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| London, United Kingdom |  Review on November 18, 2013: |
yvy23
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
My appointment was for 9am on 23rd October. I arrived at the Embassy at around 8.15 after leaving my phone at Goulds. As I had travelled to London the previous day and was flying out to Germany the next day, everything else had been left at the hotel. I was very nervous going into the Embassy because I had previously had 3 visitor visa refusals. I received my I number and sat down to wait for my number to be called. It seemed that most of the I cases were at the first window for around 20 minutes, so I was able to work out that I would have a wait of about 1-1.5 hours before I was called to the first window. Once my number was called, I went to the window and was greeted by a friendly male officer. He took my fingerprints and asked for my passport - at this point I explained that I was not able to leave my passport with them that day because I was travelling on the 24th, but that I would return it to them as soon as I was back in the UK on the 30th. He said that was fine and to mention it at the interview window so that I was given my passport back before leaving the Embassy. He went and got my paperwork - I knew that between us, my fiance and I had prepared a lot of evidence, but hadn't realised exactly how much it was until I saw the size of the file he was holding! I had all my paperwork in order ready to hand to him and was able to give him everything he needed within a few minutes as well as confirming my preferred travel dates to him. While he was taking my paperwork, he chatted about how I had met my fiance. I would say I was at the first window for only a maximum of maybe 5 minutes before being told to take a seat back in the waiting area and wait for my number to be called again after he passed my file to the interviewing officer. It appeared already at this point that this was going to be a very different and friendlier experience than applying for a visitor visa had been. I waited only a few minutes this time before being called to the second window for interview. This time the officer appeared to be more serious. He checked my fingerprints again and had me sign the form and take the oath. He then asked me only 4 questions - what my fiance does for a living, the approximate ages of his kids (I found out later I got them right even though I had said I might be off by a year on any of them as I wasn't sure of their exact birthdays), why we had waited before filing the petition (we had been together for about 2 years before filing), and why the US not the UK. He then explained that although he was approving my visa, he would have to give me the blue form that says they can't approve it today because I couldn't leave my passport with them. He gave me all the details of what to do once I got back to the UK on the 30th to return the blue form, passport and the printout of the courier payment for home delivery. I told him that I wasn't worried about being given the form as long as I could tell my fiance we were definitely approved. He confirmed that I was and that I could confirm that to my fiance. I left the Embassy and went straight back to Goulds to get my phone back and call my fiance with the good news!
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #13267