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VanillaCats

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  1. Sad
    VanillaCats reacted to geowrian in When will I receive EAD~?   
    I-765*
     
    Know? Not possible. It could be tomorrow or a year from now or never.
    The average is around 4-7 months right now.
  2. Thanks
    VanillaCats reacted to MXcompadre in Flying tomorrow   
    @VanillaCatsMost assuredly it is an issue with the Air Transat website.  Upon check in tomorrow ask them about it...I would ask them to credit your VISA for the $7.  See what they say; it never hurts to just ask!!! Safe, enjoyable travels tomorrow, to join and  be with your future spouse, y Bienvenidos a Las Estados Unidos!
  3. Like
    VanillaCats got a reaction from Zoeeeeeee in Flying tomorrow   
    I just applied for the transit visa and it was 7 dollars. Was approved. Was very stressful because I didn’t know I needed a visa for a connecting flight! Thanks all! 
  4. Like
    VanillaCats reacted to Qwerty87 in Interview tomorrow   
    Hey everyone, thought I would update you all on here. It's been issued!!!!!
  5. Like
    VanillaCats reacted to WeGuyGal in Does my brother require a visa?   
    He needs to apply for a B2 visa.  Being an Iranian national, (considering he is eligible for an Iranian passport) he is ineligible to travel to the US without a waiver. 
  6. Thanks
    VanillaCats got a reaction from LiamT7 in K1 Visa Approved | Interview Experience   
    Congrats!!!  Wishing you both all the best! 
  7. Like
    VanillaCats reacted to LiamT7 in K1 Visa Approved | Interview Experience   
    Good Evening all!
     
    Good news... My K1 has been approved at my interview today!!  
     
    Here is my experience:
     
    Getting To London
    I am pretty lucky and I live on the south coast, so getting to London is pretty straight forward and means that I did not have to spend the night there.
    To get to the Embassy, my kind friend offered to drive me, which made things a whole lot easier. My interview was at 10:30AM, and I wanted to get there for around 10:00AM so I had a little bit of time to play with. (It is recommended that you arrive 20 minutes before your interview I believe). As it was the day after a bank holiday, we left early, at 06:50AM to make sure that we are not late due to London traffic, and we ended up arriving at 09:55AM, so perfect timing!
     
    For those of you wondering, the new Embassy is on the very outskirts of the London Congestion Zone, so just make sure you don't drive too far away from the Embassy to avoid this zone. (You can see a map for the congestion zone here)
     
    Directly opposite the Embassy, there is a Waitrose that has 2 hours of free parking, which was enough for us, but it is best to have the driver ready to move the car somewhere else in case you get delayed in the Embassy as if you stay over the 2 hours you get charged £90 with no option to extend the stay.
     
    The Embassy
    You want to go to the South Pavilion Consular Services entrance along Ponton Road, it won't be hard to miss, just look for the armed guards . Just before entering, they will ask you for your DS-160 and your passport. They will confirm your appointment and give them back
     
    When you enter, you will go through airport-style security, empty your pockets, go through a metal detector, etc. After this, you walk outside of this building up to the Embassy building itself, and you will be presented with 2 doors. A red door which is marked "Visa Services" and a blue door marked "Citizen Services". Go through the BLUE door (Citizen Services). Once you walk through here, you will arrive at a reception desk, where they asked me for my DS-160 again. They will then put a sticker on the DS-160 with a number. Once they do this, they tell you to proceed to the elevator, go to the 1st floor and then to turn left, walk all the way down, and the left again at the end. 
    I proceeded to the 1st floor. When you exit the elevator, there will be a massive room in front of you with a lot of people, but don't worry, this isn't for you. Turn left, walk all of the way past all of the chairs and windows, and then at the end of the room, turn left again. You will then come into a smaller version of the initial room, where you can take a seat.
     
    Keep an eye on the board which calls the numbers.
     
