Quick Write-Up on my Fance's London Interview

[tigretigre 0]

OK so my fella and I went to the US Embassy in London for his K1 interview on 9/15. Here's the rundown:

-Got there around 9:30 for his 10:00 appointment.

-Got in line, some ladies came by asking everyone in line if they had liquids (yeah this was back during that)

-Got to the ZZ Top guy at the front. He asked who I was...I said I was D's fiancee. He beamed at me..."I like that!" Said D's passport photo was too scary, but let us in anyway.

-Had to divest myself of my lipstick at the security checkpoint, and D had to ditch his cell phone. D got to take his umbrella in, though. Sharp pokey thing = ok. L'Oreal Shine Delice in Cranberry Pop = security risk?

-Got in. Felt like such a VIP because all I had to do was flash my U.S. Passport and they would nod me through. D's was checked against the schedule 3 times at 3 different checkpoints. We said "K1" and the lady gave us a number and told us where to sit.

-We sat. It was like the DMV on acid. They called a bunch of numbers, but it appeared to be in absolutely no order that we could figure out. We tried a few times, but it was just too chaotic.

-We were finally called to a window where our papers were taken by a nice gentleman with an Eastern European accent. He was lovely. We only had one copy of the 156 and they wanted 2. The gentleman said that's why they keep a photocopier behind the counter. Problem solved. Fingerprints taken. They wanted minimal paperwork--just my I-134 and supporting documentation, besides the forms D had to do.

-We sat. A long time.

-Finally at just about quarter of noon, we were called up to the interview window. A young, rather brisk but not unpleasant American woman asked some basic "when did you meet, when are you planning to go to the U.S.?" stuff. Then she asked if she could speak with my fiance alone. I was like, uh, ok. I went just around the corner.

-10 minutes pass, felt like 10 hours. D comes back around the corner, white as a sheet, shaking like a leaf. "She wants to talk to you now. I'm getting all flustered. I forgot the name of your company!"

-I went to the window. She asked what I did for a living. I gave the name of my company and explained my job. "So that's like, legal publishing?" That's exactly what it is, I said. I could tell by her face I'd given the right answer, whew! Wanted to know why I wasn't practicing law. I said I was certified for admission to the bar, but that I really liked the job I had now, and that it was with a good company. "But you could make a lot more money as a lawyer." I said that I could, but then I'd be spending a lot more time at the office and a lot less time with D and our family. She said yeah, that's definitely true. She asked me a bunch of times if I understood my support obligations (I did), then said that I earned enough to sponsor D and that she was happy to issue the visa. Explained the courier thing. I said, "so we're approved?" She said yes, we were. To me. The USC.

-Went back, gave the good news to D. He could hardly believe it, having not actually heard it himself, but we went and signed up for the courier service. Then we got out of there and crossed the street to the park and sat on the bench and decompressed. Took a while to sink in that it was over, and all was well. And that we'd be together forever in just a couple of months! We hugged a lot.

His visa was delivered 3 days later, along with the big brown envelope.

I guess what it came down to, for us, was the public charge thing, because of his health history and because I'll be the primary earner. The panel physician seems to have really come through and given him an OK with regard to the mental health issue, because mostly she asked him about his work history and how long he was in the hospital and stuff, not about any harmful behavior. And asked him about my health and if and when I'd ever been ill. And then got me alone and put the support questions to me, checked up on my professional credentials, etc. It really seemed to be focused mostly on that, which I think was reasonable of the consulate under the circumstances. They were really...decent about it all. I was impressed, though D was understandably not too keen on the experience!

So, all in all a tough day, but happy in the end. Now, the POE. I hope that's a breeze--D hates traveling enough as it is!

Tigre

[Gomez 3]

OK so my fella and I went to the US Embassy in London for his K1 interview on 9/15. Here's the rundown:

-Got there around 9:30 for his 10:00 appointment.

