IR1 Interview - 2nd March

[ohiohopeful 53]

Hi All,

 

This is my experience for anyone with an interview in the near future - I will also be adding a review on the office review section.

 

Interview 9am, March 2nd (Medical, 24th March - only 3 working days between these appointments)

 

Arrived at the embassy 8:50am and waited in a very long queue outside in the rain. First checkpoint looked at my DS-260 and passport. Approx wait was 30 minutes in the queue. Was told here not to queue again inside, but to head straight past everyone to the desk as I was waiting on an immigrant visa.

 

In to security, they checked my DS-260, then I had to open an app on my phone, take off jacket and belt etc, standard airport style security. This took a few minutes and I was through.

 

Inside the embassy I walked past the queue, as directed, and spoke to a lady at the desk, who again checked my DS-260, then printed a few stickers with my information on and directed me to the floor above, and was told to turn left, and left again to the waiting area.

 

As I left the elevator, 2 embassy workers beckoned me forward in to the crowded room and told me to sit down to the right hand side - I told them i'd been directed to turn left, to which they replied "Ah okay, yeah left and left again". Be careful here - I think they are working with an influx of J1 visas etc, so just expected me to be waiting for the same category.

 

Once round to the correct waiting area, I sat down and waited 45 minutes to be called up to the first window, at which point a man checked my passport, courier confirmation, DS-260, birth certificate, police certificate and asked me who my joint sponsor was (How I know them). He had all of the financial information on his screen, and asked about my joint sponsor by name, he also only looked at originals and made copies rather than using mine. He handed me a sheet about modern slavery etc, scanned my finger prints and asked me to take a seat again. Contrary to common reviews, this interaction was very friendly and easy, I was expecting someone moody from what i've read! (The few people before me seemed to spend ages at the window with multiple problems, luckily for me it was over in 5 minutes without any problems)

 

I waited 10 mins and was called forward for the final interview. The lady asked me to raise my right hand for an oath of truth, and then scanned my finger prints again. I was asked if I had received the sheet on modern slavery, and whether I had any questions about this. I was asked where I met my spouse, and where we are going to live, she handed my documents back to me that had been held from the first window, and then told me she was accepting the visa application and that I would receive my passport back in 1-2 weeks. Done!

 

Important points: I took, but did not need, all financial documents submitted to the NVC, passport copy for my spouse, photocopy of everything. It seems that the embassy specific instructions are out of date now, so they ask for much more than they need. At my medical they told me it would be a minimum of 5 working days to be sent to the embassy, so I expected to be rejected pending medical results, but to my surprise they had already received them!

 

The process, apart from the waiting, was very straightforward and simple to follow. I'm hugely relieved now it's over! Good luck to anyone with an interview coming up.

[Wuozopo 4,285]

1 hour ago, ohiohopeful said:

Interview 9am, March 2nd (Medical, 24th March - only 3 working days between these appointments)

Can you explain this better? MKes no sense to me. 

 

1 hour ago, ohiohopeful said:

photocopy of everything. It seems that the embassy specific instructions are out of date now,

Their instructions about bringing photocopies are at least 5 years out of date. I remember when that changed but have forgotten the year.

 

Congratulations on your approval. The passport should be back within a week.

[Rocio0010 5,562]

I take it you will be adjusting status in Pittsburgh, PA. One of the highest approval rates in the US FYI. Super nice officers.

[SteveInBostonI130 3,319]

@ohiohopeful

 

Great information, thank you!

 

I was just curious about "Modern Slavery".  Was it about domestic abuse or about human/sex trafficking?  I can understand the domestic abuse pamphlet - my wife was given one at her interview.

 

@Rocio0010, I believe the OP is getting an IR1 visa.  No AOS necessary.

[ohiohopeful 53]

16 minutes ago, Wuozopo said:

Can you explain this better? MKes no sense to me. 

I can explain - the medical was on the 24th Feb, sorry!

 

Working days between 24th Feb and 2nd March are: Fri 25th,  Mon 28th, Tues 1st, but i'm sure it was my mistake that caused confusion.

 

16 minutes ago, Wuozopo said:

Congratulations on your approval. The passport should be back within a week.

Thank you! Much appreciated - very relieved the process is all but over now

[ohiohopeful 53]

11 minutes ago, SteveInBostonI130 said:

@ohiohopeful

 

Great information, thank you!

 

I was just curious about "Modern Slavery".  Was it about domestic abuse or about human/sex trafficking?  I can understand the domestic abuse pamphlet - my wife was given one at her interview.

The general nature of the leaflet is covering rights of US residents, citizens and visa holders, and it mentions modern slavery, sex trafficking, domestic abuse etc. It's exactly the same leaflet I received when I got J1 visas in the past, so I think it covers everything rather than more specific areas. 

[Ben Murphy 11]

On 3/3/2022 at 2:11 PM, ohiohopeful said:

Hi All,

 

This is my experience for anyone with an interview in the near future - I will also be adding a review on the office review section.

