Visa Services, U.S. Embassy London

Immigrant Visa Webchat – Transcript available!

visaservices4 — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 11:23:05 +0000

Please visit our website to read the transcript of the Immigrant Visa webchat that was held on April 26, 2012.

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Do you have a question about Immigrant Visas? Would you like to know more about residing permanently in the United States? Have you applied and need some advice about forms or fees? Then ask a Consular Officer and let us help you prepare!

Please join our webchat on Thursday, April 26th at 12 – 1pm to learn more about Immigrant Visas!
~~https://statedept.connectsolutions.com/london~~

If you would like to post your questions ahead of time, please do so here on our blog, or on our twitter feed. We will answer all questions at the time of the web chat.

Photo: JulyYu on Flickr

Important Notice for Diversity Visa 2012 Entrants

visaservices4 — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 17:32:07 +0000

Were you selected for the Diversity Visa 2012? Successful entrants are encouraged to send in their required documents to the Kentucky Consular Center (KCC) immediately, so that an interview appointment at the appropriate U.S. Embassy or consulate can be scheduled before the program ends.

Photo: dmountain.com on Flickr

In order for an appointment to be scheduled with either a U.S. Embassy or Consulate, entrants must first submit the Form DSP-122 and Form DS-230 to KCC. Embassies and consulates only have a limited number of appointments each month, including September, for DV applicants, so it is vital that successful entrants mail these documents to KCC very soon.

Remember! DV 2012 ends on September 30, 2012. In addition, if all of the 50,000 DV visas have been issued before that date, the program will end. U.S. Embassies and Consulates only have six months left to issue visas to eligible applicants in the DV 2012 program. Successful entrants should act now. DV-2012 visas cannot be issued after September 30, 2012. Participants are reminded to check the status of their DV entry through Entrant Status Check www.dvlottery.state.gov, using the confirmation numbers they received when they initially submitted their applications.

Visa application fees are changing – will they affect you?

visaservices7 — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 09:00:00 +0000

From April 13, 2012, U.S. visa application fees are changing. While some will increase, many others will decrease significantly. Whether the changes will affect you depends on the type of visa for which you are applying and when you pay the fee.

Nonimmigrant visas

From April 13, 2012, the new fees will be:

Machine Readable Visa (MRV) fee (B, C, C-1/D, F, I, J and M visa classifications): $160
Petition-based application fee (H, L, O, P, Q and R visa classifications): $190

If you pay before April 13, 2012 and attend a visa interview before July 13, 2012, you will not be required to pay the new fees.

If you pay before April 13, 2012, and attend a visa interview on or after July 13, 2012, then you will be required to pay a supplemental fee to reflect the increase.

If you pay on or after April 13, 2012, you will be charged the new fee.

Note that E visa fees are reducing from $390 to $270. If you pay the fee prior to April 13, 2012, no refund is available regardless of when you attend your visa interview.

Immigrant and fiancé(e) visas

The fees for all immigrant and fiancé(e) visa applications are decreasing from April 13 onwards, as follows:

Immediate Relative and Family Preference: reducing from $404 to $230
Employment Preference: reducing from $794 to $405
Diversity Visa: reducing from $440 to $330
Returning Resident status determination: reducing from $380 to $275
Fiancé(e): reducing from $350 to $220
All other immigrant visas: reducing to $220

If you pay before April 13, 2012, then you will pay the higher fee. No refund is available, regardless of when you attend your visa interview.

Note that these fees are in addition to any fees paid to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to file a petition.

Visa Webchat 22nd March – Transcript available!

visaservices4 — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 10:36:13 +0000

Update: Please visit our website to read the transcript of the Nonimmigrant Visa Unit webchat that was held on March 22, 2012.

Photo: BuzzbotSuccess on Flickr

Do you have a question about Nonimmigrant Visas? Are you planning to study in the U.S. in the next academic year? Want to know more about applying for a student visa? Then ask a Consular Officer and let us help you prepare!

Please join our webchat on Thursday, March 22nd at 12 – 1pm to learn more about Nonimmigrant Visas!
~~https://statedept.connectsolutions.com/london~~

If you would like to post your questions ahead of time, please do so here on our blog, or on our twitter feed. We will answer all questions at the time of the web chat.

