US Embassy London - Interview

[Richard-UK 2]

Today we had our interview at the US Embassy in Grovesnor Square London.

We arrived one hour early for our 8:30 interview and were allowed inside straight away The first people were called to the windows at 8:00. From the numbers being called we could see that we were third in line for the immigrant 'I' numbers. At 8:20 we were called.

Our passports were taken and we were told to sit down while they were processed. Five minutes late we were called back for fingerprints. Our X-rays were also returned at that time. We were again told to sit and wait.

At 9:30 we were called again and spoke with the consular officer. She asked if we had lived abroad and where our daughter lived and where we intended to live.

Then came the bombshell. We had to produce my son-in-laws passport photocopy as he is co-sponsor. Obviously the birth certificate my daughter had previously submitted has been mislaid.

The consular officer was really a delightful lady and said that if we can fax the copy back quickly then it would be processed well in time for our Friday flight.

We then paid our courier fee and left the buliding just before 10am.

Then the fun started. Buses, Trains, Cars, phone calls, emails and faxes. The required document was faxed back within three hours!

I kept count of the numbers being called and it worked out that IMMIGRANT visas counted for about 8% of the applications being processed The bulk was non-immigrant visas. In one hour they called up 120 numbers.

The whole experience was very positive, incredibly enjoyable/stressful'exciting/annoying all at the same time!

Tips.

Dont be afraid to try to get in early.

Take a pen

Write down your phone numbers - I could not remember mine due to the stress of the situation!

The only things we were ever asked to produce were the Interview Letter and our Passports

The courier company ONLY take cards and not cash

Dont wear loose fitting trousers - you have to take your belt off for security!

Wear a watch - I could not find a clock in the whole place

The snack bar was quite reasonably priced

Go to the bathroom straight away. You will not get another chance!

Hope that helps guys. I shall let you know how things progress.

Richard

[Raj456 0]

CONGRATULATIONS Richard-UK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today we had our interview at the US Embassy in Grovesnor Square London.

We arrived one hour early for our 8:30 interview and were allowed inside straight away The first people were called to the windows at 8:00. From the numbers being called we could see that we were third in line for the immigrant 'I' numbers. At 8:20 we were called.

Our passports were taken and we were told to sit down while they were processed. Five minutes late we were called back for fingerprints. Our X-rays were also returned at that time. We were again told to sit and wait.

At 9:30 we were called again and spoke with the consular officer. She asked if we had lived abroad and where our daughter lived and where we intended to live.

Then came the bombshell. We had to produce my son-in-laws passport photocopy as he is co-sponsor. Obviously the birth certificate my daughter had previously submitted has been mislaid.

The consular officer was really a delightful lady and said that if we can fax the copy back quickly then it would be processed well in time for our Friday flight.

We then paid our courier fee and left the buliding just before 10am.

Then the fun started. Buses, Trains, Cars, phone calls, emails and faxes. The required document was faxed back within three hours!

I kept count of the numbers being called and it worked out that IMMIGRANT visas counted for about 8% of the applications being processed The bulk was non-immigrant visas. In one hour they called up 120 numbers.

The whole experience was very positive, incredibly enjoyable/stressful'exciting/annoying all at the same time!

Tips.

Dont be afraid to try to get in early.

Take a pen

Write down your phone numbers - I could not remember mine due to the stress of the situation!

The only things we were ever asked to produce were the Interview Letter and our Passports

The courier company ONLY take cards and not cash

Dont wear loose fitting trousers - you have to take your belt off for security!

Wear a watch - I could not find a clock in the whole place

The snack bar was quite reasonably priced

Go to the bathroom straight away. You will not get another chance!

Hope that helps guys. I shall let you know how things progress.

Richard

[inhopeofglory 0]

Congratulations! I saw you there... my interview was scheduled for 8:30am. You were one or two ahead of me.

[mooninlove 1]

Congratulations Richard-UK! Goodluck for the remaining process! Btw, when you had your medical, did you wait to have the email notice copy with you or you booked it since the case was complete?

[Feliz 0]

Congratulations and best wishes!

[smithjohnatpa 0]

Congratulation Richard. hope to see you here soon.

Today we had our interview at the US Embassy in Grovesnor Square London.

We arrived one hour early for our 8:30 interview and were allowed inside straight away The first people were called to the windows at 8:00. From the numbers being called we could see that we were third in line for the immigrant 'I' numbers. At 8:20 we were called.

Our passports were taken and we were told to sit down while they were processed. Five minutes late we were called back for fingerprints. Our X-rays were also returned at that time. We were again told to sit and wait.

At 9:30 we were called again and spoke with the consular officer. She asked if we had lived abroad and where our daughter lived and where we intended to live.

Then came the bombshell. We had to produce my son-in-laws passport photocopy as he is co-sponsor. Obviously the birth certificate my daughter had previously submitted has been mislaid.

The consular officer was really a delightful lady and said that if we can fax the copy back quickly then it would be processed well in time for our Friday flight.

We then paid our courier fee and left the buliding just before 10am.

Then the fun started. Buses, Trains, Cars, phone calls, emails and faxes. The required document was faxed back within three hours!

I kept count of the numbers being called and it worked out that IMMIGRANT visas counted for about 8% of the applications being processed The bulk was non-immigrant visas. In one hour they called up 120 numbers.

The whole experience was very positive, incredibly enjoyable/stressful'exciting/annoying all at the same time!

Tips.

Dont be afraid to try to get in early.

Take a pen

Write down your phone numbers - I could not remember mine due to the stress of the situation!

The only things we were ever asked to produce were the Interview Letter and our Passports

The courier company ONLY take cards and not cash

Dont wear loose fitting trousers - you have to take your belt off for security!

Wear a watch - I could not find a clock in the whole place

The snack bar was quite reasonably priced

Go to the bathroom straight away. You will not get another chance!

Hope that helps guys. I shall let you know how things progress.

Richard

[robotica97 0]

Today we had our interview at the US Embassy in Grovesnor Square London.

We arrived one hour early for our 8:30 interview and were allowed inside straight away The first people were called to the windows at 8:00. From the numbers being called we could see that we were third in line for the immigrant 'I' numbers. At 8:20 we were called.

Our passports were taken and we were told to sit down while they were processed. Five minutes late we were called back for fingerprints. Our X-rays were also returned at that time. We were again told to sit and wait.

At 9:30 we were called again and spoke with the consular officer. She asked if we had lived abroad and where our daughter lived and where we intended to live.

Then came the bombshell. We had to produce my son-in-laws passport photocopy as he is co-sponsor. Obviously the birth certificate my daughter had previously submitted has been mislaid.

The consular officer was really a delightful lady and said that if we can fax the copy back quickly then it would be processed well in time for our Friday flight.

We then paid our courier fee and left the buliding just before 10am.

Then the fun started. Buses, Trains, Cars, phone calls, emails and faxes. The required document was faxed back within three hours!

I kept count of the numbers being called and it worked out that IMMIGRANT visas counted for about 8% of the applications being processed The bulk was non-immigrant visas. In one hour they called up 120 numbers.

The whole experience was very positive, incredibly enjoyable/stressful'exciting/annoying all at the same time!

Tips.

Dont be afraid to try to get in early.

Take a pen

Write down your phone numbers - I could not remember mine due to the stress of the situation!

The only things we were ever asked to produce were the Interview Letter and our Passports

The courier company ONLY take cards and not cash

Dont wear loose fitting trousers - you have to take your belt off for security!

Wear a watch - I could not find a clock in the whole place

The snack bar was quite reasonably priced

Go to the bathroom straight away. You will not get another chance!

Hope that helps guys. I shall let you know how things progress.

Richard

Congratulations Richard!!!!

[TayRivers 4]

Richard... they really have given you guy's the run around. glad you got through all that stress, excitement, anger and the phone calls. Keeping my fingers and toes crossed for your Flight on Friday..

