My Interview - Not So Bad After All!

[Laurence+Lauren 0]

I hopped on the tube after paying £7.20 for a day ticket and jumped on the northern Victoria line. It was the same journey I made the last month for my medical. I LOVE the London Underground. It’s London’s most redeeming feature. You can get a tube train every 3 minutes and be virtually anywhere in the city centre in minutes. I’m like an albatross when it comes to navigating by tube. Not that albatrosses are renowned for being good tube navigators. It’s just a silly metaphor that really didn’t need explaining.

I switched over and caught the Jubilee line north to Bond Street. Up at street level, I flipped open the compass Lauren gave me (yes! I actually USED it!) and consulted my mini-map (it was about 3” square) and headed south down Davies Street. Then turned right onto Brook street which led me right to Grosvenor Square. It was 07:10 and my appointment was for 08:30.

Ahead of me, I saw the US Embassy. I was disappointed. I’d been expecting some imposing looking building, with high brick walls around the outside and guards at the gate. Instead it looked like a 1960’s architect’s wet-dream. If you give me a couple of egg-boxes, I’ll faithfully recreate a 1/1000th scale replica of the US Embassy in London in about three minutes flat. The best bit about it was the flag, situated right at the centre at the front of the roof. The Star Spangled banner reminded me of driving down the main drag in Hoover with Lauren - these wonderful, impressive looking flags being flown proudly on every corner. It was strange looking up at it in the centre of London. But somehow it was like a beacon of hope, and I found a kind of comfort from the memories it stirred up. Lauren may have been 4000 miles away, but she was also very much with me, as she’d have liked to have been in person.

I walked around the Grosvenor garden, trying to kill time. I looked at the 9/11 memorial, then went over and looked at the Roosevelt memorial and the one for the Eagle Squadron (The RAF fighter squadron composed mainly of US pilots that operated in WW2 before America officially entered the war). Over a hedge I could see a queue beginning to form. After my experiences queuing up for Stephen Lynch’s show, I knew I needed to be IN that queue.

I got in line behind a woman in a wheelchair and her fiancé. They were on the K-1 visa too so we got chatting. We were both unsure as to whether we were too early! Unfortunately for her, her fiancé wasn’t allowed into the Embassy because he didn’t have any photo ID on him. I felt sorry for her but the embassy staff were very helpful and wheeled her inside (as she had two crutches that her fiancé had been carrying for her too). While I waited, I checked out the cops’ weapons. There was constantly one cop on the steps, armed with an MP5A5. The first guy had a basic model with iron sights and a 30-round magazine. He was later relieved by another cop who had a cool scope mounted on the top of his MP5 but only a 15-round mag. I’m guessing the second guy was a sharpshooter and the first guy preferred ‘spray and pray’. Some of the other police officers were armed with Glocks in holsters. All in all, they were pretty well tooled up.

After a bit more waiting, I went to security after showing my appointment letter. The two guys at security were pretty rude and unprofessional. I accidentally left my wallet in my pocket and the chime went off as I stepped through the metal detector. But neither of them noticed or seemed to care. There was no point in them being there unless their job was to knob people off before their interviews.

I found my way (because the signage was awful) to the Visa entrance and presented my appointment letter. I was given a self-adhesive ticket numbered ‘5001’. The Immigrant Visa’s all started with a ‘5’. That made me the second Immigrant Visa applicant through the door. I went up some steps and into a big room with a couple of hundred seats. I went and sat down, then spotted the lady with the wheelchair who I’d seen outside so I went and chatted to her. We weren’t talking long before her number was called. It was probably the furthest window from where we were seated so I offered to push her over to it as she was still holding the crutches. I told her it was my first time pushing a wheelchair but I think I did okay! I wished her good luck and went and sat back down.

Another 15 minutes passed and then I was finally called to window 1 (I got flashbacks from working at the McDonald’s drive-thru). Behind the window was a small Vietnamese-looking woman in her forties. She had quite an accent and that, combined with the noise of all the waiting people and automated window summoning, plus the 3” of bulletproof glass she was behind made it nearly impossible for me to hear her. First she asked me to put my fingers on the fingerprint reader for identification purposes (they always remind me of those things on Men In Black that remove your fingerprints!). Next she asked for different bits of documentation and seemed impressed that I had EVERYTHING photocopied.

