Review of IR-1 interview at London Embassy

[Seppi 6]

Review of interview for IR-1 visa at London Embassy, 12pm on Friday May 13th 2016.

[This is just my personal experience and others will have different experiences!]

My interview was for 12pm but I arrived quite early into Marble Arch, so took a gentle 10 mins walk to Grosvenor Square and thought I would suss things out ahead of time. When I got there at about 10.40am, there was a long line waiting outside. So I took a stroll into Grosvenor park and thought I would go back at around 11.15am so that by the time I had waited in the queue, it would be half an hour before the appointment time. But when I went back there was no queue at all! So I went to the desk and asked if it was ok for me to be early, the lady said fine, she signed my interview letter and looked at my passport and I was directed to the security room. After the usual airport security procedure (no need to remove shoes though!) it was out of the security room and round to the right - passing people leaving with happy faces ...

At the front desk inside, I again handed over my interview letter and a row of stickers with a ticket number on was stuck on to the letter. Then up the stairs to the left and into the large waiting area, where I took a seat towards the front. As others have said, the large screen at the front pings up every few seconds with a ticket number (like waiting at Argos!). I was called up to the windows at around 11.50 I think, and went to one of the windows around the corner - if you get sent round there, make sure you don't wait in the queue but instead go straight to the window!

Things I was asked for at this window:

– Passport (original!)

– Birth certificate (original and copy)

– Marriage certificate (original and copy)

– UK Police certificate (original and copy)

– Had I registered for the courier? - gave a copy of the confirmation

– Passport photos (originals!)

– She also asked me if I have been married before (which I have not)

– Affidavit of support (I-864) (original)

– Tax returns (copies) (I gave the last 3 years but she handed back the 2014 and 2013 and only kept the 2015) – these were 1040 and 2555-EZ forms (no W-2 because all income from UK)

– Pay slips for my husband's job (copies) (I had them all since he started his new job on 1st February) (I also had a copy of his contract stating his current salary which I offered first as proof of income, but she preferred the pay slips)

– Fingerprints (as per usual entry to the US - 4 fingers left hand, 4 fingers right hand, both thumbs)

At this point her computer was being very slow so she sent me over to another window to make the payment, which I did by Debit card. Then back to the first window, she also scanned my passport photo, then she gave me back the interview letter with one final sticker on it, then told to go back to the waiting area, and that my interview would likely be between 12.30 and 1pm. So I had done all this and gone back to wait by the time of my original appointment!

My number came back up at around 12.45, and I went back around the corner to a different window. This was a different person, a friendly youngish lady with an American accent who immediately put me at ease.

Questions (although not necessarily in the right order ...)

– How long have you been married?

– How did you meet?

– Was this in the UK?

– Is he a dual citizen?

– Where is he now? (I said in the US, he started his new job there on 1st February, and I had been visiting there until earlier that week) - and I also raised an update to my DS-260 - when I filled it in it was correct, but I had since made another visit to US, I had already emailed the Embassy to ask whether to submit a new DS-260, they said no, it can be raised with the CO at the interview - the CO said no problem, she had already seen that, I guess in my case file.

– Where is the new job?

– Do you have any children? (I said no, only a cat, and she asked where the cat is now? He's in the US already, so she said "so you're *really* desperate to get there then!"

And that was it - approved! Had to fight very hard to keep the emotions in check (I didn't quite succeed ...)

Basically, the exit is behind you, you're free to leave! She gave me the originals of the birth, marriage and police certificates back, and I left through the door behind me at 12.50!

Oh, also, at some point a disk was given to me with my chest x-rays on it, but I've forgotten which stage that was at!

Other things I took but did not need:

– confirmation and full form of DS-260 (x2)

– copy of Husband's passport

– Husband's birth certificate (original and copy)

– Husband's baptismal certificate (because it shows his parents' names but the birth certificate doesn't) (original and copy)

– Husband's original pay slips

– Knightsbridge medical stuff (certificate of immunization, vaccination documentation worksheet, receipts of payment (originals and copies)

– I-130 form (copy)

Proof of husband's domicile in US

– Notification of change of address he sent to IRS (copy)

– Car purchase documents (insurance payment notification, state insurance inspection report, state temporary insurance ID card - originals and copies)

– Cable/landline/internet bills since he moved there in January (originals and copies)

– Cell phone bills (originals and copies)

– Printout from website of his new job, introducing him into the role and giving the start date

Proof of ongoing/bona fide marriage

– Wedding album

– Additional photographs (only a small selection) from before and after we married including some with members of each family

– Documents from purchase of our house in UK in Feb 2014 (Land registry Transfer deed, Mortgage deed and details - originals and copies)

– Ongoing mortgage statements/payments for our house in UK which is in both our names (originals and copies)

– Signed tenancy agreement (with both our signatures) for our house in UK which is now being rented out (originals and copies)

– Statements of rental income from our house in UK (goes 50-50 to both of us) (printed from emailed statements)

I was 99% sure I wouldn't need any of the extra stuff for domicile in US because of the pay slips clearly showing that he is working there, and 97% sure I wouldn't need any of the extra stuff for the ongoing marriage as we've been married for nearly 7 years - although there is a large (more than 20 years) age gap between me and my husband (he is older). So this was probably slightly over-the-top, but I'm one of these people that would rather have far too much stuff than not enough!

Sorry this has turned out to be rather long, but hopefully it will help those who are preparing for interview soon!

Edited May 17, 2016 by Seppi

[JFH 12,190]

Thank you for that! Very detailed and concise.