meauxna

Are you going to go? Let us know what goes down would you?

Your AOS application won't do anything until that envelope is turned in. They don't know you're here yet and you'll make their head explode if they get an AOS app from someone who isn't here.

LJwedding09

I will have to go tomorrow as it is closed and I will let yall know what happens.

Thanks for your help!

lansbury

They have been requesting that for some considerable time now.

The problem they have is that a USC going to the Citizens Service office goes through the same security check point, and you don't need an appointment to go there.

The no visitors request was in place when we went and my wife just showed her US passport and was let in no questions asked. They seem not to enforce the no visitors if it is a USC as it is very difficult to deny a USC access to their own Embassy.

LJwedding09

I have just returned from the CBP office and met with the Deferred Immigration officer who was very helpful. He took my mysterious envelope opened it up and checked the documents, stamped it and marked it with the same time limit as my I-94 stamp. He said he was now sending it all off today.

Now its back to filling out all the AOS forms!

James

Noorah101

Excellent!

LJwedding09

I was wondering if anyone has any ideas whether it may cause a problem that my fiancee and I got married before this envelope was taken in? I would assume not as my I-94 shows my arrival time etc...

James

Noorah101

My layman's guess would that you'll be OK, since your I-94 has the correct date on it, and the officer stamped the paperwork to match the I-94.

Rene

LJwedding09

Yeh, well it looked that way as he wrote the expiry date as the same...still makes me nervous though!

clarissageo

Not the case when we went down last week - My hubby (USC) requested access to the embassy through the citizens side and was met with a firm 'no', unless it was an absolute emergency. On talking to a police officer outside about how ridiculous it was that he couldnt get access to his own embassy, and the fact that he had his US passport which means he has the right to enter US territory, (I have no idea if thats actually right, but DH seems to think so!) the officer was telling us that past the black fence is US soil. In front of it is UK soil, so the security is provided by the UK. If you were to kick off about not being able to get into your own embassy, whilst still on UK soil, there is a chance that they could go down the breach of the peace route!

Bottom line is that if you want to take someone with you, let the embassy know in advance - its not worth the hassle on an already nerve wracking day to try and get around the rules.

meauxna

Wooo! Good job, James! I'll bet someone down there gets his knuckles rapped later on. So glad you asked about this & that it turned out the way it should.
There shouldn't be any problem related to the envelope and getting married..good luck with the AOS!

LJwedding09

Thank you!

I'm sitting here looking through all the AOS stuff right now- gives me something to do I guess!

Duncan Roberts

As far as I know, and I could be wrong, an embassy is considered the host countries territory and the land is owned by the host country. However, diplomatic missions, like the embassy, are exempt from local laws which leads to the whole protection of their citizens thing and why people think that the embassy is actually considered their country rather than the home one.

nettlebed

ObSimpsons:

The family walk out of the embassy. Bart passes a sign saying "Now Entering Australia."

Bart: Hey, G.I.Joe: your sign's broken. We're already in Australia.
Marine: Actually, Sir, the embassy is considered American soil, Sir!
Homer: Really? Look, boy, now I'm in Australia...[hops over the line] Now I'm in America...Australia! America!
Bart: I get it, Dad.
Homer: Australia! America!
Marge: Homer, that's enough!
Homer: Australia! America! [gets punched] Ow!
Marine: Here in America we don't tolerate that kind of crap, Sir!
-- Laying down the law, "Bart vs. Australia"

lansbury

That is typical Royalty & Diplomatic Protection Group twaddle.

Still it seems the "back door" method of accompany the UK applicant has been closed.

lansbury

Inside the Embassy and the grounds is US territory as by the way is Air Force One when it is in another country. At a Christmas party at the Embassy once I was shown the US Marines arsenal of weapons for the defense of the building, certainly made the UK protection outside look mickey mouse.

The London Embassy is the only one the US doesn't own they rent the building, which is one reason why they are building a new one in south London.