MikeH60

Here's my review of how my K1 interview went:

Wary of the thought of being late for my interview with the massive queues that are said to form outside the US Embassy in London, I showed up 2 hours early just to be sure (appointment was 10.00). In the end this was a good idea as it took 70 minutes to get through the queue, initial letter and passport check and then the security check at the gate. This all went pretty smoothly though the staff outside were a bit abrupt - guess you would be too if you had to deal with lots of mildly confused and apprehensive people all day every day.

In through the VISA entrance and a quick check in at the reception desk where I got my ticket number to watch for on the screens. Into the waiting area where I was 45 minutes early but still kept my eyes glued to the screen just in case. As it was, I was called at 10.10 and went to the window of a lady who was a little difficult to understand (it's hard to hear them through those screens) but I gave her all the documents she required - quick bit of info for those going down. TAKE COPIES OF ALL THE PACKET 3 DOCUMENTS YOU SEND DOWN TO GET YOUR INTERVIEW DATE. Mine had somehow gone missing, she even tried to say "You must not have sent them" which couldn't be true or else how did I get an interview date in the first place?? Thankfully I had printed out all the forms in triplicate when I did them originally so she accepted the copies I had with me. When she was satisfied she had all the required docs I was told to sit down again until I was called for Part 2 - the interview. This could take "several hours" to happen, apparently so I was told to be patient.

10 minutes later (lol) my number was called again and I went to another window. An older American gentleman asked me to confirm my fingerprints then flicked through all the documents, certificates, financial info et al, occasionally asking me a question relevant to my fiancee and getting me to sign where necessary. Once he'd double checked a couple of the financial things he said "This is fine, just need you to complete this credit card slip for your VISA" so I'm standing there thinking "Really? That's it?" as I fill in the credit card info. He reminds me to check in with the courier desk and says "Thanks for being a straightforward case" and that's it! No checking of continuation of relationship, no nothing! I spent literally 10 minutes in front of people. That said I've never been married before, never changed my name, never had kids, have no criminal record etc so I guess they already knew everything about me in advance. Anyway, I fill in the courier form and go to the desk, pay by card again and I'm out the door by 10.50!!

So, other than the mild panic attack when the first lady claimed they didn't have my packet 3 forms (not sure how they could possibly have lost them) that was a very positive experience.

I'll do a full review of the process type thing later but happy to let you know we were accepted. Thanks for your encouragement, all! (Now very pleased to be leaving London. )

Thanks Julez and Gemmie - I know I'm getting too worked up but you know how it is!

6 hour train journey down to London on Sunday afternoon so it's a bit of an adventure as well.

Got my interview on Monday - all the docs present, correct and photocopied for good measure. I'm utterly petrified - I've been rubbish at interviews all my life and just imagining the grilling I'm going to get on Monday morning is doing my head in.

Got my appointment for the 23rd of August and already getting nervous. My fiance lost her job in the States back in the Spring and that delayed the process (the NOA2 expired in June but the embassy gave us until the end of August to sort something out) - she managed to get another job a couple of weeks back and I'll have her first two payslips for the interview, just got to hope that the fact she's only worked there for a couple of weeks doesn't throw a spanner in the works.

Fingers crossed I don't get someone who's having a bad Monday at the interview.

Thanks, Jess!

Hi all,

I received a letter from the London Embassy when they received my accepted I-129F petition from NVC but far from being the "packet 3" I expected, it's just a letter stating that they had received the application and I now needed to "complete the appropriate forms and collect required documents. A detailed explanation can be found at: http://london.usembassy.gov/cons_new/visa/iv/iv_15.html "

Now, I assume I have to print off the "checklist" etc to send back to them (as the letter I got was one page of A4 - no forms) but the link above has since been changed! The only thing I can find on their website that I assume is correct is http://london.usembassy.gov/application_documents.html but it doesn't have links to all those forms I understand I need! Can someone point me in the direction of where I can print off the "checklist" and the D-whatever forms I need to have printed so I can send it all back and get an interview?

Thanks!

Hi all,

Just an update on this situation as it stands. Having sent a letter to the Embassy in London on May 23rd explaining the situation and just checking if they could extend the petition expiry date, I received a letter last week saying "We contacted you regarding the receipt of an approved petition etc etc have not yet heard from you, please get in touch by August 21st." Despite having definitely sent them a letter I'm not going to split hairs as it does at least show via this letter that they did extend the time anyway.

