My Sydney K1 Visa Interview Experience

[jjayjjay 0]

So, few weeks back I was given my interview date for my K1 Visa, and I was over the moon. I immediately started researching what I was to expect and what I should “study” for. I found one documentary on VJ to be really really really helpful, and I will be eternally grateful this persons account of the day. I thought I might also do mine, so more people can read along and get a better understanding of their interview day and hopefully de-stress a little bit. As well as bring it up to 2014 I was an out of towner, so a lot of extra stuff is included as well.

This is the help I am talking about:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/323716-my-k-1-sydney-interview-process/

And this part of VJ is also helpful but I didn't find it until I was prompted to review my interview:

http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/index.php?cnty=Australia

My background is that I met my fiancé online playing a game (Puzzle Pirates). We had been talking to each other since 2010. And I have met him once when he came over to Australia to visit, and proposed to me before going home. He was here for 5 weeks. When I write it out like that, it seems a little crazy, but so is love I guess. I am Australia, I was born in Queensland, and I had lived in the Philippines for 5 years when I was growing up. I also have no convictions or criminal history, and no communicable diseases etc etc I’m assuming I was basically an easy case. I had already seen the doctor for my medical check too.

My interview was at 10.45am in Sydney at the MLC Centre.I live in Brisbane, and I had to fly into Sydney the day of my interview and fly back out because I had to work days either side of the interview. I planned on getting there very early, having some breathing time to calm down and go over things and go to the toilet etc. My flight left Brisbane at 5.30am on time, I had already been awake for an hour and a half at this stage. We landed at about 8.00am, and I turned my wristwatch ahead for daylight savings. I assumed my phone would automatically do this as well.

I landed, left the QANTAS terminal, went down the stairs, turned left, walked past all the baggage claims since I only had carry on and went down the stairs to the subway and purchased a one day ticket to Market Place. It cost around the $16 mark from memory, or it could have been $19. Make sure you pay with EFTPOS or have change (you can get notes split up by a seperate machine) as the ticket machines don’t usually have enough change to give you if you stick a $50 in, and that is where most of my lunch money was consumed . I purchased Market Place because they have MASSIVE basic maps hanging about, and it seemed closest to the MLC centre. I asked the barrier lady which platform and she told me to “Get off at St. James and walk up” so I’m sure that’s also viable, and probably easier since I had to get off at Central and swap to a Town Hall service, and then swap again to a Bondi Service to get to Market Place.

Eventually got to market place and a few kind Sydneyites pointed me in the right direction, it was basically exit the station turn left to a set of lights and the turn right and you’ll see the MLC centre right there. Here is a picture so you know what you are looking for.

Despite the run around on the trains in peak and having no idea where I was, I made it there in half an hour and had lots of time to burn. I walked around a bit. There is a huge food court, with lots and lots and lots of food to choose from, and due to said abundance, coffee and food seem to be cheap. I couldn’t resist a coffee and eggs benedict (since I’m a benedict addict) and sat down at one of the fancy cafés above the food court. Once I’d polished off my meal and coffee, I ordered another coffee and chatted on FB to my fiancé. I went over paper work with him, and a few of the questions that I thought would be tough to answer with great detail on the spot when I’m nervous. Questions like “Why do you think you are ready to get married” and “What do you love about your fiancé”. You’re probably thinking they are easy questions for you, but I don’t usually have a way with words when I’m on the spot and I needed a mini mental script for back up.

All in all that day I had with me:

• Extra Affidavit of Support info (my fiancé had only just gotten employed after graduating from Uni when this info was requested, so it was a little lack luster)
• Receipt of the $240USD visa payment
• The extra copy of the packets my fiancé had sent in for the application
• Two passport photos as requested (I got mine done at Officeworks for $9.95)
• My Australian Passport
• My fiancé’s W2 – a form that shows his SSN and employment details
• Our wedding invitation
• Photocopies of receipts for our wedding venue in the US
• Envelopes and photocopied letters I received from my fiancé
• About a dozen printed out photos of us together
• Print out of our FB “relationship” page (We couldn’t figure out a way to get our FB or Skype logs)
• The report from my XRAYs (I didn’t take the xrays with me as I was told I didn’t need them and would only need to take them with me when I fly out to the States)
• Immunisation sheet
• And photocopies of his boarding passes

It was a lot and in some ways not very much, as I have seen people’s lists of things they took and mine seemed pale in comparison. I none the less felt prepared, and also I was over it, drumming up any more details was not going to happen! That morning I also made sure my ring was extra shiny J

So I was going thru it all. Went to the toilet half a dozen times, both for nerves, and the coffee I think. The time was 9.45am and I decided to go up and ask if I could go in early. I went to the front desk of the MLC centre, and asked the man sitting there; he turned to me and said… You’re late, it is already 10.45am! MY PHONE DIDN’T CLOCK OVER AND I HADN’T BEEN WATCHING MY WRIST WATCH THAT HAD!!!!!!!! I went into crazy nervous mode, ran up to the lifts, jiggled the button and jumped into the lift swearing at myself.

