Embassies contract out investigative firms that send clandestine staff out to the field. If they harbor suspicions, COs may contact family, banks, employers, etc. Experienced consular officers seem to have a sixth sense, esp if there are certain flags in an application.
I know of one scenario where the CO reached out to a New Delhi visa applicant's employer prior to interview, following which the visa was denied.
Me and my fiancée were at the NWD last month for our K1 interview, which went very smooth! We were really very nervous and anxious at the same time as we had been looking forward to this day since so long. My fiancée had flown in from the US for the interview and we were not even clear if she would be allowed to stay with me during the interview.
We reached the Embassy early (by 7:30 AM).
First we were made to wait outside the embassy and people were called inside according to their interview time i.e 7:30, 8:00 etc As we were scheduled for 8:30AM batch, we were admitted into the embassy around 8:45am. The guards at the entry took our mobile phones and stored them in a locker and gave us a token for that. After entering we were made to sit down again and wait in the lobby.
Once inside the Embassy, we were given a token number. In there an electronic display guides you when your number is up to go through 3 different counters in the order;
1) The first counter is for biometrics : Fingerprints (takes about a minute once your number is up).
2) At the second counter you submit your forms, police certificates and essentially everything that you have compiled in your PACKET 4. (takes about 10-15 minutes once you are at the counter).
3) The third and the final counter is where you are interviewed by the consular officer for your K1. I had expected for the interview to take place in a room or a cubicle but surprisingly the interviews take place at the window of a counter! (amount of time spent here depends on how your interview proceeds).
I did not face any trouble while getting my US Citizen fiancée into the embassy with me or having her by my side throughout the whole process including the interview. No one even looked twice let alone say anything regarding her presence in the embassy. They just saw her American passport and asked if she was with me for interview. Even the consular officer was freely asking her questions regarding our relationship and did not show any reservations whatsoever to her presence. Personally I feel it was very helpful for me to have my fiancee by my side during the interview and it had a very positive effect on the outcome of the interview.
Inside the embassy everything went smoothly and we were out in 3 hours time i.e by 12 noon.
The interview:
It only took 5-7 minutes to complete the interview. The officer made us raise our hands to take an oath of truth and proceeded with the questioning:
How and when u guys met? Why did you go for a fiancée (K1) visa and not for marriage visa? Why marriage ceremony is being held in US and not in India? Will my family be able to go to US for marriage?
Two out of those four questions I answered and two were answered by my fiancée. We had tons of evidence in form of chat printouts and photographs etc, but he did not ask for any of it!
Then he said, we will mail you whenever your visa is ready for pick up :-) 7 days later we got an email saying that my visa was ready for pickup. Incidentally it was the very same day that my fiancée was supposed to take the flight to return back to the US. We picked up my visa the same day, bought a ticket for me too and boarded the plane together for US. LOL. And here I am now with the love of my life enjoying snowfall in New york.
Overall it was a great experience for both of us! Our K1 journey lasted 9.5 months and I am happy that it is over :-)
Can you 100% be sure that not a single person at your event will post anything on social media?
Will the invitations that are being sent out be wedding invites?
How can you be sure not a single person at your wedding will believe it's not a wedding and tell everyone they know they went to your wedding? You can't stop what others will post of think.
It doesn't matter if this is done after visa is in hand as the at POE they will also question about your wedding plans. If on entry they see anything that looks like a wedding ring they can deny entry. If they find any posting on social media they can deny entry.
I was even asked if my husband was there with me. I quickly answer that my fiance was there with his mom to help us move. They do try to trip you up at times and if I simply said yes he right there. They could have denied me entrance and voided my K1 visa. They don't need proof of marriage all they need is to think you may have gotten married and your toast.
So while this may really only be relevant to filers dealing with Jakarta, but I did receive an email back from the Consulate there:
"Thank you for your email.
You can have a family celebration here in Indonesia. Do not register this ceremony to the KUA or Civil registry Office. If you do so, your fiancé will not eligible for a K-1 visa status.
Regards, IMMIGRANT VISA UNIT Embassy of the United States of America I Jalan Medan Merdeka Selatan #5 I Jakarta 10110 I Indonesia Email: JakIV@state.gov I Fax +62 (21) 385-7189 I internet: http://jakarta.usembassy.gov"
Boo4Bae got a reaction from Naes in Dates Updated at USCIS Website - No response of petetion