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| London, United Kingdom |  Review on September 7, 2008: |
GrahamandMegan
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
My journey to the Embassy started at 2359 on Wednesday 3rd September at Stirling Train Station. I caught the Caledonian Sleeper service from Inverness to London Euston and would highly recommend this service for anyone coming from Scotland and looking to minimise costs. You get your travel and a semi-decent nights sleep for £19 if you book early enough or 2 weeks in advance, like me, it costs £49.50. Arrived at Euston at 0809 as there was some engineering work which meant that we were re-directed and arrived around 25 minutes later than the timetable had said. Made my way from the train and found the nearest payphone to let my parents and Megan know that I had arrived safely in "The Big Smoke".
Fought my way through the Station and towards the underground and dutifully paid £6.80 for a 1 day Travelcard. It was £4.00 for a single to Marble Arch anyway!!! Off I popped to Marble Arch, me and the 5 million other inhabitants of the tube network at 8.30am on a Thursday!!!! Stopped off at McDonalds for a breakfast and had a look at the map to make sure I knew where I was going to reach the Embassy.
I arrived at the Embassy at 9.00am for a 10.00am appointment and was told that they were quiet for the type of Visa I was there for so I could just go inside and wait as it was about to pour down with rain. After putting my watching, belt and ring in a plastic bag I was led through the Airport style scanner. All was well, so made my way inside the Embassy itself. A girl at the desk asked to see my interview letter and passport. Then presented me with a number, 5014. Made my way to the left and up the stairs in to the waiting room. As I was leaving Comedy Dave, Dominic and Carrie from the Chris Moyles Radio 1 Breakfast Show were just leaving. How rock and roll!!!
I sat down in the waiting room with all the other people, the time was 9.12am when I was given my ticket. I then got out my book and started to read through it. They were only on 5003 when they first called a number, so I thought I was going to be there for an age. Not so.......I was called to window 15 at 10.12am and was met by a very polite English guy. He asked me for my passport, birth certificate, police certificate, passport photographs and the I-134 for both Megan and her step-father. I then had to pay the $131 visa fee at the window right next door. The guy then asked me to do all my finger prints and then sent me on my way back to the waiting room. I asked him how long it would be till I was called again, he said about an hour at least 
I had no longer sat down and was just starting on the third paragraph of my book when my number was called to window 16 this time!! So off I trot up to see a very well presented young American guy. He asked how we met, when we met, what Megan did for a living and what I intended to do when I got there. He gave me some very useful advice about joining the unions to get work as and electrician. We then got on the I-134s that we submitted. He looked through them and seemed puzzled. He then told me that we would be delayed in getting our approval as what we had filled in from the guides on here was incorrect. He told me what to fill in and how to go about sending it back, by this point I was absolutley destroyed. I just broke down in tears in front of him, I was devastated. He then had a further look through everything and started making light conversation about how everyone was meeting online these days......I pleaded with him if there was nothing I could do and he said not really. I didn;t know what to do or where to look when all of a sudden he said; "He must want to support you otherwise he wouldn't of given you his birth certificate or tax returns or any of that stuff. Leave it with me and I'll sort it out for you." I couldn't believe what I had just heard, I asked him for his name and he said he couldn't tell me but did anyway!!!!! He said you are approved and you'll receive your visa and passport back in 3 to 5 business days 
I went to the line for the courier and had all the money looked out, only to be told it was 50p more. An increase since they sent me the letter 2 weeks previous, sounds a bit like a scam to me!!!!! So off I went to find the nearest payphone and called my parents and Megan again. Woohoo!!!!! Then I spent the rest of the day in a nice Wetherspoons bar on Charing Cross road, having a couple of beers and reading my book before I got the 1530 train from Kings Cross to Edinburgh. The train was absolutley on time and my parents picked me up from the station and we completed the last hour in the car. I called Megan when we were home and she was finished work to tell her all about it.
Roll on the 18th of September!!!!!!
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #3319