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| Denmark |  Review on October 9, 2009: |
Mikkel
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
I had planned to write an extensive review of the K-1 interview at the Copenhagen embassy, but this was planned while still under the assumption that the process would be grueling exhaustive.
I sent in the request for the interview on a on September 30th, 2009, and received a reply on October 3rd with an interview date of October 8th. If you're thinking about saving time by sending in the request before you've got everything you need, then keep in mind that you could have your interview scheduled as soon as a week from the date of submission.
My interview was scheduled for 1 PM, and I arrived a few minutes prior, and was rudely greeted by impolite, and terribly unprofessional security guards. (The security at the entrance is subcontracted to a Danish security company. Sub-par security officers exist all over the world.) I had gone straight from the office to the embassy, and I was carrying my laptop case (which for a network engineer almost exclusively contains objects reminiscent of explosive devices.) This turned out to be a somewhat impractical arrangement, as they require everything that can be powered, and everything involving cords to be taken out of your bag, regardless of whether or not you leave your bag with security. Keep this in mind, and don't bring your entire collection of electronic devices when you go.
I was directed into the embassy, to the counter for immigrant visas. The room with the visa service counters is a nice, quiet area with four counters, two rows of comfortable benches, a bathroom, and a separate area for U.S. Citizen Services. Save for the woman manning the desk, the entire area was empty when I arrived.
At the counter, a very friendly woman greeted me, and gave me a short and informative overview of what we would be doing, how the process worked, what a K-1 visa permits and requires, and what it does not allow. She then queried me for my passport, as well as two copies each of the DS-156, DS-156K, DS-157, and DS-230 forms, in this order. I had omitted some information on the DS-230 that I was unsure of, and she gladly assisted me in figuring out how to fill it out. She asked for the affidavits of support, which she went over to make sure that everything was there. I then had my fingerprints scanned, thumb and fingers on both hands. This is done with a fingerprint scanner, so don't worry about being inked.
Following the forms and fingerprinting, I provided her with one original birth certificate, plus one copy, which she compared, and then returned the original to me. I provided one original police record, one photograph (remember to write your name on the back in print,) and the original recipt from Jyske Bank for payment of the visa interview fee. Hang on to this one. You'll be rejected if you cannot provide evidence of payment. Finally she informed me that the results of my medical appointments had been sent to them directly, and that everything had been in order. I was informed that I would need to hang on to the vaccination record given to me by the doctor, as I would need it later in the adjustment of status process. She then told me to take a seat and wait for the consular officer who was going to perform the interview.
The process up until this point had taken just fifteen minutes, and I was still the only person in the room. Unfortunately the consular officer was in a meeting, so I had to wait a while for him to become available. Sometime during the wait, a woman came in with an IR-1 case, and she was being serviced for the remainder of my time there. The room itself was very comfortable, and not at all intimidating. There was a heap of magazines, and a small library of National Geographic issues with which to kill the time.
After spending a while in the company of National Geographic Magazine, acquainting myself with the wonders of the rain forests and Iranian culture, my name was called up, and I was asked to enter a walled-off booth in the adjacent U.S. Citizen Services area, where I was greeted from behind the counter and a pane of glass by the consular officer. I sat down, and he briefly informed me of the nature of the K-1 visa, as well as my obligations after entering the U.S.
I was asked five short questions about myself, my fiancée, and our sponsor, before he took my fingerprints, thumbs only, also a scanner, and told me to wait outside the room for a few minutes. He called me back in and immediately informed that they were going to grant me the visa. The entire interview had taken little more than five minutes, and stood in very sharp contrast to some of the horror stories that you read on VisaJourney.
The consular officer had to keep my passport in order to issue the visa, and offered to either send me an e-mail telling me when it would be ready for pick-up, or have it sent by mail to my home address. Be aware that using the latter option requires you to bring a padded envelope, as well as 108.00 kroner (subject to change according to variable postal extortion) in stamps to your interview.
I was never asked for my military records, my evidence of being in lawful visa status on my last visit to the U.S., nor any evidence of our relationship at all. I had brought scores of baggage tags, itineraries, boarding passes, pictures and other such documents, but they didn't ask to see any of it.
All-in-all the process was very easy and enjoyable. The people were very friendly and cooperative, and the few mistakes I had made on the forms were quickly corrected. It was absolutely a good experience.
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #5066