The 2009 United Kingdom Interview Thread!

[pothergavel 0]

Right, well I posted this in the other thread, but if I can give you any advice at all for the interview, it's this:

PLEASE DO NOT WORRY, STRESS, OR OTHERWISE CONCERN YOURSELF ABOUT ANYTHING. IT IS A COMPLETE DODDLE.

Anyway, back to me and my experience:

As most of you know, I was scheduled to have a 9am interview and then a medical at 2:50pm at Bentnick Mansions so I booked into a hotel for the Sunday night. I have to admit that I picked the Boston Court Hotel for two reasons - first of all, the location (about half a mile from both embassy and medical) and secondly the price - £46 through hotels.com. Now, I wouldn't exactly recommend the BCH as a place for a romantic getaway for two. In fact, there's not much I would recommend it for, unless you are only looking for somewhere to get your head down for a few hours. And it will be only a few hours - the hard bed, one thin pillow, paper thick walls and walk up two flights of stairs for a pee will all make sure it's no more than that. Having said that there was a shower, basin and fridge in the room and they'll look after your stuff if you need.

Sunday night I decided a quick walk to the embassy was in order to work out where it was - 7 minutes later I was outside. Please bear in mind that if you decide to do this, and you're about 6 foot 2, shaved head, on the phone and walking back and forth outside the embassy in the dark, the security/police etc suddenly find you the centre of their attention.

Anyway, Goulds Pharmacy is about 90 seconds away from the embassy, and don't bother with their website, they actually open at 7:30 and not 8:30.

Monday morning I left early and headed to Goulds Pharmacy. Left my ipod and phone there (it's a fiver), got confused as to why they wanted my mobile number as they would have the phone, and had my photos done (again a fiver, for two) and was out in the sunshine in about 10 minutes flat.

There was a little queue outside the embassy on the path. It's a bit like when you go to the airport and they have that provisional passport check thing. They ask for your interview letter and passport, give you a plastic bag for your stuff and then you wait to get called into the security gatehouse. They call you in two at a time, then you go through the doorway metal detector and your stuff goes in the trays like terminal 3 at Heathrow. From there you walk round the embassy to the side entrance, again show your interview letter (useful hint #1: don't forget your interview letter), get a ticket and go into the main room. For what it's worth, I was in the first queue at 8:12 and sitting down waiting at 8:20.

Huge room, like many have said, just like going to a post office. Booths down one side and chairs all arranged in rows facing the middle where there are tv screens saying what number is being called and what booth to go to. Immigrant visas start at 5000, and non-immigrant are 1000, I was 5013. Lucky for some! Genuinely, there were no nerves, I was just excited. It was really busy and the 1000 numbers start flying along. At 8:20, 5001 was called. Then not long after 5002. I was getting ahead of myself here, thinking this was going to be over sharpish. By 9:40, they were only just calling 5010. (useful hint #2: regardless of how long you think you will be there. You will be there longer. Take a book. Something like War & Peace should do it) Anyway, I got called to window 1 and the now familiar Chinese (possibly) lady at 10:10. Now, I deal with foreign students all the time, so it's usually not a problem, but the combination of her accent and the thick glass made for some comedy moments. Especially as she looked through my University record and started asking me questions about all the ones I had been to, and various others. If you get this lady and want some conversation starters, try these: her daughter is very clever. Got straight A's at A-level and is studying law at Imperial. She is one of those lucky people who can do no work, revise for a few weeks and get good grades (jammy git). Her friends daughter on the other hand, is struggling with her A-levels and doesn't really care. She even types lol on msn to window no.1 lady when she tries to offer advice. Sigh. Anyway, this is what she asked for:

The number ticket

Your passport

Birth certificate and the copy

Police certificate and the copy

The I-194F and associated evidence. I had 2007 tax return, letter from the missus employer, her bank statements and some roth info. She looked at it for about 2 seconds and only kept the I-194F, tax return and employer letter

She took my fingerprints on the mini green photocopier scanner (left hand 4 fingers, right hand 4 fingers, then both thumbs) and then sent me to another window to pay my £90 - they take credit card if you need. Walking to the payment window, I walked past both the photo booths which I hadn't noticed before: both out of order (useful hint #3: take your photos in with you). Once I had taken the receipt back to window 1 lady, you get a form to fill in for the courier and get to go and sit down again and wait to be called for the interview. Was sitting down by about 10:25.