My fiance has just gotten a new job and starts next Monday so we're ready to get the wheels rolling again. Once she has the first couple of payslips, the I134 and the employer letter she's going to send them to me by express mail so I'll have all that by mid August. I just called the embassy on the switchboard number to see about what sort of timeframe we'd be looking at for an interview appointment to become available but the (it must be said) rude lady at the embassy told me they do not discuss that sort of thing on the telephone and I would have to write to say I was "ready for the interview process and they would get back to me in due course."

I'm going to write up a letter just now and send it special delivery (seeing as it seems the first one vanished or is lost in the embassy admin pile) - am I likely to be waiting quite a long time to hear back from them? I've no idea what sort of working time there is for the interviews but I'll need to know asap to book time of work (they are very picky about me giving them 4-6 weeks notice). What sort of wait did any other London Embassy users have before hearing back?

Cheers.

I am sorry that you do not believe this was of any help. If you do not mind, I would appreciate it if you either post the outcome of your experience here after the interview or you can PM me if you do not want it public.

Thanks very much and good luck.

I didn't mean to sound ungrateful at all, I think the fact that each country seems to do this in a different way has muddied the waters somewhat. Plus I hadn't intended to start any heated debates!

Sure, I'll post the outcome up here when I have the interview.

I'm more confused now than I was when I opened the thread, seems this isn't an issue with a set answer! Sorry for kindling an argument, everyone.

Assuming the expiry date on the NOA2 gets extended I'll just show up at the interview with the I-134 and hope for the best!

Hi all, well it's safe to say I wouldn't be able to make it on assets alone - I reckon that by the time I get the interview (lets say August for example) I'll have the equivalent of $8500 or $9000 US in the bank that I can show the interviewer. That then doesn't count the various things I'll have to sell before leaving (such as my car) which will easily take the total over $10'000 - hopefully to more like $12'000. But I know that'll be secondary to her I-134 so we have to see what she can find in the way of work before then.

I wrote to the "Immigrant Visa Branch" at the Embassy a few days back requesting the extension of the NOA2 expiry date. Just waiting to see what the response will be.

Hi all, thanks for the replies. First off, the fact you can simply contact them and ask for an extension of the expiration date is music to my ears, it's probably the easiest way to go. Just out of interest, any idea which phone number and email address is the best to use? The London Embassy website has several listed and I'm not 100% on which applies to my circumstances.

Just another couple of points based on what's been said above:

The interview has not yet been scheduled - I was on the verge of arranging it with the embassy when she lost the job.

The first thing she tried was to find a co-sponsor but not with much luck so far. Her Dad had to stop working due to health problems recently which doesn't help. We'll keep looking though.

Just out of interest, how does the suggested Self-sponsoring work? I estimate that by the time I move over there and get married (we're aiming for October i.e before winter) I'll have savings to bring with me of roughly $12,000 but that includes selling my car and so on. I don't own my flat so can't use that. I also hope to be earning something approaching a part-time wage via Internet Affiliate marketing that I'm working on getting into in my spare time at the moment (I also work a full-time job) so that when I move I should be earning a decent amount from day 1. I had planned to take some proof of the money I'm currently making from this ($300 from Amazon this month for example) to the interview to show I will be earning for myself as soon as I arrive in the States.

Thanks again everyone!

Hi all,

Up until recently everything seemed to be going well with the K1 visa application myself and my fiance had filed. The I-129F was accepted and I had gathered all the forms and certificates and so on in order to get the interview at the embassy sorted. I've even been to London and had the medical and that all went through fine. Unfortunately, just before I was about to get in touch for the interview my fiance lost her job due to department cutbacks. This rendered the I-134 income form obsolete so we put everything on hold while she tries to get another job.

The main problem with this is that the I-129F acceptance has an expiration date of the 17th of June on it. Even if she was to get a job tomorrow (wishful thinking) there isn't enough time before then to get a new I-134, employer letter and 3 payslips sent over so I'm not going to have everything in time for then. So, the advice I'm looking for: should I arrange an interview and go down with what I have (basically everything other than the I-134, payslips and employer letter. I have her last two tax returns) and hope they don't just rip it all up for not being complete or should I ask if we can get more time?

Any help would be appreciated, we're starting to get a bit worried. Thanks!

That really is awful. Feeling for you both, mate. No stuttering to any halt! A solution must be found. Don't give up.

Thanks, no intention of giving up having come this far so I'll still be going to "that there" London for an interview before the NOA2 expires in June, the I134 will just have to have whatever it has on it. If it's not enough then we'll just have to try again when our circumstances improve!

Hi all, hope you're all getting your NOA2s. After getting confirmation of mine I was surprised to get my case number and initial letter from the Embassy within 2 weeks of that - I thought it took at least a month to find it's way there from the NVC.

