charlieumtali's London CR-1 Interview Review
Jun 26th 2012, 6:43 am
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2010
Location: Indiana, USA (formally Manchester, UK)
Posts: 33
charlieumtali's London CR-1 Interview Review
Morning all!
Well, we got back from London late last night after an action packed weekend, and so I thought it best to share my experience as best I can sooner rather than later (i.e. before I forget the details)!
Monday morning
8.00 - arrived at the US Embassy. There was already quite the queue on both the Visa and US Citizen Services side, and as my letter said 9am anyway, we sat in lovely park for a while planning out our "Where should we meet if you (my wife) aren't on the attendance list?" strategy
8.30 - wander over to the Visa queue. I show my letter and a print-out of the email I sent asking if my wife could join me. They had no record so wouldn't let her in with me, but that actually worked out for the best in terms of timings.
8.35 - The first chap checks my attendance letter and gives me a clear plastic bag for my belt / watch / coins and I queue up, and next I show my letter to a woman in high-vis vest along with my passport, who points me to queue up and wait to be called in to the security border hut. Whizz straight through metal detector, out, and round the corner to the back entrance where the receptionist sticks some number tickets to my letter, and I head up the stairs and take a seat.
8.45 - I take my seat. The waiting area is different than I had expected. I was hoping it would be something like a cross between the US Embassy in the Bourne Identity crossed with the headquarters in Men In Black. In fact, it's more like a mix of a small regional airport terminal, a post office and a branch of Argos.
9.15 - Start to wonder if I should have had breakfast, or a at least a cup of coffee.
10.00 - Definitely should have had some breakfast. I go to the little shop and buy a Diet Coke for the bargain price of 90p.
10.15 - My number is called! All of the woes and worries I had about my forms melts away: I submit my forms (and for those who know about my I-864 questions, I submitted the Joint Sponsor forms and didn't need to refer to any other!), take my ticket to the cashier desk to pay the fee, go back to the interview window to have my fingerprints scanned, and I'm given a delivery details pink form and asked to take a seat again until called.
10.40 - Take a seat again. The waiting hall had really filled up at this point, and there were tons of non-immigrant visas being processed on what looked like a pretty rapid turnaround.
11.30 - Sooo hungry....
11.50 - Called back for interview! I say my oath to the Consular Officer, sign my DS-230 II, and have my fingerprints scanned. Then it's a really quite informal chat about me and my wife, where were met, where we live, where we intend to live in the US, jobs etc.., and then "Your Visa's approved'.
11.55 - Riding a high, I head to the DX delivery queue, and in a moment of madness end up paying for the top-whack pre 8am delivery! Still, I'm so chuffed at this point (and what's another 20 quid on top of all of the fees and costs so far?).
11.59 - I'm back out on British soil!
As before, thank you so much to everyone who helped me enormously with my questions, and for such positive support all along the process.
TOP TIPS:
1. If you're easily bored, bring a book. You might end up waiting a loooong time!
2. OVER-PREPARE. If at any point you think "Will I need this?", just take it (and a photocopy). The relief of knowing that your bases are covered is immense! If it's not needed, it'll just be given back to you.
3. Try to enjoy it. It's a great people watching opportunity (if you're into that sort of thing), and there's a whole world of personal dramas going on around you. Try to enjoy the fairly unique situation, and when it comes to the interview, just answer truthfully and don't give unnecessary detail / complexity.
If anyone has any specific questions, I'll do my best to answer them, but I'm off to work now and then a gig later tonight, so it might take me a while to respond.
Thanks again, and good luck everyone!
Well, we got back from London late last night after an action packed weekend, and so I thought it best to share my experience as best I can sooner rather than later (i.e. before I forget the details)!
Monday morning
8.00 - arrived at the US Embassy. There was already quite the queue on both the Visa and US Citizen Services side, and as my letter said 9am anyway, we sat in lovely park for a while planning out our "Where should we meet if you (my wife) aren't on the attendance list?" strategy
8.30 - wander over to the Visa queue. I show my letter and a print-out of the email I sent asking if my wife could join me. They had no record so wouldn't let her in with me, but that actually worked out for the best in terms of timings.
8.35 - The first chap checks my attendance letter and gives me a clear plastic bag for my belt / watch / coins and I queue up, and next I show my letter to a woman in high-vis vest along with my passport, who points me to queue up and wait to be called in to the security border hut. Whizz straight through metal detector, out, and round the corner to the back entrance where the receptionist sticks some number tickets to my letter, and I head up the stairs and take a seat.
