Hello all 
I'm new to posting, but I have been reading on this forum for YEARS, and it is only today that I finally have a reason to join in.
I'm 25 years old and live in the UK, I went to Disney World three times as a child, and it holds the happiest memories in the world for me. In the last five years, I have become nothing but obsessed with getting back there. However, for someone my age in the UK, raising that kind of money is not easy. Wages are low, I was unable to find a graduate job after uni, student loan repayments, and bills are high. Despite this, I have saved every spare penny for Disney World. I spend every evening watching YouTube videos of Disney, and hours researching queue times, restaurants, tips, and rides.
However, the second hurdle I had to overcome is my partner. He is 27 years old and we have been together 5 years. Unfortunately he has a tainted past between the ages of 14 and 18, and has quite a few criminal convictions for criminal damage (he did graffiti) and drink driving. Since then he has more than changed his life around, has a degree, works for the government, and owns a home. But to travel to USA from UK with a conviction, you must get a Visa. Many people risk it, but I wouldn't let him do that. The process is long and you need a police certificate (£50), and you need to have an interview in London (£100 for interview, £180 for trains and hotel for a night). You also need to massively prepare and take as many documents as possible to prove that you will come back to UK, and that you won't be doing anything illegal there. They can easily turn you down, and I have seen them turn people down for small crimes. Once turned down, you cannot ever visit USA.
On Thursday night, we traveled down to London from Liverpool for the interview. We had been preparing for weeks, and it had cost us alot of money, I was so scared. He had all his Visa documents (passport, driving license, statements, references, house deeds) in his bag, he wouldn't let me carry it in mine in case they got creased. As we got off the tube at Tower Hill, I turned and realised that he did not have his bag. He ran back to the platform but the train had gone. He ran to the train staff who radioed the driver, but we didn't know which train we had been on (the underground is confusing!) During this time, I couldn't even look at him!!! Without those documents, there would be no interview, and someone could have basically stole our lives with all that information. I sat outside Tower Hill station and cried and cried!! The British Transport police turned up and said that they had checked the train, the bag wasn't there. It was most likely someone had taken it when we stood to leave the train, realized there was nothing of value, and thrown the bag in the Thames. We left Tower Hill to go to our hotel utterly devastated. I was so angry at him.
We arrived at the hotel still not speaking and my OH ordered us both a large Whiskey! It was gone midnight by now and the interview was supposed to be at 9am, without the documents, it wouldn't happen. While sat in the bar, my mobile rang and it was my OH's Mum. He answered outside and I just saw him smiling and laughing. I wanted to kill him, how was he laughing right now!!!!! He came inside and told me that the bag was at South Kensington, and his Mum was the emergency contact in his passport so they had called her, we could collect it at 8am before the interview. Couldn't believe how lucky he'd got, and so wish that I could thank the kind person that handed it in.
So the next morning we had to get up at 6am to collect the bag before the interview. I wasn't allowed in the Embassy, so I had to leave him there, crying as I left, I was so terrified for him. I left and tried to enjoy some shopping in Camden and see some sights but I was a wreck! At midday I decided to head to Bond Street, as I got off the tube, I was facing a huge Disney store. I had an argument in my head about whether I was torturing myself, or whether it could be good luck, as I was expecting him to call any minute now. I decided to go in. As I walked in there was writing on the wall that said "All you need is faith and pixie dust", I nearly cried, and hoped that the pixie dust was working. A few seconds later, while deciding which Mickey keyring to treat myself to, my phone rang.
He got accepted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He was granted a ten year multiple entry visa, the visa guy was lovely and saw no reason why he shouldn't be allowed to enter the USA!!!!!!!! His passport will be back with us in 5 days with an official USA visa in it. When we told his Mum, she was so happy that she said she will contribute towards our trip. We now hope to go in either May or September 2014 and I cannot put into words how I feel.
An absolute emotional rollercoaster of a few days, but it has all been worth it. I'm so glad I decided to step into that Disney store, because now I really believe in Disney magic
Sorry for the huge post, but I told myself I wouldn't post here until I knew for sure that we could go, and now we can.
