molly666

I've completed my DS-160 but for the past month or so I have been unable to progress it as it is saying there are no appointments at either Belfast or London. Ostensibly this is likely due to COVID, however, I was wondering if anyone knew when bookings were going to open again?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

christmasoompa

London & Belfast are still only doing emergency appointments, most people seem to be being told next spring by their lawyers (including ours - we've been waiting a year now). https://travel.state.gov/content/tra...ait-times.html All appointments were cancelled until the end of Sept IIRC. If you have grounds for it, you do have reason to request an expedited appointment.

What visa are you applying for?

molly666

Visitors but I have a criminal conviction. I've had Visa exemptions in the past and my conviction was likely before most people on here were born so I'd like to think of myself as rehabilitated

BrittoATL

I had the same issue with my L1 so I ended up going to Mexico to get it was an experience for sure

postbox134

Can you expand on your interesting experience out of interest?

pooleyc88

Are you allowed to go to any Embassy? Not necessarily the one in your home country? Does this have to be selected at the I-140 stage or can it be changed?

Thanks

BrittoATL

So I was in a blanket L1 and was advise that some consulates look at you funny if you don’t live in the country. Some not so much.

for example the Dutch consulate wouldn’t see me at that time as they were only seeing Dutch nationals based on COVID. My lawyers told me Mexico was open so I raised a ds-160 and thankfully one of my team was based there as you have to pay cash in person in a bank.

i then had appointments scheduled in Mexico City and one other place and they kept getting cancelled
​​​
Finally in Monterrey they gave me an emergency appointed due to risk to labour as I was due to hire some team members and also my wife is US citizen so hardship came into play.

during the interview I got asked only 2 questions. One was do I lead a large group of people and 2 what was I doing in Monterey. The next day I got my passport back and went to the airport looked up at the board and booked the next flight into the US.

The entire experience was insane and there was lots of twists….. including no lockers being available at the consulate and me having nowhere to put my things while in the consulate. So had to leave them at a small garden centre gave with a promise of cash when I came out

postbox134

Thanks for sharing, very interesting. I know it really varies by consulate (even pre COVID) and now because appointments are so limited everywhere any one that opens to third country nationals gets swapped straight away. I've only ever used London and Belfast. I'm glad it worked out in the end for you.

S Folinsky

There is a difference between immigrant and non-immigrant visa processing.

The I-140 is in the immigrant end of the shop. The general rule is that IV’s go to the consular post handling the country of residence (not nationality). (FWIW, the consular posts in some countries don’t handle IV’s, so a post in another country is designated to handle IV’s. Iran for example. Aruba is another). That said, it is sometimes possible to have another post handle an IV. Despite the the question on the I-140, it is NVC which designates the issuing post and they lift it from the beneficiary’s address. There are very limited circumstances where another country can be requested.

In regards to NONimmigrants, any consulate can handle an application. That said, consulates often loathe to grant applications from “TCN” applicants. It can be done, but the consulate has to be SURE about visa eligibility and will doubt their ability to adjudicate the information from a third country.

amberspy

hi molly
I putted hubby DS 160 on Thursday
And yesterday I managed to get appointment in London
I checked every day three times a day and yesterday it finally let me pay the fee and we got appointment for March in London nothing in Belfast
have u putted the form through yeah
feel free ask any questions

PINELLA

FYI: As of today, appointment corridoor currently open in london...I suggest you act without delay to book an appointment !!!!!!

Jbaker271290

Ah nightmare they seem to be closed again!

Are you guy's just checking in constantly? And then you get the ability to pay the visa fee when you get lucky?

amberspy

hi I checked 3 times a day I got lucky after 4 days about 1pm
u click on pay fee and tell you if slips available for appointments
good luck 😉

Jbaker271290

Thanks! I have been checking once a day since July and not seen any yet! time to up it lol!

amberspy

hi have u sent the dc160 yeah
Once that you do only thing is keep checking and hopefully get lucky
if u go to waiting times page it say emergency only
u got to log in to see the appointments etc