British perspective on my situation

[dustingthestars 9]

I am very definitely not a leave-it-to-chance kind of a guy when it comes to stuff like this. I always research life-changing decisions for months before I get the ball rolling. I like to know a process inside and out before I commit myself to it. I'm hoping that it will mean I won't mind the delay as much as I know what to expect from everyone else - that's just wishful thinking, right?

This place has definitely been a great help and I'm much more inclined to become involved in the forums as a result of the nice people here. There don't seem to be too many egos which is nice in a forum setting and you tend to get honest advice rather than pandering - much more useful in the long-run!

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

I have to admit that I've worked my way through a good portion of the reviews already. I think the problem can be reading the scare stories from other countries and then assuming their stories and outcomes apply to your own situation, but I believe, from the reviews and comments on the UK forum here on VJ, that London does a lot of the work beforehand and the interview tends to be, in most cases, a formality - I'm happy to be corrected in this regard, but comments and reports on this website lead me to generally believe I'm correct in this respect. I get the impression that you don't have to take cart loads of documents to the interview like in other Embassies and you are not subjected to the degree of questioning, unless for a good reason, as other Embassies dish out.

You're a very smart man. In one day you've grasped what some never do.

My personal take on London is if USCIS approved a petition, then London is satisfied that the marriage has been proven or the fiances have met in person, are free to marry and intend to marry. People keep hauling photobooks, love letters, and Skype logs to London and they don't ever look at them. Ever! There was one guy who asked someone, did you bring any goofy pictures? I think that was more for his amusement than for the files.

My other hunch on London is that nobody goes over your files until the few minutes prior to you walking up to the interviewers window. The document lady gathers your passport, checks everything is there and such, and gets the file prepared to send back to the interviewer. He/she is always scanning your file as you approach. He asks a few questions he's found in your paperwork. He might ask you "Does your wife have any kids?" He knows the answer because he just skimmed her biographical page. He's checking to make sure you know there's a kid. Questions can be structured to make sure the immigrant is aware of what's on the other side of the pond for their protection.

[cathy2904 97]

The only thing I was asked was the date of our marriage.

[Alex & Rachel 78]

I agree with Nich that there's generally no need to haul piles of evidence to London, but also be aware that they can and may ask you any number and type of questions - I was asked quite a few questions, rapid-fire; at least 15 (I documented them in my timeline, for anyone who is interested!). My interviewer turned out to be from San Jose, so he'd have been able to tell quite easily if I wasn't sure of my answers!

[JoannaV 174]

We did CR-1 and the only evidence we sent was the marriage certificate, a random boat insurance document that happened to mention my name as well as my husband's, and three (non-notarised) affidavits from family/friends which basically just said "I know them and they're married.")

[dustingthestars 9]

Thanks to everyone for their shared insight. We're definitely going to pursue the CR-1 having discussed it this morning. We're going to wait until I'm finished here and then get married later in the year.

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

Here's a laypersons explanation of the types of security checks which can trigger Administrative Processing (AP).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Security_Advisory_Opinion

[dustingthestars 9]

If I have to go through AP, I have to go through it. I'm fairly confident that I won't though.

[david'sgirl 134]

Thanks for your take on the process, Cathy.

7 months seems pretty nippy. You mentioned signed affidavits from people that know you as a couple? I hadn't considered that. I guess that I'm just going to send in a whole load of paperwork and whatnot! Sounds like it was a breeze for you? What was the interview at London like?

We wed July 8,2009 and he arrived here Feb 8,2010. During the time we were apart he visited several times on VWP and I went over there as well. We met in terminal 5 and went to the interview together and spent a few days exploring London.

We submitted copies of plane tickets from each trip,marriage certificate,an affadavit from my dad, his mum and sister and a couple of other people who knew us as a couple. We submitted a few photos. I added him to my insurance and made him my beneficiary on life insurance and sent a copy of that as well. They know you won't be able to show shared property until you are living here. We are submitting that comingled finance and mortgage stuff now for removal of conditions.

We did a review of the London interview and I think you can read it under profile. But it was simple. We went to embassy and presented our paper. We were given a number and directed to waiting area which looks like the registry of motor vehicles in US. We waited for our number to be called and went to the window. The lady had our file and asked about the medical and xrays. She hunted those down as they had already been submitted. We were then told to wait. We were called to a second window and this very friendly chatty woman asked us about our honeymoon and we talked about the Isle of Skye. We talked about our kids and about being robbed when he came over to propose. She asked him to swear an oath and had us go to the cashier and said the visa would be delivered in a few days.

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

If I have to go through AP, I have to go through it. I'm fairly confident that I won't though.

Sorry. Just thought you would like a bit more information.

[dustingthestars 9]

Sorry. Just thought you would like a bit more information.

My apologies, I probably came off a little short and that wasn't my intention at all. I guess what I'm trying to say is that whatever needs to happen, needs to happen in order for me to go to the US. I'm confident, as a British-born Brit, that if I do require AP because of some of my destinations in the past, then it would be relatively quick turnaround.

Technically, according to the Wiki page you linked to, I don't fall into any AP categories anyway. Here's hoping!

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

My apologies, I probably came off a little short and that wasn't my intention at all. I guess what I'm trying to say is that whatever needs to happen, needs to happen in order for me to go to the US. I'm confident, as a British-born Brit, that if I do require AP because of some of my destinations in the past, then it would be relatively quick turnaround.

Technically, according to the Wiki page you linked to, I don't fall into any AP categories anyway. Here's hoping!

I hope there is no AP for you either. No worries. We are good.

[dustingthestars 9]

Again, thanks to everyone for chipping in. We're definitely going down the CR-1 route. We've been looking at houses and we're going to buy something over the next couple of months and we'll get married when I return to the US over the summer.

[dustingthestars 9]

Just an update to my situation...

I've started on the paperwork today. It wasn't as daunting as I thought it would be as I'd collected all the relevant details already - just a case of transferring it over to the pdfs!

We're not going to file until I return to the UK at the end of July, but we like to be organised an have everything taken care of. We're going to get married when I'm over visiting in June/July, as well as try to open a bank account for me and try to get some other example of co-mingled evidence and whatnot as well as some affidavits too!

[cathy2904 97]

Good luck! Fwiw, Bank of America added me to Trevor's account as a non-resident with no SSN. They just wanted two forms of ID and my UK passport and Driving Licence sufficed.