Spousal application now on its way

You may (or may not) remember my post from a few weeks ago. My husband (unemployed) and children are in the UK and I've been in the US since the beginning of February waiting until I could have a chance at a successful visa application. (Read all about it here ... http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=51952.msg741128#msg741128)

I have hit brick walls every step of the way. My husband and I consulted with an immigration solicitor back in December and she told us I couldn't apply for my visa until my husband had a job offer. Grudgingly I left my family behind and entered into exile to wait. And wait. And wait some more. Six weeks into my exile I had the big lightbulb moment that I was a joint owner on my mom's US checking account which had a high balance and by then an even higher balance as she had just sold her mortgage-free house. On March 17th we wire transferred $2000 to my UK account so that I could hire Vicky to help me put an application together based on me being on my mom's account. International wire transfers take place every day and go through no problems. Heck, my husband and I did two of them in November when we closed out our US account. Amy, meet next brick wall. The wire transfer got lost, neither bank could figure out what the problem was, lots of fingerpointing from each bank involved.

In the meantime on the 27th of March, my husband received a job offer. Because the missing money issue was still ongoing, we decided to handle my application on our own based on his job offer and I started the process. The next week we were supposed to get my husband's job offer letter and the recruiter working with him was contacting the company to get it. I went in for biometrics on the 1st of April. On the 2nd of April, after 16 days of investigation regarding the missing wire transfer finally got credited to our UK account. On the 3rd of April we received the devastating news that the financial director of the company that was to hire my husband refused to sign off on the contract and nothing could be done to change his mind. Panic immediately set in ... I had already gone in for biometrics, the two-week clock to get my application submitted was ticking, what are we going to do, etc. Since we finally had the money in the account (thank God!), I made a tearful call to Vicky asking if she could salvage my application and go to the original plan of using my mom's joint account to prove funds. Vicky was an angel and said she could indeed and managed to calm me down. She was so gracious to me especially given that the week before I told her we were going to do things on our own because of the job offer.

This week I worked with Vicky and providing her a way to check over the documents I have in my possession and she provided me with the few additional documents from my husband as well as drafted all of the letters. After nine long weeks of never thinking I'd get to this point, today I went to the local FedEx and overnighted my application and documents off to a courier in Chicago. Vicky didn't think I needed to utilize a courier since the Chicago office is turning out visa applications without delays. But I opted to pay an additional $50 for reassurance. And of course with my luck over these past few months I'm ready with my application during a long holiday weekend. So Tuesday will be the day my stuff is handed over to the ECO. More waiting. I suppose the good news is that I've had a lot of practice with waiting.

At the end of March I had to rebook my airline ticket as I had a return scheduled for the 1st of April. The soonest they could reschedule me without me having to pay $1000+ to upgrade my seat class was April 26th! I know the name of this game now ... more waiting. So if all of this goes through successfully I'll have been separated from my family for almost 3 long, miserable months. (If I had known that when I left the UK, I'm not so sure I would have left!)

So now I'm crossing my fingers that my application will be successful.  Vicky is confident that it will be. I just need to learn how to aspire to her confidence level!

(Sorry this is so long!)

Wow, what a stressful time you've had!  I hope you get your visa soon!  Good luck!

Wow, what a stressful time you've had!  I hope you get your visa soon!  Good luck!

Thanks, Historyenne! Stressful doesn't even begin to describe it.

I will be holding my breath until you get the call.....and you guys are top of my prayers on Easter Sunday.




Vicky

I will be holding my breath until you get the call.....and you guys are top of my prayers on Easter Sunday.




Vicky

Wait a minute, Vicky ... you're supposed to be telling ME to breathe, not the other way around!

Thanks for the prayers. All prayers are graciously being accepted.

And by the way, when do you sleep???

Sleep?  oh, yeah, I've heard of that!

*scampers to bed before Dan gets REALLY annoyed*



Vicky

That's quite the story.  I hope you get an answer soon.  I can only imagine how hard it's been being separated from your family. 

AHHHH I'm like taking all of this on as my own now too Amy. I am gonna be waiting with a mini heart attack on board til I hear the good news from you. Fingers crossed and although I know we'll talk before then, you will be in my thoughts on Sunday. <3

Good Luck Mum! It will be most excellent to have you back in the East Midlands again!

Thanks so much for updating us, I've been wondering how you were getting along with your app.

Before you know it, you'll be back over here and this mess will all be behind you.

hugs and prayers hun

That's quite the story.  I hope you get an answer soon.  I can only imagine how hard it's been being separated from your family. 

Thanks, Cella. All I have to say is thank God for Skype! It has made this bearable.

AHHHH I'm like taking all of this on as my own now too Amy. I am gonna be waiting with a mini heart attack on board til I hear the good news from you. Fingers crossed and although I know we'll talk before then, you will be in my thoughts on Sunday. <3

Thanks, Eliza!

We'll both get there ... slowly, but surely. And hopefully all the phases of waiting won't do us in!

Good Luck Mum! It will be most excellent to have you back in the East Midlands again!

Aww, thanks, Weby! It will indeed be most excellent to be back in the East Midlands! I was on the phone with my daughter the other day and I heard Ann Davies in the background on the tv. That woman's voice and  personality grates on me for some reason. But then I got all nostalgic and just wanted to hear her voice announcing the bus stops on the routes into Derby and Nottingham. I cried to my daughter, "Awww! I even miss Ann Davies!" I think I've been out in the Florida sun much too long. I must be delirious!

Thanks so much for updating us, I've been wondering how you were getting along with your app.

Before you know it, you'll be back over here and this mess will all be behind you.

hugs and prayers hun

Thanks, Daisy! I hope I will soon be on the other side of it all.

Aww, thanks, Weby! It will indeed be most excellent to be back in the East Midlands!... I must be delirious!

Nah you're not delirious...just missing home is all. When you get back and settled in we'll have to get together for coffee or something...best of luck to you.