I got out of the lift on Level 10, walked all the way around to my right and into the security screening area. I explained that I was late, and they said don’t worry, its ok, you have plenty of time, calm down etc. They checked my passport and ticked me off on a list then I had to remove all “electronic devices that could be disguised as a bomb or bomb parts” which included my headphones and pen. My bag was then scanned. I stepped thru the metal detector. I was asked to remove my wallet and keep it with me, and to keep any documents I needed, I was given a ticket. I asked if I could take my bottle of water up with me, and they requested I take a mouthful in front of them, which I did. They directed me to a seat over to the left side of the room. One of the guards pushed the button on the lift for me while I waited. When the lift was ready, she came over and got me and pushed the button for the 59^th or 60^th floor, and I was whizzed up.

When I got up there, I was again asked for my passport and was ticked off on a sheet, and then went thru the door into a waiting room. I got another ticket from the machine. Just a little waiting and I was asked to come up to a window, where I had my fingerprints scanned and I submitted the requested documents, and my packet 3 stuff was returned to me, including my forms and original documents. They did keep the DS 160 form though. I was asked to sit back down. I probably waited another 20 minutes, and I was called to another window, which is where the interview took place. My finger prints were scanned again and I was asked to take an oath. The person asked me very basic questions, like what is the name of my fiancé, how we met, what he does, etc. They asked me why I wanted to move to the US, and a couple questions about living circumstances and his family. And that was it. I got handed a piece of paper with my name on it and was told I have been approved and to “go now”.

They kept my passport in order to put the visa in it, and it is being sent back to me by courier. I didn’t have to show them any extra stuff, and I really didn’t have to study for the questions she asked. It was over and done within 10 minutes.

If I wasn’t so excited about having my visa, I would have been disappointed. I had put so much time into organising paperwork and preparing myself and I didn’t need one bit of it. I even went out and purchased some nice slacks and a nice shirt, although I did put my hoodie on because it was bloody freezing in there. Everyone else in there when I was, however, was in jeans, and there was one lady in a cropped top and ripped jeans, and a few children á la mode de Queensland aka barefoot and topless. I really didn’t need anything besides what they had requested in the email I received when I was notified of my interview date. Although, it only occurs to me now that they didn’t ask me to sign the bottom of the DS156K and they didn’t return my sealed medical packet which I sent in for my packet 3 at their request (I didn’t know what to make of the “medical document originals” so I email and that is what they instructed). I suppose the DS160 covers it all, or maybe they forgot, I’ve emailed them anyway.

So all in all, the process took no more than 50 minutes, and I was late. Everyone was very nice and friendly (though the interviewer was a grouch), even the desk man at the bottom of the MLC centre asked me how I went when I came back down.

I spent the rest of the day exploring Sydney and catching up with old friends, and reminding them that Queensland won the State of Origin last year and not to bother buying tickets for this year unless they enjoy watching NSW loose

I really hope this isn’t too long of a story, and that someone out there can get some information from it. Feel free to contact me about any questions that I might be able to answer.

[KASH2011 382]

Great review! Congrats to you

[Pitaya 2,577]

~Moved from K-1 Process to K-1 Progress Forum~

[Boggy1974 124]

Congratulations! I'm very happy for you both!!!

Would be very nice if ALL consulates/embassies treated visa applicants nicely as your experience.

You will puke to see how shabbily folks from poor countries are treated during visits to the embassies. Take that from someone who's wife just went through the embassy in Ghana!

Favoritism? I don't know. Haves and have not's? I am not sure!

So, few weeks back I was given my interview date for my K1 Visa, and I was over the moon. I immediately started researching what I was to expect and what I should “study” for. I found one documentary on VJ to be really really really helpful, and I will be eternally grateful this persons account of the day. I thought I might also do mine, so more people can read along and get a better understanding of their interview day and hopefully de-stress a little bit. As well as bring it up to 2014 I was an out of towner, so a lot of extra stuff is included as well.

This is the help I am talking about:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/323716-my-k-1-sydney-interview-process/

And this part of VJ is also helpful but I didn't find it until I was prompted to review my interview:

http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/index.php?cnty=Australia

My background is that I met my fiancé online playing a game (Puzzle Pirates). We had been talking to each other since 2010. And I have met him once when he came over to Australia to visit, and proposed to me before going home. He was here for 5 weeks. When I write it out like that, it seems a little crazy, but so is love I guess. I am Australia, I was born in Queensland, and I had lived in the Philippines for 5 years when I was growing up. I also have no convictions or criminal history, and no communicable diseases etc etc I’m assuming I was basically an easy case. I had already seen the doctor for my medical check too.

