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| London, United Kingdom |  Review on June 23, 2008: |
eeandmd
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
As most people have commented, the actual interview itself is very brief and a bit of an anticlimax after months of filling out forms and gathering evidence. The most difficult thing about the interview day is the hours of waiting about, listening to numbers being called.
It seems as though they have taken away the option of storing mobile phones etc in the security hut outside the embassy. I had a call from them three days before the interview, asking that I do not bring any electronic items or I would be turned away. Next to the queue outside there were signs saying electronic items could be stored in either a railway station locker or at Gould's, the pharmacist which is not far from the embassy. The woman in front of me in the security hut had her earphones taken away and thrown out, so it appears they are being quite strict about this! They told her that they used to store items but unfortunately couldn't anymore.
Once I got through security there was a bit of confusion in the reception area. The system that prints the tickets was down and a constantly expanding group of us had to wait for maybe twenty minutes whilst this was sorted out. I was eventually given a 2000 ticket whereas K visas should be given a ticket with a number in the 5000s. I didn't realise this until I was called to the first window. However they were very quick to sort out their mistake. I didn't have to wait another hour, they just asked me to go back to reception and get a new ticket and within 5 minutes I was called out again.
The first window asked for visa photos, police certificates, birth cert, affidavit and letter from employer. I then paid for the visa and went to sit down again. After another hour I was called to the second window. The interviewer was extremely polite and friendly. She asked maybe ten basic questions such as how did you meet, how did you propose, where does your fiancée work and then said she was delighted to say we were approved!
That just left the courier to pay for. For those who are wondering, you can get the visa posted to any address (i.e. a work address) as long as the person signing for it is either yourself or has some ID belonging to you. I think I was in the embassy a total of three hours. The waiting times are long but then again most of us have been waiting months already so what's an extra hour or two!
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #3039