    Window 1 (10 minutes spent here)
    I waited for about 2 minutes, and then I was called up to one of the windows. At the window was a very friendly man, who asked for my passport, State of Department size pictures, birth certificate, police certificate, Affidavit of Support and supporting evidence.
    In regards to the Affidavit of Support (I-134), my fiance is currently in the final part of her University course and does not have a fulltime job. As she does not currently meet the poverty line, I had her mother fill out an Affidavit of Support, and had all of the supporting evidence from her. I also had my fiance fill out a copy of the Affidavit of Support as well.
    He asked for both my fiances and her mother's Affidavit of support, so if you are in the same situation, I would recommend having both of them fill out their own copy. The only evidence he wanted in regards to her mother's Affidavit of Support was the letter from her employer, but I did overhear that someone else was asked for Tax Transcripts, so bring them just in case.
    As my fiance is at University, he also asked me for evidence of this, which I had in the form of her course transcripts that outlines all of her classes, dates, etc. She has also recently had a Letter of Intent for a job, so I provided him with this as well. 
     
    He then went to grab my medical results, and he gave me a DVD to keep which contained my X-Ray.
     
    The only two questions he asked me was:
    "Are you going to be staying with her mother when you arrive?"
    "Have you got everything organised for the wedding?"
    "If everything goes to plan, when do you intend on entering the US?"
     
    He then took my fingerprints and asked me to take a seat, and to wait for my number to be called again, where I will be interviewed by an officer at a different window"
     
    Window 2 (10 minutes spent here)
    After about a 20 minute wait, I was then called up to the next window. This time, it was a lady. She started off by taking my name, my fiance's name, fingerprints and had me raise my right hand and take an oath (Basically saying that you swear to say the truth). 
     
    After taking my fingerprints again, she asked me the following questions:
    "How did you two meet?"
    "When did you start dating?"
    "How often do you see each other"
    "Has she ever come to England" (To which the answer was no)
    "Why has she never come to England" (It has always been more convenient for me to go their due to her studies)
    "Do you have any questions about the domestic abuse leaflet?"
     
    She then started typing on her computer, and about two minutes later she said "I am pleased to say that today we are able to approve your Visa, you should receive an email within the next 7-10 days once the Visa has been dispatched"
    My face just lit up when I heard this, it is one thing imagining those words being said, and another thing to actually hear them.
     
    She then gave me back my birth certificate and my police certificate, and that was the end of it. I then just left the embassy!
     
    I would like to thank everything that has offered me support throughout the course of this whole process, and a special thank you to @Wuozopo for all of your help.
     
    If there are any questions, feel free to ask!
     
  8. Like
    VanillaCats reacted to Frobert in K1 Interview experience !!Approved!!   
    I had my interview appointment at 10am and as I'm based in Belfast flew in the night before and stayed at the Best Western Plus Vauxhall. It's a perfectly serviceable hotel which is modern, clean, in a quiet residential area and exactly what you would expect from one of these chain places. Rooms are tiny but that didn't bother me in the slightest. They do what looks to be a small continental breakfast but I didn't partake, I was too nervous to eat! there's a Co-op which is a 5min walk along S Lambeth Rd if you need things and a couple of 24/7 shops too. also a lot of food places.

    I spoke to the receptionist when i was checking out and they had no problem keeping my overnight bag for a couple of hours while i was at my interview, they have a locked cloakroom so that was very helpful.

    I left my hotel at 9:15 and walked the 10mins back to Vauxhall station so I could get a coffee and then walked over towards the river so I could stroll along the river to help me relax my nerves while walking toward the embassy!

    Got to the embassy at 9:40 and joined the queue for visa services, there were about 20 in this queue ahead of me, the lady at the kiosk checked my appointment letter and passport and i proceeded to security where the guy on the door will check you ID again and let you in to standard airport bag scan type thing.

    After security you walk up to the front of the embassy where there are two doors...DON'T JOIN THE QUEUE!! when i arrived there must have been 50-60 people lined up at the right hand side door for visas (marked RED). I stood in the queue for a second because i was feeling nervous and weird about skipping people, but i gathered myself and got over it! 😄 go to the door on the left hand side (marked BLUE) which says U.S Citizen Services (or something like that!) Walk straight up to the desk, the lady manning the desk looked up at me and said "immigrant visa?'' so i said "yes" and passed her my appointment letter and passport and she scoured a list and checked my name off it, put a sticker with my appointment number on my appointment letter and told me to take the lift to the first floor, turn left and left again.

