|
|
| Sweden |  Review on December 25, 2015: |
mallafri76
Rating:  | Review Topic: IR-1/CR-1 Visa
Arrived around 8 am for my 8.30 appointment. There's like a little glass booth with queuing people inside, this is for the non-immigrant visa. The sign for the immigrant visas is in front of this booth, when standing by this sign, you are directly facing the "guard house". I was called up by the security guard and asked to hold up my passport against the window, while he checked for my name on a list. Then I had to take off my jacket and show the sole of my shoes. Then I was let inside and had to go through airport security. Since I was staying at a hotel just around the corner, Villa Kallhagen, I didn't bring anything with me except for my interview papers but there are lockers where you can leave mobiles etc in. Then I followed the yellow line towards the visa office, which is to the left.
Once in the visa office, I was met by another security guard asking what type of visa I was there for. Immigrant visas go to window 7, they've taken away the letters and they now use numbers. Since I was early, I had to wait about 20 minutes by window 7 before it was my time. I thought I had to be there really early but clearing security at the embassy and going to the visa office took like 10 minutes max and they won't open up window 7 until just around 8.30 am, so no need to get there too early for immigrant visas.
At window 7, a Swedish-Finnish lady starting collecting information and papers from me. She was very cold and..... Well, let's just say that she's not a very nice person. She had a questionnaire that she was filling out as we were talking; when did my husband and I got married, do either of us have children, what does my husband do for a living and then we were discussing some forms and whether or not we needed to submit an I-864a for using assets in my name. The instructions said no, she said yes....
I then sat down at the table for about 5 minutes and was then called up to window 5 for the actual interview. Had to read out loud from a sign, promising to tell the whole truth etc and then my fingerprints were taken. After that, my actual interview started. It was done by a very nice and professional American man. Questions were; how did my husband and I meet, when did we first meet in person, when did we get engaged, some very specific questions to our very specific situation, what do I like about my husband, where do we want to live, what do I think about his family and do we get along. I think there were some more questions but I don't remember them. The interview is really more of a conversation where questions is based on your answers and then some follow up on what you say.
The whole experience is pretty fast, I was the only one there for an immigrant visa that day and I was back at the hotel around 9 am. Got a 221 (g) with some more forms I need to send in plus they hadn't received my medical yet so make sure you do the medical at least 10 days before the interview. And to those from Sweden, you need the 120 personbevis. If someone at the Swedish tax office says this is not available for your generation, like I was told two or three times, hang up and call someone else until you get hold of someone who knows how it works with a US visa.
| |
|
Consulate / USCIS Member Review #18630