Then came the bit I’d been worried about. The I-134. The original for the co-sponsor was still on its way to me, and I explained that I only had faxed copies, although I had the originals that Lauren herself had filled in and had notarised. The woman asked if Lauren was working and I said "yes", then she shrugged it off and said “don’t worry, you won’t need co-sponsor” (I hope you’re all doing a Vietnamese accent in your heads!). I suspected differently though. They have those poverty guidelines there for a reason!

I was sent to pay my non refundable Visa fee which, under current exchange rates, is £95.00. Then I returned to window 1 and was handed the X-ray from my medical and told to be seated and wait to be called again. By the looks of things they only had 1 or 2 consular officers doing the Immigrant Visas, as I had to wait around 30-45 minutes to be called. Just as I was looking at the display screen that shows all the windows and queuing tickets, and imagining my number being called to window 16, I heard “Ticket 5001, please go to Window 16”. (On Saturday I’m gonna try that with the National Lottery numbers!)

At window 16 I saw a friendly American man who asked for some of my documents and then asked some questions about how Lauren and I met. I froze up when he asked me where she worked! I couldn’t remember the damn name! “Uhm… I know it starts with an ‘M’” I said. He was probably thinking “McDonalds?” until I explained what the business did. It’s amazing how nerves can make you forget stuff that you KNOW. Even if he’d offered me £100 (or a refund for my non-refundable visa fee?) I wouldn’t have been able to give him that name! But he was happy with my answer anyway, because I knew quite a bit about what she did at work. He asked about my work too, and what I’d be hoping to do for work in the US. I didn’t tell him ‘storm-chasing’ - that’s just what I tell my mum.

Finally he reached my I-134 and addressed its deficiencies. My lovely fiancée is JUST under the 125% line for the number of people that will be in our household, so we do need the co-sponsor. I neglected to say “But the Vietnamese lady said- !” Lauren also needed to have sent a copy of her tax return as well. The consulate officer was very helpful though and explained exactly what we needed to do to complete the process. All we needed was either a tax return from Lauren showing an Adjusted Gross Income above the 125% mark, or an original co-sponsor sheet with proof of identity of the co-sponsor (passport or birth certificate), plus a copy of their 2007 or 2008 tax returns.

Once I have assembled all the required documents, I just needed to ring SMS couriers (the Embassy’s contracted courier service) and they arrange to collect them from me and take them to the Embassy. There’s a 5 working day turn-around and then the docs and my passport, complete with Visa are sent back to me. The only limiting factor is how quickly we can get the documents together. The consulate officer answered a few of my questions, then congratulated me (provisionally!) and wished me a good time in the States. We chatted briefly while I packed up my documents, and he told me to “practice speaking reeeeeeal slowwwww dowwwwwn in Aaaaaaalabama!”

I left the Embassy at 09:30, relieved at having had a largely positive experience. My only dismay came from (obviously) not being able to walk away with a Visa just yet, but also that the consular officer hadn’t even asked to see any of the photos of Lauren and I that I’d had printed especially for the interview. In fact, he asked for no evidence whatsoever of an ongoing relationship. But it’s cool. It all went a LOT better than I’d first feared, so I have no reason to grumble!

[TimandJoyce 1]

Very good!! I like the way you tell that. At least you know once the right paperwork gets there, everything will be fine!

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Brilliant review. And so, so funny I think you can work as a writer if the storm chasing industry slows down.

We both laughed so hard as I read it out loud, because we've been there and experienced those people and things. We had so carefully organized Nick's folder of papers the night before. Then we he got to the lady at Window #1, and after saying, "Pardon??" so many times and still didn't know what she was asking for, he just shoved the whole lot of papers at her to go through and pick out whatever she wanted. Then the whole thing was all a mess and papers were every which way.

Congratulations on a provisionally acceptable day.

[DairyFarmer 1]

I don't want to be discouraging but make sure a) you check up on the SMS Courier, they took 4 days to deliver my docs and passport to the embassy from pick-up. b ) the embassy changed their website last week to say 221 required info is now being processed in 10-15 days not the 5 days thy said at the interview. (I was told the same) c ) I was told congrats provisionally pending the supply of my docs and have now ended up in AP.

The third point may have no bearing on you but be aware of the first two. This can increase you waiting tie substantially more than the 5 days you were told.

