cmcw

When I wanted to prepare for my Immigrant Visa interview at the U.S. embassy, I couldn't find any step-by-step information on what to expect from the process. Some official guidance suggested I needed to allow 2-3 hours for the whole thing, while others suggested 3-4 hours. It all went fine - but there were a few things I'd have liked to know beforehand. So I thought I'd write up what happened, in case it's useful for others going through the process.

First up, I was applying for an immigrant visa (IR1), to allow me to get a marriage-based Green Card (my husband's American, I'm British). Most of what I describe will be relevant for non-immigrant visas too, but not all of it.

My appointment time was 8.00am at the U.S. Embassy in London. I arrived at 7.45 to find three long lines of people already outside the embassy, leading to a tent. The lines weren't labelled so nobody knew which line to join. It turned out there was a line for the next appointment (in my case 8am) and a line for the one after that (8.30am); the third line was for those who've already been through the other lines. There was one person in a tabard marshalling all three and she didn't much like being approached directly, so just ask the people towards the front of each line which one they're in and you'll find the right one to join.

Once I got to the front of the line there was some basic checking of passport and appointment letter, then I was sent to the back of that third line. At the front of the third line I was checked by another guard (just appointment letter this time) and sent for security scanning inside one of the huts outside the embassy. They scan bags and ask you to walk through a regular body scanner - no need to remove jackets or shoes or separate out any liquids. Tabard Woman had been handing out clear plastic bags and telling people to put their phone, watch and any other metal inside, but turns out that's only necessary if you don't have a regular bag/purse to put them in.

NB
* You must have a printed hard copy of your appointment letter to show outside the embassy. Someone was sent to a print shop because he had a picture of it on his phone - not acceptable.
* You're outside and standing this whole time, so make sure you're dressed for a wait. For me it was only 15 minutes but I think it could take longer later in the day.

Then you're allowed inside the building. You check in at reception and get a sticky ticket placed on your appointment letter, with a letter and number on it. The sticker is in several parts - do not lose any of them, because each part will be stuck to a different document later on. And they fall off easily, especially if you put the appointment letter inside a bag or let it brush against a chair. As I discovered.

Then you enter a large room with several hundred seats in it - you sit anywhere and wait for your number to come up on screen, telling you to go to one of about 25 windows. You can't miss the screen. It's large and pings every 10-15 seconds with a new number being called. Windows 1-11 are in the main room; others are around the corner. Everything's clearly signposted.

I got into the building at 8.05am and wasn't called till 9.20am, head bobbing up and down 5 times a minute to see if each ping was mine. You can use a cellphone until you're called. But numbers are constantly pinging loudly on screen, and they don't necessarily come up in sequence, so it's not easy to work or do calls while waiting. That said, if you miss your number they ping it again a few times and eventually announce it over the tannoy. Not sure how many chances they give you. But you shouldn't worry about taking a bathroom break. There is a toilet, plus a shop selling basic drinks and snacks that opens at 9am.

From here on, I can only vouch for the immigrant visa process, which might be slightly different to the non-immigrant process.

When you're called up the first time, it's just a document processing interaction - it's not the "interview" (I didn't know that ahead of time). This is where you hand over your passport, get your fingerprints scanned, and submit your documents.

NB
* The list on the embassy website isn't completely clear on the documents you need. You must bring both originals *and* copies of your documents (it used to be just originals). If you just bring originals, as I did, they will huffily photocopy the documents themselves. But it saves you unnecessary tension if you bring your own copies.
* There are also two things not on the website's document checklist that you actually need to bring:
1. The form confirming your courier booking, including the address you've nominated for delivery of your passport once it's got the visa stamped inside it. When you book the courier delivery online after completing the DS-260 (or DS-160 for non-immigrant visa), it does tell you to print this form and bring it when you come for your interview at the embassy. So I had it with me. But it wasn't on the checklist for some reason.
2. The DS-260 confirmation page (DS-160 for non-immigrant visas) is on a list of "required documents" shown on the information screens inside the embassy, although it wasn't on the checklist and in the end I wasn't asked for it.

This stage of the process wasn't all that fun as the embassy official processing the documents wasn't very friendly. Her voice was also too quiet to be heard over the microphone so it was hard to hear her instructions, which made her even grumpier. But the person next to me had someone far warmer. And of course the most important thing is that she eventually got the job done.

Once you've handed over all your documents and had them checked - which took 10 minutes in my case - you will be given an envelope and a CD containing your medical information (I wasn't told what it was - I found out later). Then you'll be told to pay the fee at the cashier desk (window 12 - they take cash or cards), and then sit back down in the main room and wait to be called for the actual interview, using the same process of watching for your number to come up on screen. I sat down at 9.35am, and waited another 90 minutes before being called for interview.

