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| Warsaw, Poland |  Review on March 17, 2018: |
Cabovercat
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
The visit to the Embassy was the easiest part of the process so far. They set all appointments for 8:30. We got there at 8:00, and there was already a long line at security. (It was about 45 minutes waiting on the sidewalk before we even got into the building… you may want an umbrella.)
Once you do get inside, you go downstairs, and the room is split into two sides – the visitor visas on the left and the immigrant visas on the right. The people at the desk will direct you to the far right side of the room where all the immigrant visas are processed. When you get to the immigrant side of the room, you go straight up to the far right window, ring the bell for service, submit all your documents, and take a number. (We were the 7th interview and we had to wait until about 11:30.) Halfway through the wait they call you up for fingerprints, then you wait some more.
The actual interview was simple and took about 5 minutes. We both went to the window, raised our right hands, and swore to tell the truth. After that, we each answered about 5 questions. They were all basic, like: “Where did you meet?â€; “How long have you known each other?â€; “What do you do for work?â€; “How do you afford to visit Belarus so often?â€; “Have you ever been to Russia?â€; “Have you ever been to the U.S.A.?â€; “Are either of you married already?â€; “Do either of you have any children from past relationships?â€.
After the rapid-fire questions, the agent said, "Congratulations! You are approved! I’m so happy for you two. You must love each other very much. You deserve to smile today."…
We picked up the visa at the TNT across town the next day, and had visa in hand less than 30 hours after approval.
The lady who did the interview was super nice. The whole conversation with us was in English and was for everyone else as far as I can tell.
Based on our experience I highly recommend that both petitioner and beneficiary attend the interview. Multiple people said to me, “It is not helpful for the petitioner to attend the interview.â€, and “The petitioner cannot be present at the actual interview.†This may be the case elsewhere, but this is NOT true in Warsaw!
The lady who gave the Interview said that having both parties present was the single best thing you can do to prove your relationship. Although we came prepared with a stack of papers and photos to prove everything, we were not required to show any other proof of relationship at all! She also said that she recommends every petitioner attend the interview, as this makes her job much more straight forward in ensuring a bona fide relationship.
Overall, it was a smooth and easy experience. Any other advice I would give?... Just be sure to arrive early as you can; make sure all your documents are in order; be prepared to sit for many hours with no phone; and most of all - bring your fiancé!javascript:emoticon(' ')
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #23451