    I feel like they could be clearer on the instructions here on this previous part, I mean I definitely felt weird skipping all these other people and i was definitely getting eyeballed by all the people I was passing but I had to keep in mind that I had an appointment time to keep.

    The lift opens up on the first floor to a big white room with over 100 people all applying for visas, I was a little taken aback lol I thought 'this is gonna take forever!' before i remembered to 'turn left and left again'. You end up in a quieter, sectioned off part of the hall with some seats and five or six windows where I waited maybe 5 mins for my number to appear on the screen above the window.

    Here I was asked for my appointment letter/Courier info, Ds-160 confirmation, birth certificate (original), police report (original), passport photo and affidavit of support. with the affidavit he kept the form and a confirmation letter of employment but gave me back copies of wage stumps and tax return which he said weren't needed.

    He also asked me if my middle name was James on my british passport, which i only found curious because i haven't had a british passport in 13 years ( irish passport holder now) and travelled to the states on it once in 2002 (just shows what they've got on file for you!). I wasn't asked for any photocopies of anything, which i brought but turns out you don't need! I then took a seat and waited for my number to be called again at a separate window.

    Here I waited almost 40 mins to be called again then went up to the second window where I was asked "where did you meet?" "how often do you see each other?" "when did you last spend time together?" She then asked me (and i was dreading this part...) "have you ever been denied entry on the esta program?" which I was back in October of last year at dublin pre-clearance, and it's the one thing that been giving me the most trepidation about this whole process. but I just replied honestly and said "yes, back in October" she then asked "have you ever overstayed on the esta program?" to which I replied "No, we've always been very careful not to." then she flipped through my application and typed stuff on her computer for like another minute and then said "congratulations, I'm pleased to say we can approve you today, Your visa should be with you in 7-10 days"...i almost collapsed in relief! 😄

    I looked at my watch on the way out the door and was surprised that the 2nd part of the interview took less than ten mins lol
     
     
    Sorry I just typed this up in one go, it got lonnnng! but I wanted to give a lot of detail, I have to say that reading this forum really, really helped me piece this process together, I've been very grateful for everyone's reviews and I took comfort in the reviews that explained the whole process and made me really feel more at ease at this, the most nerve wracking part of the process!
     
    Onwards to Port of Entry reviews and AOS forums! 😂
     
    Thanks everyone!


     
  9. Like
    VanillaCats reacted to AmyOlivia in London Embassy: The Interview   
    Don't fret!! It's honestly not that bad at all ❤️ 
     
    Good luck!
  10. Like
    VanillaCats got a reaction from AmyOlivia in London Embassy: The Interview   
    I rescheduled my interview so now it's tomorrow XD Ahhhh, nervous
  11. Like
    VanillaCats got a reaction from Sweetdreaming in K1 interview London experience   
    Thank you  really nervous  hope it's as quick and easy as everyone else's.
  12. Like
    VanillaCats reacted to Sweetdreaming in K1 interview London experience   
    Oh Im sure they wont care, he just handed me some of the pages back as I think they dont want unnecessary paper cluttering up my file and just kept the helpful parts. I just looked over specifically what he handed me back vs what he kept. Of the 10 pages of tax return, he kept all the forms which are part of Form 1040, they all had (in our case at least) "COPY ONLY DO NOT FILE" printed over them, including Form 8889 which was a supplemental document for Form 1040. The ones he gave back were from H&R Block which consisted of 5 pages. He wasnt annoyed about it or anything, just put them back through the slot for me to keep. 
    So to be clear, he kept W-2 AND the tax return.
    If I were you id take everything as planned in case its needed, nothing to lose by bringing more than is required as evidence.
    Thanks and Good luck for your interview !
  13. Like
    VanillaCats got a reaction from Sweetdreaming in K1 interview London experience   
    Congrats! My interview is tomorrow at 10:30. My fiancé organised the affidavit and evidence attached together, all in one place. Everything including affidavit, W2, bank statements, employer's letter, tax returns are in there. Is this going to be a problem and will they get me to remove the one they want or will it be ok to just hand over the whole document to them?? 
  14. Like
    VanillaCats reacted to Sweetdreaming in K1 interview London experience   
    Arrived at 10am, for 10.30, walked up to the small kiosk outside where they check your email of booking confirmation which takes about 30 seconds, they send you through to the security screening area which is basically the same as an airport security, but at least you can leave your shoes on.
     
