The 2008 United Kingdom Interview Thread!

[Sal and Jay 2]

Oh Sal - I am sure it is fine - didn't it get sorted here?

No hon they told me this today.

[Jeraly 4]

That's really weird - I mean you had the x-ray before, right? then you just had it again? and now they want to do it for a third time?! I thought it was just because they got a crappy pic the first time?

[Roselinda 5]

Thanks guys! It is my pleasure to maintain the list since the UK forum RAWKS!!!!

hey julez!

can we be added to your list?

pretty please!?

[*julez* 124]

Thanks guys! It is my pleasure to maintain the list since the UK forum RAWKS!!!!

hey julez!

can we be added to your list?

pretty please!?

Of course!!! Let me just look at your timeline and I'll add you in an update shortly!

[*julez* 124]

Updates!!

January 2008 Graduates of the US Embassy in London:

Malia & Tom (Tom_g), jmrb, Dazzler, walkies_a, julez & Griff, English Muffin, Stephen & Amber, Chris & Amy, Shorty & Nilz, NikkisPrecious, Randy & Maggie(Mustang-sally), ddkm, Gwen666, Teachmehistory, Jeff & Bev (Wellywench), Shadow42 (Andrew & Robin), Chelsea & Ed (edchels), DD2004, Barrel_roll

February 2008 Graduates of the US Embassy in London:

C and J (Cheryl & Josh), Tinkerbelle, weedebz, nacampbell (Neil & Annie), kdancer, GlenandLisa, Lil-Lost-Girl, lostpup, jodinjames, Janaus, Courtney, Gareth's Girl, ericdraven

March 2008 Graduates of the US Embassy in London:

Bforbarree, StillthePrettiest, toshtishtash, londonuk, pkscotus, lisalu100, Darren&Laura, tomsandi, DonnaB, ladyynara, babblesgirl, zoobuffalo and KJC.

April 2008 Graduates of the US Embassy in London:

Geordielover, ajeanne, jeraly, minnietheminx, Poiteen, thejoz/thesquozenone, Chorely80, brooksmc, smallz, greeneyedgirlfl, lilysintrigue, AtlantiCat, sam and nic, NickyMcMillan

Still waiting:

Sad Eyes...........................................2008-02-25 Stuck in AP - hopefully not for long!

Upcoming Interviews:

• Damian& Kelly.....................................2008-05-02 APPROVED!!!!
• Coatsy..............................................2008-05-15 APPROVED!!!!
• saffyre..............................................2008-05-19 APPROVED!!!!
• Robyn-n-Kris......................................2008-05-20 APPROVED!!!!
• Chris JennTX......................................2008-05-21 APPROVED!!!!
• Sal and Jay........................................2008-05-23 APPROVED!!!!
• ric....................................................2008-05-30
• Glyn & Kathy.......................................2008-06-03
• celtic59.............................................2008-06-05
• bbpatel.............................................2008-06-05
• Roselinda...........................................2008-06-10

Anyone else with dates please either post in this thread or PM me so that I can add you to the list! If you don't tell me, I will not know since I don't get all fancy and search the timelines for making the list!

[Sal and Jay 2]

That's really weird - I mean you had the x-ray before, right? then you just had it again? and now they want to do it for a third time?! I thought it was just because they got a crappy pic the first time?

Thats what i thought too, she said she sees a small amount of fluid on my lung, but when i explained i had cold and chest infection she ignored that and wants me to go through this scan. I am absoloutly scared, upset and worried sick, it would be devastating, that now my visa is approved that it may not be released to me if they dont clear my medical.

[snowfrostedlashes 0]

Thanks everyone but im pretty down, they now want to do a ct scan on my lungs and I am scared so scared.

Having read what you've posted before about having had the flu about six weeks before your medical I would think this is probably the culprit for the fluid as your GP suggested to you, so with any luck the antibiotics will have made a good start at clearing this up. It's always very frightening when something like this happens but I think doctors will often dismiss the relevance of 'flu' since a lot of people say they've had the flu when all they've had is a bad cold. My Mum had flu a few years back and then recovered and went back to work but couldn't understand why she kept feeling so tired until she went back to the GP after experiencing some chest pain and found out she had developed pleurisy. Always try to go with the most positive thought - and in your case the antibiotics should clear the problem and you will be fine. Most likely the senior consultant that they had check over the x-rays just wants to be thorough just in case since it would be appalling if they missed something that potentially was serious, however unlikely that may be.

I hope that you get the all clear about the fluid soon. It may well be that when they do the CT scan the fluid situation has already resolved itself with help from the antibiotics. I'll be thinking positive thoughts your way!