Called for the interview at 11:05 with a thirty something American guy. Fingerprints taken from the left hand again, then raise the right hand and pledge not to lie to anything basically. That bit took me by surprise I have to admit. He then passed a form through and told me to sign it at the bottom and write my fiancee's name on it. We'd had a bit of banter before this point and he said, and I quote "this is part one of the test by the way. Get this wrong and we'll have some problems with the rest". I replied that if I got her name wrong, the repurcussions for me would be far worse than anything he could say, the missus would kill me. He laughed and reminded me that thanks to the paperwork he had her phone number and address and wouldn't hesitate to use them. Once that hurdle was safely negotiated, it was all good. More banter about life and California (where he is from and where I am going), and the questions were:

Where did you meet?

When did you meet in person?

What does fiancee do in her work?

Why have you been to the US so many times?

Why do we want to live there rather than here?

He filled in a blue form and told me that as I hadn't had my medical, then the application was temporarily suspended until that came through. However, as I had it booked for that afternoon, if they said it was all ok, I could expect my visa and information back to me within two weeks. And that was it. Done. 10 minutes from being called to being in, at most. (useful hint #4: remember what I said about not panicking).

I went out, paid the courier and wandered round London for hours til the medical.

Quick recap of the medical.

Get in, fill in a form and then get into the waiting room to, well, wait. Then called through to speak with a nice Australian nurse. She told me I needed some jabs done which I could have done there for £60 (she even winced saying that. She had just joined there from the NHS apparently. Oh, and she's not on commission, I checked. Or so she said!) As I said that I was going to get them done at the local doctors, she gave me a letter saying what I needed to get done and I had to get them sorted, have the doctors stamp it and fax it back. Back to the waiting room. Then called for the chest xray with a nice guy, who is from Stony Stratford (near Milton Keynes), and has even done the chest xray of Billie Piper. Never have I felt more of a disappointment to a man as I stood there arms in a trussed chicken/old school Mick Jagger pose whilst being blasted with radiation. Oh, if you go to the gym or work out at all, be prepared to be moved quite specifically so that you do actually fit onto the screen thing. Back to the waiting room. Then called for the examination - few quick questions, height and weight, eye check, then strip and lay on the bed. Blood pressure taken, stethoscope all over, look down the old boxer shorts, strap around the arm and the words "a little #######". Now, when I said I felt disappointing with the xray man, nothing comes anywhere near as close to the feeling of inadequacy that arrives as a femal doctor says "a little #######" approximately 8 seconds after looking down your boxer shorts. Turns out she meant she was going to take a blood sample. At least I hope so anyway. (useful hint #5: this is for guys only, but mention the coldness of the room once laying on the bed. I forgot this one). Come out, pay your £180 and head off home.

Job, as they say, done.

Oh, and in case you forget

DON'T PANIC AT ALL. IF YOU'VE GOT AS FAR AS THE INTERVIEW, THAT'S THE HARDEST BIT DONE

[skeez&titanic 0]

quick question when you send it packet 3 do you just send it the iv-15 checklist stating you have everything or do you have to send that in along with the ds-156 and the other ones.

[obbynox 0]

quick question when you send it packet 3 do you just send it the iv-15 checklist stating you have everything or do you have to send that in along with the ds-156 and the other ones.

Hi

I sent all mine back in the same envelope...by recorded delivery, just to be sure

And now have my interview on friday...eeek!

Thankyou Pothergavel for you're post, i feel slightly better prepared now..lol

[Talyss 0]

quick question when you send it packet 3 do you just send it the iv-15 checklist stating you have everything or do you have to send that in along with the ds-156 and the other ones.

for packet 3 send back

IV-15

DS-230 part1 signed

DS-156 unsigned (2 copies)

DS-156k (2 copies)

DS-157 (2 copies)

[skeez&titanic 0]

oh okay tyvm i didnt know you had to send those forms in I thought you were suppose to take them to the interview. That is probably why it was taking so long. WHich would of been nice if someone would of told us that. When I called everyday.....

[Laura+Tom 2]

January 2009 Graduates of the US Embassy, London

Jason&Sarah, Hannah+Vito, Mrssmith, ShannonNick, adrianandlinsay, Marmite Lovers!


