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| Vancouver, Canada |  Review on May 1, 2008: |
Meridien
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
So, I show up a few minutes before my appointment at 1:00 and all is quiet at the consulate. There is a security checkpoint right inside the main entrance, and thanks to reading previous reviews I knew not to have any electronics, bags, etc. so all I had was my folder of visa stuff and a magazine to read if I had to wait around. They send you up to the 20th floor where you go through another security check, then you go into a small waiting room with two rows of wickets, one to the right and one to the left. As soon as I walked in, someone handed me a paper with a list of documents in the order they wanted to see them. I had everything in order, except for they wanted me to print my name on the back of my photos, which I hadn't done and I didn't have a pen, oops.
I came up the elevator with a young guy who was also interviewing for a K-1 visa, so we chatted quite a bit. He knew about visajourney and had used the guides, but he said he hadn't registered or entered his timeline. He mentioned that he and his fiancee had applied way back in June, so the process had taken him alot longer than me, poor guy. Anyway, after a few minutes he was called up to the set of wickets, then after he was done they called me. The lady asked for all the documents one by one , and I borrowed a pen to print name on the back of my photos. It was a young woman, and she was very pleasant and nice. This all took two or three minutes. Then she sent me back to sit and wait. I waited around for a good half an hour, then the other K-1 guy was called up the other set of windows. After he was done there he smiled and told me it went well, so I’m guessing he was approved (hopefully!). Also during this time, another couple came in with their lawyer and filed what I believe was a direct consular filing for a K-3 or CR-1.
So, at last my name was called and I went up to the little window. There was another woman there, not the same lady as before, but also very pleasant and nice. First I had to scan my fingerprints into the little fingerprint-scanning machine thingee. Next, I had to hold up my right hand and read a statement saying that everything in my application was true to the best of my knowledge. Then she asked me a few easy questions – how did I meet my fiancé (I told her an online dating site and she asked which one) – when did I meet him – when did we get engaged – what does he do for a living – what do I do for a living – will I be able to get work in my field in the US. I think that was it for the questions. Next she asked if I had any photos of us together, so I showed her a few that I had and she said that we were a very cute couple. (So true, by the way, we are the cutest couple ever). She then looked at my police certificates and seemed a bit confused by them (I had three, from Canada, Australia and England as I’ve lived in all those places). She spent several minutes reading them over but then finally seemed satisfied and moved on. She started writing some stuff on a form, and I noticed that there was box at the bottom that said Approved/Denied. She circled approved and then I know I was golden! She then told me that I was approved and that they needed to check a few things so I should sit and wait. I sat for another 10 minutes or so, then the first lady came up to the first set of windows and told me everything was fine and I could pick up my visa at 2:00 the next day. Hooray! By the time I left it was 2:45, so this all took under 2 hours. All in all a pretty painless experience, with a very positive outcome, so I'm happy!
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #2817