Jbaker271290

Hi All,

Filed E2 Employee application on 26th May. I'm wondering if anyone else is going through the process at the moment with the London embassy. If they have been advised by their lawyers on wait times? Ours have no idea at the minute.
Also if you managed to get an expedite what grounds did you manage to get it through for an employee Exec level?

Thanks your help in advance.

LegalEagleTX

Is your employer an already registered E2 company? If so, you are required to file a DS160 and schedule an interview, you don't wait on the U.S. Embassy. You bring you supporting documents with you to the interview.

Jbaker271290

Hi LegalEagle,

Thanks for the response, yes they are already a valid E2 visa holding company. I've submitted The Ds160 but the lawyers have said they will do everything from that point. I was under the impression I needed to create an account on the embassy interview booking portal with my ds160 application number but the lawyer said they are handling it all when I asked my HR advisor about next steps.

I know that the primary holder of the Visa (my MD) submitted for a renewal in January and still hasn't recieved it yet. I understand the London Embassy is processing E2's at about 10% of normal capacity. Looking at numbers being issued over the last few months so wondering how long it may take go get an appointment or if any other E2 employees have managed to book interviews.

Thanks,
jb

LegalEagleTX

You file the DS160 and you make the appointment. A lawyer is not needed for this. They can assist you with supporting documents, if required. If they are in the process of renewing the E2 for the company then you really need to wait for this as you and the company won't want you to move if it is at risk of not being extended. It's a separate process, not related to your application. If they filed in January they ought to have received a receipt from the U.S. Embassy for the application, even if it has not been adjudicated yet. If they haven't received a receipt they would need to follow it up. You ought to be advised to schedule an appointment anyway (providing the E2 has not already expired), because of the long lead time and then only travel when the company's E2 is extended

christmasoompa

Not sure that will be possible at the moment, from what I understand anybody that had been lucky enough to get an appointment for a non-immigrant visa has just been told it’s cancelled.

dwl715

This seems to be happening across the world. I understand that they are going to have a push to clear the immigrant visa backlogs for the August-October window. Not seen anything official to confirm that though.

LegalEagleTX

A lot of immigrant visas are against a deadline of the fiscal year which ends on 30 September if they qualify through a Congress quota (i.e. Diversity Visa Lottery). Otherwise they lose their entitlement. This may explain why they are being prioritised. It may be that there won't be a freeing up of appointment times for non-immigrants until October at the earliest, depending on how much catching up they have to do.

Jbaker271290

Thanks all for the response really helpful!

I keep checking the embassy for Visa appointments but at the moment it just says Non available please check back in a few days time. I'm guessing its going to stay this way until October time for Non-immigrant visas?

Has anyone else managed to book an interview recently for an L or E visa?

Thanks again!

christmasoompa

I think October is optimistic tbh, ours was for January (which was the earliest we could get a few months ago) and has been cancelled. Looks like they're trying to clear the backlog before letting anybody else book for 2022.

Jbaker271290

Thanks,

Ah I meant that the ability to actually book an appointment might come back by October. I'm not expecting to get an interview until Spring 2022 at this rate(Advice from our Lawyers). Just wondered if anyone else had managed to get an appointment recently or if it's just blanket closed.

Jbaker271290

Hey Chtismasoompa,

I was just wondering if you had any further luck booking your E2 Appointment back in?

I still can't get anything on my side.

Thanks,
JB

christmasoompa

It's an L1 appointment we're after, but no, not yet. Spring at the earliest apparently.

JB9

I’m in the same boat. Completed the DS-160 last month, for a move as an essential worker for a large U.K. plc with an E registration at the US embassy, but unable to schedule an appointment in London.

My lawyer’s advice is that appointments are likely to open up this autumn once the backlog is in hand and embassy is fully staffed. The expectation is that the earliest appointments will be in spring 2022. Meanwhile a Dutch colleague in London has been able to book an appointment for the same move via Amsterdam.

With that, back to hitting refresh on the visa appointment website, just in case..!

Jbaker271290

Hi All,

Could anyone help share some light on something for me as I can't get a straight answer from our lawyers or my HR team. We filed our DS160 in May(E2 Employee MNG/Exec and Dependants), my lawyers told me they take care of paying the MRV visa fee's and to leave it with them as they are going to handle mine and my dependants visas and processes. As I went to the AIS Portal to pay and they told me not to continue to pay.

I have since found out the primary E2 visa for our company expired in June, they filed for extension in Jan this year but only just go an appointment for the primary E2 holder to renew in Feb 22.

Am I right in thinking I can not get my visa until the primary one is renewed and in status again and this is why they aren't paying my MRV fee.

Thanks to anyone who can try to help me understand this.

LegalEagleTX

I think that is right.

You could always email the U.S. embassy in London and ask them. They have a dedicated team for E1/E2 visas. Just allow a week or two for a response.