k1 visa interview questions

[RFN 3]

I’m in the process of gathering my documents for my k1 visa interview and I have a couple questions.

 

1.     While trying to get police clearance certificates from a few countries I’ve lived in, I realized that on the email that the US embassy sent me it stated “Each applicant aged 16 or older must have police clearance from any country where the applicant resided for one year or more”. I had originally thought that it was 6 months or more as what some have said here on vj. I entered South Korea on March 4, 2014 and left on March 2, 2015. Technically it’s only 363 days but would it still be considered a year? Would I still need to get a police certificate?

 

2.     Should I book my interview date before booking for the medical examination first? Or the other way around?

 

Thank you.

[AmandaandChayne 734]

1. I would get one for South Korea to be on the safe side, others may disagree.

2. medical first, the interviewers need your medical results as part of their approval decision. having the other way around will delay your application.

[RFN 3]

2 minutes ago, AmandaandChayne said:

1. I would get one for South Korea to be on the safe side, others may disagree.

2. medical first, the interviewers need your medical results as part of their approval decision. having the other way around will delay your application.

What I mean is the booking of the interview, not the interview itself. it says that i need to bring the visa interview letter to the medical examination. I'm guessing the letter will be given after I book the interview. It's just that I'm not ready to book the interview yet but I'm ok with doing the medical exam now.

[AmandaandChayne 734]

2 minutes ago, RFN said:

What I mean is the booking of the interview, not the interview itself. it says that i need to bring the visa interview letter to the medical examination. I'm guessing the letter will be given after I book the interview. It's just that I'm not ready to book the interview yet but I'm ok with doing the medical exam now.

ok yes you'll get the visa interview confirmation letter to take to the medical. Don't think it really matters which way .round you book them as long as your interview is after your medical, allow time for the interview confirmation before having your medical.( unless someone else tells me you can print it off when booking)

[RFN 3]

7 minutes ago, AmandaandChayne said:

ok yes you'll get the visa interview confirmation letter to take to the medical. Don't think it really matters which way .round you book them as long as your interview is after your medical, allow time for the interview confirmation before having your medical.( unless someone else tells me you can print it off when booking)

Will the interview confirmation be sent by mail?

[Loren Y 2,755]

Usually it is best to wait until you have the interview scheduled. They set them up 2 to 3 weeks out usually. Then you go get your medical done about a week before the interview. Reason for this is your Visa expires 6 months from date of the medical exam, so you don't want to get the medical done too early so your Visa is valid as long as possible in case of unforseen circumstances.

[RFN 3]

3 minutes ago, Loren Y said:

Usually it is best to wait until you have the interview scheduled. They set them up 2 to 3 weeks out usually. Then you go get your medical done about a week before the interview. Reason for this is your Visa expires 6 months from date of the medical exam, so you don't want to get the medical done too early so your Visa is valid as long as possible in case of unforseen circumstances.

I see, I thought it expires 6 months from date of approved visa.

[Loren Y 2,755]

Your visa (the “entry permission” document), at the time of issuance has an expiration date. For K1 Visa holders, the expiration date is tied to the medical exam date. This is usually 6 months from the date of the Medical Exam. 

 

this is what I found, and my fiancee K1 expires 6 months from medical exam also.

[RFN 3]

1 minute ago, Loren Y said:

Your visa (the “entry permission” document), at the time of issuance has an expiration date. For K1 Visa holders, the expiration date is tied to the medical exam date. This is usually 6 months from the date of the Medical Exam. 

 

this is what I found, and my fiancee K1 expires 6 months from medical exam also.

Thank you for the info. I originally thought of doing it asap, but I'll just wait until I'm ready for the interview.

[Loren Y 2,755]

My fiancee also had to get a South Korea police certificate. It was really easy to get. She went to the local embassy in Bangkok, filled out the form and gave them copies of her entry and exit stamps, and they mailed it to her a week later. You can also do it via mail, but it might take longer.

[RFN 3]

1 minute ago, Loren Y said:

My fiancee also had to get a South Korea police certificate. It was really easy to get. She went to the local embassy in Bangkok, filled out the form and gave them copies of her entry and exit stamps, and they mailed it to her a week later. You can also do it via mail, but it might take longer.

I actually already went to the Korean embassy here in Jakarta, but the problem is I don't have a copy of my arc. It was taken by the immigration when I left Korea and I never took a copy of it. They told me they will try but could not confirm that I will get it. So I'm still waiting to hear from them.

[Loren Y 2,755]

My fiancee didn't need that as far as I know. They just wanted to see entry and exit stamps in her passport. I guess for proof of when she was there. Hopefully they will take care of you.

[RFN 3]

1 minute ago, Loren Y said:

My fiancee didn't need that as far as I know. They just wanted to see entry and exit stamps in her passport. I guess for proof of when she was there. Hopefully they will take care of you.

They didn't even ask to see my stamps. They only took a copy of my passport and visa. Finger crossed.

[Loren Y 2,755]

Yes, for my K1 she had worked in South Korea over 6 years ago and the stamps we're even in her old passport, and when she was at her interview they took her certificate, but didn't seem too concerned about it. Maybe because it was a long time ago or something, but she was there a little over 6 months working on her Visa. We only needed that one and one from Thailand of course, but it was easy to obtain. I think it is if you are in any country over 6 months you need the certificate, so hopefully no problems for you. But if they ask at the interview make sure you can show proof you tried to obtain a copy of the police certificate, that way you can show them you tried to obtain a copy, but I don't think they will hold it against you too much, but that's up to the CO I would guess.

[RFN 3]

36 minutes ago, Loren Y said:

Yes, for my K1 she had worked in South Korea over 6 years ago and the stamps we're even in her old passport, and when she was at her interview they took her certificate, but didn't seem too concerned about it. Maybe because it was a long time ago or something, but she was there a little over 6 months working on her Visa. We only needed that one and one from Thailand of course, but it was easy to obtain. I think it is if you are in any country over 6 months you need the certificate, so hopefully no problems for you. But if they ask at the interview make sure you can show proof you tried to obtain a copy of the police certificate, that way you can show them you tried to obtain a copy, but I don't think they will hold it against you too much, but that's up to the CO I would guess.

If it's 6 months, I will have to get police certificates from China and Taiwan too. But both embassies here said they don't issue such document and that I have to go to the police station in the cities I lived in myself. Which means I will have to apply visas for both countries, fly to Shanghai and Taipei, get the certificates and get them notarized. As if not complicated enough, i found out that my China visa that I used at that time was a multiple tourist visa. I already have the visa from previous trip. When I applied to be a language student through an agency, they told me that I can just use it and that I don't have to apply for a student visa again. Problem is China would not issue a police certificate to tourist visa holder. While worrying about all this, I realized that on the email the embassy sent me it says a year and over, not 6 months. So I emailed the US embassy, and their reply is pretty much a copy and paste of the first email in bold. My stay in both countries were around 11 months each. I'm just so relieved I don't have to worry about these two countries anymore. Hopefully I will get good news from the Korean embassy.