The 2009 United Kingdom Interview Thread!

[MonkeyJuice 3]

Congrats Gemmie on gettin your visa too! I keep admiring the official looking attachment in my passport, it looks ace! lol

And congrats to Bob & Patricia on getting an interview date.

Marm, I was just thinking earlier today. If you don't have your passport on the day, how will you get into the actual embassy itself? I was asked twice for my passport before I actually got in the building.

Can you use an alternative form of ID? Don't want to frighten you but I wouldn't want you to get there hoping to explain to the CO inside the Embassy only to find you can't even get in!!

I will be routing for you on Monday.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Both links appear to be the same? I found it though and am sending both to Bill ASAP. I can't help reading through myself though.. it's good to know what the process is going to be like.

Thank you soooo much. You are a life saver. You were also the one to send me packet 3 so that I could get everything filled out in advance.

Well I'm glad I helped. Oops on the links.

Here's the AOS list for those ready to look at the next step Nich-Nick's AOS List. I can safely say that those things resulted in a Green Card for us. Other people might have particular circumstances so it's always best to read the form instructions carefully for different issues like if you have a K2 child or a criminal conviction or a communicable disease. My list is just a plain old straightforward boring case.

Remember these are new applications going to USCIS. (Your visa/London papers were actually applying to Dept of State.) So apply in the name you will use after marriage. The G-325A is not just a copy of your previous one. You have a husband or wife to list and maybe an "other names used"...your maiden name. You have a new top line for addresses where you have lived...new one being in the US. You should add an employment top line....unemployed, waiting for work authorization from arrival date to present. I used the old one, but modified it and saved under a new name. I cut and pasted the employment lines down a line, one by one to leave space at the top for current, etc, etc.

You might as well do it Gemmie since you're so familiar with forms and immigration verbiage. You could probably do it in your sleep. Or at least you will be a great proofreader.

[MARM 7]

Congrats Gemmie on gettin your visa too! I keep admiring the official looking attachment in my passport, it looks ace! lol

And congrats to Bob & Patricia on getting an interview date.

Marm, I was just thinking earlier today. If you don't have your passport on the day, how will you get into the actual embassy itself? I was asked twice for my passport before I actually got in the building.

Can you use an alternative form of ID? Don't want to frighten you but I wouldn't want you to get there hoping to explain to the CO inside the Embassy only to find you can't even get in!!

I will be routing for you on Monday.

Yes, MonkeyJuice, we are concerned about this so we have written to the embassy (on Wed) asking about what to do. We are waiting on their advice. But he has copies of his passport and his original, new UK biometric Resident ID card as well as a driver's license. We are waiting on what the embassy has to say to us and will follow their directions on what to do.

Thanks for the support!

Edited May 8, 2009 by MARM

[Gemmie 142]

Both links appear to be the same? I found it though and am sending both to Bill ASAP. I can't help reading through myself though.. it's good to know what the process is going to be like.

Thank you soooo much. You are a life saver. You were also the one to send me packet 3 so that I could get everything filled out in advance.

Well I'm glad I helped. Oops on the links.

Here's the AOS list for those ready to look at the next step Nich-Nick's AOS List. I can safely say that those things resulted in a Green Card for us. Other people might have particular circumstances so it's always best to read the form instructions carefully for different issues like if you have a K2 child or a criminal conviction or a communicable disease. My list is just a plain old straightforward boring case.

Remember these are new applications going to USCIS. (Your visa/London papers were actually applying to Dept of State.) So apply in the name you will use after marriage. The G-325A is not just a copy of your previous one. You have a husband or wife to list and maybe an "other names used"...your maiden name. You have a new top line for addresses where you have lived...new one being in the US. You should add an employment top line....unemployed, waiting for work authorization from arrival date to present. I used the old one, but modified it and saved under a new name. I cut and pasted the employment lines down a line, one by one to leave space at the top for current, etc, etc.

You might as well do it Gemmie since you're so familiar with forms and immigration verbiage. You could probably do it in your sleep. Or at least you will be a great proofreader.

Thanks!

Yeah, I probably will do it. To be fair, Bill always either filled out the forms with me or looked at them afterwards, he just isn't good with pushing himself to do it. I had to constantly nag him to ask people things that we need to know, and to find out about such and such, has he downloaded this form yet, etc... so to show that he's motivated and willing to do this, he said that he'll tackle the AOS research, but it doesn't actually seem that bad. One of the first things we must do is see a civil surgeon that will sign us off for the HPV vaccine once we've had that; otherwise send it off to Dr. Arnold.

I'm considering keeping my name and changing it after a wedding happens (perhaps next year); this wouldn't be a problem, you don't think?

Let us know what they say, MARM.

