Interview in Kiev PASSED!!!

[a1cpat 0]

Sasha had her inteview yesterday at the consulate in Kiev. It was scheduled for 8:30 am, but we arrived by taxi at about 10 minutes past seven. There was already a huge group of people waiting outside of the immigrant visa section. It was cold, and the area is not well lit as it is situated in a kind of alley way between two buildings. We waited there until almost 8:30 when a man who had seen her photos told us they were the wrong size for the visa application. Nervous, she wanted to get out of line and go make new photos really quickly, so thats what we did. There is a passport photo store in the same alley (apparently they make alot of business for themselves in the early morning for people in the same situation. ). We got back into the line, and she told the guard we had an 8:30 appt. for the K1 interview, and he just took us out of line and led us into the security section. I guess that the immigrant visa people are taken somewhere else for thier interviews, and the K1 visas have a special section.

Security is really strict about what can be brought into the consular section. No cell phones, no bags...of any kind..Sasha couldnt even take her purse into the building. They allowed us to hand carry only our passports, and the folder with her documents.

Once inside we waited in a small room with about 20 other people. Sasha turned in her documents to a "reception" window, and that woman asked her some questions about our relationship, but nothing real personal...(how long have you known each other?, How old is he?) Then she asked us to wait until we were called by the consular officer. We waited for about another 3 hours, joking with each other to help calm the nerves! Then the officer came out and called her name. We walked to the window in the back of the room, it was protected by small screen, but other than that was open to everyone who was in the waiting room. So the interview wasnt private.

He greeted us both, and he seemed quite pleased to see that I was there with her. The first thing he did was ask if she wanted to proceed with speaking English or if it was more comfortable for her to speak in Russian. She chose English, and told him that she wont have a problem understanding him. He smiled, and then told her that he had to administer an oath swearing that all of her information was accurate. After that, he took her fingerprints electronically. He told me that he had read through our petition package about how we met, so there wont be any more questions about that, and that I did a superb job of documenting everything about the relationship (Thanks for all the tips VJ!!!).

He asked her only three questions. The first was about her English speaking ability, How long and where did she study. And then he asked her to tell him what she knows about Portland, where we will live. The last question was what we plan to do together. Which was a confusing question that seemed a little too broad for me. She said that we plan to "be together", and he said "I know that, but doing what?" She smiled and said, "Im sure we will find lots of things". Then he said "good enough for me".

He congratulated us, and then directed us to the federal express courier desk to arrange for the delivery of the passport and visa package. (that could take up to ten days he said)

Sasha and I were both stunned after the interview. We have waited so long, since February, and at every step we have had complications...with USCIS and getting caught in IMBRA, and then an unexplained delay at NVC for 8 weeks, and rude telephone calls with the consular office where we were repeatedly hung up on. Then our interview was flawless, and the officer was really kind! Every step had been worse than the one before it, and we were both expecting this one to be terrible too. But it was great, leaving us both speechless for a little while!

Anyway, I just wanted to share our interview experience with the VJ family. I hope it is useful for those of you who will have interviews in Kiev in the future.

I have been here in Ukraine for 8 weeks now, and I am ready to go home, but most importantly, I am ready to take HER home!!!

Thanks everyone, and good luck!

[E&K 0]

Congratulations! That was a great interview I hope mine goes as smoothly as Sasha's

Wish you the best of luck in your next steps!

[*julez* 124]

Congratulations!! That is really great news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[aj1 1]

Congratulations!! That is really great news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wonderful news! CONGRATULATIONS!!! i am happy for the both of you. Have a wonderful life together.

AJ1

[payxibka 10,045]

Congrats!! You provided good information that I will pass on to my fiancee to help her when she gets the opportunity to get to Kyiv.

[Savanphil 3]

:Congratulations!!!

[Callina 1]

Congratulations and God bless!

[mandixon 9]

congratulations! good luck with the rest of the process

[WillyKid 0]

Congrats! But I have one question ... why was your application transferred from Nebraska to California?

[payxibka 10,045]

Congrats! But I have one question ... why was your application transferred from Nebraska to California?

All Nebraska and Texas K-1 petitions are transferred.... Recent (relatively speaking) USCIS procedure change

[mrc 0]

A1CPat, contrats! With Susie's interview just around the corner, I hope I'm able to pass along the same good news come Thursday morning.

[1HappyGuy 45]

That was a great explanation of the interview process in Kyiv. Thanks for the detail as so many don't have any idea about the actual interview process. I hope you and Sasha will be very happy in Portland.

As you will find out on your return, give yourselves time to adjust to the time zone change. Since you have been there for so long your body clock has adjusted to Ukraine time. You will need to just get a lot of sleep after your arrival. Plan for two weeks at least of adjusting and relaxing. Warn your friends ahead of time that the two of you won't be able to participate as actively as you want until the adjustment has been accomplished.

Sasha will likely be a little homesick after a couple of weeks. If you can locate some Russian stores in Portland then you can give her a little bit of home right here. My wife was feeling very isolated after about a month here, we only had one other couple with Russian speaking wife at the time, so I took her to Sacramento to a couple of Russian stores. It was such a joy for her and that made me happy.

Good luck and congratulations.

[Vagina Journey 0]

Congratulations