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| London, United Kingdom |  Review on August 22, 2011: |
arh1
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
Interview Review – K1 Visa
USA Embassy, London
Monday 22nd August 9:30am
I flew down to London on the 21st and stayed at The Lancaster Gate Hotel for the night. In the evening I took a walk to the Embassy (approximately 30 minutes walk) to see where it was etc.
In the morning I woke up early, at about 6am and had breakfast etc in the hotel and chose to get the tube two stops to Bond Street, the closest of the tube stops to the Embassy. I walked down Davies Street and Brook Street and arrived at Grosvenor Square and walked up to the Embassy. I arrived early at about 0730am and joined the queue of 20 or so others in the Visa line. The line starts directly outside of the security booth and officials checked my appointment letter, MRV receipt and passport before letting me through into the security booth. I will reiterate the fact that you are not allowed to take in any electrical item – mobile phone, MP3, car keys etc. A number of people in front of me were not aware of this and were directed to one of two pharmacies (Gould’s and another I didn’t catch the name) where such items can be stored. I left mine at the hotel. I was handed a plastic bag in which to put my belt, watch and wallet and any loose change.
The security booth was easy. All items including bags and plastic bag went through an airport style x-ray machine as do you. Following this I was directed out the rear of the security booth and walked to the right, around the Embassy following the clearly posted yellow ‘VISA’ signs, up the stairs to the reception desk. At the reception desk the MRV receipt and appointment letter are checked again and stickers attached with your interview number – I902 for me. Then walked up the stairs to the waiting room and was sat down between the courier desk and the display TV’s. I sat down at about 0745.
The room is laid out with the TV screens in the centre, a snack bar at the far end, courier desk as you walk in and interview windows to the side and round the corner next to the toilets.
At about 0800 the TVs powered on and almost instantly the PA system started asking for N numbers at a rate of a few per minute. At about 0810 I was called to window 14. At window 14 I was greeted by an older lady who was fairly abrupt and non-chatty. She asked for and checked my MRV receipt and passport and went to find my file. After about 1 minute she arrived back with a pink file with my name on (not as large a file as I had in my mind that it would be) but when she opened it someone else’s form was the top page – not a similar name to mine either!! She went off for about 5 minutes and came back with my file and my paperwork at the top this time.
She took a checklist out and asked for my passport photos, police certificate (and copy), birth certificate (and copy) and I-134 from my fiancée. I duly handed all of these items to her. I told her that because my fiancée is living and working in the UK just now she did not put an occupation or income on the I-134 (just $40,000 worth of savings) and it would not continue in the USA and asked if she would like an I-134 from her father instead who has an income and further assets. She said “no – we don’t require it for this type of visa – just one from the petitioner is all”. I just accepted this, she took my finger prints (took a few attempts) and she then started asking a couple of basic questions:
CO: Have you ever been arrested?
Me: No.
CO: Have you ever been in the military?
Me: No.
CO: Have you had any previous marriages?
Me: No.
CO: Go take a seat in the waiting room and fill out this form (and she handed me a pink form to fill in for the Courier).
I sat back in the waiting room but on the opposite side of the room this time. The room was nearly full at this time (0830) so I filled in the courier form and sat and stared around the room. The room was not what I expected and very “un-Americanised” compared to what I had imagined. There was 1, maybe 2 American flags and a couple of Andy Warhol prints on the wall.
In between the plethora of N numbers that were called were a few E numbers, a D number and an I number or two. At about 0900 I was called back to window 15. I was greeted by a very friendly, nice blonde haired woman.
She immediately put me at ease and made me raise my right hand and pledge that I was telling the truth in both all of my paperwork and the interview. She checked my fingerprints then asked me to print my fiancées name and sign mine underneath and then started asking a couple of questions:
CO: How did you meet?
Me: my answer
CO: Have you met her parents?
Me: my answer
CO: OK I am going to approve your visa. Take your form to the courier desk.
Me: Thank you!
It was really, truly simple and nothing to be at all nervous about. I had initial concerns about the I-134 but as noted above, this appeared to be a non-issue. The questions were really simple and not designed to catch you out in any way and the CO was very friendly. All in all, a better experience than what I had expected.
I then went to the courier desk and ordered pre midday delivery and was charged to my credit card. No cash is accepted, only cards (exc AMEX).
I walked out, and back through the security booth and was standing outside by 0910, twenty minutes before my scheduled interview time. I took the tube back to the hotel and surprised my fiancée who had stayed there.
Then wandered around London for a bit, had a celebratory lunch, made our way back to Heathrow and am now sitting at home with a glass of champagne writing this.
If anyone has any questions than please just get in touch and I will provide assistance where possible.
Most of all – DON’T be nervous, it isn’t that bad!!
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #8167