Embassy & Consulate US Visa Interview Reviews 2025

Mail in renewal for E3 & E3D - picked up by AusPost on Monday 24 March and we picked up the passports/visas from VFS Global the following Monday!
- Caitlin (about 11 days ago)

This was a mail-in replacement L2 visa to the Sydney Embassy, over the Christmas Period. I lost my old passport with my original L2 visa inside just before I left for my trip to Australia, and so needed to apply for a replacement to be able to return to New York in January. I was constantly reminded that this wasn't considered a "replacement" and that I needed to completely re-do the application process as I would if it were a new visa. I found the whole process really difficult and stressful (why do they make every step so hard) but I was ultimately happy and surprised when I received the email to pick my L2 visa in my passport 18 days later. My specific case was over the Christmas and New Year period and maybe why it took longer. I posted in the application on the 19th of December, and received the emailed to pick it up in Kent Street on the 6th of January. We return to the US on the 10th, so it's possible they took into consideration my departure date. Tips on some things I found difficult: -The DS-160 needs to be saved on every page, and you need to keep your resilience high. Just push through, you will get it done! Firefox worked better for me than Safari browser. -Once I was directed to mail-in, there was no option to select 'Interview' (as I heard interview would be faster.) I was really hoping to be able to do an appointment, but in the end, mail-in worked. -My passport number was of my old passport on my mail-in application file and I couldn't find a way to change it. My lawyer said that could mean I would ultimately have to go in for a in-person appointment, but it was approved mail-in regardless. I included a photocopy of old passport and a letter (written by chat gpt) to explain the situation. -I found it so difficult to figure out the instructions on how to include payment in the FED-EX bag. There are two payments you need to make - one is online, and the other included with all your other documents. You need to physically go into the bank and get a money order for the exact amount required for your visa. There is no specific numbers you need, its just the name of the Embassy that the bank teller will write on the money order. -Police report can be done online (if the passport was lost or misplaced) I included the police report and reference number. -Get photos done at a passport photo place, as I heard of people's mail-in being rejected due to photo size. -I had some errors on my DS-160 (for example the date my original visa was issued) and while the lawyers said it would most likely need to be redone, in the end the visa was issued regardless of the errors with an explanation note. -It was very hard to get on the phone with someone at the Embassy. I finally found a way through the Sydney line, and in the end his answers were quite generic and not that helpful. -The most helpful email address to check the status of your application is Sydneyvisas@state.gov You need to make the subject of the email VISA STATUS AND PASSPORT RETURN - YOUR FULL NAME and then start your email with --Your Full Name (and next line) --body message. Try to make it a specific/special case, because if they perceive it as generic, or being answered on the website, they don't reply) -You will receive an email if any additional documentation is required, and when your passport is ready for collection. If anyone has specific questions feel free to email me at matildarubymb@gmail.com - this community helped me so much and I'd love to give back!
- Matilda (about 3 months ago)

New E3 Visa - extremely straightforward once you have job offer & consequently LCA, highly recommend E3 over H1B! There are quite a few interview appointment spots in the Sydney embassy in 14+ days time. Interview @ 16 Dec - there are 2 'steps/queue' Step1: checked LCA, offer letter, passport photo, fingerprint (3 minutes) Step2: few questions with regards to job & education background (2 minutes). Got told E3 was approved immediately in the interview, then they took away my passport for visa stamping. The queue was quite long so the process took 55 minutes, but the actual interview part was < 5 minutes. Was informed passport is ready to pick up in VFS Syd within 48 hours, all I did was to print the email and show ID to collect the passport.
- Jen (about 4 months ago)

Mail-in renewal. I was a bit nervous about trying this during a short trip home over Christmas. The system forces you to use mail-in if you meet the eligibility criteria. In the end it worked out fine, but I still wish there was an option to make an appointment to allow more certainty about the processing time. Here is my full timeline. Thursday December 12: landed in SYD, sent application packet via Express Post. Friday Dec 13: package delivered by Australia Post in late afternoon. Wednesday Dec 18: CEAC status changes to 'Application Received'. Monday Dec 23: status changes to 'Issued' (I checked after 5pm so didn't see it go through 'Approved', but this must have happened earlier on Monday). Tuesday Dec 24: received pickup email first thing in the morning. Total processing time: 8 business days or 12 calendar days from Australia Post dropoff to pickup email.
- Max (about 4 months ago)

Mail-in application changing from E3 to H1B with the same employer. Timeline was: 8-Nov: Sent docs 11-Nov: Consulate closed 12-Nov: Docs arrive at consulate 18-Nov: Application Received per CEAC 25-Nov: Application Received update 27-Nov: Approved 28-Nov: Consulate closed 29-Nov: Issued 2-Dec (9am): Email saying ready for pickup So all up took 14 business days from sending to picking up again
- John (about 5 months ago)

I booked our family's appointment in July for October. Process was easy enough. We arrived a few days before and stayed on the same street as the consulate. Easy walking distance. My son's photo wasn't accepted but we were sent to the newsagent just down stairs. 15 minutes we had another. All up an 8:15 appointmentand we were finished by 9:30. I just got the email 9 am today the day after a public holiday that the passports are ready to collect.
- Karissa (about 6 months ago)

This review is for a mail-in E-3 renewal. Avoid mail-in if you can - this took much longer than my previous experiences with in-person interviews and was a very stressful experience. I booked a 2.5 week trip to Australia and only received my passport with new visa 2 days before I planned to travel back to the US. I mailed in my passport and renewal documents on Friday September 6. On Monday September 9, I could see via AusPost tracking that the express post envelope had been delivered to the US Consulate in Sydney. The CEAC visa tracker was not updated to indicate my documents had been received until Thursday September 12 . On Thursday September 12, I received an email to say they did not accept the photo I submitted, and I should submit another (and electronic submission via email would not be accepted). I sent a new photo in by express post on the same day, and could see this was delivered to the consulate the following day (Friday September 13). The CEAC visa tracker updated to "approved" by Tuesday September 17 and "issued" by Wednesday September 18. I received notification by text and email on the afternoon of Wednesday September 18 that my visa would be available for pick up the following day, and I picked it up on Thursday September 19 from the GFS location in the Sydney CBD. So, all up this process took 13 days from posting passport and documents on 9/6/24 to picking up my passport on 9/19/24. This was a much longer turnaround than my last E-3 renewal at the Sydney Consulate when I attended an in-person appointment, and the visa was available for pickup two days later. While waiting for my application to be processed, it was not useful to call the helpline or email the consulate - when I called, I was told to wait 15 business days before they would provide an email address to submit an enquiry, and when I did send an email (sydneyvisas@state.gov), I did not receive a reply. I was still able to return to the US on my original schedule but it was a stressful several days wondering if I would have to change my plans. For peace of mind, I will always select an in-person appointment for future renewals.
- Lucy (about 7 months ago)

Appointment at 8:45am Monday. Interview took a total of two (yes, TWO) minutes, and email was received 28 hours later to advise passport with visa was available for collection.
- Mathew (about 7 months ago)

If anyone was nervous about this whole process, you better believe it was me. From the LCA to to the interview this whole process was on my mind 24/7... BUT let me tell you in hindsight how easy it ended up being. I completed the DS-160 form (note: head to officeworks to get a US Passport photo and they will send you a link for the electronic version for you to upload to complete your application. I did not need a physical copy for the interview, but bring one just in case). Once DS-160 form completed, I then went to USTravelDocs and created a profile, input all info, selected E-3 VISA, followed the prompts and selected and paid for my postage of VISA (which was $52AUD) - glad I got the postage option. I progressed to the page where you have to pay for the VISA ($504AUD) and then be able to select appointment times... while this screen loaded I held my breath. Boom -- So many appointment dates and times, with 15+ for the following two months. I was able to book my appointment ONE WEEK later on the 21st August. **APPOINTMENT** My appointment was at 11am on the Wednesday 21st August. I decided to stay in North Sydney the night before just in case, and glad I did as it was super easy (I'm from Newcastle). I arrived to the consulate at 10:30am and there was a line of 4 people before me to have documents verified (DS-160, Passport and LCA) before heading through metal detector/security. Once through, caught the lift up to the level (5 i think) and turned right to the non-US citizen line. First line took around 10 mins, and this line was only to verify the same documents as before once again .During this line I talked to someone in line who was going through the E-3 Visa process too, to calm my nerves. The set up is like a high security bank, with a window between you and the staff, and a sliver of daylight below to pass through documents. Once this process was done, went to a line right next to this line to wait for the INTERVIEW. This wait took about 3 minutes. I was called to the interview window and was ready. Before arriving I practiced every question I thought they may ask, and then some. Embarrassingly, I even did a couple of mock interviews with Chat-GPT... but I digress. The bloke waived me over, and he seemed pretty young and super casual. I walked up to the counter and he half smiled, I full smiled and the process began. He asked how I was, I returned the favour and then he collected the documents that the other people already checked - DS-160, LCA and passport. He asked if I ever had an E-3 Visa before, I said no. He then asked what's the job, I literally replied in three words (the job title) and was about to provide a full explanation until he pretty much then asked what I studied at uni immediately before I could continue. I responded "Bachelor of x, with a major in x". He then quickly flicked through the LCA ONLY and then advised "Visa Approved, your passport will be ready in a week". Just like that. The visa interview went less than 1 minute and I walked out of the consulate and called my partner at 11:01am to let her know it was approved. Couldn't believe that it took me half an hour from arriving to having it approved. Crazy fast. Almost immediately I checked on the CEAC website about status, and stated 'Approved'. Two days later on 23rd of August the status updated to 'Issued', and that same day I was advised my passport was on the way via DHL Shipping. I received my passport with the Visa on Sunday 25th August. Again, crazy quick. All in all the process was so easy, and it seemed they only cared about the LCA. They checked none of the other thousand documents a brought with me in my pack -- glad I had them just in case. Also, don't be nervous about the interview -- I read so many testimonials and they all were pretty similar to my experience, sometimes slightly more in depth but not any where near enough to be as nervous as I was. Trust the AmericaJosh article about the interview -- It couldn't be more spot on. In Summary, I really went in depth here as this is the level of detail I wanted. 10/10 would Visa again.
- Guy (about 8 months ago)

E3 renewal by mail in service. Passport sent first day I arrived in Sydney Sunday 18 August…delivered by Australia Post on Tuesday 20 August (2 business days)… confirmed delivery via Australia Post… no status updates after checking every day with numerous emails until Wednesday 28 August (8 business days) when status finally changed to application received… Cancelled return flight back to USA… weekend and labor federal holiday 31/8, 1/9, 2/9… High demand generic email received as response to no updates Thursday 5 September (13 business days)… Status changed to application approved Friday 6 September (14 business days)… Visa was issued late Monday 9 September (15 business days) and received text and email to pick up the passport on the same day…however it was after 3pm so had to pick it up on Tuesday 10 September (16 business days)… So I didn’t miss out on extra PTO vacation days I continued to work weird late night hours in Sydney and flew back to USA 15 September (19 business days - 4 weeks in Sydney) So over all from drop of to Australia post to pick passport from vfs was, total of 24 calendar days and 16 business days… this is was my first renewal and seemed an ok process, but definitely takes more then 10 business days. My advice is to plan for a minimum of 3-4 weeks leave from job (I ended up working remotely for 2 weeks doing a 11pm to 7am shift from Sydney to work on EST time) and would’ve booked a flexible return flight so could change it until I have the visa and passport in hand.
- B (about 8 months ago)

My recent mail-in renewal took a total 29 calendar days / 20 business days - no issues with my paperwork, with 1 US holiday in the middle. Option to schedule an interview on the US Visa Scheduling website was unavailable as I was eligible for mail-in when I was visiting family (BIG mistake, try to schedule an appointment). I've had previous working visas processed within 11 calendar days (SYD), and 8 calendar days (MEL) of my interviews. Another friend renewing an E3 sent theirs a week after mine, and got theirs returned a week before mine, which made this experience quite frustrating. For your own sanity, I recommend having lower expectations about their processing times closer to the holiday season. Timeline: Aug 9 - Delivered, Aug 22 - Application Received, Sep 3 - Approved, Sep 6 - Issued. Follow-up: Contacted the US Visa Scheduling hotline (support-australia@usvisascheduling.com) with the response that they had no relationship to the Consulate and that the only way to contact them directly was through email (sydneyvisas@state.gov) because it has gone beyond the standard processing time of 10 business days. If you do manage to get a response from the Consulate apart from the standard "please continue waiting" - count yourself lucky.
- Anna (about 8 months ago)

E3 renewal by mail in service…passport sent in Monday 15th July…delivered by Australia Post on 16th July….took 2 days for security clearance…status on ceac changed to application received on 19th July……20th and 21st was weekend…status changed to approved on 22nd July….visa was issued on 23rd July and received and email to pick up the passport on the same day…however it was after 3pm so had to pick it up on 24th July…so over all from drop of to australia post to pick passport from vfs was, total of 10 calendar days and 8 business days…just make sure to have all required documents such as signed LCA n offer letter n should be ok…this is was my second renewal and as always, had pleasant experience.
- Sam (about 9 months ago)

Change of Employer, I guess it could be considered as a new E3. Visa was approved at 12pm Thursday and the collection notification was provided on Monday at 10am. The turn around time was excellent. From entry to exit was 1.5 hrs, which in my opinion was not bad at all. Plan ahead because parking in North Sydney is a nightmare, there's several underground parking spots nearby. I opted to collect from VFS, the pickup instructions were straight forward. All up it took 5 minutes to walk up and get it.
- Jason (about 10 months ago)

Mail In (Interview Waiver Program) E3 renewal for the same employer. Colleagues at this employer advised that they had previously had a turnaround of about 3-4 business days. My experience was quite different; Posted Passport May 18th Delivered (according to Auspost) May 21st “Received” according to CEAC May 24th “Approved” according to CEAC May 31st “Issued” according to CEAC June 7th Email from VFS advised ready to be collected on June 11th. Just over 3 weeks from submission to having the passport back in hand. There was Memorial Day and the King’s Birthday in the mix to deal with - but the whole process still took 15 business days accounting for those public holidays. Would recommend going elsewhere for your renewal if you are taking time off from work, it seems this location might be swamped!!
- Tom (about 11 months ago)

Changing jobs. Trying to do the I-129 to avoid travel. However it was taking too long even with premium process. Flight land on 4/18/2024 Thursday. Went to North Sydney AusPost since that's the closest one to the consulate. Been informed there is no way for same day delivery. Tracking show delivered on 4/19/2024 Friday 1:20PM. no progress for a week. CEAC shows application received on 4/26/2024 Friday. suspect the Visa officer take the school holiday break with their kid. on 4/29/2024 Monday at 2:20PM, CEAC shows refused. immediately panic, emailed sydneyvisas@state.gov asking why and what's next step. Received reply on 4/30/2024 Tuesday 2:20PM says missing a employer signature on page 5 of LCA. This is my 6 visa renewal, never been asked this before and never signed before. Read thoroughly the LCA and realize it should always be signed. Emailed employer asking for signature then forward to sydneyvisas@state.gov on 5/1/2024 Wednesday 7:20AM. Got a reply on 7:50AM says could take up to 15 days, and CEAC shows AP. Same day at 2:00PM, CEAC shows approved. on 5/2/2024 10AM, CEAC shows issued. received text message and email at 3:27PM says documentation ready for pick up. run to the VFS at 3:40PM, the staff at UK office says only pick up between 10:00AM-2:00PM. My suggestion is, although its normally take a week, but don't count on it.
- Alex (about 12 months ago)

Great experience - over the years had 3 visas done at Sydney and always the same experience (done elsewhere and just a bit longer). Appointment was Friday 8AM, approved on the spot (6th E3 - change of employer). Only question I was asked was why was I changing jobs — “better offer / better company”. Officer laughed. I had all my supporting documents with me just in case but was not asked for them. CEAC showed ‘issued’ by Monday. I used premium delivery rather than pick up — DHL tracking number received by Tuesday AM. Passport delivered Wednesday PM to the Gold Coast. *Appointment booked without my approved LCA, and just swapped my DS160 at the appointment (made a new one with the correct LCA) - no issue, and was able to get the LCA approved, visa appointment and passport back all under 3 weeks
- Marnie (about 1 year ago)

I did my renewal by mail from Queensland. I know I'm always looking up processing times, so in case it's useful to anyone the complete turn around (from dropping my passport at the Post Office for express delivery) to having my passport delivered back to me was 7 calendar days. Consulate had the passport on Thursday and the visa was issued by Monday morning, and then delivered back to Queensland by Wednesday afternoon.
- Kelsey (about 1 year ago)

Remember to print the email if you're collecting in person
- Tiff (about 1 year ago)

My Visa appointment was Monday morning and I got the email for pickup by Tuesday afternoon.
- Harrison (about 1 year ago)

Initial appointment got rescheduled during Christmas break had me come back 4wks later. Total time of security, pre-check in, wait time for actual interview, interview questions, about 10mins. Consulate Agent very nice and not as intimidating as previous agents at this location. Security staff nice too. Visa Approved Wednesday 10am, email confirmation passport ready Thursday 4pm. Too late for pick up as Pick up time is 10am-2pm only (Kent St). On street parking limited, week day I believe it was 30mins. If you have someone who can wait for you or add time to meter, that’s good. Else there is the Greenwood Plaza parking. Recommend all paperwork printed ready and in passport. Any original docs like AU citizenship cert, previous passports (expired), marriage certs, birth certs etc bring with you to avoid any delays. Don’t think they won’t ask for it, they ask for one of the documents. Some agents will, others won’t. Best to be prepared. I’m still married to the same dependant that has been on every renewal but I get asked every single time. Also, I noticed a lot of people who had been in line for an interview before me, downstairs using newsagent with a copier. Incase you need to make copies, there’s one. Good cafe next door. Overall a lot nicer than the old Martin Place location.
- Sam (about 1 year ago)

Booked appointment on 5th Dec 2023. First available date was 27th Dec. interviewer only checked LCA and job offer and approved the visa straight away. Had taken too much print outs unnecessarily. You never know what gets asked. The status changed to approved very same day on the visa status tracker portal. Status got updated to Issued on 29th and due to weekend and new year break, today Jan 2nd , collected the passports. Very easy and smooth process.
- Prag (about 1 year ago)

