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| Dublin, Ireland |  Review on August 23, 2011: |
C Med
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
I attended my fiance's interview at the US embassy for his K1 visa and I was pleasantly surprised by our experience. We had a 1:00 appointment, but 1:00 appears to be the standard time for all visa applicants. I've seen in previous reviews that people are generally turned away if they arrive too early, but we didn't check in at the window upon arrival. Instead, we stood in line behind a few other people who were waiting to enter.
At 1:00, we were permitted to enter the security booth of the consulate. This procedure is very similar to going through airport security. All liquids and electronics were confiscated and held in a locker for us. We were then directed up the ramp into the embassy.
A security officer buzzed us in and asked us why were there. Once we told him which visa we were applying for, he gave us a number and asked us to have a seat. We were first called by an Irish woman who collected the payment only. We were then asked to have a seat. Next, we were called up and my fiance was asked for each of his documents one at a time. It was easy enough. She asked for his birth certificate, he gave it to her. She asked for his police certificate, he gave it to her, etc. We were then asked to have a seat.
We were next called by the Consular Officer, who immediately put us at ease by making a light-hearted joke. The officer told me that he would be asking my fiance questions and even though I would know the answers, I couldn't respond. I nodded with a smile and the CO asked just a few simple questions:
1. Where are you living in Ireland?
2. How did you meet your fiance?
3. When did you meet your fiance?
4. When did you propose?
5. What took you so long to file for the K-1? (He asked this because my fiance proposed in 2007.)
6. Where are you going to be living in the US?
7. When's the wedding?
That was it. 7 simple questions. He never asked my fiance about an arrest that he had last year (which was a mistake..he was arrested mistakenly) and the CO never asked about my fiance's denial for a B2 visa that he had applied for in 2010. The interview lasted literally 5 minutes. I know that the interview was much quicker because I attended with him. The officer was so nice, and really made us feel at ease by making jokes throughout the interview.
One thing you should know that I was unaware of. You will not be told by the Consular Officer that your visa was, or was not, approved. The CO will tell you when the interview is complete, and you will then receive your passport in the mail within a week or so. If you are approved, your passport will have the visa inside of it. You will also receive a packet inside of the self addressed stamped envelope that the embassy sends back to you. Do not open this packet! It will be opened by the immigration officer at the point of entry.
In short, if you have nothing to hide, and you double and triple check that you have all the documents that you need, then you have nothing to worry about. The only way that the process will NOT go smoothly, is if you aren't properly prepared. We entered the embassy at 1:00. There were two people ahead of us in line, and we were out by 3:30. Thanks to the great people at the US embassy in Dublin. 
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #8175