London Interview Preparation.. what have you done so far ??
- Thread starter abeku66
- Start date
manfromafrica1
Registered Users (C)
London Interview Warning
Just a word of warning for those of us doing CP in London, I have read in a newspaper article how a chemist around the corner from the London Embassy is making a fortune by charging £10 for storage of electronic items.
Apparantly the Embassy is now implementing stricter security measures and does not allow you to take any electronic items i.e., mobile phones, electronic car keys etc.
Previously they were held at the security gate and now they are not allowed in at all.
Just a word of warning for those of us doing CP in London, I have read in a newspaper article how a chemist around the corner from the London Embassy is making a fortune by charging £10 for storage of electronic items.
Apparantly the Embassy is now implementing stricter security measures and does not allow you to take any electronic items i.e., mobile phones, electronic car keys etc.
Previously they were held at the security gate and now they are not allowed in at all.
My interview experience – Further Administrative Processing
We arrived at the London Embassy around 7.30am. There were about 15 people in the queue. (Warning: Please do not take your car keys, mobile phones, ipods, etc to the interview or else you will not be allowed to go through security. You’ll be asked to take them to a nearby address to keep). All watches, belts and coins go into a clear plastic bag. The security guard checked our passports and Notification letter and we were then asked to go through a security cabin with a metal detector. All bags and documents go through separately.
We proceeded to the foyer, collected the interview ticket (5xxx) and made our way to the hall at around 8.15am. There were between 40 – 80 people in the hall mainly for non-immigrant visas. According to the numbers on the screen, there were about less than 10 people for immigrant visa interviews. All eyes were on the monitors above, waiting for their ticket numbers to be called. [Note: children below the age of 14 years don’t need to attend but you have to take all their documents with you]
We waited for about an hour before our number was called to Window no. 14, where there was a young English guy waiting for us. He had a checking list in front of him and gave me a large brown envelope containing our chest x-rays and medical results. He then asked for our passports (if you are a dual citizen, you’ll be asked to choose the passport where you want the visa to be stamped). He also asked for the passport photos and told me to write the names at the back of the photos. After that, he requested our birth certificates, marriage certificate, police certificates, and academic qualifications (including copies). He asked whether I have any proof of income, I gave him the letter from the Bank and my bank statements. He said he wants copies only. I told him I also have the Affidavit of Support but he said the bank statements were enough. After the fingerprinting, I was handed a yellow card and was told to go to window 13 to pay. I paid the full amount in cash and in US$ and then went back to window 14 with my receipt. He then told me I’ll be given back all my originals after the interview. He told us to go back to the main room and wait for our number to be called.
We waited for about 50mins before our number was called to Window 15. This time it was an American lady who was behind the window. She greeted us and did another set of fingerprints! She returned the original academic certificates, marriage certificate, police certificates and birth certificates except for mine which she placed in one corner. She asked me to raise my hand up and take the Oath. She then asked us to sign our forms and also to sign for the kids. She asked the following questions:
C: What is your name?
C: What is your DOB?
C: What are your children’s and spouse’s DOB?
C: When did you get married?
C: Where were you born?
C: How old were you when you left your country?
C: When did you graduate?
C: Do you work? Where do you work? What do you do?
C: I can see you have some funds in your bank account.
Me: Yes, and I also have an Affidavit of Support.
C: No, the bank statements and letter from the bank are enough.
C: Who filed the Affidavit of Support for you?
C: How many relatives have you got in the US?
C: Why do you want to go to the US?
C: What would you do there?
C: All your documents seem OK but we’ll have to verify your Birth Certificate with the Officials in your native country since it is a certified copy. Leave this copy with us and we will send it back to you once we’re finished.
She then took a blue sheet of paper and marked an ‘X’ next to “Further Administrative Processing”. She handed it to me and told me they’ll contact me to send our passports to the Embassy once they’ve completed the verification of my birth certificate. I am now waiting and praying that they will call me before September 30th. I hope my experience will guide those of you with pending interviews.
We arrived at the London Embassy around 7.30am. There were about 15 people in the queue. (Warning: Please do not take your car keys, mobile phones, ipods, etc to the interview or else you will not be allowed to go through security. You’ll be asked to take them to a nearby address to keep). All watches, belts and coins go into a clear plastic bag. The security guard checked our passports and Notification letter and we were then asked to go through a security cabin with a metal detector. All bags and documents go through separately.
