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|  Review on September 7, 2021: |
OurJourney2020
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
So this was our experience with the US embassy in Nairobi , Kenya . I am from Uganda , Kampala , but K1 visas for Ugandans are processed in Nairobi .
I will start with a brief overview of the medical since that is technically what begins proceedings . Get to IOM Nairobi early, because the lines are quite long and you will spend a bit of time at the clinic. Make sure you eat beforehand or be ready to hold off hunger for sometime(i arrived at 6:30 am and was there till 2:40 pm). If you don't have MPESA, don't worry, you will be given a bank slip for a bank nearby at Village Market . Come with at least 43000 Ksh , but you may not need to spend all that. If possible do as many vaccinations beforehand as possible(COVID , Hep a and b , Influenza, Varicella, etc.). So if possible, start getting your shots a month or more prior. They will take your blood, urine, do chest scans, you will have a doctor examine you , and you may have to get some vaccine shots .
The actual interview date for me was 02/09/2021. I arrived 6am , an hour before my interview time. If you're coming from out of Kenya, try and get a hotel in Gigiri, it will save you a lot of time and stress travelling to and from IOM/ US embassy. At the embassy we stood outside (it is cold and even drizzled on us, if you can bring an umbrella , and dress warm) . The guards at the gate started letting us all in about 6;45 regardless of your interview time , they asked for my appointment letter and passport. Once you're in you'll go through another security check where they keep your phone .
We were then lined up and each received a ticket with a number, and were told to wait for the number to be called, the waiting area is outside the building itself , so again, dress warm because Nairobi is chilly. Waiting times for your ticket to be called can be a bit long, i waited 30 minutes. Once inside i was let to window 08, and the lady there took my fingerprints, asked for my ds 160, police certificates (i had from more than one country), birth certificate , I-134 and tax information for 2020, two passport photos, and took my passport. She asked me some basic questions ("Is this going to be your first marriage? Is this her first marriage? Do you have children?" while ticking on a form. She also asked someone inside the office to bring my medical form. She then told me to wait outside for the second stage
After about 45 minutes of waiting , my number was called and I was sent to a window with a middle-aged mzungu gentleman . He seemed a bit tired, I guess because of the number of people at the embassy that day. He asked me to wait as he typed something and looked at his screen . Finally he looked up at me and asked to raise my right hand to swear I was giving truth . He then asked me these questions :
-Which year did you guys meet ?
-Which year did you meet in person for the first time ?
-How many times have you met since ?
-How long were you in …..(country I lived before for some years) ?
-What were you doing in …..(country I lived before for some years) ?
-What do you do for a living ?
-What does she do for a living ?
-Have you ever been arrested while living in that country? No trouble with the law? What about in Uganda ?
-Are you sure you have had no trouble with the law ?
-No trouble at all ?
He then said "Your visa has been approved , please read this form and wait for your passport, good day" and handed me the green approval form.
All in all the interview took about 7 or so minutes , if you don't add in the time waiting while he was on his computer , He did not check the very large file we had with evidence and proof of ongoing relationship. I still advise you to bring it because other people i was with that day told me they were asked to show proof, so it is ultimately up to the discretion of the CO, better to be overprepared than under .
Interview was 2/09/2021 and I checked the CEAC portal today on 7/09/2021 and it went from "Administrative Processing" to "Issued" . Waiting for DHL to reach out . I'd like to thank the Heavenly Protector.
A bit of advice for anyone applying from Uganda in Nairobi beforehand :
-When applying for a police certificate , what they actually want is the "Certificate of good conduct" from Interpol (its the yellow form). The white one from the Uganda Police is of no value for them, and if you come with it they will say they don't want it. Get the Interpol letter !! Someone i was with at the embassy was given a 221g because of this . Going back to Kla and again to Nairobi is a headache .
-Get your Birth Certificate from NIRA . The old style Birth Certificates that came pre-2015 (before NIRA was created) are no longer valid ,to avoid any hiccups get your NIRA birth certificate as early as possible before your interview. Instead of trying to certify the old one , I advise you to just process a whole new card as its honestly more safe and NIRA doesn't have old records at all, you will most likely waste your time trying to certify the old one . Go to your place of birth(hospital or town clerk) and obtain a short form, pay the fee , print and fill out the form on the NIRA website and get the new one processed. This being Uganda, you may have to "talk to someone" on each level to get them to process it faster , if you know what I mean.
-Get a single status letter from URSB . They don't ask for it on the requirements , but its good to have
-Take originals of all your documents , and one or two photocopies of each (unless asked for more)
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #30089