The 2009 United Kingdom Interview Thread!

[KnightAndMagpie 7]

Also, Jojo, congrats on your approval...I'm so sorry I didn't mention it before, I was so caught up in what happened today. :: Hugs! ::

Magpie.

[jojo_gee 8]

Also, Jojo, congrats on your approval...I'm so sorry I didn't mention it before, I was so caught up in what happened today. :: Hugs! ::

Magpie.

Awww. Thanks. I really feel for you as I know what it feels like to wait. I'm sure that 6 weeks is just a round time scale they give you and I reckon you'll wait less. Look at the rest of March dates, we all got approved so it would just be plain silly if you were the only one who never got the good news. Chin up pal. XX

[MonkeyJuice 3]

Congrats Jojo!! Soooo happy for you!

Magpie I'm so sorry. I just got back from my medical & I walked past the embassy & thought about you today.

I can only imagine how you are feeling. I can't understand why you would be put in AP!!! It's awful.

I'm sure it will be just a short wait.

[jojo_gee 8]

I also need to send in all 64 pages of my fiances tax return, not just the summary on page 1.

YAY!! good for you guys!

sixty-four pages??!? what does he do for a living? and was that for the 2008 return?

No, that was his 2007 tax return! He's a self-employed art director/graphics designer and he sent me this tax return a while ago and I was like, WHAT IS THIS? I asked around on forums and everyone said it should only be one page so I just brought the Turbo Tax summary on page 1 to my interview and they told me NO. They needed all 64 pages so this is why it's pending. (I have no idea about tax and all that mumbo jumbo) Also because of the electronically signed I-134. The hand signed one is on its way in the post and I am printing out all those pages so I can send it all away and get my flights booked. Yippeeeeee! XXX

Also, Jojo, congrats on your approval...I'm so sorry I didn't mention it before, I was so caught up in what happened today. :: Hugs! ::

Magpie.

Awww. Thanks. I really feel for you as I know what it feels like to wait. I'm sure that 6 weeks is just a round time scale they give you and I reckon you'll wait less. Look at the rest of March dates, we all got approved so it would just be plain silly if you were the only one who never got the good news. Chin up pal. XX

Oh dear lord. 6 months...not 6 weeks. Forgive me. I am sorry. Fingers are crossed for you. XX

[MonkeyJuice 3]

Hey folks, just to let you all know that I also got approved (FINALLY!!!!!) but it's pending as I have to send in a hand signed copy of the I-134. I tried to ask people in various forums about electronically signed forms but nobody answered so I can safely say now to everyone - Make sure you have hand signed documents. I also need to send in all 64 pages of my fiances tax return, not just the summary on page 1.

I would like to warn everyone that although they say you should expect to be there for 2 to 3 hours, I was actually waiting for 4 hours. Such a long and tiresome process all for a 5 minute, stress free chat where they say yes, you have a visa. Like everyone says on here already, do not panic about this interview process, I've had scarier moments watching Scooby Doo.

Looks like March has been good to everyone. Best of luck to everyone, this is where the journey starts I guess. I am freaking out. San Francisco here I come.

JoJo XX

My fiance is self employed too. I was just gonna take the I-134 & the 1st page with total earnings too because 60+ pages looked like too much info.

I'm glad I saw your post.

Thanks

[MARM 7]

Magpie...(F) I am sorry that they put you on AP. You are a UK citizen and living there nearly your whole life...there is no reason I see that they should put you on AP. I just talked to someone who as put on AP in the UK (was interviewed on Feb 12) he was a Pakistani citizen in the UK on student visa...a total AP case...and they told him that it was because of his name check that they put him on AP...was told 6 months and got a call on March 24 to send his passport to the embassy via SMS to get his visa, so he was out of AP in about 5/6 weeks. Don't worry, they say 6 months to save their butts so they don't get "bothered" by poor people stuck in AP. And I know of 3 others that said that the embassy reported to them at the time of interview when giving them the blue slip that it was because of common names that they were being put on AP. The really sad thing is that it is just a name...you did not do anything wrong. As far as your name, I don't know if you know this, but your name is a very common Arabic name, and how I see it according to people that have been put on AP in the UK, it is because of common names or it is because you were not born in the UK. Your plans are not shattered, I know today is the first day of waiting which is why it hurts so much, but try to relax, concentrate on your studies, and I am sure you will be out of AP in WAYYYYYYYYYYY less than 6 months! Look at the statistics...you are a UK citizen, I know many people who were not UK citizens (Pakistanis in the UK on student visas) who were put on AP ranging from 4 days to max 8 weeks...And you were planning on POE in May right? So you have a lot of time, just go ahead with what you have planned, nothing has changed, you were approved, not denied, and they are just going to take a few more weeks, which won't make a difference in your plans. Be positive!!!

