MarieN

Hi,

I just got back from my interview at the embassy in London and thought I'd do a write up in case anyone is interested or wondering what they might expect.

So, the embassy is very easy to find from Vauxhall tube station. It was less than a ten-minute walk, and Nine Elms is signposted outside the tube station so you know which direction to head in. Basically, if you're walking from the station and the Thames is on your right you're going the right direction The building is pretty hard to miss too. I'd looked it up on google before hand so I knew what to look for.

My appointment was at 10:30 am so I got in line on the south side of the building (also signposted) at the little gazeebo which says it is for visa services (i can't remember the exact wording but it's very easy to know where to go) at 10am. I was asked for my DS-260 and my passport. The lady who checked it told me that because I was applying for an immigrant visa that I should go straight to the front of the line once I got into the main building.

I then went into a little security building and my belongings were put through scanners (just like the airport ones), where the security staff mistook my e-reader in my bag for an i-pad and asked to see it. They asked me several times if i had a laptop in my bag as they aren't allowed in the embassy. Once they were happy it was just an e-reader they sent me on my way.

I then walked across a little courtyard into the main embassy building where there was a line of people waiting. I went straight to the front as advised by the lady at the gazebo, and the staff there confirmed what she said and gave me a number which they stuck onto my DS-260 and sent me up to the first floor, instructing me to turn left when i got out of the lift and then left again to the section of counters designated to immigrant visas. The first floor was pretty busy with people waiting for non-immigrant visas. There were also toilets up there (just mentioning that because i was worried there wouldn't be and i was stood in the cold for a few hours before i got into line) and a couple of photo booths where you can have your passport style photos done for £6 if you haven't already had them done. There were queues for the booths though so I wouldn't recommend leaving it that last minute.

I sat down in the area i was told to and there were only about 4 other people waiting. It only took about 10 minutes for my number to be called. I went to the desk and the man there asked for the following documents:
-my passport
-My courier confirmation (I couldn't find it at first because it had got stuck in a paperclip and was hiding behind something else. The man said not to worry and that he could just print it out for me if i didn't find it)
- My birth certificate
- He asked if i had been married before, and then asked for my decree absolute when I confirmed that I had
- My marriage certificate for my current marriage
- One of the US passport style pictures
- My ACRO police certificate

He then took my fingerprints, asked if i had had my medical and what date I had it. He then told me to sit back down and listen for my number to be called again.

10 minutes later i was called to a different window for my interview. I was told to raise my right hand and swear that everything I said was the truth. The lady there was lovely. She asked me which part of the States my husband lives in, how we met, and when we first met in person. Because i was so nervous and had been running dates through my head all morning i mistakenly said October 2013 instead of October 2014. She said "don't you mean October 2014?" and we had a laugh about me being nervous. I confirmed it was 2014 and she said "Alright, you'll get your visa as soon as the medical results come through to us, they're just delayed because of the bank holiday but everything seems fine."

I asked if there was anything else i needed to do and she said no, just to await confirmation from the courier.

My appointment was at 10:30 and i was all done by 11:00

I wasn't asked to hand in half the things on the checklist, but i think it's better to have them anyway just in case.

I'm so relieved and overwhelmed. I checked my visa status on the CEAC site and it says it's in administrative processing, so i'm hoping the results come soon and it'll be sent to the courier. Everyone at the embassy was nice, and the whole thing was much more pleasant than I was expecting.

tom169

Congratulations

StuBear65

Congratulations,

My medical results hadn't reached the Consulate when I had my interview. My visa was issued 5 working days after interview, and I was notified that it had been dispatched 2 days after that.

Good luck on your new adventure.

MarieN

Thank you do you know if they will send out the big envelope for the POE with my passport too? The only thing I was given yesterday was my original documents

StuBear65

I got a big plastic envelope with everything in it. The envelope for POE is in there too.

MarieN

Did you get that at the interview? They didn't give me anything like that.

Noorah101

The envelope arrives by courier.

Rene

BenK91

Congratulations!

BigT103

Congratulations!

StuBear65

As Rene said, it was sent to me via courier.

MarieN

Thank you

CEAC still says Administrative processing. I'm trying not to check toooo often

MarieN

My status has changed to ISSUED!!! I'm so excited!!

RainyDays

Congratulations! I had my interview on 29th May and they were still waiting for my medical results due to the bank holiday. Still in administrative processing (and really hard not to keep checking!).

MarieN

I've got my fingers crossed for you. I hope you hear soon.

Does anyone know how we're notified once the courier receives our visa and passport? Will we get a text or email?

Also, do i need to take anything with me to collect it?

StuBear65

You will get an email from the consulate with a tracking number once it has been dispatched. You need to keep checking the tracking.
You will need photo ID, I took my driving licence.