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| Frankfurt, Germany |  Review on January 31, 2019: |
Nat&Don
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
My appointment was at 7:45 am on a Tuesday and I arrived there at 7:15, although the instructions with the appointment confirmation email said not to come more than 15 minutes ahead of time (this wasn't a problem though). I found a line of 13 people already waiting on the non-immigration side on the left, and I was asked to join that line instead of the immigration line - the security guard told me they're changing their system and everyone has to line up on the left.
***Helpful tip to those coming with bags: I was able to leave my small suitcase in the luggage storage room of the Best Western Hotel nearby at no cost, even though I hadn't booked a room there. All I did was write to them ahead of time and ask if it was possible.***
At about 7:25, the two windows at the reception opened and people started moving forward. It didn't take long till it was my turn.The lady behind the window asked for my passport and DS-160 confirmation page, checked the information and crossed my name off a list, then handed me a ticket and stuck a code on the back of my passport.
I then moved to another line to enter the building, but before doing so had to remove all the contents of my jacket pocket and my watch and put them in a clear plastic bag handed to me by a security officer. This is also the point where you have to give up your phone, in case you brought it with you (I didn't).
I entered the security building, waiting in line to go through the metal detector. Security guards were very clear with their instructions, even if they sounded a bit impatient, and asked me to put my plastic bag, jacket, scarf and documents folder into a single tray to pass through the scanning machine. Once that was done, I was shown the way out and walked over to the actual building where the interview would take place.
Once I entered the building, there was a sign directing you to take all your belongings out of the plastic bag, put them all on again (or in your pockets) and leave the bag in a box (I liked their environmentally friendly approach to re-using these bags). This done, I entered a huge, well-lit room and was greeted by a smiling receptionist. She quickly glanced at my ticket number and directed me towards the seating area on the left side of the room, reserved for immigration appointments. The right side was for all the non-immigrants, who had to line up (no seats for them). I sat there for about 5 minutes before my number was called up and walked over to window #20 (there are 23 windows total). The German lady behind the glass was very friendly and made me feel completely at ease, as she took my fingerprints and reviewed the basic information on my DS-160 form with me to make sure it was all correct (name, address, email, phone number, my fiance's name and address in the US). She also showed me what the visa package looks like and told me I would be emailed a tracking number once the visa was mailed out to me. She even handed me another pamphlet about domestic violence (like the one you get mailed to you in Package 3). She let me know that I was the first immigrant visa applicant of the day and would need to wait a bit for the interview, so then I sat down and waited for about 30 minutes. I took time to admire the street art mural behind me and watched the video about its creation process - pretty cool.
At 8:15 am, the blinds on Window #18 lifted and I saw my number called up on the board. I walked up to the window (and yes, you do the interview standing, with the officer behind the glass) and the smiling American consular officer greeted me. When asked, I told her I preferred to do the interview in English. She first asked me to raise my right hand and swear to tell the truth and then scan my fingerprints to seal that promise. Then the questions began (it felt more like a conversation than an interrogation):
- How did you meet?
- When did you meet in person for the first time? (and she asked a follow-up question related to my answer)
- Is this the first marriage for both of you?
- Do you have any kids?
- When was the last time you saw each other?
- Have you made any wedding plans?
And once I had excitedly told her about our wedding, she told me thank you, your visa has been approved! I didn't have to show any of the documents I had prepared, not even the original I-134 I had with me (in the mail I had only sent a copy of the original). And no further passport pictures were required other than the single photo I had mailed in. She told me I would get the visa within two weeks and I thanked her very much 
I was out of the consulate before 8:30.
That was it! So don't worry too much. As long as the documents you mailed in all check out and you can confidently answer some basic questions, you'll do fine!
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #25482