Preparing documents for the interview

[memmy 3]

Hi guys,

I've been preparing for the interview and the more I do the bigger the pile of papers becomes. I start getting really nervous, because it looks that I may have too many documents. I tried to separate current docs ( DS-forms, letters of intent, emails, Facebook) apart from old emails, petition form, old bank statements and so on. But it looks still just too much paper work. I've read on the Embassy web-site that one is not allowed to get inside American Embassy in Kyiv with anything other than a see-though folder. Do you think they will let me in with a big hard-cover folder that has a binder, so that all my documents are neatly organized?

Edited November 30, 2012 by memmy

[hamigirl710 112]

Hi guys,

I've been preparing for the interview and the more I do the bigger the pile of papers becomes. I start getting really nervous, because it looks that I may have too many documents. I tried to separate current docs ( DS-forms, letters of intent, emails, Facebook) apart from old emails, petition form, old bank statements and so on. But it looks still just too much paper work. I've read on the Embassy web-site that one is not allowed to get inside American Embassy in Kyiv with anything other than a see-though folder. Do you think they will let me in with a big hard-cover folder that has a binder, so that all my documents are neatly organized?

SInce it says see through folder I would buy one and use that or maybe you use a 2 hole punch at the top of everything and just bind it all together with a prong fastener.

[memmy 3]

SInce it says see through folder I would buy one and use that or maybe you use a 2 hole punch at the top of everything and just bind it all together with a prong fastener.

Thanks a lot for the tip! I've been thinking about it, but there are so many documents that they will just shuffle or fall apart. Uhh.

[hamigirl710 112]

Thanks a lot for the tip! I've been thinking about it, but there are so many documents that they will just shuffle or fall apart. Uhh.

you can always buy just a large binder ring and punch a hole on the top corner of each page and fasten it all together that way too!

[memmy 3]

you can always buy just a large binder ring and punch a hole on the top corner of each page and fasten it all together that way too!

I could do that, yeah! DId you take a complete copy of the petition package to your interview?

[hamigirl710 112]

I could do that, yeah! DId you take a complete copy of the petition package to your interview?

We have not been blessed with an interview yet...

[memmy 3]

We have not been blessed with an interview yet...

Oh, ok, I just checked your timeline.

[Sveta & Ron 23]

remember take all the legal papers along with copies no thanks to my lawyer for not tell sveta this is why we was plaed in ap for not bring the legal birth record only copy if you wish i can give sveta's number if would make you feel little better to speak via voice with someone that has gone thru it

[pinoyukrenyc 3]

Yes you can bring a binder as long as no CD or any media is in it, just papers and pen. I brought a black 13 folder organizer and it's fine. BAGS are not allowed! ANY KINDS!

Here's a pointer.

Interview was quicker than i have read here! it only took us 40 minutes. Time was 8:30am. Was at the gate around 7:30am. Came in at 8:30am. After the Security Scan and Getting a Ticket Number, a minute or two gone by and our number was called right away! (809 when we came ours was 811)... Lady behind window asked my fiancee for DS-156/230 papers, my fiancee said "do you need attachments, supporting documents?" strange but the lady said "there is no attachment for this form" my fiancee then replied "my supporting papers, birth certificate, police clearance, I-134 etc." ..lady said "do you have it?" "Yes, I do" "Ok give me" ??? (this is weird ) Anyway, then she asked "did you meet online?" fiancee:"nope, we used to work together" I forgot what other questions she was asking fiancee in ukrainian language. We then was asked to wait to be called for interview (LOL my fiancee and I thought it was the interview already) 9:00am we sat down and around 9:40am we were called by another woman... After swearing, she began asking questions. to my fiance:"How did you meet?" (we work in the same company etc.) "did you meet his family already" (yes, only online) "do you plan on meeting them in person?" (yes as a matter of fact, if my visa gets approved, we are planning on going home to philippines next year so I can meet them) and then to me:"did you meet her parents?" (yes, online) "where are you planning to stay?" (in New York, in my apartment) "you have an apartment?" (yes, i do in manhattan) "great" "when did you propose?" (January of this year) looking at my fiancee "so what are your wedding plans?" (ah, just a simple wedding in the city hall perhaps) (Me:she doesn't like big wedding - with a big smile)

"I like those heart shaped paper clips" (fiancee: oh it's him who did that) "did you?" (yes, learned it in home economics subject LOL) "never seen one, how did you do it?" - so I showed her how to do it, and she was so amazed LOL! then "well, congratulations your visa is approved, you can pick it up at the courier you chose when you applied"

TIP 1: ORGANIZED YOUR PAPERS ACCORDINGLY! USE LARGE COLORED PAPER CLIPS! and AS MANY AS POSSIBLE TO SEPARATE EACH PAPER NEEDED! BE OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE IF YOU CAN!

