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Jump to: American citizen services news | Visa news


General Consular News

12 March 2010

DS-160 Online Form
Applicants applying for visas at the Embassy in London or the Consulate General in Belfast are required to complete the online DS-160. We will no longer accept the DS-156. Please follow this link for further information.

23 February 2010


YouTube:
A New Way to Apply for Your Visa: The DS-160

17 February 2010

The DS-160 web-based nonimmigrant visa application form has arrived! (notice #2)
Non-immigrant visa applicants applying for a visa, on or after, 01 March 2010, will be required to complete the new DS-160.

20 January 2010

Visa Waiver Program travelers (VWP) who have not registered under the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) will be denied boarding by the air carrier. Since January 12, 2009 when ESTA was introduced for Visa Waiver Program travelers, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has been operating in "informed compliance" status for the enforcement of the ESTA. Effective January 20, 2010, they will initiate a transition to enforced ESTA compliance, and VWP travelers who have not obtained approval through ESTA should expect to be denied boarding on any air carrier bound for the United States. To ensure that this will not happen to you, register under ESTA now at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov

28 July 2009

The Pre-Flight Zone: What you need to do before travelling to the UK

The U.S. Embassy London informs travellers to the UK where they can find important information about what to do when abroad in our latest YouTube video.


 

07 May 2009

ATTENTION American Citizen Services and Visa Applicants
If you have an American citizen service appointment or visa appointment and you are experiencing flu-like symptoms which you believe may be related to the H1N1 Flu, please do not come to the U.S. Embassy, London. We will provide priority re-scheduling of your appointment should you need to cancel for this reason as follows:-
 • To reschedule U.S. Passport and Citizenship services
 • To reschedule U.S. Special Consular Services appointments
 • To reschedule Visa appointments

29 April 2009

If you are traveling to the United States and are concerned about the reports of Swine Influenza, we suggest that you visit the U.S. Center for Disease Control’s website for the latest information http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentSwineFluUS.aspx .

21 August 2008

Former American Citizen Services Chief André Goodfriend talks about the function and types of services offered to American citizens ... read more (contains videos Video spool icon).

14 May 2007

Updated Country Specific Information: United Kingdom and Gibraltar



Visa News

12 March 2010

DS-160 Online Form
Applicants applying for visas at the Embassy in London or the Consulate General in Belfast are required to complete the online DS-160. We will no longer accept the DS-156. Please follow this link for further information.

23 February 2010


YouTube:
A New Way to Apply for Your Visa: The DS-160

17 February 2010

The DS-160 web-based nonimmigrant visa application form has arrived! (notice #2)
Non-immigrant visa applicants applying for a visa, on or after, 01 March 2010, will be required to complete the new DS-160.

02 February 2010

Video spool icon New Video: Apply for your visa early this year!
Don't miss out on this years holiday to the United States. The sooner you apply for your visa the better!
Video: apply early for your visa

20 January 2010

Visa Waiver Program travelers (VWP) who have not registered under the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) will be denied boarding by the air carrier. Since January 12, 2009 when ESTA was introduced for Visa Waiver Program travelers, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has been operating in "informed compliance" status for the enforcement of the ESTA. Effective January 20, 2010, they will initiate a transition to enforced ESTA compliance, and VWP travelers who have not obtained approval through ESTA should expect to be denied boarding on any air carrier bound for the United States. To ensure that this will not happen to you, register under ESTA now at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov

04 January 2010

The DS-160 web-based nonimmigrant visa application form has arrived!
The U.S. Embassy is to introduce the new web-based nonimmigrant visa application form DS-160. Applicants applying for petition based visas - H, L, O, P, Q or R – in person on or after February 1, 2010 will be required to complete the new form DS-160. For all other applicants, March 1 is the all important date.
The DS-160 is web-based and once completed, transmits the applicant’s data to the post where s/he will apply for the visa. As the data is collected electronically, it means that we will be able to conduct various forms of pre-processing and pre-screening in advance of the application which should reduce processing delays. It also means that applicants who apply for visas on a frequent basis can save their original application and simply submit the updated form.


18 December 2009

The Department of State has announced that from January 4, 2010 HIV Infection will be removed from the list of communicable diseases of public health significance. This means that HIV infection will no longer be an inadmissible condition. Applicants who are traveling to the United States on or after January 4 who are otherwise qualified, may travel visa free under the Visa Waiver Program. Travelers not eligible to travel visa free will be required to apply for a visa, but will no longer require a waiver of ineligibility before the visa can be issued. If you are affected by this change and would like further information, please contact the Operator Assisted Information Service.


23 June 2009

New Rules for Visa Waiver Program Travelers (VWP) with temporary or emergency passports
If you hold a temporary or emergency passport and you plan on traveling to the United States visa free under the Visa Waiver Program from July 1, 2009 onwards, you will require an e-passport...read more.

 

22 June 2009

NIVvideo youtube
Attending a Non-immigrant Visa Interview?
Watch our YouTube video!


29 April 2009

If you are traveling to the United States and are concerned about the reports of Swine Influenza, we suggest that you visit the U.S. Center for Disease Control’s website for the latest information http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentSwineFluUS.aspx .


08 April 2009

We have simplified the Visa index slightly and removed the pop-up. PLEASE be aware of the security requirements when visiting the Embassy!




American citizen services News

25 August 2009

American citizens are reminded that you are required to provide your Social Security Number, if you have been issued one, when submitting forms to renew or apply for a U.S. passport. Failure to do so can result in a $500 fine enforced by the IRS. For more information on how to correctly fill out passport applications forms, please ensure that you read the "Tips for Completing…" page of the appropriate passport application form.

28 July 2009

The Pre-Flight Zone: What you need to do before travelling to the UK

The U.S. Embassy London informs travellers to the UK where they can find important information about what to do when abroad in our latest YouTube video.


 

20 February 2009

Warden Conference at the U.S. Embassy in London.

02 February 2009

American Citizen Services now has a blog. This replaces our newsletter service ; we hope we can offer you much more timely and relevant information. PLEASE let us know what you think!

15 January 2009

The January 2009 American Citizen Services newsletter (PDF) has been released.
(Newsletter archive)



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