Getting a UK work permit and visa part 2

If you are viewing this post to get info on how to go through the process of getting a UK work permit and visa, be sure to read part 1 on the previous post first. Last week I went to Memphis to submit biometric data. The office is the Dept of Homeland Security and the USCIS (US Citizenship and Immigration Services) office. You cannot enter the building without going through security and having the printed appointment confirmation that includes a bar code at the end. From there, you put your appointment confirmation in a slot and wait for your name to be called. We arrived an hour early for our appointments. While it seems unnecessary to arrive early, we were able to get in about 10 minutes after we arrived. The staff at the Memphis USCIS was really friendly. To have your data collected, you show your passport and then have your fingerprints scanned and your photos taken, then they send you on your way. The process took about 10 minutes. They stamp your appointment confirmation that you then mail to the British Consulate along with the rest of your visa paperwork. The required supporting documents you submit for a visa vary with each application. When you fill out the online application and biometric data appointment, they will send you a confirmation email that includes a list of the supporting documents they require for your visa application. As the work permit holder, I was required to submit passport, and a passport photo, bank statements for the past 3 months, the original work permit, stamped biometric appointment confirmation. I also included a letter from NSF explaining the grant program and my funding. Konah, as the work holder dependent, was required to submit birth certificate, passport, marriage certificate, and a passport photo. We sent this overnight mail in separate packages to the consulate. We received a confirmation email that they had opened our application packages two days later and a week after mailing them, received email notification that our applications had been approved and are being mailed via UPS. My work permit application was submitted on 27th of April, so all in all, and with the mistake on the first permit, the process has taken about 2 months. No, I decided not to eat in Memphis, and instead headed back to Northwest Arkansas, stopping off at Pedestal Rocks for some hiking on the way back.