Anyone know when the embassy is moving?

[JFH 12,191]

I saw that the embassy building in London is being converted into a hotel and the embassy itself is moving to Nine Elms but the only date I can find for this is "next year". Anyone have further info? It's likely my interview will be early next year (I'm hoping to be there for Yule but I think it's very unlikely). I'm also wondering how much of a delay the move is likely to cause. Just thinking out loud on that one... And hoping we don't have a further delay to the already lengthy process because of the move.

By the way, this is what the hotel will look like

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/us-embassy-in-london-to-become-luxury-hotel-in-1bn-revamp-of-grosvenor-square-a3217396.html

[slimbolina 48]

Ooh, I didn't know it was! Interesting.

[JFH 12,191]

I'm also going to look into hotels around Nine Elms and do some research into prices just in case my interview is there.

Coming from Dorset into London I think Nine Elms would work better for me.

[slimbolina 48]

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/09/world/europe/with-move-across-london-us-embassy-cant-please-everyone.html?_r=0

I didn't know it was happening but then I didn't need to know. It just says the move will be in 2017 in the article I've posted, maybe they won't publicly commit to a date in case of anything going wrong. I don't know London at all so I wouldn't know if it's a better location or not to be honest. I think the transition to the new address will be smooth, although saying that in reality who knows!

[JFH 12,191]

That's my worry - I've done office moves from one town to another and it was a mess! Moving an embassy must be even more complicated. And then there are the traditional "systems problems" when they get to the new building. Nothing ever works when people move to a new office.

I'll have to keep my fingers crossed for a 2016 appointment!

[slimbolina 48]

Good luck to you.

It's going to be well swanky, that much I do know! Fingers crossed for a 2016 interview, the sooner the better.

[Tricked 33]

I think they've broken ground on it, but it's no where close to ready.

[JFH 12,191]

I've seen this Flickr page and the windows were being put in last November. At least I think they are Windows.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/usembassylondon/sets/72157635166293639/

It's still a long way from completion but so is my visa process.

[simonschus 58]

The US Embassy in London has a Facebook page too where they post updates and photographs of the new embassy every so often, albeit it has been a bit quiet on the construction front recently. The Nine Elms project has been in the works for about 5 or 6 years, perhaps longer - they were scouting out for new sites at least ten years ago. However, the building only physically began a few years ago. It looks really snazzy from the photographs and the models which have been on display in the past!

Edited May 6, 2016 by simonschus

[Tricked 33]

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=nine+elms+london+us+embassy&biw=1196&bih=729&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwipzO-ntMXMAhWJbRQKHbI7BxIQ_AUICCgD#imgrc=YvTE4j3JMQqr1M%3A

Seems to be the most recent images.

https://uk.usembassy.gov/our-relationship/new-embassy/new-london-embassy-in-nine-elms/

They say late 2016 here, but could be 2017 for the relocation.

Which will be interesting for paper work etc...

Edited May 6, 2016 by Tricked

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

The London Embassy web site has been doing the occasional article for several years https://uk.usembassy.gov/our-relationship/new-embassy/

Seems like I've known about the move since we started this in 2008. Finally getting closer.

[JFH 12,191]

It's not something I've needed to be bothered about until now. They can put the embassy and do my interview in a tent in a field if they want - I just want to get my visa and finally be able to live with my husband after all the drama of his UK denial.

It's only become a concern to me now because it looks very likely that my interview date will be around the time of the move. Just trying to ponder time scales and how big of a spanner this is likely to throw into the works...