So...I will try to keep this as short as possible but it may be hard since we have so many thoughts and feelings on the matter.
Yesterday, we arrived in Manchester at 9:30am. We didn't leave the airport until 5pm. Yes, that's right. Chris was held up in UK Customs for 7 HOURS - 7 FREAKING HOURS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We stood in line and decided to go through separately just because we didn't want to take any chances. I went through the line fine. I was going to meet Chris in baggage claim after using the restroom. I came out, looked around, and he wasn't there. Our bags came - he still wasn't there. I was starting to panic by this point and plugged in my cell phone and proceeded to text both his UK and US phone to see what the hold up was. A few minutes later Chris lets me know that they pulled him aside so I just sat with our bags and waited.
An hour later, a UK Customs guy comes out of nowhere and asks me in an unnecessary harsh voice, "What do you have charging in that socket?"
I told him that I was charging my cell phone.
"Take that out of the socket right now! How rude! You are using tax payer's money!"
"Are you serious?"
"Yes I'm serious! Take that out right now and leave! You are so rude!"
OMG - it took EVERYTHING IN MY POWER not to curse him out right then and there. Luckily, my brain overpowered my raging emotions.
"Fine I'll unplug it, but I'm not leaving. And you're the one who's being rude. There is no reason for you to just come out and speak to me that way." (muttering ASSHOLE! under my breath).
A few minutes after, a different guy comes out and asks me if the other guy informed me of what was going on. Of course I told him no - the guy just came out and scolded me for charging my phone. So, the guy proceeds to tell me what is going on with Chris and asks me questions about what he does for work etc. Then he says that some agents need to look through our bags. I said, fine - whatever you need to do.
Two agents come out with Chris (mind you this is at least 2 hours of waiting). They lead us down to a separate area and take apart our luggage one item at a time. At least they were nice and packed everything better than it was packed in the first place. Of course, I had a TON of wedding magazines and related papers so we told them we were engaged and going to get married back in the States in 2010. They took out any documents they felt were related to the situation so they could have a closer look.
Another hour has gone by after they are done searching through everything we have. We head back to the baggage claim area and they told me I could wait there. I waited.....and waited....and got hungry and thirsty, but still waited. Chris would send me text messages whenever he could. I figured he had to text me when he was alone in the room. A few hours later, another guy came out to let me know he would be awhile and said I could go home or grab food and water if needed, but I said I was fine. I just ate the snacks my mom prepared for us (thanks Mom! They saved me!!!). I watched people come and go - from Grenoble, Geneva, Paris, and Knock - wherever the hell that is. I read a quarter of "Eat, Pray, Love" which was the only thing that alleviated my boredom and worry.
I looked at the time and it was now 4:30pm. I couldn't believe how long we had been held up! We were EXHAUSTED almost to the point of delirium (at least I was - not sure how Chris was doing in the holding cell all this time). I was worried Chris was starving and dying of thirst. I feared they would make him get back on a plane. So many things were rushing through my head. I knew it was now 8:30am back in Seattle and figured I could call my mom.
After telling her the situation and venting and saying "FUCK" like a MILLION times I couldn't hold it together anymore. I sat there sobbing as quietly as possible and felt like I was 5 again wishing for my momma. I decided the bathroom was a much better place to collect myself so I lugged our two HUGE suitcases along with my carry-ons across baggage claim and just wept in a stall.
A few minutes later I get a call and Chris tells me he's finally out. He let me know that they decided (after much debate) that he has to go back to the States on Tuesday (tomorrow). They're giving him enough time to rest and collect things. He's talked to the agents about his situation, his multiple visa applications, our relationship and our wedding plans, my school situation, everything. The customs agents were actually sympathetic (a little) and searched for him to see what type of visa would fit his situation. We almost wanted to tell them, "Look we're not idiots and we're not trying to cheat the system. Tell us what visa he needs and we'll apply for it." This is what they came up with.
He can't get a work visa because he's working for a UK company.
He can't get a visitors visa because he is "transferring his base" of work temporarily from the US to the UK.
He can't get a Highly Skilled Migrant Worker permit because he doesn't qualify (not enough points - weird system - not going to get into it).
He can't get a sole proprietor business visa because his company would have to set up a legitimate business within the UK and who knows how long that would take anyway?
We've talked about our options over and over. We thought, hey, maybe we could go back to the States, get married on paper, apply for a visa for married dependents of students. But he's NOT a dependent. And I wouldn't be able to prove that I have enough funds to cover him the whole time while being here. Plus, Chris has now been "black listed" and when he tries to come through UK Customs again, a red flag will go up and we don't think that type of visa will hold up.
Chris had mentioned that right before they let him go, a French student WITH a Visa was going through customs. The customs agent asked him why he was going to school in the UK when he could go to school in France since he didn't speak English very well. The student said he wanted to study in a different country to practice his English. Apparently, a VISA and his reasons were not enough evidence because they pulled him aside as well to further investigate him. I mean, JESUS!!! What the FUCK are they trying to PROVE here?!?!? We felt so bad for the guy. He just wants to study in your FUCKING country and has the correct documents!!!! It's like it's a crime to want to study abroad and experience a different culture.
This whole experience has left such a bad taste in our mouths.
In terms of my school, I have a meeting with a school counselor in an hour. I'm going to talk about my options of finishing school or taking a sabbatical or just leaving altogether. At this point, I want to go with the third option because I am not going to stay over here without Chris. I feel the other two options come with more stress and heartache than is necessary and really I am fed up with this place.
While back in Seattle, we were both so much happier. Seattle has everything that suits our lives which England lacks. Family, friends, amazing food, amazing people, yoga, Green Lake, the vibrant music scene, and it would be SO MUCH EASIER to plan the wedding. Yes, the economy sucks right now, but we should be able to find jobs. There would be a lot of things we'd need to figure out besides work - a place to stay, buying a car, blah, blah, blah, but it would be so much easier to settle ourselves back in Seattle as opposed to trying to start a life here.
Anyway, I will let you know what I find out about school. Chris is already in the process of closing accounts and what have you. Right now, I just need to tend to the most simple of human needs - shower and eat!!
Over and out.
-Nic
