I am sitting here in a internet cafe in the Metrograd (sp?) in Kiev sending this post. Yesterday was our interview and Sveta got her Visa so we will be coming home in a few days. Woo Hoo! It has been a long journey.
I found the interview process to be very simple. We had a 10 am appointment and got there at 9:30. There was a long line outside but we just walked in and after a search we got to a window to pay the $100. After that we were told to wait in this room where it was crowded but not packed. I think there was about 12 women there for the K1 interview. After about 30 minutes they called us up to a window where we dropped off all the documents. Then about 30 minutes later Sveta got called up for fingerprinting. Then it took about 90 minutes before we were called for the interview.
Some of you may recall I asked about spelling of her first name awhile back on this board. Many people said to ignore it while others said we need to fix it. I tried to fix it through California. By the time the paperwork caught up our petition was already approved. So I checked the embassy and they said her first name spelling will not effect the outcome of her visa. Good thing I kept the email. We did not say anything at the interview but the interviewer did notice her name was different from her birth certificate and passport so she told us they will not issue the Visa that day because she needs to fix it. I showed the interviewer my email and I told her I called and wrote email and was told it would be no problem. She took it and went into the backroom for a few minutes. When she came out she continued with the interview and at the end told us to come back at 4 to pick up the Visa. Now I have no doubt that if I didn't ask about it we would not have gotten the Visa that day. I guess if you do nothing you leave it to chance if the interviewer notices it or not. Good thing we had the email.
As far as the questions go they only asked Sveta how many times we, met, first time we met, how we met, what my job was and what state I live in. That was it. The financial documents I did not fill out that form they say you can. Since it was an option I did not fill it out. I brought my tax forms from the last 3 years, letter from my company, paystubs and 401k info. She only looked at my latest paytsub, letter from my company and tax returns before handing them back. We also took about 10 photos of us together that she looked at. The interview even with the problem with her name lasted maybe 10 minutes.
Of the 12 that were asking for the Visa there was 4 men there. Of these 4 2 were turned down because the paperwork was done wrong. I also think 2 other women got turned down as we didn't see them later. After going through it as long as you are careful and fill out the paperwork exactly how it says you should have no problems. We did all our paperwork ourselves.
Well glad it is over and now a new chapter in our life starts... Now off to enjoy Kiev somemore.... I'll write more when I return.
Z
