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| Amsterdam, Netherlands |  Review on September 10, 2019: |
jeanieCZ
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
Today was the big day I had been waiting for for months: the interview! My appointment was scheduled for 1 PM, so I arrived to the US Consulate General at Museumplein shortly after 12:30 PM.
At about 12:50 PM the security guys started to let people inside, after checking everyone's passport (I haven't seen any guest list or similar), taking in backpacks and bottles of water. Two guards checked my phone to see if bluetooth was off. The guard insisted I remove all the documents that I had arranged in a harmonica file so neatly, he also asked me if I thought I needed "all of this". I wasn't sure what to say because I brought the documents the US CG required, plus evidence of relationship because yes, I had thought I might need it. He let me bring all my papers inside, but kept the organiser....so I ended up with a stack of papers that seemed messy - if I hadn't labeled every single document, I would have problems finding it. I didn't think the guards were were friendly, they kept barking at everybody and people seemed a bit confused by their orders.
Eventually, I was second in line inside the waiting room, where a friendly lady at the door checked me in, I noticed she attached a sticker with the delivery service details to my passport and bundled that with the DS-160 I had brought. Another lady directed everybody to a seat in the waiting room. I think 8 people were checked-in at the same time and shortly after 1:00 PM Desk nr 1 opened for business. A friendly Dutch female clerk collected my passport and one by one the documents listed on the checklist, she looked at everything and assembled it into a file that seemed to contain the original K-1 Petition. this took about 10 minutes. When it was time to take my fingerprints, she apologised letting me know the scanner didn't function properly and asked me to wait while she would reboot it and she processed the next applicant in the meantime. After that I walked back to the desk to see if I could have my fingerprints scanned and was horrified when the lady explained to me that this was a one in a million chance but that while opening my electronic file the computer froze and the file became inaccessible O__o She said she hoped it would be fine after a while, otherwise she'd consult an IT guy and in the worst case (as you can imagine I was "thrilled" to hear!) I might need to come back another day. I asked whether I would need to come bacl only for the fingerprints and she replied that this would mean my interview would have to be rescheduled as they cannot interview me if my fingerprints weren't scanned first. I went back to my seat breathing in, breathing out... I had to summon and exert a lot of effort as to stay positive, hoping I would be able to have my interview today.
An hour later (!), after most people who came in with me and also some newcomers were done and left, I was called to Desk 1 and to my huge relief I were informed they were able to access my file again, so the interview could take place today. My fingerprints were finally taken and I waited another 30, maybe 40, minutes until I was called to Desk 4 for the actual interview.
An older, foreign looking man was conducting my interview, while two young officers sat behind him, watching. He looked very serious and was thumbing back and forth through the documents in my file in front of him. I had to raise my right hand and swear all the info I had filled in was true.
The conversation was simple, took about 15 minutes. He wasn't making a lot of eye contact and mostly asked me YES/NO questions. He spoke with a strong accent I wasn't able to place, which, combined with the fact we were talking through a microphone, made it not so easy for me to understand everything he said right away and I think I asked him twice to please repeat the question.
He asked me these questions:
- Who is the petitioner?
I gave him my fiancee's name.
- Where does she live?
I gave him her address.
- What's your date of birth?
I gave him my DOB.
- When did you meet?
In 2004, then I elaborated on how we met. (Initially online, were friends for a long time, then met in person and started dating.)
- How many times have you met in person?
I gave him the details of all the ocassions we met in person, when, where and how.
- When did you get engaged?
I gave him the date and explained that this only happened after we had filed the K-1 because we originally hadn't planned any engagement party or similar, we just agreed on getting married. But later, during my visit in the USA in May this year, my fiancee surprised me proposing to me in public.
- So you work as a nurse?
Yes.
- What does your fiancee do for living?
Told him what her job is.
- Were you previously married?
Yes. I explained when I divorced and why.
- Was your fiancee ever married before?
No.
- Where is your fiancee based?
Same question as already asked? I gave the same answer as to his first question.
- Are there other people dependent on your fiancee?
I explained she has children from her previous relationship who she is responsible for.
- What is your fiancee's date of birth?
I gave him the date and he remarked that we were of almost exactly the same age, so I proceeded to explain there was only a 12-hour difference between us, at which he finally kinda smiled.
- You know you must get married within 90 days, after you enter the US?
Yes.
Then I saw him draw a huge "tick"at the bottom of a document that looked like a checklist which he had been filling in during the conversation and he proceeded to tell me he was going to issue my visa. And that my passport and the sealed packet will be delivered to me by the courier service, after I will have made an appointment via email. I thanked him and left exhausted, but soo happy!!
As I collected my stuff at the security checkpoint, the guard who made me disassemble my paperwork earlier was now way more friendly, congratulated me and wished me luck.
I'm glad the interview went well, it was a stressful day because of the computer problem, but of course I understand this is not anybody's fault and the clerk was very apologetic about it. And I don't understand why the guards wouldn't let me enter with my papers inside a plastic folder...but that doesn't matter at all, because I WILL GET MY VISA!! :D
The stuff that I carried but nobody cared to see:
- evidence of relationship (photos, updated letter of intent, flight tickets, bookings, chatlogs, phonecalls.....)
- supporting evidence to I-134
- sponsor's W-2
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #27034