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| Islamabad, Pakistan |  Review on January 18, 2019: |
Maham10
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
Disclaimer: This is my personal experience at the embassy, everyone's circumstances and cases differ therefore your experience might be different, just trying to help the fellows here by sharing what I observed and experienced at the embassy.
There were many K1 applicants which was surprising. Now let me chart out some points:
My interview was at 9am according to appointment confirmation. I reached the shuttle service at 8am, I'd advise getting there at least 1.5 hour before interview time because the line for shuttle service is long. (You will need passport and CNIC photocopy and your appointment confirmation print). You can deposit your phone at shuttle service area in a locker (I didn't because my parents were outside).
After you reach embassy you'll see a window outside the building and a line of applicants, at that window they will ask for your passport, K1 FTP, and DS-160. Afterwards you will go inside, through security check and upstairs to visa section to counter 19 (immigrant visa section)
You will first have to give fingerprints, two photos and get a token.
Seats are places in front of windows in the building (previously they made applicants sit outside the building)
They will call you after ~40min to window to collect Birth Certificate (original and copy), sealed medical report, original fee payment receipt and affidavit of support (I-134) with supporting docs, please make sure all documents are in order. For those who don't meet income criteria please arrange a joint sponsor before going, I saw a lot of rejections asking to file joint sponsor, you will waste your time if you go unprepared.
After another very long wait you will be called for interview. I was sitting at a place where I could hear most of the interviews. I was upset to see a very high ratio of K1 getting refused (passport returned) or put in AP (almost everyone). Major reasons: Missing/incorrect documents, no coherence in answers, missing joint sponsor, long engagements.
The following questions were asked from other applicants:
Who is calling you? (Literally asked from everyone)
Is it love or arranged? (Literally asked from everyone)
If cousin, is s/he paternal or maternal? (most cases were cousins)
If you had engagement in Pakistan and his/her parents came then why aren't you getting married in Pakistan? (You need to have a very strong and logical point to answer this, also please stick to one story)
When did your fiance last visit you? (They want exact dates according to boarding passes) If you have boarding passes take them along or at least take copies.
Why not in 2018?
Do you have any marriage plans? (PLEASE DON'T SAY NO WE ARE WAITING FOR VISA) The lady who said this was straight away refused and her passport returned
Show me photos
Show me receipts of restaurants (this was asked from one lady and unfortunately she didn't have them)
Show me chat logs/ call logs
What is your fiances phone number?
Where does s/he live?
Where does s/he work?
Show me police certificate
How many siblings are you and your fiance?
Have you met his/her parents and siblings?
(Interviews lasted 10 to 15 mins for most applicants)
You have to be very well organized document wise and you have to be confident. Please don't get confused because if you do they will grill you. There was one horrible CO skinny short young white guy. Pray that you don't get sent to him. He was brutal and I only saw him approving one visa applicant and that was a spouse visa, her petitioner was a doctor and he was with her.
Please make sure your birth certificate DOB, name spelling, address match!!! I saw so many people get temporary refusals due to incorrect or missing documents.
Language: I gave mines in English, there were only 2 people including myself who opted for English. The majority who was using translator (Pushto and Punjabi) and those who gave in Urdu, CO's were a little strict because they naturally expect you to have fluency in the language as you are immigrating to their country. However if you don't feel confident with English go for Urdu. Please don't stammer or take long pauses, it gives off a very bad impression of being confused and pisses of the CO. Carefully listen to what the CO is asking and give a specific answer to that question. Saw a lot of people misunderstanding questions and giving the wrong answers.
Attire: Wear what you are comfortable in, I wore jeans, sweater and a blazer. Mostly ladies were in shalwar kameez. Guys were in suits or trousers and collared shirts. Elderly were mostly wearing shalwar kameez. Please don't wear a golden heels to the embassy, gives off very bad impression.
Coming to my interview, I was the second last person to be interviewed, all the applicants had gone and the hall was empty, I was very stressed out due to seeing so many refusals and also hadn't had breakfast (there's a small canteen in the hall but I was too nervous to eat). I was called to the last window, CO was probably in her late 50's, she was friendly but professional, my interview barely lasted 5 mins.
She had me take an oath that I will tell everything truthfully and took my fingerprints.
Whats your story?
Who arranged it?
Do you have any photos? (She barely saw them, only first 3, asked who is this (it was my brother))
What are your future plans?
What is your undergrad degree in? (She knew I'm working with the UN)
Are you guys from the same city?
What other countries have you visited (I had a long travel history with 4 visits to the U.S.)
Everything looks great, I am approving your visa, you will get it within 2 weeks. 
I got out at 12:30pm, my parents were having a panic attack outside because they saw many people coming back with refusals and it took me a very long time.
Good luck to everyone and please don't panic!! Have your documents well organized, be very confident with your answers and smile, recite tasbeehs, do whatever it takes to stay calm, don't indulge too much with other applicants (it causes confusion). I hope this review helped, recently not many Pakistanis were posting detailed reviews so I decided to do it to help all future applicants. May God be in our favor ameen.
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