London Embassy Review

[Jeraly 4]

I had *the* most awful sleep, so I wake up at 7am in our little hotel in Bayswater feeling exhausted, panicky and stressed. I crawl out of bed, drag myself to the bathroom and clean my teeth, wash etc. before heading back into the room to get dressed. My mum and I leave at about 7:30am for my 9:00am appointment. I knew it was ridiculously early but I hate hanging around when I know I have to be somewhere and I don’t have anything better to do.

We get on the tube and got off at Marble Arch. By the time we have walked to the Embassy it is about 7:55am. There is a huge queue and I thank my lucky stars I got there so early – it means that even though I am at the back of this huge queue, at least I will make it to the front in good time. For good measure, my mum takes some pictures of me queuing, much to the amusement of a nearby policeman who could barely hide his laughing

The queue moved a lot quicker than I expected and by the time I got to the end of where you lined up on the pavement, mum said her goodbyes and left me to it. I get talking to some guy who was going to take his kids to Florida on holiday but had a criminal conviction from years past so he had to jump through hoops to get into the country as well. We got near to the front of the queue in super-fast time only to find out they were only lining up people with 8:00am and 8:30am appointments. Needless to say we left the queue and moved to the back.

Being a bit savvy now, we waited in the line and checked with anyone new to find out if they had appointments earlier than 9:00am – if so then we just stood back and let them in front Eventually, with no-one behind us, we make it to the front again… only to be told we will need to wait another 15 minutes…

Third time lucky!! We hover around with other 9:00am people wondering why there are so many of us waiting when we realise the two queuing areas had their times changed and now there was a 9:00am one – yippee!! We line up for the third and final time at about 8:30am. While it is nice to be early, it seems that a half hour is optimal so you aren’t hanging around in the cold – it was a lovely sunny day but freezing!

I get to the first checkpoint where a lady looked at my appointment letter, handed me a clear bag for my mobile phone and pointed me in the direction of where to line up (like I didn’t know – I had been there long enough I could have prolly got her job ). I line up and my friend joins me – we chat some more about immigration and talk about the different things we have had to do, all the while keeping a beady eye on the 8:30am line which was moving far too slowly for either of our liking – my hands were so cold they had started to turn red and swell up… not good!!

Eventually we start moving! My legs could barely move because they were so cold but in a reasonable amount of time it was my turn to step up to a little plinth thing with two guys stood behind it. They asked to see my appointment letter and passport which they used to check my name off of a list and then I got to stand in a mini-queue to go through the security box thing.

In the security box thing I had to dump my four folders, phone, purse and passport etc into a tray like you do when you are in an airport – same drill, they x-rayed it to make sure I didn’t have any bombs, drugs or plant life (maybe). I walked through the metal detector and didn’t beep (yay!) then they took my phone and handed me a little metal number with a clip on (I clipped it to my top). I was told I could pick all my things up out of the tray then I left the box and turned right to go round to the entrance of the embassy.

I get to the bottom of the steps, past the guy with the big gun and another uniformed-yet-gunless guy points me in the direction of the middle doors. I walk up, look around stupidly for one of those deli-ticket-dispensers and am sorely disappointed when the receptionist asks to see my appointment letter. I hand it over, she tap tap taps something out on her computer and three seconds later I have a little nifty couple of stickers with the number 5012 on. She tells me to sit in the waiting room until my number is called. This was at 9:15am.

The waiting room was a lot bigger than I was expecting with a big window overlooking a park. Opposite the big window were a number of booths numbered from 1-10, kind of like you get at a bank or the post office, but with extended wall bits for more privacy. At the opposite end from the entrance to the room was the little counter with snacks and coffee and near the entrance but on the facing wall to the snack counter was the place to pay for the courier. Kind of in the middle opposite the big window was another corridor with more booths – I think up to 24 or 25… pretty certain it was 25 actually. Down that corridor were the bathrooms and a few puters that were connected to the net – I think for people who hadn’t filled in the correct forms

I position myself on a chair that is almost-in-the-sun-but-not-quite and opposite the free-standing monitors that show the ticket numbers and the booths they are at as well as the ticket numbers waiting. On another monitor was some kind of US propaganda or something… lots of Americany things and smiling people anyway – very suspicious

Now this is where it gets mildly confusing. I know people before have said that first of all the 1000 numbers are called then the 5000 numbers are called but it didn’t seem to work like that at all… I am sure there was a system… Not quite sure what it was though. I thought that all the 9:00am people would go in and wait, then all the 1000 numbers would be called followed by the 5000 numbers. What seemed to happen was that certain booths dealt with certain types of visa. I think windows 13-16 or thereabouts dealt with the 5000 numbers so when one of those became free, the next 5000 number would be called. The other windows that were dealing with the non-immigrants moved a lot faster but it wasn’t black and white in terms of order it seems…

I wait around some trying to warm up and not panic – I felt a lot calmer just being there knowing it was all inevitable and keeping my fingers crossed that things would be fine. The courier line started building up and my heart sank a bit although I wasn’t worried by any means. My friend from outside found me and informed me that a form he didn’t fill in because it was for men up to 45 years old (he was 50) needed to be filled in. All the while, the propaganda was rolling and even cited the 45 years old thing… OMG – don’t tell me USCIS got something else wrong!? *shock*

I remember it being 9:45am but it was a while after that that my number gets called… it was scary seeing that I was next and not knowing when it would be me. I moved up to window 14 where there was a nice youngish English man there with an older black lady behind him – I think she was training or something as he explained everything he was doing to her. He took my finger prints on each hand and asked for my police certificate (which was fine even though it was the old style one), birth certificate, passport, photos, notarised I-134 (each of these apart from the pics and the passport were paperclipped to a copy) and made a few notes. He checked that I had never been married before and hadn’t ever changed my name or been adopted, gave me a pink A4 piece of paper to write the courier details on (delivery address, contact number etc) and gave me another piece of paper to take to window 12 where I had to pay for my visa. I thought it was a bit weird that I was paying for my visa before I had even had the interview but took it to be a good thing! I paid in USD on my Amex card which I could sign for instead of using my pin number which was great! Means I can not pay it until next month which is a bit of a help

I head back to window 14 and hand over the receipt that was given to me. The guy handed me back my originals and told me to go take a seat where my number would be called again for my interview.