    You are sent through to the main reception, here I found issues. When I got through the door there were 2 lines of maybe 8-10 people in each waiting I see people with DS160s in hand, so felt they must be in there for similar reasons to me. There were 2 people working reception, the problem is the reception werent doing anything, or talking to anyone and everyone was just standing in line waiting like idiots (me included). One person eventually found the initiative to walk up from about 5th position in his queue and he got dealt with straight away and he was off on his way. As soon as he was dealt with myself and another guy walked from near the back of our queues, walked up past the other people and we were dealt with, they put stickers on DS160 which will have the number that is on the screen upstairs telling you which window to go to (its basically like waiting for your order at Argos  ) and then you are sent up to the 1st floor. Me and the other guy both got into the lift at the same time and were like "what the heck was going on there at reception??!?" The staff seemed to not be interested in giving any help or direction to people who likely have never been to the Embassy before. So to put it simply, if you are in the queue, and nothing is happening, just walk up to reception and get dealt with !!
     
    Everything else was relatively straight forward, was called to 1st window and handed over email of confirmation - (I think they are checking that you have paid already, some had not and there was a separate cashier window where people were paying their fees), Passport, photos, birth certificate, ACRO, Affidavit of support plus evidence - I had W-2 and a tax return, he gave me back most of the tax return and kept the W-2. Got asked a few questions here -  have i ever held a US visa before, do i have a police record or had i ever served in military and had i ever lived in another country, had i ever been married before, then my fingerprints were scanned, he handed me back my x-ray cd from Knightsbridge and that was it, probably 5 minutes at this window.
    Then I went back to the seating area, and waited over an hour before getting called to the 2nd window. Not sure why it took so long, but it clearly wasnt just me there were others waiting as long, so maybe somebody the officer got tied up in a tough case or something, idk...
     
    Once I got to the 2nd window I was give my birth certificate back, but not my ACRO - i know some people have been given theirs back, and others not, no idea the reason for this is, fwiw mine is "no trace". I was asked had i ever over stayed on a US waiver, how did fiance and I meet, how often do we see each other, the lady typed up something, and then told me i was approved for visa and should receive it in 7-10 days ! I was given a little generic card which tells you where you can track your visa progress. approx window time here 3-4 minutes.
     
    That was about it, the only negatives I could say were the reception and the waiting time, but if thats the only negatives from an important day like this I`ll take it every time ! Once at the windows, it was very smooth and really no reason to worry as others have stated.
  15. Thanks
    VanillaCats got a reaction from GemmaBruce99 in Last minute interview checks...   
    I have my interview too tomorrow! Good luck! What time is your interview?
  16. Like
    VanillaCats reacted to LukeU in London Embassy: The Interview   
    If the OP's interview was anything like mine although on 'paper' it seems a lot of questions. It's really only a few because from my experience the interview is more like a flowing conversation. Imagine a nosy dinner lady, "Oh and how did you meet?" "What do they do?" "Oooo cool, how long have they done it for?" "You say they live where? Oh okay, how long for?" 
     
    It's more one leads into another and I can't stress it enough. I mean I'm not saying imagine the interviewer wearing a hair net but it may help...  😉
  17. Like
    VanillaCats got a reaction from AmyOlivia in London Embassy: The Interview   
    CONGRATS!!!! Happy for you  They asked you so many questions, is that normal? Are they tougher on young people, or what? XD 
     
    My interview is 7th May and I'm a bit nervous haha. Hope it goes as well as yours. I wonder if there's been any denials, I haven't seen anyone post about it so I take it as a no, so that's reassuring 
  18. Like
    VanillaCats reacted to AmyOlivia in London Embassy: The Interview   
    As I sit here now, three days after the fact, I still can't believe that after months of paperwork, waiting and more waiting, my Visa has been approved!!
     
    Obviously, I'm elated and happy beyond belief and wanted to share my experience with you all for a few reasons. Primarily, just to let anybody in a similar situation to mine read over my experience and the like. But I also want to generally share in my excitement with people who truly understand the frustrations of this process, and start some small celebrations while I wait for my Visa itself to arrive!
    ---
    (The following was written in my notebook on the train home from the interview, so I apologise for any poor wording, etc. I'll be editing my terrible written grammar when typing it up here, but won't be making any more substantial edits beyond that. As a writer by trade, I felt it necessary to explain this before jumping in...!)
    ---
    The Day Before...
     
