The Immigrant VISA Interview
Feb 4th 2007 | 11:45 pm
#46
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 89,088
Re: The Immigrant VISA Interview
Feb 5th 2007 | 6:26 am
#47
Thread Starter
Just Joined
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 23
From: Sarasota, FL
Re: The Immigrant VISA Interview
Hi There,
I went through the procedure late last year prior to moving over to Arkansas. The first point to make is take a book or something to occupy you!
When you get to the embassy, the place to start queing (it's outside so take an umbrella)) is clearly marked and shouldn't be a problem. You get a numbered ticket as you go inside the embassy into the waiting area. There are screens in the waiting area showing which number goes to which application booth. You present all your financial, supporting and imigration paperwork at the booth indicated on the screens when your number is shown. The questions they ask are pretty straitforward, such as how you plan to support yourselves etc. Nothing awkward or diffiicult and certainly nothing unexpected. With regard to your query about what paperwork to take, obviously the embassies main interest is that you can support yourselfves when you get to the States, at least for enough time for you to find work if thats what you're planning to do, so take copies of bank statements, pensions and any other proof of wealth that you have. You then take a seat again and wait (again). Your number gets called again and you are asked some more basic questions. You swear an oath and thats basically it. As you thought, you are given a sealed envelope with your immigration paperwork in it. This must omly be opened by immigration officials. You present the envelope at your port of entry when you come over to the States. At this point your passport is retained at the embassy and is delivered a few days later by courier (complete with your temporary immigration visa in it). Prior to leaving, you have to queue again in the waiting area to give the delivery address for your passport and to pay the courier. When I went, the whole process took about 3 and a half hours from start to finish. Your sicial security number and and immigrant resident visa card will be delivered by normal post to an address that you specify. The social securty number took about 3 weeks and my permenant residence card took about 6 - 8 weeks.
I hope this is of some help to you. If you do need anything else, give me a shout.....Good luck!
All the best
Brync
I went through the procedure late last year prior to moving over to Arkansas. The first point to make is take a book or something to occupy you!
When you get to the embassy, the place to start queing (it's outside so take an umbrella)) is clearly marked and shouldn't be a problem. You get a numbered ticket as you go inside the embassy into the waiting area. There are screens in the waiting area showing which number goes to which application booth. You present all your financial, supporting and imigration paperwork at the booth indicated on the screens when your number is shown. The questions they ask are pretty straitforward, such as how you plan to support yourselves etc. Nothing awkward or diffiicult and certainly nothing unexpected. With regard to your query about what paperwork to take, obviously the embassies main interest is that you can support yourselfves when you get to the States, at least for enough time for you to find work if thats what you're planning to do, so take copies of bank statements, pensions and any other proof of wealth that you have. You then take a seat again and wait (again). Your number gets called again and you are asked some more basic questions. You swear an oath and thats basically it. As you thought, you are given a sealed envelope with your immigration paperwork in it. This must omly be opened by immigration officials. You present the envelope at your port of entry when you come over to the States. At this point your passport is retained at the embassy and is delivered a few days later by courier (complete with your temporary immigration visa in it). Prior to leaving, you have to queue again in the waiting area to give the delivery address for your passport and to pay the courier. When I went, the whole process took about 3 and a half hours from start to finish. Your sicial security number and and immigrant resident visa card will be delivered by normal post to an address that you specify. The social securty number took about 3 weeks and my permenant residence card took about 6 - 8 weeks.
I hope this is of some help to you. If you do need anything else, give me a shout.....Good luck!
All the best
Brync
1. Do they tell you at the interview if you are successful or do you have to wait any further length of time? It is not explained very well on the embassy site: http://london.usembassy.gov/cons_new...interview.html We are hoping that we wont have to wait any longer and get things sorted out here as soon as possible.
2. The sealed envelope with the immigration paperwork - So is this just immigration paperwork that is returned by courier service to my husband in 3 -5 workdays?
3. And then you are saying they take his passoprt away from him at the airport to be sent to the American Embassy? Is that right? Im a bit worried that he wont have identification on him as Im sure he will need it before it is received back.
I would really appreciate your help on this as I like to get it clear in my mind. Thank you for all your help so far on this matter. We look forward to your reply.
Oh and by the way - my husband says you are a star!!
And thanksPattiecake
Feb 5th 2007 | 7:48 am
#48
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 35,082
Re: The Immigrant VISA Interview
Your reply was really helpful Brync but can you clarify a couple of things for me.
1. Do they tell you at the interview if you are successful or do you have to wait any further length of time? It is not explained very well on the embassy site: http://london.usembassy.gov/cons_new...interview.html We are hoping that we wont have to wait any longer and get things sorted out here as soon as possible.
2. The sealed envelope with the immigration paperwork - So is this just immigration paperwork that is returned by courier service to my husband in 3 -5 workdays?
3. And then you are saying they take his passoprt away from him at the airport to be sent to the American Embassy? Is that right? Im a bit worried that he wont have identification on him as Im sure he will need it before it is received back.
