They were lucky as I could point out at least two more cases where people didnt! Mind you January through to May isnt as bad as some cases last year when they were taking longer to process and people were marooned doing this for 18 months and then turned down because they had done it for 18 months!! I certainly think there is a significant risk to doing it this way and as the result of refusal is having to try and re-enter on visa waiver with visa denied on the computer to sell up home and business ( or not as the case may be) it isnt worth it. I will agree with you that the embassy do make things up as they go along. Often it depends on their feel about the business, if it is a good one they will let things go that they would leap on if it is more marginal.