We proceeded to the foyer, collected the interview ticket (5xxx) and made our way to the hall at around 8.15am. There were between 40 – 80 people in the hall mainly for non-immigrant visas. According to the numbers on the screen, there were about less than 10 people for immigrant visa interviews. All eyes were on the monitors above, waiting for their ticket numbers to be called. [Note: children below the age of 14 years don’t need to attend but you have to take all their documents with you]
We waited for about an hour before our number was called to Window no. 14, where there was a young English guy waiting for us. He had a checking list in front of him and gave me a large brown envelope containing our chest x-rays and medical results. He then asked for our passports (if you are a dual citizen, you’ll be asked to choose the passport where you want the visa to be stamped). He also asked for the passport photos and told me to write the names at the back of the photos. After that, he requested our birth certificates, marriage certificate, police certificates, and academic qualifications (including copies). He asked whether I have any proof of income, I gave him the letter from the Bank and my bank statements. He said he wants copies only. I told him I also have the Affidavit of Support but he said the bank statements were enough. After the fingerprinting, I was handed a yellow card and was told to go to window 13 to pay. I paid the full amount in cash and in US$ and then went back to window 14 with my receipt. He then told me I’ll be given back all my originals after the interview. He told us to go back to the main room and wait for our number to be called.
We waited for about 50mins before our number was called to Window 15. This time it was an American lady who was behind the window. She greeted us and did another set of fingerprints! She returned the original academic certificates, marriage certificate, police certificates and birth certificates except for mine which she placed in one corner. She asked me to raise my hand up and take the Oath. She then asked us to sign our forms and also to sign for the kids. She asked the following questions:
C: What is your name?
C: What is your DOB?
C: What are your children’s and spouse’s DOB?
C: When did you get married?
C: Where were you born?
C: How old were you when you left your country?
C: When did you graduate?
C: Do you work? Where do you work? What do you do?
C: I can see you have some funds in your bank account.
Me: Yes, and I also have an Affidavit of Support.
C: No, the bank statements and letter from the bank are enough.
C: Who filed the Affidavit of Support for you?
C: How many relatives have you got in the US?
C: Why do you want to go to the US?
C: What would you do there?
C: All your documents seem OK but we’ll have to verify your Birth Certificate with the Officials in your native country since it is a certified copy. Leave this copy with us and we will send it back to you once we’re finished.
She then took a blue sheet of paper and marked an ‘X’ next to “Further Administrative Processing”. She handed it to me and told me they’ll contact me to send our passports to the Embassy once they’ve completed the verification of my birth certificate. I am now waiting and praying that they will call me before September 30th. I hope my experience will guide those of you with pending interviews.
We arrived at the London Embassy around 7.30am. There were about 15 people in the queue. (Warning: Please do not take your car keys, mobile phones, ipods, etc to the interview or else you will not be allowed to go through security. You’ll be asked to take them to a nearby address to keep). All watches, belts and coins go into a clear plastic bag. The security guard checked our passports and Notification letter and we were then asked to go through a security cabin with a metal detector. All bags and documents go through separately.
We proceeded to the foyer, collected the interview ticket (5xxx) and made our way to the hall at around 8.15am. There were between 40 – 80 people in the hall mainly for non-immigrant visas. According to the numbers on the screen, there were about less than 10 people for immigrant visa interviews. All eyes were on the monitors above, waiting for their ticket numbers to be called. [Note: children below the age of 14 years don’t need to attend but you have to take all their documents with you]
We waited for about an hour before our number was called to Window no. 14, where there was a young English guy waiting for us. He had a checking list in front of him and gave me a large brown envelope containing our chest x-rays and medical results. He then asked for our passports (if you are a dual citizen, you’ll be asked to choose the passport where you want the visa to be stamped). He also asked for the passport photos and told me to write the names at the back of the photos. After that, he requested our birth certificates, marriage certificate, police certificates, and academic qualifications (including copies). He asked whether I have any proof of income, I gave him the letter from the Bank and my bank statements. He said he wants copies only. I told him I also have the Affidavit of Support but he said the bank statements were enough. After the fingerprinting, I was handed a yellow card and was told to go to window 13 to pay. I paid the full amount in cash and in US$ and then went back to window 14 with my receipt. He then told me I’ll be given back all my originals after the interview. He told us to go back to the main room and wait for our number to be called.
We waited for about 50mins before our number was called to Window 15. This time it was an American lady who was behind the window. She greeted us and did another set of fingerprints! She returned the original academic certificates, marriage certificate, police certificates and birth certificates except for mine which she placed in one corner. She asked me to raise my hand up and take the Oath. She then asked us to sign our forms and also to sign for the kids. She asked the following questions:
C: What is your name?
C: What is your DOB?
C: What are your children’s and spouse’s DOB?
C: When did you get married?
C: Where were you born?
C: How old were you when you left your country?
C: When did you graduate?
C: Do you work? Where do you work? What do you do?
C: I can see you have some funds in your bank account.
Me: Yes, and I also have an Affidavit of Support.
C: No, the bank statements and letter from the bank are enough.
C: Who filed the Affidavit of Support for you?
