SAMPLE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS K Visa Questions about your love story:
Please be aware that this is the sample list of K visa interview questions. You may not be asked same questions. You may be asked questions that are not listed here. This list has been just to help you prepare and give you an idea regarding the kind of questions that you may expect. Mostly the questions are all about the things that you filled up in the form. Consuls ask personal questions that you can answer yourself (if you really knew your fiancé well). While they ask a barrage of questions, look on the eye (that’s the important thing to do!!)
QUESTIONS about you:
Questions about him:
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This is kind of long please bear with this. This is an account of my interview experience at the US Embassy in Manila as a fiancée visa beneficiary. This is also a part of my diary entry. I hope somehow someone going there gets something out of this as I learned so much from others’. :-)
MY INTERVIEW EXPERIENCE
ARRIVED IN MANILA
I flew to manila the day before my interview on August 23, 2006. In the plane I had two people who wished me luck for the interview on the morrow. It’s a good thing!!
INTERVIEW DAY
My cell phone alarmed @ 3:00am. I was still so sleepy then. I took a shower then did my hair. My cosmetics teacher told me to always accentuate or focus on my eyes so I put a small but recognizable light blue eye shadow for added confidence (though we don’t necessarily wear makeup, a lipstick is just okay). I don’t know if white is for “good luck” too but I wear white blouse for it, and I’m glad it’s a long sleeved one because it’s so cold inside the embassy. And to show them I am serious (just kidding) I wore my glasses because I didn’t want to miss my number on the queuing board.
I went out around 4:30am and saw that there were many people already in the waiting shed outside the embassy gate.
LINING UP
I went directly to the red waiting shed right across Miramar Hotel and sat on the back. After few moments I observed and met the famous lady vendor! She’s obviously been there as early as the anxious applicants, who kept them on line according to their appointment time. Since mine is 6:30am, she told me to just go right away to the gate few meters away and follow the line there. And she called me “Sushmita Sen”! Well, a dark horse winner! And that’s a good start of the day.
Just when I reach gate near the entrance the early guard started to let applicants in. Only those with 6:30am appointment time were allowed that time, checking the APPOINTMENT LETTER and 1 VALID ID, I used my personal copy of NBI. So I had it ready beforehand. Then we were led inside to the red waiting shed inside the gates and occupied the first seats. I sat next to a fellow fiancée who is also Bisaya so we conversed normally and easily and shared info's. I also saw there some fiancées and spouses accompanied by their partners. Good for them. By 6:00am another guard checked our APPOINTMENT LETTER and VALID ID.
ENTERING INTO THE EMBASSY BLDG.
Then we were told to get ready and form a line outside the entrance gate/door. When we heard the “tick” of the black steel door it was okay to pull it and then enter. We passed through a security check and then put all our things through the scanner. I would have not mind if shoes and slippers have to pass through also. Cell phones, cameras and other electronic devices were deposited in the security area with our ID and given a claim number. Talking about security, of course. The door locks automatically and we had to wait for the clicking sound, which signaled that we could now enter. I took a lead; my new friend just followed me and all the apprehensions gone.
No cubicles were manned yet so the guards let us occupy the first few vacant seats. Then we were told to go to the ticket booth right side of the entrance where the young Filipino staffs took our APPOINTMENT LETTER, 2 SETS of DS 156 and 157, and the DS 156K. I had mine all prepared so I was given a ticket number right away (7002). One lady kept coming in and out of line because she only filled one set of DS 156 and 157, and her pictures were not pasted yet, and she missed to answer some fields. Another lady got out of line because she used the DS 157 form with no bank validation, so she got her copy of it and started filling in. and both girls have to answer again the field asking NATIONALITY. They put Filipino instead of PHILIPPINES. Just some observations though.
But after we got the tickets/number stubs, all were called in random order. BIOMETRICS I was first called to window 17 for index finger scanning, and the staff told us to show our ticket/stubs and PRESS our left index finger then the right index on the scanner. Another wait.
