Scheduling interview in Hong Kong

[John & Ana Marie 1]

Can anyone tell us the procedure for scheduling the interview in Hong Kong? We have received Packet 3 instructions and gathered documents and are waiting for Police reports and Cenomar to reach the embassy. Have also completed DS160 and created profile at ustraveldocs and paid the visa fee. Can we schedule an interview ourselves online? Can we arrange the medical?  My fiancee's employer is strict and wants to decide which days she can have off and this is making it difficult to plan.

 

The Hong Kong packet 3 instructions say to return their readiness form and they will send an appointment letter. The few examples on this forum I found suggest that the embassy will push the first date available. Isn't going to work for us. The Hong Kong ustraveldocs login looks like it will let you make an appointment once the fee is paid but I haven't gone there yet.  Looking at the Manila embassy, they seem to be completely automated but Hong Kong is still part paperwork. Has any one had recent experience here? Am confused about the process in HK and my fiancee is stressed.

[John & Ana Marie 1]

As a reply to my own questions, here is what I found out using the HK embassy inquiry form on the HK Consulate site. https://hk.usconsulate.gov/visas/visa-inquiry-form/  They were responsive to several inquires, answering in a couple days. In particular, they indicated that they will schedule the interview for K1 and that basically they frown on rescheduling. To be clear, you use the traveldocs/hk site to create a profile and can pay the fee online but the appointment system is used for tourists, business visas etc, not K visas. 

 

My questions were "Can we use the online travel docs system to schedule our K1 visa interview" and  " If not, can we reschedule if the date we receive in the appointment packet is inconvenient?" Their response follows:

 

Please be advised that a fiancée (K1) visa is processed under immigrant visa application procedures.  When visa applicants have submitted the required forms to our office, we schedule an appointment for their interview and send them an appointment packet.  It is not necessary for K1 visa applicants to make an online appointment through the nonimmigrant visa appointment system by themselves.  Hence, after receiving a copy of confirmation page of Form DS-160 and DS-2001, we will schedule her for a visa appointment with a consular officer as soon as possible and send you an appointment packet with medical examination instructions.

 

Please be informed that the visa appointment cannot be re-scheduled unless the failure to appear for the interview is due to reasons beyond the applicant’s control.  Such reasons might include serious personal illness.  Therefore, please provide us with a date range which the applicant will be available for her visa interview.   Upon receipt of your e-mail reply, we will make the arrangement accordingly.  However, we are not able to guarantee that we are able to facilitate your appointment request.

 

For your information, visa interviews are available from Monday to Friday at 8:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. (except local U.S. and local holidays and administrative closure, please monitor on our website: https://hk.usconsulate.gov/consulate/hong-kong-macau/hours-holidays/). 

 

Please e-mail us again if you have any other questions using our Visa Inquiry Form at https://hk.usconsulate.gov/visas/visa-inquiry-form/.

 

Sincerely,

The Visa Information Unit

U.S. Consulate General

Hong Kong & Macau