    Finances permitting, I would absolutely recommend for everybody to stay overnight before your appointment. Even though I barely slept, the principal of being close-by was soothing; especially since I actually live in the East Midlands, so travelling to London isn't exactly a quick trip for me!
     
    The hotel that I stayed in was the London King's Cross Royal Scot, an older hotel not too far from Kings Cross Railway station, and it included a full, unlimited breakfast (yum!!). I brought along my best friend of many years (twenty, to be exact...!) to be my moral support and travelling companion, and we both appreciated the large breadth of good food to start our day!
     
    The Big Day!
     
    We made sure to hop on the tube after peak times, and made the necessary changes to the Victoria line before hopping off at Vauxhall. I'd absolutely insist that you take Exit 1, as outlined in the interview guidelines, because the walk along the Thames is absolutely breathtaking if the weather is nice. I was very lucky to experience a sunny, temperate day in London on the 15th.
     
    Not only was it stunningly beautiful, but it allowed me plenty of time to try and calm down. I obviously wasn't 'calm' by any description when arriving at the Embassy, but every little helped when it came to soothing the frayed bundles that I call nerves.
     
    Anyway, back to the scenic walk! You really can't miss the Embassy on this route, thanks to its outside facade. I sat outside for a while with my friend in the sunshine, happy that I chose the 11:30am slot and not having to wrestle with commuters. Because I started to get anxious, I approached the outside Visa desk too early, and was sent away to return at 11:10am. Hold your nerve and head up to get your documents checked later rather than sooner; you'll get sent straight on through to security regardless.
     
    All I needed at the outside desk was my appointment confirmation/ instructions email and my passport. I fumbled about with my DS-160 for no reason! Have it ready just in case, but I was never asked by anybody to see that piece of paperwork.
     
    After another check at the desk at 11:10 this time, I was sent up to the security entrance where a security guard checked the same paperwork as stated above, and sealed the deal with a high-five and fist-bump to wish me luck. One thing I'll say with absolute certainty is that the staff you encounter when going through with the interview process is absolutely critical, and this interaction was such a relief to experience. Glimmers of humanity!
     
    I benefited from leaving my luggage with my best friend, because I was through security in less than a minute. I only took my phone, coat and documents, and I'd absolutely recommend travelling as light as possible. Less to faff around with is always better.
     
    Once inside, I queued like a good Brit, and was soon met with the Embassy staff asking for anybody doing immigration Visas. In spite of the K Visa technically being of the non-immigrant variety, you absolutely fit into the immigrant category. The guy checked my confirmation email and ushered me up to the desk, before checking me off the list and sticking some tickets on my print-out. He told me to go up to Level 1, turn left and left again; insisting that I don't follow any other instructions. I was confused by this insistence of his until I reached Level 1 and Embassy staff tried to direct me over to the non-immigrant side. If not for this initial point of contact I had, I would have likely slipped over to the non-immigrant side without a second thought.
     
    And so, I did just as I was told; turned left, and then left again. I found myself in a smaller, somewhat secluded waiting area for immigrant visa interviews and had barely sat down before my ticket number flashed up on the screen (the ticket will be stuck to your confirmation print-out when heading inside). What followed was the document collection portion of the appointment, and I nearly had a heart attack.
     
    The man who saw me was very pleasant and I chatted with him for a while before we got down to business. Then, my organisation started to pay off. He asked for my confirmation email/ instructions sheet, followed by my passport and birth certificate. He specifically wanted the original, even though I had taken photocopies just in case. Then he asked if I had been married before (no), adopted (no) or if I had lived anywhere else since turning 16. This led into him asking for my original ACRO, the police certificate. I had all of this information paperclipped in corresponding order within my document wallet, so I was quick with giving him whatever he needed, and I was starting to feel pretty great about the whole process.
     
    But then came my worst fear: the Affidavit of Support, that dreaded form I-134.
     