Visa Services Summer 2012

visaservices — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 09:30:29 +0000

Nonimmigrant visa services will be limited during the period July through to the end of August 2012. Travelers requiring visas are, therefore, advised to apply early to avoid disappointment.

The appointment calendar is open through until the end of June. If you have plans to travel during the summer, book now through the Operator Assisted Information Service as appointment availability cannot be guaranteed.

If you are a national of one of the 36 Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries you should check your eligibility to enter the United States visa free under the VWP. If you are not qualified, you will require a visa. If you will be entering the United States by air or sea carrier under the VWP you should also ensure that you have obtained travel authorization under the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) prior to travel. Although it is possible to register up to 72 hours before departure, we recommend that you register now for summer travel in case the registration is denied and you will require a visa.

Visa Webchat – 23rd February 2012!

visaservices4 — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:46:03 +0000

Do you have a question about Nonimmigrant Visas? Planning to travel to the U.S. this summer? Want to know more about applying for a Summer work/travel visa ? Then ask a Consular Officer and let us help you prepare!

The transcript for this webchat is available from our website – http://london.usembassy.gov/visa_webchats.html.

If you want to join a webchat in the future, check back on our blog or the website for future dates and topics!

Photo: BuzzbotSuccess on Flickr

International Visitor Leadership Alumnus February 2012

visaservices4 — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:02:38 +0000

Over the last 60 years, thousands of UK citizens have traveled to the United States on exchange programs sponsored by the American Embassy in London. Each month we highlight alumni of these programs; February’s Alumnus of the Month is Stephen Wilkinson.

More information is available from the Embassy website: http://london.usembassy.gov/eca/exchanges17.html

Update: Immigrant Visa webchat – Transcript now online!

visaservices4 — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:50:00 +0000

Please visit our website to read the transcript of the Immigrant Visa Unit webchat that was held on January 25, 2012.

Do you have a question about Immigrant Visas? Confused by the Green Card process? Need some clarification on procedures? Then ask a Consular Officer and let us help you prepare!

Please join our webchat on Wednesday, January 25th at 12 – 1pm to learn more about Immigrant Visas!
~~https://statedept.connectsolutions.com/london~~

If you would like to post your questions ahead of time, please do so here on our blog, or on our twitter feed. We will answer all questions at the time of the web chat.

Photo: JulyYu on Flickr

Nonimmigrant Visa Webchat! – 29th December 2011 – Transcript now Online

visaservices4 — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:18:21 +0000

Do you have a question about Nonimmigrant Visas? Miss our latest webchat? The transcript of the webchat is now available online at our website: http://london.usembassy.gov/visa_webchats.html.

Transcripts of all our webchats are available on this page, and you can check the date and subject of our latest webchat there too!

Photo: BuzzbotSuccess on Flickr

Mince pies and plum pudding – Are you ready for the holidays?

admin — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:02:13 +0000

If you are traveling to the United States for the holidays the following are a few things you should know before you arrive at the airport.

If you are traveling visa free under the Visa Waiver Program and are entering the United States by air or sea carrier, you must register under ESTA. If you do not have a valid registration don’t delay any longer. In most cases travelers receive a response in a matter of seconds, but some cases can take up to 72 hours to be approved.

Photo: gorgeoux on Flickr

A registration under ESTA is good for two years or until the date on which your passport expires, whichever comes first. If you are not sure if your registration is still valid, you can check online on the official ESTA website at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/.

If you are not eligible to travel visa free, or you applied for ESTA and your registration has been denied, you will require a visa. Visa appointments are currently available next workday, but appointment availability cannot be guaranteed. Therefore, to avoid disappointment, call our call center NOW on 09042 450 100 (Calls cost £1.23/min plus network extras) to schedule an appointment and don’t make any final travel plans until you have received your passport and visa!

Finally, the mince pies and pudding. Whether you are taking them as presents, or to help you celebrate the festive season, you should check the US Customs list of admissible food items before you travel to avoid a last minute dash to the shops!

Happy Holidays

Visa Services, U.S. Embassy London

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