Interview on Friday.

[AjT1 13]

Hello,

 

So the day is approaching. I have all the documents I need and now it's only two more sleeps until the most important interview of my life, at least to date. There is so much riding on this interview it's unreal. The thought of it being denied is terrifying and although I know that's unlikely I still feel as though my and my fiancee's future is in the hands of a stranger. A stranger that I have to present documentary evidence about our relationship as well as answering their questions.

 

I know I have everything. It has been checked and checked. Orangised, clipped together, put in a folder and then indexed with post-it notes. 

 

I also know that London is a so-called 'easy' embassy and that, according to what I have read on this site, the interview isn't an interrogation. More of a friendly chat. 

 

Heading in to Friday I still have two little niggles. One that we put my step-fathers name on the I-129f form, I've been advised by a very knowledgeable contributor to this site that this isn't a worry, but until the interview is over it will be. Two that I have her income tax return for 2018, one of the years when she was working abroad so she didn't work in the US at all in 2018, 2017 or 2016. As she was working in abroad the return only shows a taxable income of $17,000. I have been told through some posts on this site that London doesn't need the tax return as long as the employment verification letter shows that her income for this year is over the 100% poverty guideline. 

 

She has been employed in her current job in the US since January and she makes well over the 125% poverty guideline for a household of two. So hopefully the employment verification letter along with the I-134 and other supporting documents, paystubs, bank statements, etc. Will be sufficient for the interview. If they only rely on last years tax return we are pretty much screwed but I doubt that is the case.

 

So, for all of you who have had their interview in London what tips do have for the interview? Were you nervous and was it a problem? And what did you do to calm down? Yoga? Deep breaths? 

 

I have also reviewed a lot of consulate reviews for the London embassy and looked at other peoples reviews of the interview and I have made a list of questions that it seems that they are most likely to ask during the interview. They are;

 

• How did you meet your fiancee?

• What does your fiancee do?

• What do you intend to do while in the US? (What do you plan to do for work in the future?)

• Where does your fiancee live?

• When do you and your fiancee plan on getting married?

• How often have you met?

• Where do you plan to live when you move?

• How long have you known each other?

• When was the last time your saw your fiancee?

 

All of these seem straight forward and easy to answer. Has anyone, who has interviewed at London, felt as though any of the questions were a trick to try and catch you out? 

 

This was only supposed to be a couple of questions but it has turned in to an essay... Pre interview jitters I guess... So, I'll stop here.

 

Edited October 16, 2019 by AjT1

[Ed&Midori1031 330]

Go in with confidence, try not to be too nervous, straight forward with answers and things will turn out just fine.  Best of luck with the interview, and congrats on making this step! 

[Wuozopo 4,293]

Are you a real couple? 

If yes, then you don't need yoga or deep breathing.

They are not looking for ways to fail you. 

 

You've got this. 

[AjT1 13]

18 minutes ago, Wuozopo said:

Are you a real couple? 

If yes, then you don't need yoga or deep breathing.

They are not looking for ways to fail you. 

 

You've got this. 

Yeah! We are a real couple! I know I'll be fine. It's just that there is a lot riding on this. But I know what to do! And I'll get it done!

37 minutes ago, Ed&Midori1031 said:

Go in with confidence, try not to be too nervous, straight forward with answers and things will turn out just fine.  Best of luck with the interview, and congrats on making this step! 

Cheers. I know it'll be fine!

[yuna628 9,676]

Imagine the scene: my husband usually unflappable (while me a wreck with anticipation and a control freak to have everything go right until the day of and then I usually am nerves of steel outwardly), come home from a long day of overtime at work and I go through his checklist to ensure that he has everything for his interview which being from one end of the country means he must get up well before dawn and drive all the way to London. Anyway he can't find his passport. Dear god, I nearly lost it and had a major panic attack with a visual migraine and ended up on the floor trying to control my breathing, while he now finally in a state of panic, tore the entire house apart to find it. He did find it of course, but we were both very grumpy by then, while his Dad consoled me for this little hiccup. His Dad would have his own panic attack later on driving to London, whereby my husband had to take the wheel. ;-D

 

After that, the whole thing was a breeze and my husband wondered, was that really so bad?

 

Long story short. Always make sure to have your documents in order and not at the last minute. Possibly glue them to your s/o's hands. 😈

 

You'll be fine. You'll be together soon!

