some applicants were able to get their interviews before summer 21 even if their NOA was in September 2020 or later in the year. ( maybe it s a random pick who knows)

Just keep the good mind and try to have your fiancé(e) to come to France to ease the distance turmoil it should be no problem if they are vaccinated.

Write soon and keep us posted.

best 

G

Hi, thank you for your answer. We did the paperwork back in June 2020 and got an interview for May 2021 but couldn't attend (it's a long story). I'll keep you all updated if I hear anything. Thankfully, I live with my fiancé in Lisbon, Portugal, so at least we don't have to do LDR. 

11 hours ago, VersaVersa said:

I've been on trying to get an interview date too since the first week of August. 

I guess some consulates/embassies are not ready to process cases for now. 

I've even paid the visa fee, booked an appointment for the medicals.

How did you pay the fee? AIS won't let me move to the next step because "there are no available appointments." I'm scared of booking my medical and still not hearing back from them...

[dianacorreia 0]

On 9/16/2021 at 10:20 PM, ritac23 said:

How did you pay the fee? AIS won't let me move to the next step because "there are no available appointments." I'm scared of booking my medical and still not hearing back from them...

Hey Rita, 

 

Is there any reason why you didn't want to book the medicals before having an interview date settled? 

Can't we book the medicals regardless or we need to wait for the Embassy Letter?

 

My petition was just approved, I haven't received the NOA yet, but I'm trying to take care of everything in advance. Was wondering how early can we file the DS-160 Form, do the medicals and schedule an interview. 

 

Thank you so much! 

[ritac23 11]

6 minutes ago, dianacorreia said:

Hey Rita, 

 

Is there any reason why you didn't want to book the medicals before having an interview date settled? 

Can't we book the medicals regardless or we need to wait for the Embassy Letter?

 

My petition was just approved, I haven't received the NOA yet, but I'm trying to take care of everything in advance. Was wondering how early can we file the DS-160 Form, do the medicals and schedule an interview. 

 

Thank you so much! 

Hi Diana,

 

I believe the medical exam is only valid for 6 months. If I had booked it right after I missed my first interview, which I could not attend, (May 2021), it would have expired by the time I got my second interview date (November 2021). So I didn't want to risk it because it's an expensive box to check. I've been told it's no problem to have the medical after the interview (and that's what I'm doing. Medical in December, interview next week).

 

Wait for an email from the embassy, they'll tell you when to fill out the DS-160 (it takes just over an hour to do it online) and when to start getting your documents (birth certificate, criminal record—you'll get those on the day you request them) and medical (you may have to wait 1 month for an available appointment).

 

My advice: wait, because it can take a while.

 

Best of luck!

 

Rita

[dianacorreia 0]

5 minutes ago, ritac23 said:

Hi Diana,

 

I believe the medical exam is only valid for 6 months. If I had booked it right after I missed my first interview, which I could not attend, (May 2021), it would have expired by the time I got my second interview date (November 2021). So I didn't want to risk it because it's an expensive box to check. I've been told it's no problem to have the medical after the interview (and that's what I'm doing. Medical in December, interview next week).

 

Wait for an email from the embassy, they'll tell you when to fill out the DS-160 (it takes just over an hour to do it online) and when to start getting your documents (birth certificate, criminal record—you'll get those on the day you request them) and medical (you may have to wait 1 month for an available appointment).

 

My advice: wait, because it can take a while.

 

Best of luck!

 

Rita

Hey Rita, 

 

Thank you so much for the fast reply and your advice. 

So you can only book an interview after completing the DS-160 Form correct? Also, did you choose to do your medicals in Portugal or France? The US Embassy in Lisbon has told me that we can actually do it here, in approved clinics of course // I thought that was probably the best solution so that I won't have to stay on Paris for more days. 

 

You were trying to get an interview in Paris since August and only got an appointment in November!? That's crazy, it really helps having this heads up to manage my expectations. 

 

This whole K1 Visa is def a tough process, very looking forward to the time when it is all sorted and I can leave! 

 

Thank you so much, 

Diana 

[ritac23 11]

Just now, dianacorreia said:

Hey Rita, 

 

Thank you so much for the fast reply and your advice. 

So you can only book an interview after completing the DS-160 Form correct? Also, did you choose to do your medicals in Portugal or France? The US Embassy in Lisbon has told me that we can actually do it here, in approved clinics of course // I thought that was probably the best solution so that I won't have to stay on Paris for more days. 

 

You were trying to get an interview in Paris since August and only got an appointment in November!? That's crazy, it really helps having this heads up to manage my expectations. 

 

This whole K1 Visa is def a tough process, very looking forward to the time when it is all sorted and I can leave! 

 

Thank you so much, 

Diana 

Hi Diana,

 

Yes, you have to complete the form DS-160 before scheduling the interview. I chose to do mine in Lisbon because I don't speak French and don't want to spend even more days in Paris. Mine is scheduled for a clinic in Campo Grande (an earlier reply to a comment I left has the contact info for that clinic) although there's also a clinic in Ponta Delgada.

 

Yes! Our plans changed and we decided to attend the interview after all. That was in August. We even contacted my fiancé's US Senator after calling and emailing the embassy for weeks and not getting any answers back. We were affected by Embassy shutdowns and backlog, maybe you won't have to wait as long. Just be patient and try not to think too much about the interview (I obsessed over it every day and it was hard to say the least).

 

Rita

[dianacorreia 0]

5 minutes ago, ritac23 said:

Hi Diana,

 

Yes, you have to complete the form DS-160 before scheduling the interview. I chose to do mine in Lisbon because I don't speak French and don't want to spend even more days in Paris. Mine is scheduled for a clinic in Campo Grande (an earlier reply to a comment I left has the contact info for that clinic) although there's also a clinic in Ponta Delgada.

