K1 Visa Experience (Bhutan fiancée)

[thomasu 2]

Navigating the K1 Visa Process (Bhutan fiancée) through the US Consulate in India: A Personal Experience
 

Our journey through the K1 visa process via the US Consulate in India was an ordeal I wouldn’t wish on anyone. While we ultimately succeeded, the path was fraught with technical issues, hectic/unpleasant situations, and substantial expenses.
 

My fiancée, is from Bhutan, and due to the absence of a US consulate in her country, we had to go through India. This led us to usvisascheduling.com, a website I can only describe as terribly executed. Our first challenge was making the payment. Attempts to pay with a credit card or Google Wallet failed repeatedly, forcing my fiancée to visit a local Druk PNB Bank in Thimphu, Bhutan. The bank’s limited hours for this type of payment and the 3-day validity of the online payment slip meant she had to make a 40-minute drive twice. The first time, she arrived too late in the day; payments are only accepted until around noon.

Once the payment was finally registered, we encountered browser compatibility issues with the visa scheduling website. More on that soon.
Also, despite trying multiple browsers, booking an appointment for the medical exam at Rele Clinic in Mumbai was impossible. Eventually, we secured an appointment via phone call at Max Med Centre in Delhi, which, thankfully, was straightforward. Given the limited direct flights from Bhutan, Delhi was a convenient option for Medical.

Booking a biometrics appointment proved to be another hurdle. For six weeks, we monitored the site daily, only to find sporadic and last-minute slots in Chennai or Mumbai, and once in Delhi. With the medical exam demanding a confirmed appointment, our stress levels were through the roof. Luckily, a slot 2 weeks in advance opened a few days before our medical exam, and we booked the biometrics at VAC in Mumbai.

But the challenges didn’t end there. After securing the biometrics appointment, the system crashed, leaving us without a consular interview appointment. Rescheduling option didn't work as it wrongly just added a second biometrics appointment for the same day. My online research led me to a workaround: adding "appointmentmanager/" to the end of the URL usvisascheduling.com. This allowed me to cancel the two erroneous bookings and start fresh. Finally, we successfully booked both the biometrics and consular appointments in Mumbai, aligning them perfectly with our schedule. That was lucky!

The medical exam itself was relatively smooth, taking about two hours. However, we had to wait seven days to retrieve the sealed envelope, during which we took a brief holiday in Thailand. Returning to Delhi to pick up the envelope, we then headed straight to Mumbai.

Our experience at the VAC in Mumbai was marred by a 45-minute wait in the rain, standing in a makeshift line with hundreds of others. Once inside, the process was quick. The consular appointment the next day was similarly frustrating, with long, rainy queues outside. My fiancée waited over an hour to get inside the building out of the rain and it took 3.5 hours from arriving to complete the process. Interview itself took about 10-15 minutes. There was no proper waiting area for families outside, adding to the discomfort and hectic situation.

Now, we face another week in Mumbai, waiting to retrieve her passport from the VAC office. The entire process required a significant investment of time and money. Flights, hotel costs, and other expenses amounted to thousands of extra dollars. Fortunately, I have a flexible job that allows remote work, but not everyone has that luxury.

This experience highlighted the system's flaws: the lack of synchronized appointments, inadequate waiting areas, and a dysfunctional booking system. As someone with a tech background, I barely managed to navigate it. It’s clear that this process needs substantial improvements to be more user-friendly and efficient.

Despite the frustrations, we’re relieved to have completed this stage. Her visa was approved, and she's planning to travel to the US soon. It’s been a challenging journey, but we’re excited for what’s to come.

[Ryan H 3,812]

Moved from Process & Procedures to Progress Reports.