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| London, United Kingdom |  Review on February 1, 2007: |
mmb
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
Well yesterday was the day I've been waiting for for over 3 years. I finally had my interview at the London Embassy.
I stayed overnight in London but was way too stressed to sleep so spent the night reading in my hotel room. I read through every document I had in my folder at least 5 times.
Walking from the hotel to the Embassy was easy thanks to britty who posted directions in the UK forum.
My interview was for 9.30 and I got there about 8.45 and apart from confusion when the lady with the clipboard asked to see my 156 had no problem. I was inside the Embassy with my number in hand by 8.55.
It wasn't long before I was called to the window to sign a couple of forms, hand over my adoption certificate and my photographs. The man I spoke to had to go away and ask what to do as I hadn't given my name before I was adopted, and have no record of my place of birth other than the name of the country. He came back to say this is fine for now but may pose a problem when I have to apply for AOS. He suggested since my parents are dead I should ask some older relatives who remember my adoption to write sworn affadavits to say my parents didn't know where I was born or what I was called before. I'm glad he told me that now as I would hate to have discovered this problem further down the line. He then checked my police certificates and a pile of letters I had to explain that yes I had a minor conviction but the records no longer exist. I had copies of my written enquiries and replies from the local courts and from the procurator fiscals office both explaining that the records were no longer in existance and neither was the court where I was convicted.
He then asked if I had my payment reciept, I told him I expected to pay there so he sent me to window 12 where I handed over $100.
I was fingerprinted and then asked of the affadavit of support and also gave him a letter from my bank showing my average balance and current balance. That was that, he gave me my pink slip for the courier, and I sat down till it was time to be called again. Waited a little over 5 minutes.
The American woman at the next window was friendly and laughed at me when I answered how Richard and I met. She then asked how did I get on with his boys and laughed again when I answered that the oldest one doesn't actually speak, he just grunts now and again. She asked what was in my folder and I explained evidence of ongoing relationship, flicking through it as I spoke. She looked at it but didn't ask to see anything close up.
That was it and she told me she couldn't see any reason to deny me a visa. She tols me to go pay the courier and that after the fingerprint checks my visa will be sent to me. When I asked how long she said about 5 days.
Waiting in line at the couriers desk was the longest part of the morning, it was so slow, but finally I paid my £13.50 and by 10.05 I was back out, had collected my cellphone and woken Richard to tell him the good news.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #1255