Visa approved in London

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Feb 5th 2005, 2:21 am

broma25

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Joined: Jul 2004

Location: UK to PA

Posts: 281

Visa approved in London

Arrived at the embassy at 7.45am and they opened at 8.00am. We were first in so got ticket number 001, we paid for the envelope for the return of passport and then went to sit and wait for our number to be called.

I guess it was around 8.15am when we were called to window number 2 where a very pleasant english man went through the checklist and gathered copies of all our original documents (they look at originals first then ask for copies).

I had all my documents in plastic wallets (one for originals and one for copies) 2 pages in a wallet then all the wallets in a file, however i dont recommend this method as its quite nerve racking trying to sort them at the counter. My personal advise is to have all your documents in order with everything that should be together either paperclipped or stapled. Do the same with the copies. That way you have 2 piles of documents in order and then everything is at hand.

First he asked for my passport, then birth certificate then my photo, i passed over the 3 that i had (which were from a photo booth in Asda) and waited for him to say these are not acceptable!!! HE DIDNT, he just cut one off and told me to take one to the doctors with me. He then trimmed up the photo placed in on a white sheet of paper and scanned it to the computer. So all in all I only needed 2 photos and my Asda ones were perfectly acceptable.

My police certificate was next to be given.

He then asked for my I-864 and tax returns (these were a little mixed up by the time I had taken them from the wallets, he kindly sorted them out for me and stapled each year together. He then asked for my joint sponsor I-864 and tax returns (again which he sorted for me) and then he asked for proof of citizenship for my joint sponsor, and my marriage certificate.

Once all the paperwork was sorted and in order he told me to go to booth 12 and pay for the visa then sit and wait to be called for the interview.

We sat for a while and were then called to window 13 for the interview, this done by a very nice american guy, who only asked how long we had been married, went through the paperwork and got me to sign the DS230 I think it was, and my husband to sign his I-864 which he then notarised.

I dont remember him saying that the visa was approved all I remember was him saying assuming all is ok with the medical......WELCOME TO AMERICA!!!!!

We thanked him and left. The time was 8.55am.

We then stolled over to the doctors, where I was asked to put my documents into a wallet and hand them to the receptionist. She then calls you and asks you to sign some papers and takes the fee and sends you downstairs with your folder which you put in the holder.

The nurse shouts you for your blood taken, you then wait a little while longer until they take you to get changed for your medical and x-ray. In to see the doctor who asks various medical questions and makes sure your vaccinations are all up to date (I had these done at my doctors so none needed).

Next is the x-ray which doesnt take long and then they tell you its all over until 1.30pm when you go back for the results.

I was out of the doctors by 10.25am. Then went for a long walk in Hyde Park to pass the time until 1.30pm.

Arrived back at the surgery just as the doors were opening at 1.30pm, gave my name to the receptionist who said "your fine....in fact everybody is fine".

And that was it all over and done....just have to wait now for passport to be returned with the visa then the planning starts.

Good Luck to everyone else who is waiting for their turn to come around, and a HUGE thank you to all those who post on this forum as their help is something I don't think I could have done without!!!!