The interview was with someone at another window booth, not in a room as I'd pictured. So you're on your feet rather than sitting down. It took about 10 minutes in total. This officer was friendly - and audible. She gave me back the original documents (birth certificate, etc) I'd submitted earlier. Then I was asked to raise my right hand and swear that I was about to tell the truth (no holy book invoked). Then the officer asked me her questions, which focused on how and where we met, what was triggering our move to the US, where we lived, what each of us does for a living and what I was going to do work-wise in the US. Then she marked the application approved and told me I was free to go.

Just to recap, the schedule was:
7.45 lining up outside the Embassy
8.00 actual "appointment time"
8.05 allowed inside the building
9.20 called for initial document processing and payment
9.35 waiting
11.05 called for interview
11.15 visa approved

Hope that's helpful.

Hummingbird25

Thankyou!

lansbury

Should have tried searching this forum or visajourney, amazing what you might find here and there.

ScottUK1990

Thanks for that, great info

sparkleandglitter

Great post!
I printed off my DS-260 and photocopied everything. They didn't want photocopies of the I-864s (husband and joint sponsor's) - was that the case with yours?
I agree, it is definitely difficult to do anything while waiting there with all the pings! They had no snack stall (only hot drinks) our day, so I'd definitely recommend bringing your own.

florida12

Thank you!! I have mines for K1 in 2 weeks time. 8am. I shall arrive there for 7.30am.
I think I am going to have to post up one last time, the list of ALL documents that I have in my file. Need to make sure I have everything now.. Great post.

kikola32

Cmcw! Thanks for your post it helped me out for my interview.

It took a bit less time for me in total but it still moves along pretty quickly overall.

Overall my experience was similar to yours. They defo rotate tabards because the person was helpful and talkative.

Once in the building, had the same experience.
With officer checking my paperwork:
It took a few try to get the right amount of pressure to get my fingerprints but all went well.

With the officer conducting the interview:
I had the same questions as cmcw stated. The interview lasts for 10mins.

My partner was with me and I was under the impression that spouse can be present but can't really participate.
Turns out, both officers ( first officer checking my paperwork and for the interview) asked questions to both of us.

And in some instances, the officer asked questions to my spouse directly.

Don't know if this is regular but it was a nice chat and help to determine if the relationship is genuine in some ways. ( although, we've been married for more 7yrs).

Overall, my appointment was at 8am, arrived at 7.45am, approved and out at 10.20am.

Hope this helps if anyone attends their interview with their partner.

tom169

Thanks for taking time to write this up

Rete

Has always been that you need to bring the original and a copy of every document to the interview. This has been known since the interception of this group in 1997. Funny what reading previous threads and the Wiki can provide.


Also never give them the original unless you don't want to see it again. A copy if sufficient for their purposes as long as they can see the original for comparison purposes with the exception of the I-864 or in some cases the I-131. Good for you to have a copy for records for the next round of applications/filings.

Anthony.DeSouza

Thank you, CMCW. You eased my nerves a lot. My interview is on October 7th at 9am.
I was expecting to be interviewed for 2 to 3 hours ha! It all makes better sense now.

Good luck to you and your new life :-)

Sfpals

sparkleandglitter: They didn't want photocopies of my i-864 and its supporting documents either. In fact, they didn't take a lot of the photocopies I made. Oh well... it was better to be prepared for the worst (even though I feel like I killed a tree).

Other notes:

• Allot at least 3 hours. We arrived at 7:45AM for an 8:00AM appointment. We left the Embassy at about 11:10AM.
• Long queue. Upon arrival, there was a long queue ahead of us. However, the security guard directed us to the front of the line since we had an immigration visa appointment (it felt like priority boarding on an airplane!). We later realized that a majority of those in line were for non-immigrant visas.
• Arranging your documents. When handing over the documents, the clerk went through this checklist in order. We brought our copies in a separate stack, but would have saved ourselves a lot of frantic stress if we arranged them as: original, copy, original, copy... and so forth.
• Spouses entering the building. I, the USC petitioner spouse, was able to enter the building without notifying them in advance. I just brought my passport, told the staff that I was the spouse, and asked if it was okay. We both went up for the 1st part to hand over documents, but my husband (the applicant) went solo during the interview.
• Snack stand closed at 10:30AM, so it's helpful to bring your own water/snacks. Our tummies were kind of rumbling right before the interview. So if you don't do well with interviews when you're hangry (hungry and angry), bring an emergency snack!

ian-mstm

Generally, the advice is to let them know ahead of time. US citizens, by and large, have absolutely no need for the services of the US Consul - and the US Consular Service isn't obligated to let you enter except in an emergency situation. I think people often confuse the Consular Service with the Embassy because they share the same building... but they're not the same. A US citizen can enter the Embassy without an appointment. So... you were lucky!

Ian

Annelouise86

I have my interview in July. I asked my US husband to post me his original W2 and he can't find it anywhere. There is no time to get a duplicate. I do have a copy of it and will have an original tax transcript, 3 months of pay slips and letter from his employer plus everything the US side have said I should take. Do you think this will be ok?

ian-mstm

If you have the tax transcript, you don't need the W2.


Yes.

Ian

Noorah101

I agree with Ian.

Rene