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| Frankfurt, Germany |  Review on February 24, 2006: |
Anja_and_Henry
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
I was sooo worried before the interview.... NO NEED. Just bring some time and patience... and follow the guidelines and example forms on this page - all will be good!
Our appointment was 8:00 am. We were at the embassy at 7:30 am and there were more than 50 people at the gate waiting in line. We were called in a second line because my finance was with me, called again in the very front because Henry baby was with us. You present your invitation, passport and visa fee payment slip and receive a waiting number.
The check in is like at the airport, don't bring anything you don't really need.
From there we went to the waiting hall. It is build for 300 people and looks more like a train station with about 40 windows and chairs in lines in front of the windows. First call was to window 23, hand out your passport, one passport photo, visa fee payment slip and receive an envelope where you have to put a Euro 3.50 stamp on and your own address. The passport with the visa and the sealed brown envelope will be send via registered mail to you. It is absolute not possible to receive the passport and papers at the embassy, we tried but no way.
Second call was to window 16 after 2 hours. I think we missed our call do to diaper change on Henry... Here was a lady going through the checklist on paperwork the officer will need for the interview. Same checklist than in packet 3. First she was kind of cold but when she saw how good we were organized she was pretty happy and gave us a smile  She explained all about the visa and what happens when we get to the US and warned me not to open the sealed envelope.
Waiting again....
After an additional 30 minutes the last and final call to window 21. Very nice, friendly officer. We were asked to swear to say the truth and had to raise our hands. He asked about my overstay in the US in 2003 and if I knew that David was married before, if he has any children out of the first marriage, name and age of the kids. He took fingerprints from my left and right forefinger and looked at Davids extreme used passport (do to business travel to Taiwan and Germany) and asked me where he lives. I answered in the US. Henry started to be a "little" impatiently and David had to walk away with him, the officer started talking to Henry and played some finger games on the window...
Another question was why did we not get married before and I said that that would have not helped at all because David still lives in the US and had to leave us as well.
He wished us good luck and the visa would be at my house in not more than two weeks.
We were in the embassy from 7:30 am to 11:30 am and it is hard with a child but we had no other choice and I still think it was a plus to have the whole family there.
Henry and I are leaving on April 12
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #435