Friday, October 3, 2014

Becoming an Alien Spouse, IR-1, step #4 - interview

The final step  of my immigration journey (in Finland) is here! After I received the medical results, it was time to be interviewed at the U.S embassy's Helsinki consulate in Kaisaniemi. This was my fifth U.S embassy visa interview, and my second in Kaisaniemi, so I was pretty familiar with how it works. My previous interviews were for student visas though. 

My appointment was at 9am and I arrived at 8.50am to Kaisaniemi. I had to wait outside in the staircase for about 20 minutes with about ten other people. After I was called in, I had to go through a security check and had to leave everything but my papers at the coat check.

After that I was showed into the waiting room, where I spend the next 25 minutes mostly waiting for my turn. I was first called to bring my passport, medical info and a printout of completing the form DS-260 to one Finnish speaking clerk. After that I was called to give my fingerprints to another Finnish speaking clerk. Then last I was called for an interview.

Another random photo: Miami, Florida in 2006

The interview took less than 5 minutes, and was mostly small talk. The consul's relative lives in Nebraska, so we discussed that :D She did ask me a few questions:

-why are you moving to the U.S? ("husband wants to")
-how long have you been married? ("x years")
-where did you meet? Which university? ("in college", "Nebraska")
-do you have kids? How many? Is he already a citizen? ("yes, one, yes")
-where are you moving? ("depends on my husband's job interviews, but first to Nebraska")
-when are you moving? ("xx.xx.xxxx")

So pretty straight forward questions. I also brought a ton of evidence of our marriage with me, but they never asked me to show any. I picked up my visa at the consulate 5 days later and now I'm good to go :) Next step, port of entry!

Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend!

10 comments:

Eveliina said...

Wow, onnittelut hehee! Milloin lähtö koittaa??

Sugar said...

Kiitoksia :D Itseasiassa lahdetaan parin paivan paasta jo tyohaastattelureissulle, jatko riippuu sitten niista miehen haastatteluiden tuloksista :)

Leena said...

Hieno uutinen - ja onnea ! Jo haastatteluja on meilla pain - niin taallakin voi piipahtaa ! :)

Sugar said...

Leena, kiitos! Ja olisipa ne tyohaastattelut siella teillapain, kun juuri sinne haluaisin muuttaa :D Miehella on sukulaisiakin NC:ssa, niin ei tarvitsisi ihan ilman mitaan kontakteja muutella.

Unknown said...

Oikein paljon onnea viisumista, ja lisaonnea matkaan haastattelumatkalle! :) Kuulostaa etta muutto on jo lahella!

Sugar said...

Kiitoksia Marju! Saa nahda minne paadytaan!

Essi said...

Eeek! Onneks olkoon! Innolla odotan seuraavaa päivitystä! :)

Sugar said...

Essi, kiitoksia! Kylla itseakin jannittaa aika paljon :D

Pilvi said...

Can't believe I missed this and you're already stateside! Finally it's here! Congratulations! I'm so happy for you, and excited! Secretly (or not-so-) I'm hoping you'd end up around here, of course. Let me know if Chicago is one of your stops if there's anything I can give a hand with!

Sugar said...

Pilvi, thank you! It feels a bit unreal that we finally got the visa :) I will definitely let you know if we move your way! I would be so happy to live near someone I "know" :)