Unbelievably seamless. Was my first E3, booked on Nov 30 for Dec 21st 10:45am which was the earliest available appointment. Got in line at 10:20am and there were about 5 people in front of me. I'm incredibly impressed with how easy the whole thing was. They call out your time slot, let you in, lead you to the check-in desk, the lady was super lovely - she gets all your docs from you and takes out exactly what you need and puts it in order. Quick security check, then waited about 15mins upstairs for the interview. The interview was literally less than 30 seconds - guy was super nice, just wanted offer letter + LCA, and all he asked was "what did you study at uni" and "have you been to the US before". Got approved on the spot. My appointment was on a Thursday and got the email the next Wednesday morning that it was ready to pick up. Too easy!
- Jimmy (about 1 year ago)

My actual appointment was smooth and straight forward, my problem arose when it was ready to be issued back to me. I had selected and paid for the premium delivery option ($52) as I did not want to wait around in Sydney to pick up my passport. My actual passport was issued 2 days after my appt. A mistake was made and I was notified that my passport was ready for pickup, and I had to email to explain that I already paid for delivery and wasn’t in Sydney to do pick up. They replied to my email the next day and sent my passport that afternoon which took ~3 days to arrive.
- Alana (about 1 year ago)

Got interview appointment within a week. Interview process was much simpler then we thought. Officer just saw LCA , asked Job title, saw degree and high five:) Got passport email on Monday for collection. Question: Do we need to book return tickets on E3 visa as its for two years duration? Donot want to face any sort of dramas at airport.
- Eddie (about 1 year ago)

Overall, the process was fast and smooth. My appointment was on Friday 20th October and my passport was ready for collection from Tuesday 24th October. The interview itself lasted only two minutes. They asked the following questions: What's the name of the company; what they do; how many years of experience I have in my field; if I have a degree; is it related (mine isn't, but I had a work/education combo equivalency which was sufficient). The only document they asked to see was the LCA.
- Anthony (about 1 year ago)

Don't use mail-in. Auspost delivered passport on 4th of Oct. Passport spent a couple of days in security screening before status was "received" on the 6th. Today, 16th of Oct and still stuck in received. Emailed consulate and got boilerplate wait 15 days message.
- Kev (about 2 years ago)

Sent in by mail on the Sep 26th, received at the US consulate on 29th. Approved on Oct 11 but am still waiting for my passport and it’s Oct 13. I don’t know if 2 public holidays (Aus Labour Day, US Columbus Day) played a factor.
- Reichelle (about 2 years ago)

Don’t bring a laptop! But if you do, the post office will hold it for $10.
- Amit (about 2 years ago)

I arrived at the Sydney Consulate at 7.45AM for an 8.15AM appointment on Monday. The interview was very basic, my visa was approved on the spot and I was out of the consulate at 8.45AM. Status showed as "Issued" on Tuesday and I was able to collect my Passport at 10am on Wednesday.
- Nina (about 2 years ago)

Appointment was on a Thursday at 9.45am, very straightforward (aside from not knowing you can't take laptops inside...my bad)... It was ready for collection the following day. I received the email saying it's ready for pickup at 12.05pm Friday. Unbelievably quick turnaround time. The man also told me that I should have just done mail-in as it would have been quicker and cheaper for me (instead of flying down from QLD for the appointment).... Hope this is helpful for anyone else contemplating in-person vs mail-in! I have also just decided to have my visa mailed to me so crossing my fingers it arrives this week (I had been planning to fly back down to Sydney to pick it up).
- Julia (about 2 years ago)

My appointment was on Monday morning. When I got to the consulate there was a long line. But they call you in order of time so no need to worry. Just have to try and hear what times they are calling! The process inside was quick, just have your docs ready to hand over. I was told that my visa was approved at the end of my interview. I kept checking the status of my visa online. It went from “Approved” to “Issued” a week later on the Tuesday. I didn’t get the email to collect it until the next day. I chose to collect my passport myself which was in the city. That was very quick. Can only pick your passport up between 10am and 12pm but all flows very quickly.
- Jo (about 2 years ago)

Wait time for booking appointment was only 3 weeks.
- JM (about 2 years ago)

Very quick and smooth. Was advised 10 days but ended up being 2 days. I had an appointment on Monday so didn't have to worry about the weekend. Was moving from f1 to e3
- Anthony (about 2 years ago)

My E3 visa got approved on May 3rd in Sydney. Thanks all for your support. Appointment Timeline: 1. April 10th 2023- scheduled an appointment for June 2nd which was the earliest available. 2. kept checking for an earlier appointment availability, first rescheduled to May 17th and then again found an earlier date for May 3rd. 3. May 3rd- E3 visa approved *Questions at consulate:* 1. US employer offer letter 2. LCA 3. Questions on past visits 4. City of work Although I have a job offer, I may not go as the salary on offer is low when compared with Aus salaries. Let me know if you need any clarifications regarding the E3 visa process.
- Raj (about 2 years ago)

10+ days still awaiting E-3 Visa after being told it was approved and will be ready within a week. Haven't had any contact from the Consulate... I'll update length of time once actually received...
- Josh (about 2 years ago)

Overall a smooth experience and fast turnaround. The person at the counter when I handed over my paperwork informed me that I could have applied via mail rather than making an appointment. Which is helpful info for next time. He also said it would be a 7-10 day turnaround but I received the collection email after 2 days
- Beau (about 2 years ago)

March 2023. Smooth. Got the email the next day after my appt. Ready for pickup the day after that. Most annoying part is the queue outside north syd loc. The guards are not announcing what interview time they are up to and if you’re lined up down the street you basically can’t hear at all. The pickup spot is also a bit of a mess so I don’t recommend flying out on same day as pickup
- Chazza (about 2 years ago)

It is okay to be a little late. There was a backlog. I was early but I still could not get in until everyone that was before my time (that arrived later) was called.
- Anonymous (about 2 years ago)

I was getting a new E3 as my employer changed but it was my 2nd E3
- Holly (about 2 years ago)

No more prepaid Express Post Satchel. You will be emailed with instructions on where/how to pick up your passport when it's ready. They provide a delivery option for an additional cost. Do not bring large electronics as they may not fit in the lockers provided and you can't take them in with you. At the interview provide what they ask for, no more, no less. The interviewer will get testy if you start giving them your story.
- Alex (about 2 years ago)

I had my appointment on Monday morning, by late Tuesday afternoon I received an email saying my passport was ready to collect. Collected it on the Wednesday morning. The interview itself went for less than five minutes. Very easy process overall.
- (about 3 years ago)

1) Note that the Embassy had recently moved and the some paperwork (and google maps) still refers to the Martin Place location. The new location is in North Sydney. 2) Also, a third party sent me the notification that my Visa was ready for collection (after 10 days) although I had selected mail as my option. The email came from an individual using email address xx@vfsglobal.com asking me to pay the delivery fee at a link (the link was incorrect the first time). Definitely felt scammy, but the passport did eventually arrive (albeit 4 days later).
- Kate (about 3 years ago)

The hardest part of the process was actually getting the visa appointment - otherwise the process was super simple, including a 2 minute interview (so fast)! Also I had an email 24 hours later that I could pick up my passport - if it wasn't a weekend, you'd have it back 2 days after your appointment. Highly recommend
- Holly (about 3 years ago)

Appointment was not cancelled, but when I turned up they told me they weren’t taking any appointments due to construction (which was visible behind the security door). They would not reschedule my appointment to the next available time but instead ask me to do it myself which meant a 5+ month wait if done in Australia. I’ve only been to the Sydney consulate twice and both times were terrible experiences.
- Adam (about 3 years ago)

We were renewing our E3 and E3-D visas. Appointment was scheduled for 9:00am Wednesday morning. We passed through security early and were inside on the first line before our scheduled appointment. First line will check you have all required documentation, acceptable photo (they have a photographer there if you're photo doesn't meet guidelines) etc. We had a different location listed on our forms and were directed to sit and wait while it was corrected. We were told it could take up to 30 minutes but we had everything back within 10 minutes. We then joined a 3rd line for our interview and then told we were all approved. All up, we were in and out within 90 minutes. We elected to pick up our passports from the central London collection and received an email late Thursday afternoon that they would be ready for collection the following Monday, but to wait for confirmation from the collection point. Despite not receiving a notification, I headed down there early Monday morning and had them in hand by 8:30am. Second great London renewal experience!
- Debbie (about 2 months ago)

I can't recommend this location enough, the entire process is just as others have described. I stayed at the nearby no frills Vauxhall Travelodge so walked 13mins and arrived the embassy at 8:00am prompt to find two long lines outside - one to check appointment confirmation and the other for passport photo/ds-160 checks. Once that was done, I was allowed to go in and join another line; total of 3 x lines inside for photo checks, biometrics and the actual interview which in itself was quick - the officer checked the LCA, questions were around my current salary, dual citizenship and if I was still working for the same employer (which I was). Visa approved and I asked how fast I would get my passport back and got the 10 days standard response. Even with all the queues, I was out of the embassy by 9am. Application status changed to approved the following day which was a Friday and I had my passport in hand at the DX Chancery lane depot by 9am on Tuesday and headed straight to the airport to catch my 1pm flight back stateside. In total, it took 4 x business days from interview to passport collection.
- Sam (about 2 months ago)

Contrary to advice I went over the Christmas holidays and was thankful that I didn't experience any delays. Recommend!
- Helen (about 3 months ago)

Another outstanding experience at London Appointment on Tuesday at 9am Status changed - Wednesday at 1pm received an email that it has been issued Pick up - Thursday at 9am
- NS (about 4 months ago)

Very smooth experience for a new E-3. On the booking website, appointments were available within 2 days. I had an appointment first thing in the morning, got there 30 mins early at which point there was already a long queue outside. It's worth noting that you can't take in laptops or large bags but there are 2 cafes nearby that will store items for you for £10, so I did that (the one I used - District - also has great coffee). Ended up queuing about 45 mins to get inside the embassy. At the first stage they took the passport photo I brought it. Second stage was biometrics. Those stages took about 20 mins total. For the third stage, there was about a 45 min wait (would have been less but there was an IT issue so the line didn't move for half of that time). That stage is an interview with consular officer. The officer was very friendly and the interview itself was quick. I had a bundle of every recommended document which I handed to the officer at the start of the interview. She had a quick flick through, but was only interested in the approved LCA (asking for that specifically). The only questions were: what is your job offer, what degree do you have, and what are your plans when the visa expires. I was quite worried about the interview because I have had a very different and negative experience at that embassy in the past (for a different visa category), but this time it was the complete opposite. I would strongly recommend having a printed bundle and giving it to the officer at the start - it shows that all your docs are in order (well hopefully they are) and makes the officer's job easier. Good luck!
- Pete (about 7 months ago)

Great experience. Had an 8:30am appointment, get there early because the line starts to form before open. Several lines (check-in, security, etc.) before you actually get in, then a few more lines to get documents checked. In and out in ~1.5 hours. Appointment Tuesday morning, approved on the spot, notification that passport sent from embassy on Thursday morning, ready for pick-up Friday afternoon. Highly recommend this embassy for E-3!
- Michael (about 7 months ago)

My experience: * Arrived at 9am for a 10:30am appointment - dressed in business attire. Doesn't hurt to make a good first impression. * Checked-in with my DS-160 at the line to the left of entry and was asked to wait until 10am before getting into the line for security. Plenty of cafe's nearby. * Went through security with my phone, passport, credit card and documents * Short line inside the lobby to review DS-160 again and provide me with a 'call number' for the interview. * 15 minute wait for first interview where only my DS-160 and LCA was reviewed and some basic details were confirmed. The photo on my DS-160 wasn't suitable so I had to get a new photo taken in a booth around the corner for $8. * 15 minute wait for my proper interview - again only my DS-160 and LCA was reviewed and I was asked a few straight forward questions about my qualifications, job role, previous time in the US (I previously held an E3 from 6 years earlier which a different employer). Less than 10 minutes total before I was told my visa was approved and my passport would be returned within 1 week * Whole process was very efficient and organised - apparently they review a 1000 visa's per day at this location * By Thursday morning my visa status had changed on CEAC from Approved to Issued and I received a tracking number from DX Delivery that afternoon * I visited the new courier location (now at 89 Chancery Ln) on Friday morning just hoping it might be there already as the tracking hadn't updated. It wasn't at that location yet but I was able to visit the other depot in South London to fast-track the process. Passport in hand by mid-morning on Friday (48 hours after interview). * Booked a flight for that evening and entered the U.S. 10 days prior to the job start date
- Luke (about 8 months ago)

Great experience - I did have a 11AM appointment, so the lines were long to get in and get out through all stages. Took me a total of 2 hours to go through all the stages. Status changed to 'Issued' in 48 hours and my passport was available for collection on Thursday 27/6.
- Binita (about 9 months ago)

Appointment at 9:00am. Arrived at 8.10am and was through security by 8:30am. Appointment straight forward and was out of there by 9:45am. Easy. Wait for passport return long than expected. Was thinking 3-5 business days. Appointment was the Thur the 6th and i got passport back Tuesday the 18th. Anyway overall pretty good.
- Paul (about 10 months ago)

Incredibly efficient - 48hrs from verbal approval at the embassy to collecting my passport/visa at Chancery Lane
- Sam (about 11 months ago)

The whole process was well organised. The only time it's not completely obvious what to do is when the lift arrives on the second floor and you're left facing a room of queues and information but it's not immediately obvious which queue and what info applies to you. However, once you've determined which area you need to wait in, everything was really easy. The lady who did my "interview" (it was very brief!) said it would take a week to get my passport back. My appointment was 10am on a Wednesday but I was notified just after midnight on Friday that I could collect my passport from Chancery Lane. Overall, pretty impressed!
- Jess (about 11 months ago)

Ready to book appointment (LCA filed): Thu 11 Apr First available appointment: Wed 1 May Rebooked (last minute appointment available): Tue 23 April New appointment: Wed 24 April Notified passport ready to collect: Fri 26 April Collected passport: Mon 29 Apr I arrived at the Embassy at 0800 for a 0900 appointment. There were two queues outside: (1) Short queue to have time written on your DS-160 (“check-in”) …then you go to the other queue… (2) Long queue to wait - approx 50 people and it took 30 mins to get into Embassy You can bring small bags, phone, tablet but NOT laptops. Inside there are various queues that move quite quickly. There are toilets in the main processing area. Stage 1: Show DS160, passport, LCA, booking barcode form Stage 2: Fingerprints Stage 3: Interview My interview lasted less than 5 minutes. I was asked the purpose of my visit, company name, and job title. The only supporting document requested was the LCA. I was finished about 1.5 from when I arrived
- Catherine (about 11 months ago)

My appointment was at 10 am on a Tuesday. Arriving there was a long queue to verify appointment sheet and get it signed and then another long queue to enter / security check. Inside there was a different queue for each stage - stages 1-4. It kept moving and everything went smoothly. I was asked about my company, role and state of residence. In the final stage, they said I will get my passport back in a week. My flight back was scheduled on Wed the following week at 5 PM. I received the email notification of passport returned on Tuesday the following week at 3.04 PM. I was a nervous wreck on the day, wondering if I would need to extend my stay, change my flight and find a new hotel. Luckily I did not need to. I picked my passport from the DX location on Wednesday morning around 8.12 am and there was no queue, it only took a minute. Everything was smooth. I guess it took 8 days for me to get the passport back. This is longer than some of the reviews here which were 3 or 4 days. Suggest adding +1 day to whatever the consulate staff tell you to allow for pickup. Choose document pickup instead of courier location if you are in a rush.
- Shelly (about 12 months ago)

I had an excellent experience and would highly recommend this location to everyone. Finding the place is straightforward; you can take a bus to the US embassy stop. Personally, I took the train to Vauxhall station and then caught a bus to the US embassy. Upon arrival, be prepared to check in and wait outside the embassy for security screening. We waited for about 30 minutes. Although my wife and I applied separately, they requested that we proceed as a family during the check-in process. My appointment was on Thursday at 10 AM, while my wife's was at 9 AM; we were admitted together. Following security screening, you'll enter the building to receive a ticket number. The process consists of three stages: document validation, fingerprinting, and the interview. Progress between stages is rapid, with fast-moving lines until the third stage, where we waited for about 15 minutes. It's essential to be familiar with the information provided in your DS-160 application, as the officer will review each point during the interview. The questions asked included the purpose of the US visit, identifying the primary applicant, tenure with the current company and in the US, salary details, and requests for marriage and birth certificates. Additionally, they inquired about my previous L1 visa denial and whether I had an immigrant application in process, as indicated in my DS-160. Afterward, we received the good news and concluded the process. Our passports were ready for collection from the DX courier location on Monday, conveniently accessible via train (Chancery Lane - the nearest station).
- Bhavin Patel (about 1 year ago)

Applied for an appointment for a new E3 about 3 weeks in advance. I could’ve booked an earlier appointment but had given myself 10 business days from when my LCA was submitted. My LCA ended up taking 4 business days to process. Appointment was for 8.30am Monday. I came prepared with a whole folder of supporting documentation, however the only documents they looked at were my DS-160 and the confirmed LCA. Stage 1 interview I was asked about whether this was the first time I was applying for this visa. Stage 2 was fingerprints. Stage 3 was interview. The interview process was easy - she asked for the company name, job title, qualifications, and what I’d been doing in Australia and for how long. Then she told me it was approved and would take about a week to get my visa back. The whole process took 1.5hrs. Received notification Tuesday afternoon that my passport & visa were processed and issued and being sent via courier. And woke up Wednesday to an email saying my passport is ready for pickup. So 3 weeks to book an appointment 3 business days from appointment to collecting passport.
- Madeleine (about 1 year ago)

Very easy and straightforward location to obtain the e3. Recommend to have a Monday appointment (first availabilities) so you can get back within a week.
- Marianne (about 1 year ago)

Actually got L1/L2 - but no option for it in the dropdown??? Very easy process in London. Total time was about 2 hours. There was alot of people there, but seemed to go smoothly. Also you can take bags/backpacks, phones, water bottles. Even had a small cafe set up at the interview area. Appointment Wed 18th Oct - notified via email Friday 20th passport was processed and being sent to courier. Mon received notification of tracking number. Tues 24th, collected from courier location.
- Jo (about 1 year ago)