PRELIMINARY INTERVIEW
This would be between counters 10-26 and conducted by Filipinos. My number was finally queued for the preliminary interview with Filipino staff. Indeed, as I read that the dividing table is so high so we had to stand, but it was wide enough to lay our documents on the counter shoulder. I put all my folders in a clear plastic 2inch thick envelop/file case and I laid it on the table. I smiled and greeted the Filipina staff “good morning” and she greeted me too. Then questions were asked:
· The famous one- Who is your petitioner? Gosh I forgot to answer it slowly and I spoke fast she asked me to clear it. OK better next time. Was just so excited.
· How and when did you meet? I answered a bit slowly that time. And she said, “ah talaga?” and I smiled and said “yes” and she smiled too.
· How do you know it’s him? Well I childishly answered “it clicked!” I just didn’t mind it so much.
· What countries you have been to? “Republic of India”. She looked at me and nodded and she got my passport and put it in a small plastic envelop and staple it to my folder along with the 2 visa pictures I submitted at St. Luke’s.
· So how do you know it’s him? Oh yes, she was not satisfied with my previous answer so I answered.
She asked for my BC and NBI so I gave her my NSO authenticated birth certificate and my NBI clearance with photocopies but she said she would just take the originals. Did you work in India? I said “yes”. She didn’t speak.
· What did you do in India? “I was a tourist ma'am.” And she said, “ah tourist?” “Yes ma’am” and then she nodded. Now I knew I didn’t hear her well at first.
· For how long? They said to never volunteer information but I guess this one would help in establishing our relationship, so I added, “we were together in India ma'am for __.” And she looked at me and said “okay”.
· What does your fiancé do? I rehearsed this one so many times but in the end I answered, “ he’s working for ___ _______ Services as a ____ Superintendent, and he’s stationed in __. Nagdi-drill sila ng __” I added with matching action. And she smiled and said “oh really?” “Yes ma'am”. 'Have to be kind.
· When did we met in person and how long? I enumerated all the dates of his visits here and the duration and added again that we were together in India and then come back here together; I guess it was a point.
She asked me my AFFIDAVIT OF SUPPORT papers. I gave her myproof of support folder containing it along with the
- bank letter,
- employment letter,
- recent pay stubs,
- last 3 years of ITR complete
- and W2’s
since I put them in one folder, I even gave her another folder containing all the photocopies of the financial documents. but she said she would just take the originals. She scanned my folder and said, “what’s this?” then she read the index tabbing and knew it was the ITR 2005. I was so glad she was really nice. My friend told me that her Filipino interviewer scolded her and told to give only the documents asked, but mine is on the same folder so I gave the whole folder. I was specifically praying hard that I would not end up getting my papers one by one out from the plastic fillers since it would be a hassle. But I really intentionally put them in one folder so that if they wouldn’t ask one or forget to ask one, they would still see all my financial documents. It was also in this stage that the interviewers ask most documents, if not all.
· Is he divorced? But hey I don’t recall the date she said being on the papers I submitted! But when I looked on the papers she was looking at, oh yes, of course, I recognized the I-129F!
· Does he have any children?
· What’s your job? I could see in my mind the ones I answered in DS157, and I answered “I was working for the Local Government of ___ last year as a ___ but now I’m unemployed:-). She confirmed if I am a CE and then wrote it in her report/paper. She kept noting there my answers and I guess it was what she would forward to the consul.
Then she asked pictures of us together. I gave her myproof of genuine relationship folder containing it along with
- letter of intent to marry from both of us,
- promise ring receipt and design,
- engagement and wedding ring design and receipt,
- and our engagement pictures.
Again, I’m so glad and felt lucky that she didn’t complain. Maybe the way I prepared my folders. She was scanning through my folder and looking at our pictures and said “ah eto ba xa?” and smiled and continued to look at the rest of the photos.