    This document has been the bane of my existence from the start of this year. My fiance was in the midst of changing careers this year, with an income $100 below the requirement last tax year. As such, we turned to his sister to be our support because of her high income, long history with her employer, and close proximity to our address. After much agonising, back and forth and contradictory information as to whether we'd need Affidavits from both the sponsor and fiance, I had it all compiled. The general consensus within the VJ community was that London weren't bothered by who the sponsor was, as long as the income requirement was met and evidence provided.
     
    The minute I handed over the documents, however, the previously cheery, talkative man frowned.
     
    "We still ask for an Affidavit from your fiance."
     
    What?! I started to panic and barely held myself together, calmly explaining our decision and the circumstances around it. My fiance didn't earn enough last year due to a fluctuating retail job, his new job is less than a month old... etc. The document collector became quite stern and said that the interview officer would review it all and decide what needed to be done, which, as you can imagine, wasn't a lot of reassurance.
     
    I honestly couldn't breathe. He took copies of my Visa photographs (I took four 2x2 images) and then told me to take a seat.
     
    Never has a wait felt so long.
     
     It probably wasn't much longer than 15 minutes, however, and my turn came. I positively bolted up, said a few prayers, and went to meet my interviewer. She was a nice, softly-spoken American lady. I could feel that she was quite stern as she politely asked me to raise my right hand and take the oath, but the questions she asked were conversational and easy. These questions are as follows:

    "Have you had any previous US Visas?"
    "Have you overstayed any of them?"
    "When did you meet your fiance? How did you meet? How long have you been together?"
    "How often have you seen your fiance since getting together?"
    "What does your fiance do?"
    "What does your future sister-in-law do?"
    "What do you plan to do for a career in the United States?"
     
    As always when I'm nervous, I felt like I babbled a little too much, but I was honest and kept a semblance of cool. I'm not honestly sure what brought the approval specifically, but I sensed a somewhat positive reaction when I explained how long my fiance and I have been together, with specific recollection of long visitations with one another, and my chosen career path as a Teacher.
     
    So, even though the document collector scared me half to death, my app was approved rather swiftly. I probably only stood in the booth/ window for less than five minutes!
     
    I almost burst into tears of joy on the spot, thanked the interviewer a thousand times, and practically skipped out of the Embassy! Now I need to wait for the arrival of my passport and the famed BBE, big brown envelope, and I'm US-bound!
     
    Even though it didn't end up mattering or delaying my approval, I would recommend that those of you with a sponsor also get your fiance to fill out an Affidavit. It'll save you a lot of stress and anxiety after getting an ominous reception from the document collector, that's for sure!!
    ---
    Thank you all for reading my ramblings, and for helping with all of my previous questions along the way! This approval is a huge weight off my chest, and now I can't wait to get myself out to the States. My life has been on hold since we decided to pursue this Visa, and now it finally feels like it's in the 'Play' position again!
     
    In peoples' experiences, how long does it take for the documents to arrive with you? I have paid for courier delivery to my home, so I'm unsure if that will speed up the delivery once everything is processed (which I know takes between 7 to 10 working days... curse you, bank holidays!!).
     
    I know that it isn't recommended to book a flight until you HAVE the documents, but flights are already looking expensive right now. I want to safely book a flight which will ensure the arrival of my documents in time, and won't bankrupt me for a one-way trip, so it's a difficult balance to strike. My absolute ideal would be for me to jet off as soon as possible; I've been away from my fiance for too darn long as it is!!
  19. Like
    VanillaCats got a reaction from Sweetdreaming in Knightsbridge Medical experience   
    I had my medical done on Monday 8th April and it was easy for me too. When is your interview?
  20. Like
    VanillaCats reacted to O-J in K1 Interview Experience   
    You pay the fee when you book the interview online. You book it yourself if your case says it’s ready on the ceac site then that interview site will let you book it. 
     
  21. Like
    VanillaCats reacted to CharNoel95 in Prepping for medical/interview   
    I waited until after my medical (over a week to give it enough time to get sent to the embassy), my status changed to “ready” on CEAC and I’d done my DS-160 already so I went ahead and booked the interview myself online. You are able to register your account and it takes you through everything. Remember to print the instruction page, it prompts you to do so. You take it to the interview. Once you book the appointment through there you are able to pay the fee and if you want your passport couried back to your address after the interview you can pay a fee to do so. It takes you through all of that. 
     
