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| London, United Kingdom |  Review on March 19, 2017: |
DaveHorton
Rating:  | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
We had applied through DCF. The interview was at 11:30 on the 16th March. We arrived 45 minutes early, there was only a short line, and when I told the girl at the awning that there were three of us (petitioner and two beneficiaries), she noted that my name was not on the list but that it was no longer an issue and I would be allowed in. We almost made it in, but she saw at the last moment that we were early and told us to come back at 11:15. So we just sat by a memorial until about 11:10 and then she let us proceed. No line, through security in moments, and into the front entrance. Helpful desk clerk sent us up to the visa waiting area and before we had sat down and gathered our thoughts, our number was on the screen, for window 13.
The guy there was very friendly and helpful, and while I popped to the neighbouring window to pay the fee, my wife was sorting through the papers with him. He took the original and copy of the expected list: Marriage certificate, my naturalisation certificate, my wife and son's UK passports and naturalisation certificates, the affadavit of support and the most recent US tax return. He declined to take the previous two years, but asked me if I wanted to submit any evidence of assets. Although I was not originally planning to do so, I ended up giving him bank statements, IRA statements, and property titles which I had brought along just in case. He very kindly made copies of all these extra docs, and an extra I864 copy as I had provided only one (thinking it was one per family, but he needed one per application). He took the UK police certificate for my wife, but then came the first bit of bad news: he would not accept the Philippine NBI clearance that we offered because it was from 2010. That was when my wife came to the UK from the Philippines and has not been back since. I pointed out that the guidance on the embassy web site said that would be adequate, but he insisted. He gave us all our originals back and said he would pass the package on to the consular officer for the actual interview. Then we went back to the waiting area.
After only about 2 or 3 minutes, the number came up again for window 14 and we met the very pleasant lady consular officer who agreed immediately to my standing at the back while she interviewed my wife and child. The usual questions with minor variations: where did we meet, why was I in the Philippines at that time, why did we come to the UK, when did we marry, why are we going to the USA at this time. Then the discussion about the police clearance: she understood that the clearance we had was from the last time my wife lived there, but we do need to be able to prove that she still has a clean clearance. I made another futile attempt to point out the guidance on the London US Embassy web site (copied below), but she pulled out the dreaded blue form and checked the box for an additional police clearance, and put the case on hold pending receipt. She was very communicative and pleasant about it and seemed genuinely disappointed that she could not give us the answer we wanted. But the fact remains that we now have to scramble to get the foreign clearance before the medical times out. The officer said that we would just submit the required document through the courier, and then the visa would be issued, so all is not lost!
For the few who may be in a similar situation (non-UK origin, naturalised as a UK citizen, applying for IR1), the following copy/pasted note from the London web site may be less than accurate:
"Foreign police certificates are valid indefinitely, unless you have returned to reside in that country or has been arrested since the issuance of the certificate;", and my advice to you would be to get a fresh certificate even if you have never visited your original country since you came to the UK. If we had done so, we would now be celebrating. As it is, celebration is deferred. But full marks to the embassy staff who treated us with great sensitivity and respect throughout.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #21548