The Long and Winding Road

This morning I received my National Insurance number, nine weeks from the day I electronically submitted my settlement application to the UK Border Agency's New York office.

This doesn't sound like a very long time.

It seemed interminable.

I'm the kind of person who has to act Immediately! and In Great Detail! when there's an inkling of a project where Anything Can Go Wrong at Any Time. In March -- before we even knew John had a job -- I visited the UK Border Agency website to start my detailed plan and outline a contingency plan or two. Three weeks later, I was more confused than when I started. What did I have to do when? What sort of visa could I apply for?

I did learn one thing: I could apply for UK settlement, instead of a spousal visa. This required taking -- and passing -- the Life in the UK test before submitting an application. The test can only be taken inside the UK. We had already planned a vacation for May, so while there we traveled from country idyll to city neighborhood so I could take -- and pass -- the test.

After we returned from vacation, we spent many hours over several nights preparing the application packet which would prove that we have been married and living together for at least four years; demonstrate that my sponsor (John) was willing and able support me without recourse to public funds; show that we had a place to stay in the UK; document my employment; list my previous trips to the UK. That's about 500 pages worth of proof. I also went to a professional photographer to have a picture taken that met the specifications, and had my biometric information taken at a US visa services center.

Much like the US, immigration in the UK is a complicated and controversial topic, full of sad stories like this one. It's an intimidating and expensive process to undertake. As difficult and stressful as this was for me, I can't imagine what it must be like for people with little education and little English, desperate for a better life.