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| London, United Kingdom |  Review on March 15, 2012: |
Dan & Jenni
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
My appointment was for 9.30 and after leaving my bag (£3) and my mobile (another £3) at Goulds pharmacy I joined the queue outside the embassy at 8.45. It is all quite simple really and all the staff including the security guards and armed police are friendly and helpful.
I went up to a group of ladies in bright yellow jackets and after checking my name off the list I was sent to join the queue. It moves quite quickly and 30 seconds later an older gentleman checked my passport, MRV fee receipt, and my appointment letter and told me to stand outside the security hut. You are called in to security four at a time and you place all your belongings including your belt if wearing one in to a tray which is x-rayed as you walk through the body scanner. Collect all your stuff, exit the security hut and follow the building round to the right, up some stairs and in to reception where a lady will book you in and attach a sticker to your appointment letter. I was number I912. You then go up some stairs and in to a large room full of seats and TV screens across the middle.
“I” numbers are few and far between so listen to the announcements and watch the screens so you don’t miss it. After about 45 minutes I was called to window 1 where I was greeted by a quiet speaking Chinese lady... she was nice and polite but I really did have to listen carefully to what was being said. I was asked for my birth certificate and copy, my police certificate and copy, passport and 2 passport photos, and then the I-134 from my sponsor. The only evidence she took to go with the I-134 was Jenni’s letter of employment... no wage slips and no tax returns etc where asked for. I gave my fingerprints and went and sat back down.
2 ½ hours later I was called up to window 15 for my interview where I was met by a friendly American guy who took my fingerprints and had me raise my right hand (don’t worry he finds it amusing when you raise your left hand by mistake lol) and say I do for the oath part. He started flicking through my file and asking questions which where all related to the previous question so it made it seem quite informal and not at all like an interview.
How did we meet??
How did our relationship progress??
What was it about this girl that made me want to marry her after only spending a short amount of time together in person??
Did I know she was previously married??
What did I know about her ex??
How old where her 2 children??
What kind of things where they in to??
He then asked about why I had ticked yes for question 38 on form DS-156 “Have you ever been arrested or charged with an offence...”. I was done for driving without insurance about 15 years ago and I told him and he just said it is fine. I got the impression that he was impressed by my honesty as he said it was something that most people tend to “forget about” as there is no record of it on the police certificate or on a subject access request. Next he asked me about Jenni’s income as it falls slightly short of the requirement as she works hours to suit the children. I told him she would go full time when I got there but I had a co-sponsor anyway if it was needed. He took the co-sponsors I-134, looked at it and said “thats fine... we just like to have it on record”. He didn’t take any supporting evidence whatsoever. I then signed form DS-156K. He then looked at me and said... “all there is left to do now is congratulate you on your visa... you can stop being so nervous now” :D
He handed me back my original documents and a CD with my chest xray on it, explained about the “do not open” envelope and POE, and then I thanked him a million times before I went and paid for delivery of my visa.
Job done and all in all it was painless and a lot easier than I thought it would be.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #9334