I have been waiting YEARS to finally join the ranks of other posters here and be able to post my own "Visas Approved" topic. That day has finally arrived!!! I am so happy, I have been crying most of the afternoon. We can finally come home!
Expert Visa Services in Chicago were awesome, they had it in and out in three days, I would definitely recommend them to anyone using the Chicago consulate. One weird thing was that the consulate never emailed me to tell me they had received the apps or that they were approved. Maybe because the guy from the expediter was checking up every day they didn't feel they needed to?
Advice to everyone waiting to hear - it's never as bad as you think! Up until the very last second on the phone with the expediter I was sure they were going to say the apps had been refused. I was steeling myself for bad news all week. We had several reasons that they could have refused us, I think: the job not starting till next week, my criminal record, even the fact that we were separating my daughter from her father. And we still turned out okay! I just can't believe it.
Thank you, everyone on UK-Yankee, from the very bottom of our hearts for all the help and advice and well-wishes throughout this whole three-year long process! I know everyone says this, but it's true - we couldn't have done it without you!