EDIT: just saw your clarification about having had a chest infection - I'm almost certain this is what it is, but I'm thinking they need to see it having cleared up before they can clear your medical results, then you should be good to go! Frustrating to have to wait, but it sounds like it will all work out in the end. And probably better to know you need more antibiotics now rather than the chest infection worsening later when you're wanting to travel.

Edited May 27, 2008 by Mark and Hannah

[Sal and Jay 2]

Thanks everyone but im pretty down, they now want to do a ct scan on my lungs and I am scared so scared.

Having read what you've posted before about having had the flu about six weeks before your medical I would think this is probably the culprit for the fluid as your GP suggested to you, so with any luck the antibiotics will have made a good start at clearing this up. It's always very frightening when something like this happens but I think doctors will often dismiss the relevance of 'flu' since a lot of people say they've had the flu when all they've had is a bad cold. My Mum had flu a few years back and then recovered and went back to work but couldn't understand why she kept feeling so tired until she went back to the GP after experiencing some chest pain and found out she had developed pleurisy. Always try to go with the most positive thought - and in your case the antibiotics should clear the problem and you will be fine. Most likely the senior consultant that they had check over the x-rays just wants to be thorough just in case since it would be appalling if they missed something that potentially was serious, however unlikely that may be.

I hope that you get the all clear about the fluid soon. It may well be that when they do the CT scan the fluid situation has already resolved itself with help from the antibiotics. I'll be thinking positive thoughts your way!

EDIT: just saw your clarification about having had a chest infection - I'm almost certain this is what it is, but I'm thinking they need to see it having cleared up before they can clear your medical results, then you should be good to go! Frustrating to have to wait, but it sounds like it will all work out in the end. And probably better to know you need more antibiotics now rather than the chest infection worsening later when you're wanting to travel.

Thanks for your reply and in my positive moments I agree with you, lol. She just scared me saying we need to see where this fluid is coming from, and I know they have got to cover their backs but I feel like ive aged 20 years lol.

[Jeraly 4]

That's really weird - I mean you had the x-ray before, right? then you just had it again? and now they want to do it for a third time?! I thought it was just because they got a crappy pic the first time?

Thats what i thought too, she said she sees a small amount of fluid on my lung, but when i explained i had cold and chest infection she ignored that and wants me to go through this scan. I am absoloutly scared, upset and worried sick, it would be devastating, that now my visa is approved that it may not be released to me if they dont clear my medical.

Oh Sal - I am sure that is all it is - they have to do their jobs and they are just checking something that is probably nothing. And even though it is a crummy thing to think about, if there are any issues, at least they have been spotted and can be sorted

I got told I have a heart murmur that I have probably had since I was a kid - I was shocked. But I also said at least I got something for my money!!

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

Any word from Eli the Barrowboy? I think he was up today

[Eli the Barrowboy 16]

Yes there is word indeed ...

Well we did it ... almost 8 months, lots of frustration and a hellishly long 3 hours in the embassy and we are out the other end.

To be honest, it hasn't even sunk in yet. We are so tired and stressed from the whole affair that when we got back to Belfast last night we just went to bed. I think it will be a few days, perhaps when we get my passport back then we will celebrate.

My sincerest thanks to EVERYONE here that helped answer my dumb ### questions and who posted their thoughts and ideas on the whole process from a UK perspective. Without it we would have been in the dark and we would have felt very alone and vulnerable I guess.

Now, I'm off to write my resignation letter ... ideas anyone? How does that song go, 'take this job and something it'?

[Sal and Jay 2]

Yes there is word indeed ...

Well we did it ... almost 8 months, lots of frustration and a hellishly long 3 hours in the embassy and we are out the other end.

To be honest, it hasn't even sunk in yet. We are so tired and stressed from the whole affair that when we got back to Belfast last night we just went to bed. I think it will be a few days, perhaps when we get my passport back then we will celebrate.

My sincerest thanks to EVERYONE here that helped answer my dumb ### questions and who posted their thoughts and ideas on the whole process from a UK perspective. Without it we would have been in the dark and we would have felt very alone and vulnerable I guess.

Now, I'm off to write my resignation letter ... ideas anyone? How does that song go, 'take this job and something it'?

Congrats Eli im so pleased for you

[Eli the Barrowboy 16]

Thanks Sal,

I'll write the review later today ... it's good and bad ... but I don't think that building has any good factors ... except obviously that they issue visas.

R

Yes there is word indeed ...

Well we did it ... almost 8 months, lots of frustration and a hellishly long 3 hours in the embassy and we are out the other end.

To be honest, it hasn't even sunk in yet. We are so tired and stressed from the whole affair that when we got back to Belfast last night we just went to bed. I think it will be a few days, perhaps when we get my passport back then we will celebrate.

