Appointment experience

[ScottishBrooklyn 10]

I was in for my appointment at the US embassy in London today. I thought it would be useful to share my experience. 

 

My appointment was at 8am. I arrived around 7:30am to be faced with sizeable queues. There are three queues that I could see. 1 on the left hand side for us citizens. 2 on the right. One of those to check in after which you would join the other longer queue. As you have an appointment you can go straight to the front of the check in queue. Make sure and have your ds-260 confirmation printed to show along with your passport. 

 

Security step is next. I had a small back pack, bottle of water, phone, keys, wallet and documents. I just had to open the water bottle to take a sip I guess to show it was nothing dodgy. 

 

Then walked through the courtyard and into building where there is another queue. This one is to get your ticket number. 

 

After this take the elevator to the first floor. Once there I was directed to sit in the main area but soon noticed that I should've been round the corner. Left out the elevator then left again to the very end. There are instructions on the ticket. 

 

I was in the first few appointments of the day and was seen around 8:02. This initial counter visit was to take my docs. Passport, birth certificate, marriage certificate, police record and passport photo along with my biometrics. Was asked when I planned to move to the US. Was asked for my confirmation that I had set up passport delivery. I didn't have this but confirmed that I had done it. Was then told to sit down again. 

 

Was called up again around 8:30. Confirmed my name, date of birth, asked how and when I met my partner, what she does for a living, where in the US she lives, does she or I have any children or previous marriages then that was that. Congratulated me, returned my docs and told me the passport would be sent in 3-5 days. Was out of there by 8:40am.

 

All in all it was really straightforward and both people I spoke to were friendly.  

 

Delighted this is finally coming to an end. Good luck to everyone else on the journey. 

[lvjeremylv 10]

14 hours ago, ScottishBrooklyn said:

I was in for my appointment at the US embassy in London today. I thought it would be useful to share my experience. 

 

My appointment was at 8am. I arrived around 7:30am to be faced with sizeable queues. There are three queues that I could see. 1 on the left hand side for us citizens. 2 on the right. One of those to check in after which you would join the other longer queue. As you have an appointment you can go straight to the front of the check in queue. Make sure and have your ds-260 confirmation printed to show along with your passport. 

 

Security step is next. I had a small back pack, bottle of water, phone, keys, wallet and documents. I just had to open the water bottle to take a sip I guess to show it was nothing dodgy. 

 

Then walked through the courtyard and into building where there is another queue. This one is to get your ticket number. 

 

After this take the elevator to the first floor. Once there I was directed to sit in the main area but soon noticed that I should've been round the corner. Left out the elevator then left again to the very end. There are instructions on the ticket. 

 

I was in the first few appointments of the day and was seen around 8:02. This initial counter visit was to take my docs. Passport, birth certificate, marriage certificate, police record and passport photo along with my biometrics. Was asked when I planned to move to the US. Was asked for my confirmation that I had set up passport delivery. I didn't have this but confirmed that I had done it. Was then told to sit down again. 

 

Was called up again around 8:30. Confirmed my name, date of birth, asked how and when I met my partner, what she does for a living, where in the US she lives, does she or I have any children or previous marriages then that was that. Congratulated me, returned my docs and told me the passport would be sent in 3-5 days. Was out of there by 8:40am.

 

All in all it was really straightforward and both people I spoke to were friendly.  

 

Delighted this is finally coming to an end. Good luck to everyone else on the journey. 

Thanks for sharing!  Sounds pretty straightforward and painless.

 

So were those all the documents you took, the passport, birth certificate, marriage certificate, police record, and biometrics?  What exactly were the biometrics?

 

I read on the US gov site that you don't need to bring any financial papers to the interview, and that you just need to bring the civil documents that were uploaded during the NVC portion of the process.  I'm guessing that's accurate since you didn't mention those?

 

Thanks in advance for the feedback!

[ScottishBrooklyn 10]

Hey Jeremy. I took with me pretty much everything I had submitted previously online plus some supplemental stuff from since then. I was of the feeling it's better to have and not need then need and not have. 

 

But yeah all I needed in the end was the civil docs. You're correct and I didn't need the financial papers. Biometrics was just fingerprints. 

[aeroandy23 4]

On 11/30/2023 at 1:43 AM, ScottishBrooklyn said:

Hey Jeremy. I took with me pretty much everything I had submitted previously online plus some supplemental stuff from since then. I was of the feeling it's better to have and not need then need and not have. 

 

But yeah all I needed in the end was the civil docs. You're correct and I didn't need the financial papers. Biometrics was just fingerprints. 

Thanks much, This was very helpful.

 

Quick question, Biometrics were just taken there at the embassy? Its not something we needed to have it completed in advance correct?

[ScottishBrooklyn 10]

5 hours ago, aeroandy23 said:

Thanks much, This was very helpful.

 

Quick question, Biometrics were just taken there at the embassy? Its not something we needed to have it completed in advance correct?

That's correct. It's just fingerprints. 

[aeroandy23 4]

Hello,

 

Had my interview today.  Thank you so much for sharing your experience. It was on point and helped me a lot and knew what to expect throughout the appointment. 

 

How long did it take for your NVC status to update post IV interview?

 

Office took my passport and said congrats your visa has been approved and returned all the documents.

 

My NVC status is still showing READY and haven't been updated.

 

Thanks much!!

 

[ScottishBrooklyn 10]

Hey, sorry about the late reply. I'm sure you've been updated by now about passport collection but my NVC status didn't change at all. Even after i had passport in hand. 

For anyone following up, I had registered for passport pick up rather than delivery:

Wednesday: AM interview.

Thursday: received email saying passport was being picked up by courier.

Monday: 6am received email saying passport was available for pick up.

Monday: Picked it up at 8am. 

Tuesday: Flight to US 

[Bree9482 15]

Just had my interview this morning, your post helped a lot, we were very prepared and like you taken very promptly..

 

staff were amazing and even uploaded my ACRO to ceac as original had expired. 

 

Got approved and now just waiting on passports, hope they are as quick as yours..!