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| London, United Kingdom |  Review on December 7, 2012: |
SamIves85
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
So I arrived at London the night before my interview and stayed at the Lincoln House Hotel. After checking in I took a walk down to the Embassy so I knew where to go the following morning.
My appointment was at 9am so I woke up at 7am, had breakfast and got ready. I arrived at the Embassy at 8am, there was no cue so I just presented my passport and interview appointment letter, then headed through to have my belongings checked.
I then walked around the side of the building (which was clearly signposted) and walked up the stairs. The lady at the reception desk attached a ticket number to my interview appointment letter and told me to sit near window 1.
I waited for about 1 hour, 45 mins beofre being called up to the booth. I had the Mongolian lady and, as most people report, she does talk quietly but that was ok. She had a pretty bad cough so I gave her one of my cough sweets and that put a smile on her face 
I gave fingerprints and handed her forms. I was asked a couple of questions and she pointed out my criminal history. After expressing my concern with this she reassured me that it was my 1st conviction and wasn't anything serious.
She then gave me my chest Xray on a CD along with a pink form and told me to wait until I was called again.
I waited about another 1 hour, 45 mins again until my name was called over the tannoy and I was instructed to go to booth x (can't remember exact number).
When I arrived at the booth I saw the Asian American guy and what everyone says about him is true: he didn't smile and was very "to the point".
I gave fingerprints again (confirmation I believe), then he passed me a form and asked me to write her name and sign my name and was asked to raise my right hand and swear that what I was about to say was the truth etc.
He then opened my file and pulled out the photos that my fiancée submitted. He pointed out the photos of us at Stonehenge and another one of us at Brighton followed by a photo of us at my sisters wedding. He asked me who the other people were so I told him.
He then asked me:
-How did you first meet?
-When did you first meet?
-What does she do for a living?
-Who lives at home with her?
-What is it you love about her?
-It says here that you've been arrested for (x). Tell me about that. (This is the point where I felt really nervous. I answered as best I could and offered him my 2 very good character references. He said he didn't need to see them because he's approving my visa!) :D
I then took my pink slip to the other desk (this is for delivery of passport and visa) then that's it! All done! I got back to the hotel where I had kept my belongings, I called my fiancée straight away to tell her the great news!
So all in all the process took about 4 hours. I honestly thought that my past criminal history would come back to haunt me but as long as it didn't fall under crimes involving moral turpitude (CIMT) and I was honest in all the paperwork from start to finish then it was all good.
It almost seemed like they had already made up their mind with the visa approval but just needed to go through the interview process as per protocol. Whatever, I'm not gonna question it; I got my visa and I'm so happy! :D
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #11037