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| Bangkok, Thailand |  Review on September 6, 2007: |
mnbinth
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
September 6, 2007
6:45 Arrived and entered embassy.
7:00 Windows 5 & 6 collected our documents and gave back a couple extra they didn't want. They spoke Thai when we did this.
7:30 Scheduled interview time.
8:40 Called up for interview at window 4 (Not exactly private with a speaker the whole room could hear. Our interview was in English.)
8:45 Visa approved.
I went to the interview with my fiance. There is a new interviewer named Jan who is probably about 30 years old with glasses. She was being supervised by the Japanese-American guy I've been reading about, and I seriously think she was more nervous than we were. I also noticed they had already put a big red "APPROVED" stamp on our paperwork before the interview even started.
First, the interviewer introduced herself and had my fiance do electronic fingerprints.
Then they asked me to go sit down while they interviewed my fiance.
They asked her 5 questions.
1. When and where did you meet your fiance?
2. How many times has your fiance visited you in Thailand?
3. Do you have a job in Thailand?
4. What did you do in America? (Previously my fiance did a student exchange)
5. Will you work in the U.S.? (Kind of a tricky question if you ask me since she can't work until we adjust status. My fiance told the interviewer she would work when she was legally allowed to. Ha!)
I listened in on a couple other interviews because the volume was turned up so loud on the window speaker. Both ladies were interviewing on their own and the Japanese-American guy did the interview for them. He asked them each around 15 questions so I think it helps to go with your fiance.
After our interview we walked out to the chairs to organize our stuff. As we were walking through security, a girl came running and told us the interviewer forgot to have us sign a paper. Good thing we waited a few minutes.
I-134
My biggest concern was that I wouldn't have enough financial support to get the visa for my fiance. I don't have much money in the bank, made below the poverty line of my state last year and am technically unemployed. For evidence, I brought a letter from my bank, a letter from a friend that has a business saying he'd give me a job, 2 notarized letters from family members saying they would support us financially and not become 'public charges', my last tax return, and the last W2 from my previous job. They never even talked to us about the I-134.
Proof of Engagement/Relationship
I brought the receipt for my fiance's engagement ring and a small booklet of pictures of us together with her family and other places.
A few additional notes and tips.
1. There's a nice bathroom and A/C in the room you wait in.
2. DO NOT WAIT IN THE LONG LINE OUTSIDE THE EMBASSY. People with appointments and Americans go to the front of the line.
3. If you need extra passport pages, I got mine done in 15 minutes while we waited for the interview.
4. Bring all the documents they request! I watched 2 girls get told to come back for another interview in 2 weeks because they didn't bring the Police Certificate.
5. They never asked us a single question about any of our paperwork.
6. The decision seems to be made 100% based on the paperwork you bring in since we were approved before they asked anything so as long as you have the paperwork they request, don't worry.
I went into the interview ready to make arguments in case they had doubts about our relationship or paperwork. I was expecting them to make us feel like we were "guilty of something until proven innocent," but we were greeted with nothing but smiles and friendly faces. I felt like they wanted us to get the visa so I have no complaints with the embassy. However, I'd love to give USCIS a piece of my mind...
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #1994