[AjT1 13]

26 minutes ago, yuna628 said:

Imagine the scene: my husband usually unflappable (while me a wreck with anticipation and a control freak to have everything go right until the day of and then I usually am nerves of steel outwardly), come home from a long day of overtime at work and I go through his checklist to ensure that he has everything for his interview which being from one end of the country means he must get up well before dawn and drive all the way to London. Anyway he can't find his passport. Dear god, I nearly lost it and had a major panic attack with a visual migraine and ended up on the floor trying to control my breathing, while he now finally in a state of panic, tore the entire house apart to find it. He did find it of course, but we were both very grumpy by then, while his Dad consoled me for this little hiccup. His Dad would have his own panic attack later on driving to London, whereby my husband had to take the wheel. ;-D

 

After that, the whole thing was a breeze and my husband wondered, was that really so bad?

 

Long story short. Always make sure to have your documents in order and not at the last minute. Possibly glue them to your s/o's hands. 😈

 

You'll be fine. You'll be together soon!

That sounds like a nightmare! I'm glad it got sorted and that everything turned out fine. 

 

I've got everything I need and then some! Been slowly gathering things for the past two months. Everything has been checked and organised, with post-its and paper clips, so it's all easy to find. Just got to smash the interview now!

[Carl. 45]

I didn't feel they were trying to trick me, I was super nervous like everyone else and thought what if I get denied. They asked questions in a casual friendly way. How we met, where she works, where she lives.

 

You got this.

[Kris & Crystal 47]

I interviewed on Tuesday. I was more annoyed and paranoid about the possibility of my travel arrangements falling through or those Extinction Rebellion guys blocking things that I was about the actual interview. It was all fairly straightforward.

 

I was over prepared also and had a massive binder that was organised, paperclipped, tagged, etc. They only wanted to see a fraction of what I brought.

 

I know it's easy to say in retrospect but the interview is fairly easy.

Edited October 17, 2019 by Kris & Crystal

[AjT1 13]

1 hour ago, Carl. said:

I didn't feel they were trying to trick me, I was super nervous like everyone else and thought what if I get denied. They asked questions in a casual friendly way. How we met, where she works, where she lives.

 

You got this.

Cheers. So, it was fairly straight forward then? I take it that you got approved? 

[AjT1 13]

1 hour ago, Kris & Crystal said:

I interviewed on Tuesday. I was more annoyed and paranoid about the possibility of my travel arrangements falling through or those Extinction Rebellion guys blocking things that I was about the actual interview. It was all fairly straightforward.

 

I was over prepared also and had a massive binder that was organised, paperclipped, tagged, etc. They only wanted to see a fraction of what I brought.

 

I know it's easy to say in retrospect but the interview is fairly easy.

I'm the same about the transport. I live in Manchester so I'm heading down right now on the coach, £11 return as opposed to £82 return on the train, and I'm staying in a hotel tonight. 

 

I've got the massive binder and photos. I also know that they are very unlikely to look at most of what I've got but I'd like to have it and not need it than the other way round! 

 

Fairly easy suits me. Thanks for letting me know. 

[Carl. 45]

40 minutes ago, AjT1 said:

Cheers. So, it was fairly straight forward then? I take it that you got approved? 

Yes I was approved and now in the US and married. It was fairly straight forward and all that worry for nothing, I'd say I was asked about 4 questions. The wait was more than the actual interview. Not ashamed to say I came out of the interview and cried with happiness. 

 

 

[AjT1 13]

15 minutes ago, Carl. said:

Yes I was approved and now in the US and married. It was fairly straight forward and all that worry for nothing, I'd say I was asked about 4 questions. The wait was more than the actual interview. Not ashamed to say I came out of the interview and cried with happiness. 

 

 

Was your interview Tuesday 15th October? If so that's a quick turn around! I was told the visa would put in your passport and then take upto two weeks after interview to couriered to you.

[Carl. 45]

3 minutes ago, AjT1 said:

Was your interview Tuesday 15th October? If so that's a quick turn around! I was told the visa would put in your passport and then take upto two weeks after interview to couriered to you.

No I came here 11th July. Married on the 19th July. Yes I think it can take up to 10 days. 

[AjT1 13]

Just now, Carl. said:

No I came here 11th July. Married on the 19th July. Yes I think it can take up to 10 days. 

Thought so! Congratulations on everything by the way! 

[Kris & Crystal 47]

43 minutes ago, AjT1 said:

Was your interview Tuesday 15th October? If so that's a quick turn around! I was told the visa would put in your passport and then take upto two weeks after interview to couriered to you.

I was Tuesday the 15th of October. It went into Administrative Processing the next day at 08:00 until 14:00 when it changed to Issued and today around 14:30 I got a notification with a tracking number.