American Visa's

[scameron77]

Dear All,

Please find below the idiots guide to obtaining a M-1 Visa from the US embassy. Please use for future reference:

Do set your alarm the night before and ensure its set for AM opposed to AM.

Don't get on a "bendy bus" while trying to get to Grosvenor Square, finding that between Holborn and Tottenham Court Road a van has broken down resulting in everyone on the bus being emptied out because the bus is stuck because of its size and traffic islands hamper movement.

Do avoid trying to hail a cab in London when its raining, its easier to get a job with BA with 15,000 hours jet time, a plummy accent and a wearing a regimental tie during your interview.

Don't stand near to the kerb while trying to hail a cab, this can often result in buses drenching you from puddles, much to the amuse ment of a group of Scandanavian school children.

Do go to the yellow shed at the south side of Grosvenor Square (after negotiationg the 8 layers of perimeter fencing) opposed to following the arrows on the signs in the internal secuity fence consequently doubling back on yourself.

Don't go on the last Friday before Christmas, its office party time in the consulate.

Do be polite to the security guards, making jokes such as arriving and saying "Hi, I'm here to deliver the bomb?" while raising your eyebrows doesn't go down well.

Don't expect to see a case worker right away while they are all away on a boozy extended lunch, expect to sit and wait for 2 and a half hours thinking "is the ticket from the machine I've got working OK or are they having IT issues?".

Do approach a member of staff on the way to the aforementioned party and question them onto the reasons why you haven't even been seen yet.

Don't phone a member of your family the night before to check that the 10pm appointment on the letter sent is correct, to be told "it says you will not be given entry to the building without this letter", requesting that they drop everything get up to the main post office in a taxi and post the letter guaranteed delivery before 1pm following day. Upon arriving at the embassy you are then told, "well as long as you have your passport its not a drama, we just tell people to have the letter as a double check".

Do search for hidden cameras and be ready for the small handed freak that is Jeremy Beadle to jump out at any minute and surprise you.

Don't draw any comparrisons to an episode of Mr Bean, it will do you no good.

[BIG MISTER]

Wow and there was me think I was the only one ! ! !

Dont forget to add that when you arrive in the USA the new 'Homeland Security' staff will then 'Nick' you as you attempt to enter their country.......Evil Pilot Scum.....

They'll keep you 'in custody' for over an hour while they try and find you on yet another computer !

Meanwhile 'Vicky Pollard' and all her mates from 'cattle class' will have been through Immigration and customs long before you and snapped up all the best hire vehicles leaving you with the 'loaner from hell'.

Having jummped throug all the hoops and paid all the money (I think I got the slowest speaking woman in the world when I called the visa booking line......£14 that call cost me) I was just a little peed off and being treated like a criminal on arrival !

Oh but your only here to spend thousands of dollars flying a spam can Sir. We have families here that have to pay a lot less than that to see Mickey......Evil Pilots.....

If they think that some Mad towel wrapped foaming at the mouth terrorist is going to get a M1 Visa and then fly into a buliding they must be even madder than mad Mike Mcmad winner or last years Mad Mans compation.......They'll just book a cheapie fly drive with Vicky and all her mats and then do their worst.

Oh but as I rant on dont think I'm bitter....I've been back many times since......and the delights of Home Land Security never fails to amuse me. On my last trip I was interviewed on the way out of the country.....by a woman who spoke with a German Accent ! ! !

PLEASE PLEASE make flying cheap in the UK so I can just goto the USA to meet a large Mouse !!!!!!!!!

Merry Xmas all

:ok:

[BigGrecian]

On a serious note do you need to have the medical exam and the aids test for an M1 visa? It mentions the exam elsewhere on the site but can't seem to find any links on any of the sections to the medical element of it.

[Biscuit]

no medical or aids test is required.

[A and C]

I have over the past two years been doing my best to keep the flying costs for wannabes low and you will be surprized at the number of them who don't want to use the UK option and go off to the USA only to spend more money and sometimes to compleatly fail to achieve the objective.

I have almost given up on wannabes as most seem to be living in a dream world that revolves around the myth that "the USA is the only way".

Now my marketing is directed to a group of pilots who know what they want and know a good deal when they see it , not to a bunch of starry eyed romancers.

[My names Turkish]

I'm glad it wasn't just me then! I had to go through the whole episode three times. I was really fed up with it by the third time. I think its very typical of whats happening in that country. They go after very soft targets with a high public profile, while the people they are after would still easily evade them.

What really pissed me off was after spending all that time in the embassy and getting theVisa issued, which as far as I was concerned approved me to enter having to go through it all again with an Immigration official. I really felt I was being treated as a criminal. No reasonable person questions their right to defend their country, but I fear they are going to waste their store of goodwill with many allies. I will probably go abroad to fly again but I have left with such a bad taste in my mouth by the whole thing that it will be Canada or South Africa next time, which for the Americans is very counter productive is it not?

[scameron77]

Hi A & C,

I would maybe argue that it isn't romanticism that makes people go abroad, I personally did a hell of a lot of research into it. For many its cold hard facts and economics. For me it was a mixture of stuff as follows:

1./ Cost, cheap as chips for a high quality standard of flying
2./ No landing fees
3./ This country pisses me off at times along with the growing "chav" (Trisha/Burberry/Gold Soverign Rings/Hello and OK magazines) culture
4./ I'm going abroad for two years to experience living in another country
5./ You gon't get ripped off as much and items are priced relitively fairly
6./ I opted for Long Beach, Los Angeles, busy airport and busy airspace, better than Florida in my humble opinion
7./ I'm pretty confident I'll spend more if I stayed and learned in the UK.
8./ Weather - You can fly at least 300 days per year, crystal clear and warm.
9./ I can wear a t-shirt and shorts to work.
10./ I can buy a 2001 CLK Mercedes for £15,000
11./ My accent works a treat with American scrubbers
12./ I can go to Las Vegas, San Diego or San Francisco on a cross-country flight.
13./ In the UK I could look forward to the delights of Perth to Glenrothes to Prestwick to Perth or Oxford to Gloucester to Cardiff to Oxford, I'll try to contain my excitement.
14./ My rent (with swimming pool) is £2,300 per year, I payed that for 4 months in London, no swiming pool, but nice view of the Thames
15./ Need I go on?

If I'm starry eyed, well I'm glad I am. I personally think I'm bloody intelligent.

Stephen

[My names Turkish]

Scameron, Dont get me wrong, the 14 or so months I spent in the US were probably the best of my life. I agree with all your points. I loved being there, loved the Weather, loved the flying, loved the lifestyle. We were talking about the pain in the arse and cattle treatment to get the visa.