Madelina

Hi all, i had my interview at the Embassy today and i'm ecstatic to say my boys and I got APPROVED!! There's been quite a few accounts on here recently so i'll try to be brief

Appointment was at 8:30am so i got into London early, was at Gould's Pharmacy for 7:30am when it opened, to drop off my phone and car key. I walked the 50yards to the Embassy and joined a smallish queue, got through security where i had to throw away my keychain torch (DUH) then i was into the Embassy!

They didnt start calling people's numbers till 8am, and the N's (non-immigrant visas) go a lot quicker than the I's (Immigrants!) Like, when they got to 300th N, they were also calling the 13th I.

Ho hum, so the first window i was called to was where i handed in all my documentation, pictures etc and he took fingerprints. Then he gave me my courier slip and told me to sit and wait to be called again. When i finally got called (about 45 min wait) to another window, i had my fingerprints scanned again, swore the oath and he asked me some brief questions on how we met, things about my boys, simple things really. He was very smiley and chatty, and thanked me for having a permission letter from my Ex regarding the boys, which he said SO many people don't bring (uh, its not on your website, thats probably why!!)

So yay! Paid the courier dudes, went to the loo for the 57th time, and walked to the tube station via Oxford Street to buy myself a celebration treat!

Here's a few useful things i noticed which may help some of you:

- they had a pc and printer set up which people could use.
- they had a photo booth, which a LOT of people were nipping in to!
- the guy photocopied a couple of things for me i had forgotten to copy, which was very helpful
- they are grateful for the 1 year full tax return to accompany the Affadavit of Support, so supply that if you can.
- Folks applying with children, bring permission from the other parent to obtain a visa for the purpose of emigrating.
- this is an *observation* not a rule of thumb.... nothing i brought in was notarized or witnessed, and there was no problem at all.
- there is a great website for producing and printing your own US passport sized photos for free, i'm not sure if i can post web addresses here, but if you google Passport Photos For Free you'll find it I did that because all our booth ones were awful.
- The waiting area has a small place to buy coffee, cold drinks and snacks. There's also toilets with baby changing table.

Okay, not so brief, but hopefully informative to people on the K1 journey!
Maddy
xxxx

jeffreyhy

Congratulations. And to be certain, your boys did or did not appear with you?

Regards, JEff

Madelina

Thats right, they are both under the age of 14yrs, so they do not have to appear for interview - they only have to go to themedical examination, which they did.
Still had to pay for them though!

MandyNi

Congratulations. Sounds like it was relatively painless!

Madelina

yes, the actual day was pretty painless. Now i'm just stumped as to how to get all my stuff over to the US! ho hum... more money

ian-mstm

Congratulations! Well done!

Ian

Wolfy

So happy for you, can only hope my day will turn out like yours ...Congrats!

meauxna

Congratulations, Madelina!

Happy travels.

Malashaan

Firstly, congratulations; it feels great doesn't it?

As far as moving stuff goes, it is rather taxing. My advice from having just moved is take advantage of excess baggage on your flights over. I flew US airways and they let each person take a 23kg suitcase for free and a second for about 35 pounds. I looked into it and to Fedex the second suitcase would cost over 300 pounds so the more you can take with you in person the better. US airways actually let you take up to 9 suitcases per traveler and it's only about 50 quid for each additional case after the second. You also have a cabin bag and a "personal item" each which aren't weighed so if you've got anything small and heavy that can be really handy. Just remember you have to manage all this luggage though, I had an interesting time with two 23kg suitcases and my (heavy) cabin stuff when transferring flights and doing the custms/immigration stuff at Philly.

Madelina

yes thats the quandry, how to deal with that much excess baggage, especially with two small boys in tow I called Fedex and they are sending me some free boxes. Some things i think i'll fedex over, some i'll carry, and some i will leave behind to ferry over gradually during the 5 trips a year i have to make with the boys to see their dad / family