Congrats ahlpo and congrats to jojo gee!!!

[KnightAndMagpie 7]

Magpie...(F) I am sorry that they put you on AP. You are a UK citizen and living there nearly your whole life...there is no reason I see that they should put you on AP. I just talked to someone who as put on AP in the UK (was interviewed on Feb 12) he was a Pakistani citizen in the UK on student visa...a total AP case...and they told him that it was because of his name check that they put him on AP...was told 6 months and got a call on March 24 to send his passport to the embassy via SMS to get his visa, so he was out of AP in about 5/6 weeks. Don't worry, they say 6 months to save their butts so they don't get "bothered" by poor people stuck in AP. And I know of 3 others that said that the embassy reported to them at the time of interview when giving them the blue slip that it was because of common names that they were being put on AP. The really sad thing is that it is just a name...you did not do anything wrong. As far as your name, I don't know if you know this, but your name is a very common Arabic name, and how I see it according to people that have been put on AP in the UK, it is because of common names or it is because you were not born in the UK. Your plans are not shattered, I know today is the first day of waiting which is why it hurts so much, but try to relax, concentrate on your studies, and I am sure you will be out of AP in WAYYYYYYYYYYY less than 6 months! Look at the statistics...you are a UK citizen, I know many people who were not UK citizens (Pakistanis in the UK on student visas) who were put on AP ranging from 4 days to max 8 weeks...And you were planning on POE in May right? So you have a lot of time, just go ahead with what you have planned, nothing has changed, you were approved, not denied, and they are just going to take a few more weeks, which won't make a difference in your plans. Be positive!!!

Congrats ahlpo and congrats to jojo gee!!!

:: Hugs :: Thank you for that, Marm...it gives me a little hope. All I can do is sit and wait though and be patient, but after being patient forever, it's not easy. It didn't help that shortly after I was talking to Knight, he was on his way to university and his truck went off the road 'cause of the snow and ice. He's in one piece but his truck isn't...I just can't wait for all this crapola to be done.

And again, thankums everyone else for your words.

Magpie.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

(I have no idea about tax and all that mumbo jumbo) Also because of the electronically signed I-134. The hand signed one is on its way in the post and I am printing out all those pages so I can send it all away and get my flights booked. Yippeeeeee! XXX

A little about US tax returns. What is essential is

Form 1040 (has two pages) that has a signature on the bottom of the second page. If you don't have much but a little income and no investments then that could be your whole return. You could have a 1040A or 1040EZ instead of Form 1040

Any Schedules that are part of the return. That will vary by person but could include Schedule A (Itemized Deductions), Schedule B (Interest & Dividend Income), Schedule D (Capital Gains & Losses), Schedule C (Profit or Loss from Business), Schedule EIC (Earned Income Credit), Schedule SE (Self Employment Tax) etc. The top of the form will name the form.

Other Forms with numbers. Like I had a Form 2555 this year- Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (for Nick's UK earnings) Those will clearly be marked Form XXXX in the top left corner.

A note on Turbo Tax returns. The program generates a lot of extra pages that one might want to keep for their records but are not part of the tax return. I just looked at mine and if I let Turbo Tax print all their extra stuff, it says it is 73 pages.

What I mailed to the IRS is 6 pages with W2 form stapled to the front.

Form 1040 (2 pgs) Looks like this

Schedule B (1 pg) Looks like p. 2 of this

Schedule D (2 pgs)

Form 2555EZ (1pg)

(If people e-file, they probably have a paper copy printed for their records of the forms and schedules)

Some things Turbo Tax will generate that are not part of the return.

Filing Instructions

Thank you for using Turbo Tax

Summary page

Any thing called "Worksheet" or "Smart Worksheet" (and there will be alot of those that I never even print)

Hope that helps some of you understand what makes up a complete tax return. And if your fiance would just order tax transcripts free from the IRS, then you don't have to send anything but the transcript, which also does not require a signature.

[mrs_sdp 0]

(I have no idea about tax and all that mumbo jumbo) Also because of the electronically signed I-134. The hand signed one is on its way in the post and I am printing out all those pages so I can send it all away and get my flights booked. Yippeeeeee! XXX

A little about US tax returns. What is essential is

Form 1040 (has two pages) that has a signature on the bottom of the second page. If you don't have much but a little income and no investments then that could be your whole return. You could have a 1040A or 1040EZ instead of Form 1040

Any Schedules that are part of the return. That will vary by person but could include Schedule A (Itemized Deductions), Schedule B (Interest & Dividend Income), Schedule D (Capital Gains & Losses), Schedule C (Profit or Loss from Business), Schedule EIC (Earned Income Credit), Schedule SE (Self Employment Tax) etc. The top of the form will name the form.