    Https://ais.usvisa-info.com 
     
    Thank you!  
  22. Like
    VanillaCats reacted to O-J in K1 Interview Experience   
    Interview: Friday 22nd March 11:30
     
    Travel and Hotel:
    Took a flight the night before from BHD-LHR (17:30 - 18:50). Was met at arrivals by the driver for my pre-booked taxi (£44) for the hour journey to the hotel. Stayed the night at Holiday Inn Express in Vauxhall.
    Checked out the next day and walked about 15 mins to the Waitrose beside the embassy. Sat and had some tea and a bun at the cafe there. Headed to the embassy and arrived 11:15
     
    Embassy:
    Outside the embassy there was only 3 people in front of me. There was a desk outside and I handed over my DS-160, appointment email and courier email to the woman there. She looked at it and wrote my arrival time and directed me to the door. Entered and went through security here. Then headed towards the huge building to another desk where the woman asked for DS-160. She stuck a number on it and told me to head to the first floor, left then left. There wasn't many people waiting in this area. The booths here are like bank ones. Totally open with just dividers either side so you can hear everything.
     
    Interview:
    First Window
    The guy here had my petition in front of him. Took fingerprints here and gave me my x-ray CD from the medical.
     
    Documents needed here:
    Passport DS-160 Birth Certificate Police Certificate I-134f with W2 and bank statement Passport photo  
    Questions asked:
    When do you intend on travelling to the US? I told him May hopefully. He said the visa will be valid until August based on 6 months from my medical date.
    Have you ever had any other US Visas? No
    Have you ever overstayed on the visa waiver program? No
    Why is the support his mum? Because he's a student so couldn't cover the full amount needed. Told him about my savings and he didn't want to see. 
    Do you have a letter to say he is a student? No. Then he said the next lady might have further questions about this part but that's ok I don't have it.
     
    He handed back the original photos I submitted with the petition. He kept my passport and paperwork to pass onto the next part. Just scanned in my passport photos and returned them to me. Done by 11:37.
     
    Second Window
    Next part called around 11:50.
    A woman this time in a window further down. Had to raise my right hand and take the oath. Had to state my name and fiancés.
     
    Questions asked:
    How did you meet?
    How long have you been together? 
    How often do you see each other? 
    Why is the support his mum? Fiancé is a full time student due to finish this year
    What does he study? 
    Does he have a job lined up for after he finishes? 
    Is his mum intending on paying you? No. I told her I had my own savings and a bank statement with me if she needed to see. She just asked how much and I told her.
     
    Took fingerprints here again. And then said I am happy to say you are approved! Wrote a big A on my folder and handed me a card that says the visa should be with me in 7-10 days. Done by 11:56. Celebrated with a big hot chocolate back at Waitrose.
     
    Travel Back:
    Taxi back again from the embassy to Heathrow (£35). Flight home 19:45-21:00. 
     
    Advice:
    For peace of mind I would bring a university letter if you have to use a co-sponsor because your fiancé is a student. 
    If you have to fly in remember they keep your passport so fly on another form of ID.
     
    I'll update this post when my status changes 😁
     
  23. Like
    VanillaCats got a reaction from LiamT7 in [K1 Question] Just received NOA2. Want to make sure I understand what will happen next.   
    You were born in Greece right? So your birth certificate is in Greek. I was born abroad too, somewhere in the Middle East. Can I also request for that document? Or no? Assuming I wasn’t born in a European country. I’m really not sure how it works, man. Being born in a foreign country seems to make things too difficult.
     
    My plan was to translate my birth certificate to English and provide them with that. Would that not be enough then?? If anyone else can help I’d appreciate that too.
  24. Like
    VanillaCats got a reaction from LukeU in UK Embassy Interview Experience   
    Ah, okay. Thanks. You didn't have to bring any proof of your own income in the form of bank statements, then? Just your fiancée's.
     
    I booked my medical for April 8th. What date would you advise to book the interview? End of April/beginning of May?
  25. Thanks
    VanillaCats got a reaction from LukeU in UK Embassy Interview Experience   
    Congrats, Luke! I'm glad it went well for you  the affidavit of support was completed by your fiancée right? did you bring the original or photocopy? 
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