Adventures in Getting to London
The Visa
July 13 - I filled out the application online, paid the $240 fee and make an appointment to get finger printed and photographed.
July 21 - I make the 10 hour round trip drive from Ashland to Portland and back for fingerprinting and photographing.
July 27 - I put my application, the stamped finger print appointment sheet, the letter from King’s College London, and my passport in a priority mail envelope and send it to my parents. I had to keep my permanent address in California so I could get a sweet tuition break, so all of my financial information goes there, which has to be submitted as part of the Visa application packet. I wait. I wait some more. It never arrives.
Aug 5 - I call the Visa Support Center to find out what I can do, now that my deadline has passed. You have 2 weeks from the time you get fingerprinted to mail it to the British Consulate in L.A. I get told I have to start all over again, but I am entitled to refund as my original application was never submitted. I petition for a refund, fill out a new application, and make another appointment. Except, I need my passport to get fingerprinted and that was in the envelope that is now missing. I check online about what to do in the case of a lost passport and getting an immediate replacement. I have to do it in person because I need to apply for a Visa.
Aug 6 - I call the S.F. passport office for an appointment, I get one for Aug 20th, because that’s as soon as they had one. I e-mail the University for a replacement letter to submit with the Visa application.
Aug 7 - I am approved for a refund.
Aug 15 - I take pictures of myself to be used for the passport, resize them and send them to my own e-mail to printed at my parents house when I drive down for my passport replacement.
Aug 19 - I drive down to Antioch from Ashland, fill out the Statement of Lost Passport, fill out the application for new/replacement passport, print out my 2 passport size photos. I read a news article stating that the West Oakland post office, the one all mail goes through in my parent’s area goes through, in currently conducting an internal investigation and a warrant was served and a search carried out involving the U.S. Customs and Immigrations Officers.
Aug 20 - I take BART to S.F. to the passport office and wait my turn for an available window. I get told that I shouldn’t be there because I’m not traveling within 2 weeks and you don’t need a Visa to enter the UK. I patiently explain that I will be a student and there for do need a Visa. I am then sent to Walgreens for new passport photos, as the ones I have painstakingly taken and resized are not acceptable. I go to Walgreens, get new photos taken, and return to the passport office where I am back at the end of the line, so I wait my turn again. I finally get called up and my application is taken and I begrudgingly hand over $160 to pay for it. I am told the passport will be available for pick-up on August 24th between 11am and noon, or they can shop it priority mail. I immediately agree to pick it up in person. I go home and make an appointment to get finger-printed on Tuesday because the fingerprinting office is open Tuesday through Saturday.
Aug 25 - I take BART into S.F. again, pick up my passport, take BART to Oakland to get finger-printed and am told I am not on that day’s appointment list. Fortunately, I had my printed appointment confirmation sheet with the date on it, so they had to take me. I go home, put the application, the appointment sheet, my new passport, the new letter from the school, my financial records, my student loan approval letter and put them in an envelope to be taken the UPS. Then I drive back up to Ashland to finish packing.
Aug 26 - My mother kindly takes the envelope to UPS for me and over-nights it to LA.
Aug 30 - I put my things in storage and temporarily take up residence at my parents house. I also find out that the British Consulate in back-logged with Visa applications so the process may take longer that usual, sorry for the inconvenience.
Sept 8 - I receive confirmation that my application has been put into the system
Sept 9 - I receive an e-mail stating that my bank records are insufficient because they’re not in my name (they were abbreviated) and its not a cash account (it is too, it’s just a cash investment account not linked to stocks/bonds)
Sept 10 - I get a letter from the bank clarifying all the details and get a new bank statement and over night it to LA
Sept 15 - I receive the same e-mail that I received on the Sept 9. I attempt to straighten it out and find out what’s going on, but am unable to get in touch with a living person.
Sept 16 - I receive another e-mail telling me my application has been approved
Sept 17 - my Visa arrives via UPS
Sept 18 I get on a plane in S.F. bound for Dublin, Ireland
Next time? Arriving in London and getting to my campus housing.
