Adventures in Visa-Land Part II

The quest for entry to the UK to live with my husband-to-be continues! It has been great fun (not so much) calling an assortment of different agencies and requesting certified copies of documents--I just received my birth certificate in the mail two days ago, and am greatly anticipating the arrival of my college transcripts. Sam has been busy gathering papers and just notified me last night that he has almost collected all of the documents I need him to bring when he comes in April. He has been so helpful and organized, and as always a major encouragement to me.

So basically what I have to do is this: gather and organize all of my stuff, then I can apply online and pay the extortionate fee. Then I can make an appointment to get my biometrics taken, then I must send in the enitre stack of papers and my biometrics within two weeks of having them taken to the office in LA. Then I must wait up to 12 weeks to have it approved (because having it denied is not an option here obviously). Seems easy enough. EXCEPT: I booked a 10 day trip to Spain to visit my sister in May before I knew of these details, which means I have to have my biometrics taken the day before I leave, and overnight it all the day I return to make sure I get it in within the two weeks. I have to wait until after this trip because I have to send in my passport of course. But wait, there's more: our wedding is 11 weeks from that time, a wedding which will require me to have my passport because it's in Mexico. So I am really just hoping that 1.) I can make my biometrics appointment for the day I need to have it done, 2.) that it doesn't take 12 weeks to process because then I'm really screwed, and 3.) that it gets approved and we live happily ever after.

I will admit that this causes me daily anxiety. The chances of it all being okay are looking pretty good, but since I have a pessimistic streak, or rather, since I am realistic, those few little ifs and maybes are worrisome to me. It will be so nice when this whole process is over and out of my mind, but until then, I am accepting that it will continue to be the first thing I think of every morning. Fingers crossed everyone...