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|  Review on October 14, 2011: |
Gav & Jackie
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
I arrived on North Audley Street at 8:30am and paid the £3 to have Goulds Pharmacy hold my phone for me. My appointment was for 9:30am. I got to the embassy at 8;35am and there were about ten people already in the queue. I was asked for my name by a lady and upon finding me on her list, she instructed me to take a clear plastic bag to put my watch, belt and loose change in. I joined the queue and was told by the security guard at the front of the queue to have my appointment letter and passport ready. My letter and passport were checked and I was instructed to join the smaller queue just in front of the embassy guard house. They were letting people in 4 at a time and the queue went in very quickly. I put my plastic bag and wallet into a tray, with my document folder going through separately, and they were passed through the x-ray scanner. I then walked through the metal detector. All 4 of us in the guard house had to stand back against the wall as our items came through the scanner and only once all items had come through were we allowed to collect them and proceed to the the embassy. The security guards inform you to put your belt back on once inside the embassy and not in the guard room or en route to the embassy. There are "visa" signs that lead you into the embassy and to the reception desk where you present your appointment letter and are issued with a number (An i-900 number if its for a K-1). After this, you head to the seated area at the top of the stairs and begin the waiting process.
I got to the waiting area at 8:45am. When you first walk-in, on your left is the courier desk, where you will take your completed courier slip at the end of your interview in order to get your passport and visa returned to you. To your right are many rows of seats and TV screens much like Argos. These screen show the numbers being announced and the desk that people holding those numbers are being asked to appear in front of. I waited until 10:20am until my number was called and then went to desk 1 to present my documents to a lovely lady who was very cheery. As she requested the documents I handed them over and then she complemented my pictures and accent, which she couldn't pin down to one area, but thats nothing new. When I gave her my Affidavit of support, I then mentioned I had a co-sponsor but she seemed to insinuate that I didn't have to give her that info her, but I could if I wanted to. Which I did. I then went through the process of having my fingerprints taken and she gave me the CD copy of my chest x-ray from my medical and told me to keep hold of it for the next steps when I got to America. After that, I was told to take a seat and wait to be called for interview. My only regret about this initial contact in the embassy was that I could not always clearly hear the lady at the desk due to background noise, which was a shame because she was very chatty, and I was hoping not to come off rude when I couldn't hear her.
I sat back down at 10:30am and waited until 10:55am before I was called through for the interview process. I was asked to give finger prints for my right hand again, then asked to raise my right hand as I gave my oath. I was then passed through a document and had to print my fiancee's name and then sign my own. As I did this I was asked how long I had known my fiancee for, where we met and how long we had been a couple for. The interviewer then informed me that my visa had been approved and told me to take my completed courier form to the courier desk to pay for the return of my passport.
All-in-all it was a very simple and straight forward process. After months of waiting and filing paperwork it is a massive relief to know that I can now finally get off to America, get married and begin my new life with my wife.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #8504