We've hit a snag
Just when we thought everything was running smoothly! When my visa arrived, we were not home. Pedro's mother sent us a picture when it came in the mail. Thank goodness she did too, or we would not have noticed the mistake. It was in small print, under "Obsrv". It said, no work, no business, no public funds. NO WORK. As in, no work for 5 years!! Cue panic. That's a mistake, right? The university said I could work and earn money. I mean, this is just my entry clearance visa, not my living visa, but still...If I enter the country with the wrong information, I am going to be stuck in that situation for a long time, may even have to leave and come back.
So I start searching who to contact. My frenzied search was a blur of immigration websites between countries, so I can't even tell you how I found a email to the New York office where I originally sent my visa to be processed. I explained my concerns, and they forwarded this situation to the UK "visa decision-making center". That sounds serious. Two days later, I receive an email from the decision-making center. It read something like this: We messed up your visa. Give your passport back to the US office, let them deal with it....soooorrrry.
That's it. And I had so many questions. The bottom of the email also informed me they sent that via an automated message, so I could not respond to ask how I am supposed to do all of this. I googled the center's contact information and found the UK office telephone number. When I call, I hear that the number is no longer in service, and their new number can be found the website. UGH. Found the website and looked up the number. This one has one too many digits and my international Skype phone is not able to connect to it. I try another one from their website and find the same issue. So then I try to find an email, only to find that they believe in their phone system so much that they have neglected to list one. Back to the drawing board! I decided to email the New York office again, since they referred my case to the UK office. I forwarded the response I was given about the mistake on my working rights and asked all my questions. Where do I send this? Do I need to send all my documents again? Do I need to be fingerprinted again? I leave the country soon, how long will this take?
The New York office was very prompt in their response: Send your passport and a copy of that email along with a UPS return label to this address. Write in big letters "CORRECTION" on the envelope so we can filter it out expeditiously.
Thanks New York! Expeditiously. I like the sound of that. Pedro and I gathered everything and made it to UPS within minutes of the cutoff for Next Day Air. I tracked it all night and morning until I saw "Delivered" and immediately emailed both the UK and New York office to let them know. All I can do is track the return label's movements.
Now it's a REALLY tight waiting game. I called Delta, and luckily our tickets are transferable, individually, or together, up to 24 before departure. I would hate for Pedro to fly alone, for the first time, to a foreign country. But I also don't want to delay him. The earlier he arrives for school, the better. Here's hoping for the US government to be quick about it. Crap.
