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| Malaysia |  Review on November 20, 2013: |
AliaAlia
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
My interview was on the 19th Nov 2013 (well, it was only yesterday)
Documents submission: 9am
Interview time: 1:30pm
I reached the embassy around 8:20am and there were already a lot of people queueing. There were 2 lines; first line to get your visitor pass, and the second line to actually get inside the compound.
You can only go inside the guard post 2 people at a time because the post is really small and you have to drop everything inside the x-ray machine (what do they call those?) including your watch and shoes and I'd suggest you not to wear your costume jewelries coz you'd be asked to take them off (the x-ray thing detects metal).
There 2 guards inside the post (well 3 including the guy who gives your visitor pass) and 2 guards outside. And they're really nice! Well I believe they're nice to you if you're nice to them!
I left my phone and my car keys and went inside the compound.
Entering the building, I had to take a B number and was directed to wait in the right waiting room. LOTS and LOTS of people there! I had to wait about 30mins before my number was called.
I went to Counter 10, there was a local Indian guy with my files opened. He asked for my passport, my existing tourist visa (which is in another passport), DS-160 confirmation page, my birth cert (copy AND original), cert of good conduct (original), the supplementary form (food stamp form), my fiance's I-134 and his financial documents. I asked him whether or not he needs my co-sponsor's I-134 and ITRs, he said no. I paid $240 and he told me to come back at 1pm.
I came back at 12:30pm. There were only a few of us left since counters for B1/B2 (business and tourist) visa are closed by noon.
Got in at 1pm and waited in the room until almost 2:20pm. The room was quiet considering there were only about 7 of us there and everybody was nervous (including me!)
Then our numbers were called one-by-one and had to go to Counter 3 for fingerscan. And sat again. Finally the interview started!
The CO was really friendly (a woman) and before anything, I had to take an oath. I raised my right hand and she said something something whether the info I put in my forms are the truth, and something something (seriously couldn't remember) and I panicked for a bit when she ended her statement coz I didn't know what to say: "I do" or "yes" haha..and ended up saying "yes".
My 4 left fingers were scanned again as a "digital signature" for the oath.
Before she started the interview, she handed me over my B1/B2 visa and said "I'm cancelling your previous tourist visa since you're applying for a K1 visa".
She handed me back my original birth cert too.
Some of the questions that I remember (too nervous!):
- How did you meet your fiance?
- Which chat program was that? (when I told her I met him via an online chatroom)
- How long have you known your fiance?
- Have you two met in person?
- Where he was born
- Where does he live
- Does he have any siblings
- Where do they live
- How did he propose.
- Where are you getting married
- Are you coming back to get married again
- Where does he work
She was smiling all the way while typing onto the computer listening to my answers. I took it as a positive sign!
She then asked do i have any pictures together, and when i showed her the pictures (I had about 12 or something) she looked at them 1 by 1!! And asked what was happening in the pics. She giggled at a pic of us during Halloween where both of us dressed up and zombies. I took it as a positive sign again!
Then she moved on onto finances. Since I need a co-sponsor and Counter 10 didn't take my co-sponsor's documents earlier, I showed her my co-sponsor's docs. She took it and went away for a bit. She came back a couple of mins later and handed me back those docs. She then asked her colleague who was sitting behind about whether or not they should accept co-sponsors for K1 visas.
Oh no.
I overheard the colleague (guy) said soemthing that for K1, the main sponsor should be able to meet the minimum financial requirements. They questioned each other's statements back and forth and that took about 10 mins! The guy kept on insisting that the main sponsor needs to provide that income, but the CO kept questioning him and said something about how my fiance is living with the co-sponsor (his mom). She then searched for the memo (I guess?) about whether or not K1 should be able to have co-sponsors and showed it to the guy.
And I heard the guy said something like "Oh wow. That's weird. Well I guess every case is different then"
She then turned on the microphone (those things don't even work considering I can hear what the conversation was about when she turned off the mic before!) and said "Ok sorry about that. But your case has been approved. Please take a seat and my colleague will call you and explain on the next step. And congratulations on your wedding!"
Yay! I was smiling non-stop when I got out from the booth and waited again. A couple of minutes later, the same local guy in Counter 10 called my number and told me to come and collect my passport on the 22nd Nov at the EMBASSY.
As a general tip:
- Don't bring any electronics/lighters/cigarettes
- If you can, weart slips in-slips out shoes! I made a mistake by wearing boots. Took a couple of secs to remove them and put them back on.
- If you need a co-sponsor, print out any document that says K1 visas can have co-sponsors (or anything pertaining to that matter). Just in case!
- Organize your documents. Easy in easy out
- Be courteous and nice to the guards! Even if they seemed non-friendly!
As an overall, it was a pleasant experience, somewhat nerve-wrecking but having a super friendly CO who was always smiling helped a lot!
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #13277