My day inside Fortress America

Today I was at the US Embassy in London.

Not for the first time, but for the first time in a long while, with a certain tension. I was there to renew my US visa. For another five years. Five more years of living, working and building businesses in a country I love and where I have done business since 2008.

Anyone who has stood in front of the new US Embassy in Nine Elms knows this is no ordinary government office. It is a fortress. An architectural monolith of glass, steel and symbolism. Shielded by security zones, a moat and cameras, yet open, bright and modern. A bastion of Western power that looks like a spaceship. Functional. Cool. And still fascinating.

And that fortress is where I spent this morning.

Not as a tourist. Not as a supplicant. But as an entrepreneur with a clear goal.

1Preparing amid uncertainty

Two days before the appointment I had a briefing with the US immigration attorney we regularly engage for our clients too. She is skilled and experienced, and yet she said openly:

"Honestly, I'm not sure exactly what to expect for you."

At a time of political uncertainty, shifting rules and agencies that are sometimes stricter than expected, that is no empty phrase. Her advice was clear:

"If they ask anything unusual, just say you'd like to check with your attorney. We'll take care of it."

It was a short, clear moment that showed me: even seasoned professionals stay alert. And applicants should too.

2Why London and not Berlin?

You apply for or renew a US visa in the country where you currently live, not necessarily your country of origin. I could have travelled to Berlin or Frankfurt. But I live in London. My family is here, our office is here, my attorneys are here.

And the US consulate in London is, for all its size, well organized, efficient and professional. But bring time.

3A long morning in three stages

I arrived about 30 minutes before my appointment. Outside the entrance: a long but orderly queue. People from all over the world. Families, students, business people. The mood: calm, focused, slightly tense.

What followed was a process in three stages: 2.5 hours in total, of which just 90 seconds were the actual interview.

3.1Stage 1: document check, where the passport photo decides

The first surprise came straight away: although I had uploaded my passport photo with the DS-160 form, they asked for a printed photo on site. It was scanned and handed back to me.

Luckily I had one with me. Anyone who didn't had to go to the photo booth and then rejoin the back of the queue. That costs time and nerves.

Tip: always bring a recent printed passport photo, even if everything seems to be "online".

3.2Stage 2: fingerprints, quick and friendly

Next came biometrics, and it moved fast. No waiting, friendly staff, and five minutes later it was done.

Then: the great hall.

3.3Stage 3: the hall of decision

The waiting hall is like an airport terminal. Rows of seats, screens regularly displaying names. Around me: lots of F1 students, B1 travelers, some L and E visa applicants.

I waited almost two hours. Good organization or not, demand is high and you need patience.

Then my name appeared. I stepped forward.

4The interview: 90 seconds and a "yes"

The consular officer was friendly and focused.

"What are you planning to do in the U.S.?"

I explained that I continue running my company there, looking after clients and leading projects. She typed as I spoke.

"Your visa is approved."

That was it. No follow-up questions, no paperwork, no pressure. A moment of relief, and proof that good preparation pays off.

5Two hours of waiting, one moment of pride

Of course, two hours of waiting can be tiring. But the queue was cleverly organized: you could sit down again and again before it moved on every two or three minutes. And you can now use your phone. Five years ago that was strictly forbidden.

While I waited, I inevitably caught snatches of conversation in the queue around me, and a few encounters stayed with me.

There was a British girl, 18 years old, excitedly telling someone about her future in the US. She had won a soccer scholarship to a college in the South. A young man in front of me was an animator planning to move to Hollywood. And behind me stood the founder of an AI startup who had recently closed a big funding round and was now relocating to Austin.

That was America.

Not the America of the daily negative headlines. Not the America so often caricatured by a European media landscape intoxicated by its own cynicism.

But the America of dreams. Of opportunity. Of pull.

And as I stood there in that queue, in a glass fortress in the middle of London, surrounded by young people from all over the world with hope in their eyes and courage in their luggage, I felt it: I am proud to be part of this movement.

6Afterwards: Battersea Power Station and a walk to breathe again

After the interview I walked the roughly 15 minutes to Battersea Power Station, where I had a business meeting at the Regus offices. The walk did me good. The Thames, the sky, the feeling: done, passed, free.

Battersea is a symbol of change: once a power station, now a design icon. Four chimneys rise into the sky. Inside: boutiques, cafés, modern offices. Past and future under one roof.

7Why I'm not (yet) a US citizen and don't even have a green card

People sometimes ask me: "Why don't you have a green card? Wouldn't that be easier?"

The short answer: because I want to keep my global tax flexibility.

Hold a green card or become a US citizen and you are subject to US worldwide taxation. That means income, shareholdings, assets, even passive structures like holding companies or foundations: everything has to be disclosed and taxed. An American passport comes with an invisible web of reporting duties and forms.

I love America. I love Texas. I love the entrepreneurial climate. But: I want to stay free. Mobile. International. Not permanently chained to the US tax system.

That is why I now limit my time there to around 120 days a year. It keeps me safely outside the Substantial Presence Test, and it lets me enjoy the best of both worlds.

Don't get me wrong: I would love to spend more time there. Maybe even move for good. But my partner is British and, as they say here, a "homebird". She loves London, her family, the familiar rituals. Plus (and she says this with a wink) too many guns and Trump voters in Texas.

So we live flexibly: a few months in the USA, a few months in the UK, and sometimes somewhere else. A life on the move, but with structure. And that is exactly what we want to make possible for our clients too.

8What you can learn from my case

I got the visa. Quickly and smoothly. But also because I was well prepared: with attorneys, with a strategy, with an understanding of the context.

Here are my key takeaways, specifically for London:

8.1A printed photo is a must

Even if it looks like you don't need one: bring it.

8.2Allow 2.5 to 3 hours

The interview takes 2 minutes, but everything else drags on.

8.3A briefing with an attorney is worth its weight in gold

If you know how to answer (and when to stay quiet), you have the edge.

8.4Stay relaxed, but alert

The officers in London are friendly. But prepared is prepared.

8.5These tips apply to London only

At other embassies and consulates, things can work quite differently. Find out beforehand exactly how the consulate where you apply operates.

9The USA stays open to those who come prepared

Despite all the geopolitical tension, despite Trump, despite the bureaucracy: the USA still welcomes entrepreneurs with open arms. But only if you do your homework.

I love this country, and I love my freedom. So I choose the paths that are right for me. Not the easiest ones, but the smartest.

And that is exactly what I recommend to you.

10Your next step

If you are thinking about applying for a US visa or strategically expanding your presence in the USA: get a consultation. Mount Bonnell Advisors works with leading US immigration attorneys. We know the tax, business and practical details and help you find the structure that fits your life.

Book an initial consultation now.

Because the road to America starts with planning and the right guidance. You will find more reports and articles on US visas regularly under News.

In short

• You apply for or renew a US visa in the country where you live, not necessarily your country of origin.
• In London the appointment took about two and a half hours across three stations: document check, fingerprints and the waiting hall, with the interview itself lasting 90 seconds.
• Bring a printed passport photo, even if you uploaded one with the DS-160, and get briefed by your attorney beforehand.
• If you hold neither a green card nor a US passport and limit your days in the USA, you stay outside US worldwide taxation.

How we help you

• Visa RoadmapIn writing: which visa fits you and your family, prepared with the immigration attorney on the firm's team.
• Visa and Green Card ConsultationWhich route to the USA fits you, settled in one conversation.
• Your US Tax ReturnForm 1040 or 1040-NR, handled in English.
• Moving to the USAVisa, bank account, taxes and where to live: your move with Mount Bonnell Advisors.