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| South Africa |  Review on June 25, 2015: |
sharpnsexyoak
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
Today I went for my K1 Visa interview and after nearly a years worth of filing and refiling various bit of paper work it came down to this, the final hurdle.
The interview was scheduled for 13:00 at the Consulate in Sandton, Johannesburg (It is literally opposite the Sandton City Mall on the corner of Rivonia Rd and Sandton Dr). I have lived in Johannesburg for over 23 years and was very familiar with the area. That said, my advice is to leave 1 1/2 hours prior to your interview so that you get there early. You maybe sitting out there in the sun for a while but trust me when I tell you the queue does build up quickly, and that it not a quick process to actually get into the consulate.
The security check is fairly simple and is managed by the usual "intellectual powerhouses" that you would expect from your average car guard. They are pretty dense and unprofessional to say the least and on the whole are a poor reflection on the US consulate itself. Pack light and expect to be stripped of all your electrical devices. You will only be allowed in with the very basics.
Once I had cleared security I simply followed the yellow painted foot steps on the pathway through a rather lovely garden until I reached another building. This was the building where the interviews were done.
As I entered I was given a ticket with a number on it and asked politely to take a seat in the nicely laid out waiting area. To the side of the waiting area was what would be best described as a row of booths one might find in a local bank. The kind with thick plate glass separating you from the individuals on the other side and a small opening at the base for passing your paper work though. There are phones you are supposedly meant to talk into but these where not used for some reason.
I sat and waited for about 15 minutes while chatting with the others I had met in the queue earlier and then my number was called along with which counter to go to. At the counter I met a polite South African lady who asked for my various bits of documentation which included the following:
- Passport
- Photographs (I gave them 4 instead of 2 just to be safe)
- Unabridged Birth Certificate
- Police Clearance Certificate
- I-134 & Evidence Of Financial Support (They do accept sponsors)
- Relationship Evidence
On a side note, they did not ask me for my DS 160 - Confirmation Page, that said, it is best you have it just in case (I certainly did). Come prepared and have at least 1 copy of every document as a backup.
Once I hand given over all of this I was instructed to go around the corner near the entrance of the building and make a payment of $265. They accept both Cash and Cards. Personally I would suggest using a card as it is both far easier and safer.
I then proceeded back to the waiting area and sat and read through the simple document I had been handed by the lady who took my documents. It was a printed pamphlet describing the rules in the USA regarding domestic violence and abuse and gave out numbers and names of support groups while outlining the rights of immigrants and so forth. Read this, they expect you to and may ask you questions about it.
After around 45 minutes I was called up to another counter for what would be my interview. Be aware, the interview takes place at the counter and in front of anyone in the waiting room. Don't be put off though, I found the questions to be simple and if you are in a genuine relationship you have nothing to worry about. I was asked the following:
- Where did you meet?
- What do i do for a living?
- What does she do for a living?
- When are you planning on leaving for the USA?
- Is this a photo of her?
After this the very polite American man behind the counter thanked me for my time and proceeded to hand me a pink slip and told me it would take a few days to sort the visa out but I would be contacted once it was in my passport and I could come and collect it. At this point I was beyond thrilled!
I did manage to remember to ask one question that had been burning in my mind for a while before leaving though. When I book a ticket to the USA do I need to book a return ticket as this is technically a non-immigrant visa? He pretty much said no but admitted he wasn't sure and advised me to ask the airlines...
All in all, it was a good experience and it went very smoothly. Prepare and have all the documents and more and you will be just fine.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #17173