February 2009 Graduates of the US Embassy, London

Rob&Dawn, Zoe and Hal, Terri and Seb, Talyss, TeeKol

March 2009 Interviews

Stinky Monkey...............K1......................................6th March 2009 APPROVED!!!!
Dave and Jess...............K1......................................10th March 2009
skparker........................K1......................................12th March 2009 APPROVED!!!!
Laurence+Lauren..........K1......................................12th March 2009 - Approved pending additional documentation
pothergavel...................K1......................................16th March 2009 - Approved pending medical
texpat cymru.................K1......................................18th March 2009
obbynox........................K1.......................................20th March 2009
The Dip Sticks................K3.......................................25th March 2009
Caminic.........................K1.......................................25th March 2009
Furious Biscuit...............K1.......................................27th March 2009
jojo gee........................K1.......................................27th March 2009
KnightAndMagpie..........K1.......................................30th March 2009
ahlpo............................DCF.....................................30th March 2009
MARM............................K1.......................................30th March 2009

April 2009 Interviews

miss g...........................K1.......................................21st April 2009


Still waiting for approval

Sad Eyes..........................................25th February 2008 - Still stuck in AP?
stevi1123.........................................16th October 2008 - Approved pending additional documentation
Marie620..........................................12th January 2009 - Denied, to file waiver
DairyFarmer.....................................5th March 2009 - Placed in AP


Good luck texpat cymru for today! Edited March 18, 2009 by Laura+Tom

[MARM 7]

Reschedule request for interview sent today...hopefully we get a date we want (we gave a week range of dates we prefer). Turns out my fiance needs to go and finish that college project or else it would be a horrible waste of $$$ and time for him to attend college in a different country and put forth all effort and then have it go in vain. No way, we would rather wait a couple more weeks, for our best interest.

[KnightAndMagpie 7]

Reschedule request for interview sent today...hopefully we get a date we want (we gave a week range of dates we prefer). Turns out my fiance needs to go and finish that college project or else it would be a horrible waste of $$$ and time for him to attend college in a different country and put forth all effort and then have it go in vain. No way, we would rather wait a couple more weeks, for our best interest.

Best of luck, Marm -- I'm sure you'll get it .

Good luck, textpat cymru! Keep the lucky streak going!

Also...ahlpo, what time is your interview? It would be nice to say hi .

Magpie.

[MARM 7]

Thanks for the best wishes Magpie!

@ Stinky Monkey (or anyone else that knows...): How long after the email to the embassy (with the email code in the subject and body of course) is the automatic response sent? My fiance sent an email to the embassy at around 9:00 AM, and until 10:00 AM he did not get any automatic response from the embassy, is that normal? We are on a tight time schedule with the interview originally scheduled for March 30 and packet 4 already received, so we are kind of getting worried, whether we should send another email? Or how long after the one we sent should we expect any sort of response? (it takes ~4 days for them to actually respond, but what about an automatic response message?)

:wacko:

Edited March 18, 2009 by MARM

[DairyFarmer 1]

Its not an automated response, its manually sent. My normal experience is between 15 mins and 4 hours. Don't worry too much it will take them a little while for them to catch up on all the emails sent over night.

[mrs_sdp 0]

Good Morning All ....

A quick question - but one of those that will have me worrying all day!!

In the instructions, it says that I need to have a letter from Steve's employer, from his bank and also notarized copies of his latest federal income tax return.

Steve should have his latest taxes done and dusted in a week or so and I'm hoping to have those for the interview - do they still need to be notarized? Or am I getting confused with the I-134, which doesn't NEED to be notarized now?

Also, can I send the checklist back without actually having the documents I need from him in my hands in the UK? I was hoping to send the checklist back .... and then have the docs here for the interview - which looks as if it may be some weeks away yet ...

All advice appreciated!!

Moira x

PS ... I wish they had an emoticon of a worried little face biting their finger nails!!

[DairyFarmer 1]

[mrs_sdp 0]

OMG ... that one's NOT on MY list ....

[DairyFarmer 1]

If in doubt google is your friend. http://www.gtouk.org.uk/phpBB2/posting.php?mode=smilies

[mrs_sdp 0]

If in doubt google is your friend. http://www.gtouk.org.uk/phpBB2/posting.php?mode=smilies

Thank you so much!! I got to the page ok, but have absolutely no idea what to do with it - I will have a fiddle later ....