OK, I think I'm awake enough to do this! This is long.Our (hubby's) interview was yesterday 24/Sep/2013. We decided to avoid having to take the train down to London and staying over night in the hotel, that we would drive down. Hubby's appointment was for 9:30 so we set out from the Stoke on Trent area at 4AM. It was very dark and foggy. The drive down was uneventful and we made it down to Stanmore Station by 7AM. We did use the M6 Toll road which cost less than I thought it was because we went through before the daytime toll cost went into effect. We parked at Stanmore (5 pounds to park for the day) and we had purchased visitor oyster cards. 10 pounds on each was plenty to get to and from the Embassy with some left over.
We walked to Goulds after getting off the tube at the Bond St station and dropped off our 2 phones and key fob for £3. Stopped next door for a coffee and sandwich. We then proceeded to the Embassy just a short walk away. The line of people pretty much gave its location away.
Stood in line watching others already in line have to walk away as they had items that were not allowed inside, so the line went quickly. Got to the front, and we handed the lady at the front the interview appointment letter along with hubby's passport. She then looked for my name and couldn't find it. I started to panic and showed her the email we received from the Embassy saying my name would be added. I then realized my name in my passport is my maiden name still so they looked under that name and there I was....So in we went through security. We had very little on us so we went through quickly. Got our number upon entry and it was I921. The place was jam packed with people and the numbers kept flashing on the screen above. The I numbers were slow going. We got into the room at 9 and didn't get called up to our first window until 11. We did sit and speak to a very nice woman who was waiting for a tourist visa so time went by pleasantly. We got called up to window 1. A VERY nice young British man asked us for all of our paperwork, and though my hands were shaking I knew exactly where everything was when he asked for it. He sent us around the corner to pay at the cashier (who was also amazingly nice) and told us to come back right after that. We handed him the receipt and he told us to take a seat and wait for our interview. It took less than 20 minutes with him to be done with us.
We sat down and waited until just after noon and we got called to another window. Another really nice woman swore hubby to tell the truth and pretty much made conversation with us both. The she asked questions to hubby who...because he was a nervous wreck...told the woman a had two siblings...a boy and a girl. I looked at him in confusion as we've known each other for 10 years and married for almost 7 and I have 1 brother. He then realized his mistake and he laughed and said....oh I thought she meant children. No she has one brother. She must have known he was nervous because she laughed. A few more questions, who our co-sponsor was (my dad) and where did my brother live and she said congratulations you've been approved. We were out of the Embassy by 12:30 and headed home with big smiles!
All in all it was a very pleasant experience. I feel badly for people that don't know about VISAJOURNEY because this site just makes life so much easier!!!
Consulate / USCIS Member Review #12869
Review on September 25, 2013:
