Hello

I had my visa interview in London yesterday so I have written up my experience. Hopefully it will help people relax or have questions answered, personally I just want to share with as many people as possible what was a wonderful day

For the record I was applying for the IR-1 Visa and the whole process has taken almost exactly 7 months.

So, my wife and I traveled to London on the Monday because I intended to be at the embassy first thing on the Tuesday and wanted to be as rested as possible. We stayed in a hotel on the edge of Regents Park – it was ok, about a 25 minute walk from the Embassy. We spent most of Monday walking around Oxford Street looking at things I couldn’t possibly afford, but it was fun anyway. In the evening we ate at that U.S. Diner everyone talks about. It was good but not great – I’m not sure how authentic it really was. Some things were accurate, but not as much as I hoped. I refuse to believe that there is a diner across America that has Oasis playing, but I’m probably just being picky. Anyway, this has nothing to do with the interview…

I didn’t sleep too much Monday night so I was at the embassy early, I didn’t start queuing until 7:30 and there were already about 30 people ahead of me, though some of those were families and couples. My wife stayed in the hotel and looked after electric stuff. I did forget a watch and nearly my wallet. So anyway, I queued for a while but because of my lack of watch I couldn’t say for sure how long it was before they started letting people in, 4 at a time. It felt like 15 minutes. I didn’t mind because there were about 6 pigeons fighting over the same walnut and that kept me plenty entertained. Basically, a woman at the front of the line checks your passport and interview letter and asks you if you have metal or electrical items. It is as this point that I took my belt off and put it in a bag (the belt has a metal clasp thingy). After that you are sent though a maze (like you get at the post office or bank) to an English security guard who did exactly the same thing as the woman. He sent me to a little cabin where they do what they do at the airport, scan your folders and you walk though the metal detector, although you do keep your shoes on which was good because it was chucking it down. You then follow the arrows around to one side of the building and then go up some external steps and though the door where a receptionist type puts a sticker on your interview letter. My number was I-902.

Once in the embassy you have to go into a slightly elevated room and take a seat, any seat. The layout is basically a lot of chairs facing a lot of other chairs and big screens between them which flash up the next number and which window the number should go to. There is also a voice over that reads this number out, so if you’re reading a book you shouldn’t miss your call. When I first sat down it was still early and they hadn’t started reading out the numbers. After about 10/15 mins they did start seeing people. The first number was N1, then N2 and so on. I was called after about N10.

So, my number was called and I went to the relevant number. I was expecting this part to be easy, compared with the interview, but it wasn’t in my case. I got to the window and the British lady on the other side was still applying Vaseline to her lips. I thought this was pretty un-professional, but hey, in the grand scheme of things I suppose it doesn’t matter. She then dithered around, looking under paper, opening draws etc and barely noticed that I had arrived. Eventually she asked me for my passport and appointment letter. I gave these over and then she disappeared. She came back with my folder and passed me the ‘white envelope’ which was NOT sealed had a CD in it, my x-rays I think. She said to take this with me to America. She then said that normally I would pay the visa fee but the woman who should be at the relevant window wasn’t in yet so I would have to remember to pay it when she got there otherwise I wouldn’t be interviewed. She then eventually asked me for my documents 1 by 1 with the photocopies. I gave her my wifes I-864 and then told her that I had my FIL’s I-864 as he was to be my joint sponsor. She asked ‘is your wife not working’ (seemed like a strange question because she could be working and we might still need a joint sponsor!) so I advised not so she took the I-864. I gave her my FIL’s bank statements and she said she only needed the most recent so I gave her that. The most recent set of statements were from June. At this point she said that the evidence was out of date! I explained that as per their instructions we collected the I-864 and evidence before sending in the DS-230, so the bank statements would have been from then. If it takes them 3 months to send me an appointment letter and give me an interview is that my fault? I understand that anything could have happened in 3 months but the letter they send out states specifically to collect all evidence THEN send off the notice of readiness, so how could they complain about me doing exactly what they asked? Anyway, she said that she didn’t know if it would be accepted but that it wasn’t up to her anyway. At this point the window was open for me to pay my fee, which I did and gave the receipt to the first lady. I was then given a pink courier form to fill out and sat down again.

At this point I was very concerned that my FIL’s financial evidence was going to be rejected so I was quite stressed but then I relaxed a bit and waited for my number to be called. After about 30 mins it was and I went to the window. I don’t know how I got to the window because I was so nervous I could barely get me legs to work. I got to the window and was met by a really friendly, completely disarming American woman. First off she took my fingerprints again for verification, then I held up my right hand and confirmed the validity of everything. She asked me 3 questions…1) When are we moving – Oct 4th 2) Does your wife have work waiting for her – no 3) Have you any kids – not yet. She then said ‘ok, I’m going to approve your visa now’. At this point I wish I could say that I danced, did cartwheels around the embassy, shook everyone’s hand in the embassy etc but all I could was hang my head in relief. The first lady really freaked me out, I was very concerned. Maybe that was my own doing, maybe I was naïve.

