Vimto

I have to renew the L1 visa stamp in my passport I have all the approval paperwork.
I will need to travel to Brazil for work within the next month but as where I be working will not be anywhere near a US consulate it will not be practical to renew in Rio or Sao Paulo.
I was checking my options and had either Canada (Ottawa or Toronto) or Nassau in mind. The US consulate in London is currently showing visa invitview wait times of 27 days on the wait times web site plus 4 days wait time to process / return the visa thats over a month which is way too long. Ottowa & Toronto are showing 2 days interview wait time plus 2 days to process, Nassau 8 days interview wait plus only 1 day processing.
I would like to basically call and book the interview, fly in the day before the interview and then wait in a hotel for a couple of days for the return of my passport and return to the US with the new visa in my passport.
I have a lot of preparation work before this Brazil trip so the least time out of the US works best also the trip to Brazil looks like its going to get serious very quickly and I need to get there ASAP.
Anyones experience of visa renewal applications in Canada or Bahamas, positive and negative would be helpful as I will need to book the interview within the next week.

Chrisdc

I've renewed in Toronto several times and much prefer it to London. The turnaround was a day or two faster. You also tend to stand out from the crowd if you are a Brit. I also liked going to collect my passport myself. In London you have to wait for it to be couriered to you. Cue nail-biting day waiting for the doorbell to ring.

HTH
Chris

PS: I last renewed in Toronto in 2008, London in 2011. I'm sure others will chime in with more recent experience.

lisa67

I've renewed in Toronto and Vancouver but it was a few years ago.
The dates for interviews, in my experience, go very quickly. You can book online but, again this was a few years ago, you had to book about 6 weeks in advance.
Good Luck

Orangepants

I got my visa in Toronto in Dec 2010. They courier the passport to the nearest DHL office which is just outside the city centre but it was a fast and efficient service. Everything done online. I flew in Sunday night, interview Monday and picked up the passport on Wednesday evening.

texasjan

Had a visa interview in Nassau two years ago. Long wait outside, longer wait inside but straightforward. You call back next day to collect your passport, so a chance to stay at the Atlantis !

IPM

I need to think about the same. We're on a L1A (Blanket). Do all my family members also have to attend in person or can I just take their passports?

I know our lawyers will tell me the answer but thought I'd consult BE just in case there is leverage for a boondoggle..

Vimto

I believe all the family will need to go with you, the same as went to the original consulate interview.
So boondoggle here we come.
Glad to have asked the same question as you were about to

Vimto

Just to update anyone who is interested
I was able to successfully renew my L1a visa in Nassau in the Bahamas this week, I has booked the appointment for Tuesday and was given a 7am slot, the US embassy/consulate is right next to the McDonalds on Bay St. I arrived at 6.50 and already there were 30-40 Bahamians seated on the shaded bench, as it turned out some had 7.30am and some 8am interview times so the security personnel spent time shuffling everyone into appointment time order. Then it was bum shuffle along the bench as they allowed 3 at a time into the initial security check.
FYI they do take cell phones, key fobs etc off you at the first security point and use the old brown interoffice mail envelopes with string ties to keep them there for you (no room for an enterprising Goulds Chemist in Nassau yet!!). then its off round the side of the building to the next security check point actually in the waiting room itself). They dont issue you interview numbers so initially its a case of follow the person in front of you conga line through the documentation check, then its on to the cashier who only accepts cash PLEASE NOTE. The interviews with the consulate officers are held very close to the others queuing up in the soon packed seating area. My interview was very laid back and as expected I was told there and then "your visa has been approved, come back tomorrow after 2.30pm".
Next day for pick up, it was another case of sit in the sun and shuffle down the bench. When we got to the window for passport pick up we were being told that due to a computer glitch no visas had been produced overnight so "come back tomorrow after 2.30pm" when asked if there was a phone number to call to save having to waste at least an hour and a half, I was told simply "No", this none issuance of visas was obviously causing some people some distress as they like me had booked flights etc. but no amount of weeping and gnashing of teeth could produce a visa.
So on Thursday afternoon same procedure as before and this time my passport with my renewed L1 visa was collected.

My conclusion and suggestion would be if you want to take the family on vacation and renew your visas rather than have to take long flights to potentially miserable cold damp London, then Nassau is a good alternative only give yourself at least a couple of days extra, take that time to soak up the sun, take in some sights, smoke a couple of legal Cuban cigars in a nice sunny place is laid back, that drives on the old colonial left hand side of the road with left hand drive US cars, accepts US dollars on a 1 for 1 exchange rate.

Orangepants

Thanks that is great information - we are planning to renew our O visas in Nassau in July.

Vimto

Orangepants,
you should also note that flying out of the Bahamas you clear US Immigration and Customs in Nassau (similar to Canada) and so return as a domestic flight back into the US, no queuing stateside upon entry 'back home'.
I personally found the Immigration officer I had very chatty and the lines much very much shorter than I am used to in Atlanta where to be honest it can be a zoo sometimes, guess thats what you get for having a very busy international hub as you entry point. the Immigration officers have small home made NEXT signs they hold up so you know who is free.
All in all it was a pleasant renewal experience.