Couldn't believe how smoothly everything went. I was worried at first doing my E3 from London instead of Melbourne or Sydney, but there was absolutely nothing to be worried about. Appointment was on Monday 10th of Sept. Rocked up 30 mins early. They ask for your DS-160 printout at the door and give you a ticket number. I waited about 30 mins for the stage 1 interview. This interview goes for under a minute. I was asked what visa I was applying for (E3), if it's my first E3, and how long I've been working for this company for (I said I hadn't started yet; you're not allowed to start until your visa is approved, so I guess this is to trip people up). Once done, you move across to the stage 2 interview. This line was 1hr 30 long, so be prepared to wait. Many people brought a book, I did crosswords on my phone. Once I got to the front and did my interview, it went for less than a minute. I wasn't asked for any documents except for my passport, DS-160 printout, and the certified LCA printout. I also had with me a degree equivalency, degree transcript and testamur, visa fee receipt, physical copies of my visa/passport photos, and formalised job offer, however I wasn't asked for any of these - only passport, DS-160, LCA. I was approved on the spot, and said I should get my passport back within a week. This was on a Monday at around 12.30pm. The next day at 2pm, I got an email saying my document (passport) had been picked up by a courier and would be ready for pickup the day after (Wednesday). At 5am Wednesday I was notified it was ready for pickup from the 50 Chancery Lane location in central London (note they don't open until 8 or 9am). All in all, it was a super smooth process and I got my passport back within 48 hours of my interview (Mon - Wed). I could've flown back to the States that afternoon but stayed a couple more days as I had accomm booked since I didn't think the process would be that fast. Think I was one of the lucky ones! All the best on your application, hope this helped.
- Callan (about 2 years ago)

This was probably one of the smoothest E3 renewals (this is my 3rd) I've had so far. My appointment was at 8:30am. I got there an hour early just in case. I hopped in line at 7:30am to do the first check (DS-160 and passport to be shown), they noted the time of the interview on the DS-160. After that you enter a security line where they check your bag (small bags allowed. No need to check in your phone. No large bags or suitcases and no laptops). You get to the front desk and they tell you which elevator to go to and stick a ticket number on your passport. Once you're there, you can sit and wait until your ticket is called or appears on one of the many screens. There is a small kiosk in the middle of this lobby area so you can get a coffee and a snack while you wait. There is also an option to have your passport/visa photo taken on the same level. When your ticket is called, they check your DS-160, passport and LCA, they put this in a clear plastic envelope and tell you to go to the interview line. The interview itself was fairly straightforward. I was asked if I was with the same employer and what I did and where my job was located (along with some small chat). I was approved on the spot and by the time I exited the consulate, it was 9:30am. During that hour, it was moving along so there wasn't really any long waiting times. I had my interview on a Aug 30 (Wednesday) and received a notification on September 1 (Friday) that it would be delivered on September 4 (Monday). I picked it up on Monday at the DX and it was pretty easy. Have some form of ID and your tracking number ready (it will be sent to you in an email as well as be on the website where you can see your appointment status (https://ais.usvisa-info.com/). This site was a huge help for me in preparing for the interview and put my mind at ease. It was helpful to see peoples recent experiences and the wait times for interviews in one place. Good luck to you all!
- Kristine (about 2 years ago)

Aug 7 appointment, visa approved on the spot. Aug 8 status changed from approved to issued. Aug 9 delivered to courier. Aug 10 picked up from DX. While this location was the busiest consulate I have ever visited, it’s a well oiled machine. Worth noting you can get passport photos inside, grab a coffee while you wait, and you don’t have to check your phone. Would recommend London for visa processing for sure. Pick up at the DX was easy, bring some form of ID - even your name on a bank card.
- Mads (about 2 years ago)

Similar process as per most of the reviews arrived 30 mins before the 9.00 am appointment, joined one queue to check in, and then second to go through security. Once inside I had to officially check-in and with my number allocation in hand was sent upstairs to the first part of the process. After 10 mins the number was called resulting in a quick check of paperwork, and fingerprints being taken. Then joined the queue for the interview, which took a little longer, about 40 mins. The interview itself was super-fast, name, what is your job, and then some pleasantries before being told the visa was approved and I should receive my passport within 7 days, out by 10.30 am. The interview was on a Thursday and by that afternoon status had changed to approved, the following Monday received an email indicating the passport was on its way to the place of collection and collected Tuesday morning. So a total of 6 days including the day of the interview and 2 weekend days so much swifter than expected and a great experience with really friendly and helpful staff.
- Trevor (about 2 years ago)

My experience seemed a little different than others so ima add it here: - appointment was at 9am Monday July 24th - got to embassy at 8:15am and joined the line outside (wasn’t very long when I got there but became quite long a mere 5 mins later) - got to first check in point at 8:30 where they look at your passport and ds160 - went through security which took less than 5 mins - went through next checkpoint where they gave me a sticker indicating my number which took about 5 mins - went up to the first level and waited maybe 15-20 mins for the next checkpoint where she asked me where I was residing and when I arrived in London and took my fingerprints - lined up for the interview, this was the longest part where I waited in line for over an hour (maybe about 75 mins - bring something to read or headphones) - got to my interview, she asked me if I was a student or not, where I was going to be working and my job title (overall took less than 5 mins) - approved on the spot, she said should get it in a week and had changed in ceac day of appt - checked my ceac status the next day (Tuesday July 25) in the afternoon and it had changed to issued - received email around noon on Wednesday (July 26) that it had been sent to DX - will pick it up either Thursday or Friday morning
- Lin (about 2 years ago)

We did pay for premium processing, (delivery to our hotel in Soho which incidentally was very close to the company that was delivering) the passport with visa inside was delivered in the afternoon, 3 days later.
- Michelle (about 2 years ago)

Just got back from my E-3 Renewal in London. Overall a very seamless experience, 3 day turnaround, would recommend. Quick order of events: 1. Appt was at 9:00am. I got to the consulate at 8:30. They do a check in of your cover page of the DS-160 and your passport outside of the building, the line was long but moved quickly, I waited maybe 5-10 mins. 2. You then go through security and into the main building. Waited in line again, they put a sticker on your DS-160 page and send you up in an elevator to the main processing room 3. You're given a ticket when you get to the main processing room, and wait for it to be called (like a shopfront/DMV). That took about 30 mins. The person at the counter asked for my LCA, the photo for the visa and the DS-160 cover page and they ten-print you. They checked it and put it all into a plastic sleeve for me. They asked me if I was a renewal or a new visa and they asked to see my old visa which was in my old passport, which I also brought with me. 4. Proceed to actual interview line. This is where the wait was, I stood for about 90 mins. Get to the counter finally, they asked me what I did for work and told me I had been approved, then took the passport from me and told me it would be returned in 7 business days. Overall the interaction time was very quick and easy, just the waiting in lines is what takes so long. 5. Later that day the visa status changed to Issued, and I received a notification from the courier on Thurs (2 days later) that it was out for delivery. I collected my passport on Friday afternoon from the DX in Holborn (3 days after). I had planned for 5 business days overall so I was happy it returned so quickly.
- Aly (about 2 years ago)

Overall, pretty smooth experience! Arrived 30 mins early and waited in the line outside for approx. 40 mins. Got number and front desk and then up to the 2nd floor where I waited in the document check area for approx. 30 mins, then waited in interview line approx. 30 mins. This was my 5th renewal with the same company and was only asked one question: "What is your role?" and Bob's your uncle!
- Analisa (about 2 years ago)

My visa appointment was for Friday, June 30 at 10am. Although I was supposed to fly into London at 6:30am, due to multiple flight delays (thanks Air Canada) I didn't land at Heathrow until around 9:30am. I had emailed the embassy prior to boarding my flight, knowing I would be arriving late. The email informed me that "it is not possible to access consular services after 11am". Well, I wasn't getting there before 11am... I booked it to the embassy and arrived an hour and a half late. I put on a smile, didn't say anything about being late upon checking in and thankfully was let through. Not sure if I was just lucky. The entire appointment process was straightforward and took close to 2.5 hours, at the end of which the guy told me I should expect to get my passport back in 7 business days. I got the email that my visa had been issued the following Thursday, July 6 and it was ready for pickup the next day - 7 days total. I got to the courier pickup location a couple of hours after it had opened and only had to wait behind one other person. Note that July 4 was a public holiday for the embassy, so it could have been processed a little quicker if it weren't for that. Beautiful embassy, longer processing times than some other location reviews on here, but would recommend considering this embassy has experience with processing a lot of E3 visas.
- Ari (about 2 years ago)

I found this location after multiple DS160 redos. We were planning to do it in Lima, but they don't have any appointments whatsoever despite saying on the American website. Appointment times were available and the interview went very smooth (two questions). All in all it took around a week for the visa to be issued and I assume I will be getting it back on Friday 6/30
- William (about 2 years ago)

First time E-3 review - if you are looking for an appointment ASAP, London is a good location with plenty of cancellations opening spots up just 2-5 days in advance. As pointed out before, the line outside is long, however once you are inside the process is very efficient. My appointment lasted all of 2 minutes. Tip: arrive 45mins to 1 hour prior to your scheduled appointment and by the time you reach the front of the line it will be your time. I was scheduled for 9am and arrived at 8:10am. I entered the embassy at 9:10am. When I exited the embassy after my appointment the line had more than doubled from when I arrived at 8:10am so if you have a later appointment (i.e. 10am or 10:30am) consider arriving well over an hour prior. The issue with London at this point is the passport turnaround time is about 8 days. I had my appointment on a Tuesday. I received the courier tracking email on the following Tuesday afternoon and picked up the passport first thing Wednesday morning. Tip: don’t wait for the tracking link to say ‘out for delivery’ or ‘ready for collection’. Even if you don’t see any tracking updates your passport will be ready for you at the courier pickup location the morning after you receive the tracking link (keep in mind the courier pickup is closed on weekends). Go at 8am to pickup your passport and there will be no lines.
- Michael (about 2 years ago)

Recently got a new E3 visa in London. Appointment was on Thursday June 15th, with the whole process taking about 1 1/2 hours. It was very seamless and straightforward, even though the lines were long they moved relatively quickly. During the interview part the only questions I got asked were what is the name of your employer, what type of work will you be doing and what is your highest level of education. I brought heaps of printed documentation but didn't have to show anything. My visa was approved on the spot and she said it would take 2 weeks to get back. On Friday 23rd June the CEAC status changed from 'Approved' to 'Issued.' Monday 26th June around 2:30pm I received the tracking number saying my passport was due to be delivered the following day (Tuesday 27th June). I went to the DX centre around 4:30pm the Monday anyway just to check if they had received, they hadn't. They said to come back in the morning at 8:00am. I arrived at 7:50am, doors were already open with no lines. Collected my passport with no issues and flew out that day. Overall I had a good experience and highly rate the London embassy.
- Rachel (about 2 years ago)

Me and my husband attended the interview on Tuesday May 30th. Mine an e3 renewal, my husband moving over to an E3d as we recently got married. Approved on the spot. No issues, just had to show our marriage license. Our visa status updated to approved the same day. 10 days of waiting and then my husbands visa status changed to Administrative Processing (mine stayed approved). We started to get worried but after speaking to a few people, it should change to issued within a few days. Well, it didn’t. It took an additional 2 full weeks for my husbands to change to “application reviewed”, then back to “approved”, then finally to “issued”. We were in London for a little under 4 weeks. Extremely stressful, and an expensive place to be stuck in limbo. We emailed the embassy twice for updates. They never replied.
- Jamie (about 2 years ago)

We had a good experience at the London Embassy. Unfortunately one of our applications didn’t submit properly and we had to redo it. Lucky we were able to use their wifi and we didn’t have to make another appointment. We were able to go back to our original counter and after that they put us at the front for the interview. They told us it could take up to two weeks but we got our passports back in 8 days. It was a relatively good experience and even better to have explored London while we waited
- Jessica (about 2 years ago)

London Embassy E3 Review. Please note this was at the time of the Coronation, so may have caused some of the backlog/delays in this review. Note also while my visa came back within all usual timeframes, it was a much longer and more stressful process than many of the reviewers have found so far - I will manage my expectations better next time! My timeline was: *Early April - went to book appointments for London. There was nothing available but I kept refreshing and got an appointment middle of May, then early May, then eventually the exact date I wanted at 24th April. Keep refreshing, new spots or cancellations come up all the time! *Monday 24th April - appointment. As others have said, you join a large line outside the Embassy, firstly to check your documents. Someone from the Embassy will check as you join the line, check that you are in the right time, and what time your appointment is. If you are too early, you will be asked to join later. 15 - 30m beforehand is the sweetspot. Once your documents are initially checked and marked, you join the big line next to it to go into the Embassy. This line moves a bit slower but nothing too bad. When you go in you do a security check like at an airport. You ARE allowed to bring your phone in, though unsure about laptops and ipads. From there you take a number at reception, then a lift to the next level, and wait for your number to be called to whatever window, where there will be a line up of people at that window. There you will check your documents again, answer a few questions, and do fingerprints. After that you line up at another line (lots of lining up today!), and do your interview. This is a few questions about your workplace, role, history in the US, as well as them looking at some of your documents, and doing fingerprints again. After this I was approved straight away, and given a card to track passport collection. I was told it would be ready in 3 - 5 days - stoked. My CAEC status was 'approved' straight away. *Towards the end of the week I was concerned I had not received notification my passport was ready. I had a flight booked to leave on the Saturday, which I thought would be plenty of time. I cancelled that flight and extended my accommodation over the weekend, noting it was the first of two long weekends in a row that month. I was hoping it may be ready to go on Tuesday. *Wednesday 3rd May - my application changed to 'Administrative Processing'. I was very nervous as this could have meant an issue or being under review, OR that it was about to be printed and issued. Many people said their status changed to AP in the issuing stage, so I relaxed slightly. *Thursday 4th May - application changed to 'Application Received'. I lost my mind at this point as this is the first step in the process, before Approved. I assume my application had to be reviewed or checked again, as my prior status was a bit complicated. I was absolutely panicking that the Approval and Issuing process would take 10+ days after that, as urgently needed to get home to pack up my apartment at lease end, move interstate, and start a new job, which I'd already pushed out as part of this process. In my panic I emailed the Embassy, who could not give me information, though I do wonder if my fairly unhinged emails got the process moving slightly quicker. *Friday 5th May - application changed to 'Approved'. Very happy, though nervous about the potential length of time until the passport is issued. I sent another unhinged panicked email to the Embassy, with a generic response, though a couple of hours later my status changed to 'Issued', and an hour after that I received tracking. It was then ANOTHER long weekend. My tracking said the visa was 'expected' to arrive on Tuesday. *Tuesday 9th May - after panicking (again) as I did not know the timeframe of when the Visa would be ready for collection and I had booked a flight that day, at 7am the tracking said 'delivered' or 'ready for collection'. I bolted to the DX, it was already open a little before 8am, collected the passport, finally breathed a sigh of relief, and left the country that day! While the process at the Embassy was wonderful, very efficient and streamlined and modern (though do allow 2 hours all up), the steps after that was incredibly stressful. I do hope that this was just due to Coronation backlogs, as others I chatted to were in a similar timeframe. While the extension of the stay was very expensive, and I could have 'saved' money on accommodation back in Aus, or in a country like Brazil, I did feel a lot of confidence in the London office and those I spoke to on email, and didn't need to do a huge flight to get there, so felt it is still a good choice for any visa requirements. I would definitely go there again though with a more open mind about how long the process could actually take
- Georgia (about 2 years ago)

This will be long, as it’s the level of detail I was looking for ahead of my appointment! First thing to note is that if you’re applying for the first time, it’s advised to do so from a country in which you hold citizenship - I definitely scoured these reviews not realising that and assuming I could go anywhere. I am an English/Australian dual national, so I picked London. Third party consulates are generally only advised for renewals. My appointment was at 9am, I arrived at 8.25am and there was already a backlog/queue. So I really would recommend getting the earliest appointment you can, and arriving early. That first queue lasted around 30/40 minutes (outdoor, so rug up warm and bring an umbrella!), and at the front you have to present your DS160 confirmation page and passport, followed by airport-like security. Then there was another (outdoor) queue leading from the security building to the main one. This probably took another 30ish minutes despite it appearing much shorter. That said, it sped up quickly towards the end so it’s possible they were short staffed or having to deal with something unexpected at first. Again, you’re asked for your DS160 and passport before being given a ticket with a number on, and told which floor to go to for your interview. Up the lift you end up in a big waiting room and wait for your number to come up on the screen telling you which booth/screen to head to. It took around 10/15 minutes for mine to show. At the booth I was asked for my DS160, passport, and fingerprints on both hands. At this point he advised I should not have applied with my UK passport as my primary one, despite the fact my Australian passport details were included later in the DS160 form (and despite my lawyers suggestion…). Ultimately they were able to change the details there and then, but I’m not sure if I was just lucky. I was then directed to the other side of the room to wait for my number to appear again for my interview. Again this took another 10 or so minutes. At the interview (also a screen/booth) I was asked for the same forms as last time and my passport, and was asked some questions - I was asked where I’d been backpacking, which I had been a few months prior, though I can’t think where on my forms that would’ve been stated. The officer was really friendly so I also couldn’t tell if this was chit chat or relevant to the interview. He asked which company I’m going to work for, what my new job title was, and confirmed if I’d been working in that field previously. He never asked to see any of my supporting docs, despite my folder full of them! He also didn’t ask anything about my degree, which I was expecting. Of course it goes without saying, this was only my experience and some officers may be more thorough. He told me on the spot that it was approved. Timelines: - 28th November: Went to book appointment and next available was 11 Jan - 11th Jan (Weds): Had appointment at 9am. Process took around 2 hours from arrival to exit - 11th Jan (Weds): Visa status was marked as ‘approved’ on CEAS that day - 13th Jan (Fri): Visa status changed to ‘issued’ by midday - 13th Jan (Fri): Received an email saying passport had been dispatched at 1pm - 16th Jan (Mon): Passport arrived at collection office - 17th Jan (Tues): I collected it from the DX courier office, I arrived a couple minutes before it opened and they’d already opened, there was nobody else there so it took around 1 minute from arrival to exit
- Emily (about 2 years ago)

