The very least they could do is update the embassy website with more accurate timeframes because the "up to 9 months" has clearly gone out the window. A lot of us were told 6-9 months and if we're being honest, we're looking at 12 months, if we're lucky.

I’m sure they will update it in time, but with everything else going on it won’t be a priority.

It really has messed with my livelihood all of this carry on! Over 9 months of stressing and checking. I do hope to see something in the next couple of weeks, however its looking impossible! I just hope my Grandfathers dementia doesnt get any worse, my children need to meet him 😩

I thought Trump was a business genius. Clearly not. He has a department which is taking 9 months plus to process visa waivers and he cuts staff!

His history shows otherwise, he’s just somehow managed to con the American public in to believing he’s one but a quick look at his history would tell you otherwise. Anyway, don’t want to take this thread off topic (there is a long running thread in TIO about Trump if you want to vent), but to be fair, there have been points in the past when waivers were taking just as long, or longer, to process. It’s certainly not helping processing times, but probably not the only factor.

Well from a business perspective, he's probably right!!! We're "customers" that he doesn't really want or care about, we can't complain, and we're paying very little for the service we get! So whether it takes 9 or 19 months, it makes no different to him, and by cutting staff he's probably able to claim he's saving money.

Honestly I am surprised they haven't yet started selling a premium service for 10 or 20 times the cost.

It’s available for many visas/petitions, but US taxpayers would be up in arms about premium processing for security and background checks. They’d claim that proper vetting isn’t being done if it’s rushed, I don’t think that would fly at all with the general public.

I have not been waiting for 371 days. Following my business visa interview, i was my waiver should be approved in about 4 months. I have been away from operating business in the US for over 12 months. I have emailed the Embassy and the ARO office and has been told to wait....
This is my 2nd waiver.... first time around in 2022, it took 10days for a minor CIMT over 22 years ago.

We are all criminals, and we will have to pay the price for it, for rest of our life, especially when it comes to US travel / immigration.

It's terrible, especially for circumstances like yours. I've seen people over the last few years that have to do this every 5 years ( for over 20 years) for a very minor conviction decades ago. Nothing has changed in regards to their police certificate but we all have to continue waiting the same as someone who hasn't been granted a visa following a waiver application. Surely if you've you've been granted a waiver and you haven't racked up any further convictions since your last visa, it should be a quicker process? It really makes no sense to me. I'm going to assume your case is sitting with a supervisor for whatever reason.

Hi there, so sorry that you're still waiting. I was thinking that you'd gone radio silent for your own sanity :-( Hoping every day for the email is soul-destroying.

Agree the process is in need of some common sense changes but its understandably not a priority for any party when they take power. Mentioned before the Canadian system is awesome, I'm at the point where i can get a normal visa with a detailed explanation and additional wait of a few days, it boils down to how the legal system deals with a type of conviction, in Canada my conviction and time since, is dealt within one of their laws, so I'm good, (as in, there is specific wording for it) however the US has very different views and I'm lumped into a high category, (with war criminals etc) which is ridiculous, however... it is their law and I'm grateful if I get a visa.

Next time around I'm going to try and get a few visas at the same time, make the certificate worth it. Maybe try my luck with Australia (not something I've looked into yet).

Anyway, I think we're on to hear from the Embassy around the second week in July if wait times stay roughly the same, did think, but have no data to back it up, that the wait time seems to be an additional week for every six to eight weeks since the interview. Would be interesting to see when the next person gets the email, may try and forecast something with the existing data.

Our interview was the same day and I was hopeful for the start of July also. I haven't paid for the passport return extra cost so I know I may have up to 4 weeks turnaround so really hope it doesn't go in August but at this rate, who knows.

Is there a faster passport return service available for extra?

Yes but you have to add it at the time of booking your appointment.

Folks,
Finally got an email to submit my passport.