July 13 - I filled out the application online, paid the $240 fee and make an appointment to get finger printed and photographed.
July 21 - I make the 10 hour round trip drive from Ashland to Portland and back for fingerprinting and photographing.
July 27 - I put my application, the stamped finger print appointment sheet, the letter from King’s College London, and my passport in a priority mail envelope and send it to my parents. I had to keep my permanent address in California so I could get a sweet tuition break, so all of my financial information goes there, which has to be submitted as part of the Visa application packet. I wait. I wait some more. It never arrives.
Aug 5 - I call the Visa Support Center to find out what I can do, now that my deadline has passed. You have 2 weeks from the time you get fingerprinted to mail it to the British Consulate in L.A. I get told I have to start all over again, but I am entitled to refund as my original application was never submitted. I petition for a refund, fill out a new application, and make another appointment. Except, I need my passport to get fingerprinted and that was in the envelope that is now missing. I check online about what to do in the case of a lost passport and getting an immediate replacement. I have to do it in person because I need to apply for a Visa.
Aug 6 - I call the S.F. passport office for an appointment, I get one for Aug 20th, because that’s as soon as they had one. I e-mail the University for a replacement letter to submit with the Visa application.
Aug 7 - I am approved for a refund.
Aug 15 - I take pictures of myself to be used for the passport, resize them and send them to my own e-mail to printed at my parents house when I drive down for my passport replacement.
Aug 19 - I drive down to Antioch from Ashland, fill out the Statement of Lost Passport, fill out the application for new/replacement passport, print out my 2 passport size photos. I read a news article stating that the West Oakland post office, the one all mail goes through in my parent’s area goes through, in currently conducting an internal investigation and a warrant was served and a search carried out involving the U.S. Customs and Immigrations Officers.
Aug 20 - I take BART to S.F. to the passport office and wait my turn for an available window. I get told that I shouldn’t be there because I’m not traveling within 2 weeks and you don’t need a Visa to enter the UK. I patiently explain that I will be a student and there for do need a Visa. I am then sent to Walgreens for new passport photos, as the ones I have painstakingly taken and resized are not acceptable. I go to Walgreens, get new photos taken, and return to the passport office where I am back at the end of the line, so I wait my turn again. I finally get called up and my application is taken and I begrudgingly hand over $160 to pay for it. I am told the passport will be available for pick-up on August 24th between 11am and noon, or they can shop it priority mail. I immediately agree to pick it up in person. I go home and make an appointment to get finger-printed on Tuesday because the fingerprinting office is open Tuesday through Saturday.
Aug 25 - I take BART into S.F. again, pick up my passport, take BART to Oakland to get finger-printed and am told I am not on that day’s appointment list. Fortunately, I had my printed appointment confirmation sheet with the date on it, so they had to take me. I go home, put the application, the appointment sheet, my new passport, the new letter from the school, my financial records, my student loan approval letter and put them in an envelope to be taken the UPS. Then I drive back up to Ashland to finish packing.
Aug 26 - My mother kindly takes the envelope to UPS for me and over-nights it to LA.
Aug 30 - I put my things in storage and temporarily take up residence at my parents house. I also find out that the British Consulate in back-logged with Visa applications so the process may take longer that usual, sorry for the inconvenience.
Sept 8 - I receive confirmation that my application has been put into the system
Sept 9 - I receive an e-mail stating that my bank records are insufficient because they’re not in my name (they were abbreviated) and its not a cash account (it is too, it’s just a cash investment account not linked to stocks/bonds)
Sept 10 - I get a letter from the bank clarifying all the details and get a new bank statement and over night it to LA
Sept 15 - I receive the same e-mail that I received on the Sept 9. I attempt to straighten it out and find out what’s going on, but am unable to get in touch with a living person.
Sept 16 - I receive another e-mail telling me my application has been approved
Sept 17 - my Visa arrives via UPS
Sept 18 I get on a plane in S.F. bound for Dublin, Ireland
Next time? Arriving in London and getting to my campus housing.