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| London, United Kingdom |  Review on October 2, 2019: |
BBGG
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
Appointment was for 30 Sep 2019, 9am.
Summary: had a first 5 minute chat (handing over the docs) right away after arrival, then 1.5 of waiting, then 8-minute "main" interview. In at 8:50am, out at 11:08am. Result: approval.
8:40 - I got to the embassy doors, there was a long queue.
8:50 - I showed my passport and DS-160 confirmation page, got some kind of hand-written mark on the form and was let in. Then I quickly got through airport-style security.
9:00 – I got inside the building, there was another long queue at the reception.
9:10 – The receiptionist called out if there was anyone with immigration visas, I stepped out and asked if K1 qualified for it, she said yes and let me go agead of the queue immediately. She put a sticker with my queue number on my DS-160 confirmation page print out and told me to go to Level 1 using the elevator, then take a left and left again.
9:15 – I got to Level 1, took a left and a left again, and was in a small area with about 6 windows, obviously for immigration visa applicants. When I got there I saw my number was already on the screen so I went straight to the window, and my first conversation started.
Visa officer:
Took my passport and DS-160 with the queue number sticker.
Asked if I had a USA visa, I said yes and gave him my old (but still valid) passport, he said they will cancel the B1/B2 visa before K1 is issued. So both my passports were taken away at this point.
The officer asked when I planned to travel to the US, I said beginning of November but I didn’t have the tickets yet. He said I had time until Feb 28 to travel and marked that in some kind of form on his table.
The officer asked for my original Russian birth certificate, I gave it and the certified translation from Russian into English.
He went away for a few seconds, came back and brought my case from another table behind his back, then he gave me the medical CD in opened envelope. I asked if it was a problem that the envelope was open, he said it’s just a CD for now, so does not matter, and I will be given a sealed envelope later.
He asked for my UK phone number and filled it in the form on his table.
He asked me if I was married before, if I ever changed my name, if I served in military, I said no to all, he marked it in the same form as before.
He asked if I only lived in Russia and UK, I said yes, he asked for the police certificates for these countries, I gave them with the certified translation for the Russian one.
He asked for affidavit of support: I-134 form and supporting documents, I handed them over (only tax transcript and W2 for 2018 for supportind documents, he said it was enough).
He asked for one my passport photo, scanned it and returned it to me right away.
Then he took my fingerprints and asked me to go back to the waiting area and wait for my queue number to be called out again.
9:25 – I got back in the waiting area. There were just two queue numbers before me – 901 and 902, my number was 903, but then number 904 (also a fiancé visa applicant) was let ahead of me for an unknown reason. so I ended up waiting for 1.5 hours for my second conversation with the visa officer.
11:00 – My number appeared on the screen and I was invited to another window in the same area. Here is how my second conversation with another visa officer went:
The visa officer asked me to take an oath (I raised my right hand, she read the oath that said that I confirm I will tell the truth, I only had to say yes)
She verified my fingerprints once again.
She returned the original of my Russian birth certificate (but kept the translation).
She voided my B1/B2 visa in the «older» passport and returned this passport to me right away. My K1 visa was to be issued in the «newer» passport that she kept.
She asked me if I’m in London only to apply for visa, I said I live and work nearby London.
She asked me what I do, I said I was an engineer.
She asked me the name of my company, I said what it was, and added it’s a USA based company with an office in the UK.
She asked if my company will transfer me to their USA office, I explained the situation that this depends on whether they will have my position open by the time I get my EAD.
She asked how me and my fiancé met, I told her he worked in the same company’s USA office.
She asked me when we last saw each other, I told her he came to see me in London a couple weeks ago.
She asked me if I had our pictures together, I showed her three printed pictures from one of our trips.
She asked what education I had, I said I was a bachelor and a master degree in humanities area.
She asked me why I picked the job in engineering that is not in accordance with my degrees, I told her my story in short.
She asked where I studied, I told her in what Russian city it was.
She asked if that was where I’m from, I said yes.
She asked if I had a Russian police certificate, I said it should be in the folder, she found it and the translation.
Then she asked the name if my company again, and asked me to spell it as if she did not really need it but was just checking me.
Then she confirmed my middle name.
She entered things in her system and said they «should be able to issue the visa» (a bit confusing, not a solid «yes» or «no») and that I will receive my passport back via the courier service within 2 weeks, together with the sealed envelope.
Then I was allowed to go.
11:08 – The interview was over (took just 8 minutes), and I collected my things and left the building. I was not given any confirmation papers, they only gave back to me the original of the birth certificate and my «older» passport where they voided the B1/B2 visa.
1 day after the interview, on Oct 1 the status at NVC site changed from «Ready» to «Administrative Processing»
2 days after the interview, on Oct 2 the status changed from «Administrative Processing» to «Issued».
(updated on October 2, 2019)
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #27183