H1B Interview in London
Oct 29th 2005, 1:09 am
#16
Just Joined
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 12
Re: H1B Interview in London
I just thought I'd add my recent experience on a very similar situation.
I've just returned from the UK where the main aim of my trip was to renew my H1 B visa in my passport (I got the approval notice for it in roughly Sept 04).
My advice - book ther earliest appointment in the day possible. I waited outside the embassy for a 9 am appointment for no more than 30 minutes. Once inside, I waited about 15 minutes for the "1st appointment" and a further 45 minutes for the "2nd appointment" where my interviewer told me after roughly 2 mins of general questions that my visa was approved.
You won't get your visa and passport handed back to you the same day, you cough up roughly 10 quid for the regular courier service with a promise that it will be returned the next day after visa approval. Processing times will vary, but at the time I was told an estimate of between 5 - 7 working days for my visa to be approved.
This all happened on a Monday morning, I entered the embassy at 9am or so, and was out by about 11am. I spent the rest of the day shopping in the West End, and the following morning I travelled back home (I arrived in the early afternoon). My passport was waiting for me on my return.
It got back from London quicker than I did.
So - I'm hoping this is a unusual positive forum board message
If all your paperwork is in order, and you've been a good "law abiding non staying in the US with no visa status" person it should all go much more smoothly than you expect.
I've just returned from the UK where the main aim of my trip was to renew my H1 B visa in my passport (I got the approval notice for it in roughly Sept 04).
My advice - book ther earliest appointment in the day possible. I waited outside the embassy for a 9 am appointment for no more than 30 minutes. Once inside, I waited about 15 minutes for the "1st appointment" and a further 45 minutes for the "2nd appointment" where my interviewer told me after roughly 2 mins of general questions that my visa was approved.
You won't get your visa and passport handed back to you the same day, you cough up roughly 10 quid for the regular courier service with a promise that it will be returned the next day after visa approval. Processing times will vary, but at the time I was told an estimate of between 5 - 7 working days for my visa to be approved.
This all happened on a Monday morning, I entered the embassy at 9am or so, and was out by about 11am. I spent the rest of the day shopping in the West End, and the following morning I travelled back home (I arrived in the early afternoon). My passport was waiting for me on my return.
It got back from London quicker than I did.
So - I'm hoping this is a unusual positive forum board message
If all your paperwork is in order, and you've been a good "law abiding non staying in the US with no visa status" person it should all go much more smoothly than you expect.
