London interview - be VERY afraid!!!!!

[Captain Oates 911]

Hope my title isn't too dramatic haha !

ok so I arrive 10.10am for my 10.30 interview yesterday - much better system - they check your appointment letter against their list then you go straight through security as you arrive. Before, they used to line you up in the rain for an hour then let you go in as a herd.

There was a sign saying ONLY applicants are allowed in.

Got the numbered ticket and sat down - only 2 in the immigrant number sequence - after 10 mins i saw my number and went to the numbered station.

Gave him my big smile hi routine and he was a Brit and very relaxed and jolly but with a hard glint in the eye. He gave me the appointment letter back and looked at his screen - you appointment is not till November 8th he said. I felt that VJ sinking feeling. No it's today I said . He said 'How did you get in here' and he meant it. I pushed the appointment letter back at him. He said Well didn't anyone check you outside? I told him I was checked twice.

He said 'Well you dont have an appointment today '. We looked at each other and then he said - 'stay here' and he walked off.

I got that massive wave of depression that I got when we were denied at NVC for Domicile and when the petition was going UK-Nebraska-California-UK-London -Nebraska California. I thought of the train fares and the hotel and our Chicago flights and hire car and U-haul and the Apartment lease and I started to withdraw.

He came back eventually and picked up my medical results and gave me my xray and I started to believe. We did all the certificates and he said to sit down and wait for the interview. The interview was called and it was 10.50 - 20 minutes after i got there ! I started to cheer up and then saw it was a slim young woman of south east asian appearance who looked very zealous and professional - they always hate me as I am cocky and cavalier.

She produced the NVC file which had an orange sticker on it which said 'domicile' She started asking me domicile type questions and i was ready with the USCIS letter from London saying they would not take Carolyn's petition as they regarded her as U.S. domiciled and her storage charges for her furniture in Milwaukee and her active bank accounts and credit card in the US. Also her return flight tickets and UK job resignation.

I said I have some papers here about Carolyn's domicile and she snapped at me and said 'DO NOT SAY ANYTHING UNLESS I ASK YOU A QUESTION !'

I was quiet taken a back as I am not used to being told to shut up by anyone I am not married to.

anyway she asked me where I was born and she had obviously never heard of Yorkshire. She asked me when I got married.

She asked why Carolyn was not with me and I said there was a big sign saying only applicants would be allowed in.

She gave me a really hard time about whether Carolyn was working in the US before she came to the UK and on and on.

Then she closed the file and said 'This case is now complete and the visa is approved- you will receive it in 3 to 5 working days - go over to the courier desk with the form'. She looked away and got on with something else.

At no time did she smile or relax or show a flicker of warmth or humanity and the way she just turned away was robot like...

When we got home there was another packet 4 on the doorstep with a date of 8th November. It wasnt a rescheduled appointment it was a standard packet 4

It was mailed October 11 but must have got stuck in the mail strike..

If it had come October 12th, what would I have done..

I can't wait for this insanity to end but I know I am long way off - green card etc - no way it will be right. I might even get aletter saying I didnt turn up 8th November and they are cancelling the case

It really is a continuing nightmare

alan

[gwenneh 7]

Wow, that's pretty far removed from the nice experience we had at our K-1 interview! Poor you - you must have been having heart failure!

[Jasman0717 9]

I don't understand why people have to act that way All I can say is its a good thing she doesn't carry a gun

[Silas 0]

Wow! They really have made the whole process traumatic for you from start to finish and it's not like your case is a complicated one for them to deal with. Hope the POE goes smooth for you.

[RosemarieL 0]

I hope that things start getting better for you soon. It sounds as though you should have used up all your bad luck for the next 10 years. Congratulations on the approval

Edited October 20, 2007 by RosemarieL

[Lansbury 19]

Glad you got the visa Alan, can only suggest you get here before the 8th Nov, wonder what they in store for you at the POE

[khanshahid 0]

Hope my title isn't too dramatic haha !

ok so I arrive 10.10am for my 10.30 interview yesterday - much better system - they check your appointment letter against their list then you go straight through security as you arrive. Before, they used to line you up in the rain for an hour then let you go in as a herd.

There was a sign saying ONLY applicants are allowed in.

Got the numbered ticket and sat down - only 2 in the immigrant number sequence - after 10 mins i saw my number and went to the numbered station.

Gave him my big smile hi routine and he was a Brit and very relaxed and jolly but with a hard glint in the eye. He gave me the appointment letter back and looked at his screen - you appointment is not till November 8th he said. I felt that VJ sinking feeling. No it's today I said . He said 'How did you get in here' and he meant it. I pushed the appointment letter back at him. He said Well didn't anyone check you outside? I told him I was checked twice.