[laura819 0]

OK so I started freaking a little bit, and called DOS again to make sure I had the right interview date! The confirmed the 19th at 8:30 and then told me Packet 4 was sent out on April 30. Sven still has not received it. So on Monday he will call and get the email code..

[imaisha 0]

is it just a coincidence that all the may interviews are on a tuesday or a friday? how strange!

[mrs_sdp 0]

January 2009 Graduates of the US Embassy, London

Jason&Sarah, Hannah+Vito, Mrssmith, ShannonNick, adrianandlinsay, Marmite Lovers!

February 2009 Graduates of the US Embassy, London

Rob&Dawn, Zoe and Hal, Terri and Seb, Talyss, TeeKol,

March 2009 Graduates of the US Embassy, London

Stinky Monkey, skparker, Laurence+Lauren, pothergavel, paumanda, texpat cymru, obbynox, jhonscotland, Caminic, Furious Biscuit, ahlpo, jojo_gee

April 2009 Graduates of the US Embassy, London

DairyFarmer, skeez&titanic, SwanTiger, miss g, LondonLad, niniel71, mr and mrs, Stinkerpotsam, Marty J, prima and jay, Helen&Dougie, KAT&Allie, KnightAndMagpie, paul., Kirsten UK

May 2009 Interviews

1st May 2009.....Graziumphry..................K-1

1st May 2009.....gary e83........................K-1

1st May 2009.....emma77........................K-1

5th May 2009.....Monkey Juice.................K-1

5th May 2009.....Gemmie........................K-1

12th May 2009....MARM...........................K-1

12th May 2009....mrs_sdp.......................K-1

15th May 2009....H&V..............................K-1

19th May 2009....laura819........................K-1

22nd May 2009...PB&JAM.........................K-1

Still waiting for approval

stevi1123..........16th October 2008 - Approved pending additional documentation

Marie620..........12th January 2009 - Denied

Dave and Jess..10th March 2009 ?

The Dip Sticks..25th March 2009 ?

Alixhilary..........27th April 2009- Approved pending additional documentation

Colinjess..........27th April 2009- Approved pending medical results

= APPROVED

Updates/New entries/changes highlighted in blue - will go to normal color in the next update.

Please let us know if you have an Interview Date to add to the list, updated information or corrections.

^^^Just bumped the interview list to view upcoming interviews.

For right now, it looks like my fiance will interview on May 12. DOS says May 12 is still his interview date, we are waiting on an email from the embassy confirming this and explaining what to do because he does not have his passport yet.

Poke Pat and I into the list for 29th May 2009 at 09:00 YES! :dance:

YAAAAAYYYY!!! I'm so glad for you ... another one for our May list ....

Have a great weekend everyone ...

Moira x

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

I'm considering keeping my name and changing it after a wedding happens (perhaps next year); this wouldn't be a problem, you don't think?

Yeah, I see a few problems. Post it in the UK AOS forum so we don't get too off topic here in interview thread. I'm sure you'll get various opinions/suggestions and good ideas. I'm no authority, but have an opinion.

And while I'm off topic, I heard from Stinky Monkey this morning. She's super stressing and getting ready to leave Monday. She lost her passport, but found it. Whew! Talked to Todd too. Lovely voice.

Edited May 8, 2009 by Nich-Nick

[MonkeyJuice 3]

I'm considering keeping my name and changing it after a wedding happens (perhaps next year); this wouldn't be a problem, you don't think?

Yeah, I see a few problems. Post it in the UK AOS forum so we don't get too off topic here in interview thread. I'm sure you'll get various opinions/suggestions and good ideas. I'm no authority, but have an opinion.

And while I'm off topic, I heard from Stinky Monkey this morning. She's super stressing and getting ready to leave Monday. She lost her passport, but found it. Whew! Talked to Todd too. Lovely voice.

Blimey seems like Stinky Monkey has been around forever! (shaz isn't it?) She's been approved for ages, so loadsa time to get prepared. Although I suppose when it comes to the last week you find lots of things that you haven't gotten around to. Give her my best wishes. Good Luck Stinky Monkey!!

[KnightAndMagpie 7]

Eeee, Shaz...I need to giver her a call before she goes. I have a yuck three-hour exam Monday morning and I want to say hi to her before she leaves me here .

Magpie-- you would have to sign up for IRIS in the departure lounge when leaving the UK. It's more for frequent travellers so you might not need it, as it expires. They guys weren't that strict when I signed up because it was new. I said I come a couple of times a year and they said OK. Nobody was in the little room and they looked bored. It was halfway down one of those spirals to the gates in departures at Gatwick, but I used it at Gatwick and Heathrow immigration after that. Also available at Manchester and Stansted now I think.[/url]

Thank you so much, Nich...hopefully it'll make travel a bit easier. Since it's more or less a one-way trip (shoulders are aching from moving things into boxes, owwiee!) I shall make Inquiries of Utmost Seriousness into it. The less hassle, the better...