Renewal of J2, no interview required. Had to delay my flight, because the turnaround was 3 weeks, a lot slower than last time. Submitted documents on 21 Nov, and they were ready for pick-up on 9 Dec. Might've been due to Thanksgiving?
- Alice (about 2 years ago)

- Booking the appointment was quite easy with lots of availability, I booked only a month out but could have booked within the week. - Arrived 35 mins (advised to arrive 30 mins prior) prior to the appointment (10am appt). Very long line which took upward of 90 minutes to get through. It is outside so definitely take a jacket and an umbrella. - First checkpoint is a DS-160 and passport check, second is security and third is a DS-160 scan and assigning you a number before proceeding up to level 1 (You can't take a laptop or tablet but you don't have to check your backpack or small bag in, you keep it with you as well as your phone which is handy whilst in waiting room) - Level 1 is a waiting room with visa interview windows where your number will appear on a scrolling screen advising which window to go to. - First interview was just a document check and all they wanted were my passport, certified LCA, photo and a support letter addressed to the embassy (if you don't have a photo, they have a photo booth on this level as well); Second interview was very basic asking: "What does your company do? What is your job title?" Scan fingerprints and told visa approved. This inside process took about another 90 minutes so total time was 3 hours. - Only hiccup in the interview was I had selected E3 not E3R but the lady just adjusted that on the spot, not sure if its always that easy. - Passport status changed to issued exactly 7 days after the interview, and available for collection 9 days after (24th November) from the courier company.
- Scott (about 2 years ago)

Wanted to share my London visa experience as I know I always rely on this group for the most up to date information and would love to pay it forward! Had my H1B appointment Monday morning 8:30AM - arrived around 8:15AM and the line was already very long (you just get in the back irrespective of appointment time), but moved pretty quickly through security. No laptops but you’re allowed to keep your phone with you (and they even have free wifi!). By the time I got in, the downstairs reception asked for anyone with 8AM or 8:30AM appointments to come through to the front and we were prioritised ahead of those with later appointment times. Once you get upstairs it’s a super efficient process, lots of booths processing and an abundance of automated ticketing to counter prompts on screens. First time you go to the window is for someone to check your documents, then you wait again and are called up to a different window for the interview. I was switching from an E3 to an H1B but my lawyers had already filed the petition so the interview lasted all of 2 minutes (have you had an H1B before + what do you do). Then I was asked to pay the reciprocity fee at a separate cashier window ($1,295) before going back to the same officer. Ended up leaving the embassy at ~9:30/9:40 so was about a 90min process from arrival. Received an email on Tuesday evening (5:30PM GMT) that my passport had been sent out (earlier that day my lawyers confirmed that the status on the portal had changed to “Issued”). Based on what I had read previously, I went to pick my passport up from the DX location on Wednesday (note: even though the tracking will say “out for delivery”, because the destination I chose was the default to the courier shop, there’s really nowhere for it to actually deliver to so it’s already there). The guys at DX seem well versed and knew exactly what the tracking was for etc. Make sure to bring another form of ID - the website has a list of what is acceptable but a drivers license is probably easiest. Overall the entire process took just over 48 hours from time of appointment to when I picked my passport back up from the courier location in Holborn! Super efficient and highly recommend London as a visa location!!
- Gracie (about 2 years ago)

Quick efficient friendly embassy staff queues managed well, passports returned in 3 days
- Emily (about 3 years ago)

Appointment was a 15th (Thursday). Updated online as Issued 17th (Saturday), 19th public holiday (Monday). Will pick up 20th (Tuesday). 2/3 working days
- Em (about 3 years ago)

Made the appointment about 2 months out, and was able to reschedule for an earlier appointment fairly quickly and easily.
- Eli (about 3 years ago)

Super efficient. Much better than the process back in Aus. Booked the appointment about 3 weeks before the day of and actual interview lasted about 45 seconds. Highly recommended!
- Dan (about 3 years ago)

Appointment booked on 18th of March 2022
- Tracy (about 3 years ago)

Very well organised facility and picking up my passport from the designated location was well communicated and easily done.
- Maeve (about 3 years ago)

Bring an umbrella! Sometimes the line outside while you wait for security screening can take time, and there's no shelter!
- Melissa (about 3 years ago)

Booked appointment two weeks out, lots of appointment slots available when I went online to book. Super smooth process, we were there for 8am appointment and out the door by 9am. Interview portion only went for a few minutes. Family of 3, child's E3D visa issued same day and passport back next day. E3 and E3S visa issued second day and email to collect came through morning of day 3. Super efficient at Melbourne right now.
- Jack (about 2 months ago)

Dec 17 appointment - used a DS-160 without the LCA number filled (bcos my LCA was obtained later) which was ok. Status changed to issued on Dec 20. But it took so long to get the pick up email - I had flights booked after Xmas and VFS is closed on public holidays so I went to VFS on Dec 23, they turned me away and say must have the email printed. Managed to receive email to pick up on Dec 23 evening, so got my passport on Xmas eve.
- Joe (about 4 months ago)

This website has been so helpful, providing our full timeline below in the hopes it helps someone else! Everything was incredibly seamless, other than the communication from VFS around pick up. We were getting an E3 (my husband) and an E3D/S (me). For context, my husband received the job offer on November 21 and the visa was in our hand on December 16 - so a 3 week turn around from offer to visa, including closures for Thanksgiving in that period! - Wednesday December 11 - Interview in Melbourne - Friday Dec 13 - Status changed to “issued”. We decided to go to VFS in the hopes our passport was there, but we were told it wasn't. - Monday Dec 16 - Still hadn't received an email from VFS, but we had our flight booked for the next day and really didn't want to miss it. We went back to VFS at 10am and our passports were there! At about 2pm that afternoon, my husband received a text message saying our documents had been picked up from the consulate and were on their way to VFS... so I'm glad we just went and checked up on it, we would have missed our flight if we had waited to receive the text. All in all, really seamless and fast.
- Ruby (about 4 months ago)

Successfully got a new O-1 visa approved after being on an E-3 for the last ~10 years. I was eligible for a mail-in application and was therefore required to do it via mail, so no appointment. Here's my timeline: Monday, Nov 4th: Mailed in application from Perth to the Melbourne consulate (as reviews here seem to show that Melbourne is faster than Sydney, also backed up by anecdotal evidence from friends on E-3s). Thursday, Nov 11th: Postal tracking showed that my application was delivered, and the CEAC visa status site also showed the application as received - I had to check all this myself, I did not get any email or text notifications that my application was received. Thursday, Nov 14th: Got an email and a text saying my visa was approved and passport was ready for pickup in Melbourne - so 5 business days from when it was marked as received. No other notifications in between. I flew to Melbourne to pick it up and flew out from there back to the US. Important tip when mailing in your application via express post: check that the postcode you send from and the receiving postcode are eligible for the next day delivery guarantee (which isn't really a guarantee). I mailed mine in from a postcode that wasn't eligible, which is why I think it took 3 days to deliver. Huge delay.
- David (about 5 months ago)

This was my first E3 with all of the documentation prepared by my employer. I was awaiting for an approved LCA but had read information that I could fill out the DS160 prior to gaining the approved LCA (I knew it was coming within the next few days but wanted to get my appointment booked in). I filled out the DS160 successfully without LCA on 13 August and was able to get an appointment for the following Tuesday 20 August - Melbourne was very open for appointments when I looked. Consulate interview was very straightforward, no detailed questions about my role except what my position was and my employer. I was in and out within 30 minutes. I was told the passport would be available to pick up (I chose pick up rather than delivery) within a week. Received and email on Wednesday August 21 that passport will be available to pick up the next day.
- Ellen (about 8 months ago)

My 7/8th E3 but had to do it in person due to some logistical issues. I had my LCA approved on June 24, and the earliest available appointment was July 22. Kept looking and was able to reschedule to July 9th. Standard affair, waited for an hour and the interview lasted less than 30 seconds - the visa officer noticed I had a bunch of previous E3s so didn't ask any questions, only wanted to see the LCA and offer letter. The status changed to 'Issued' on CEAC on July 10th but I didn't receive any email to pick up the passport from VFS. After a day of waiting, I rocked up to the VFS office on the afternoon of July 11th. The passport was already there, and I was able to pick it up with an ID even though I didn't have a confirmation email. It looks like they're a bit backlogged with returns, so I recommend going in once the status changes to 'Issued' if you're in a time crunch. Overall, super smooth and a very quick turnaround.
- Ryan (about 9 months ago)

I was getting a new O1 visa stamp (approved in the US way back in April). Did the DS160 for Melbourne early June to look at available interview dates and using the US Travel Docs site (for Australia consulates) was surprised when using the Visa wizard that I was eligible for a mail-in despite status change to first-time O1. I was nervous this may have been an automated thing so I wrote an email via the Travel Docs contact form and a human replied within 2 days that I was indeed eligible for a mail-in and that it may take up to 10 days to get my passport back, which is quicker as it would otherwise take 'up to a few weeks for interview'. I just needed to follow the mail-in instructions sent to me when my appointment was confirmed as a mail-in instead. The wizard pretty much determines you are eligible for mail in if you satisfy ALL the conditions: https://au.usembassy.gov/visas/ (scroll to the bottom and click on the Australian consulate you completed your DS160 for and it will take you to a new tab for the wizard). Arrived in Melbourne June 14 (Friday) so decided to wait till after the weekend to Express Post it. Sent it Monday 17th, CEAC (status tracker: https://ceac.state.gov/ceacstattracker/status.aspx) confirmed receipt Tuesday 18th. Received email Monday 24th that the passport was ready for collection from the VFS collection point in the Melbourne CBD. Collection point is actually inside the India Visa office (it is confusing as there is no sign until you walk INTO the India visa office), and then you will see a sign for FRENCH visa collection and that is where you go in to collect your passport! All in all it was so straight forward and easy and no need to worry at all.
- Selene (about 10 months ago)

My E3R was approved on the spot on June 11th. Couldn’t do mail-in renewal according to their website but person who checks DS-160 etc said that I could have. There were so many people at the embassy in line waiting for their appointments. The VO only asked one question about my qualifications and said that Ill get my passport in a week. I got my passport back on 18th business day. In the past, it took them 2 days and 3 days to return my passport. They have also changed their pickup location its not in swanston street anymore even though it says on their website and the email that you will get when your passport is ready to be picked up. The new location is at level 5/332 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne 3004. There is something going on at the embassies/consulates in Australia. They aren’t efficient these days.
- Mahi (about 10 months ago)

Mail in visa. I sent it on 5/11 (sat) via auspost express (do not advise, they do nothing on Saturday, i recommend just posting on monday). Delivered 5/15. It first goes to post office mail box, which they then pick it up. CEAC tracking noted application received 5/15. Accepted 5/20, issued 5/21. I originally had nominated for premium delivery, but i was able to contact VFS to change it last minute for pickup at the swanston st location since i have a tight flight schedule. Use email: usgss_mel@vfsglobal.com for the melbourne VFS location.
- D (about 11 months ago)

We flew in from our home overseas for the first E3 + E3D application. The company and immigration lawyer had already prepared LCA and supporting documents. Due to the travel I also didn't take the first available appointment (booked on April 22). Interview day was exactly as everyone else described, more time waiting than talking. We had recently married and so had only the ceremonial certificate (my home state's Births Deaths Marriages is heavily backlogged currently, plus an overly complicated process to validate foreign address which would have taken another month + money). They questioned but the interview was enough to validate to the consulate's satisfaction, but this could have been an issue. There was an unusual delay in processing at this time. My lawyer said another client had been told 10 days to get passport back the week before, we were told within the week. Watching the CEAC site, there was no action on the application until Day 6, then everything all at once - after Issued status, GTS emails received 2 hours later for pickup the next morning. Pickup was super easy using overseas driver's license as ID. We had to move our flights and extend accomodation which was annoying but that's life moving between overseas postings I guess.
- Josh (about 11 months ago)

This was a mail-in renewal; new job at a new company but I had most recently renewed in Ireland in October ‘23. Over all it took 2 weeks from posting to pick up. I actually forgot to include new physical photos but they used my digital photo from the DS160. Express posted Tues 23/4, aus post tracker said it was delivered Wed 24/4. The CEAC tracker said ‘No Status’ until Tuesday 30/4. Tracker changed to ‘Application Received’ 30/4, and ‘Approved’ 7/5. I got a text that my passport was ready for pick up later that day. Pick up is on Swanston St 10am-2pm, very fast and easy.
- Al (about 11 months ago)

E-3 renewal, and changing partner's status from E-3 to E-3D. Appointment went smoothly, although the consulate required copies of documents, not originals (previously they had made copies on the spot if required) - we had to submit a copy of one of our documents via email after the appointment.
- David (about 1 year ago)

Had an appt for 8:30, got there at 8 and the security line was already about 20 people deep. Security took about 30 mins all up - make sure you don't bring any electronics besides your phone (i.e. no laptops/ipads) - they were turning people away who had them. At security, they checked that I had physical US passport-size photos and my LCA. Post security, another 10 mins waiting upstairs for the first interview (where they review your docs again and take fingerprints). Then about 20 mins wait in the final queue for the final interview which took 2 minutes. I was asked the name of my company, the role, and then was approved. That was a Thursday and I got the email to pick up my passport on the Tuesday.
- Kim (about 2 years ago)

*Interview waiver/mail in application: Mailed in my application package from a regional post office box on a Thursday (Express/overnight) and it was marked as delivered on the Friday morning by Australia Post. US embassy internal tracking recorded as processing only on the Monday afternoon and at 5PM on the Tuesday I received notification it was ready to collect (NB: I selected this option vs. return to sender mail). I left a VERY tight travel window for my return flight (< 5 business days) and indicated this on the paperwork (not sure if this influenced the expedited processing time) but all told it was a three business day turnaround. I collected the passport in person to save a day and any potential issues receiving the passport back in the mail. This was my fourth E3 renewal and the most straightforward from this location.
- Heidi (about 2 years ago)

New E3 Visa Melbourne Review June 9th - Interview June 14th - Received email that passport is ready to collect June 15th - Collected passport LCA - you can book an interview without your LCA, just put a placeholder ‘000’ in that section. When you get your LCA, update your DS-160 with the new LCA number and call +61 1300 139 399 to update your interview details with the new DS-160 number. Finding an appointment - keep refreshing as new appointments do open up. To find out earliest amongst Melb/Syd/Perth just call +61 1300 139 399 and ask them. This avoids needing to cancel one appointment at risk of losing it if a sooner one isn’t available at another consulate. Interview - make sure you bring a passport photo that is less than 6 months old, even if your DS-160 application photo was approved. Otherwise you have to go down the road for a new passport photo at Aus Post. Interview - they just asked to see my LCA, Job offer letter, passport photo and passport. Quick process less than 30 mins all up. They only asked what my job was and my highest level of education. Arrive at least 15mins before and review the security email to know what you can/can’t bring in. Visa status post interview - mine never updated on the CEAC website. I found this website helpful for some extra tracking steps you could look into. You can also email the Melbourne consulate. https://www.ustraveldocs.com/sk/sk-niv-passporttrack.asp#:~:text=Email%3A%20Send%20an%20email%20to,automatic%20response%20with%20the%20status. Passport collection - it’s on level 11 of the VFS Global building on Swanston Street. Collection is only between 10am - 12pm. Bring a proof of ID with you to collect. Pick up vs Post - I personally would recommend opting for pick up. Firstly you don’t need to pay. Secondly it seemed to be approx 1 day earlier than waiting for delivery. And lastly it reduces the stress of having to stay home waiting for it to show up.
- Kate (about 2 years ago)

Interview was very quick. A worker reviewed the requested documents & scanned in my passport photo. I then waited in a small queue for the actual interview which only lasted 1 minute at most. Only asked what my roll will entail and what the company does. Overall a quick and painless process!
- Thomas (about 2 years ago)

Visa wait times following COVID were astronomically long : 8+months.
- Gargi (about 2 years ago)

Getting the visa appointment took 6 months but the actual consulate process was extremely easy and quick. I originally had a Sydney appointment but that was cancelled 2 months before the date and then I had to reschedule (and get back in the queue) for Melbourne.
- Sam (about 3 years ago)

staff were mean 🙁
- (about 3 years ago)

It was a renewal by mail…passport and application sent on Jan-10th, received by consulate on Jan-11th…then waiting on CEAC status to be updated till Jan-24th, status changed to administrative processing on Jan-25th, then status updated issued on Jan-27th & passport sent back on the same day, delivered on Jan-28th…overall good experience but never received any reply from consulate for query…please note there were 2 public holidays and 4 days of 2 weekend.
- Sam (about 3 years ago)

I’ve been on administrative processing since lodging the application and still haven’t heard anything
- Alex (about 4 years ago)

It's been under AP for the last 7 months and I'm still awaiting the visa to be issued.
- Alex (about 4 years ago)

This was my first time obtaining an E3/any US visa and I wanted a location that was close to NYC as I was already in the US before getting a work visa. The appointment availability was limited for Third Country Nationals and at first only had appointments 4+ months away from when I paid the visa fee however I kept checking the website for cancellations and one for a week later popped up within a few days. I landed on Monday Dec 2nd and two things you should know are 1) pre fill out the immigration form online so you don't have to queue at customs 2) if this is your first E3/US visa make sure you have a printed copy of your returning flight back to AUS (which you should have anyway if you're on an ESTA). My visa appointment was at 8:30am on Tuesday morning and as all other reviews mention get there maybe 30 mins before your appointment time and wait outside, they take people in large groups, and as someone else mentioned try and get to walk quickly to front of the queue to avoid waiting in a large line. There are a few different waiting periods i.e waiting for biometrics, waiting for the interview etc but all in all it's a really quick process that takes about an hour from once you arrive. I think my interview lasted about 60 seconds with a really nice middle aged man and I was asked: 1) Are you renewing or is this your first E3? 2) Did you find your job whilst in the US? 3) Do you have an offer letter/contract from your new employer? My visa changed on the CEAC website almost immediately following my interview to 'Approved' and then on Wednesday at 10am changed to 'Issued'. Everything I read online said that once the status been changed 'Issued' your passport should be on it's way to the DHL and would be ready the following day. I was planning on calling the DHL on the morning to confirm if my passport was there without receiving a tracking number however I received the email about my passport from DHL at 10am on Thursday. I called to see if I could pick it up and they said it was still processing and would be ready at lunchtime so I went there at 12 and picked up my passport! A few people said that the line at the DHL was super long and took a while which wasn't my experience, I was the only person there. I went straight to the airport and got on the next flight to NYC. I have to say, travelling alone to a country I'd never been to for my first E3 was a somewhat daunting experience however it was such a quick and easy process - I was only in the country for 72hrs and from interview -> passport pick up was about 48 hours! I stayed along Carlisle Bay which was beautiful however as a solo female traveller, there wasn't much around in terms of food, groceries etc so if I did it again I would probably stay a bit further south in Worthing, Rockley Beach area.
- Isabella (about 4 months ago)

