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Should we take the children to interview in London?

C

CymruArgie

Registered Users (C)
We have mixed information and wonder if any here can shed some light on this.

The letter from KCC states that all applicants listed should appear at the interview and our list includes the adults and our 4 year old daughter and our 8 months old baby boy.

However the Embassy in London says that children under 14 don't have to appear.

Anybody knows about it? Would it be a good idea to bring them?

The reason we are concerned is that one cannot bring bags or much stuff into the embassy so if we bring the children particularly the baby and the wait is long we might be in trouble with feeding them, leave aside the stress of children trying to play or cry during the wait or during the interview.

Thanks!
JC
 
Dear CymruArgie,

We have the same situation with this difference that we have a 18 months duaghter.
We have decided to take our duaghter to the interview becuase it is worth to avoid any risk. In your case, I think you should contact embassy to make sure you are on the safe side.

I have created a thread titled "Successful DV-2010 CP interview in London". PLease share your interview experience with us.

Good Luck.
 
Thx for bringing this up, i asked a friend who went for an interview with her three year old son ,said yes u ve to go with ur children. b'cos some consular will like to see them. i hope people who ve been there last year will contribute more.

i ve got 3yr and 9mths and our interview will be in london but we live in leamington.
thx again.
 
We actually called the Embassy but the person we spoke with was not very knowledgeable and had us online while he went to get the information from someone else. He finally said that children under fourteen do not need to be present.

I think that we will follow the KCC letter and take them (and hope we can manage with two crying, very alive children!)

Thanks
JC
 
We always brought our children to the embassy and we were glad we did because they always asked the kids a question...very simple like what is your name and how old are you....
Of course we don't know what would have happened if we didn't brought them although indeed it was mentioned you didn't have to....but we rather showed them, than having to come back...

Regarding the bag...they might keep it at security but if your waiting time is very long they won't deny you to feed or change your baby so don't worry they are humans too. Although strict they were always friendly and to be honest...bringing kids can be an advantage...on a cold day waiting outside we were always let in before others since they don't want children to wait too long in the cold:)
 
While we had our interview in Helsinki a couple showed up with a small child (2 years tops). Even though everyone else were not permitted to bring any bags with them, this couple was allowed to bring a bag with stuff for the child. As they have a security check for bags I'm sure its fine to bring a bag with stuff for the child.
 
cov,

Please share your interview experience with others. You are welcome to use the thread "Successful DV-2010 CP interview in London".

Thanks.
 
CymruArgie said:
We have mixed information and wonder if any here can shed some light on this.

The letter from KCC states that all applicants listed should appear at the interview and our list includes the adults and our 4 year old daughter and our 8 months old baby boy.

However the Embassy in London says that children under 14 don't have to appear.

Anybody knows about it? Would it be a good idea to bring them?

The reason we are concerned is that one cannot bring bags or much stuff into the embassy so if we bring the children particularly the baby and the wait is long we might be in trouble with feeding them, leave aside the stress of children trying to play or cry during the wait or during the interview.

Thanks!
JC
Click to expand...

We went for our interview in London with our four year old son and 2 month old daughter and the first thing we were told is that we didn't have to bring them along with us as they were under 14 years.
 
It would be awesome if you could share the interview experience in London! As USaholic suggested. Please do, it would really help knowing how things go. Was the interview just now?

Thanks
JC
 
USAHolic

USAHolic said:
cov,

Please share your interview experience with others. You are welcome to use the thread "Successful DV-2010 CP interview in London".

Thanks.
Click to expand...



pls usaholic i ve not been, i will be current in January and i am in england so definately my interview will be in london.
 
CymruArgie said:
We have our interview next week in London, we would love to hear about other's experiences.

Bless!
JC
Click to expand...

The interview was Wednesday last week @ 8am. We live in London so we drove there. There's a car park in S Audley Street which is like a 4/5 minute walk to the embassy. There's only one line (regardless of the VISA type) and there were around 50-60 people in front of us when we got there at 7.45am, however it moves very quickly. You're not allowed to take any electronic devices (even car key fobs) inside the embassy. There's a pharmacy in N Audley Street which will store them for you for a fee of £3.

Entered the embassy at around 8.40am, handed over NL and passports. Given a number and told to wait in the waiting area until the number is called. There are many people applying for non-immigrant visas and their numbers start with N, immigrant numbers start with I.

You can buy refreshments - tea, coffee, sandwiches etc from the cafe in the waiting area but you're allowed to take in food/drinks in with you.

At around 10.15am our number was called and we went to one of the windows to start the process. A very nice lady started collecting the documents - copies and originals. This process took around 20-25 minutes and I was told that everything was in order and it was time to cough up ($775 x 4) and to go back to window with the proof of payment. The cashier is window 12. Well here I had a small problem (remember Credit Cards, Cash, Bank Draft only i.e. no Debit Cards) - my bank declined the transaction even though I had given them notice the day before. Anyway to cut the story short I had to go out to find a bank and withdraw the payment in cash, back inside I handed the cash over and was given two receipts one for myself and one to go with our files.

