Interview Day Checklist — US Embassy London

Night before

Passport Valid and undamaged
Sealed document envelope from document check Do NOT open it
Interview letter
DS-260 confirmation page
Courier registration confirmation with QR code

Backup documents (bring, rarely requested):

Original ACRO police certificate
Marriage / birth certificate originals
I-864 Affidavit of Support + joint sponsor docs

ALL FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS MUST ALREADY BE UPLOADED TO CEAC. The officer will not accept new documents at the window.

Morning of interview

Arrive ~30 minutes early E.g. 7:30 for an 8:00 appointment
Go straight to the front — do NOT join the main non-immigrant queue
State clearly: "I am here for an immigrant visa interview"
Check passport sticker has correct name and case number
Airport-style security — no laptops, no large bags

Bag storage nearby: District Coffee (Nine Elms) or World Heartbeat Cafe if your hotel cannot hold items.

Inside — two steps

Step 1 — Document window:

Hand over passport and sealed document envelope
Confirm courier details
Fingerprints (if requested)
Sit back down and wait

Step 2 — Interview window:

Take oath
Answer questions — typically 2–5 minutes
Receive decision (usually immediate)

Total time inside: ~90–120 minutes. The wait is long; the interview is short.

Typical interview questions

CR1 / IR1 (Spouse)

How and when did you meet?
Where does your spouse live?
What does your spouse do for work?
What do you do for work?
Prior marriages?
Have you lived elsewhere / been arrested?
Who is your joint sponsor?

IR2 (Child of US Citizen)

Where does your parent live?
What does your parent do for work?
When did you last see your parent?
Who do you currently live with?
Do you have siblings in the US?

IR5 (Parent of US Citizen)

How did your child become a US citizen?
Where does your child live?
What does your child do for work?
Who is the joint sponsor (if applicable)?
Have you lived in the US before?

General (all categories)

Have you ever been arrested?
Have you lived in other countries?
Have you been married before?
What are your plans in the US?

High-risk failure points

Joining the non-immigrant queue
Forgetting the sealed envelope
Bringing a laptop or large bag
Financial documents not already in CEAC
Answers inconsistent with DS-260 or CEAC documents
Sticker missing correct name or case number

Non-UK nationals: be aware of potential visa pause issues. Know your situation before you walk in.

Remember

By this point USCIS, NVC, and medical have all cleared your case — this is a final consistency check
Passport + sealed envelope are the only essentials. Everything else is backup.
Skip the queue, state "immigrant visa", and follow staff instructions
Short interview, long wait — approval is typically immediate if documents were correct