My interview was at 10.45am in Sydney at the MLC Centre.I live in Brisbane, and I had to fly into Sydney the day of my interview and fly back out because I had to work days either side of the interview. I planned on getting there very early, having some breathing time to calm down and go over things and go to the toilet etc. My flight left Brisbane at 5.30am on time, I had already been awake for an hour and a half at this stage. We landed at about 8.00am, and I turned my wristwatch ahead for daylight savings. I assumed my phone would automatically do this as well.

I landed, left the QANTAS terminal, went down the stairs, turned left, walked past all the baggage claims since I only had carry on and went down the stairs to the subway and purchased a one day ticket to Market Place. It cost around the $16 mark from memory, or it could have been $19. Make sure you pay with EFTPOS or have change (you can get notes split up by a seperate machine) as the ticket machines don’t usually have enough change to give you if you stick a $50 in, and that is where most of my lunch money was consumed . I purchased Market Place because they have MASSIVE basic maps hanging about, and it seemed closest to the MLC centre. I asked the barrier lady which platform and she told me to “Get off at St. James and walk up” so I’m sure that’s also viable, and probably easier since I had to get off at Central and swap to a Town Hall service, and then swap again to a Bondi Service to get to Market Place.

Eventually got to market place and a few kind Sydneyites pointed me in the right direction, it was basically exit the station turn left to a set of lights and the turn right and you’ll see the MLC centre right there. Here is a picture so you know what you are looking for.

Messenger_5838761013712728671_13920691046325057.jpg

Messenger_5838761063554319314_13920691164973341.jpg

Despite the run around on the trains in peak and having no idea where I was, I made it there in half an hour and had lots of time to burn. I walked around a bit. There is a huge food court, with lots and lots and lots of food to choose from, and due to said abundance, coffee and food seem to be cheap. I couldn’t resist a coffee and eggs benedict (since I’m a benedict addict) and sat down at one of the fancy cafés above the food court. Once I’d polished off my meal and coffee, I ordered another coffee and chatted on FB to my fiancé. I went over paper work with him, and a few of the questions that I thought would be tough to answer with great detail on the spot when I’m nervous. Questions like “Why do you think you are ready to get married” and “What do you love about your fiancé”. You’re probably thinking they are easy questions for you, but I don’t usually have a way with words when I’m on the spot and I needed a mini mental script for back up.

All in all that day I had with me:

• Extra Affidavit of Support info (my fiancé had only just gotten employed after graduating from Uni when this info was requested, so it was a little lack luster)
• Receipt of the $240USD visa payment
• The extra copy of the packets my fiancé had sent in for the application
• Two passport photos as requested (I got mine done at Officeworks for $9.95)
• My Australian Passport
• My fiancé’s W2 – a form that shows his SSN and employment details
• Our wedding invitation
• Photocopies of receipts for our wedding venue in the US
• Envelopes and photocopied letters I received from my fiancé
• About a dozen printed out photos of us together
• Print out of our FB “relationship” page (We couldn’t figure out a way to get our FB or Skype logs)
• The report from my XRAYs (I didn’t take the xrays with me as I was told I didn’t need them and would only need to take them with me when I fly out to the States)
• Immunisation sheet
• And photocopies of his boarding passes

It was a lot and in some ways not very much, as I have seen people’s lists of things they took and mine seemed pale in comparison. I none the less felt prepared, and also I was over it, drumming up any more details was not going to happen! That morning I also made sure my ring was extra shiny J

So I was going thru it all. Went to the toilet half a dozen times, both for nerves, and the coffee I think. The time was 9.45am and I decided to go up and ask if I could go in early. I went to the front desk of the MLC centre, and asked the man sitting there; he turned to me and said… You’re late, it is already 10.45am! MY PHONE DIDN’T CLOCK OVER AND I HADN’T BEEN WATCHING MY WRIST WATCH THAT HAD!!!!!!!! I went into crazy nervous mode, ran up to the lifts, jiggled the button and jumped into the lift swearing at myself.

I got out of the lift on Level 10, walked all the way around to my right and into the security screening area. I explained that I was late, and they said don’t worry, its ok, you have plenty of time, calm down etc. They checked my passport and ticked me off on a list then I had to remove all “electronic devices that could be disguised as a bomb or bomb parts” which included my headphones and pen. My bag was then scanned. I stepped thru the metal detector. I was asked to remove my wallet and keep it with me, and to keep any documents I needed, I was given a ticket. I asked if I could take my bottle of water up with me, and they requested I take a mouthful in front of them, which I did. They directed me to a seat over to the left side of the room. One of the guards pushed the button on the lift for me while I waited. When the lift was ready, she came over and got me and pushed the button for the 59^th or 60^th floor, and I was whizzed up.

