Editor's Blog2 mins ago
time for us visa to arrive
My husband had an interview on 5th April 2007 for a visa at the us embassy and due to a previous criminal conviction was told that it needed further processing. Can anyone tell me how long they waited for theirs to come through as I'm told we need to wait for a letter than need to post off the passport. I am hoping to go on holiday on th 26th May to Florida and am now panicking that I have run out of time.
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I think that you might have a problem. Although one regular AB contributor reported that he got his visa fairly quickly, his conviction was for a drink-driving offence which occurred while in the USA. The wait for most people seems to be much longer.
The US embassy website currently has this information:
"Applicants who tick yes to box 38 should be aware that it is difficult to predict how long the application will take to process, but can expect to wait a minimum of eight weeks before being advised of the outcome of their application. Applicants who are advised at the time of the visa interview that their application will require additional administrative processing should allow at least 60 days for this stage of the application to be completed. Please note that the processing times quoted are approximate and cannot be guaranteed."
Unfortunately, it's no use hoping that the information is out of date (and, consequently, that processing times might now be shorter). The website has only recently been updated. Previously, the minimum processing time for 'box 38' applications was quoted as '14 to 16 weeks'.
Sorry!
Chris
The US embassy website currently has this information:
"Applicants who tick yes to box 38 should be aware that it is difficult to predict how long the application will take to process, but can expect to wait a minimum of eight weeks before being advised of the outcome of their application. Applicants who are advised at the time of the visa interview that their application will require additional administrative processing should allow at least 60 days for this stage of the application to be completed. Please note that the processing times quoted are approximate and cannot be guaranteed."
Unfortunately, it's no use hoping that the information is out of date (and, consequently, that processing times might now be shorter). The website has only recently been updated. Previously, the minimum processing time for 'box 38' applications was quoted as '14 to 16 weeks'.
Sorry!
Chris
Chris is probably referring to me.
The weird thing in my case is that they asked for a copy of an UK police record, which I had not applied for before going for the visa interview. I have an old US DUI/DWI and got the US court record, but the embassy helpline told me that was all I needed if I had a US record, no need to prove I had no UK record ... wrong!
Anyway, at the embassy they stamped my passport 'Visa applied for on xyz date and returned it to me'. I went home and then applied for the the UK record. It arrived about a month later (it was blank). I posted it to the US embassy, BUT on the same day I received a letter from the US embassy asking me to send in my passport to be issued the US visa. So they went ahead issuing my US visa, without seeing my UK record, despite demanding it... very weird. Once I sent in my passport, the turn around was a few days.
So, you might be fine. But, it could also depend upon what the conviction was, how long ago etc...
Good luck.
The weird thing in my case is that they asked for a copy of an UK police record, which I had not applied for before going for the visa interview. I have an old US DUI/DWI and got the US court record, but the embassy helpline told me that was all I needed if I had a US record, no need to prove I had no UK record ... wrong!
Anyway, at the embassy they stamped my passport 'Visa applied for on xyz date and returned it to me'. I went home and then applied for the the UK record. It arrived about a month later (it was blank). I posted it to the US embassy, BUT on the same day I received a letter from the US embassy asking me to send in my passport to be issued the US visa. So they went ahead issuing my US visa, without seeing my UK record, despite demanding it... very weird. Once I sent in my passport, the turn around was a few days.
So, you might be fine. But, it could also depend upon what the conviction was, how long ago etc...
Good luck.
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