Same time as it took for my hubbie's!! He got 5 years multiple entries this time so was really made up.

Can't believe we bumped into you at McCarran Airport lol!!! Hope you are having a fab time and hopefully next time you will get longer. We are now back home but hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday.

I just wanted to give an update of our visa process.

VISA interview in London - 16th September 2015
Email asking to send passport off - 15th March 2016
Passport due to be delivered - 23rd March 2016

It really is strange how this all works out and how the Visa's get processed. My hubbie's interview was 17th September and we collected his Visa last Monday the 14th. Glad your's is all sorted.

Hi,

I've recently been through what you are right now, first piece of advice is; relax, you're likely to be approved if they recommended you for a waiver in the first place at the consulate, statistics show roughly 92% are approved, and the once who aren't are usually due to lacking information in their applications, however there is nothing you can do about the processing time and it's going to feel like it takes forever until you finally hear back, but you will get there so try not to think about it or let it stress you out cause there's really nothing you can do about it but wait.

Mine took 7 and a half month to process and finally get approved, I relocated on my L1 visa in October 2015, I applied for a new one again in December when I was back home at the consulate as I was only granted a 1 year waiver and visa issued for the equivalent period and want to have a valid visa constantly. (I think there may even be form you can use and apply for a waiver and visa whilst in the US).

What you should know though about the L1 in terms of your stay as you're worried to have to leave when your visa expires (B or A, same thing applies for them both) the visa is nothing but an entry card to be admitted into the US at their borders, once you're in you're allowed to stay until you L1 petition expires which in your case is the three years minus time waiting for you waiver, this is all stated on the I-94 arrival document, if you're in the country and you L1 expires but your employer wants to grant you an extension you can extend while in the country without having to leave and apply for a new waiver. The problem will be when you leave the US though without a valid visa is you wouldn't be allowed to return until you have a valid one despite your I-94 still being valid, which is why I always want the valid visa as I go back home and travel extensively for work. Also can't leave for vacation etc. without it, but at least you're not forced to leave while a new one is being processed.

Hang in there, I'm awaiting my second waiver already, and for information I've heard about others who left out their history of their committed CIMT on their ESTA despite being arrested for it but revealed it on their L1 visa application and still were approved, so unless they've noticed it I'd let it slide but definitely don't travel there cause they will detect it at the boarder as your L1 visa application is in process which can be denied for previous fraud as leaving the information out when applying for the ESTA.

It's higher than that... closer to 97%.


AFAIK, you can not apply for a visa while inside the US. There is no mechanism to do so.


Sorry, but that's definitely wrong. A visa is a travel document only. It has nothing to do with being admitted to the US... all it allows you to do is knock on the door and ask permission to enter.


Again, that's wrong. You're allowed to stay until the expiry date on the I-94. The two dates might be the same but that's not a given.


The employer has no authority to grant an extension.


If you want to be cavalier about your own life, fine - but I strongly suggest you refrain from suggesting that others be cavalier about theirs!


It would be considered fraud only if there was "willful misrepresentation".

Ian

Great news Charley - had my interview 20th October - no news yet - fingers crossed

34 weeks gone by today.still showing in admin

What this really shows is that it's no use getting hung up on other peoples timelines, all applications are unique and will take as long as they take.

Thank you! I've been saying this to people for over 15 years, but almost no one ever wants to believe it.

Ian

very true indeed.last time took me 35 week.but one of london embassy site said it can take up to 8 months dont know how true it is

Good advice Ian, but I believe people access this forum and do not read all the excellent advice previously posted and continue to ask the same questions over and over again. Also they fail to read all the instructions and procedures sent to them during various stages of the application and the advice given on the U.S. Embassy website. A little research done beforehand would answer a lot of questions asked. Perhaps a standard reply should be posted laying out all the standard answers when questions are asked emphasized in red. 😀

Yes, quite true. I have repeatedly asked the moderator to split this thread (because some responses are almost 5 years old now and not really relevant anymore), but so far nothing has happened. I believe people would read more if there weren't as many posts to get through.


True, but to be fair - even if they did read things carefully, the official information they receive doesn't often reflect the reality of the situation.


Almost no one reads the stickies posted at the top of the forum as it is, so I have no reason to believe that a new sticky containing standard answers will make any difference. That all said, we do have a Wiki (in the blue bar at the top of each page) so if you or anyone else feels so motivated, you can create something you feel would help.

Ian

Since 8 months is about 34 weeks, you're right on the edge of things just now.

Ian

So u reckon 8 months time line existes?or they just say like tht!