She asked if I have mails. I told her emails ma'am. She said okay. And then I gave her myproof of continuous relationship folder 2 containing my
- emails,
- chat logs and transcripts
- and the video chats.
And she said “ang dami!” It was so thick, I was specifically worried of this one folder that it might not fit into the slot, but I could not make it thinner and two folders for emails for me were too many. But it easily went through the slot in the counter. I was so glad; the Filipina interviewer even helped me in passing through my folders.
I saw her glanced at my clear plastic file case and asked what else did I have there. Yes!! This is it!! I've worked hard to prepare my documents and folders one by one and I prayed that they would ask all of them so that my efforts and preparation would be paid off, at least they must see what I prepared. So I said “way-bills ma'am” and gave theevidence for continuous relationship folder 1 containing
- way-bills even with e-tracking,
- flower express way-bills I even included the actual “dried roses”
pasted in the envelops,
- my western union receipts,
- bank statement,
- his 7 month phone bills
- and my phone cards.
She gathered it all and seemed to be having fun collecting my folders and it got heavier on her, and I gave then myproof of meeting folder with
- immigration-stamped passport page,
- itineraries, airline tickets,
- boarding passes,
- hotel folios
- and original receipts.
She scanned all of my folders and when she was through she read my files on her table and I recognized the medical report. She just didn’t say anything. I was so happy and contented then she told me that I would wait for my number to be queued for the final interview with the consul. I smiled to her and said, “thank you ma'am” (for being so nice and kind):-)...
I thanked God it went all well with her. I was so relieved when I returned to my seat carrying my now so light file case. Another wait. Gosh we stayed for almost 2 hours now inside and I felt so cold already, i'm laterally shuddering. I can’t imagine if I wear short sleeved. My friend was through with her interview with the consul and I asked her what the consul said, if she’s approved or not, but said that she was just told to wait for her name to be called.
FINAL INTERVIEW BY THE CONSUL
That would be between counters 27-32. Cubes 27 and 28 were in one room. Several minutes passed and my number was queued for the consul in W30. As I passed by the cubicles, I looked at the consuls’ cube and I saw one who was so beautiful but I prayed mine would be a nice one. I waited outside the cubicle since there was still an applicant inside. It took so long before the woman applicant got out of the cubicle, and I looked at her, didn’t know, but the woman was murmuring. I came inside and greeted the American woman consul “good morning” which I’m sure she didn’t hear. She smiled even before I was able to!! Then said something which I guess a greeting too. . Her way of smiling reminds me of a nurse interacting with her patient to make him calm, and I felt the more comfortable. She was almost a mother to me that time, and she’s also beautiful.
I saw her got a pink/white stripe approved k card and wrote MNL number there. I tried to read it; oh it seemed like my number! (nangambisyon). I told myself “Hey Lotis don’t think it's yours, you're not yet interviewed!” but of course, we have sequencing MNL numbers and we have same appointment... she attached the card to the folder in her table. Now I knew that the murmuring applicant was after all approved. She just seemed had hard time convincing to the consul’s satisfaction some info's maybe, but she’s approved.
Then she went away. So I had time to observe her table. I saw the green/white stripe approved IV card in front of me, and on the other side, the pink/white approved k card and also the denied card, forgot the color though. The chair in the cubicle is perpendicular to the consul so I sat in such way I am comfortably facing her, and I positioned my hands in such way she would see my engagement ring and also my promise ring! (ksp?)...
At last I was entertained. She asked me to raise my hand and take my oath. I just complied and answered truthfully as I looked into her eyes. She was encoding something into the computer and after that she asked me already.
· What the name of your petitioner? I answered his full name. And I saw her checked it against our file which I clearly observed now to be approximately 3 inches thick. First in page was the I-129F. There were also few sheets but not fastened. They enclosed all in a pink folder they used for my files.
· Does he come by any other name?
· Where did we meet?
