American foreign cheque

IMHO you have asked a 'piece of string' question, as there is no equivalent to the UK cleaing system for the collection of foreign cheques. Somone will correct me if I am out of date, but the system goes something like this,

Your bank will send the cheue to its branch or correspondent agent in, in your case the USA, the foreign ountry. Either directly or through one or more internediaries the cheque will reach the drawer's bank. Subject to fiunds being available the agent in the USA will eventually receive the $value for the cheque. The agent will make entires in the account with your bank so that it received the £ countervakue ,and advise your bank (HO) and finally your branch will be notified.

Have you asked your bank's advice?

For customers of very good standing banks may 'negotiate' a cheque. This means they place the £ countervalue on the account immediately. There is a risk, as negotiation is effected 'with recourse'. This means that if payment is refused the account will be debited. See remarks above about the variable time cycle!

It is possible for your USA contact to send you a remittance by transfer. The receipt in to yout hands will of course be delayed, but once the money is on your account, it's yours. As per usual fees will be levied but who pays which could, as I recall, be part of the instructions given by the contact to his bank.