@NoreenMasud Omg, I have a story for you. The BL who enjoy ridiculous ID demands towards non-British nationals a bit too much once asked me for a "bank letter" after my passport, id card, driving license, tenancy agreement, enrolment certificate, council tax bill & tax return were not enough.
@NoreenMasud (this is to extend my readers ticket, not, like, you know, get married, or take out a loan)
@NoreenMasud They sent me to the nearest branch of my bank. Obvs a "bank letter" (not a statement, that was also not ok) isn't a thing, and I describe desperately what was asked of me. Lady looks at me po-faced: "Is this the British Library?" "Yes" [lady swivels round on chair] ...
@NoreenMasud "JAAAAANE, It's that British Library again with one of those letters" "Jane" with a knowing face gets to work, the printer starts spitting out pages-1,2..6 "get a stamp, that'll make it more official" "which one" "oh take both" signing & stamping ensues. I watch in astonishment.
@NoreenMasud Lady #1 turns back round to me: "You see they havent a clue what it is they actually want to see, so we just make up several types, one of them usually works, it's always a different one" I leave with 3 multi-page letters. Show all 3, none of these have any currency, ofc.
@NoreenMasud I turn up at the BL: Important BL admin person sternly dismisses letter 1 with a soliloquy containing as many foreign sounding words as possible. Unphased I present letter 2: exasperated headshakes I can hear her think "don't these foreigners know anything. Letter 3:
@NoreenMasud Over-dramatic sigh of relief "yes that's exactly what i described earlier: it's *the only legally valid* bank letter." A new reader pass is printed. This took 90 mins. The brit next to me presents a driving license. they have no second ID. A card is printed. Took less than 1 min.
@NoreenMasud The end.
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