So, the interview lady probably said other things but goodness knows what they were. I went over to the couriers desk with a stupid grin on my face, arranged delivery and walked out still with a huge grin on my face all the way back to hotel (I have found that big grins are a rare commodity in London, so I got lots of weird looks)

So that was it really. If it hadn’t been for the fact that my FIL’s evidence was queried it would have been a very straightforward, uneventful experience. People have said it before but just so long as you have done what they advise you to do and collect the documents they suggest that you collect it is really just a formality, its just the importance of it and that makes it such an intense experience.

I do want to take this chance to thank everyone on this forum who has helped me, given me advise, and at times given me a much needed verbal clip around the ear hole over the last 7+ months. I hope you know just how valuable and appreciated your time and wisdom is, I am very thankful. Hopefully I can now in turn advise and encourage others who are going along this route.

Fantastic and welcoming news for sure, many congratulations

Congratulations. We have our EB-5 interview on 11th October and are also going down the evening before. If you don;t mind can you update as to when you get your passport back with visa within it?

Many thanks

Lee

Hi Lee. I had a text from the shipping company about an hour ago advising me that they will be delivering my passport sometime tomorrow during the day. So I will have the passport back around only 48 hours after my interview - not bad!

They do say it can take 7-10 working days, but if this is anything to go by I would say that that is worse case scenario.

Hi Paul,

Thanks for such a quick reply. Glad your passport has come back so quickly. We hope that as long as the interview goes well that our passports also come back quickly too.

Congratulations once again

Lee

I link my fiance all of the interview experiences so he can read them and be prepared! Thanks for reminding me that he does need to photocopy ALL of my I-134 info, not just the forms. And thanks for posting this. He goes in Monday and my stomach is just turning like crazy!

Good luck to your fiance

Congratulations! Which US diner was it? If it was Ed's their food is very good, especially the burgers and hot dogs. And shakes, if I recall correctly. They try to decorate like a 50s diner and there aren't many of those left in America anyway. If it was Garfunkel's, then don't take their food as gospel - it's a good imitation but the real stuff is better. However, the decor (from what I can recall) is more or less average for a modern lower-mid-range US restaurant.

Thank you for all your kind words . Its just beginning to sink in now. The passport and white envelope arrived today, about an hour or so ago, and the tickets have been purchased. Now comes the scariest part of the whole immigration process...PACKING


It was 'The Good Life Diner'. I think 'The Reasonable Life Diner' would be more accurate. I can't believe I probably went to the wrong U.S. diner. I was especially looking forward to it because of what people on this site had said and now it seems I went to the wrong one . Ah well, 4 weeks and i'll be spoilt for choice .

I did look at Garfunkels but it looked more pricey.

I'm not going to say don't be nervous, because its natural that you are, but for me the interview really just felt like a formality. It isn't in one sense and I think you and I are applying/have applied for different visa's so it may be different but to be honest it kinda felt like because I had go to the interview stage the rest was just a paper pushing exercise.

Im not saying don't take it seriously and that you can't be denied/delayed, you should take it VERY seriously, but if your case is pretty straight forward then it really is a lot more straight forward (for most people) than it feels like it will be right now , bring to the interview what they ask and i'm sure it will be a breeze

Hello, It was interesting reading your experience as I was there that same morling. My number was I-920

I arrived about 7:50 for the appointment (set at 8:30 on the letter) by which time the que already was up to the surround about the Statue of Eisenhower.

Incidentaly anyone looking to arrive at the embassy I can recomend trying to locate it on google earth and click on street view at the northern end of the square. You'll see a que going round the corner. The tempory fencing is no longer there. The que swept toward the blue police phone box near the Eisenhower statue.

It was raining, so I had an umbrella with me. It took to about 8:40 before I got to the pedistal with 2 embassy people. One checked my appointment letter and asked if I had any electronic devices with me. People with such things as phones where being directed to go to a chemist nearby on Upper Audley street. My Mother came with me for the shopping so she took my mobile. May be an idea to stop at the chemists before queing, saves queing all over again.

I had my documents in an A4 ring binder with the clear plastic pockets. So to find my interview letter, 1st page. Had all the documents for the interview, plus all the other docs just in case. It was handy as it keeps the rain off and made finding everything so easy. I had a very small rucksak just big enough for the folder and a folding umberella which was ok to take into the embassy.

They gave me a small clear sandwich bag to put my trouser belt, wallet and any metal items in. They ask if you have any loose change before so you can gather them. You then go up to the security guard who checks your passport and interview letter again. then in a short que for the small security building with an airport style metal detector and x-ray machine. I got all my metal stuff in the small bag but kept setting off the detector. In my angst I totaly forgot about my copper band. So run through what you have on you when first in the que.

Walked round the building into the entrance, Showed the interview letter to reception (that ring binder was really handy, easyer than having your doc's loose or just in plastic wallets as other had). He gave me a number of sticky lables with my number I-920 and walked up into the waiting room. this was 8:52am

The flat screens were already displaying numbers called up to N-140, so I found a place to sit. There are about 16 numbers shown as called at any one time, of those 1 sometimes 2 are I numbers the rest are N numbers with the odd E or D number. After about an hour and a half my number was called.

I went to a window where an English chap. Placed my fingers on an electrinic device to copy my finger prints. He then asked for my passport and the stickers with my I-number. He ran the passport details through his screen, took photos, and took my passport photos. Went off and came back with a big file, Wow thats all my file. Gave me a white envelope stating it was a disc with my x-ray off the medical which I could heave for my records. Then asked for my documents one by one. He asked if I had copies of them as he would copy them so I have one of each. Fortunately I had already copied all bar one. He then asked me if i had a return plane flight booked and what the date was (end of the month) The only issue here was the affidavid of support with all the Documents for that. They wer'e print of what was scanned and e-mailed to me. He stated this may be a problem as they should have been the originals. I think mine may have been ok as I had plenty of info to back the validity. Given a form to fill my details for the courier for my paperwork and passport to be sent back to me. Then asked to go back and wait for my number to be called again.

I waited for about an hour 20 mins before being called again. Different window with a pleasant American lady. I placed my fingers on a device to check my finger prints, and raised my right hand to swear an oath that I will speak the truth. Then she asked a few questions. How we met, some more detail about that. About my fiancees ex husband and about one of the kids day and detail of the pending marriage etc etc. She knew her stuff about me and often asked questions with some detail, and not having to look in the notes. Its quite evident the questions are not just a formality. I felt she was monitoring not just what I said but the way I said it. And then those magic words "Right, I think I will approve this one" I got my birth certificate back and to go and hand my details to the courier and pay the carrage.

They advised 7-10 working days for the pack to reach me. The carrage was about 16 pounds, but you could pay extra to have a timed delivery. I paid extra for a 'by 12pm' delivery (after wards the main recipt only mentioned standard delivery and It was delivered at 2pm) so check the A4 recipt. The guy behind the desk double checked the delivery address. They take cash, debit and credit card but not American Express (ironic).

I strolled out about 12:15 so happy I can start life with my new family. I later bumped into My Mother after her sojurn to Oxford street. She did mention that she saw a young lady who was in the que just behind me. Leaving about an hour or so after I went in in flood of tears. So I retrived my mobile to call the other half at 5:30 am her time. I think she was a tad happy.

p.s. The interview was tuesday, knock on the door from a chap in a nissan micra on friday. Electronic pad in one hand, big white envelope in the other. I had an e-mail to advise of the due delivery the day before. He does check your ID to confirm he is giving the package to the correct person.
On opening the pack I have my passport with a new page stuck inside which is the K1 visa incl' my photo. Similar to the back page of the passport. Expiry date in 6 months. A slip of paper stating:

a K1 visa is valid for only one entry to the U.S. The holder must marry within 90 days of arrival and must then apply to lawfull permanent resident (LPR) status prior to any departure fom the U.S. You must plan to remain in the U.S. until they marry and adjust to LPR status which may take several months. And the travel restrictions apply to ANY trip outside the U.S. (i.e. honeymoon, journey to fiance(e)'s home country.

And a large sealed envelope stating you must carry this with you unopened, by hand, not main luggage on entry to the U.S. to be handed to a U.S. customs officer on arrival.

I was expecting some documents with a SSN which I applied for. Now on this forum I see this comes after arrival (looking further into this detail)

Hope this is of help for anyone expecting an interview.

There are a couple of you tube vids which are handy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0O0cxsDVqk and this ones very handy: http://www.youtube.com/user/USEmbass...11/uzZOvF1EEXE

Congrats!!! Sounds like you were in there for quite a long time, though...

I'd really recommend getting there for 7ish - the extra 45 to 60 minutes in the morning won't make a big difference (you probably won't be sleeping very peacefully at that point!!), and they make a hell of a lot of difference getting a low I-900 number!!

Good luck for your future

A K1 can apply for advance parole at the same time as, or subsequent to, applying for adjustement of status. With an advance parole document a K1 who leaves the USA prior to adjusting status can be paroled back into the USA to continue waiting for the adjustment to be completed.

Regards, JEff