When I got up there, I was again asked for my passport and was ticked off on a sheet, and then went thru the door into a waiting room. I got another ticket from the machine. Just a little waiting and I was asked to come up to a window, where I had my fingerprints scanned and I submitted the requested documents, and my packet 3 stuff was returned to me, including my forms and original documents. They did keep the DS 160 form though. I was asked to sit back down. I probably waited another 20 minutes, and I was called to another window, which is where the interview took place. My finger prints were scanned again and I was asked to take an oath. The person asked me very basic questions, like what is the name of my fiancé, how we met, what he does, etc. They asked me why I wanted to move to the US, and a couple questions about living circumstances and his family. And that was it. I got handed a piece of paper with my name on it and was told I have been approved and to “go now”.

20140211_104228.jpg

They kept my passport in order to put the visa in it, and it is being sent back to me by courier. I didn’t have to show them any extra stuff, and I really didn’t have to study for the questions she asked. It was over and done within 10 minutes.

If I wasn’t so excited about having my visa, I would have been disappointed. I had put so much time into organising paperwork and preparing myself and I didn’t need one bit of it. I even went out and purchased some nice slacks and a nice shirt, although I did put my hoodie on because it was bloody freezing in there. Everyone else in there when I was, however, was in jeans, and there was one lady in a cropped top and ripped jeans, and a few children á la mode de Queensland aka barefoot and topless. I really didn’t need anything besides what they had requested in the email I received when I was notified of my interview date. Although, it only occurs to me now that they didn’t ask me to sign the bottom of the DS156K and they didn’t return my sealed medical packet which I sent in for my packet 3 at their request (I didn’t know what to make of the “medical document originals” so I email and that is what they instructed). I suppose the DS160 covers it all, or maybe they forgot, I’ve emailed them anyway.

So all in all, the process took no more than 50 minutes, and I was late. Everyone was very nice and friendly (though the interviewer was a grouch), even the desk man at the bottom of the MLC centre asked me how I went when I came back down.

I spent the rest of the day exploring Sydney and catching up with old friends, and reminding them that Queensland won the State of Origin last year and not to bother buying tickets for this year unless they enjoy watching NSW loose

I really hope this isn’t too long of a story, and that someone out there can get some information from it. Feel free to contact me about any questions that I might be able to answer.

[RainbowDucks 5]

These reviews are a godsend to those of us who are going on interviews. I remember reading through them all when I did my interview day. VJ was a lifesaver for me when I went through the process a few years ago. It can be daunting and stressful and overwhelming to say the least when you first start the journey.

Thanks for adding your review too, future applicants will truly appreciate it. And no, it wasn't too long, the more information the better I think!

Grats on your visa, I wish you all the best

[jjayjjay 0]

Thanks for the replies guys!

I'm glad you like my report on my day.

@Boggy1974

I was amazed that people in Sydney didn't at least go smart casual! I can only imagine what Ghana would have been like!!! I spent ages trying to figure out what to wear and couldn't really find any current info. The best I got was "go as if you are going to a job info" and don't worry too much about it "I went in my hoodie". But neither mattered, because I was comfortable in the end, though i would have loved to have had someone say to me Yes that is appropriate/not appropriate.

@kahls and greg

I was so greatful for the review (the first link) it really helped me decide what and how much to take with me. VJ has been such a big help! I'm so glad me and my fiance have been able to do it without the help of expensive immgration lawyers becasue we can find info and help here! Just wanted to add my bit in the hopes someone really finds it helpful!

Thanks again all! I'm so pumped! Now just to figute out how to move my little fuzzy friend with me!

[nzannie 0]

Thank you so much, I have my interview on Tuesday in Auckland, New Zealand!!

[isabooo 27]

My interviewer was very friendly, even went off subject a few times (talking about how cold is Alaska and effect of DOMA going down). But the first lady I saw to give my passport to, she wasn't the most friendly, wasn't patient if I didn't hear her well. I was really hoping she would not be the one interviewing me, thankfully she didn't. Maybe that is who who ended up with

[jjayjjay 0]

@nzannie best of luck! you'll be fine

My interviewer was very friendly, even went off subject a few times (talking about how cold is Alaska and effect of DOMA going down). But the first lady I saw to give my passport to, she wasn't the most friendly, wasn't patient if I didn't hear her well. I was really hoping she would not be the one interviewing me, thankfully she didn't. Maybe that is who who ended up with

Oh I am so jealous! My fiacné and I wanna live in Alaska one day but have to wait and save up for tht dream to happen! jealous jealous jealous... texas will have to do for now lol

I think it's a luck of the draw a to who you get. ultimately i woudn't have minded facing godzilla so long as i got my visa

Fantastic news!