A Work in Progress

There are many people in this world who have had or will have a huge impact on my life. But actually, I will never meet many of these people. From politicians and celebrities, to the people who invented the equipment I use everyday at work, right down to the people who assembled my car to keep me safe. Last week a group of people helped me set out on a new adventure. Someone who I will never meet or know approved my entrance into the UK. Someone else scanned my photo into a computer program. Someone else affixed the visa to my passport and sealed it with a fancy consulate stamp. I don't know them, but I'm so happy that they do their jobs. Like so many times, it's the people you don't meet that matter. I came home from work and saw the overstuffed, battered envelope that I had meticulously filled with a ridiculous number of official documents waiting for me. I had received no word from the expediting service, only found that they had charged my credit card their f...

This is probably illegal to post, but I live dangerously and it's pretty funny. The visa application is all online for US citizens. It's pretty handy and the only quick and straight forward part of the whole process. You can save it half way through and finish it later. This section asks "Do you have any children?" Underneath it states "Don't have the information on hand? Click here to save your application." This just struck me as funny as it implied that you might have to go check somewhere to see if you have any children or not. Well, I was amused. And it was a lot of effort to get the picture of the question on here; totally worth it.

Well, the visa application is again out of my hands and currently on its way to the expediting service in Chicago. To keep the visa gods happy, I'll say no more. For now I'm off to work for the next million hours. This is also my 500th post.

It is with tentative key strokes that I type this update. My visa application and supporting documents are again coming together. On Thursday morning I have to go back to the creepy fingerprinting place, and from there, I can mail it off. I have re-collected my bank statements, pay stubs, letters from my employer and bank. I even received a call from the uni today ensuring that I got all the proper letters and such. "Will you still be joining us in September?" "Well, I hope so!" I am taking the tact to inundating the office with every piece of official paperwork remotely connected with my finances, employment, or education. Thought I have a feeling that even with an overstuffed envelope, every document will be separately scrutinized. Even so, it is all there. I mean everything. Here's a little more insight into some of the pointlessness of the application. I have to prove that I have enough money to pay for the tuition and projected room and board. This...

After all this visa nonsense that I am not allowed to apply more than three months in advance for my visa. All my crap made it to the expediting service today they called me saying: "Oh, you're school starts in September? You didn't tell me that." I figured it was implied! I figured I could get this done and relax about it for the next five months! Not one FAQ asked when one could apply. The 50 page "Tier 4 of the points based system Policy Guidelines" makes no mention of such rules. It's the UK, why isn't it simple? Well, he was super nice and all that but guess what? Now come June 23rd, I have to reapply, get my work to write me another letter, get my bank to write me another letter, collect new bank statements, paycheck stubs, pay again for FedEx shipping labels, and go to that shady ass place to get my fingers printed again! OMG! Okay, rant over...for now. I think the picture of the day will be one of my head exploding.

After circling the city block several times, I finally decided on a parking garage in the hopes that where I was actually going would become more clear on foot. After a harrowing experience in the most labyrinthine parking deck I found a space and followed some shady looking signs that thankfully led me to the street. After a few minutes of wandering around and muttering quietly to myself, I saw a large sign pointing me in the right direction. I entered the building and found the door of the immigration assistance services. On it was printed a list of things I wasn't allowed, but I actually had in my bag including cell phone and camera. I walked in anyway to the most sterile room I had seen. Even more sterile than the MVA, at least they have some plants! There were only a couple of non employees there and I went to what looked like the main desk. The, um, receptionist was as warm and inviting as a snake that you're not sure is poisonous. She made sure I had the appropria...

Everything waiting for one more item.

Yesterday I had the most predictable conversation ever with my beloved visa expediting service. I called them to confirm that by the time I went to mail it on Tuesday, I would have all of the necessary documents. I carefully went over the many documents I have collected- Me:"...and an official transcript from my undergrad degree. And, well, that's everything I have." VES: "Yeah, that all sounds great, I think you have it all." -short pause- "Except one thing." Me: "I am completely unsurprised that you said that." From there we shared a laugh as she pointed out that this process was actually a lot easier last year. I was also unsurprised about that. It turns out that I needed the mysterious "Appendix 8" a document that until then I had no idea existed and would have absolutely never found without them sending the link to me. Tomorrow at work I will busy myself with filling that out and then using their laser printer to print o...

I am living in the hope that by early next week, my completed and fully documented visa application will be making it's way to the visa expediting service. None of the finite goals for this project have come together "on time." I've said, "...and then I'll have it in the mail by Tuesday!" at least three times, referring to three different weeks. Every step is actually hiding an extra step under its coat. The closer I get, the more things I have to do, and now I have to amend my post about the UK student visa process. The UK apparently changed some of their rules on required documents last month. As a result, I have also had to collect my pay stubs from the last three months and yesterday I had HR at work write me a letter that stated that I did, in fact, work there. I also had to find my old passport, and an old UMBC transcript that states that I did, in fact, attend that university and did, in fact, graduate. No, UK, I am not taking my 14x12 inch ...

So, the final hurdle. The deciding factor that can say whether I study in England or not. How to get a UK student visa. I had no idea how complicated it is to get one. To help the three people who read this blog to get one someday, I have compiled a list of things to do. It's pretty inclusive as far as I know. Well, inclusive of the things I know for sure, and the things I know in theory. 1. find a school you want to go to with an appropriate major. 2. figure out how much it will cost to go and stay in the UK. 2a. get the money. 3. apply to the school. 3a. collect transcripts, recommendations, and personal statements. 4. wait to be accepted. 5. upon acceptance, send international wire of first tuition payment. 6. wait forever. 6a. in the mean time, get or renew passport. 6b. for that you'll need new passport photos, 75-100 dollars, and the application. 6c. in the mean time put all necessary money (after initial payment) into checking account in your name. 7. once the schoo...