Edited March 12, 2009 by DairyFarmer

[Laurence+Lauren 0]

I don't want to be discouraging but make sure a) you check up on the SMS Courier, they took 4 days to deliver my docs and passport to the embassy from pick-up. b ) the embassy changed their website last week to say 221 required info is now being processed in 10-15 days not the 5 days thy said at the interview. (I was told the same) c ) I was told congrats provisionally pending the supply of my docs and have now ended up in AP.

The third point may have no bearing on you but be aware of the first two. This can increase you waiting tie substantially more than the 5 days you were told.

Thanks for the heads-up, Dairy. I'll be sure to keep on their backs . We have a one month margin for error but that's easily eroded when you add up all the time each bit can take.

And glad you guys liked the review! B)

[frali 2]

I too love the reviews and am going to miss reading your experiences. Don't forget to write about your POE experience

[JeremyR 8]

I think from your excellent description you were interviewed by the same CO as I was - nice guy, short hair, quite young?

I never thought of the embassy as being built of egg boxes but I won't be able to see it any other way now They're moving to a new building though. Hopefully they'll flatten the current building, it really is horrid

[Laurence+Lauren 0]

I think from your excellent description you were interviewed by the same CO as I was - nice guy, short hair, quite young?

Yeah, sounds like the same guy. He actually reminded me of someone who works at another branch in my company, who I really get on with. He was really friendly and totally not intimidating in any way. So that made it easier - I felt like I was talking to a friend rather than some evil person who has the power to destroy your dreams!

[KnightAndMagpie 7]

Loved your eloquent report there...makes me feel a bit better about the interview. I'll be sure to photocopy everything now, just in case . I've got no idea what the 221 thing you guys are referring to is, though.

:: hugs! :: I'm so glad it went well.

Magpie.

[Stinky Monkey 1]

I am sure you will get it resolved and get your visa soon well done!!

another heads up, check your visa when you get it, I received mine today and they have put the wrong passport number yeah well it is Friday the 13th, so now I have had to pay the extortion line to get a code, e-mail the embassy and now wait all weekend for a reply on what they are gonna do about it, hopefully they wont make me pay for another courier!!

[Laurence+Lauren 0]

Loved your eloquent report there...makes me feel a bit better about the interview. I'll be sure to photocopy everything now, just in case . I've got no idea what the 221 thing you guys are referring to is, though.

:: hugs! :: I'm so glad it went well.

Magpie.

The 221 is the section under the Immigration and Nationality Act that deals with suspended cases that are held up due to missing evidence. In this instance I got a blue form with check boxes for different reasons, and the consulate officer just ticked those that applied to our case and made a few extra notes for us. (On the same form is also a check box for Section 212(a) which is for a visa denial - this also voids any chance for you to use the Visa Waiver program. Let's hope none of us ever gets that one!) There's details on the form for how to use the SMS courier service to collect your stuff and then return your passport with a visa when the embassy's done with it.

I am sure you will get it resolved and get your visa soon well done!!

another heads up, check your visa when you get it, I received mine today and they have put the wrong passport number yeah well it is Friday the 13th, so now I have had to pay the extortion line to get a code, e-mail the embassy and now wait all weekend for a reply on what they are gonna do about it, hopefully they wont make me pay for another courier!!

Oh good! ANOTHER thing that can go wrong! Sorry to hear that, Stinky. Hope it doesn't mess up any of your plans.

[Stinky Monkey 1]

I hope it is no biggy, cant see that it will be but you never know, spoze I will have to wait till next week

I did post in the Embassy forum to see if anyone had, had this happen to them but no luck, oh well will have to wait for the Embassy to get back to me next week to find out how to resolve it.

[DairyFarmer 1]

Shaz that is SOOO annoying.

I hope they fix it soon for you.

[Stinky Monkey 1]

Shaz that is SOOO annoying.

I hope they fix it soon for you.

I know honey, thank god I checked it, dont know what would happen if I had not does not bear thinking about getting to the States and being turned back coz they put the wrong number on it!!!

How are you sweetie, still hanging in there

x

[KnightAndMagpie 7]

I know honey, thank god I checked it, dont know what would happen if I had not does not bear thinking about getting to the States and being turned back coz they put the wrong number on it!!!

How are you sweetie, still hanging in there

x

Ditto to that to Dairyfarmer, we're all thinking of you -- and Shaz, if that were me, I might have overlooked it! I didn't realise the mispelling of my name on my police certificate until recently, and thankfully, they corrected it and sent me a new one. They can get this drastically wrong too, even if you did everything right to the letter. It's easy to forget that they're human too, I find.

Magpie.