Similar results to others. The country is fantastic and easy to navigate in general. Recommend renting a car. Park in the Wildey business centre, take the first left following signs for visitor parking. They have shade setup in the outside waiting area (phones off) and lockers to store belongings. In and out in 60 mins. Only asked for my LCA. There was some small confusion over paying an additional reciprocity fee but the agent realised it was not required for E-3’s after chatting with their colleagues. Visa was approved instantly on Tuesday, issued Wed, tracking number emailed Friday 1pm and picked up passport at DHL (airport location) at 4:30. Appointment wait time was roughly two months the week before my interview. I did my scuba diving certification while I waited with blue water sports near the Hilton, it’s some of the best diving in the world!
- Miles (about 11 months ago)

First off, I said yes to whether I would recommend Barbados for E3 Visa renewal. This only applies IF you know beforehand what you are letting yourself in for. I guess the experience wasn't bad, just not what I expected, especially compared to my first E3 Visa experience at the US Consulate (Embassy?) in Melbourne. Our situation was one of our initial E3 running out of time and we had to renew our Visas as a family in order to remain in the US. There's two ways to renew an E3, first (via UCIS, I think is the name), whereby you do your renewal online or via post within the US and they send you a letter saying your Visa is extended. The downside is, however, that you can't travel as your Visa stamp would have expired and you need that to travel. Due to this, we chose the second option, which is to leave the US and apply for a Visa renewal at any US Consulate that services Third-party Nationals. Mexico, Canada and places like that popular, but our immigration lawyer recommended Barbados as a popular destination for Australians. That's how we ended up going to Barbados. Now onto our Visa renewal experience. We landed in Barbados on Wednesday the 20th March, got our rental car and made our way to our AirBnB accommodation. Our appointment was for 8:15am on Thursday the 21st of March. The first pitfall to watch our for is using google to navigate to the US Embassy (Consulate). It WILL take you to the rear entrance of the Embassy. It took us another 30mins due to crazy traffic to find the front entrance. Luckily we went way early and made it with time to spare. Once you find the front entrance, you immediately have to turn left into the visitor carpark. We passed it and found it hard to make our way back to the front to park. It's a business center and no-one there to tell you where to park. After parking we walked up the hill and you spot the area where all appointees congregate easy enough. The place is hot, so bring water, a hardcopy book as you are not allowed to use your phone and a hat. Finding seating in the shade was near impossible. Now for the second pitfall. Unlike Melbourne, they don't call you in based on your appointment time. In our case, a call was made for everyone with appointments before 9am to join the line. This was the first group of appointments for the day. If you hear them call, make sure you power walk to get to the front of the line (if you run you might look silly, lol). We thought we'd be nice and let others go before us and ended near the back of the line. This meant that the people in the front of the line was in and out within 30mins. It took us about 2 hours. The back of group 1 ended up getting mixed up with group 2. Things tend to get crazier as it gets busier. We stood in line for about 30mins to get through security. Once inside, we walked past the first waiting room and into the first processing queue. Here they asked our passports, LCA, marriage certificate and child's birth certificate. This took like 5 mins. Very fast. They then ask you to take a seat until you get called for the interview. In our case the seats in that specific room already filled so we had to go back to the first room and wait there. We waited about 45 mins before we were called for our interview. The interview itself was fast. Again about 5mins. The interviewer made it clear that she found it suspicious that we would come to Barbados for an E3 and not just from within the US. So our first question was why did we come to Barbados. I told her that our immigration lawyer said this was how it needed to be done. She was adamant we didn't have to leave the US, but after I explained that my work requires me to travel outside of the US and that I needed a Visa stamp, she seemed to accept that answer as you do HAVE to leave the US to renew your Visa stamp. I explained to her that the immigration lawyer recommended Barbados as a popular destination for Aussies. She then said coming to Barbados does not guarantee a successful application. I answered her that I fully understand. Our second question was what our E3 Visa exit strategy was. I answered that we are not yet sure. Basically that if the Visa expires and/or my current employer no longer wishes to maintain employment, then we'd adhere to the Visa requirements and arrange to return to Aus in that event. That was the only two questions. Our Visas were approved and she asked if we are planning to remain in Barbados until our Passports were returned. I said yes and asked her how long it would take and got the standard up to 10 business days answer. I told her we were planning to stay for about that time and she said it should be fine. We received a blue paper. This is a standard letter saying your are tentatively approved barring standard checks and explains the process going forward. If you receive a yellow paper you are in trouble. This mean your application was denied. We were done at the Embassy around 10:30am. You can check your application process on CEAC website (on the blue letter you receive). My own, wife and kid's status changed to approved the same day (late afternoon). My wife and son's application status changed to "Issued" around 10am on Friday the 22nd and they received their DHL tracking numbers between 11am and 12pm that same day. According to the DHL website their passports were ready to pick up late on Friday. The email from the embassy only came in on Monday 25th March that it was ready to pick up. But you can use the DHL website at this stage. At this time I have not yet received anything. My own status only changed to "Issued" at after 3pm Tuesday the 26th of March and I received my tracking number for my passport at 1:40pm Wednesday March 27. DHL said my passport was ready to pick up at 4:40pm that same day even though the Embassy emails at this stage have not come in yet. That's why you can use DHL's website as there's a comms lag between DHL and the Embassy. I picked up my passport first thing on Thursday Morning March 28. A lot of reviews says the wait times at DHL is long. In my own experience if you go very early or just after 4pm, it's not busy. We were in and out pretty fast at DHL. I don't think I'd go to Barbados again for renewal. But picking a place I've not seen before a big reason. Our family tries to see as much of the world as we can. If you pick Barbados, here's some things to keep in mind: 1. Give yourself enough time. Most Visas are quick, but you may just be the unlucky one where it takes longer. Give yourself 2 weeks to be safe. The beaches are beautiful, so it's not that hard to wait for your Visa while drinking rum punch. 2. Rent a car. Using taxis/uber a mess unless you are familiar with how they work. Roads are full of potholes and narrow. Traffic is crazy. And this is me saying this driving the roads of Denver every day. lol. Oh yes, they drive on the left side of the road. 3. Barbados is expensive. For example, I pay $1.50 per gallon for bottled water in CO, worked out about $3 for half-gallon in a supermarket for bottled water. It varies, but in general things are expensive. US$2 for a beer, so that was a win. 4. This was just our experience, but I found people in Barbados to be a bit rude. I read about this on Tripadvisor and didn't think much about it, but once there it became pretty apparent. Jerry at the south end of Brandon's beach was awesome though. We rented our umbrellas and beach chairs from him and the beer is cheap. But in supermarkets or at takeout places people weren't very nice. 5. Apparently they speak English in Barbados. HAHAHAH...I could NOT understand the accent. After a week I started getting used to it, but it makes things difficult. Chicken wings at KFC is referred to as flappers. All the best should you pick Barbados. Wasn't bad. But now that I've been, I'll pick another destination for the next round.
- Lomar (about 1 year ago)

I have been to Barbados multiple times to get my visa renewed. This time was a little different. There weren’t as many appointments available for E3s when I first tried to book, so I had to book further in advance than I would have liked. I think I booked the appointment in December, and was targeting mid-January timing but that wasn’t possible. I had my appointment on 2/12, I arrived around 8:20am (blame island traffic) for my 8am appointment and sat outside for about 20 minutes. They would not let us use our phones while waiting to go inside, the person who greeted me when I arrived told me to turn it off. They called everyone with 9am appointments in, so I went with them. Usual thing of putting our stuff into lockers, and then into the consulate to check in. After check in I sat and waited for maybe an hour, then stood in line waiting for the interview for about an hour. Interview took 2 minutes, as usual. I got an email the next day saying the visa had been processed, then an email on Wednesday saying DHL had it, and then one on Thursday saying it was ready to be picked up from the DHL office near the airport (standard pick up place). This was the first time I’d received emails with all those details, I had to call DHL myself to confirm they’d received my passport and it was ready to be picked up the previous times. I went into DHL on my way to the airport on Friday. Last time I was there we had to line up inside the main office and it took forever, but this time they had set up a dedicated visa pick up area around the side of the building. I went in, got a number, and was called to collect my passport after about 20 minutes. Incredibly efficient, fast, and as always beautiful! I love Barbados and highly recommend it as a visa location.
- Justine (about 1 year ago)

I had a great experience at the Bridgetown location, my appointment was for a Tuesday at 7.45am, I arrived shortly before and there was already a long line. Near the entrance, a person checked my documents and passport photos and then pushed me up the line a bit given my early appointment. The longest part of the process was just moving through the various lines, there were a bunch of people applying for visitors visa etc, so was a fairly full house. My interview lasted all of 2 minutes, I was asked for my LCA and also asked how long I had been with the employer for (it was a new role) and what my role would be at my new job. It was approved and I was on my way, whole process took about 2 hours. I received notification the next day (Wednesday) that the visa had been processed and received a message to pick up my passport Friday. Highly recommend Bridgetown and Barbados, lovely locals and a great place to relax!
- Olivia (about 2 years ago)

Monday 25SEP2023: Visa appointment was at 8:15am. Drove to the Embassy and a lot of parking available at the bottom of the hill. Arrived at the Embassy at 7:50am and was allowed to enter at 8:00am. Was asked 2 questions only: 1. Is this a new visa or a renewal? 2. What will you be doing for the employer? Was advised my visa was tentatively approved and left the Embassy at 9:30am. Tuesday 26SEP2023: Visa status changed from Approved to Issued. Wednesday 27SEP2023: 5:03pm: Received document shipment notice email with tracking number. Thursday 28SEP2023: 12:01pm: Received document ready for pickup at DHL email. 2:30pm: Went to DHL to pick up my passport. Got my passport back by 3:00pm.
- May (about 2 years ago)

- Appointments were available 3 days in advance - Google Maps locations are incorrect (US Embassy location will take you to the back of the building, DHL location is a few houses down the road) - Get to your appointment 1+ hours early, wear sunscreen, bring a hat + water + book - Make sure you bring a physical passport photo with your hair tucked behind your ears - You should budget to stay ~10 days just in case it takes a bit longer to get your visa back. Barbados is beautiful and there's no major time difference, book a place with A/C and enjoy the amazing beaches + food 🙂 - Be prepared for them to ask you about any direct family members you have in the US, what their immigration status is, how they moved to the US - When you go to DHL to pick up your passport, also go as early as possible to avoid waiting in line and bring a hat + water
- Jacquie (about 2 years ago)

This is my second time coming to Bridgetown, and it was just as good as the first. This time the wait time between the interview and getting my passport back was considerably longer, but I have a feeling it was because of the time of year. it took about 8 business days, so plan to stay here for the entire required wait time. Be ready to be hot, they do their best to keep you in the shade, but sometimes there are just too many people. It helps to show up very early to your appointment as they take in big amounts of people at once. Once you get inside it's very organized considering how many people there were. You'll line up 3 times, once to go inside, once to get fingerprinted and the last to do your interview. Got my passport back very easily at the DHL, this is very simple as they have a special line for ppl picking up visas.
- Paz (about 2 years ago)

I was getting an E3-D (spouse) visa done. I had an 8:30am appointment on Monday - they take you in batches according to appointment time. When I went there was only a small shade and chairs that was full so I recommend wearing a hat and bringing water because you may be in the sun for 45 mins. Their process was kind of slow honestly - after you get brought in you wait in a line for someone to check you in and you put your items in a locker, then you wait in a line to go through security and into a waiting room. Then another waiting room, a short line to do a basic check, then another line to do the actual 'interview'. The interview was very quick - maybe because I was getting a spouse visa so just asked to see my spouse's visa, LCA and marriage certificate. Process all up took about 2 hours - honestly I think I've had better experiences in Sydney. It switched to Approved almost immediately however it didn't switch to Issued until Friday afternoon. I did not get a tracking link but thought I would take my chance at DHL on the Monday since I was due to fly out on Wed. I do not recommend this - I waited at DHL for 1 hr only to be told they did not have my passport and to wait for the tracking link. They did give me the number and extension to call the DHL to ask in advance so I would say to call them first if you haven't received a tracking link. I ended up extending my trip because they still didn't have it the day before my flight. Ended up getting a tracking link on Tuesday night (8 days after my interview). I think I would have been more comfortable booking 2 weeks. All in all I enjoyed my trip to Barbados - there are worse places to be stuck - but I'm not sure I would go again to do my visa. As people have mentioned, you will get attention as a woman traveling alone but I never felt unsafe and everyone was really friendly.
- Melissa (about 2 years ago)

Great experience at the Embassy. Overall took about 2.5 hours start to finish. Recommend arriving at least 30 mins early as they'll take you in with earlier groups. Only had to show my LCA and job offer letter. Status changed to approved immediately. Passport took a little longer to come back as the Embassy shut for a few days due to the island being on a hurricane alert. Pick-up at DHL was quick (15 mins), recommend going in the morning. Echoing a comment below, if travelling as a solo female you will get a lot of unwanted attention from local men. It is safe during the day but be more aware of yourself at night and get a bus/taxi back to your accommodation.
- Lauren (about 2 years ago)

8am appointment on Tuesday, everyone from 7:45am to 8:15am let in at once around 7:45am. I got close to the front and was out via 8:15am. Efficient process - case officer only asked to briefly see the letter from my employer and some pay stubs. Status changed to approve immediately, then changed to issued the following day. Didn’t get a tracking number so just turned up at 3pm at the DHL. The older woman was turning people away without a tracking number but I made sure I was served by the younger lady and she went to check when I showed her my ID. It was there and I picked it up. The actual tracking email arrived after that at 11pm in the evening. Would definitely recommend Barbados. Only bad part is the queue at the DHL.
- Dave (about 2 years ago)

Loved the visa experience in Barbados. I booked mid march for a May appointment, there was lots of availability when I booked. I arrived in Bridgetown on the Monday for a Tuesday 8am appointment. My taxi driver from the airport ended up being my driver for the whole trip, this seems like a very normal thing to happen here. I got to the consulate around 7:45, there was a line but it all moved pretty quickly. They will hold any small electronics for you and give you a tag to retrieve them as you exit. They are not super used to E3s so they used a checklist to ask me questions but didn't ask to see any of my supporting documentation. I was out of the embassy by 8:30. There is no wifi in the surrounding area outside the embassy so I had to ask someone to call my driver. They have a white sheet of paper now that seems to have the correct details for collecting your passport. Later on Tuesday evening I checked my status and it had changed to issued. Thursday morning I still hadn't received a tracking number so I decided to just go to DHL and check. They said they didn't have my passport. Later that night I got my tracking number and after I looked at the details it seemed as though my passport was there... I probably should have waited to check in the afternoon. The DHL line is the most waiting you will do, bring a book and some water. Friday morning I picked up my passport and I am flying back to NYC on Saturday. As for Barbados, I am a young woman, heavily tattooed, and what I believe to be obviously gay. I got a lot of male attention. An uncomfortable amount. I couldn't have a quiet drink without a man coming up to me. That being said I would totally come back just maybe with a friend. It would have been nice to have an ally.
- Lauren (about 2 years ago)

Interviewer said printing & passport return was taking 7 business days but it only took 3 days.
- Darryn (about 2 years ago)

Rio was a great spot for a renewal. This was my 5th E3 visa (4th renewal). I booked about 2 weeks in advance and picked mostly on quick appointment availability. I originally booked my ASC biometrics for a Thurs and my Visa interview on Fri (system won't let you book the same day), but got a notification a few days after booking that the embassy changed my interview to Monday - not sure why, I wasn't told. I ended up rescheduling ASC for Wed and Embassy for Thurs. ASC took 15mins total in-and-out, there was a very short line, remember to bring your DS-160 confirmation page as that's all they cared about, and they make you turn your phone off before walking in. Took me longer to find the ASC store front in the Bossa Nova Mall than to get the biometrics taken - it's down the escalators that are next to a coffee shop you can find on Google Maps as "The Coffee" and it's location is accurate. Embassy interview was no dramas the next day and took about 45mins total, plenty of people in vests out the front that will hold your phone and smart watch for 10 reals per item. Embassy told me you'll have your visa "within a week". I got the email on midday Monday (2 business days later) saying I could schedule an appointment to pick it up. I booked one for the next morning (Tues) and picked up no issues. 3 business days from embassy interview (Thurs) to visa pickup (Tues). I stayed in Flamengo for the first couple of days which was great because it's walkable to the beach, bars/restaurants and the ASC and Embassy. Little less touristy there too. I went to Ipanema and Leblon for a few days each afterwards and they were also fantastic, and a bit more catered to tourists. So much to do in Rio too while you wait: beaches, Sugarloaf, Christ the Redeemer, city tours, soccer match (incredible!), favela tour, hiking. Overall, absolutely recommend this trip for anyone considering it.
- Dan (about 6 months ago)

Rio is a great place to get your E3 visa if you have a week and are looking for somewhere on NYC time that’s affordable with great weather year-round and great food. Highly recommend staying in Ipanema. Here’s how my experience of an E3 renewal with my husband on an E3D renewal: Booked appointments - July 20 ASC Biometrics appt - July 24 (allow 1 hour) Consulate appt - July 25 (visa approved at appt; allow 2 hours) Visa marked as issued - July 26 Visa & Passport delivered to ASC - July 27 Visa available for pick up - July 28 PM (allow 20 mins) We didn’t schedule an appointment to pick up our passports and instead showed up after 3PM, where we were let in past security to plead our case to the staff at the center. They were so excited they could help us because I passports had been processed within the hour prior. A little stressful but it worked out. No phones or smart watches at the consulate appointment but the ASC allows them so long as they are switched off.
- Emily (about 2 years ago)

