Visa Processing Procedures Changed
in London Consulate
The U.S.
Consulate in London recently changed their procedures with respect to
most nonimmigrant visa applications. As of January 9, 2003, most of
these applicants have to appear at the consulate for an in-person
interview with a consular officer. The interviews will require an
appointment. The consulate has been rejecting applications filed by
mail or through authorized travel agents since December 31, 2002.
According to the Consulate's website, those
between the ages of 16-59 must call for an interview. The
interviews are scheduled by telephone but the telephone number is only
accessible from within the U.K. It is suggested that persons should call and
set the appointment through some contacts in U.K. No other
alternatives are offered.
Mail application processing for
other nonimmigrant visas remains available for persons who are under
16. It is also available for persons 60 and over, other than nationals
or citizens of the seven countries designated as state sponsors of
terrorism. These seven countries are North Korea, Iran, Iraq, Libya,
Syria, Cuba, and Sudan. There is also an exemption for applicants for
O, P, or I visas, as well as airline crew applying for C/D
visas.
For the majority of individuals who require an
interview, the consulate states that the turnaround time for mailing
back an applicant's passport with the visa stamp is two workdays. The
visa processing will not be completed on a same-day basis. According
to the Consulate, individuals who answer "yes" to any of the questions
contained in item 33 on Form DS-156, pertaining to possible grounds of
inadmissibility to the U.S., will require up to eight weeks of
processing. Item 33 contains questions that address such issues as
prior arrests and convictions, prior refusals of admission to the
U.S., prior immigration violations, and communicable diseases of
public health significance. The DS-156 form is available through the
consular website. Accordingly, anyone planning to process a
nonimmigrant visa through the U.S. Consulate in London should review
the instructions carefully to allow sufficient time to arrange for the
appointment and await the return of the passport, hopefully containing
a visa stamp. Those applying for H-1 visas needing an interview, for detailed instructions
Click
Here.
Others to find detail information,
Click
Here