 

Interview 9am, March 2nd (Medical, 24th March - only 3 working days between these appointments)

 

Arrived at the embassy 8:50am and waited in a very long queue outside in the rain. First checkpoint looked at my DS-260 and passport. Approx wait was 30 minutes in the queue. Was told here not to queue again inside, but to head straight past everyone to the desk as I was waiting on an immigrant visa.

 

In to security, they checked my DS-260, then I had to open an app on my phone, take off jacket and belt etc, standard airport style security. This took a few minutes and I was through.

 

Inside the embassy I walked past the queue, as directed, and spoke to a lady at the desk, who again checked my DS-260, then printed a few stickers with my information on and directed me to the floor above, and was told to turn left, and left again to the waiting area.

 

As I left the elevator, 2 embassy workers beckoned me forward in to the crowded room and told me to sit down to the right hand side - I told them i'd been directed to turn left, to which they replied "Ah okay, yeah left and left again". Be careful here - I think they are working with an influx of J1 visas etc, so just expected me to be waiting for the same category.

 

Once round to the correct waiting area, I sat down and waited 45 minutes to be called up to the first window, at which point a man checked my passport, courier confirmation, DS-260, birth certificate, police certificate and asked me who my joint sponsor was (How I know them). He had all of the financial information on his screen, and asked about my joint sponsor by name, he also only looked at originals and made copies rather than using mine. He handed me a sheet about modern slavery etc, scanned my finger prints and asked me to take a seat again. Contrary to common reviews, this interaction was very friendly and easy, I was expecting someone moody from what i've read! (The few people before me seemed to spend ages at the window with multiple problems, luckily for me it was over in 5 minutes without any problems)

 

I waited 10 mins and was called forward for the final interview. The lady asked me to raise my right hand for an oath of truth, and then scanned my finger prints again. I was asked if I had received the sheet on modern slavery, and whether I had any questions about this. I was asked where I met my spouse, and where we are going to live, she handed my documents back to me that had been held from the first window, and then told me she was accepting the visa application and that I would receive my passport back in 1-2 weeks. Done!

 

Important points: I took, but did not need, all financial documents submitted to the NVC, passport copy for my spouse, photocopy of everything. It seems that the embassy specific instructions are out of date now, so they ask for much more than they need. At my medical they told me it would be a minimum of 5 working days to be sent to the embassy, so I expected to be rejected pending medical results, but to my surprise they had already received them!

 

The process, apart from the waiting, was very straightforward and simple to follow. I'm hugely relieved now it's over! Good luck to anyone with an interview coming up.

For the DS-260 that you brought and seemed to have been checked several times, was it just the confirmation page that has the 2 barcodes on it? Or did you bring the whole form?

 

Also for the courier confirmation, what did you have for this? I literally have a little section at the bottom of my interview letter that says 'Courier Selection details' and then 3 lines - Courier; Branch name; and Address. Is that what you had?

 

Thanks!

[ohiohopeful 53]

4 hours ago, Ben Murphy said:

For the DS-260 that you brought and seemed to have been checked several times, was it just the confirmation page that has the 2 barcodes on it? Or did you bring the whole form?

 

Also for the courier confirmation, what did you have for this? I literally have a little section at the bottom of my interview letter that says 'Courier Selection details' and then 3 lines - Courier; Branch name; and Address. Is that what you had?

 

Thanks!

DS260 was just the confirmation page with 2 barcodes, so that's right.

 

For the courier confirmation, after i'd paid I got an email confirming that it was all booked in for delivery, so just printed that email. But yeah I also have that courier section on my appointment letter. I'm assuming you've paid and set up the delivery/collection of your passport?

[Ben Murphy 11]

1 hour ago, ohiohopeful said:

DS260 was just the confirmation page with 2 barcodes, so that's right.

 

For the courier confirmation, after i'd paid I got an email confirming that it was all booked in for delivery, so just printed that email. But yeah I also have that courier section on my appointment letter. I'm assuming you've paid and set up the delivery/collection of your passport?

Okay, got that one so all good. 

 

Yeah I did, I did the cheaper one (which was silly really, but I did it!). I have the info on who the courier is, the branch name and the location I need to collect my passport from. Assume that's all I'll need? Is that what they checked when they asked you for the courier confirmation details?

[Raft 4]

@ohiohopeful similar experience on 28th Feb . Very smooth and professional staff .

Have you got your passport back with visa or still under AP .

 

 

[ohiohopeful 53]

On 3/19/2022 at 5:41 PM, Ben Murphy said:

Okay, got that one so all good. 

 

Yeah I did, I did the cheaper one (which was silly really, but I did it!). I have the info on who the courier is, the branch name and the location I need to collect my passport from. Assume that's all I'll need? Is that what they checked when they asked you for the courier confirmation details?

Yeah just handed over the confirmation page to prove that it had been paid etc. Should be smooth going!

[ohiohopeful 53]

On 3/19/2022 at 5:46 PM, Raft said:

@ohiohopeful similar experience on 28th Feb . Very smooth and professional staff .

Have you got your passport back with visa or still under AP .

 

 

My interview was on Wed 2nd March and I had my passport back on the 5th! I was amazed it was processed so quickly to be honest.

 

Have you not had yours yet?