Need Visa for US

Willis_2

Oh and thanks all for your help and replies

jenniferpa

misskool wrote:

I applied for a US visa at the beginning of March, got an appointment date in one week, got the visa issued on the day, couried back to me in 2 days. However, you are now approaching peak season and the London office does get inunduated with applications from all nationalities who reside in the UK that may need more processing time.
PS-you may not get an appointment on the day you want, it's up to them really. And there's no getting around the £1.50 a minute phone line for booking an appointment, takes about 5 minutes, minimum!
edit as to the passport photo, http://www.epassportphoto.com/ is a free online service that will resize the photo to the required size. Upload a pic, print it off to check all the measurements are ok, then bring it boots to print (unfortunately they require real photo paper to issue the visa). Cost about 50p rather than £20 they would charge you to get it taken.

Unfortunately, this is not the same case as Willis, who is applying for a waiver of visa ineligibility. Those applications are dealt with by DHS (department of homeland security) who no longer have facilities overseas. Therefore the application has to be sent to the US and they decide whether to allow the exception, and that only happens after a recommndation from a consular official, and even then DHS don't have to accept the recommendation!

Willis - I am almost certain that in the event that you cannot keep that appointment, you will not be able to transfer your fee to another appointment date. Changing the appointment date will incurr another fee.

Jennifer

misskool

Oh, thanks for pointing that out Jennifer.

However, as for changing the appointment date, you don't pay to have an appointment made (except for the premium number line). You just show that you've paid, the bank stub, and you only need to show that at the embassy when you get there right?

jenniferpa

My understanding, and this is just supposition, wa that you needed to quote the payment reciept at the time you make the appointment. They definitely say that if you cancel the appointment or don't turn up, you've lost the fee. However, I now see that they talk about re-scheduling, so I think I was wrong about that part. I hope so, for willis sake!

Willis_2

Thanks again all, How do I get the bank slip to pay the fee? So I take it I need to do this before I book an appointment then?

Also re: the photo can I go anywhere to get it done? I haven't got a digi cam, can I not go Max Speilman or the like and tell them it's for a US Visa?

pompeyrich

I too neded a visa, I was lucky that it was pre 9/11 and you could do it by post back then. I got an application form from the US Embassy, paid the fee at Lloyds Bank who stamped the stub. I got the required memorandum of conviction from Hampshire police in about 2 weeks, it was quite a recent conviction which may have made it easier, I then filled in the form and sent off the neccasary documents.

In my opinion, they didn't seem too concerned about the conviction but more with my intention to return to England after my visit. Having a job, owning a house, having family here, showing bank statements etc. seemed of more concern to them than the fact that I had a spot of trouble with the police.

I shouldn't worry too much but would certainly treat getting the visa as a priority, well it seems you are already, chase up the police after 10 days or so, pay the fee, book the appoitment and fill in the forms and get your paperwork in order, then you will be able to relax and enjoy the build up to your trip.

Willis_2

pompeyrich wrote:

I too neded a visa, I was lucky that it was pre 9/11 and you could do it by post back then. I got an application form from the US Embassy, paid the fee at Lloyds Bank who stamped the stub. I got the required memorandum of conviction from Hampshire police in about 2 weeks, it was quite a recent conviction which may have made it easier, I then filled in the form and sent off the neccasary documents.

How/where do I pay the fee?

pompeyrich

When I applied they sent me an application pack, there was a paying in slip, kind of like a cheque, that I had to take to Lloyds Bank, with the fee, they took the money and stamped the slip and gave me a small counterfoil receipt bit.

Having just checked the US Visa site, via the link above, it seems you can now pay by credit card when you phone to make the appointment, they need your card and passport number to proceed.

It also says you wont get a refund if you fail to attend, or are unsucessful in your application, but you can re schedule the appointment if it is inconvenient

Willis_2

Cheers, will try and book it later and hopefully can sort it then. Also found a place that will do the pics for the US Visa and hopefully get that done on the way home...

Willis_2

Just to give everyone an update and help anyone in the future, took a week for the Drs to sign my subject access form and went to the Police last week, told it will take 4 - 6 weeks to get back but could take less. Cost a £10 to send that off and cost me £7.99 to get my photos done.

Booked my appointment took 8 minutes (cost about £10) for the end of June in Belfast, London appointments were about 4 weeks after that. They said could take anything from a week - 16 weeks to process so still got a chance! Paid $100 for the Visa by credit card. Just need to find some cheap flights now! Thanks again to everyone for their help and assistance so far.