C: How many relatives have you got in the US?
C: Why do you want to go to the US?
C: What would you do there?
C: All your documents seem OK but we’ll have to verify your Birth Certificate with the Officials in your native country since it is a certified copy. Leave this copy with us and we will send it back to you once we’re finished.
She then took a blue sheet of paper and marked an ‘X’ next to “Further Administrative Processing”. She handed it to me and told me they’ll contact me to send our passports to the Embassy once they’ve completed the verification of my birth certificate. I am now waiting and praying that they will call me before September 30th. I hope my experience will guide those of you with pending interviews.
Certified copy of BC ? how does that look like ? Anyways, we shall all pray with you to beat the sept 30th deadline.Congratulations in advance and thanks a lot for sharing your experience.It looks like the person who interviewed you on the day was a bit difficult.
manfromafrica1
Registered Users (C)
London CP Experience
Firstly, thank you for sharing your detailed experience with us, it is extremely helpful for thsoe of us following, I feel sorry that you did not get your visa approved on the day, it seems you had a tough interviewer with all those questions.
I would be grateful if you could give your views on the follwoing, as I am still not clear on the follwoing:
1.
Do they need a formal letter from the bank to state your actual balances over the year or would statements fro the period suffice, and, if a letter is required, what should it contain (the reason I ask is I have several accounts in different cities and the process of explaining what is required and getting a letter from each would be challanging).
2. I assume you are the principal applicant, in my case my wife is and she does not work and I am self-emplyed consultant so am not sure if the questions on income and employment etc will be directed at me or her.
3. Was your birth certificate a certified photo copy or a duplicate / extract from the register (I (benificiary) only have a copy of an extract).
4. How long have you been in UK?, could it be that you were grilled because you may have recently arrived and thus the questions about when you came etc.
We are all grateful for your valuable contributions and hopefully the issue will be resolved for you before time.
Firstly, thank you for sharing your detailed experience with us, it is extremely helpful for thsoe of us following, I feel sorry that you did not get your visa approved on the day, it seems you had a tough interviewer with all those questions.
I would be grateful if you could give your views on the follwoing, as I am still not clear on the follwoing:
1.
Do they need a formal letter from the bank to state your actual balances over the year or would statements fro the period suffice, and, if a letter is required, what should it contain (the reason I ask is I have several accounts in different cities and the process of explaining what is required and getting a letter from each would be challanging).
2. I assume you are the principal applicant, in my case my wife is and she does not work and I am self-emplyed consultant so am not sure if the questions on income and employment etc will be directed at me or her.
3. Was your birth certificate a certified photo copy or a duplicate / extract from the register (I (benificiary) only have a copy of an extract).
4. How long have you been in UK?, could it be that you were grilled because you may have recently arrived and thus the questions about when you came etc.
We are all grateful for your valuable contributions and hopefully the issue will be resolved for you before time.
Firstly, thank you for sharing your detailed experience with us, it is extremely helpful for thsoe of us following, I feel sorry that you did not get your visa approved on the day, it seems you had a tough interviewer with all those questions.
I would be grateful if you could give your views on the follwoing, as I am still not clear on the follwoing:
1.
Do they need a formal letter from the bank to state your actual balances over the year or would statements fro the period suffice, and, if a letter is required, what should it contain (the reason I ask is I have several accounts in different cities and the process of explaining what is required and getting a letter from each would be challanging).
2. I assume you are the principal applicant, in my case my wife is and she does not work and I am self-emplyed consultant so am not sure if the questions on income and employment etc will be directed at me or her.
3. Was your birth certificate a certified photo copy or a duplicate / extract from the register (I (benificiary) only have a copy of an extract).
4. How long have you been in UK?, could it be that you were grilled because you may have recently arrived and thus the questions about when you came etc.
We are all grateful for your valuable contributions and hopefully the issue will be resolved for you before time.
Answers:
1. You don't need a formal letter from the bank. They did not ask for it. They asked for Bank Statements but I included the letter as well.
2. Yes, I am the principal applicant. Your income can cover her - she's your wife. Questions re employment will be directed at both of you but the principal applicant will be the focus. If she has some form of qualification I believe it'll be ok.
3. It's a certified copy - an extract from the register. My friend(we are both from the same country) was also asked to leave his for verification. We come from S/Leone were a lot of people have certified copies, most originals lost or destroyed during the war.
4. No, I've been here for 8 yrs. She asked me when I left my country because I stayed in another country for 2 years before I came here.
I wish you the best of luck.
manfromafrica1
Registered Users (C)
Thanks for your reply, it really puts really puts things into perspective for us.
Answers:
1. You don't need a formal letter from the bank. They did not ask for it. They asked for Bank Statements but I included the letter as well.