I would really appreciate your help on this as I like to get it clear in my mind. Thank you for all your help so far on this matter. We look forward to your reply.
Oh and by the way - my husband says you are a star!! And thanks
Pattiecake
1. Do they tell you at the interview if you are successful or do you have to wait any further length of time? It is not explained very well on the embassy site: http://london.usembassy.gov/cons_new...interview.html We are hoping that we wont have to wait any longer and get things sorted out here as soon as possible.
2. The sealed envelope with the immigration paperwork - So is this just immigration paperwork that is returned by courier service to my husband in 3 -5 workdays?
3. And then you are saying they take his passoprt away from him at the airport to be sent to the American Embassy? Is that right? Im a bit worried that he wont have identification on him as Im sure he will need it before it is received back.
I would really appreciate your help on this as I like to get it clear in my mind. Thank you for all your help so far on this matter. We look forward to your reply.
Oh and by the way - my husband says you are a star!!
And thanksPattiecake
2. Inside of the delivery envelope are the passport and a sealed envelope, affectionately known as the Mysterious Brown Envelope. That is the one he'll turn over at entry where it will be sent to his Permanent Record.
3. No, the story was a bit garbled. Passport with visa inside will come back within a week of the interview (or whatever timeline they're saying now). The only period of time he'll be w/out a pport is that one week after the interview.
The interview itself is a bit of an anticlimax. The paperwork will be collected, a few basic questions asked, paperwork reviewed, decision made.
This thread might be useful to you too: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/in...howtopic=19229
Feb 6th 2007 | 3:34 am
#49
Forum Regular
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 84
Re: The Immigrant VISA Interview
Your reply was really helpful Brync but can you clarify a couple of things for me.
1. Do they tell you at the interview if you are successful or do you have to wait any further length of time? It is not explained very well on the embassy site: http://london.usembassy.gov/cons_new...interview.html We are hoping that we wont have to wait any longer and get things sorted out here as soon as possible.
2. The sealed envelope with the immigration paperwork - So is this just immigration paperwork that is returned by courier service to my husband in 3 -5 workdays?
3. And then you are saying they take his passoprt away from him at the airport to be sent to the American Embassy? Is that right? Im a bit worried that he wont have identification on him as Im sure he will need it before it is received back.
I would really appreciate your help on this as I like to get it clear in my mind. Thank you for all your help so far on this matter. We look forward to your reply.
Oh and by the way - my husband says you are a star!! And thanks
Pattiecake
1. Do they tell you at the interview if you are successful or do you have to wait any further length of time? It is not explained very well on the embassy site: http://london.usembassy.gov/cons_new...interview.html We are hoping that we wont have to wait any longer and get things sorted out here as soon as possible.
2. The sealed envelope with the immigration paperwork - So is this just immigration paperwork that is returned by courier service to my husband in 3 -5 workdays?
3. And then you are saying they take his passoprt away from him at the airport to be sent to the American Embassy? Is that right? Im a bit worried that he wont have identification on him as Im sure he will need it before it is received back.
I would really appreciate your help on this as I like to get it clear in my mind. Thank you for all your help so far on this matter. We look forward to your reply.
Oh and by the way - my husband says you are a star!!
And thanksPattiecake
Hi there,
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. To answer your questions based on my experience at the embassy, (and to be fair the person who answered on my behalf is right, part of the script I gave you is slightly garbled, as I was rushing before I had to go out.): -
1. Yes, you are told whether you are successful or not when they call you back to the window for the second time.
2). I was given a sealed envelope containing the immigration paperwok at the embassy once I was told my application was successful.
3). It's the passport that was returned by courier, but you have to pay for this while you are at the embassy. It took mine around 5 working days to be returned from memory.
I hope this is slightly less garbled and wish you luck....
Feb 6th 2007 | 6:02 am
#50
Thread Starter
Just Joined
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 23
From: Sarasota, FL
Re: The Immigrant VISA Interview
Hi there,
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. To answer your questions based on my experience at the embassy, (and to be fair the person who answered on my behalf is right, part of the script I gave you is slightly garbled, as I was rushing before I had to go out.): -
1. Yes, you are told whether you are successful or not when they call you back to the window for the second time.
2). I was given a sealed envelope containing the immigration paperwok at the embassy once I was told my application was successful.
3). It's the passport that was returned by courier, but you have to pay for this while you are at the embassy. It took mine around 5 working days to be returned from memory.
I hope this is slightly less garbled and wish you luck....
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. To answer your questions based on my experience at the embassy, (and to be fair the person who answered on my behalf is right, part of the script I gave you is slightly garbled, as I was rushing before I had to go out.): -
1. Yes, you are told whether you are successful or not when they call you back to the window for the second time.
2). I was given a sealed envelope containing the immigration paperwok at the embassy once I was told my application was successful.
3). It's the passport that was returned by courier, but you have to pay for this while you are at the embassy. It took mine around 5 working days to be returned from memory.
I hope this is slightly less garbled and wish you luck....
Pat and Paul
