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| London, United Kingdom |  Review on February 3, 2010: |
cptrosco
Rating:  | Review Topic: K1 Visa
So, my interview was set for 9am Tuesday 2nd Feb 2010. I live miles away, so I decided to get a hotel that was close...ish to the embassy and grab a taxi their instead.
I got a night at the Kings cross travelodge Royal Scott (kings cross road). Not a place I would recommend, room was run down, no heating, pillow (yes they only give you one) was small. The food at the bar was cold and the portions were small.
Tuesday morning comes, taxi is booked for 8am, I arrive outside the embassy @ 8.20am, time for a quick smoke. 8.30 comes, I walk up-to the booth outside where you have to show your P4 letter and passport. Then, they ask you to remove everything from your pockets (keys, coins, wallet etc.) remove your watch and belt also and pop them in the clear bag they give you, and ask you to move forward and wait in line (luckily I was one of the first people there). Then a security guard asked you to come into a booth, just like at an airport you have to put your belongings in a container and it goes through a scanning machine, then they ask you to walk though the metal detector, thank you follow the VISA signs please. The entrance to the visa section is just round the corner (a little smoking shelter outside). You go up the steps into a lobby where they ask for your P4 letter and passport again, then they issue you with a number, mine was I871.
I went up some more steps and into the main area where there are 26 booths (just like a bank teller) with 6 plasma TV's in the middle facing away from each other with about 100 chairs each side facing the screens. There is a small cafe at the back where you can get a can of coke, coffee, tea and a snack if you want (coffee is not too bad), then you just sit and wait.
90 mins later i get called to window 1, the lady asked me for my papers, handed them to her, she looks through you paperwork to make sure its all ok and gives you a pink form for the delivery of your passport, she asked me to go to window 12 (cashier window) to pay the application fee of $131 (you can pay in £ or $) then come back and see her at window 1 again where she gives you your xray and your files back, tells you to sit down and wait to be called again.
Another 90 mins passes and im called to window 16. Their was a old(ish) man behind the counter and asked me to verify my fingerprints on the scanner, left hand, then right hand, then both thumbs, then tells me to raise my right hand and asks if the information in the application is correct, 'I swear'. He asks me how i met my fiancée, how long we have been engaged and where we plan on living when I arrive there. He explained that the passport will be return in a purple bag and their will be a brown envelope (DO NOT OPEN THE ENVELOPE) Then he says, you will have a wonderful time. Thank you. That was it, i'm approved. Please go and pay for the delivery of your passport.
The mistake i made is that i didn't take my wallet with me, only took cash, the courier company ONLY accept cards, the DO NOT TAKE CASH! So I asked the lady what to do, she said they will call me when they are ready to deliver the passport and I can pay over the phone. Simples........
All in all, i arrived at the embassy @ 8.30am and was back at the hotel for 13:00 calling the better half to tell her the good news.
 
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Consulate / USCIS Member Review #5644