TIP 2: I STRONGLY BELIEVE BEING PRESENT DURING THE INTERVIEW WORKS VERY WELL, EASEN UP THE PRESSURE YOUR FIANCEE WILL HAVE, PLUS IT SHOWS HOW MUCH YOU VALUE HER BEING THERE FOR HER IN ONE OF HER MOST IMPORTANT DAY.

TIP 3: IF INTERVIEW IS DURING WINTER - WEAR WARMMMM CLOTHING!!! GLOVES AND ALL!!! I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY ARE MAKING PEOPLE WAIT OUTSIDE IN THE COLD WITHOUT "SHED" ...WHEN I CAME INSIDE THERE WAS A WAITING AREA BUT THEY ARE NOT USING IT!

TIP 4: DRESS PROPERLY!!! COMMON YOU ARE NOT GOING TO A BAR OR CLUB TO DRINK BEER!!! LIKE THEY SAY "DRESS TO IMPRESS" "FIRST IMPRESSION LAST"

TIP 5: SMILE AND THINK IT'S JUST FORMALITY SAKE. I don't know but I guess when I submitted my I-129F I included a letter "brief in support of" that detailed our entire relationship and all evidences attached.

[baron555 934]

Hi guys,

I've been preparing for the interview and the more I do the bigger the pile of papers becomes. I start getting really nervous, because it looks that I may have too many documents. I tried to separate current docs ( DS-forms, letters of intent, emails, Facebook) apart from old emails, petition form, old bank statements and so on. But it looks still just too much paper work. I've read on the Embassy web-site that one is not allowed to get inside American Embassy in Kyiv with anything other than a see-though folder. Do you think they will let me in with a big hard-cover folder that has a binder, so that all my documents are neatly organized?

Use an Accordian file folder(s).

[memmy 3]

Yes you can bring a binder as long as no CD or any media is in it, just papers and pen. I brought a black 13 folder organizer and it's fine. BAGS are not allowed! ANY KINDS!

Here's a pointer.

Interview was quicker than i have read here! it only took us 40 minutes. Time was 8:30am. Was at the gate around 7:30am. Came in at 8:30am. After the Security Scan and Getting a Ticket Number, a minute or two gone by and our number was called right away! (809 when we came ours was 811)... Lady behind window asked my fiancee for DS-156/230 papers, my fiancee said "do you need attachments, supporting documents?" strange but the lady said "there is no attachment for this form" my fiancee then replied "my supporting papers, birth certificate, police clearance, I-134 etc." ..lady said "do you have it?" "Yes, I do" "Ok give me" ??? (this is weird ) Anyway, then she asked "did you meet online?" fiancee:"nope, we used to work together" I forgot what other questions she was asking fiancee in ukrainian language. We then was asked to wait to be called for interview (LOL my fiancee and I thought it was the interview already) 9:00am we sat down and around 9:40am we were called by another woman... After swearing, she began asking questions. to my fiance:"How did you meet?" (we work in the same company etc.) "did you meet his family already" (yes, only online) "do you plan on meeting them in person?" (yes as a matter of fact, if my visa gets approved, we are planning on going home to philippines next year so I can meet them) and then to me:"did you meet her parents?" (yes, online) "where are you planning to stay?" (in New York, in my apartment) "you have an apartment?" (yes, i do in manhattan) "great" "when did you propose?" (January of this year) looking at my fiancee "so what are your wedding plans?" (ah, just a simple wedding in the city hall perhaps) (Me:she doesn't like big wedding - with a big smile)

"I like those heart shaped paper clips" (fiancee: oh it's him who did that) "did you?" (yes, learned it in home economics subject LOL) "never seen one, how did you do it?" - so I showed her how to do it, and she was so amazed LOL! then "well, congratulations your visa is approved, you can pick it up at the courier you chose when you applied"

TIP 1: ORGANIZED YOUR PAPERS ACCORDINGLY! USE LARGE COLORED PAPER CLIPS! and AS MANY AS POSSIBLE TO SEPARATE EACH PAPER NEEDED! BE OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE IF YOU CAN!

TIP 2: I STRONGLY BELIEVE BEING PRESENT DURING THE INTERVIEW WORKS VERY WELL, EASEN UP THE PRESSURE YOUR FIANCEE WILL HAVE, PLUS IT SHOWS HOW MUCH YOU VALUE HER BEING THERE FOR HER IN ONE OF HER MOST IMPORTANT DAY.

