K-1 Interview in Beirut

WaitingHayete · September 28, 2012

Hello all.

Thank you everyone for this site and all the very helpful posts I've read over these past months. I truly feel this site is responsible for many of the decisions I made during our filing process and saved us from a lot of trouble. The most important things I learned are to front-load your petition, make copies of it, and an RFE is not the end of the world

:star: Stick together. Take turns supporting one another. Anything worth having is worth waiting for. :star:

Special thanks to: “Anh map” “Vanessa&Tony” “dwheels76” “lssnodgrass” “M_&_R” “bt1” “Pinkrlion” “Joandjo” “Que Saudade” “Mogambi” “Kevymanuel” “tru_loves_journey” “beejay” and "kozah" for your answers to my questions and otherwise helpful posts.

Here is the interview account. Hopefully the information contained will be helpful.

First interview appointment was cancelled by the embassy due to attacks of US Embassies in other MENA countries. My prayers are with anyone affected by this. Second interview appointment was scheduled just over a week later.

He arrived early to be first in line but had to go back outside to the car because they wouldn't let him bring in the accordion-style, zip-up binder we had all of our evidence in (so he had to carry all his papers loose in a pile :wacko: ). This ultimately made him last in line and last to receive his interview. After entering they collected the fee and required documents (DS-230 part one, DS-156 two copies, DS-156K, I-134 with my financial documents, passport, police certificates, birth certificate, civil record, family extract, sealed medical exam results, and two US-sized passport photos). He then waited just over four hours to be called for his interview. Unlike other Beirut embassy reviews I've read, they asked him PLENTY of questions such as how did you and your fiancé meet (then she wanted a general account of the timeline of our relationship up until now), tell me about her parents, how do you overcome the cultural differences, what have you been doing while waiting for the visa process, she asked about his engagement ring he was wearing, asked if we were married, what do you love about your fiancé... I'm sure there was more. She did not ask for any evidence at all. None. I did however front-load our petition with pictures, emails, phone records, pre-marriage blood tests, letters of support from my family members; so perhaps she already had what she needed.

Other than the long wait (which is of course understandable) my fiancé said the experience was good and the CO was extremely nice and professional. He said she was very attentive and listened to him closely. All of her questions seemed very reasonable and relative, and his responses were absolutely perfect (truthful, respectful, and to the point). She told him his visa was approved and he can pick up his passport in one week. I was pretty surprised there will be no AP as he is a Muslim man with an Arabic name as well as with the recent events.

Thank you again everyone for your help. GOOD LUCK to all still in those dark days of waiting...

I am blessed be joined soon by my true love. (L)

TBoneTX · September 28, 2012

Congratulations, si man! Your review is written elegantly and in valuable detail. I'll post a note in the MENA forum to let everyone there know about your success and your information.