-Got in line, some ladies came by asking everyone in line if they had liquids (yeah this was back during that)

-Got to the ZZ Top guy at the front. He asked who I was...I said I was D's fiancee. He beamed at me..."I like that!" Said D's passport photo was too scary, but let us in anyway.

-Had to divest myself of my lipstick at the security checkpoint, and D had to ditch his cell phone. D got to take his umbrella in, though. Sharp pokey thing = ok. L'Oreal Shine Delice in Cranberry Pop = security risk?

-Got in. Felt like such a VIP because all I had to do was flash my U.S. Passport and they would nod me through. D's was checked against the schedule 3 times at 3 different checkpoints. We said "K1" and the lady gave us a number and told us where to sit.

-We sat. It was like the DMV on acid. They called a bunch of numbers, but it appeared to be in absolutely no order that we could figure out. We tried a few times, but it was just too chaotic.

-We were finally called to a window where our papers were taken by a nice gentleman with an Eastern European accent. He was lovely. We only had one copy of the 156 and they wanted 2. The gentleman said that's why they keep a photocopier behind the counter. Problem solved. Fingerprints taken. They wanted minimal paperwork--just my I-134 and supporting documentation, besides the forms D had to do.

-We sat. A long time.

-Finally at just about quarter of noon, we were called up to the interview window. A young, rather brisk but not unpleasant American woman asked some basic "when did you meet, when are you planning to go to the U.S.?" stuff. Then she asked if she could speak with my fiance alone. I was like, uh, ok. I went just around the corner.

-10 minutes pass, felt like 10 hours. D comes back around the corner, white as a sheet, shaking like a leaf. "She wants to talk to you now. I'm getting all flustered. I forgot the name of your company!"

-I went to the window. She asked what I did for a living. I gave the name of my company and explained my job. "So that's like, legal publishing?" That's exactly what it is, I said. I could tell by her face I'd given the right answer, whew! Wanted to know why I wasn't practicing law. I said I was certified for admission to the bar, but that I really liked the job I had now, and that it was with a good company. "But you could make a lot more money as a lawyer." I said that I could, but then I'd be spending a lot more time at the office and a lot less time with D and our family. She said yeah, that's definitely true. She asked me a bunch of times if I understood my support obligations (I did), then said that I earned enough to sponsor D and that she was happy to issue the visa. Explained the courier thing. I said, "so we're approved?" She said yes, we were. To me. The USC.

-Went back, gave the good news to D. He could hardly believe it, having not actually heard it himself, but we went and signed up for the courier service. Then we got out of there and crossed the street to the park and sat on the bench and decompressed. Took a while to sink in that it was over, and all was well. And that we'd be together forever in just a couple of months! We hugged a lot.

His visa was delivered 3 days later, along with the big brown envelope.

I guess what it came down to, for us, was the public charge thing, because of his health history and because I'll be the primary earner. The panel physician seems to have really come through and given him an OK with regard to the mental health issue, because mostly she asked him about his work history and how long he was in the hospital and stuff, not about any harmful behavior. And asked him about my health and if and when I'd ever been ill. And then got me alone and put the support questions to me, checked up on my professional credentials, etc. It really seemed to be focused mostly on that, which I think was reasonable of the consulate under the circumstances. They were really...decent about it all. I was impressed, though D was understandably not too keen on the experience!

So, all in all a tough day, but happy in the end. Now, the POE. I hope that's a breeze--D hates traveling enough as it is!

Tigre

Congrats on the approval, have a most happy life together!

[rebeccajo 14]

We sat on that bench in that park after out interview as well. It was drizzling.

Glad to read this report, tigre. When's he coming over?

[tigretigre 0]

Nov. 30 he will be here. His family would have rioted if he tried to leave any earlier.

I can't wait! It's been so great to do stuff like getting the house painted and fixed up for him, and planning our wedding, rather than reading the FAM over and over and drafting letters to various medical professionals. I just get nervous that being too happy and excited will bring him bad luck or something. After months of immigration paranoia, it's hard to relax!