Thank you for reading, hope to chat to you all soon
xxx
I'm new to posting, but I have been reading on this forum for YEARS, and it is only today that I finally have a reason to join in.
I'm 25 years old and live in the UK, I went to Disney World three times as a child, and it holds the happiest memories in the world for me. In the last five years, I have become nothing but obsessed with getting back there. However, for someone my age in the UK, raising that kind of money is not easy. Wages are low, I was unable to find a graduate job after uni, student loan repayments, and bills are high. Despite this, I have saved every spare penny for Disney World. I spend every evening watching YouTube videos of Disney, and hours researching queue times, restaurants, tips, and rides.
However, the second hurdle I had to overcome is my partner. He is 27 years old and we have been together 5 years. Unfortunately he has a tainted past between the ages of 14 and 18, and has quite a few criminal convictions for criminal damage (he did graffiti) and drink driving. Since then he has more than changed his life around, has a degree, works for the government, and owns a home. But to travel to USA from UK with a conviction, you must get a Visa. Many people risk it, but I wouldn't let him do that. The process is long and you need a police certificate (£50), and you need to have an interview in London (£100 for interview, £180 for trains and hotel for a night). You also need to massively prepare and take as many documents as possible to prove that you will come back to UK, and that you won't be doing anything illegal there. They can easily turn you down, and I have seen them turn people down for small crimes. Once turned down, you cannot ever visit USA.
On Thursday night, we traveled down to London from Liverpool for the interview. We had been preparing for weeks, and it had cost us alot of money, I was so scared. He had all his Visa documents (passport, driving license, statements, references, house deeds) in his bag, he wouldn't let me carry it in mine in case they got creased. As we got off the tube at Tower Hill, I turned and realised that he did not have his bag. He ran back to the platform but the train had gone. He ran to the train staff who radioed the driver, but we didn't know which train we had been on (the underground is confusing!) During this time, I couldn't even look at him!!! Without those documents, there would be no interview, and someone could have basically stole our lives with all that information. I sat outside Tower Hill station and cried and cried!! The British Transport police turned up and said that they had checked the train, the bag wasn't there. It was most likely someone had taken it when we stood to leave the train, realized there was nothing of value, and thrown the bag in the Thames. We left Tower Hill to go to our hotel utterly devastated. I was so angry at him.
We arrived at the hotel still not speaking and my OH ordered us both a large Whiskey! It was gone midnight by now and the interview was supposed to be at 9am, without the documents, it wouldn't happen. While sat in the bar, my mobile rang and it was my OH's Mum. He answered outside and I just saw him smiling and laughing. I wanted to kill him, how was he laughing right now!!!!! He came inside and told me that the bag was at South Kensington, and his Mum was the emergency contact in his passport so they had called her, we could collect it at 8am before the interview. Couldn't believe how lucky he'd got, and so wish that I could thank the kind person that handed it in.
So the next morning we had to get up at 6am to collect the bag before the interview. I wasn't allowed in the Embassy, so I had to leave him there, crying as I left, I was so terrified for him. I left and tried to enjoy some shopping in Camden and see some sights but I was a wreck! At midday I decided to head to Bond Street, as I got off the tube, I was facing a huge Disney store. I had an argument in my head about whether I was torturing myself, or whether it could be good luck, as I was expecting him to call any minute now. I decided to go in. As I walked in there was writing on the wall that said "All you need is faith and pixie dust", I nearly cried, and hoped that the pixie dust was working. A few seconds later, while deciding which Mickey keyring to treat myself to, my phone rang.
He got accepted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He was granted a ten year multiple entry visa, the visa guy was lovely and saw no reason why he shouldn't be allowed to enter the USA!!!!!!!! His passport will be back with us in 5 days with an official USA visa in it. When we told his Mum, she was so happy that she said she will contribute towards our trip. We now hope to go in either May or September 2014 and I cannot put into words how I feel.
An absolute emotional rollercoaster of a few days, but it has all been worth it. I'm so glad I decided to step into that Disney store, because now I really believe in Disney magic
Sorry for the huge post, but I told myself I wouldn't post here until I knew for sure that we could go, and now we can.
Thank you for reading, hope to chat to you all soon
xxx