New E-3 appointment was booked one week beforehand for July 5. As you read from other reviews here I had to book fingerprints and the actual interview. Once I arrived at the US consulate I was put to the front of an outside queue because I was applying for an E3. Once inside I went through security and was asked to then wait. Inside they seemed confused where to send me for my interview but eventually they figured out where to place me. The interview was 5 minutes and I was asked a few questions about what I have a degree in, what is my profession and where I will be working. They didn't check any paperwork other than my DS-160 and passport. During the interview my E-3 was approved and was told it could take 10-14 days to be ready for pick up. I asked about an earlier pick up since I may have a flight. I asked about this at an admin desk and they gave me an email address to ask. After I left and emailed them I got a reply within a few hours saying the process couldn't be sped up and would need to wait for an email explaining the next steps. 3 business days (5 days total) later I got an email saying my visa had arrived at the pick up spot and I would need to BOOK again! The next availability was for 3 days time to schedule a pick up time. July 5-Interview, July 10 email saying passports ready, July 13 passport collected. Tips-Uber is cheap and reliable there, Rarely does anyone speak english, Ipanema the place to stay which is nicer and a bit more expensive, booking to pick up passports was a pain especially since I had to book a few days later but like others you might be able to risk going in earlier before your booked pick up slot.
- Jono (about 2 years ago)

The consulate in Rio requires 2 appointments: one for biometrics (fingerprints and photograph), one for the interview itself. I had biometrics scheduled for 7.15am and the Consular interview at 10am on the same day, 13th April, 2023. Reached the biometrics venue(ASC Centre) around 6.50am and stood in a line after 18-20 people, That biometrics center was efficient and we were out b 7.22am. Went back to hotel and reached the consulate at around 9.35 for the visa interview. Once we stood in the line to enter the consulate, a lady came in to check us in. Here one thing to remember is they won't let you take in mobile phone, smart watch inside the consulate. So while you are waiting in the line to enter the consulate look for few guys wearing blue and orange vests written "GUARDA VOLUMES". For a small fee(10 Brazilian Reals per item) they keep all your belongings. Ladies were not allowed to take their bags as well. Once they call your name, you get inside the consulate where an initial screening will be done. They will ask for your LCA(Form ETA-9035 & 9035E) and passport. We waited for 20 mins before we were asked to stand in a small line to be called by the Visa Officer. He asked few basic questions and told our visas were approved. Then I asked the officer if he can hand back our passports with the stamped visa by the next Monday because we will be leaving that night. He gave us a small yellow colored passport collection receipt and told to come to the Consulate next day at 2.30pm. We had our passports with the E-3 visa by 2.45pm the next day.
- Suman (about 2 years ago)

The turnaround time in Rio remains quick as of March 2023. I did my appointment on a Tuesday morning and received my passport back on Thursday afternoon. I spent 5 nights in Rio in total (arrived 2 days before my appointment because there have been so many issues with flights lately), and the entire trip (including flights, accom and food) cost about $2500 USD. Allow at least 1.5 hours between your ASC appointment (photo and fingerprints) and consulate appointment as the locations are about 30 mins apart. You cannot bring your phone into the consulate. There are people outside who will hold your phone for you for 10 Reals ($2 USD). They are wearing high vis vests + army bags. I did get my phone back. Hardly anyone I encountered spoke English. It helps to use google translate on your phone and show things to people. Use short simple phrases so that the translation is clear. You will receive an email inviting you to pick up your passport when it is ready. You could get the email at any hour of the day. I got mine at 3pm and the ASC closes at 345pm so I jumped straight in an uber. You can only pick up your passport between the hours of 3 and 345, and you are meant to book an appointment (which might not be possible for a few days), although if you are nice to the people there, they will probably let you proceed to pick up your passport as long as you can show them the email. If you don't have the email yet and want to try pick up your passport, you can politely make an attempt to have them to check for you and finish the process on the spot. Rio does not feel particularly safe, especially if you are a woman travelling on your own. I am Asian, and I was frequently followed and harassed, with many of the comments relating to race. Having said that, if you are careful and stay somewhere safe, you will be ok. I stayed in Ipanema along the water, and so there were always a lot of people around and safe main roads to walk on. There are a lot of scams. If you take uber, make sure the driver ends the trip when you get out. If you pay cash, count your change. Do your research!
- T.S. (about 2 years ago)

Simple process, fast turn around. Two appointments are needed (fingerprinting and then the visa interview). Both can be done in the same day if speed is a priority. Asked for an expedited pick up on the visa and they had it ready next day.
- Andrew (about 3 years ago)

Went in for our biometrics on Wednesday, went to consulate on Thursday and Monday 9am got an email to say our passports were ready for pickup.
- Marina (Saker) (about 3 years ago)

Stay in Ipanema
- (about 3 years ago)

The consulate in Rio requires three appointments: one for biometrics (fingerprints and photograph), one for the interview itself, and one for passport collection. The consulate interview must be at least one day after biometrics collection. After the interview, I was notified 2-3 business days that I could book the passport collection appointment, and was able to collect my passport the next day. Biometrics and passport collection takes place in a separate ASC location (near Ipanema) from the consulate. Your can take your phone into the ASC location, but not into the consulate. The consulate does not have lockers for your phone, but there are people outside who will look after your phone for 10 reals - they are trustworthy and returned my phone immediately.
- Alex (about 3 years ago)

A good spot to renew if you're remote working or looking for tropical weather and caipirinhas. You'll need some time on your hands compared to other spots. Rio requires three appointments start to finish: 1. biometrics 2. consular interview (both 1 and 2 scheduled when you submit your DS160) and 3. passport collection (you can't schedule this until they've finished processing). The process is all relatively predictable but for the third appointment for pick up. Depending on your luck the next appointment might be the following day, or another 5 days out, just for them to hand your passport back. This might be overcome by using their express delivery option. My renewal processing took 7 days, but from the first biometrics appointment to actual passport pick up, it was close to two weeks.
- Scott (about 3 years ago)

Yes
- Malkamu (about 1 month ago)

Hello fellow Aussies, Just thought I share my (first) E-3 visa experience in Singapore: I initially started my application as the US visa/travel website had 4-days waiting periods but after I paid the visa fee on Sep-22, I came to find out that the earliest appointment I could book was on Jan-23. NOTE: For the US consulate in Singapore, I believe the appointment waiting period displayed is for Singapore residents and non-residents have longer waiting time (not sure if this is the same everywhere). Unfortunately, the only way I could find out the actual time period was after I had paid for the visa fee. I temporarily booked for Jan-23 and basically checked everyday for cancelled appointments and was able to bring it forward to 4th Oct 22. (Tip: I made sure to check for interview slots around 9/10am Singapore time as it seemed the visa portal was updated around this time of the day). On the interview day, I had my appointment at 9:45am and was out around 11am. The actual interview only lasted about a minute and most of it was just waiting and queuing up as there were around 30-applicants before me and only 1-staff processing the visa. Overall, the visa process was seamless and I would recommend it as an option if you are considering getting your E-3 in Asia. (I heard Brazil is currently at the top of the preferred destinations for E-3s). Also, not sure if my occupation made the visa decision easier but I am an Accountant by profession. After the interview, they recommended 4-5 days to collect your passport and you can check your passport status in the visa portal or by email. I had the interview on Tuesday and was flying back on Sunday. As I was running out of time, I went to the passport collection office on Friday to check if they had received my passport. I was lucky that they had and was able to collect it right away. (Tip: Do not wait for them to email you for collection and go to the collection office after 2-3 days from the interview date if you need the passport urgently). I would recommend allowing a week from the interview date if possible. If you have any other questions, happy to help. Cheers and all the best in your application (especially your first as it can be challenging). Sonny
- Sonny (about 3 years ago)

Very straight forward. I travelled from the US on business and renewed while I was there. I did have to get a local contact to pay for the appointment though.
- Chris (about 3 years ago)

I wasn't expecting to pay a reciprocity fee ($1,790) and didn't have enough funds on me so had to return the next morning to complete the payment. This held up the processing by one day.
- Rebecca (about 3 years ago)

Cannot recommend highly enough. I was done and had verbal approval of the visa 4 minutes after my allowed appointment arrival time (they let me in 15 minutes early.) The visa was available 24 hours later.
- Lana (about 3 years ago)

We were impressed by the services at the Frankfurt U.S embassy location. Very organised. Step 1) Stand in the queue outside the embassy and out of the two windows you will be called at one of the window to get your appointment details and passport verified Step 2) Go through security screening to enter the consulate 3) Enter inside the building and stand in the queue for secondary validation 4) Go for finger printing 5) Go for interview in the line. They will let you know if approved or no. We appeared for E3 and E3D on 24th feb and got our passports on 2nd March morning. We received the emails for passport collections on 1st EOD. Also the main applicant somehow did not receive the email.
- Ankita (about 2 years ago)

1. Expect to receive an email indicating the passport is ready on the evening of the 3rd business day from your interview. 2. I picked up the passport at 9am, and still made my 10.50 am flight out Frankfurt Airport
- Jonny (about 3 years ago)

Interview was for an initial E3 visa. The process for booking the appointment was mostly easy, they accept Australian credit cards for online payment. The visa interview wait time was approximately 5 days. The embassy was easy to find, with ample public transport options. The paperwork will say don’t take any electronic devices, so I followed that and took none, however security did have facilities to store phones etc. The actual visa process at the interview was quite simple, I had a multitude of paperwork but in the end the only thing they wanted from me was the LCA. Actual time at the embassy was approximately 2 hours, but most of that was just waiting in lines. On completion of the interview they will say expect your passport back in 1-2 weeks. However I completed my appointment at 1pm Friday 5 May, and my passport was ready for collection Tuesday 10 May. So without the weekend in there a 3 day turnaround may have been possible. Overall I found it a very simple process, and it ran smoothly. I would definitely recommend the Frankfurt consulate.
- Ian (about 3 years ago)

America Josh Review Rhys Hutchison 16:53 (0 minutes ago) to Kaila This is the review that I left on his site, thought to send it to you for your notes/review on reddit etc. What can I say about US Consulates within Germany that hasn't already been said before. We were severely limited with official information online surrounding E3R & E3D renewals. After countless days attempting to arrange an appointment, we managed to find one in the coming weeks post covid at their Frankfurt Embassy. My partner and I arrived close to an hour early for our appointment, as we were unsure of the area and any other situations that may arise. We were asked to queue up outside to obtain our security clearance, which we were allowed to store our small personal items (ie. mobile phones & smart watch) inside their office before proceeding inside to the consulate for our appointment. After speaking with several official staff members who verified our documentation, collected both sets of biometrics and also verbally confirmed both our employment situations. We were verbally advised that our application for renewal had been successful and that next steps involved our passports being taken for issuance of an updated visa stamp. This entire process began on the Friday and would take several days to complete, I actively monitored the status of the renewal every few hours using our DS-160 application numbers online, and seen that it was quickly being processed. The status portal mentions that upon receiving approval, that it would only take 2 days to be returned. Officially, we received an email 3 days later to advise that everything was ready to be picked up at the designated location. I'd highly suggest checking the new visa stamp as within our returned passports the expiration date was incorrect; the consulate unfortunately used my previous LCA which was still valid and resulted in the use of the wrong expiry date (< 1 month). Online support and calls to the consulate advised us that the process to have everything corrected was for us to submit an email to the visa support unit and await a response. We obliged by submitting the support request but also decided to venture back to the consulate and possibly speak with someone that might be able to assist. After arriving and politely explaining the situation along with our impending return flight to the US. A consulate security officer contacted an embassy official and was able to immediately come outside to speak with us. I provided the official with the discrepancy and handed over the correct LCA, this person was able to reprint the correct visa stamp and amend it within our passports whilst we waited outside within the hour. TL;DR - I'd highly recommend German Consulates as their staff were extremely helpful and turn around times were rather quick in comparison to the last time we renewed within the US & Sydney.
- Rhys & Kaila (about 3 years ago)

Quick update to previous reviews. Don't worry if you have submitted your DS-160 with another location - I had applied in Hamilton, but ended up in Madrid as it was the only option available. I just had to wait 10 minutes while the consular official pulled the DS-160 from the system, otherwise there were no issues. I have never used a lawyer for my E3, so did not get the bad advice given to a previous reviewer. Note that the US Gov website also clearly states there is no problem changing locations. As my visa application was a renewal I did not need Photos, Resume, Degree or employment letter. All they wanted was my LCA. Once the interview was done they gave 2 options for passport delivery -i.e.; Provide a local mailing address, or collect the passport from the courier offices. They quoted 4-5 days for delivery and 2-3 days for pickup. I chose pickup. My interview was the tuesday morning and I received an email wednesday afternoon saying my passport was ready. Super quick. My appointment was at 9.30 and I was out by 10.15 - a pretty positive experience.
- Tom (about 3 years ago)

You need to bring photos
- Dean (about 3 years ago)

Location : Madrid (SPAIN) Date Time : 20th Jan 2022 Thursday at 8:30am (Had booked this in late September 2021) Who attended : E3 renewal with spouse as E3D renewal along with 2 year old daughter. Prep Work -Document Printing : We had to print a bunch of documents a day before the interview. Used an online service www.workcenter.es to upload documents and make payment using international VISA credit card and the files were available for pickup in 15 mins. Since we lived on Gran Via street in City Center the closest location was WORKCENTER SAN BERNARDO which I just took a train to. I printed 29 sheets and cost was around 8 euros. *Pro Tip* - If you print just 1 or 2 documents you will pay a minimum printing fee of 1.59 euros so it’s actually better to print 5 or more as the rate then comes to 0.16 euros per page + VAT of 21 percent. Prep Work – Online Photo & Physical Photo : We had to update our DS-160 as we had chosen a different country before zeroing on madrid as the appointments were available and we had booked using our old DS-160 number created for another country. When you select MADRID as the location in DS-160 it asked us to upload a digital copy of our photo which we obviously didn’t have. Used Iphone 13 and an app called Passport both (free for 3 days so remember to cancel the subscription after that) to click the photo with bright light and white background and uploaded to the form which passed. We still had our physical photos required for the interview just that online vs physical were different. That didn’t matter as long as both photos were taken in the last 6 months and adheres to their standard. Prep Work - Courier Payment on Passport handover : The MRW courier service the embassy uses require payment of cash or debit card upon passport delivery. I had exchanged for 10 EURO’s using RIA money transfer on Gran Via and when the courier guy came for passport deliver it was 7.45 euros since I was in Madrid city center. I handed over 10 euros to him as he had no cash change. Mode of Transport : Took a train and then we walked to the embassy which is a 7 mins walk. Google map shows you the back entrance so you will need to walk up to the front. *Pro Tip* - We actually did a rehearsal run via train the previous day to be comfortable with the route and accurately predict arrival time. Had asked security on what items we could carry. Arrival Time : 8:25 AM at the front gate with security staff checking the passport , date/time and then letting people go for security screening 1 by 1 or by family. Items Carried : A4 Document Folder, mobile phone, cash/card small wallet and small diaper bag with water bottle and milk bottle and some snacks for the daughter. We didn’t take any strollers but seems they were fine. Locker : Once we were let in for security check by the front guards, the switched off mobile phones were kept in a locker and a number tag was provided to us which needs to be handed over on return pickup. First Window (Document check) : Once clearing up security, we walked over to the First desk window queue where they check your papers LCA, I797, Passport, Photo and provide you with a blank envelope to fill up the return address & phone number for MRW courier which they use to return the passports. Both names of the passport holder needs to be written along with proper address of SPAIN and local phone number. Took around 20 mins here. *Pro tip * - Luckily I had a friend who stays in madrid so used his number but you can use the hotel’s address and number. We had to update our DS-160 as we had chosen a different country before. We explained this to the lady and provided our new DS-160 (which was filled up 2 days before) which she updated in the system. Second Window (Consular Interview) : Since only 1 window was open, there was a long line for this one. There is a small play area right next to this queue where my daughter along with my wife played sitting on the chairs/table while I waited in line. After waiting for 45 mins it was our turn and the officer asked for below items/questions What’s the name of the company ? Describe what do you do ? Please provide your marriage certificate ? Is your daughter a U.S. citizen ? do you have your employment verification letter ? do you have your educational qualification certificate ? In just 3 mins he said your VISA is approved and your passport should arrive in 5 days. Documents shown: Passport, LCA, I797-C, 1 VISA photo, Employment Verification Letter, Paystub for last 2 period, Marriage certificate, all educational qualification certificates. Documents Kept by Officer : Passport, 1 VISA photo, Return envelope with hotel’s address & phone number in it Washrooms / Diaper changing : There are 2 of them in the same room while you wait in queue and you can access them very easily. One of them also has the diaper changing station so it’s all nice and clean. On Exit : We provided the number token and took our mobile phones back. Total time around 80 mins. Courier Wait for Passport delivery : There was no tracking number provided for MRW so they solely rely on the address and number written down on the plain envelope. Here’s the time line : 20Jan2022 (Thursday) @ 8:30 AM – Scheduled Appointment Time (E3R & E3DR) 20Jan2022 (Thursday) @ 9:35 AM – Actual Consular Interview 20Jan2022 (Thursday) @ 11:00 AM – DS-160 status changed to administrative processing 21Jan2022 (Friday) @ 11:10 AM – DS-160 status changed to VISA issued No more updates after it. NO TRACKING number from MRW either. NO SMS or email either. 24Jan2022 (Monday) @ 11:09 AM – MRW courier delivery guy directly knocked on my door in the Apartment Hotel and delivered the package with a required payment of 7.45 euros (only CASH or DEBIT – NO CREDIT CARD allowed) MRW Courier tracking : Can only be SEEN after you have the passports that has the receipt number. Backtracked from that information on MRW website. 01/24/2022 11:09 shipment delivered MADRID 01/24/2022 07:58 Shipping on delivery MADRID 01/22/2022 07:22 In transit MADRID 01/21/2022 21:29 In transit Logistics Platform (02699) 01/21/2022 16:22 In transit MADRID 01/21/2022 16:11 Pending collection at origin MADRID
- UNISOFT (about 3 years ago)

