Please re-read Site Rule 9. You may post a link to it in your signature, but can’t direct people to it in your posts (or PM’s).

Thx.

christmasoompa I am also going to take issue with your interpretation of site rule 9, specifically, "9. Advertising in Forum Posts
The forums, (including the private message, blog and email systems), are not a venue for advertisements in any way. Please do not post promotional/advertising messages, urls, nor specifics that would lead people to your site/blog/product/service/Facebook group etc. However, a line in your signature with a link to your site is allowed. (For signature guidelines please read Rule 20.) It will be the sole discretion of britishexpats.com and its moderators as to what constitutes an advertisement."

There is absolutely no advertising involved here. This forum has a spreadsheet, designed, built and maintained by members of the forum, to track Visa Waiver of Ineligibility requests. The new website provides a mobile interface to access the spreadsheet, designed specifically for our forum members who do not sit behind computer screens with keyboards and mice to control spreadsheets. It is not a commercial product; it is not being advertised here; it is completely free and free of advertising.

As the rule says, you have the discretion to decide what is advertising and what isn't. The very people who this is targeted at are the ones who cannot reach it at all because of your decision.

This is an app for our forum. Please do not block it.

jools

Just FYI, this was a decision between all mods and admin, not my decision unilaterally. It just so happened that I was the one to delete it.

A Facebook group isn’t commercial either but still isn’t allowed. In any event, you did ask for money in the app, so it had a commercial element and you were trying to get cash for building an app using members data. That’s not ok.

So signature only please, and please re-read Site Rule 15 too. Take it to PM or take it up with Site Admin. Thx.

So how are we supposed to use the signature feature when it doesn't work? I am quite happy to have it as a single link under my name in the style of the signature and nothing more. But as it stands, no one using a mobile device sees the signature.

I’m afraid you’d have to take that up with admin or tech. They make the rules and sort any glitches. FWIW, I can see signatures on my mobile, I’m on my mobile now and yours says ‘Waiver timeline tracker:’ etc.

HI All,

It seems to have slowed down considerably in both the forum and the spreadsheet unless it involves I-194 applications,
I really feel like this has become an utter joke, my first waiver in 2014 was issued in 10 days, I've had a number of visas and i'm now at 390 days - the first waiver was long before my offences were stepped down, and its now exactly 30 years since i was last arrested,

For those based in the UK I am drafting a letter to send to my Member of Parliament that draws on the information in this forum, together with the spreadsheet, along with other information such as the financial times article and an outline of the issues being caused to British business, arts and culture.

It will ask for this issue to be raised in the commons and with the appropriate government departments to be represented to the DOS.
It will also outline the imbalance in reciprocal agreements on visas as US citizens are not having the same issues coming to the UK.

Firstly I would like to ask the forum members and Mods if there are any issue with this plan? I would like to add links to the tracker and the Forum, both of which contain information already publicly available

Secondly, if this meets approval would any other UK members like a copy of the document when it is completed so they can put their own name and address on it and send it to their MP?
There will be no implication in the document that you are applying for a visa with a criminal history - it will simply outline the issue for everyone involved.

It feel a little bit like p*£$ing in the wind at the minute, but I do think it worth trying to get representation in the house, I went down the same course of action some years ago to represent a US friend who was incorrectly deported and we eventually got it overturned, whilst this is a bigger issue for us than for the US gov - there is always hope

please let me know, Id like to get this presented as soon as possible, and if anyone has already tried this course of action I would welcome your comments

I doubt it will have the slightest impact at all. This is not an issue specific to UK visa applicants. As you will in the the sheet, there are still outstanding requests from October 2024 at over 500 days. The recent article in the FT, referenced above, discusses what appears to be a freeze on waiver processing. Since the UK has an equally strict policy regarding criminal convictions when it comes to visas, with the UK actually having no waivers of inadmissibility available unlike the USA, I suspect it is unlikely that parliament will challenge the right of a foreign country to control its borders!

Whilst this is am excellent idea,(in principle) I think the outcome will be less than desirable. The US like the UK has the absolute right to control who enters their borders and any attempt to "interfere" with that right will be politely but firmly ignored. So to put an absurd example, if the US decided that tomorrow they would not admit anyone who had a tattoo, that would be their right and strongly appose any attempt to interfere with that right.
The UK parliaments have enough problems sorting out this country. Without trying to alter another country.

Whilst writing this I have to be very aware that what is said on social media etc can be read by others who have in their power to make decisions relating to the above policy.

you can come into the UK from the US for Temporary work and business on an ETA with a criminal record having declared sentences less than 12 months and no conviction in the last 12 months, unless the Home Office considers an applicant’s presence in the UK is not conducive to the public good because of their conduct, character or associations, outside of that there is a process of representation and visas. ETAs are processed within 3 days - one look at the offences and timeline on the spreadsheet, shows this is clearly not aligned with Visa reprocity between the states. I have followed the spreadsheet regularly for a long time and I'm fully aware there are people who have waited a lot longer than me.

It is not a question of Sovereignty of borders, it is however a significant issue in trade relations, and in the case of many of the visas being sought on the spreadsheet, if they are for genuine reasons, then it is affecting peoples' livelihood and should be represented appropriately

The aim of my post is to take positive, affirmative action regardless of opinions,
Starting out with a statement of doubt isnt that helpful considering the work you have put in for this community.

Do you have any objections based on the moderated structure of this forum or otherwise?

Thanks for your positive contribution and thoughts. I am just being completely honest here. You will see in the media every day that people with valid visas and ETAs are being detained and ultimately deported from the USA - British, European, etc. I don't believe that current State Department policy will be influenced in any way by concerns about trade relations or the reported lower tourism and travel to the USA as a result of their clampdown on visa requests from people who have convictions, however old or small. This is not a priority group in any way.

I am not a moderator so will not advise what you can or cannot do with publicly available anonymous information. The FT letter in itself is probably the most valuable bit of evidence as it is supported by quotes from a named lawyer. Whether you need anything else to write to your MP about the issue is up to you.

The fact is that the State Department can legitimately argue that multiple government shutdowns, staff cuts, increased security checks for all travellers across the board (inc. social media posts, etc.) are simply leading to backlogs and delays in processing more difficult cases, and that any "freezes" are of a temporary nature while they put in place new policies.

So I do wish you all the best with your endeavours :-) I am just sceptical that a question in parliament will have the slightest effect at all.

jools

It seems to be paused because people from October, December, and February are still waiting and haven't received a response from ARO

Hi Jools,
So after this, the application was touched on the 13th, and 17th of February, then nothing until today. when it switched to Approved.
Now waiting for it to change to Issued and a receipt of email to collect I assume.

are they still waiting or just not updated the spreadsheet?

Pleasantly surprised to see an email today asking me to send in my passport. Printed off the form and will be taking to a courier drop off location ASAP. Pray for me!

Hello friend, is a good news!! Hope to hear something soon as well. Congratulations