I got me a visa! I got me a visa!!

[Lil_Halo 0]

May I just say WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Get in there!!!!!

Lol today I had my london interview for K1 and it went off without a hitch.

Got me approved at about 10.45am today!

Right lets give you a low down of how it went. I will put it in the embassy review as well.

Well I got up and got ready. Was feeling confident as I was having a good hair day!

My mum and sister were coming. I told my mum what time we were leaving and mum being mum was flapping and taking forever. We got in the car for her to discover the water light was on so she had to sort that.

Picked up my sister, got to the train station and missed the train. Lol great start. But the next was only 15 minutes later and we had loads of time so it was ok.

Train ride uneventful. Got the underground to Marble Arch and walked to the Embassy.

Everyone had said look for the ugly building. Yeah they were right it isn't the prettiest of things.

My appointment was scheduled for 9.30am and I arrived at 9.00am. Just as I walked up a man in a yellow coat said all 9.30 appointments form a queue over here. So I joined that queue. There were about 10 people in front of me. Lots of new people kept coming and going to the front but the big fat jolly man checking interview letters pointed them all to the back of the queue where they looked on in horror at it's growing length!

By about 9.15am the queue had quadrupled! I was then at the front and gave my letter and passport to the jolly fat man. He looked at my passport and went awww how cute and showed everyone! Lol I am 16 in the picture so it's 8 years old now. Lol i just grinned at him and he ushered me through.

You go through the xray and metal detector hut where they ask you to show your ankles! Checking for knives and guns I spose.

You then have to walk all the way round the buiding to get inside. Once inside you show your letter at the desk and they usher you through.

I was given my numbered ticket by a girl. I had 007! lol "The names Bond....." so I found me a seat and looked at the screen to see what was happening. There are probably 200-300 blue chairs there sat facing the TV screens. When I arrived it was about half full but was totally full when I left.

There are 25 windows there that the officers are at. 11 are near the chairs and 12 to 25 are down a little corridor.

The screen shows 3 things. One screen shows the number of immigrant visas currently being processed (which is where they K1 falls), non immigrants visas(and boy are there a lot of those!) then DHS and interview numbers. There are 10 numbers on the screen at a time so you can see if you're anywhere near the front of the queue.

The next screen shows the 25 windows and what number person is being served at that moment. Then the screen flashes up the next person to go to which window.

I got talking to a lady applying for a holiday visa. She'd been on the 9am appointments but was still there waiting after I left!!!! Glad that wasn't me.

I had to wait about 30 mins to be called to a window. Number 16. A lovely man asked for my passport and visa fee slip.

He then asked if I'd had my medical and when it was so he could get the file. Came back with it and said good news it's all fine. He gave me the xray back and said I could roll it up if I wished. The envelope is massive.

Next he took my my birth certificate and police report and then my affidavit of support stuff. I signed 2 of the forms I'd sent in from my packet 3 and he gave me a pink courier form to fill in my address and then said to have a seat and I would be called by either the number or my name. Oh and then he wished me good luck! Very pleasant and not in the least bit scary.

So I sat back down and chatted to holiday visa lady again. Millions more people had since arrived and they were fighting for chairs.

I noticed that my number on the screen had moved to the DHS collumn. I was pleased it wasn't the interview collumn as that was really really long and said there were 70 people waiting to be seen!!! There was only 10 in the DHS one.

In the whole time I was there they had only got up to number 12 on the immigrant visas. Looking at the non immigrant box

About 30-40 mins later my name was announced by an American man to come to window 13!! lol yes lucky 13 (I like 13 as it's my birthday!). it looks like they use 12-16 for the immigrant visas as those numbers were never called to any other windows but those.

Dun dun dun!!!!!!! The moment of truth! The interview bit!!! Little nervous but there was no need at all.

I got to the window and an older American guy said "Hello! Well lets start with your fingerprints." I was like woo hoo if we're doing finger prints I must be approved!

So I had my index fingers scanned, then signed one more form while he asked me the following questions:

How did you meet your Fiance?

When did you last see him?

Where does he live?

What does he do for a living?

Then he gave me my certificates back and said take the courier form to the desk and your visa will be with you on Wednesday!!! Oh and he wished me a good day. I told it would now be a great day! He laughed.

Thank you US Embassy in London!

It was really easy and totally unstressful. Yes I can thoroughly recommend London for organised nice friendly staff.

Good luck to everyone who has their interview shortly. You'll be amazed how easy it really is.

I went out and had a celebratory shopping spree in London while I was there and rang just about everyone in my phone book to tell them the good news.

Lol the best bit was ringing Dan my Fiance. It was like 5.00am there and he answered the phone in a right strop going why are you ringing me so early. "Erm I thought you might be interested to know I got the visa.." lol he was a bit nicer after that!!!

So I am booking my tickets tonight for the 19th April and then I am stateside baby! Tulsa watch out!

Yay yay yay! Thanks to everyone for their help support and generally making me smile with all the fun posts on here. You're all super and I hope you're visa interviews go as smoothly as mine .

Bring on the AOS, AP, EAD. This girl is feeling invinsible right now!!!!

[den_y2005 0]

congrats..

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

Congratulations!

We're hoping to make it 2 in row tomorrow...

[Ana Paula 2]

uhuuuuuuull

man.... i almost can feel your happiness ahaha

great!!!

Gooooo you GOT IT

UHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUULLLLLLLLLLLLL

[MHandMB 0]

Congratulations!!!!

[ajames79 0]

I am soooo excited for you!!

Thanks for sharing your story...

We will be going through London as well so this is encouraging!

Edited April 3, 2006 by ajames79

[MandR 0]

Congratulations.....

[cheeky^Wolf 0]

Congrats!!!

Great feeling isn't it?!

Helen

[raymaga 25]

Congrats and best wishes on your arrival in the U.S. shortly.

[Lil_Halo 0]

congrats..

Yeah it's a breeze. I was surprised by the amount of people in jeans. Lol there was me in my smart suit! I felt a bit over dressed!

Good luck for tomorrow. My one tip though is to find chairs on the end of a row so you don't have to keep pushing past people as the rows aren't very wide.

I am soooo excited for you!!

Thanks for sharing your story...

We will be going through London as well so this is encouraging!

I know I rambled on a bit in that story (not a girl who does stuff by halves!) but I think it's the little details that are helpful. Sometimes it's things that seem obvious but might not be.

Good luck for when you get your interview.

Gosh I just want to run around screaming yyyyyaaaayyy!!! Instead I shall settle for ice cream!

[dp8255 0]

Congrats

[gym 0]

So very happy for you both...congtrats

[kerewin21 2]

Hooray!!!!!

:dance:

[Vagina Journey 0]

Congratulations!

[Mcdonald 0]

Congratulations!