mrchips

I arrived at the Embassy in London around half an hour early for my CR1 visa interview. I followed the signs for “Visa Services” around the back of the building and spotted the desk where I would check in. Since I was too early I took a seat on the benches in the outdoor area for fifteen minutes.

With fifteen minutes until my interview I approached the desk and was asked by a friendly lady for my DS-260 confirmation page (the single A4 sheet with the bar codes at the bottom) and my passport. With a smile, she said I was good to proceed through security. Security was as expected, airport style; with belts, bag etc going through a scanner.

After that I continued to follow the signs for “Visa Services” and arrived at a large reception desk where another nice lady greeted me and asked for the same documents - DS-260 & passport. She confirmed my appointment and stuck a sticker on my DS-260 with a number on it. She asked me to proceed in the lift (not American yet haha) to level one, Visa Services. The details on the sticker told me my number and also what interview windows (it was a range of 3 numbers) I should sit next to.

The area is like a big fancy post office with screens all around showing what number should go where. I took a seat opposite the windows I was instructed to wait at. Within ten minutes, there was a “bing” and I saw my number and the window I had to go to.

This was the first of three visits to the interview windows.

First, A really pleasant man asked for my documentation (I’ve listed these below) and asked me some simple questions; who is sponsoring your visa and have you ever had a US visa issued before. He looked through my documents and filed them in a large folder, then took my fingerprints. He seemed happy that I had all the required documents and gave me a small piece of paper that outlined what fee I had to pay and instructed me to visit the cashier - my second visit to the windows.

The cashier asked if I was paying by cash or card, and since I was paying by card, asked for a piece of ID if I had it. Luckily I had my driver's license (as my passport was obviously with the man from the first window). Not sure what would have happened if I didn’t have it on me… Anyway, I paid the fee and was asked to return to the seating area where my number would be called once more.

Around fifteen minutes later my number appeared on the screen again. Another friendly man, who first asked me to confirm my fingerprints then asked me to raise my right hand and take an oath. With that out the way, he asked a series of questions regarding my relationship with my wife; how we met, how long we have been married, where we met and some questions regarding our employment and what we’ll do in America.

He seemed happy with my answers and said, “time to start preparing for the move, I’m happy to issue your visa, good luck”.

I couldn’t contain a massive smile and thanked him profusely for his time. With that, he gave me a little card, that outlined that my documents would be ready in around 7-10 working days, and my original documents (birth and marriage certificate, etc).

The whole process only took around 40 minutes (I think I was lucky) and was painless. It’s really all about making sure you have everything they need (with a copy) and just being honest when answering their questions. My experience is obviously subjective by it really was nothing to worry about.

All the things the officers did look at:

• Appointment and courier confirmation email printout
• DS-260 confirmation
• Passport & copy of bio page
• 2 US passport photos
• Marriage certificate & copy
• Birth certificate & copy
• ACRO police certificate & copy
• I-864 Affidavit of Support
• My wife's federal tax transcripts
• Photocopy of my wife's passport

All the things the officer didn’t check that I brought anyway:

• My wife's birth certificate
• My wife’s pay stubs and employment letter
• My wife’s full tax return documents
• Documents relating to anything pre DS-260
• Documents relating to the medical exam

Please note that you may need different documents i.e. adoption certificates, police certificate for other countries, etc and that I’m just providing this list as an example.

Hope this helps someone. Cheers,

Steve

Rete

Thank you, Mr. Chips, for a well written and thorough explanation of your consular interview. You've only been a participating member for 5 posts, but they have aided our forum tremendously. Again, thank you. When are you anticipating entering the US?

mrchips

Thank you Rete! I'm glad to give back to this great resource after months of lurking; learning about tax transcripts, reading the experiences of others , etc.

Maybe I could ask your opinion while answering your question if you don't mind. My wife and I were married on September 23rd, 2017 - this is why we've been going down the CR-1 route as we're married less than 2 years.

Through reading this forum and finding illuminating information like this, we were planning to hold off on entering the US until the end of September (after the 23rd) so that we could inform the POE officer that we've now been married more than 2 years and hopefully get IR-1 status.

Does this sound like a plan to you? Sorry to ask you to essentially reaffirm the information already out there but there is so much to take in and I really trust this forum to point me in the right direction.

Cheers, Steve.

P.S my medical is valid until Jan 2020 so no issues there.

Rete

For those reading this, the Immediate Relative Visa route is the same regardless of the length of your marital status. If approved for the IRV and you are married less than 2 years at the time of approval, the visa is marked CR-1. If you are married longer than 2 years at the time of the IRV approval, the visa is marked IR-1. The only difference between the two categories is that CR-1's (Conditional Resident-1) must complete an I-751 during the 90 days before the expiration date on their green card. An IR-1 does not have the stipulation.

For Steve, and for anyone else, if the IRV approval is prior to your second wedding anniversary and if you have the required time to stay abroad before activating your CR-1 visa by entering the POE until your second wedding anniversary, then do so and enter after you celebrate that second anniversary. Be sure to tell the officer at secondary that you have celebrated your second anniversary and that he marks your passport IR-1 and not CR-1. If he fails to do that, then you have the hassle of dealing with USCIS to have the status changed after your get your erroneously issued green card.

Rete

P.S. Whether it is a CR or IR all time once you have entered the US and have had the visa activated counts towards to the time needed to make you eligible for naturalization.

mrchips

Thank you so much for this super informative reply Rete. It really gives me confidence and informs our decision to hold off until after our second wedding anniversary to enter the US. I'd never have known any of this if it wasn't for you and the moderators of this forum. Time to get all my affairs in order and plan for the move! I'll write up a POE experience piece when the time comes.

Cheers, Steve.