At this point I was expecting another reasonably long wait, so I went to the bathroom, found my friend, sat down for five minutes to chat and my number was called again – this time I had to go to window 16.

I went up to the window and there was a friendly-looking American lady. She was maybe in her late 30s/early 40s and had dark hair. She checked my fingerprints and told me to hold my hand up to swear an oath (something along the lines of “Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God” but not so dramatic ) which I did. She asked me very basic questions – how did we meet (I told her online – she wanted me to be more specific so I told her it was on a text based roleplaying game), when I was planning on moving, when we planned to get married, when did we first meet in person and if we had both visited each other. It was all done in a really conversational and friendly manner – nothing too interrogatory about it at all – it was like she was merely interested so that was quite reassuring. I don’t even think she asked me why we wanted to move to the US instead of the UK – she may have done but I can’t remember if so

Then she told me everything seemed fine (obviously pending medical results) if the fingerprint checks come back fine and that I had to take the pink slip to the courier desk. At both windows I had things explained to me about how long I had to enter the US on the visa, how long I had to get married and file AOS after entry, not to open the MBE when it arrives (apparently it is marked really clearly on the package?) and that on entry into the US I am not allowed to re-enter without my GC (I tried talking AP with her but she just said that if there was a family emergency or something, providing I notified USCIS then they could expedite an AP request – nothing about AP itself). I obviously knew all of this already anyway but it was nice to hear it all explained and reaffirmed that anyone who screws up on the things mentioned above *is* actually a moron as it is explained very clearly and explicitly on more than one occasion

That was it! I had a big grin on my face *and* I didn’t cry I walked to the entrance of the tensa barrier thing for the courier (it starts next to the entrance to the waiting room) walked all the way round to the counter as there was no queue, paid my £14 and left. With a grin.

Then I got outside, collected my phone from the little window in the security box place. And texted everyone I knew

[AtlantiCat 0]

Whee! Congrats on a successful interview! Did they tell you when the courier would be delivering your visa?

I'm forward this one to Alasdair. I suspect he'll be quite happy to read it.

[Ovaltine Jenkins 5]

Very nice :D I didn´t actually expect it to be shorter than the medical review

Well you obviously didn´t text me Are you trying to suggest you don´t know me?

I will tell you about the Embassy in Prague. They actually require that you come to the interview with the visa fee already paid and show them the proof. If not you have to reschedule the interview. It´s pretty weird. Also they didn´t send me any info about the fee or anything so I had to call them and ask them how much I was supposed to pay. But I think you have to pay for the visa even if they don´t give it to you...same with the tourist visa...

Glad it went so well for you Hope your Mom went somewhere warm while waiting for you

[Jeraly 4]

It was great - not sure when the visa will be delivered because I am waiting on my med results and things... I don't care tbh - as long as it gets to me eventually

Marta - I don't have your cell number!!

[Ovaltine Jenkins 5]

Is that your excuse for not texting me?

[*julez* 124]

Very thorough review Aly! Thanks!!

[Jeraly 4]

Well there were some things that surprised me - not only that it was really easy and sooo not scary

[rebeccajo 14]

Congratulations Ally. Sounds like the process hasn't changed much in three years. Couple of things are different - you used to pay for the visa after the interview and they didn't use to take all 10 fingerprints. I enjoyed reading your summary of the day - I could 'see' what you were doing from my recollections of our day.

That waiting room is huge, isn't it?

And isn't the Embassy the ugliest building in London?

Edited April 9, 2008 by rebeccajo

[Jeraly 4]

Defo - I know what you mean now by not being able to miss it!!! I couldn't quite figure out where the eagle head was though...

The waiting room... for some reason I had this tiny little office like the DVLA in my head - I honestly don't know why but I was convinced that is what it was going to be like so when I walked into a big spacious room I was really surprised! I wasn't told to sit in any particular area either like I have heard so

Different receptionist prolly

Just so glad to have it behind me though will be happier when I get my visa in hand Then all I have to do is pack

[StillThePrettiest 3]

I wasn't told to sit in any particular area either like I have heard so

that was just me

because I am SPECIAL

and have the hat to prove it

[NickyMcMillan 0]

Lovely read. Every review I read, makes me more calmer about my own upcoming interview.

Congrats! Have fun booking your one way flight.

[Jeraly 4]

Yeah - it was defo soooo easy - there is so nothing to worry about even though we all do

[Toshtishtash 1]

Defo - I know what you mean now by not being able to miss it!!! I couldn't quite figure out where the eagle head was though...

The waiting room... for some reason I had this tiny little office like the DVLA in my head - I honestly don't know why but I was convinced that is what it was going to be like so when I walked into a big spacious room I was really surprised! I wasn't told to sit in any particular area either like I have heard so

Different receptionist prolly

Just so glad to have it behind me though will be happier when I get my visa in hand Then all I have to do is pack

You didn't see the eagles head??? It's on the front of the building quite high up... It's Mahooooosive...!

Great review!

[a-jeanne 2]

Oh, Aly, that's just great. Awesome. I am going to forward your experience to Phil. He'll enjoy that. What time did you leave the Embassy?

[no name 1]

J - That was too long for me to read.

But I wanted to say Congrats!