Another interview experience - DCF London
Oct 16th 2014, 10:54 am
#1
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2013
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 52
Another interview experience - DCF London
We are approved! 
I thought I'd add our experience as I've found it very helpful to read the variety that's available on the forum from other users.
Our appointment was for 8:00, and our goal was to arrive an hour early given that we had to take the train in from out in zone 6. We finally arrived at the embassy at 7:20, having initially walked 10 minutes the wrong way from the underground station when hubby's GPS decided it didn't want to work correctly. The queue was short when we arrived (in front of a small tent outside the security huts), but by 7:30 when they started letting people in, it had grown considerably.
We had requested via the website form that I would be able to attend the interview with my husband, and when I arrived I was indeed on The List (I brought the email confirmation just in case). We had to show his passport and interview letter, plus my photo ID. One small snag occurred when we went through security, as my dear beer-loving hubby forgot that he was keeping a small bottle opener in his wallet, and he had to run outside to bin it before we were allowed in.
Once we got inside, we checked in at a reception area and were given a number with a set of barcodes, and this was attached to the interview letter. We sat down in the waiting area around 7:50, listening for our number to be called. (All the applicant numbers and relevant window numbers were on a big screen at the front, next to a series of advertisements for the USA.)
At 8:15 our number was called, and we went up to the window assigned to us. The agent asked for hubby's passport and interview letter, took his fingerprints, logged a few things on his screen while chatting casually with us, and then instructed us to go to another window to pay the visa fee and return with the receipt. We then were asked for the passport-size photos (instructed to print full name on the back of both), courier confirmation printout, original and photocopy marriage certificate, original and photocopy long form birth certificate, original and photocopy police certificate, and both I-864 forms (sponsor and joint sponsor) with one year tax returns each. We were given a copy of the chest x-rays to keep for our records.
This all took about 10 minutes, and we were told to have a seat again and wait for our number to be called once all the information had been logged.
At 8:40 we were called to a different window, and another agent began the interview after taking hubby's fingerprints again. She had him raise his right hand and swear/affirm that all the information he had provided and all the answers he was about to give were true to the best of his knowledge, and then began asking him a series of very basic questions - how long have we known each other, how long have we been married, what he does for a job, why he wants to move to the US. She then flipped through the file of paperwork, ticking a few boxes on the I-864 forms and logging stuff on her computer. She then turned to us and said "I have just recommended that your visa be approved." We were both shocked that it was already over, and she confirmed that she'd approved it, gave us back the original marriage certificate, and told us the visa should be ready in 5 working days, and another 2 days to reach the courier collection point.
All told, we were in and out in under 90 minutes - we left the building at 8:52!
They asked for the bare minimum in terms of documents - we were never asked for any of the domicile documents, proof of citizenship for the joint sponsor, the DS-260 confirmation sheet, or any of the paperwork we got from Knightsbridge. Also the only photocopies requested were for the marriage certificate, birth certificate, and police certificate - we had made copies of every document. I was very glad that we had all the extra documents, it was reassuring to know we would have anything they might want. Both of our agents were nice, especially the first one who chatted with us quite a bit while logging all the information.
A massive thanks to all the members here who have given advice and shared experiences!
Cheers,
Kristi
I thought I'd add our experience as I've found it very helpful to read the variety that's available on the forum from other users.
Our appointment was for 8:00, and our goal was to arrive an hour early given that we had to take the train in from out in zone 6. We finally arrived at the embassy at 7:20, having initially walked 10 minutes the wrong way from the underground station when hubby's GPS decided it didn't want to work correctly. The queue was short when we arrived (in front of a small tent outside the security huts), but by 7:30 when they started letting people in, it had grown considerably.
We had requested via the website form that I would be able to attend the interview with my husband, and when I arrived I was indeed on The List (I brought the email confirmation just in case). We had to show his passport and interview letter, plus my photo ID. One small snag occurred when we went through security, as my dear beer-loving hubby forgot that he was keeping a small bottle opener in his wallet, and he had to run outside to bin it before we were allowed in.
Once we got inside, we checked in at a reception area and were given a number with a set of barcodes, and this was attached to the interview letter. We sat down in the waiting area around 7:50, listening for our number to be called. (All the applicant numbers and relevant window numbers were on a big screen at the front, next to a series of advertisements for the USA.)
At 8:15 our number was called, and we went up to the window assigned to us. The agent asked for hubby's passport and interview letter, took his fingerprints, logged a few things on his screen while chatting casually with us, and then instructed us to go to another window to pay the visa fee and return with the receipt. We then were asked for the passport-size photos (instructed to print full name on the back of both), courier confirmation printout, original and photocopy marriage certificate, original and photocopy long form birth certificate, original and photocopy police certificate, and both I-864 forms (sponsor and joint sponsor) with one year tax returns each. We were given a copy of the chest x-rays to keep for our records.
This all took about 10 minutes, and we were told to have a seat again and wait for our number to be called once all the information had been logged.
At 8:40 we were called to a different window, and another agent began the interview after taking hubby's fingerprints again. She had him raise his right hand and swear/affirm that all the information he had provided and all the answers he was about to give were true to the best of his knowledge, and then began asking him a series of very basic questions - how long have we known each other, how long have we been married, what he does for a job, why he wants to move to the US. She then flipped through the file of paperwork, ticking a few boxes on the I-864 forms and logging stuff on her computer. She then turned to us and said "I have just recommended that your visa be approved." We were both shocked that it was already over, and she confirmed that she'd approved it, gave us back the original marriage certificate, and told us the visa should be ready in 5 working days, and another 2 days to reach the courier collection point.
All told, we were in and out in under 90 minutes - we left the building at 8:52!
They asked for the bare minimum in terms of documents - we were never asked for any of the domicile documents, proof of citizenship for the joint sponsor, the DS-260 confirmation sheet, or any of the paperwork we got from Knightsbridge. Also the only photocopies requested were for the marriage certificate, birth certificate, and police certificate - we had made copies of every document. I was very glad that we had all the extra documents, it was reassuring to know we would have anything they might want. Both of our agents were nice, especially the first one who chatted with us quite a bit while logging all the information.
A massive thanks to all the members here who have given advice and shared experiences!
Cheers,
Kristi
Oct 16th 2014, 1:02 pm
#2
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 49
Re: Another interview experience - DCF London
Congratulations!!
Clare
Clare
Oct 16th 2014, 1:27 pm
#3
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2010
Location: Sleepy Hollow, New York
Posts: 2,536
Re: Another interview experience - DCF London
Anyway, congratulations!
Oct 16th 2014, 6:07 pm
#5
Just Joined
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 6
Re: Another interview experience - DCF London
Congratulations on your acceptance.
Just a quick question from me. People keep mentioning the courier confirmation payment and how the interviewer always asks for this but I have seen no mention of this on the US embassy website or on the NVC website. Could someone please explain this to me?
Just a quick question from me. People keep mentioning the courier confirmation payment and how the interviewer always asks for this but I have seen no mention of this on the US embassy website or on the NVC website. Could someone please explain this to me?
Oct 16th 2014, 8:43 pm
#6
BE Practitioner (Level 2)
Joined: Aug 2014
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 1,403
Re: Another interview experience - DCF London
Congrats!! Well done. You both must be very relieved.