After a 20-30 minute wait we were called for the second and final time to another window to be 'interviewed' by a USCIS offiicial. I was asked a few questions about the previous countries we lived in and why did we move to the UK. Some other questions regarding my studies and profession and my current employer (an American company). Was also asked where I was going to settle if we were granted the VISA, I said it depends on employment and she was satisifed with that.

Finally, we (my wife and myself) were asked to raise our right hand and swear that all the documents and information we provided are true, we were asked to sign the DS230 part II (I signed on behalf of the kids) and then the (very nice) USCIS official stated that she would be recommending the granting of the Immigrant VISA.

On the way out I stopped at the Secure Mail desk to hand in the passport return slip and pay.

This morning we received our passports back with the immigrant VISA (valid for 6 months) as well as 4 brown envelopes to be handed to Immigration at the POE.

I hope this helps.
 
Thanks a real lot Elkitos! It helps reall good to hear your experience.

One thing you mentioned is they do not accept debit cards. Our letter include debit cards, maybe they changed now? Just in case I think we will take cash?

Did you have any question about sponsors or the like? We have a letter with a Job Offer (I already have the job, but the letter states that is conditional to our being legal permanent residents) in employer letterhead signed by chair but not notarized. Some said it should and some say no need to notarize, so I hope it works fine.

Thanks!
JC
 
CymruArgie said:
Thanks a real lot Elkitos! It helps reall good to hear your experience.

One thing you mentioned is they do not accept debit cards. Our letter include debit cards, maybe they changed now? Just in case I think we will take cash?

Did you have any question about sponsors or the like? We have a letter with a Job Offer (I already have the job, but the letter states that is conditional to our being legal permanent residents) in employer letterhead signed by chair but not notarized. Some said it should and some say no need to notarize, so I hope it works fine.

Thanks!
JC
Click to expand...

If you have it on official companies letter, that should be fine...you need to be a scam artist to get your hands on a companies letter head and if they call they will find out soon enough, that is why it doesn't need to be notorized.
 
Thanks Eliktos and Bentlebee.

Sometimes it makes me wonder if some information given by the embassies is sort of not clear on purpose!

Some like Elkitos were told no debit cards. The letters says yes debit cards. And the website says debit cards only with visa logo.

The same happens with the translations, embassy on the phone says anybody can translate, no need to notarize, but website says sworn before notary public.

The letter says also that 2 pictures are required but if you sent a picture to KCC with the forms then you dont need to bring one and you will have left one when having the medical so that makes only one left to bring. Clear as water they ask for 2 pictures that behave as 3!

Anyway, just wanted to make some comments about these discrepancies about information given by visa services.

We are taking my birth certificate translated by a friend who signed certifying he is competent and fluent in both languages, but did not notarize so we pray it will work. And taking extra pictures and extra copies of everything just to avoid any hiccups.

My only problem so far is that mt Police records from Argentina have not yet come (they were sent Sept 28) and Royal Mail says not their problem and sent us to file a claim with the Argentine Postal Service who say they cannot track piece of mail after it leaves the country. I pray it will still come (strike? just now? come on!). If I do not have it on time what is the worse scenario? I do not think they will deny the visa, will they?

Well enough disgression for one morning.
JC
 
CymruArgie said:
Thanks Eliktos and Bentlebee.

Sometimes it makes me wonder if some information given by the embassies is sort of not clear on purpose!

Some like Elkitos were told no debit cards. The letters says yes debit cards. And the website says debit cards only with visa logo.

The same happens with the translations, embassy on the phone says anybody can translate, no need to notarize, but website says sworn before notary public.

The letter says also that 2 pictures are required but if you sent a picture to KCC with the forms then you dont need to bring one and you will have left one when having the medical so that makes only one left to bring. Clear as water they ask for 2 pictures that behave as 3!

Anyway, just wanted to make some comments about these discrepancies about information given by visa services.

We are taking my birth certificate translated by a friend who signed certifying he is competent and fluent in both languages, but did not notarize so we pray it will work. And taking extra pictures and extra copies of everything just to avoid any hiccups.

My only problem so far is that mt Police records from Argentina have not yet come (they were sent Sept 28) and Royal Mail says not their problem and sent us to file a claim with the Argentine Postal Service who say they cannot track piece of mail after it leaves the country. I pray it will still come (strike? just now? come on!). If I do not have it on time what is the worse scenario? I do not think they will deny the visa, will they?

Well enough disgression for one morning.
JC
Click to expand...

It seems you have 2 scenarios here. I would rather do what the embassy requires of me. After all you have the appointment with the embassy and not the kcc. As regards the police report, do your best to trace it, and get it too, before the appointment to avoid any risk of reschedule of appointment. Good luck and keep us updated.
 
We had it in the past at the embassy....no debit cards...when we got there with cash money (for a different visa) they had debit card payments.

We had to bring 4 enveloppes with postage to send the passports back to your home (each postage was Euro 7.50)....when the embassy send them back they put all of them in 1 enveloppe and kept our 3 other paid enveloppes with postage...of course we were happy with our visa's and never complained but it seemed not fair and very bad the way they inform people about the process. To me it also seems that one papers is for all embassies in the world although the put the Country on top...but all embassies have the same rules, while it clearly isn't.

But in the end, better be safe than sorry...:)
 
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