Other Forms with numbers. Like I had a Form 2555 this year- Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (for Nick's UK earnings) Those will clearly be marked Form XXXX in the top left corner.

A note on Turbo Tax returns. The program generates a lot of extra pages that one might want to keep for their records but are not part of the tax return. I just looked at mine and if I let Turbo Tax print all their extra stuff, it says it is 73 pages.

What I mailed to the IRS is 6 pages with W2 form stapled to the front.

Form 1040 (2 pgs) Looks like this

Schedule B (1 pg) Looks like p. 2 of this

Schedule D (2 pgs)

Form 2555EZ (1pg)

(If people e-file, they probably have a paper copy printed for their records of the forms and schedules)

Some things Turbo Tax will generate that are not part of the return.

Filing Instructions

Thank you for using Turbo Tax

Summary page

Any thing called "Worksheet" or "Smart Worksheet" (and there will be alot of those that I never even print)

Hope that helps some of you understand what makes up a complete tax return. And if your fiance would just order tax transcripts free from the IRS, then you don't have to send anything but the transcript, which also does not require a signature.

Thanks for that Nich ... I just sat on the headsets with Steve and went through all his tax stuff for last year. It looks as if he's good to go on that one ... plenty of W2's from his second job of umpiring sports!

You know ... I was actually starting to relax and then I read about Magpie ... I am so sorry sweetie. I have my fingers crossed for you that you won't be waiting too long!! As Marm says ... you have lots of time .... ((((HUGS))))

Congrats to ahlpo and jojo gee ... another hurdle over ...

Have a peaceful week everyone .... Now where did I put my "patience" hat??

Moira x

[mr and mrs 187]

ok so i rush home. on my bike, in the rain, from being with my cousin, who just got dumped by her boyfriend, and race upstairs, to check on the situation(s). and i read the first new response, and i think.. 'oh, ill reply to that, but wait... let me see what else has been posted...'

for the love of god, people, how can you be so nice and helpful? it makes my job of responding DIFFICULT!!

i am so pleased with how you/we have responded to this crisis situation. thank you to each and everyone for being so supportive of this forum. it means a lot to me (to know this community), and im sure it means more to the gorgeous ms. magpie at this particular point in time.

that said...

a recap of my reactions to the posts:

fine. ive had too many beers to format all of this #######. ill just summarize.

i think you are all kind people who have space in their hearts for caring about the things that happen to our fellow vj'ers. thx.

and mr. knight, im glad youre okay. winter driving, even south of the 45th parallel, can be a WITCH. here is a coupon for a new truck--->

<new truck>

night, ya'll.

edit: WAIT. i remember one thing i wanted to say. i am so happy to see ms. magpie say 'thankums'. she's gonna be okay. : )

Edited March 31, 2009 by mr and mrs

[Stinkerpotsam 6]

OMGosh I am devastated for you. (((((Magpie))))) I felt sure with all your prepararation and organisation your were worrying for no reason and you would breeze through. I was praying and hoping you would be approved. If you need to talk I understand, I KNOW what you are feeling, the tears for me went on for days.

I am thinking of you and sending all good thoughts your way. Come join the AP tracker in the waivers forum, there are others there to support you too.

I guess I am even more distressed now too hearing AP is averaging 6 months, they told me two weeks, but its almost four now since the call.

Can you link me please, Dairyfarmer? And is there an email or MSN addy that you can PM me?

And thankums everyone again. I'm just glad that there are no words that can describe this horrible feeling because I wouldn't wish this on anyone.

Magpie.

/edit: They didn't say, Laura...I just wish I knew the reasons behind it.

I'm sorry

Is this common practice to leave people "hanging" without an explanation? Geezz

Also, Jojo, congrats on your approval...I'm so sorry I didn't mention it before, I was so caught up in what happened today. :: Hugs! ::

Magpie.

