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| London, United Kingdom |  Review on October 6, 2008: |
Paul and Megan
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
First of all, we were told from different sources that Megan could or could not go with Paul to the interview - we called and they said I could go, so I flew over for 5 days. The interview was the day before I left.
Queued for a hour or two (in the freezing cold!) until we finally got in the building. I had a birthday card that played music in my bag (part of our evidence) and we were required to check it at the door - I guess it looked like a potential bomb? Went in, got a number. It was like a bank, with windows and "tellers". There were screens posting the next number being called, like at the DMV. We sat and waited for about an hour - our number was called and we got so excited - went up to the window and all they did was take Paul's x-rays and fingerprints and the folder with our forms and told us to go sit down again.
We sat down again for about 20 minutes, then our number was called again. So weird because you think they're going to take you into a room, but they don't - you're just standing at a window like you're at the bank. The guy was very nice, and he only asked us about 3 questions (how did you meet, how long have you known each other, why do you want to live in the U.S.) and then we had to take an oath and then he said our visa was approved! We couldn't believe how anticlimactic it all was. We had spent hours putting together photo albums, compiling letters, phone bills, etc. and he didn't look at any of it.
As an aside, you have to leave your U.K. passport with them for them to put your visa in. So if you are planning to fly back home (like to Newcastle or Manchester) - double check with the airline and make sure you have an alternate form of ID. Paul almost wound up having to take the train!
Paul's visa arrived about a week later, inside his passport!
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #3420