2. Yes, I am the principal applicant. Your income can cover her - she's your wife. Questions re employment will be directed at both of you but the principal applicant will be the focus. If she has some form of qualification I believe it'll be ok.
3. It's a certified copy - an extract from the register. My friend(we are both from the same country) was also asked to leave his for verification. We come from S/Leone were a lot of people have certified copies, most originals lost or destroyed during the war.
4. No, I've been here for 8 yrs. She asked me when I left my country because I stayed in another country for 2 years before I came here.
I wish you the best of luck.
Sierra Leone ?? I now understand.It shall be well.... sleeep tight.Thanks for all the invaluable feedback.My opinion is that the 90's civil wars could be a contributory factor for the grill but since you are a genuine Sierra Leonean, there shouldn't be a problem.The main issue is how quickly they can obtain the necessary information they want.No worries bro, it shall definitely be well.As far as i know , they'll send a fax copy of your BC to the Sierra Leonian foreign office in England for them to confirm that you are actually from there.This process normally takes about 48 hours depending on how quickly they get the response from the foreign office.It's not a big deal at all.
cheers!!!
manfromafrica1
Registered Users (C)
By the way what form was it that you had to sign?
Form DS-230 Part II.
manfromafrica1
Registered Users (C)
London Interviews
I have been thinking the same thing for a while, had medicals done yesterday and the nurse said they have had quite a few DV medicals recently but not many on this forum.
The other thing I got to know is that the medical for DV is different from other Green Card visa's
Interview is in 2nd week of September so will post experience for others or if denied will jump off Tower Bridge.
Anyone going before then???
I have been thinking the same thing for a while, had medicals done yesterday and the nurse said they have had quite a few DV medicals recently but not many on this forum.
The other thing I got to know is that the medical for DV is different from other Green Card visa's
Interview is in 2nd week of September so will post experience for others or if denied will jump off Tower Bridge.
Anyone going before then???
Last edited by a moderator:
manfromafrica1
Registered Users (C)
Not quite sure but it may be that they are more flexible on Family Based green Cards where as we are self sponsored.
I also know that for K visas it is also different as there is further processing before Green Card.
I also know that for K visas it is also different as there is further processing before Green Card.
Medicals
Just wanted to find out if the medical that i had last week was the same format as the one everyone had.Did the doctor look at your ****??.She told me to pull down both my pants and boxers which i found very embarassing given the fact that she was very pretty and young looking.To make matters worse she told me she's only 33 and a divorcee.Was it the same for anyone who have had their medical in London ??
Just wanted to find out if the medical that i had last week was the same format as the one everyone had.Did the doctor look at your ****??
.She told me to pull down both my pants and boxers which i found very embarassing given the fact that she was very pretty and young looking.To make matters worse she told me she's only 33 and a divorcee.Was it the same for anyone who have had their medical in London ??manfromafrica1
Registered Users (C)
London Medicals
Yes seems like the same one.
She said she wanted to make sure I was a Man and so I obliged and showed her my third leg.
Just wanted to find out if the medical that i had last week was the same format as the one everyone had.Did the doctor look at your ****??
Yes seems like the same one.
She said she wanted to make sure I was a Man and so I obliged and showed her my third leg.
Successful cp in london
Hi Comrades,
Thanks for your contributions. We had a successful interview this morning; my wife is the principal applicant and my son and I are dependents. The process lasted about 55 minutes.
The main questions were:
*Can you tell me about yourself?
*Where will you be going to in the States?
*Do you know someone in the US?
Main Points
* Pray to God
* The embassy staff are friendly and demonstrates readiness to assist you to get the visa.
* Do not send any electronic device including care keys
* Try as much as possible to adhere to the simple rules of the game
* Read about other peoples experiences and ask questions about things you are not clear about.
Good luck to you all.
Hi Comrades,
Thanks for your contributions. We had a successful interview this morning; my wife is the principal applicant and my son and I are dependents. The process lasted about 55 minutes.
The main questions were:
*Can you tell me about yourself?
*Where will you be going to in the States?
*Do you know someone in the US?
Main Points
* Pray to God
* The embassy staff are friendly and demonstrates readiness to assist you to get the visa.
* Do not send any electronic device including care keys
* Try as much as possible to adhere to the simple rules of the game
* Read about other peoples experiences and ask questions about things you are not clear about.
Good luck to you all.
Last edited by a moderator:
manfromafrica1
Registered Users (C)
*Can you tell me about yourself?
Is this a trick question to catch the applicant out? or is it asked to confirm what is on DS-122 and DS-230 ??
*Can you tell me about yourself?
Any views?
Is this a trick question to catch the applicant out? or is it asked to confirm what is on DS-122 and DS-230 ??
*Can you tell me about yourself?
Any views?