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| London, United Kingdom |  Review on August 17, 2017: |
Sarasota
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
My interview was on 20th December 2016 for K-1 Visa. My appointment was at 12pm. I arrived pretty early (10:45ish) and there was a white tent outside with 3 girls waiting. I have read people saying there can be a huge queue which you get bypassed around, but when I arrived there was not a single person waiting. I asked if I was too early and they said it was fine, then asked for my passport and my appointment letter and crossed me off a list. I was then went through a small building outside the main embassy which was basically an airport security setup. I then went into the main building and there was a girl on reception who then gave me a ticket number (I 906) and told me to go to the waiting room on the left.
Inside was a fairly large room which rows of chairs and it was pretty busy inside. I sat down and I could hear bleeping each time a number was called, which was also shown on the screen. There were slideshows going on to tell you what documents to have ready for when you are called (DS-160, passport etc).
After maybe 20-30 minutes I was called to the first window where there was an older asian woman waiting. She read out the terms of the K-1 visa (marry within 90 days and then adjust status). She asked for my passport and a passport photo which she scanned. Then she asked for the affidavit and I just gave her the forms to which she replied ‘I guess you also have evidence to go with this right?’ so I handed her all of the payslips and tax returns etc.
Unfortunately this is where there was a bit of a hiccup. She told me that the embassy had NOT RECEIVED MY MEDICAL RESULTS. I was then panicking because I had previously read that if the embassy has not received the medical results, then they will deny the visa. I had done the medical 40 days before interview so it should have been there. She went and double checked in a cabinet (I was praying so hard) but came back and said it wasn’t there. She did not seem to be too concerned and then I was asked to go back to the waiting room.
About another 20 minutes I was called to another window where an american guy was there. He asked me to take an oath then started with the questions.
How did you meet? I said online. He asked about the website and asked if it was a dating site, asked how the relationship evolved, who messaged who first, if I had visited there and when. I was nervous at first (and also had a really bad cold, and had just come from a 3 hour train ride). I think he was pressing a bit harder to begin with but after a while it became pretty casual and more of a conversation. After this he then said ‘everything seems fine, the only issue is your medical is not here’. I explained I had it in plenty of time. He then said ‘once we have your medical results you should have your visa in about 2 weeks’.
So I was really happy and also really annoyed about the medical. I expected to ring my fiancée with good news of a firm approval but instead I was still playing the waiting game. It ended with Knightsbridge claiming that that the embassy LOST my medical results. Eventually after having to go to Knightsbridge a second time the embassy eventually got my medical results and my visa was issued Jan 26th
The embassy itself was fine and fairly efficient, but the news I had at the time wasn’t what I wanted. Everything turned out fine in the end and I’m now living happily with my wife since March!
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #22344