 

Yes! Our plans changed and we decided to attend the interview after all. That was in August. We even contacted my fiancé's US Senator after calling and emailing the embassy for weeks and not getting any answers back. We were affected by Embassy shutdowns and backlog, maybe you won't have to wait as long. Just be patient and try not to think too much about the interview (I obsessed over it every day and it was hard to say the least).

 

Rita

Rita, 

 

Thank you so much once again! Can I ask how long after your NOA you received the Embassy Letter, and how long after the Embassy Letter was scheduled your 1st interview?

 

Thank you, 

Di

[ritac23 11]

1 minute ago, dianacorreia said:

Rita, 

 

Thank you so much once again! Can I ask how long after your NOA you received the Embassy Letter, and how long after the Embassy Letter was scheduled your 1st interview?

 

Thank you, 

Di

Yeah so my case was very weird. I received a letter saying my petition was approved in April, then heard back in May to say the embassy had received my case. In that same email they scheduled my interview for the end of May. So I'm still confused about how/what happened.

 

Keep in mind ALL correspondence from the embassy was emailed to my fiancé and never to me, even though every email started with "Dear Madam." That was also weird, I though I would receive things.

[dianacorreia 0]

5 minutes ago, ritac23 said:

Yeah so my case was very weird. I received a letter saying my petition was approved in April, then heard back in May to say the embassy had received my case. In that same email they scheduled my interview for the end of May. So I'm still confused about how/what happened.

 

Keep in mind ALL correspondence from the embassy was emailed to my fiancé and never to me, even though every email started with "Dear Madam." That was also weird, I though I would receive things.

Gotcha! So pretty much about 1 month between steps... 

 

Thank you and good luck with the rest of the process! 

Edited November 16, 2021 by dianacorreia

[dianacorreia 0]

On 11/16/2021 at 12:16 PM, ritac23 said:

Yeah so my case was very weird. I received a letter saying my petition was approved in April, then heard back in May to say the embassy had received my case. In that same email they scheduled my interview for the end of May. So I'm still confused about how/what happened.

 

Keep in mind ALL correspondence from the embassy was emailed to my fiancé and never to me, even though every email started with "Dear Madam." That was also weird, I though I would receive things.

Hey Rita, 

 

Just checking on how your interview went? I hope you have the visa in your passport at this point!! 

Question — do you happen to know what affidavit of support form it is needed for DS-160? Is it form I -134 or the I - 864? // did you submit the affidavit of support + last tax return from the petitioner? 

 

Thank you, 

Di

 

 

[ritac23 11]

5 hours ago, dianacorreia said:

Hey Rita, 

 

Just checking on how your interview went? I hope you have the visa in your passport at this point!! 

Question — do you happen to know what affidavit of support form it is needed for DS-160? Is it form I -134 or the I - 864? // did you submit the affidavit of support + last tax return from the petitioner? 

 

Thank you, 

Di

 

 

Hi Diana,

 

The interview went great, you can read the review I left of the embassy on my profile here. I don't have my visa yet because I haven't done the medical, I should get it 2 to 3 weeks after the appointment.

 

I took the DS-160 and the I-134, but I was not asked about the affidavit of support. Probably good to have if you can, but I wouldn't worry too much about it because it's not even listed as needed on the embassy website (I think). I don't think you need any affidavit of support for the DS-160.

[dianacorreia 0]

On 12/6/2021 at 5:09 PM, ritac23 said:

Hi Diana,

 

The interview went great, you can read the review I left of the embassy on my profile here. I don't have my visa yet because I haven't done the medical, I should get it 2 to 3 weeks after the appointment.

 

I took the DS-160 and the I-134, but I was not asked about the affidavit of support. Probably good to have if you can, but I wouldn't worry too much about it because it's not even listed as needed on the embassy website (I think). I don't think you need any affidavit of support for the DS-160.

Hey Rita, 

 

We have just received the first email from NVC with our case number, and saying that our petition has been forward to the Embassy in Paris. They provided the general gov. link so we can check the next steps. I'm actually a bit confused, because I thought that the petition would only be forwarded to the embassy after we completed and submited everything to NVC.

I'm about to start the DS 160, but I'm confused if I'm gonna need my documents (birth certificate, police statement and the petitioner's documents) now, or if those are gonna be requested before. 

 

Is NVC sending us anything more or this is the time when the next correspondence will be from the Embassy already?

 

I have a medical appointment scheduled for the 3rd of January, I wonder if I should delay it a bit. 

Do you have your passport with visa already?

 

Thank you so much! 

[ritac23 11]

2 hours ago, dianacorreia said:

Hey Rita, 

 

We have just received the first email from NVC with our case number, and saying that our petition has been forward to the Embassy in Paris. They provided the general gov. link so we can check the next steps. I'm actually a bit confused, because I thought that the petition would only be forwarded to the embassy after we completed and submited everything to NVC.

I'm about to start the DS 160, but I'm confused if I'm gonna need my documents (birth certificate, police statement and the petitioner's documents) now, or if those are gonna be requested before. 

 

Is NVC sending us anything more or this is the time when the next correspondence will be from the Embassy already?

 

I have a medical appointment scheduled for the 3rd of January, I wonder if I should delay it a bit. 

Do you have your passport with visa already?

 

Thank you so much! 

Hi Diana,

 

I thing that's it. You don't need to submit anything else by mail (I thought I had to as well). Just do the DS-160 and follow the instructions you'll get from the embassy by email. If I were you, I'd reschedule the doctor's appointment. We never know what will happen after Christmas with Covid.

 

I still don't have my passport or visa. I needed to get the flu and tetanus shots (they're both mandatory, the flu every winter, the tetanus every 10 years). I'm betting I'll get it all at the end of January or beginning of February.