After reading all the reviews figured I should leave one of my own.. Was able to schedule appointment almost immediately, and flew in from the USA for my interview. My E3 was already approved in country but they approached it as if it was a regular application. The only questions they asked were "what is your role", and "salary?". Approved and ready for collection 2 days later even with appointment on a Thursday. Whole process 2 hours from arrival to completion - they dont get many E3 but even though it was my officers first one they were very efficient. Logistical tips: * Easy walk from train station Brussels Centraal * You can bring in phones and small bag to the consulate - just no laptops (I didnt realize and stashed everything in a locker at the train station) * You will need a photo. Other locations use your digital upload from DS160 but they want a physical photo. No big deal as there is a photobooth in the waiting room! * Scheduled pickup of passport at their location north of brussels. I was coming from NL so rented a car for the day and drove. Their address is wrong its actually two buildings farther down the street. Its very industrial - either drive yourself or have the Uber wait as its a 5 min process to collect passport.
- Mike (about 1 year ago)

I selected Brussels as it had the shortest wait time in relation to my location in London. The team at the US embassy in Brussels are super friendly and really helpful. Had an 8am appointment on a Thursday, got there at 7:45 and there was a line down the block. Thankfully they prioritised and let anyone in with an 8am appointment first. They asked for all the required documentation but was a very quick interview and was out by 8:30. Passport was available for pickup on Saturday (despite them saying it would take 4 days) from their courier depot in Vilvoorde. Took about 40 mins taxi ride from the city, and I advise you ask your taxi or Uber to wait for you as it really is in the middle of nowhere so getting one back is a bit challenging.
- Emily (about 3 years ago)

Extremely straightforward and easy. The accommodation was quite expensive at the time as it was short notice, I stayed at the Meininger Hotel/Hostel which was great. I chose to get an Uber to the Couriers which is approx 45 mins from the City Center. Cost 80 euros but was worth it considering the bad reviews regarding courier delivery. All in all this was a straight forward experience.
- Niall (about 3 years ago)

Getting an appointment was easy for non residents of Germany. Interview was very easy and most importantly passport came back very fast. Had the interview on Tuesday morning and picked up my passport Friday. The only issue with Munich is you need to wait in line outside on the street. In winter it is very cold so highly recommend wearing layers and getting there early.
- Adam (about 5 months ago)

Super quick passport return. All the consulate staff were professional and kind and helpful - just don't show up with big bags or large electronic devices. I recommend taking a book or something to read while standing in line.
- Steve (about 2 years ago)

Security will hold your phone despite the consulate instructions telling you they won't. Interviewer was very thorough compared to other renewals. Asked several questions about long term intentions and wanted to see a letter from my employer (for a renewal?).
- Nathan (about 3 years ago)

If you're wanting to make a holiday out of your E3 trip this is by far the best. I've done Brazil, Barbos, UK, etc etc this was the easiest. In and out in 30 mins - interview was 2 mins and just had fingers scanned and a couple questions nothing out of the ordinary.
- Callum (about 9 months ago)

Highly recommend Seoul for an E-3. I was obtaining a change of employer visa and Seoul had a far quicker turnaround time than mail-in in Australia. Took a week to get the appointment, but only 3 days for processing. The Seoul embassy was efficient, competent and knowledgeable, even though they don't see a lot of E-3's. Would return for any future renewals.
- RTYWD (about 6 months ago)

You will need to pay the visa fee in KRW into their Korean bank account (ie cannot pay with credit card) it is easier if you can pay through a friend’s bank account. This is the key hassle, otherwise their turnaround time is super quick, usually next business day but allow one more day for a pick up.
- (about 3 years ago)

Super easy, you need an online visa to get into PNG though which can take a couple of weeks.
- Lisa (about 3 years ago)

Renewed E3D at Shanghai location. The process was very simple except the payment of the visa application fees. It has to be processed using local bank or cash, I had few collogues who helped to process payment through bank so it worked out okay. Not all the staff at consulate understand English. We got the passport in 2 days.
- Bhavin (about 7 years ago)

Seamless process. Showed up at 10:30am for an 11:00am appointment. I was directed to the waiting area which is small with a few teller windows. Dropped the documents with one window, was called to another for fingerprints and finally the interview in a small room to the side. Approved on the spot, in and out in around 2 hours. Got an email two days later that my passport would be ready to collect the following day, so 3 day turn around. This is my third E-3 and the smoothest outside of Aus.
- Lachie (about 1 year ago)

We arrived at 9:10 am for our E3 Renewal 9:30 am appointment. The initial checkpoint is outside and there were three people ahead of us, we waited there for about 45 minutes and as the 8.30 am appointments started to leave, they brought us in. Great security staff and very friendly, did the usual check-in, left belongings in provided lockers, and then given a lanyard and allowed to make our way up to the office unescorted with instruction to follow the white line once we got to the top of the ornate steps. The embassy building is visually stunning and for a brief moment we thought we were about to enter this heritage 1860s building but alas the white line leads around the back to a much newer building that houses the visa processing room. Here we were met with 4 bank teller-style windows and a slightly enclosed area that served as an interview room. We sat down and very swiftly a staff member beckoned us to window number 3, they asked our names, took our passports, photos, our paperwork and we were asked a few basic questions Then we say down again and about 30 minutes later they called us for fingerprints and then 20 minutes later we had our interview with a 2nd member of staff. We did our fingerprints again, I was asked a very brief high-level what my job entailed, I was then handed back about 70 pages of the 74 I prepared, they smiled and said there was no way they were going to read all of that. Then after some brief typing they said we were approved and our passports would be back within a week and we were dismissed! Pros: Great staff, very friendly and I could see very patient with some of the others there that had not prepared as well we were, Relatively swift considering there were multiple 9.30 am appointments and only one pair of staff servicing them all. US Consulate cat came to say hello whilst we were waiting to go in 🙂 Cons: Given it is all open plan you hear everyone else, and we heard very clearly that 2 people ahead of us have their requested visas denied so may be worth preparing people for that just in case they rattle easily. No parking so you need to plan, we did a drive-by Sunday and found a street relatively close by which we used. One thing to note is masks are mandatory but not provided, we saw a few people turned away at the gate and told to go and buy some and return swiftly. All in all, it took about 2 hours and I would highly recommend this location.
- Trevor (about 3 years ago)

Wednesday appointments only; had to book in June for September. Embassy is walking distance from Østerport station; pickup is walking distance from Svanemøllen station. Need to wait outside the embassy; there is a library across the road with a bathroom. Check restrictions re personal effects and electronics. Pretty efficient process once inside the embassy. 1-2 minute interview. Emailed Thursday night that passport was available for pick-up on Friday (2 days total).
- Kayley (about 7 months ago)

All in all, an easy experience. I booked appt a couple of weeks out and looks like they only do appts on Wednesdays so you definitely need to factor a weekend into your travel plans. Go to Stockholm and make the most of the Nordics - you don’t need a passport to travel between the two countries! Appt at 1pm Wednesday (10 April), approved on the spot. He basically just chatted to me about NYC because he used to live there. The staff were incredibly friendly and cracked jokes etc. plus there was nobody else there for a visa appt. Status updated 11am Tuesday (16 April) to “Issued”. Collection email received 7pm Tuesday (16 April). Passport collected 17 April, flew out 18 April. Note: I flew SAS Airlines. The change fees were exorbitant and terrible customer service. Don’t recommend at all!
- Nina (about 12 months ago)

Most importantly, the Copenhagen embassy is open to non-residents (we already live in the US). The staff did have to find the E-3 guidelines processing as he hadn't done one previously, but otherwise no issues at all. Make sure you get to the appointment early so that you are the front of the queue once inside as they only had 1 window processing inside. I think they only have non-resident visa appointments on Wednesdays. Booked the appointment 13 December 2023, appointment Wednesday 3 January 2024 at 1:15pm. They told me the visa was approved at the appointment. Checked online Friday 5 Jan at 3:30pm and saw my passport with visa was ready for pickup. Picked up at Friday at 4:30pm (2 days after the interview). They did send the email notifying me that the passport was ready at 6:03pm, after the office was already closed and after I had already picked up my passport. If I had of waited for the actual email I would have had to have waited until Monday morning when the pickup location re-opened.
- Daniel (about 1 year ago)

The whole process took 20-30 minutes. They did not ask why I was renewing in paris and not australia. They did not ask to see my confirmation page of my ds160. The j1 renewal was $105.00. It was very smooth, professional, friendly and quick!
- Sophie (about 3 years ago)

There was a reciprocity fee that I had to pay on the spot, credit card (with ID) or exact cash only. Make sure you double check the amount.
- Paz (about 3 years ago)

In and out of Embassy in 30 minutes. Just asked for LCA and job responsibilities
- (about 3 years ago)

E3 Paris review: Booked 15 Feb appointment on 29 Jan 9:15am appointment, arrived at Embassy 8:45am, went straight in. Line moved really fast. Very friendly interview. Questions: - What company are you going to work for? - What’s your job there? - What qualifications do you have? - How long do you plan on being in the US Visa approved on the spot Officer said the passport would be returned in 1 week. 24 hours later I received the email saying the passport was ready to be picked up.
- Tim (about 3 years ago)

Was given a full and thorough interview for my E3 renewal, was asked more questions than any previous E3 interview. Did notice that other people having interviews were having similar experiences, and were at the interview window for long periods of time.
- Ronan (about 9 months ago)

I lost my passport and was panicked about being in the U.S. without my physical visa. My E-3 was up in January anyway, so I decided to renew early. I applied for Dublin by following someone else’s advice on this website (thank you to that person, you were a life saver!) which is that once you book the appointment, instead of couriering the documents you email all of your documents to the embassy through a specific email address (E1-E2visasdublin@state.gov). I emailed my documents on November 15, and it said it could take up to 4 weeks to process, so I was panicking. I ended up getting the email to schedule my interview on November 20, and booked my interview for 8am on Wednesday November 29 (I flew out November 28). Due to traffic I was 45 minutes late to the interview, but it all worked out fine. I had to fill out a declaration about my lost passport and he asked me why I was doing it in Dublin (I said it was quicker/easier). They said it could take 10 business days to get my passport back, but I picked my passport back up on December 5 (I just chose the DPD location that was automatically selected when I booked). This was my third E-3 with this company (I have also done it in London and Munich before). Overall, it went really well, and it was about 20 days between originally doing my DS-160 and booking the interview to getting back to NYC with my visa in hand :). I’d recommend Dublin, but I suggest sending your docs earlier, just in case it does take 4 weeks.
- Elizabeth (about 1 year ago)

I chose to renew in Dublin as I could do some remote work and tie in family visits and a holiday. It will suit if you expect to be able to be there for up to 2 weeks, but not a good idea if you need a quick turnaround. To apply/renew in Ireland you must submit paperwork via email, wait about 4 weeks for an invitation to book your interview, and then interview in person. Once you have the invite there are plenty of appointments available within days. I nominated a DPD delivery firm office to pick my passport up from in this paperwork. The interview process was fine; I got an 8.15am appointment, lined up at 8am, was in at 8.20am and out by 9am, very few questions asked and all staff including security were pleasant to deal with. You line up on the footpath so bring warm clothes/raincoat/etc. You have to leave your phone, smartwatch, etc. at lockers at the security gate, but people were being allowed to take small totes in with them. Make sure to bring a copy of all your documents and US-specific passport photos, lots of people were being sent to the chemist across the road for new photos as they'd either not brought them or brought photos with the wrong dimensions. Having interviewed on Tuesday morning, I was given a paper saying it may take up to 10 business days to return my passport and a website to check my status at. My visa status changed to Issued on Friday, tracking number became available Monday, and my passport was at the pickup point I'd picked the following Wednesday morning - so 8 days/6 business days all up.
- Al (about 2 years ago)

Bit of a long one this but hopefully it provides some useful insight for any edge cases. I applied on 19th Nov and was asked to just courier in my documents which surprised me. I think it's because the system allows for interview waiver if you've had a visa before, however mine was a J-1 on a very old Irish passport, not the Australian one through which I was applying. Couriered in documents on the 24th, delivered on the 25th (I would have done so sooner but I was returning from Spain to family home and you 'must be in the country when you apply' although there is contradictory information in some updates). Application status on CEAC site changed to ‘received’ on Thurs 1st Dec saying ‘your case is open for interview, fingerprints and docs but ‘if you’ve had your interview check in 2 business days’, also ‘if no interview was required, check in 2 business days’ so still somewhat unsure if I would later get called for interview. Later that same day it showed as ‘refused’ with a confusing message ‘A U.S. consular officer has adjudicated and refused your visa application. Please follow any instructions provided by the consular officer. If you were informed by the consular officer that your case was refused for administrative processing, your case will remain refused while undergoing such processing. You will receive another adjudication once such processing is complete.’ I’ve had no communication at all from the embassy so it’s terribly upsetting and unclear to this point. On December 6th, still no update but I found a small section on the US Irish Mission website telling E-3 applicants not to submit physical documents but scan them and email to an address provided. So I emailed them to explain I'd simply followed the instructions on ais-usvisa site, didn't get a reply but within 2 hours I got an auto-generated email stating that my account was now enabled to schedule an interview. I was able to schedule for the very next week, the 12th at 08:15. The earlier 08:00 appointments all seemed to be processed quite smoothly. I was towards the front of the queue but held back until precisely 08:15, there's a preliminary check of your passport and photo size (do yourself a favour and be 100% certain you've got the 2x2inch correct size as several people were sent out to a nearby pharmacy to get a new one), with airport-like security scanner and you leave your phone in a locker and are given a lanyard. Then you proceed to the office on the right of the building. A short queue to a first stage window where they review they have all relevant documentation. I supplemented the degree equivalency statement at this point. All in order and instructed to go to the secondary queue for interview. Interviewer was polite and friendly. He only asked a handful of questions like 'what's your educational background?' 'what's the company called?' 'tell me a bit about your role?' then, not sure if he was trying to catch me out or not but he asked 'how long have you been working for them?' and I said I hadn't, I was starting anew but I guess some people relocate from an existing overseas role. He told me there that the application was approved and it might take up to 10 days to receive back my passport. I was out before the hour was up, very efficient. On Wednesday the 14th around 8pm I got an email stating my passport was being sent out to the depot for collection. I collected it on Friday morning the 16th after the status changed to 'Goods held' but I think I probably could have gotten it the day before if urgent and was able to charm the depot staff. So, to summarise, 10 days from scheduling the appointment to having the passport with visa back in my hand. I don't think many embassies can match that.
- Rory (about 2 years ago)

We were asked to mail in our passports and documents (no mention of an interview), and about 2.5 weeks later we were asked to appear for an interview. Now the earliest appointment we could get was more than 10 days away. This led us to rework our travel arrangements and stay for 2 weeks longer than planned in Dublin. The interview was short and simple and our visas were approved. We waited another week to get our passports. All in all an expensive and elaborate process.
- Sankar (about 3 years ago)

Very simple process, staff is very friendly, I would recommend to renew here
- Bhavin (about 7 years ago)

I went to Sao Paulo as Rio de Janeiro (where I attended for an E3R in October 2022) was unavailable. Rio was a wait of about a week or more but SP was just a day. Unfortunately I was on a standby international buddy ticket and I kept getting bumped off the flight so my problem was not the US Consulate or ASC, it was getting there on Delta. Anyway, I had to reschedule the appointment. It was originally ASC 20 June, US Consulate 21 June. I changed that to a day later for each. The ASC staff were very helpful. From memory their hours are about 0800 to 1700 M - F and also the only ASC centre in Brazil open on a Sunday (1200 - 1600). They take the photo there and the Consulate does the fingerprints. The Consular Officer was really only interested in the signed LCA and my appointment confirmation. I had all my supporting documents with me though and I advised both it was urgent and I had only delayed my booking by a day due to the fact of my delayed air travel. I explained myself well so be prepared to give a good, succinct account of what you need and why. Then I engaged in friendly chit-chat while she worked on my application. While the Consulate was unable to bring me in a day earlier both ASC and the Consulate expedited me in every way they could and like Rio de Janeiro was last year they were super helpful and friendly. My US Consulate appointment was on Thursday 22 June. The passport was ready overnight for collection Friday 23 June (which I didn't expect as the Consular Officer said it would most likely be ready Monday). I then travelled to Rio de Janiero to catch up with a friend and I could not get back in time to collect it on the Friday afternoon when I got the email saying it was ready about 0930 that morning, so I actually picked it up at the ASC Centre on the Sunday (open hours 1200 - 1600) since the ASC facility was closed on Saturday. Again the staff were super helpful. If you can afford the airfares right now (circa $3,500) Brazil is a great option. Taking TCN (Third Country Nationals) and only a short wait despite the numbers of Brazilians getting B1/B2 etc. on any given day. They like Aussies and we seem to get preferential treatment with our visa because it's a bit unusual. This is my 6th E3 I think now, and I am switching to a EB-2 NIW application for the Greencard. Good luck to all
- Adam (about 2 years ago)

Be aware that the U.S. Consulate in Sao Paulo requires the biometrics to be done at a different location prior to the visa interview.
- Marco (about 3 years ago)

I'm from Australia and the only place close to the US to get the B1B2 was Bahamas even though I was 3rd country application it only took 5 days to get an interview through an agent, I used Visa overseas which were quite good. It was about $200 us dollars on top of the interview fee. I had previously paid in Melbourne Aust and had filled in my DS160 form but the interview time was extensive 6 months and I needed to start on a yacht in late March in the Canaries so I contacted an agent the second time round which meant paying twice. Just remember to ask the agent to also add your email contact for when they send out the DHL tracking number to collect otherwise the time difference might mean you wait longer. You also need to book a return flight out of the Bahamas to get into Nassau so you may need a flight you can change if the processing time is longer. Biggest Issue was not knowing there wasn't any lockers for my phone and watch at the consulate, I nearly missed my appointment as I had to jump in a taxi quickly and take back to my accommodation, A taxi was waiting out the front as this must happen allot and he was making good money he yelled out to me ' you need lift to get your phone back to your room and then charged me double !" Be prepared for expensive Accom and food and mostly air b and b's in the affordable range $150-$200 a night for small room in a house in the Nassau area. I moved after 2 days because it was in a noisy area dogs barking, lurkers on the streets etc. I moved to Paradise Island area over the bridges much safer and not far from the Atlantis resort. Food at the supermarkets very expensive so just as much to eat out daily, you need to buy bottled water also. Filling time waiting wasn't that hard, but I didn't do any tours as most over $400 US a half day. I wouldn't walk the streets after dark either and look on FB 'I love the Bahamas' for reputable taxi drivers that won't rip you off. Collecting Visa straight forward, took ID and the tracking number to the DHL depo after we received the notification it was ready and waited about an hour and was given back my passport.
- Joel (about 21 days ago)

