visa appointments

[winterbadger]

OK, we've gotten most of the paperwork done for our marriage visas. Of course, nothing with the Home Office goes smoothly. The passport photo specifications on the British Consulate website are different from the specifications on the printed visa application (since the latter are smaller, we're sending the larger, on the assumption that they can cut it down if needed). The online application says that you need to schedule a visa application appointment, which seemed odd, since (a) they have stopped accepting in-person visa applications and (b) we had already paid by that point for postal application. But, when we actually made the appointment, it became clear that this was just for the biometric scans that are now required for UK visas, and that we would then *post* our applications afterwards. We get scanned on Saturday and can then send the papers of (I HATE things that require you to mail them your passport...) Then it's on to the marriage license...

It's snowing here, but it looks to be about to tail off after giving us maybe 1/4"...

Comments

[dativesingular.livejournal.com]

Can I ask how much of a PITA it was to get your biometrics scanned and where you did said scanning? I'm trying to figure out how this all works. How quickly were you able to get an appointment?

[winterbadger]

We have the appointments to do the scanning on Saturday, so I will post when that's done. You sign up for the appointment as part of the online application process; the system offers you choices of where to go based on where you've told it you live. We had three choices offered, and we picked the one that is about 7 miles from our house. NJS got the 10 am appointment there and I got the 11 am appt. Does it really take an hour to do this? We'll see.

Oh, and it's a US Customs And Immigration Service office that does it; I guess they have some sort of reciprocity agreement with the UK.

[dativesingular.livejournal.com]

Can I ask you to do me the favor of posting about it on b_a when you're done? I know some folks on both my flist and UKY who are a little confused about how the biometrics thing will work, so I think seeing a "firsthand" explanation of how it went would be really helpful for a lot of folks.

PS I'm also really glad that you've decided to take the plunge with this!

[winterbadger]

Sure! I'll keep this message in my in box to remind me.

[schizokitty.livejournal.com]

Good luck on that! You know they do this just to make SURE that you REALLY want to go... >;-D

[winterbadger]

We got to the part where they charge you $144 each for the priv. of getting to come and get married there. N boggled at how much it was, while I, used to the HO tricks by now, was relieved it was so little!

[cmlc.livejournal.com]

They're really letting you know how welcome you are, aren't they. I'm surprised you bother battling against the London government's hostility and xenophobia, I'd find it really unpleasant :-(

[winterbadger]

Well, I really love Scotland, so at the moment I don't have any choice. :-)

The lady at the bank, when she was filling in the wire transfer for me to pay the wedding planners, said "Scotland, do they still use the British pound" I said "For the moment..."

[cmlc.livejournal.com]

Good for you :-) (on both counts!)