Consulate Review: London, United Kingdom
Review Topic: K1 Visa
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| Event |
Description |
| Review Date : |
November 25, 2008 |
| Embassy Review : |
My interview was on Friday 21st Nov 2008 9am.
I was travelling from Nottingham and decided to go down the day before. I booked the Marble Arch Inn online (double room with shower/toilet for £55).
Caught train to Kings Cross/St Pancras, then tube to Oxford Circus, then to Marble Arch, which opens onto Oxford Street. Very, very busy street! A simple walk to Upper Berkley Street for the Inn. Turn left out of Marble Arch Tube, bear left down the Edgeware Road, then left again for Upper Berkley Street.
Marble Arch Inn was friendly and basic. The sheets and room were clean. You get a telly and a mini kettle, Tetley tea bags, milk, cups, little fridge, clean towels. I have to say I had no sleep all night because of terrible noise coming from upstairs in the Inn. There was banging and really loud banging of windows every 10 minutes. I have no idea what was going on,but I was too stressed and exhausted to complain.
After I had checked in, I walked down the road to the Masons Arms pub. Very small, very quiet, lovely barmaid. Had fish pie, which was lovely.
Telephoned USA fiancé from a phone box on Oxford Street. Spent £6 on a short chat, but it was worth it.
Walked down Oxford Street, looking for charity shops ( my fave shops). Couldn't find any, so asked a sort of street/shop security guard. He was really nice, and directed me to Marylebone High Street, which was a straight walk off Oxford Street. Amazing walk, with delis and bistros of all nationalities on the way.
Walking back to the Inn via Oxford street later, the stress of London really got to me. Oxford Street was relentlessly crowded and busy and I was close to tears and panic. I suffer from anxiety disorder, so this wasn't unexpected. I was alright once I got back to the Inn.
Next morning, got up at 7am. Put on crisp shirt and suit, gathered my papers and walked to the Embassy. Easy to find. Turned left out of the Inn, onto Edgeware Road, left onto Oxford Street, then walked down, past Primark, a little further and then left onto North Audley Street.
The Embassy/Grosvenor Square is at the bottom of this street. Gould's Chemist is on the same street - walked in and left my mobile phone and a big bag of shopping, charged a tenner and was given 2 numbered tickets to redeem my stuff after interview.
Outside the Embassy there's two large security booths, and a line of visa applicants waiting outside. You are asked to show your passport and appointment letter by a nice security person outside, then you join the next bit of the queue. Again, you show your passport and letter, and join the last bit of the queue. Then you go into the security booth and your bags and folder are put through the X-Ray. It's all very simple and not frightening. Then you walk round the side of the Embassy, up some stairs to a small reception desk.
At this point I should say that every security person I dealt with said they could not find me on their list. When I said I was applying for an immigrant visa (even though, strictly speaking, the F1 is non-immigrant), they all went "Oh!" and were, all of a sudden, able to find me on their lists.
I had the same thing at the small reception desk. The young woman told me to "go upstairs and get your MRV" or something! Something I didn't understand, anyway. I told her I had no idea what an "MRV" was and that I was here for a Fiancé Visa. Yet again, she said, "Oh, an immigrant visa. Just go to the waiting room there". She gave me a numbered ticket and directed me to a large waiting room just a few steps away from the desk.
The waiting room was alright, not scary. Big screens show which ticket numbers are being dealt with. On one side of the room are windows looking out onto Grosvenor Square. On the other side are numbered booths where people are dealt with. At the bottom end is the courier service counter, and at the top end are sandwiches, coffee, muffins etc. London prices, of course. A sandwich is around £3.00.
The, the waiting. All in all, I waited from 8.10 am outside the Embassy, to about 1pm when I left the Embassy. It felt like a lot, lot longer. I had not taken a book or newspaper with me as I thought I would not be able to concentrate anyway.
After a couple of hours my number was called, and I went to Booth 14. The booths are small, windowed, and have no seats, so you have to stand up. A nice lady took my fingerprints (electronically) and then asked for various bits of paper - application forms, Birth Certificate etc. I was then asked to go to another booth and pay my fee. I had started crying during this part, just through the stress of being in London, and the situation itself. The lady was just lovely to me and got me a drink of water, coming out from behind her glass-windowed booth. She was really kind.
Then I was asked to go back to the waiting room where I waited for another hour and a half/2 hours. Then it was interview time! Went to booth 15 where I was greeted by a really pretty American lady. She asked me how I was. I told her I was really stressed, and she said that I wasn't to worry, and we were just going to have a little chat! She fired questions at me - polite, but fast.
Where did I meet my fiancé? When was the last time we met? What's the longest time I've stayed in the USA? Has he been married before? When was his divorce? Has he got children? How old are they? Have I met them? Have I been married before? Have I ever had any "trouble" with the police? Has my fiancé visited me in England? Where did he stay? Have I finished my radiotherapy? [they don't ask everyone that, I presume!].
The questions were fired at me, but in a friendly manner, and were not hard to answer because I was telling the truth!
Before the questions (I think), I had to raise my right hand and swear that I was telling the truth about everything.
That wonderful, beautiful, fabulous immigration officer then congratulated me and told me my application was approved. I hardly heard her. It was like a dream. I just said "Oh, thank you" in a sort of daze. I can remember it really clearly.
She handed me a huge brown envelope with my chest X-Ray from the medical exam. You have to carry this in your hand luggage to produce at port of entry.
I then went to the courier counter to pay my £14.50 for them to return my passport and visa. You can pay £35 or £40 to specify the day and time, I think.
Then, still in a daze, I walked out of the Embassy and went to Starbucks for a coffee and a fag. Then, I phoned my darling and told him. He was rather happy!
Actually, I still can't believe it now, and I've booked my plane ticket and everything.
God bless us all. |
| Rating : |
Not Rated |
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ver 5.0