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| London, United Kingdom |  Review on February 15, 2009: |
AndieAndy
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
This was the moment we had been waiting all these weeks for. An actual chance to put our case to a real person. My appointment was at 0830 and I intended to be half hour early. Unfortunately turning the wrong way out of Bond Street tube put it right back on time. I carried a new folder of evidence of our on going relationship plus the usual Birth, Police and vaccination records. A second folder detailing the evidence of support and the a third containing originals of everything we had sent in at the beginning. There are strict security instructions when you receive your appoitment letter so to avoid any confusion or delays I carried the lot in "fold-away" bag. Leaving all keys, phone, ipods at home. If you haven't got the option to do this there is a pharmacy nearby which provides a storing facility for you valubles. Needless to say I sailed through security and proceeded around to reception where I was given the appropriate 50-- number. I was told to take a seat upstairs. I had 5011 and displayed on the screens at that time where only 1000's I thought I was in for a long wait. Soon number 5001 came on the screen and announced on the loud speaker system. After a while it became evident that most of the windows were dealing with 1000 numbers and only 1 or 2 with the 5000's. It was also clear by the that the time spent at the window was at least 4 times more that than the 1000's. Eventually I was called to a window. A nice English guy was waiting. He checked my general application. He asked for my birth Cert, police cert. and photographs and then for the evidence of support, of which he was happy just to have the last years tax return. At some stage he took my finger prints. He asked few questions but busied himself stapling various bit together and filling out forms. He asked me to sign two things in his presence and then sent me to the next window along to pay my fee. Returning with my receipt he gave me a further form and asked me to go back to the waiting room and listen for my number again. Returning to my chair I filled out the form. Maybe half hour later I was called to a different window. This time a pleasant American lady was waiting. She checked who I was by taking my fingerprints yet again. After going through my file she casually asked me a few questions about my significant other. Real simple stuff, such as, "How did you meet?" "What job does she do?" and what I did for a living. I offered more information than she asked for and the "grilling" lasted a whole minute or two. She then announced that unless my fingerprints came back with a record I was authorised and to proceed to the Courier counter. It was so quick and painless it was almost anti-climatic after all the gathering of supporting evidence. I walked out of the place with a big grin on my face knowing I could now go and join my love - at last! 
I think that my over-prepardness for the day actually took the hassle out of it. They asked me for anything I had it and knew exactly where it was and I think they both realised that pretty early on. Maybe if I'd been rooting around in my pockets for my birth cert things might have been more drawn out.
One thing if you are from the UK/US reading this and you are 50-50 on whether to go to the US or get your other half to come here(UK). Or even 60-40 be aware that you could be together in this country stress free in about two months instead of the 10 it will have take to go to the US. Have the benefit of my hindsight. If we had the choice again we'd have come here.
AndieAndy 
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #3951