Been hit by a possible disaster though - had all my documents ready and my fiancee had all the info and letters for her I134 affadavit of support ready to send to me, only to just be told she's losing her job in a couple of weeks! She's going to struggle to find one that pays nearly as well in the short term and there isn't really anyone we could ask to co-sponsor so it's looking bleak... it'll be a bit heartbreaking if we stutter to a halt when we were so close. :/

Unfortunately her Dad recently had to stop working due to a heart problem and lets just say her mother "isn't present" so we're a bit out of luck on the co-sponsor stakes. She's hunting the job market just now and is prepared to work a full-time job and a part-timer if necessary to get the figure up to something like what it was in her old one in the hope that will suffice... guess we'll just have to hope for the best at the interview.

Thanks for the replies, Tracy.

We've hit a bit of a disaster just as everything was coming together - I've got all my documents together, I'm ready to book my medical and she was just collecting the last of her tax info together having got the letter from her boss, pay slips and so on together meaning I was just about ready to respond to the Embassy letter to book an interview when out of the blue she's losing the job... (cutbacks and so on).

This is a bit heartbreaking as we've got no idea what to do next. She's getting straight into looking for a new job but the chances of getting one that pays as well as that one did aren't great so all of a sudden te precious employer's letter is worthless!

Looks like everything will have to go on hold for the time being which is frustrating but at least we've got all the above info for when we're able to re-apply. Argh!

Agreed, though I don't know where you're getting the 134% figure. More like 125%.

Yup, I know the required level is 125% The 134% is what she worked out her salary to be.

She filed her taxes online apparently (I'm not really up on this sort of thing as being a UK resident I don't do my own taxes!) so will print everything off... will she be able to get all the required additions mentioned above that way?

Right so taking the I-134, letter from her employer showing her current income is 134% of the poverty level, newest tax return (with last couple in reserve in case they ask for them) and her newest three pay stubs should be sufficient, do you think?

Sorry to post what has probably been asked 500 times previously but I've spent an hour using the search function on the forum and reading old posts, the wiki and the London Embassy website and my head is spinning when it comes to the I-134 affadavit form - the info from the USCIS and embassy just seems a bit vague to me.

My fiancee has had a job for something of the region of 9 months which pays above the 125% poverty line for two people (only by a couple of thousand though - think she worked out she was paid 134% of it) but doesn't have much in the way of assets as she is currently living in the family home. A co-sponsor would be an issue as her father currently does not work on health grounds though I work a well paid job at the moment and along with the sale of most of what I have here (car etc) should have funds well over $10,000 when I'm set to travel over.

Based on the above, what do you think of my chances, lol?

Also, I'm a bit confused on the subject of tax returns. I'm reading in some places that the most up to date one is fine whereas other places state the last three. Her current tax return is fine as it's obviously based on the good job but her last two are a bit less impressive as she was working in much lower paid positions. Take all three anyway and just hope they want to see the newest?

Thanks all, my brain's wrapped in knots over this bit.

It does seem to be getting much better, on my NOA1 date (5th November) there had been no movement for weeks then in the space of two days they went from 3 approvals to 12 plus 5 RFEs.

Hold on to your hats everyone - hopefully you'll all have the same good news as me asap.

Thanks everyone - here's hoping you get good news soon too.

I dunno if I'm just lucky or if VSC are getting on with it, but my fiancee received the following email this morning:

> The last processing action taken on your case

>

> Receipt Number: EACxxxxxxxx73

>

> Application Type: I129F , PETITION FOR FIANCE(E)

>

> Current Status: Approval notice sent.

>

> On February 17, 2010, we mailed you a notice that we have

> approved this I129F PETITION FOR FIANCE(E).

My NOA1 date was November 5th and before I get verbally assaulted by some of the angrier members here, I can assure you there is nothing special about my case - no deployment, no asylum, no son of any deity - just a bog standard I129F petition for a normal Scottish boy and a normal American girl.

Hopefully this gives some of you hope - it's a great feeling to get the approval and get ready to move on to the next stage!

I think the janitor threw out our november petitions

Starting to look like it. With the current backlog and the somewhat scandalous situation that handfuls of January petitions are being processed while loads as far back as October haven't even been touched, I've decided to stop bothering checking until my 5 month date comes up (5th April) - once I get there I hope others whose 5 months are up will join me in BOMBARDING the VSC with complaints/queries.

Wish I'd never made the mistake of looking at the processing time graphs on the VJ website in December and got all excited at the 50-60 day processing times cos my fiancee now asks me every day if there's been any movement. Sadly my NOA1 date of 11/05 is one of the dates that seems to have been left on the desk of someone who's been abducted by aliens. Just have to wait until April and then try and follow it up I suppose!