· When did we first meet? Answer must be consistent with the Filipina interviewer.
· What countries I have been to? They would always look at the passport.
· When did we see each other personally? So I enumerated again the dates he came to visit me and that we were together in India and then came back here together.
· What did I do in India? “I was tourist ma'am”.
· What places did I go there? I answered, “we stayed in Mumbai and I went to the gateway to India, and other tourist spots there.” She smiled.
- Have you seen the film making industry in Mumbai? “I just passed by there ma'am”, and I added “it’s Bollywood”. Then she smiled again.
She removed the rubber band holding my documents and folders together and she said “oh” and smiled. I know it’s heavy! She smiled again shaking her head as she looked at my folders. I had to make an impression! She read my affidavit of support, and then looked at our pictures. I grouped my pictures into 4 titles: I and my fiancé together, petitioner getting to know my family, and petitioner meeting my relatives, and a cutout of Indian newspaper “the Times of India” of all our pictures there, all captioned. And she asked me if my fiancé met my relatives, and I answered “a bunch” I don’t know if it was a right answer but yes he met my numerous relatives.
· Is he married before? I said “no”.
· No? “Me?”
· Yes, you... “no I was not married before ma'am”
· Your fiancé? Gosh I didn’t hear her well, and then I saw her fold again the paper she was looking at which I knew was the decree. I was waiting even from the Filipina interviewer to be asked of it since I had it with me but they didn’t ask. So maybe that was it, they have it already with their file.
I also saw a document, which I was sure to be a color copy of his passport front page. The file was almost 3 inch thick. Then she read something on the middle page and continued to scan the file. I realized then that the embassy has all our files in tacked no matter how think, so any discrepancies in our answers would always be discovered.
· Why you chose fiancée visa instead of spousal visa?
Then she told me to wait for my name to be called. Oh! That was what my friend said her consul told her. I have to know! So before standing up, I asked, “am I approved ma'am?” then she smiled and said, “Yes, everything is in order”. And I saw her got that pink/white stripe approved k card and attached it to my folder. I smiled and said, “thank you ma'am”, she smiled again and I left the cubicle.
WINDOW 37
Not 5 minutes passed my number was queued for counter 37. There my folders were returned to me except the financial documents. I was given a pink paper and told to pay Delbros. Number stubs/tickets were returned to this window. But before going I asked the lady there “what’s the difference between the green stripe and the pink stripe?” but she said sa kanila na lang daw ‘yon. It was obvious, but I just wanted to hear from them. Then I asked her “isn’t it that if you're told to pay it is approved already?” but she said she could not tell. Kulit, eh? Then I saw again that pink/white stripe approved k card attached to the folder they used for me and then I left.
If you were not approved then they wouldn’t let you pay the visa delivery fee yet and they would give you a white form to fill up and you have to come back.
Should you be taken into AR, you would also know during this last part, as they would give you a paper that says so. The person n the counter would also tell you that you were indeed in AR and to wait for further advice from the embassy.
VISA DELIVERY PAYMENT
I was given a delivery form/paper along with the pink paper to fill up and I paid Delbros near the entrance opposite the ticket booth (for 315Php since I’m not in the major city). My friend and I went out and met the Bisaya guard and made “chicka chicka’ for some assurance. From him I gathered that yellow stripes is for tourists, green is for immigrants, and he said something for seafarers. And as obvious as it is, pink stripes is for k visas. I’ve read that once you're told to pay Delbros you're approved already, for if not, they won't let you pay and let you know and give you some forms telling why or some documents lacking. Mine was overkill!!
FIRST GATE
Then we went out (it was raining) and claimed back our cell phones and called our fiancés for the good news. We were out of the embassy few minutes before 10am. The consul really said I was approved but deep inside I began to be worried because the approved card was of different color from the previous experiences, even though it said approved. And yes, as our attorney said that colors always change, and processes do also when they see it fit. Whatever color it would be as long as it says “approved” its okay. Maybe they changed it this time.