My sincerest thanks to EVERYONE here that helped answer my dumb ### questions and who posted their thoughts and ideas on the whole process from a UK perspective. Without it we would have been in the dark and we would have felt very alone and vulnerable I guess.

Now, I'm off to write my resignation letter ... ideas anyone? How does that song go, 'take this job and something it'?

Congrats Eli im so pleased for you

[Eli the Barrowboy 16]

You know the story about the young man who arrives in London, it's raining so he goes for one pint in a great pub with great music and company, decent beer, a log fire? Well, gather round and I'll tell thee. The young man in question, his fiance, his sister and her fiancee go to the pub at 4pm, promising to leave by 6pm. Or rather, they say they're going to leave at 6pm but time slips away and they find it's 1am, they are all pretty drunk and have to get up at 6am for a rather important interview. Well, folks, that foolish young man was me.

And so it was, Mercedes and I arrived for the 9am interview at around 8.30am, took our place in the line, hung-over and on about 4 hours of sleep .... which is something I don't recommend. At 9.01am we made it into the embassy, got our ticket (Mercedes came into the Embassy with me) ... Welcome Ticket 5018. And we waited. And waited. And waited.

The waiting room was awash with people and while they were flying through the 1000's, only Windows 1 and 13 were dealing with immigrant visa - the 5000's. I thought I'd get Window 13 for sure but my luck held and, two hours later, I got called to Window 1, huge grin across my face.

The Homeland Security lady was an Asian woman and the more I spoke with her the more I thought she was the Asian doctor from Bentnick mansion's mother. You all know what I mean. She spoke quietly and abruptly through glass, not at you but into the table, and the PA is blasting "Could Ticket number ..." in the background. It doesn't make for a relaxing chat ...

She looked over my documents in the following order ... divorce certificate, police record, birth certificate, finances. She looked at Mercedes' Affidavit of Support and said it was below poverty level (she is full-time student) so I showed her Mercedes' mom's additional support and then my own - house deeds, estate agents letter, letter from bank, etc. After some confusion about where the bank deeds were ("They are there ... in your hand"), she asked if I wanted to self-sponsor and I said "Sure". She said the dates that I gotten wrong on previous visits didn't matter and actually said I had a very interesting education and career ... which she thought was admirable.

Then she brought up the issue of my previous green-card - gulp. She had my original visa application - 13 years later I was shocked to see that - in my file and asked my why I didn't just stay then. I told her the reasons - first she smiled (kindly) when I told her about deaths in the family, then she seemed to get a bit peeved (the glass and noise makes it hard to read emotions) and said "just forget about it". She really did get annoyed that the finger print machine wouldn't read my prints, told me to go get my visa receipt and bring it back to her, gave me my chest x-ray and then sent me back to wait, grin wiped off my face.

By now I was worried. I didn't think it had gone well and seeing the old green-card made me suddenly aware that this wasn't just a formality - this could all go horribly wrong.

It about 15 minutes later I got called to Window 16 (only 16 and 15 were doing 5000s) and I was expecting the worse, as you do ... or as I do anyway. The second interview was conducted by a cool American guy who, shock horror, apologised that I had to wait for so long which instantly relaxed me.

He made me swear I was telling the truth in my submission and I duly obliged. He then asked me how I met Mercedes and that was the end of the interrogation. We talked a little about my work (but not in an official capacity, just out of interest really I guess) and then he said that, pending security checks, the visa would be issued in 3-5 working days and that we were already on day 1. I told him that he had just made two people very happy and he said that that was good to hear. With that I went and paid the courier service and we were out of there at 11.42. Job done.

For those of you still in the process, the approval comes so fast it's like you're jumping of a fair ride. You go from 150 RPM to 0 in a split second ... it's all over so quick that it leaves your head reeling and 24 hours later it still hasn't sunk in ... I guess I'll believe it when I get my passport back.

So there you have it. 8 months of worry, 3 hours to conclude. If I never see a DS-230-Part 1 again it will be too soon. Until AOS that is, then the whole crazy ride begins again. Now, on AOS form I-864 Question Six, do I leave that blank or what? Lol.

R

[coatsy 0]

Well SMS delivered mine today (they did remember to txt yesterday too)

On one hand I'm so much more at ease now that it's in my hand, confirmed, approved, etc

on the other, OMG i have to try and move 10 years of being a geek (that = a LOT of #######)

time to get cracking, I plan on leaving late June!

Congrats to everyone who's recently been approved, and thanks to everyone on VJ for being such a tremendous helping hand, it would be quite a lonely journey without you all!!!