I have held a US B1-B2 visa for nearly 30 years and used it for business and pleasure trips. My wife has sometimes come with me as a tourist, using the visa waiver scheme. To cover future cases where she might take notes at business meetings we decided to be honest and apply for a B1-B2 visa for her. On telephoning the US Embassy we were told this was indeed the correct action so we proceeded to prepare the required documents and paid the 60 pounds fee.
On arriving at the US Embassy we found that all applicants are treated like dirt; made to wait for hours, partly out in the cold with no shelter and never with any toilet facilities. Once my wife passed through security into the embassy, I was left outside in the cold with nowhere to wait for her and strongly discouraged from 'loitering' in the area.
The first problem was refusal to accept her photograph, requiring us to obtain a new one locally. When we returned with it my wife was told she was really too late but they would try to fit her in.
After I had waited for hours outside she emerged raving about the 'third degree' she had received from a juvenile member of the staff. His view was that my B1-B2 visa was insufficient for business trips, which is not what the rules say on the
US embassy web site.
We are still free to travel together to the USA for pleasure and we had planned a holiday in Arizona. After this treatment we have cancelled it and will not be spending any more time or money in a country that treats the citizens of its loyal ally so shabbily. There are plenty of other holiday destinations that will appreciate our presence.
.jpg)
