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| London, United Kingdom |  Review on June 11, 2023: |
Mark Hancock
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
Embassy Appointment June 6th 9am
Sorry it's a bit long but I wanted to be as detailed as possible to quell any nerves of those who still have their interview to do.
7:45 arrived and asked an embassy employee standing out which was the queue to join. It was the long one to the right as you stand looking at the embassy.
2 policemen were standing nearby so asked if they thought I had time to grab a coffee. I was told the queue moved pretty quickly so I’d even have time for a cake as well. javascript:emoticon(' ')
Went to the coffee shop opposite the embassy and returned to join the queue at 8:15. Again I checked with an embassy employee who was walking along the queue if I was in the right one. There were 2 queue running alongside each other; one by the wall and the longer one alongside that. The correct one was the one furthest from the wall.
Got to the desk outside the embassy by 8:45 and asked for my DS-160 Confirmation and passport and was ticked off a list. The lady at first told me to join the other queue near the wall but immediately called me back saying she suddenly realized I was a K1 applicant, led me to the embassy door, past those queuing there and told the security guard I should go straight in. Had to open an app on my phone before I could enter.
Inside went through an airport style security; bag on conveyor belt along with anything in my pockets, phone and belt. Didn’t need to take shoes off. I mentioned I was wearing a watch and jewellery so told to have my hands above my head as I walked through the body scanner. The other side the instructions were to grab everything, walk out to the courtyard and put belt on out there.
Across the courtyard was the entrance to the embassy building itself, through which was another queue to join. At the desk another check of my DS-160 Confirmation to which a ticket was attached with a number with the suffix “I†and 2 window numbers. Told to take the lift to the first floor, take a left out of the lift, then left again and have a seat in front of my designated windows. Note: make sure you seat where you can see either the big TV monitors or the screens above the windows as these display when your ticket number is called (the screen above one of my windows wasn’t working that day).
My ticket number was called within 10 minutes. I was asked to confirm who I was. The man then went and got what I presume was our original 129 petition file and put what again I presume was my 160 visa application in it. Was just asked for my passport, long birth certificate, divorce papers of both myself and my fiancé, police ACRO form plus the completed I-134. He also asked when I was planning on flying to the states to which I replied in a week’s time. He said the visa may come through that quick but there were no guarantees. He then scanned my fingerprints for both hands, given a sheet about legal rights available to immigrant victims of domestic violence to read while seated waiting to be called to the next window.
About 10 minutes later I was called to the next window where again I was first asked to confirm who I was and he scanned my fingerprints. I was asked if I had any questions about what I had just been given to read. And then the following questions:
Where did we meet?
When did we get engaged?
Where were we going to live?
Why live there?
I think he said “awesome†to all my answers. javascript:emoticon('') Then your visa is approved and here are your documents back!
I was in and out of the embassy in 45 minutes (ignoring the queueing time outside). Everyone was really friendly and made me feel at ease – the guy on the security machine said “don’t be anxious you’re in the American embassy now†javascript:emoticon('')
Good luck to everyone else.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #32160