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| Ukraine |  Review on May 31, 2017: |
Breeze2016
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
javascript:emoticon(' ')UKRAINE EMBASSY REVIEW - K-1 and K-2 visa applications.
javascript:emoticon('')After the NVC got our documents, everything went quickly and smoothly.
1. May 12 : email from US consulate that we can begin to prepare for an interview.
a) DS-160s: We filed the DS-160s that day and
b) Medical Exam: scheduled a medical appointment the soonest was 12 days away. We also needed to wait 2 days after for the TB test result for my fiance's child (positive as she had the bcg vaccine so she had an chest x-ray - not sure why blood testing is not done really). (adults don't get skin tested)
c) Interview: The soonest interview date was the next week Tuesday at 8:00 am.
2. May 26: TB test results negative and chest x-ray results negative.
3. May 30: We got up early.
javascript:emoticon('') Dress: We dressed very nice. I had on a suite and tie with nice polished black shoes. My fiance and her daughter had on a nice dress and dress shoes.
Arrival for appointment: We took a taxi to the embassy arriving at 7:00 am for our 8:00 am appointment.
What to Expect: The embassy is large building less than 10 stories high in a quiet area (at least it was quiet early in the morning when we were there.) There was already a small group of people waiting across the street from the embassy entrance.
There are 2 small unofficial looking trailers where everyone was waiting - one sold coffee (cappuccino for 20 hryvna) and the other for keeping your cell phone (it is very inexpensive.)
GOING INTO THE EMBASSY: javascript:emoticon('')It was much more like just going to the DMV, not like going for interrogation.
a) Around 7:35, the embassy security started putting up the ropes for the lines to enter the embassy. We had one of the first appointments (8:02) so we went to the front of the line and were let in maybe 10 minutes before 8:00 am. After going through a small security search, we walked to the consulate section of the embassy and sat opposite a line of windows. We were called to a window first around 8:00.
b) The lady at the window was very pleasant and just calmly asked for all of our documents one by one. SHE ASKED FOR THE I-134 AND SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS which included a) w-2s, b) 1 year tax-return, c) employer letter, d) bank letters, e) bank statements, and f) earnings statements for a few months. (I bolded this because I thought the instructions were unclear if this would be needed- but we certainly we asked for it.) We were also asked for the letter signed by the father that the child could come to the USA. All documents were very well organized so the lady only had to staple them together in her way of organizing our file.
c) We were asked to wait while our file was reviewed the documents that we had just submitted. Within maybe 10 - 20 minutes, we were called by a digital sign to a second window where the gentleman asked my fiance only maybe one question, but asked me what brought me to the Ukraine. This gave me a chance to tell our story of how I met my fiance. He was very pleasant and casual almost like just wanting to make conversation, but the question was very important and covered all of the necessary information for how we met and our ongoing relationship. javascript:emoticon('') He said our application was very well organized which is how we very intentionally put our documents together. We wanted to show that we had put thought into it.
d) javascript:emoticon('') We were handed back our application materials and a piece of paper that said our visas were approved and that we could expect them to be delivered within 5 days as we had requested express delivery.
e) javascript:emoticon('')the whole process from entering to leaving the embassy took maybe 60-90 minutes (we did not actually time it.) We were in shock that we finally had made it! We walked out and retrieved our cellphones from across the street and called a taxi to go back to the hotel and then take me to the airport.
IMPRESSIONS
I would dress up professionally even though we were dressed better than any of the embassy staff or anyone else waiting for a visa.
I would organize my documents well. I stapled ours to manilla folders so it was easy to open and at a glance see exactly what was important.
The embassy staff are professional and very pleasant. I thought my fiance's daughter was wandering too much, but the lady at the window said she should go play with the toys in the corner set up for children.
Be prepared for up to 90 minutes from entering the embassy to walking out. (Unless you have to wait in line which I don't know that you would as you always have an appointment.)
I would schedule for the first appointment in the morning so that there is no hassle with waiting in line.
Leave your cell phone with the little trailer across the street from the entrance.
Enjoy the coffee from the other little trailer.javascript:emoticon('')
The interview was not what I imagined which would have been something more like a job interview in a room with the examiner behind a large desk or an interrogation with a few immigration people in uniform. It was very much like going to the DMV.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #21877