YAAAY!!

Nik has learned this about Natwest the hard way....at least we were together and I was able to get the cash to pay for our room for a couple of nights while we were on vacation!! On the other hand, my card doesn't seem to have much of a "fraud alert" on it...hundreds of dollars removed several times in another state, and not a whisper from the bank!!!!

Ooooh yuck...yeah, these banks really should give you a fair warning about going overseas. I'm glad that things did work out okay for you! I need to contact the loan company at some point...I know that they deal frequently with overseas students taking out loans so maybe I can take all the money across and pay it back in instalments. Thing is, I have friends who are pretty familiar with how it works and they said that technically, I could run off with all the loan money and never repay it. I consider this a pretty dumb idea, particularly if they DO have overseas students repay the loan. Besides, because I'm a good little citizen, I feel bad about running off with a massive hunk of taxpayer's money.

That said the loan will be repaid!

Magpie.

Edited May 8, 2009 by KnightAndMagpie

[laura819 0]

YAAAAAYYYY!!! I'm so glad for you ... another one for our May list ....

Have a great weekend everyone ...

Moira x

Moira, Sven finally got packet 4 today! Hopefully you got yours on time as well, although it doesn't really matter! Good luck with your interview

[mrs_sdp 0]

YAAAAAYYYY!!! I'm so glad for you ... another one for our May list ....

Have a great weekend everyone ...

Moira x

Moira, Sven finally got packet 4 today! Hopefully you got yours on time as well, although it doesn't really matter! Good luck with your interview

Yaaaayyyyyy!! That's brilliant! Mine hasn't arrived as yet Laura, but as you say - doesn't really matter now!! Thanks for the good luck too - and of course, good luck straight back to you!!

I am really looking forward to Tuesday - now that I know what's happening and I have everything organised! This is the first time in weeks that I've felt any sense of calm ... All I can say is ... bring it on - I'm ready for ya!!

I'm not sure when I'll get back online ... but, as I said in one of the other forums - hopefully it will be Tuesday, to let you all know that I've been approved pending medical results!

Catch up with you all soon .... thank you to everyone for their sensible support!

Moira xx

PS ... MARM .. what's happening? Have you had a reply to your email yet?

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

I'm not sure when I'll get back online ... but, as I said in one of the other forums - hopefully it will be Tuesday, to let you all know that I've been approved pending medical results!

You can get online at Lincoln House. When you go in the front door, straight ahead on the far wall is a computer tucked under the stairs with free internet. You don't see it well, so walk back there and give some updates while you're in London. That part of the hotel (inside front door) is not much more than a wide entry hall looking thing with no people in sight. We stood there gawking for a minute wondering what the deal was. Reception is downstairs in the basement for check in.

[MARM 7]

Yaaaayyyyyy!! That's brilliant! Mine hasn't arrived as yet Laura, but as you say - doesn't really matter now!! Thanks for the good luck too - and of course, good luck straight back to you!!

I am really looking forward to Tuesday - now that I know what's happening and I have everything organised! This is the first time in weeks that I've felt any sense of calm ... All I can say is ... bring it on - I'm ready for ya!!

I'm not sure when I'll get back online ... but, as I said in one of the other forums - hopefully it will be Tuesday, to let you all know that I've been approved pending medical results!

Catch up with you all soon .... thank you to everyone for their sensible support!

Moira xx

PS ... MARM .. what's happening? Have you had a reply to your email yet?

Very excited for you Moira!!! Nope we have not heard anything back yet from the embassy and neither has DOS changed our interview date. I am sure by Monday we will know for sure whether its Tuesday that he will go for the interview or something else the embassy suggests to us.

[mrs_sdp 0]

I'm not sure when I'll get back online ... but, as I said in one of the other forums - hopefully it will be Tuesday, to let you all know that I've been approved pending medical results!

You can get online at Lincoln House. When you go in the front door, straight ahead on the far wall is a computer tucked under the stairs with free internet. You don't see it well, so walk back there and give some updates while you're in London. That part of the hotel (inside front door) is not much more than a wide entry hall looking thing with no people in sight. We stood there gawking for a minute wondering what the deal was. Reception is downstairs in the basement for check in.

Thanks Nich ... I thought for a minute that I was going to have to post using my mobile phone - I don't think my old eyes would have found that easy

Thanks for the heads' up on the location of the reception! I will post as soon as we get back to the hotel after the interview ... if my hands will stop shaking for long enough to let me type!!

Moira x