Cograts

Tay

[Richard-UK 2]

Richard... they really have given you guy's the run around. glad you got through all that stress, excitement, anger and the phone calls. Keeping my fingers and toes crossed for your Flight on Friday..

Cograts

Tay

Thanks everyone. We sit waiting and hoping that the package arrives.

I will keep you all informed as usual.

[FrostyMist 1]

Congratulations! I know you were having many sleepless nights during the run up to this, so I'm glad that it's all over for you now.

[Richard-UK 2]

Congratulations! I know you were having many sleepless nights during the run up to this, so I'm glad that it's all over for you now.

If only! The Embassy will not even acknowledge receipt of the fax we sent so we do not know if the passports are even being processed.

It is very hard to take considering they did have every document required and still managed to lose one. But why they left it until the interview to tell us is a complete mystery.

Now we wait hoping, probably in vain, for a notification from the courier company before the end of the day.

The sleepless nights are sadly still a reality. If only we could be sure they had accepted our fax then it would be something.

[Richard-UK 2]

Just an update on our visa.

We have heard nothing from the US Embassy and have spent many hours phoning the State Department, Couriers and sending faxes and package to London.

My wife suggested that our daughter should contact someone as our petitioner. She called the National Visa Centre. They were most understanding and passed her onto a lady in Washington DC..!

The agent said that normal processing of extra documents takes at least a week. She also said that the Consulate who told us that we would have our visa's in three days was not telling the truth!

AT LAST! We found out what the problem was!

So we set about rearranging everything once more. Virgin charged us about £80 to change our flights which was incredibly cheap. The Car rental company got us a cheaper deal.

Most amazing was the owners of our holiday cottage. They are refusing bookings as they want to keep it open to us for as long as we need it! They said 'We will play the game as long as you have to!' Such a relief!

[CaMic 0]

Just an update on our visa.

We have heard nothing from the US Embassy and have spent many hours phoning the State Department, Couriers and sending faxes and package to London.

My wife suggested that our daughter should contact someone as our petitioner. She called the National Visa Centre. They were most understanding and passed her onto a lady in Washington DC..!

The agent said that normal processing of extra documents takes at least a week. She also said that the Consulate who told us that we would have our visa's in three days was not telling the truth!

AT LAST! We found out what the problem was!

So we set about rearranging everything once more. Virgin charged us about £80 to change our flights which was incredibly cheap. The Car rental company got us a cheaper deal.

Most amazing was the owners of our holiday cottage. They are refusing bookings as they want to keep it open to us for as long as we need it! They said 'We will play the game as long as you have to!' Such a relief!

Hiya

Your original post sounded so positive, I'm sorry that it went awry for you and hope that it all gets sorted out really soon.

C

[TayRivers 4]

Just an update on our visa.

We have heard nothing from the US Embassy and have spent many hours phoning the State Department, Couriers and sending faxes and package to London.

My wife suggested that our daughter should contact someone as our petitioner. She called the National Visa Centre. They were most understanding and passed her onto a lady in Washington DC..!

The agent said that normal processing of extra documents takes at least a week. She also said that the Consulate who told us that we would have our visa's in three days was not telling the truth!

AT LAST! We found out what the problem was!

So we set about rearranging everything once more. Virgin charged us about £80 to change our flights which was incredibly cheap. The Car rental company got us a cheaper deal.

Most amazing was the owners of our holiday cottage. They are refusing bookings as they want to keep it open to us for as long as we need it! They said 'We will play the game as long as you have to!' Such a relief!

Richard.. I am so sad to see you are still in limbo.. I hope that you will get your visa's in the next few days. I am going off to Toronto in the morning and wont be back until Sunday night. I hope to be able to read that you have the visa in hand and are on your way home to be with your wonderful family.

Tay

[FrostyMist 1]

Well, at least you have some answers. But, this is not how I was hoping things would end up for you. I'm so sorry that they gave you such misleading information. It makes me so angry that embassy staff are so uninformed and give out such misleading information!

I'm very much hoping that the visa will be in hand in time for the 18th.