London K1 Interview Questions

[Tristesse 17]

Hi all!

 

I have my interview next week. I've watched the video on the embassy site but was wondering, what are the papers you are supposed to show outside to be waved on to security? 

 

I've printed the instructions / appointment time / payment receipt from the website as instructed. Or should I have the DS 160 with the barcode ready?

 

I was at interview stage and had an appointment for March last year but everything was cancelled. So the DS 160 is the original. The new instructions say the new date. 

 

Also, I'm coming from Scotland the night before and staying in a hotel down the road. My interview time is 9:30 and I've booked a cab from my hotel (ten minutes walk) for noon to get me to Gatwick by three for my flight at five. 

 

I honestly didn't think I would be more than two hours but now I see I should be allowing 2-3. Is this a general interview recommendation do you think, for families, say? Hoping the half nine appointment means I'll be in promptly. Would you rearrange the cab for a later time?

 

Any help would be much appreciated 🙂

 

 

 

 

[Wuozopo 4,293]

A 9:30 interview doesn’t mean you ‘ll be interviewing precisely at 9:30.  It just depends on the day so difficult to give you a solid answer. Outside they want to see your interview confirmation with date/time and your ID (passport). The receipt for paying and your interview documents will all be turned into a document collector person at the first window where you are called upafter you make your way in and up to the first floor. Your actual interview is the second time you are called to a window. 
 

Tip: If there’s any kind of queue to get in, it’s likely non-immigrant appointments which tend to outnumber immigrant appointments. Move forward to the desk and they will serve you separately. You don’t have to get at the end of the nonimmigrant group.

Edited July 21, 2021 by Wuozopo

[Tristesse 17]

Thank you Wuozopo. I was under the impression that K1 was a non-immigrant, so if it is technically, but isn't compared to work and other visas, that's really useful to know. I'll do as you advise. 

 

The only paperwork I have showing my new appointment date / time is the same one showing payment / courier details that I printed out as instructed from the site. Hopefully this will be okay.

[Wuozopo 4,293]

11 hours ago, Tristesse said:

Thank you Wuozopo. I was under the impression that K1 was a non-immigrant,

It is a nonimmigrant visa. However the folks with your files and waiting to interview you are in the Immigrant Visa Unit so that’s why you  queue as IV.  If you have looked at your status on CEAC, it even says Immigrant visa.  After you interview, in the days of final processing, at some point it switches to say Nonimmigrant. That’s your clue the visa is getting close to being issued.  Kind of a last minute switcheroo to get you over to the nonimmigrant side of things before they start printing and such.

[Tristesse 17]

@Wuozopo my visa has been approved! The entire thing took seventeen minutes from clearing security. I think I've seen you posting that the interview will be much more straightforward than imagined and that was certainly the case for me. 

 

Thanks so much, to you and everyone else here. I'll be sure to keep reading in case I can pass on any help myself. 

[Wuozopo 4,293]

14 hours ago, Tristesse said:

@Wuozopo my visa has been approved! The entire thing took seventeen minutes from clearing security. I think I've seen you posting that the interview will be much more straightforward than imagined and that was certainly the case for me. 

 

Thanks so much, to you and everyone else here. I'll be sure to keep reading in case I can pass on any help myself. 

Great news. So tell us how the general “crowd” was queuing to get in. Were there lots of people or still just a handful being interviewed? Immigrant and nonimmigrant. 

[Tristesse 17]

There were two queues, not bad, at just past nine. I was directed to one but still just five or six people in front including a guy ahead who told me he had a 9:30 for a spouse visa. 

 

"Airport style security" was pretty OTT. I had to open apps on my phone in case it was a disguised bomb and then drink from my permitted plastic water bottle to show I wasn't bringing in liquid explosive.

 

In the lift going up, a nice man told me to ignore all the other people and go left and left again to the immigration windows. From there on it took 17 minutes in total. 

 

I was asked for BOTH divorce decree certificates which was a bit odd. Luckily I brought everything but surely I couldn't have married my second husband if the first wasn't divorced or dead? That's probably a good tip to pass on. America doesn't trust the UK to do bigamy prevention properly apparently.

Edited July 29, 2021 by Tristesse