Passport is back!

Here is a rundown of my journey:

Interview at embassy: 5 April 23
Email to submit passport: 27 September 23
Embassy received passport :29 September 23
passport delivered: 16 October 23

5 year visa issued for a 1st waiver.

Great news! Thanks for keeping us updated with the timelines!

congrats! Enjoy your trip to the US!

I've just started the whole process again for the B1/B2. DS160 completed, interview scheduled. Couldn't get one until mid-Feb (!) in London, but managed to snag one of mid-Nov in Belfast.

Wanted to share I received my email last week, October 12th, interview was on April 24th, total wait time 171 days.

Thanks for letting us know, and congratulations! I'm still waiting, interview April 13th, so not necessarily done by date unfortunately.

Have you explored the potential of adjusting status of your approved L1 to a B1/B2 visa? I'm on an E3 visa and my employment comes to its end December 31st, my attorney will then adjust my status to a B-status visa which they've advised will take ~45 days, to prevent having to go through the entire waiver circus once more. Not sure how this works with the L-status visas but wanted to share this thought if it'd be possible for you as well.

that is an excellent suggestion if it works. How do I do that? What form is it?

You'd need to be in the US already on your L1 status I believe, so it only works if you do move and take the job up - https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/...uides/C2en.pdf

I assume you mean apply to adjust… as with a visa application or presenting to CBP to request entry nothing is ever certain until you USC or a resident Green card holder…

Interview 27th sept hoping to travel 15th April! Reading through the thread it’s looking unlikely

Unlikely with current wait times, but not impossible. Just don't set your heart on it, and if it comes it's a bonus.
My interview was 13th April, still waiting for the magic email.

So frustrating when I started the process in January the website said 4-6 months wait by the time I attended my interview it had changed to 8 months all the money paid out on the process with travel to london etc I wouldn’t have bothered if I had known.

really sad as it’s not just affecting me the waiting my daughter is compeating at the world championships in Orlando and I’m probably not going to make it now.

feeling a bit gutted to be honest

Yeah that's frustrating, but you may get one for 5 years so there may be other opportunitues.
This is my second waiver, first one took around 5 months. We were planning New York for my wife's birthday early November, but that isn't going to happen now.
lesson learned for me - make sure appointment is a year before previous waiver expires

Hi All, Is anyone else still waiting for the email following an interview in April? I'm well over 6 months now. Thanks

Journey so far. Still awaiting visa to be issued and passport passport but here is the history of the status changes in case it's useful for anyone:

Interview at embassy: 3 April 23 (recommended for waiver (first one))
CEAC status changed to Refused (AIS status remains as "Appointment"): 4 Apr 23
Email to submit passport (and AIS status changed to "Send Documents"): 13 October 23 (193 days)
Dropped off passport at DX: Weds 25 October 23
Embassy received passport: Fri 27 October 23
CEAC status changed to Approved: Mon 30 October 23

Good luck for those still waiting. Mine took over 6 months to get the email and I think it only got busier after April so hang in there!