Awww. Thanks. I really feel for you as I know what it feels like to wait. I'm sure that 6 weeks is just a round time scale they give you and I reckon you'll wait less. Look at the rest of March dates, we all got approved so it would just be plain silly if you were the only one who never got the good news. Chin up pal. XX

Congrats

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

I'm sorry

Is this common practice to leave people "hanging" without an explanation? Geezz

It's not real common in London except it seems to happen if you were born in another country besides the UK. I don't think it has anything to do with lack of preparation or doubting the relationship. From what I've read they have a standard database to run the name check through during your interview then say you're approved. (In our case he said I'm tentatively approving you because our computer system is down and I can't run one last check, but leave your passport and pay the courier.) So that's why I think it's something they run right then. But they have the option to run the name check through about 3 more databases which takes more time, especially with very common names. It seems like London checks non-British born more carefully. Maybe they think people coming to England to study then apply for immigration there are trying to get around something in their home country. But Magpie isn't newly in the UK. She is a British citizen even though she was born in India. Maybe it's because documents aren't in English and they aren't as secure about approving so are covering their @$$e$. But Dairy Farmer's docs would have been in English (from Australia.) It just seems to be a pattern to take longer to check non British born. I have heard of several APs in London since last summer, but all were approved and given visas after the checks were finished.

[ahlpo 0]

Yes indeed a IRS tax transcript is probably the simplest and most irrefutable piece of documentation you can provide in lieu of the actual tax return.

No additional Schedules, no other forms, no signatures requires.

Plus it's free from the IRS; you can request it by phone and you don't even have to pay postage!

I submitted that and they just asked for my recent W2 form of the most recent tax year.

A little about US tax returns. What is essential is

Form 1040 (has two pages) that has a signature on the bottom of the second page. If you don't have much but a little income and no investments then that could be your whole return. You could have a 1040A or 1040EZ instead of Form 1040

Any Schedules that are part of the return. That will vary by person but could include Schedule A (Itemized Deductions), Schedule B (Interest & Dividend Income), Schedule D (Capital Gains & Losses), Schedule C (Profit or Loss from Business), Schedule EIC (Earned Income Credit), Schedule SE (Self Employment Tax) etc. The top of the form will name the form.

Other Forms with numbers. Like I had a Form 2555 this year- Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (for Nick's UK earnings) Those will clearly be marked Form XXXX in the top left corner.

A note on Turbo Tax returns. The program generates a lot of extra pages that one might want to keep for their records but are not part of the tax return. I just looked at mine and if I let Turbo Tax print all their extra stuff, it says it is 73 pages.

What I mailed to the IRS is 6 pages with W2 form stapled to the front.

Form 1040 (2 pgs) Looks like this

Schedule B (1 pg) Looks like p. 2 of this

Schedule D (2 pgs)

Form 2555EZ (1pg)

(If people e-file, they probably have a paper copy printed for their records of the forms and schedules)

Some things Turbo Tax will generate that are not part of the return.

Filing Instructions

Thank you for using Turbo Tax

Summary page

Any thing called "Worksheet" or "Smart Worksheet" (and there will be alot of those that I never even print)

Hope that helps some of you understand what makes up a complete tax return. And if your fiance would just order tax transcripts free from the IRS, then you don't have to send anything but the transcript, which also does not require a signature.

[KnightAndMagpie 7]

After yesterday was utterly miserable, being awoken by a woodpecker today also seemed to give me a renewed sense of determination (I'm sure it's a divine woodpecker). It's going to be hard as anything but I'm not going to be defeated by my parents ; they'd be gleeful if they knew I was wallowing like that. Knight needs me to be strong too, so I'm going to buckle up and not let it consume me. I've had wonderful support from some amazing people recently, and especially yesterday, and for that I'm eternally grateful -- and I know I'm still going to need it, because while I'm standing on my own two feet, my legs are still a bit wobbly.

I'm an odd one I go through a whole day where I'm bawling and then I'm all: right! Bring it on!

:: Hugs :: Thankums all, everyone. Here's to everyone getting a shiny stamp of approval in the coming months, and may all of us stuck in AP get out of it soon. The journey isn't very easy but we'll come through.

Magpie.

Edited March 31, 2009 by KnightAndMagpie

[Laura+Tom 2]

After yesterday was utterly miserable, being awoken by a woodpecker today also seemed to give me a renewed sense of determination (I'm sure it's a divine woodpecker). It's going to be hard as anything but I'm not going to be defeated by my parents ; they'd be gleeful if they knew I was wallowing like that. Knight needs me to be strong too, so I'm going to buckle up and not let it consume me. I've had wonderful support from some amazing people recently, and especially yesterday, and for that I'm eternally grateful -- and I know I'm still going to need it, because while I'm standing on my own two feet, my legs are still a bit wobbly.

I'm an odd one I go through a whole day where I'm bawling and then I'm all: right! Bring it on!

:: Hugs :: Thankums all, everyone. Here's to everyone getting a shiny stamp of approval in the coming months, and may all of us stuck in AP get out of it soon. The journey isn't very easy but we'll come through.

Magpie.

I'm so happy you feel much better. You're right, you can't let your parent's drag you down. You're a very strong person, you have been through so much already and you can't and shouldn't let it defeat you now.