TIP 3: IF INTERVIEW IS DURING WINTER - WEAR WARMMMM CLOTHING!!! GLOVES AND ALL!!! I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY ARE MAKING PEOPLE WAIT OUTSIDE IN THE COLD WITHOUT "SHED" ...WHEN I CAME INSIDE THERE WAS A WAITING AREA BUT THEY ARE NOT USING IT!

TIP 4: DRESS PROPERLY!!! COMMON YOU ARE NOT GOING TO A BAR OR CLUB TO DRINK BEER!!! LIKE THEY SAY "DRESS TO IMPRESS" "FIRST IMPRESSION LAST"

TIP 5: SMILE AND THINK IT'S JUST FORMALITY SAKE. I don't know but I guess when I submitted my I-129F I included a letter "brief in support of" that detailed our entire relationship and all evidences attached.

Thanks so much for your tips! Did you take the whole copy of the petition package with you? Do i need to bring it in with me also? ( old emails, starting from 2009, and some other supprting docs we had sent with our petition already).

Use an Accordian file folder(s).

Ok, thanks! Would it matter that it is not a see-through type ( it is red).

[pinoyukrenyc 3]

YES, take everything you could possibly bring!

Our binder was like 4-5 inches thick of papers and documents, from old ITRs, paychecks, W-2's, Picture printouts of us together, I-129, N-400, Skype yahoo and communications evidences, AND ALL!!!

They might not need it but it never hurts to bring everything. (only your shoulders will hurt after carrying LOL)

I got a Black Nylon Binder with tie down cover plus extra 5 transparent folders one of which is containing the DS forms, I-134 and ITR and employment cert., police clearance, birth certificate, and all evidences of relationship. (this is the folder we handed over the window)

[memmy 3]

YES, take everything you could possibly bring!

Our binder was like 4-5 inches thick of papers and documents, from old ITRs, paychecks, W-2's, Picture printouts of us together, I-129, N-400, Skype yahoo and communications evidences, AND ALL!!!

They might not need it but it never hurts to bring everything. (only your shoulders will hurt after carrying LOL)

I got a Black Nylon Binder with tie down cover plus extra 5 transparent folders one of which is containing the DS forms, I-134 and ITR and employment cert., police clearance, birth certificate, and all evidences of relationship. (this is the folder we handed over the window)

Did you bring for an interview the photo-copy of the beneficiary's birth certificate along with the original? Also, do I need to bring with me only a sealed envelop I had been given at the clinic after my medical exam, or also a vaccination chart the doctor there filled in and my X-ray? Thanks!

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Hi guys,

I've been preparing for the interview and the more I do the bigger the pile of papers becomes. I start getting really nervous, because it looks that I may have too many documents. I tried to separate current docs ( DS-forms, letters of intent, emails, Facebook) apart from old emails, petition form, old bank statements and so on. But it looks still just too much paper work. I've read on the Embassy web-site that one is not allowed to get inside American Embassy in Kyiv with anything other than a see-though folder. Do you think they will let me in with a big hard-cover folder that has a binder, so that all my documents are neatly organized?

No. Everything has to go under a window slot.

The BEST way, and I did a bunch of these interviews by now...is to get an expandable folder with multiple pockets (I got 13 pocket folders at Staples) They are expandable and hold a ton of stuff. Label the pockets with what they contain and put everything in loose. When you enter you will go to a window and they will ask for documents. Open the folder (pouch, actually) and whip out what they need, hand it under the glass and be ready for the next thing. Binding it will just insure you have to UNbind it when you get there.

Label the folder "Visa Interview" and close it up when you are done and put it in the back of the closet. Then make one for the AOS interview, then one for the ROC interview, then one for the Citizenship interview. Put each away in the closet as you use them. When she gets her citizenship certificate, I kept only the official notifications (NOA's, you will have a BUNCH of them before this is over) and burned the rest. Big fire. Do it in a safe place.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Did you bring for an interview the photo-copy of the beneficiary's birth certificate along with the original? Also, do I need to bring with me only a sealed envelop I had been given at the clinic after my medical exam, or also a vaccination chart the doctor there filled in and my X-ray? Thanks!

YES, origianl of ALL docuemtns and a copy of all docuements. They will keep the copy and return the original. DO NOT leave without ALL your originals. You will keep the x-ray and the DS-3025 (vaccination form) The sealed envelope contains the results of the x-ray, that is all they need.