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After spending an hour last night filling in the forms, we get to the high commission at 7:30 this morning and get in the queue. We were seen bya nice pre-screening gentleman who tells us that handwritten forms are no longer accepted. WTF? luckily, he pointed us to a post office a few doors down that has a nice little racket going where you can fill the forms online and print them there. £6 for 4 pages. Get back in the queue, but it’s still only 7:45 so we’re still on schedule.

Hand in the forms to the immigration staff and they were really good about it. It seems it’s just a formality, albeit an aggravating one. Amusing note, I had to hamdwrite a letter of invitation for Pam. Not technically needed, but they said the more supporting papers the better. After 30 minutes of waiting, we’re called to see a nice lady who first apologizes for yesterday, and says they’ll issue a visa. Apparently, she actually needed one last time she went to Canada but that must’ve fallen through the cracks. Anyway, lesson learned for next time. Now, its just hurry up and wait time. In the end, we left the high commission at 10:15, hailed a cab, checked out of the hotel and we’re now on our way to Heathrow.

I’ve been living on caffeine and nicotine for the past 24 hours. Not the best way to start a holiday, but at least it’ll make for a good story.

Edit: all that faffing for this

And they didn’t even use the picture we had taken!!

So. Pam and I checked into a surprisingly acceptable hotel to figure out our game plan. We printed off the visa application forms, went to the bank to get proof of funds, got passport pictures taken and I’ve just been to the high commission in Grosbenor St to figure out where we need to go bright and early tomorrow. Wish us luck!!!

Edit: 8 bloody pages of veeeery detailed information, some of which we don’t have…. Fret! Fret! Fret!

We were supposed to fly to Canada today, all 5 of us. Except now, there are only 3 people flying today. We found out the hard way that Pam’s status as a British protected person means that she needs to have a visa tiling go to Canada, even though she has a British passport. That wasn’t the case last time we all travelled to Canada. Apparently the immigration laws changed since then. Go you, Harper!

So. Pam and I are staying behind so that we can go to the Canadian high commission in central London to get her a visa tomorrow. They’re only open from 8 to 10:30 so we booked a room in a close-by hotel and get there bright and early.

Hopefully we won’t have any more surprises tomorrow.

Fret :-(