8.45 - I take my seat. The waiting area is different than I had expected. I was hoping it would be something like a cross between the US Embassy in the Bourne Identity crossed with the headquarters in Men In Black. In fact, it's more like a mix of a small regional airport terminal, a post office and a branch of Argos.
9.15 - Start to wonder if I should have had breakfast, or a at least a cup of coffee.
10.00 - Definitely should have had some breakfast. I go to the little shop and buy a Diet Coke for the bargain price of 90p.
10.15 - My number is called! All of the woes and worries I had about my forms melts away: I submit my forms (and for those who know about my I-864 questions, I submitted the Joint Sponsor forms and didn't need to refer to any other!), take my ticket to the cashier desk to pay the fee, go back to the interview window to have my fingerprints scanned, and I'm given a delivery details pink form and asked to take a seat again until called.
10.40 - Take a seat again. The waiting hall had really filled up at this point, and there were tons of non-immigrant visas being processed on what looked like a pretty rapid turnaround.
11.30 - Sooo hungry....
11.50 - Called back for interview! I say my oath to the Consular Officer, sign my DS-230 II, and have my fingerprints scanned. Then it's a really quite informal chat about me and my wife, where were met, where we live, where we intend to live in the US, jobs etc.., and then "Your Visa's approved'.
11.55 - Riding a high, I head to the DX delivery queue, and in a moment of madness end up paying for the top-whack pre 8am delivery! Still, I'm so chuffed at this point (and what's another 20 quid on top of all of the fees and costs so far?).
11.59 - I'm back out on British soil!
As before, thank you so much to everyone who helped me enormously with my questions, and for such positive support all along the process.
TOP TIPS:
1. If you're easily bored, bring a book. You might end up waiting a loooong time!
2. OVER-PREPARE. If at any point you think "Will I need this?", just take it (and a photocopy). The relief of knowing that your bases are covered is immense! If it's not needed, it'll just be given back to you.
3. Try to enjoy it. It's a great people watching opportunity (if you're into that sort of thing), and there's a whole world of personal dramas going on around you. Try to enjoy the fairly unique situation, and when it comes to the interview, just answer truthfully and don't give unnecessary detail / complexity.
If anyone has any specific questions, I'll do my best to answer them, but I'm off to work now and then a gig later tonight, so it might take me a while to respond.
Thanks again, and good luck everyone!
Jun 26th 2012, 7:28 am
#2
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Joined: Oct 2011
Location: Enniskillen soon to be Clovis yes Clovis and not Fresno I repeat not Fresno!!!
Posts: 174
Re: charlieumtali's London CR-1 Interview Review
Congratulations.
Great write up, thanks for that.
Great write up, thanks for that.
Jun 26th 2012, 7:50 am
#3
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Joined: Apr 2012
Location: Inverness soon LaCrosse, WI
Posts: 343
Re: charlieumtali's London CR-1 Interview Review
Congrats!!!!
Jun 26th 2012, 8:55 am
#4
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Joined: Dec 2007
Location: Kansas, USA
Posts: 2,620
Re: charlieumtali's London CR-1 Interview Review
Well done and congratulations!! 
Jun 26th 2012, 11:46 am
#5
Often not so civil...
Joined: Apr 2010
Location: The Boonies, GA
Posts: 9,561
Re: charlieumtali's London CR-1 Interview Review
Congratulations - I enjoy reading these reviews, give me some idea of what it'll be like in around 7 months for me 
Jun 27th 2012, 10:01 am
#6
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2012
Location: Chelmsford UK
Posts: 93
Re: charlieumtali's London CR-1 Interview Review
Really pleased for you both 
and a good account of your interview experience.
and a good account of your interview experience.
Jun 29th 2012, 9:16 am
#7
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Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2010
Location: Indiana, USA (formally Manchester, UK)
Posts: 33
Re: charlieumtali's London CR-1 Interview Review
Thanks for the kind words everyone!
Just as an update, the courier came by with my passport and big official envelope this morning.
I really wasn't expecting it until next week, so I'm very impressed on the speed of turnaround!
Just as an update, the courier came by with my passport and big official envelope this morning.
I really wasn't expecting it until next week, so I'm very impressed on the speed of turnaround!
