What To Expect At Your Interview

Important guidance for attending a visa interview

You will go through airport-style security screening. Due to the impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19), everyone should wear a face mask if they are aged 11 or over. You can choose to buy a mask or make your own. Click here for information about how to make a face covering (sew and no-sew tutorials are available).

You must not bring laptops or bags above cabin-baggage size to your appointment as they not are permitted into the building and there are no storage facilities available. To save time, we recommend that you keep the number of small bags and belongings that you bring with you to an absolute minimum.

If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or have been exposed to the virus, you must reschedule your appointment through your account on the Visa Appointment Service website. If you have recently entered the UK and you are subject to mandatory quarantine, your appointment must take place after the 14 day quarantine period.

Interviews are by appointment only.  You will not be admitted more than 15 minutes prior to the time shown and arriving more than 30 minutes after the scheduled appointment time may result in the cancellation of your appointment. All immigrant visa applicants, including children, are required to visit the Embassy in person for a formal visa interview.

You can expect to be at the Embassy for approximately 1.5 hours.

Make sure you have completed Step 4. You will be required to bring your appointment letter and courier confirmation page to the visa interview.  

Unless already submitted to the National Visa Center (NVC), you must bring the documents to your interview.  The original of each document is required for each applicant regardless of age, including babies. A photocopy of each document must also be submitted. If you have not already done so, check our list of required documents (2 pages, PDF).

It is your responsibility to document or correct any biographic discrepancies such as your name in your passport or birth certificate.

All corrections must be made before your immigrant visa interview.  Failure to do this may prevent us from processing your application for an immigrant visa to a conclusion at the time of your appointment.

If you wish to reschedule your appointment, you may do so online at https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-gb/iv

Applicants registered in the family sponsored (F-1, F-2, F-3, F-4) categories, should note that if they re-schedule the appointment for a different month, the Immigrant Visa Unit may not be able to process their application and they may have to wait several months before final action can be taken in their case.

If you do not attend the scheduled appointment and do not contact the Embassy, your case may be closed.

Note:  If you reschedule the appointment through the online appointment system you are required to bring with you the confirmation page that is generated when the appointment is scheduled.  You will find this document by clicking on “Print Instructions” link.