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| London, United Kingdom |  Review on May 21, 2008: |
WARPed
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
My interview was scheduled for 9am and after a fraught journey into the city I only arrived at 8:45. I allowed 3 hours to get just 50 miles from my home to the embassy and I needed every minute. I strongly suggest you leave plenty of time to arrive as travel can go wrong!
On arrival there was a single queue on the North side of the building that then went behind some construction fencing as it turned south along the front of the embassy. While I stood there the security guard divided us up so those there for 9:30 appointments had to wait. She supplied us with clear plastic bags. One had to contain electronic items that could not be taken in (phones, mp3 players...laptops are a big no no!) and in the other went my belt, wallet, change, watch etc. You will get this bag back after security. Interestingly and contrary to what I have read here or on the US Embassy website they had no problem with my Fiancée coming in with me...in fact she was ready to go and wait it out at Starbucks and the security guard suggested she go in with me providing she had some ID (Passport). We passed a second guard who checked my Appointment letter and once again sorted everyone into queues based on appointment time. Those with earlier interviews were processed first by a third guard who checked you in and inspected your passport. Finally you get to the security portacabin where you relinquish your clear bags, coat, purses etc for X-Ray and then walk through a metal detector. You may get asked to show your shoes to them. This whole process from start of the queue to after security took 45 minutes and wasn't a problem on the warm sunny day that it was. Everyone was very friendly and helpful. I saw a large bin of umbrellas which I guess they hand out if the weather turns.
Once out the security cabin you are behind the perimeter fence. You turn right and walk north, then turn the corner of the building where there is a large set of doors a short way down to the left. In here is a welcome desk where they check your Appointment letter once again and print you a numbered ticket. I was 5013. I walked in to find they were already on 5009. Immigrant visas (like the K1) get numbers in the 5000's. Non Immigrant Visa's get numbers in the 1000's. Then it is a waiting game. Find a seat and watch the screens/listen to the speakers for your number to be called. At the back of the room is a small shop selling drinks and snacks. It was reasonably priced. Non Immigrant visa numbers get called a lot more frequently than Immigrant ones so just be patient. Finally after maybe 30 minutes my number was called and was instructed to go to window number 1. There are 11 windows along one side of the hall in which you wait (numbered 1 to 11) and these will all deal with the first “paperwork” stage of your appointment. When called you just go to the window you have been appointed. I had a very nice Chinese lady deal with me. I spent more time giving her computer advice than I did talking visa stuff! She asked me for my numbered ticket, passport, two photos, my birth certificate, ACPO police report (I also submitted a copy of each of these at this point) and the I-134 and supporting documentation. She had me sign the DS-156 after she had stapled the pictures on. She then went through a little check list of docs ticking off the relevant items to ensure it was all there, looked over my medical report which she already had behind the counter and handed me a huge brown envelope containing my x-rays which she told me to pack in my luggage when I travelled. Next was fingerprinting. You put all four fingers of your left hand on the scanner at once...then your right fingers. Finally both thumbs at the same time. That was all there was to it. She gave me a yellow slip and told me to go to Window 12 to pay for the Visa and then to go back to her. So off I went where another nice lady at Window 12 took the slip and asked me how I was paying. I had $131 already counted out and handed it over. She gave me two receipts. One was for me and one for the lady back at window 1. Back I went to window 1 where the Chinese lady asked for one of the copies of the receipt and then handed me a Pink form. She said this is what you have to fill in to hand to the couriers providing you are approved and I was to fill it in while I waited to be called for the main interview. I thanked her and sat back down with my now "fraught with worry" fiancée. My only complaint about this part of the interview was I found it very hard to hear the lady. She may just have been softly spoken but she was behind a sheet of glass and a high counter. With the automated speaker system shouting constantly in the background and the general chatter of those waiting I struggled to hear.
I sat back down and started to fill the form (which is actually quite short and just needs an address) and before I had finished I was called to window 16 for my official “part 2” interview using the same speaker and TV system. Windows 13 and upwards are down a little corridor off the main area so it is much quieter which is nice. I was greeted by a very friendly American man. He asked me to raise my right hand and swear to the truthfulness of the documents I had submitted and the info I was about to verbally give. I was then asked to rescan the four fingers of my left hand to prove I was the same guy who had just been at window 1. Once all confirmed he then proceeded to ask in more a conversation manner than Q&A:
How did you meet your fiancée?
How many times have I visited her in the US?
What has been my longest visit to the US?
How many times has she been to see me?
Where do we plan to live?
Was she in computing like I was? What did she do?
He then proceeded to tell me that he was happy to advise my paperwork was in order and my application had been approved. I'd receive my passport with visa within 5 days providing my fingerprints did not turn up any nasties. He handed me back the original Birth and Police Certs as I had provided them with copies while at Window 1 and that was it.
I confirmed he needed nothing more form me seeing as I had a 4" thick binder of documents and had only given them about 5 things from it. He said it was all good. I thanked him and hurried back to Fiancée and broke the news. Excitedly we went to the courier counter at the end of the waiting room, handed over the fee of £14 and signed to confirm that they had taken down the address correctly from the pink form and we were done.
We left the way we had come in and collected out bag of electronics from the security hut as we left. All in all very simple and easy providing you have been thorough and are well prepared.
Some tips, hints and info:
American Fiancée’s are allowed in the waiting room with you. Mine made no attempt to come with me to the actual interview windows but they can come and wait with you if they have ID.
Mobile phones and small MP3 players/electronics will not be allowed into the embassy but they will hold them for you at the security hut. It is not a problem for you to take them with you. Big bags or laptops however are an issue. If you want a smooth interview don't take them.
Be organised. Get Cash for your fees and have it counted and in bags so you can just hand it over. I have heard that the credit card machine can break sometimes making you have to leave the embassy to find a cash machine. Organise your documents and supply them efficiently to the official. I'm sure they sense you are organised and make your life easier. I saw people in there that had no clue. They were drowning in paperwork, missing what they needed etc. If you are serious about getting approved then put in the time to get organised!
Take copies of all documents.
Don't worry about the I-134. My fiancée is unemployed as she quit to come to the UK for 5 months to wait out the K1. She does have the whole of the 5 x 125% poverty level in savings but no current income. We supplied a letter form her old employer stating her competence. Tax returns proving a good salary from her last position. 401K breakdowns and a notarised letter from her explaining the situation. The I134 got barely more than a cursory glance. I suspect that unless you are seriously under the required levels you will not get any problems at this K1 stage.
The sealed brown envelope will be mailed to you with your passport. I was worried that I didn't have it when I left. Searching the forums I found it arrives in the post. You will just leave the embassy with what you brought in and your x-ray.
Good luck. Be prepared for an anti climax to the whole K1/I129F event. Still I'd rather it be easier than harder than I expected.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #2896