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| Naples, Italy |  Review on July 23, 2019: |
Marti&Tyler
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
Overall: very pleasant, the staff is nice and the process smooth (if you are on VisaJourney!)
As stated previously, the interview process lasts two days. I hope my review can provide some further insights to people that like me are a bit anxious! lol
Day 1: Medical Exam at Istituto Varelli
*Documents asked at the Medical Interview:
- PASSPORT!
- 4 pictures (fototessera 5x5)
- vaccines record (you can get them for free at your local ASL or ULSS)
- case number (the one that starts with NPL...)
- receipt of payment for the interview (where your case number is at - it's the confirmation email they send you)
- 220€ (I ended up paying 249 for the antitetano that had expired)
- your current address and the address where you will live in the US
Remember that you CAN have breakfast (no fasting required before the blood test)
I got an Airbnb near the US embassy, so I took a taxi to go to the Istituto because there were the Universiadi, so all the buses were rerouted. 8€ best spent in my whole life.
On VJ they tell you to get there early, so I did. I got there at 6.20am even though the place opens at 7am (on the paper they say that you must arrive BY 8:00am) - in summer they say it doesn't get as crowded as during the year...
In a matter of minutes though (no later than 6.30), people crowded in front of the door, but everyone formed a line by order of arrival when it was time to enter (so don't hang out at the bar in front of it or you'll miss your spot!)
Another thing worth mentioning is that when you press the C button (Consolato) you get a number and that prioritize you for everything!
What I mean is that I got called first for the blood test and the urines - but I was nervous and *ahem* couldn't pee. So they proceeded with other applicants (K1 and K-3) but for the vaccines interview, the chest Xray, and the medical examination with the physician I passed "in front" of everyone because I was still C1 and they call you in order.
So. Get. There. Early. If you don't want to be there all day.
By 8.30am I was done.
At the end of the whole process, they told me that the day after I will get a white OPEN envelope with my medical results to bring with me at POE.
Day 2: Interview at the Embassy
*Documents asked during the interview:
- my original birth certificate (not the fiance) and a copy of it - they gave the original back
- the payment confirmation of the K1 fee (the email they send you after you book your appointment on www.usvisa-info.com) that has the case number, again NPL...
- NOA2 (it was a printout of the original - fiance sent it to me through scan - they gave it back)
- Certificato Generale del Casellario Giudiziale (original, they gave back the copy)
- Certificato dei Carichi Pendenti (original, they gave back the copy)
- Evidence of support (I-134) + further evidence (see below)
- Two pictures
Again, they say to get there by 8am, but at 7.30 I already had a couple (K3) I met the day before in front of me. They make you leave your phone and electronics at the entrance (airport-style) but they let me keep my handbag. We got directed to a room on the 1st floor that looked a lot like the post office (windows and stalls).
Again, they follow the order of arrival, so I got called almost immediately.
They made me go into a little room - aside from the other windows so I started panicking. But it was just window n. 1 and it had chairs, which was nice. I spoke (in Italian) with an employee who asked me to provide my original birth certificate (and not my fiance - even though it's stated in the instructions they send you to bring "... original or certified copy of the birth certificate of each person in the application, including the person who filed the original petition" so we got an expedite shipment from the US for 80 -totally-wasted- bucks).
He then asked me for the confirmation of the K1 visa Fee receipt, my police certificates (casellario and carichi pendenti) 2 photographs and the evidence of support (i-134).
I think it's worth spending a word on the latter since seems that several people got asked for further evidence.
I had with me the filed I-134 form, the W2, the IRS (for 3 years), pay stubs and a letter from the employer and the guy took them all. Not to scare anybody, just saying that in THIS case the more the better - I had so much more evidence of relationship and copies of everything that haven't been asked at all!
- My evidence of the ongoing relationship, I must admit, was a tad over the top, so probably they were sick of scrolling through pictures and tickets and stubs! -
He then took all 10 fingerprints and asked me a couple of questions (how we met, if I have ever lived in the US - I studied there for a year - , what does my fiance do for a living, how many times we met over the years) and then gave me a little pamphlet about domestic violence.
After that, I sat back in the big room and the consul called me right after - the first couple was still interviewing.
She made me oath and then asked me if I speak English (and then giggled because she realized that our exchange had been conducted all in English so far). She took my fingerprints again (just 4 fingers, no thumbs) and then asked me if I got the pamphlet. I said yes, and then she asked me to tell her when did we meet for the first time. I "messed up" because I thought she meant in person (we met online), well she didn't. So I explained the whole story and then she smiled at me and said that my visa would have been ready in a matter of days and that I would be able to get it at the pick-up location I indicated.
She then gave me the white open envelope mentioned at the Istituto Varelli the day before where there is a CD with the Xrays and my updated vaccines record.
She told me to bring that envelope in my hand baggage and to give it to the officers at POE.
Then she welcomed me to the United States of America! Yay!
Fast forward one week: I got an email from DHL saying that my package was ready to pick up. For those of you who read all Visajourney posts: here on the website they mention a SEALED package to NOT open even if your life depends on it. When I saw the open white envelope my heart collapsed. No worries. They give it to you together with the package you will get with the passport (with a big sticky note that says "do not open this" - stupid-proof). You only have to make sure to bring both at POE!
I hope this is helpful for someone! Best of luck!!
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #26714