He said 'Well you dont have an appointment today '. We looked at each other and then he said - 'stay here' and he walked off.

I got that massive wave of depression that I got when we were denied at NVC for Domicile and when the petition was going UK-Nebraska-California-UK-London -Nebraska California. I thought of the train fares and the hotel and our Chicago flights and hire car and U-haul and the Apartment lease and I started to withdraw.

He came back eventually and picked up my medical results and gave me my xray and I started to believe. We did all the certificates and he said to sit down and wait for the interview. The interview was called and it was 10.50 - 20 minutes after i got there ! I started to cheer up and then saw it was a slim young woman of south east asian appearance who looked very zealous and professional - they always hate me as I am cocky and cavalier.

She produced the NVC file which had an orange sticker on it which said 'domicile' She started asking me domicile type questions and i was ready with the USCIS letter from London saying they would not take Carolyn's petition as they regarded her as U.S. domiciled and her storage charges for her furniture in Milwaukee and her active bank accounts and credit card in the US. Also her return flight tickets and UK job resignation.

I said I have some papers here about Carolyn's domicile and she snapped at me and said 'DO NOT SAY ANYTHING UNLESS I ASK YOU A QUESTION !'

I was quiet taken a back as I am not used to being told to shut up by anyone I am not married to.

anyway she asked me where I was born and she had obviously never heard of Yorkshire. She asked me when I got married.

She asked why Carolyn was not with me and I said there was a big sign saying only applicants would be allowed in.

She gave me a really hard time about whether Carolyn was working in the US before she came to the UK and on and on.

Then she closed the file and said 'This case is now complete and the visa is approved- you will receive it in 3 to 5 working days - go over to the courier desk with the form'. She looked away and got on with something else.

At no time did she smile or relax or show a flicker of warmth or humanity and the way she just turned away was robot like...

When we got home there was another packet 4 on the doorstep with a date of 8th November. It wasnt a rescheduled appointment it was a standard packet 4

It was mailed October 11 but must have got stuck in the mail strike..

If it had come October 12th, what would I have done..

I can't wait for this insanity to end but I know I am long way off - green card etc - no way it will be right. I might even get aletter saying I didnt turn up 8th November and they are cancelling the case

It really is a continuing nightmare

alan

Congratulation Alan

You got the post strike benefit hahaha

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Now THAT's bizarre. Good thing is... you have your visa! I don't think they will take action against you if they were the ones who sent in 2 packets 4. Good luck!

[trailmix 77]

Glad this all had a happy ending. She was probably ticked that she got the file that had an orange domicile sticker on it

As you mentioned when you were going through the domicile thing, everyone wants to cover their patooties, she was probably chosen as she forgot the donuts that day or something.

Anyway - onward and Congratulations!

Edited October 20, 2007 by trailmix

[Muuuuah 0]

Congratulations on your approval

[Captain Oates 911]

Glad you got the visa Alan, can only suggest you get here before the 8th Nov, wonder what they in store for you at the POE

I have spend months reassuring people about the interview saying it's a piece of cake.

When it comes to mine I get that !

The visa should be with me Wednesday and we fly 5th November but ANYTHING can happen at any stage as I have learned and NOTHING can be taken for granted..

My wife is a programmer and I said to her, 'surely, after the 8th November they wont be able to cancel a file that is completed with the visa actually issued' - she started laughing....

perhaps I should go to both interviews and get 2 visas ?

They seemed stunned that I was allowed in and my name was on the clipboard before I could even join the line outside !

He insisted that I must have phoned the embassy and asked for my interview to be delayed 3 weeks - Eh???? as if !

I wonder if there is someone out there with the same name who is going to have a nasty shock when their application is canceled for non attendance ! I was once on a training course with 2 other people of my name - the first month I was top of the class, the second month bottom and the third month top again

Still dont know if i am clever or not....

At k1, the social security issued my card with my name wrongly spelled - only 4 letters and a common english name !

lemme out of this process !

[L_n_O 3]

that's horrible...

ppl can be so rude sometimes for no reason.. who does she think she is, Judge Judy??!!

[rika60607 215]

Congrats Alan,

most importantly,

you got through!

Rika

[Welshcookie 17]

they always hate me as I am cocky and cavalier.

alan

What you? surely not!

[Cry_Tuff 0]

wow lol..well, I'm glad you were approved...but...as far as the lady goes...

perhaps she just needs a good bloke in her life..set her up with one of your mates..lol