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| London, United Kingdom |  Review on January 17, 2008: |
wellywench
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
Here was our day... we got to the embassy about 8.35 for our 9am appointment. There are signs that ask for you to get your appointment letter and passports ready, and also to get any electronic stuff ready to show. The first lady I saw asked for the letter and passports, gave me a clear bag for my mobile to go in, told me to put my watch in my bag and asked me to wait in the 9am queue. There were still a few people in the 8.30 lane to go in, and about 10 people before me in our lane, although I noticed a lot of people were in groups, not all individual applicants. Just before we got to the security check (a white portacabin), another person wanted to see the letter and the passports again, and checked us off a list. In security, I had to hand over my phone and they gave me a number to reclaim it after the interview had finished. My bag was placed through an x-ray machine and we went through the scanner. My daughter set the beepers off, and they asked to check the bottom of her boots, and we were allowed through. We then had to turn right (it's not signposted where to go so I had to ask a very friendly policeman!), walk along the front of the building, turn left and up some stone steps and the reception bit is through the doors. The lady there checked our letter again, gave us some stickers with a number (5009) and asked us to go up the stairs into the waiting area. I noticed that the stickers were timemarked for 9.04am, so it took us about half an hour to get in. There are loads of seats, but it was pretty busy! There were screens everywhere stating how long the queues were, and what place in the queue you were at any time. We were 4th when we go there and we seen about half an hour later. They have different number systems for each type of visa - the non-immigrant visas were all starting 1000 and something, and they were going through really quickly!!!
We were called through to booth 15 first, and were met by a nice English guy. He flicked through a stack of paperwork, and then said he was missing something and would be right back. 5 mins later he came back only to disappear again! A couple of minutes later he returned and asked me if I had any copies of the paperwork I sent to the Embassy? Luckily I had one copy of each of the forms, as it seems they had lost them!!! He said they were there when the file came down this morning, but had vanished... for once I'm glad I was over prepared! He photocopied some of my forms so he had the right number, and then asked me to sign for myself and my daughter. He then asked for our passports, all the additional paperwork including copies of originals, and photos which were scanned in and then stapled to the paperwork. My fingerprints were taken, and he then asked my to go to booth 14 and pay for the visas. For the two of them it cost me £136, with the conversion rate at $1.96 = £1.00. I was then asked to sit down again, and told I would be called back shortly. I was also given a pink sheet of paper that I had to fill out for the courier.
After 20 minutes or so of trying to stop my daughter getting more and more bored, we were called to booth 16 where there was a grumpy lady who I think was in training as there was another lady sat behind her! She gave me my original paperwork back, asked for my fingerprints again, and had a quick scan through the file. She then asked me the following questions:
- where did we meet and when? Internet chatroom 4 years ago
- when did we realise it was more than just friendship? A couple of years ago
- when did we meet for the first time? Last Christmas
- where did we meet? The UK
- how long did he stay? 3 weeks
- have we met since? This Christmas
- why haven't I been to the US to meet him? Because the visa rules might mean I might be sent home lol
- why did I love him? (gave the answer then she kept probing!!!)
- how did I know he was 'the one'? Because I've never met another man like him
- But what do you really like about him? because he has a childish sense of humour and laughs at fart jokes!
- why where we moving to the USA and not him moving to the UK? Because of his job
(Then she asked a load of questions about my daughters father, as he's not on her birth certificate)
- why wasn't he on the birth certificate? He wasn't there when I registered her birth
- does he support me and my daughter? No!
- how often does he see her? Never
- Does he know he has a daughter? Yes
- Do you know where he is? I explained the CSA had tried to trace him and no joy
I then gave her a notarised letter I had that stated I had sole parental responsibility, along with a copy. She turned to her friend and showed her, and the second lady (who was lovely!), just nodded it was ok.
She then said that as long as all the paperwork was ok we were approved! She explained the 6 month from the date of the visa thing, and the 90 days from POE thing and said I was free to leave the Embassy after I paid the courier. The courier costs £15.00 (for 2 visas), plus £10.50 to be there before 10am... and that was it! The worst bit was the second lady - she was asking questions so quickly hardly giving me a chance to answer, and I swear she didn't blink once lol. I was so nervous that when she that we were approved (pending paperwork) I didn't hear her and had to ask if we'd passed! She sighed, and then repeated what she's just said
So that was my day... I'm absolutely knackered now and am going to bed as soon as my daughter gets tired enough to let me!!! Lucky for her she slept on the train on the way home - alright for some eh?
 
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #2362