just a quick heads up! we thought that croydon was experimenting with an appointment system, but they are in the process of switching to one completely. a person would be hardpressed to get through the process without one. must say that it was so so easy, we were in for our appointment at 9:15 and were done with the application process and 'interview' by 10:45. currently, the appointment allows you to basically line-jump ahead of those without one. unfortunately, this luxury ends when you come to retreive your passport. we ended up having a 4 hour gap between leaving and being allowed to pick it up. all in all, the appointment is an amazing advantage, and its great for peace of mind as you know that you'll most likely be going home with your visa!!!