I didn’t hear any of us there being denied that day but I knew one who was told to give an unexpired NBI clearance, but she was approved though. I arrived to the hotel at about 10:00am and I met the girl there who filled only one set of DS forms. And she checked out so early in the morning! So I had to invite her in to my room and did some "chicka chika". “Sleep, wait some more!” She changed inside and later on left and I dozed off. At 2:00pm, we received an automated text message from Delbros that we will be notified again when our visa will be released by the embassy.
I thanked God that we were through with this stage. How God could have answered even the smallest detail I prayed for? Then I remember my family and relatives who were praying for me, especially the Church. And it’s a good thing. And yes, the Lord my God is great!!!
3 days later I got my VISA packet on hand!!!
BOTTOM LINE!!!!
· We love our fiancés/hubbies so much so our union must not be in their hands. Prepare well and complete your documents and know them by heart. I really enjoyed doing my papers. It was like a project in college.
· Come to the embassy early, prepared, and all documents checked. It would be too late to get missing papers.
· Always smile to people; tensions will be released by it.
· For me there were just two kinds of questions asked of the applicants: one is taken from the document entries to check the consistencies of your document against what you will answer. So we have to really know our documents by heart, or put your heart in your documents:-). Second is about our relationship and most times about our fiancés. Maybe it happened before but some might be using this process to gain passage, i.e., for convenience only. So we must know things about our partners.
· Pray and be specific and trust that it will be answered.
· Be informed. I read almost all experiences by k applicants and summarized all details into one guide that I read in my spare time, both for the CFO seminar, the St. Luke’s, and for the embassy. Though my fiancé hired an attorney, I still researched for info's and details that attorney might not give clue.
· Know your interview answers. I copied and pasted all questions asked and practiced to answer them even repeatedly. In the actual interview it was just so easy. Kina-career ko!
· Be consistent with your answers. The Filipino interviewers note down your answers and forward them to the consul who asks again the same question. Just not putting a cloud.
· Do not use hard bound photo albums if you don’t want to end up getting photos out one by one for it will not fit into the counter slot. I saw many brought hard album so one was told to just get some and show to the interviewers, instead of them looking at all of the pictures; one even brought a very big wedding album I was sure so heavy.
· Check if your documents are still valid, if expired you should get a new one. One had to come back again to the embassy because her NBI clearance was expired already. This also applies to other forms used.
· Be attentive to the queuing board for your number, sometimes they also page it. One number had to be skipped because no one showed, or didn’t see.
· Know the data entries on your documents. They are checking for consistencies.
· You can use and fill up the DS Forms on-line as many times or the ones that came with the k packet. I used downloaded DS Forms. (The actual from the packet I kept as remembrance:-)) They also have DS forms in the embassy in case you lost one.
· Be sure you have two sets of DS 156 and DS 157, each set stapled. One DS 157 must have bank validation at the back. And one DS 156K.
· DS 156: Paste your visa photos beforehand on the space provided for to avoid delay. 12. Nationality is PHILIPPINES 14. None. 26. Permanently 27. Enter marriage to “your fiancé”. 32. Our lawyer said to put “NO”. This is a fiancée visa. 33. “NO” 40. If you prepared it, still answer your name there and put “self” in relationship and fill in address. And sign.
· DS 157: 10. Of course “Philippines”
· DS 156K In “do not write below this line” put your fiancé’s name and your signature. Leave as it is the consul’s part. Don’t leave blank spaces, put “none or N.A.” whichever is appropriate.
These are just simple things but it helped me before. Good Luck!!!
Hello, welcome aboard my blog. These are just journals of my thoughts, pictures, musings, remembrance of home, and my adventures and experiences in the United States with my ever-loving husband, and for updates for my family 10,000 miles away, and of course, though this is for personal recreation, hoping for readers to get any sense and humor of what I write :-D. Keep posted. Be well.
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