Finland US Consulate Reviews
Average Rating: 4.3
/ 5
53 Review(s)
|
| Finland |  Review #15483 on October 29, 2014: |
Lenny&Sanna
Rating: 
· 1 person found this review helpful
Click here if you found this review helpful | Review Topic: K1 Visa
I had my Visa interview this Monday at the consulate in Helsinki. First of all, it was easy to find. I walked a short walk from the train station and the door to the consulate was situated between Robert's Coffee and Steam cafe. Because I was over an hour early I went inside a cafe to wait since they don't let you in until right before your appointment time. There were a lot of people standing outside with folders in their hands close to 9 am. My appointment was at 10am.
9:57 I pressed the buzzer at the door and told the machine who I was and why I was there. The voice asked me when my appointment was and I told them and I was let in because it was almost 10am. They adviced me to go through the doors (both the front door and the next one work with the buzzer so I went through them quickly so I wouldn't get stuck in between haha) and to the second elevator on the right. Confusing thing was I could only see one elevator but then a sign on the wall said "consulate 5th floor" and I followed it and around the corner was the second elevator.
Up at 5th floor, I pressed the buzzer on the door to the consulate and a security woman asked for my passport (and asked me to shut down any electronic devices such as my phone) and after checking that let me in. Inside there were two more security personnel and I gave them my bag, jacket, phone and any metal (in my case, my belt) and I walked through a metal detector. They gave me a number tag that would tell them what stuff in there is mine when I come back. At this point I only had myself, that tag and all my interview papers and passport with me. Another security guy let me in the waiting room.
I was the only 10am appointment so they asked me to the counter right away. A man asked me for my paperwork and passport and asked me to sit and wait while he goes through the papers. Then a woman asked me back to the counter, took my fingerprints and I sat back down. Then a while later another woman, this time American, asked me back and that's when I was interviewed. I've heard they mostly interview in Finnish but sometimes it's in English like mine was. I had to take an oath to promise that all I've told them is true to the best of my knowledge, while holding my hand on the fingerprint machine.
What I was asked:
- You are engaged to the petitioner of these papers, correct?
- Where did you meet?
- When did you meet in person? (since we met online originally)
- Was this for a short trip? (after I said we met in person when my fiance came to Finland)
- Have you been to the US?
- What does your fiance do?
- What do you do at the moment?
- What do you plan on doing in the US?
- When are you planning to travel?
- When have you planned on getting married?
After this the woman told me everything looks good and the visa will come in the mail in 1 or 2 weeks. She also reminded me that I have 6 months to travel with the visa and in the US 90 days to get married. Then the man came back with the extra papers I gave them that they didn't need and that was it  Visa approved!
Everyone there was really friendly, smiled and the security even joked around with me and such. A really smooth thing to go through and I wasn't even nervous at all like I was before the interview because the people there being great made my nervousness go away. Overall a great experience for me
|
|
| Finland | Review #15335 on October 4, 2014: |
Ellinora
Rating:
Click here if you found this review helpful | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
My appointment was at 9am and I arrived at 8.50am to Kaisaniemi. I had to wait outside in the staircase for about 20 minutes with a bunch of other people. After I was called in, I had to go through a security check and had to leave everything but my papers at the coat check.
After that I was showed into the waiting room, where I spend the next 25 minutes mostly waiting for my turn. I was first called to bring my passport, medical info and a printout of completing the form DS-260 to one Finnish speaking clerk. After that I was called to give my fingerprints to another Finnish speaking clerk. Then last I was called for an interview.
The interview took less than 5 minutes, and was mostly friendly small talk. Here are the questions they asked:
-why are you moving to the U.S?
-how long have you been married?
-where did you meet? Which university?
-do you have kids? How many? Are they already citizens?
-where are you moving?
-when are you moving?
So pretty straight forward questions. I also brought a ton of evidence of our marriage with me, but they never asked me to show any. I picked up my visa at the consulate 5 days later.
All in all a very pleasant interview. I guess they usually mail the visas, but since we were in a hurry, they let me pick it up.
|
|
| Finland | Review #15279 on September 25, 2014: |
lumipallo
Rating: 
Click here if you found this review helpful | Review Topic: K1 Visa
My experience with the consulate was good. I got buzzed in and was let into the waiting room after going through the metal detectors and leaving my bag by the guards. The waiting room isn't exactly separated from the counters so there's not much privacy for the interviews. After waiting for about 20 minutes, one of the officers called my name and asked for my documents. After being asked to return to the waiting room, I got called in again for my finger prints to be taken. After waiting a bit more, I got called back for the actual interview part. Since the interview was for a K-1 visa, the officer asked a few questions about my bf and how we met, as well as where he lives and what he does for a living. She also wanted to know when we were planning on getting married and if I've ever visited him in the US. The officer who interviewed me was American and very friendly, but some of the officers working at the consulate spoke Finnish too. After asking me these questions, the lady gave all my pictures back and told me that they have everything they need. I got my visa 3 working days after the interview.
|
|
| Review #14085 on March 10, 2014: |
solubode
Rating: 
Click here if you found this review helpful | Review Topic: K1 Visa
My fiance is originally from Nigeria attending school in Finland. He had his interview on Feb 12 at 11:00. I was blessed to be there in Helsinki with him but not let up stairs. He arrived 15 mins early and was buzzed in at 10:45, he was the only one there and they took his paperwork and then a little while later they did his finger prints and then came the interview. With him from Nigeria they must of asked him 30 question pretty much all the ones we practiced from the like I found on VJ. At the end of the interview she said that there were a couple of things that they needed to verify and would let him know in a couple of days. They kept all the documents including his passport. He was back down to me at 11:50 less than a hour. They sent him an email 2 weeks later they wanted him to clarify 4 issues, we answered the email immediately sent it to them on a Friday and by that next Monday we were put into an AP and by Wednesday he was approved and just this past Friday got his passport and the envelope.
|
|
| Finland | Review #13823 on February 10, 2014: |
kwasti
Rating: 
Click here if you found this review helpful | Review Topic: F-2A Visa
Dear All,
My experience with the interview is pretty OK. It was straightforward process as others here have mentioned. Very simple questions regarding the relationship and my status in Finland. Well I have not received my passport back till date so I am also writing some queries here if anybody could possible help me with.
I appeared at the interview on 3rd of February in Helsinki. On 7th the ceac.state.gov website returned the status update as "issued". I had been told that I will receive the passport back in a week. I tried to contact the call center and the embassy but left with no info. can somebody who went through interview in Finland tell me how long did it take to deliver the passport back to you from the date it was issued. I am actually in the verge of booking my flight ASAP so I want to know any approximate time frame. Thanks!
Best Regards,
Kwasti
|
|
| Now Showing Records 21 to 25 (of 53 total) |
Submit New Consulate Review