Interviewed on Thursday 27th February, arrived at 10am for 10.15 appointment. Was in and out through all security checks and interview in an hour. Every person in the process was friendly and respectful without the usual weird US immigration intimidation vibes. Approved on the spot and online status changed to ISSUED the following day (Friday 28th). Did not wait to receive the email with tracking but went to DHL pickup point on Tuesday 4th, they said it had arrived at the facility the day before but had not been ‘processed.’ Came back again on Wednesday and they did me a solid and processed on the spot with just my license as ID and no tracking number. That afternoon I received the email with tracking number saying it was being processed and it would be available 48 hours later lol.
- Melo (about 1 month ago)

Overall I would recommend this consulate with following tips / thoughts. - CVS passport photos both got denied, luckily the ones we took at home and uploaded to DS-160 were deemed acceptable. I would look for a proper photo place instead. - Our consulate officer was very “friendly” and asked lots of trip up questions to see if we would say something. For example, asking jokingly why I haven’t been promoted yet, asked my partner if he had gotten into a fight in front of a pub and said he had, asked how far along I was (I’m pregnant but was wearing a very loose fitting dress), asked clarifying question “what for?” and he meant my career apparently, very strange. Be ready to strictly answer about the 2 year intent only. We heard him deny three other people (B1/B2 tourist visas mostly) by asking these gotcha questions. He asked for barely - Can’t take your phone or any water in, recommend staying nearby in downtown so you can walk to embassy. - I would get an airbnb and car for some of the nights. Cooking our own food was a lifesaver so we weren’t eating pricey/fried food every night.
- Carol (about 4 months ago)

Attended the interview first thing at 8am and was at the second interview window within 40 mins. The second interviewer was asking singular questions and then going silent for a few minutes typing and then asking the next question. he questioned if I truly had non-immigrant intent and asked why I had changed jobs so frequently (3rd company in 6 years so not that frequently). Visa was finally approved and left. I was then left on APPROVED for 10 business days, in administrative processing nothing else and case last updated 1/17 (the day of my appointment). I contact the embassy from business day 6 onwards as I knew they were just holding my passport as there was no movement. Eventually on business day 9 I contacted the state gov and they responded within 3 hours and said to just come to the embassy to pick up the passport; I was worried they just meant the passport (no visa) but checked CEAC and it finally moved to ISSUED. So all in all, I was approved and they were holding onto the passport. Vibes were off. Would definitely plan on being in Bahamas a minimum 7 days, but be prepared for the full 10+ Business days (2 weeks)
- Lauren (about 1 year ago)

This is my 3rd E-3 renewal. I have a prior experience in Barbados which was very smooth and easy. This was was not. My appointment was on Wednesday 25th and I was approved at the embassy. I was told to expect a tracking number from DHL after a couple of days. My visa was “issued” on Tuesday October 31 but I still hadn’t received a tracking number. DHL kept telling me that I needed my tracking number. By Wednesday (7 days after approval), I still hadn’t received the tracking number. I drove to the DHL office and after a lot of hassle, they confirmed they had my passport in the building but that I still needed to wait for my tracking number (and another 24 hours after I received it to actually pick up the package). At that point, I had changed my flight a bunch of times, continued to pay for accommodation and food (Bahamas is very expensive), plus the rental car. By Thursday, there was still no tracking number so I drove to DHL, threatened to report them to DHL headquarters before they finally went out back and gave me my passport. The people at DHL were horrible to deal with. I spent thousands of dollars more than I should’ve on that island. They were not friendly, and held my passport hostage for several days after they received it. Another thing to keep in mind is that the embassy does not print visas on Fridays. I had no idea that was the case but potentially added to my lengthy wait period.
- John (about 1 year ago)

As a third party National : interviewed on Monday, approved at the end of the day on Monday, issued on Friday afternoon, got email with tracking number on Tuesday , picked passport up at DHL office on Tuesday end of the day . Total seven business days and one weekend of agony.
- Maria (about 2 years ago)

Go down to DHL pickup 4 or 5 days after approval regardless of receiving notification or not - your passport is probably there waiting for you!
- Brett (about 2 years ago)

The appointment was very quick - everything done and complete in 20 minutes. Visa was marked "approved" later that day, "issued" two days later and sent to DHL. DHL pick-up can be difficult as they want 24-48 hours to process the batch. My appointment was a Monday and had my passport with visa back by Friday afternoon.
- Nick (about 2 years ago)

Interviewed on Friday 5th. Missed one piece if paperwork which they allowed us to submit and we had it emailed to them by 2pm that day. Recieved receipt email late monday 8th afternoon. Status chaged from refused to administrative processing on wednesday 10th. Approved on friday 19th. Issued monday 21st. Its almost end of business tuesday and DHL still have not received them and require 24hrs after receipt before we can pick up... So if we are lucky we might be done in under 3 weeks..
- Scott (about 2 years ago)

It was a good experience and most of the people got the passport next day and mine got delayed due to printing issue and got after 2nd day
- Muthu (about 2 years ago)

I want to caveat that I have always done visa renewals in Dubai because it's where my family lives, so maybe that helped. I booked in early July for an end of August appointment. A month before the interview, it was bumped another 2 weeks to mid Sep.
- Wajma (about 3 years ago)

Fast and efficient. You go back to collect your own passport when it's ready.
- Simone (about 3 years ago)

Officers were so friendly and got the passport second day after the interview,.
- Muthu (about 8 months ago)

Interviewer didn’t ask for supporting documents, whole actual interview process was quick, but the lines were already quite long at 8am. My lawyer gave me a stack of useless documents and I got laughed at by security, only LCA and passport is needed for my case.
- Anonymous (about 3 years ago)

The line to get into the building was long and the staff were not friendly- even towards elders and children. Although you are told you don't need bring a physical photo if you uploaded an eligible one online, they still required one to get into the building. Once inside the building, my passport was processed and I sat/waited for 20 minutes before being allowed to go to the interview. The interview itself was quick. I was only asked one question, which was my occupation. On the upside, the time it took to book the appointment and the time it took my passport to be returned was really quick and efficient. I went to a local collecting location to collect my passport. At the time, there was no delivery option.
- Naomi (about 3 years ago)

Good experience in Buenos Aires. Compared to other E-3s I have done in Melbourne and Sydney, a notable nuance is that you need to set two separate appointments; first your ASC appointment, which is where your photo is taken and they check your documentation, and secondly your Consular interview. When you book, you are only able to book them in order (i.e. you need to book the ASC first, followed by your Consular interview on a date after that). Both appointments were very busy, with long lines, but other than that the process was very smooth. I paid for premium processing. My ASC appointment was on Thursday, Consular interview was on Friday, and my passport was released for express shipping on Tuesday. It was available for pick-up on Wednesday in the local post-office I had chosen.
- Tim (about 2 months ago)

First time E3 visa at Monterry. Came on backpacking to explore the US and became fond of it and wanted to explore further. Looked for new jobs. E3 is so new and not many employers wanted to take a punt at it.. but I was upfront with them and found one. Went to Monterrey. They asked a lot of questions testing my ability to do the job as I said. in the end, they approved. I explored the city waiting for my visa. it's a one-week wait after it's approved. That one week gave me chance to explore Mexican culture and i became of fond of it.
- Scott Johnson (about 3 years ago)

Completely doable for anyone willing to try a cheap non-English speaking country in Europe, with a fast turnaround. I don't remember the passport pick-up options but the default was a cab ride away, so get a reputable hotel to organize one for you. Go to see the caves at Matka Canyon on your day off!
- Jonny (about 8 months ago)

The process in Perth is very easy and convenient and the people are nice but the lead time is the issue. Over 4 months so you really do need to plan ahead. If you are ok with that though, then Perth is good.
- Lee (about 4 months ago)

Very efficient consulate. Standard security screening, but less onerous than some other posts I have been to. There are lockers for things you do not require at the interview window. You are allowed to keep your phone, but they ask for you to turn off Bluetooth for some reason. Had an interview for E3 on the Wednesday. CEAC status site showed issued by late Thursday. Passports ready to pickup at MBE Perth by Friday morning. Great experience overall.
- Tuscan (about 11 months ago)

Had to book perth due to Xmas being a popular time for booking appointments. I used Tara Grey as my lawyer. First window i was asked very bluntly for what documents he wanted. LCA, letter of offer, Degree equivalency. then sit back down and waited for 20mins 2nd window, as 3 questions. Whats your role, are they a new company, what does the company do. Visa Approved, 8 days after i recieved my passport in the mail. Anyone doing degree equivalency, do it as soon as you can. Mine dragged out. But lastly, just relax, it was really an easy process. I was stressing like everyone else, but aslong as you have all the require paper work in order then you will pass.
- Nick (about 2 years ago)

Had a 24 day wait for the interview. Checked in on the day 15 minutes early on floor 4 (8:30am interview), security put our phones in a locker, then too us up to a higher floor, and took a ticket and sat down waiting to get called to one of the counters. After 5 to 10 minutes we were called up, asked for the DS-160 forms (mine and my Wife's), Passports, LCA, letter of offer, Marriage Certificate, Express post satchel, and degree. I don't have a degree and offered the equivalency assessment but was told to hang on to it. We were both finger scanned and told to sit back down and wait to be called. We waited about 15 minutes and were called to another counter, re-scanned one hand, asked when I started in my career (21 years ago), who I was going to work for and what they did. After only a few minutes there they told me we were approved, handed back most of the documents and to expect our Passports in 5 to 10 days. Tracking showed the Passports were posted at 14:03 that same afternoon and have the Passports 5 days later which included the weekend, otherwise I would have had them in 3 days. All were great people to deal with.
- Michael (about 3 years ago)

The Lima US Embassy got us processed relatively quickly and smoothly. I would recommend this for E3 renewals. We had multiple notification emails from the embassy about our appointment, and the lines and general movement of the visa appointment were fairly understandable. Our spanish isn't great, and a lot of the staff do not speak english, but they will endeavour to find you somebody to help you understand what they are saying. Just ask. They did have a little hiccup where they couldn't find our appointment in their system (cue a little sweat) but they solved that in 20 mins and we were on our way to the back of the line. Ensure you have enough time to spend at the embassy. I.e. our appointment time was 11am - but we actually had our appointment at 1:30/2pm. The cool thing is in this embassy they pre-check your docs before the appointment so the appointment goes fairly quickly and they will ask you to show your docs and work through that a long time before you are called to the window for your actual appointment. At my interview, the officer did say he didn't do the E3s a lot - but as a renewal it appeared a little easier. We talked him through it, and he was lovely about it. We did have a snafu with the fact that there is no place in their system to denominate it as the new E3S instead of E3D. However when we picked up our visa a few days later it says - "Spouse of" on the visa. So now we just have to make sure our I-94 gets processed correctly. The pickup of the visas is easy - you take your driving license and it is on the other side of the road to the embassy. Ensure you check your visa before leaving the window very carefully.
- Samantha (about 8 months ago)

The appointment was on a Monday at 9:30 am. Our passport pictures did not meet the requirements. Fortunately, they do have a photographer inside the US Embassy but since we were 3 people and not the only ones in line, this took around 30 minutes. Then there was some additional delay as we were called a couple of times to provide additional documentation or information. It seems that they are not very familiar with the E-3/E-3Ds visas. At the end, the officer asked if we had return tickets to the US and kindly offered to have the passports and visas ready for Friday of the same week at the Embassy. I explained we were doing some traveling in Peru and planned to be back in Lima the next Monday so she gave us the green paper for pick up on Monday between 2:30 pm and 3:30 pm.
- Karla (about 1 year ago)

Stayed across from the embassy at a guest house the day before the interview. People start lining up well before the appointment times outside the embassy. The line was quite long but moved relatively quickly. I don't think they had processed many E3s before because they did mine as the last visa for the day so I waited longer than most. Total time in line until leaving was about 2 hours. The embassy staff didn't ask too many questions and were fairly friendly. They asked when I was flying out, and when I told them it was the following week, they said they'd process my visa express, and that I had to come back to the embassy to pick up my passport in 4 days (this included a weekend). They seemed quite happy to do it, but said if I didn't get express processing, it would take three weeks and be delivered by courier, so don't pay the express courier fee online. I had to leave everything, including my hotel key outside at a small table for a fee and picked it up when I was done. This service doesn't appear to be run by the embassy. Don't bring valuables. Until getting inside, very few people spoke English. I don't speak Spanish and was OK, but you can't bring your phone to use Google Translate. If you've made it to Peru, you'll work it out.
- Ben (about 3 years ago)

Appointment Booking: I highly recommend Colombia ONLY for Visa stamping, not for Visa renewal. While booking appointments, when i chose "I am not a Colombia resident", the availability dates just blanked out. It only opened up when i chose "I am a Colombian Resident". I decided to brave it and book it still. Biometrics scanning: Easy, quick, in and out. English is not standard in the ACS location, Without a phone, it is difficult to converse, however, the biometrics scanning was easy. Be prepared for the interviewer to be surprised that your birth country is not Colombia. Visa appointment: Dont worry if you are early or late at the consulate. there is a big but fast moving crowd at the Consulate. First round is paper validation, next is fingerprinting, 3rd is the interview. DS-160 and your I797A is more than sufficient paperwork to sort out your visa approval. Passport pickup: Lessons learnt is to choose premium/ expedite home delivery rather than pickup. Even though your visa is ready within 2-3 days of interview, you need to book an appointment to pick it up which could take an extra 2-3 days. Appointments refresh at 10 am in morning, so u could brave it and cancel and re-book your appointment if you chose pickup. Misc: - Please choose accomodation only in Zona Rosa area preferably in El Lago area. Place is buzzing with global cuisine restaurants, bars, nightclubs and very very safe due to the affluent peope living there. Credit cards accepted everywhere (be prepared to pay a 5% markup for taxis etc.).
- Mukund (about 11 months ago)

Don't take any electronics with you, except your mobile phone, which will need to be turned off and not used at all inside the consulate. Its a 3-step process - reception, fee-paying and interview
- Josie (about 2 years ago)

I was refused because never take covid 19 vaccine
- Vincent (about 3 years ago)

Wait times said 1 day, wasn’t checking everyday but I did a couple of weeks later and there were a couple opened up for the next few days Processing time: 2-3 business days, pickup at city dhl Qs: What are you doing in the US? (Told them I need to tie up some things after being laid off while overseas) You know you can just get esta? Are you working right now? What type of things do you need to tie up? (Bank accounts, all my belongings, phone account, gym membership). How do I know you’ll leave the US after? (Told evidence of ties back to AUS but didn’t actually show anything). She was writing notes the whole time. Was told Visa last 10 years, but it actually came back w only 5 years
- Jennifer (about 2 years ago)

1. my appointment was moved due to "unforeseen circumstances " no explanation, no choice in future appointment. I had to reschedule my travel to attend appointment. Though On the day off things went pretty smoothly 2. There was no update on the day when the consulate officer said the Passport would be returned with stamp. I called, emailed, revisited the embassy with no information or clarity on when i would get passport back, my option was to take it back without stamping and not goto US or silently put up with it. The wait times for non residents are still over 60 days, though the website says quicker. Avoid this place if possible, atleast getting your passport back after approval should not be such a hassle where you're living in limbo and increasing your costs by changing flights and accommodation.
- ND (about 2 years ago)

Overall the experience in Bangkok was smooth. They did not love that we had origionally stated that we wanted to do our appointment in Paris, and this caused a delay of a couple of hours. If picking it up from a post office select Rong Muang for the fasted turnaround.
- Ben (about 3 years ago)

Vancouver BC is THE BEST US Consulate in the world!! I had gotten my E-3 there originally back in December 2016 and the process was extremely smooth and I had my Visa processed and passport back in hand in less than 72hrs. For the next time mid 2018 (also changed jobs) there were no appts available in Vancouver so I went to the Bahamas, which was less smooth (My passport tracking was never updated and it was lost for an extra week - extremely stressed & skint because of unexpected expenses is not how I wanted to spend an extra week in Bahamas). But extra 8 days and it was sorted. Then it was time for my 2 year 'renewal' for mid 2020 and COVID hit.... Panic mode started March and didn't really end until June when I had my passport & visa physically in hand again. The Vancouver NIV Team was PHENOMENAL! During such an incredibly stressful time worldwide they were so responsive and supportive. Confirming eligibility for Emergency Appointment as an essential healthcare worker, helping to figure out whether I'd even be let through the border, advising on extra supporting documentation to get, corroborating the immigration lawyer advice about avoiding land borders during such difficult times, 20+ emails and 10+ phone calls. The day before my appointment on day 14 of my mandatory quarantine at an Airbnb 2 blocks from the consulate (unfortunately with views of the Trump Tower....) 'He' issues another visa announcement pausing most NIV class visas effective at midnight. Enter full scale panic attack and multiple phone calls to verify. One of those calls was to the contact I had made (one of the chief NIV Team officers at the consulate). Thankfully they were able to reassure me that they were following the guidance to a T and nowhere mentioned E-3 Visas. Phew!! I was safe and able to attend my appointment the next day and had it back, Visa processed, within 2 hours. Honestly I cannot stress how amazing they were!! It's that time again and we are still in this pandemic so I can only cross fingers that it goes smoothly this round and then I'll have another 2 years try to figure out a way I don't have to go through this Hoopla again. Haha!
- Deb (about 5 years ago)

I made appointment within a week in Toronto. In order to make the appointment. Open the website in 10 am. Select that you reside in Canada. Otherwise no appointment at all. In appointment bring legal status. I came for visa waiver program that is ok. Just print out. I explained that I live with my bf in Toronto. After appointment it is long wait. I was told my visa is approved in interview but my visa issued 12 days after the interview. I picked up visa at Toronto. Only people have Canada drive lic can help you to do that Be prepared and be patient . good luck fellow Aussies.
- Jessica (about 6 months ago)

My family and I are currently living in Canada (I am a PR and my wife and son are Canadian citizens as well as Australian citizens). We were therefore applying for my first E-3 from Canada. We are living in Victoria, BC so we were hoping to have the appointment in Vancouver, BC or Calgary, AB. However, the nearest appointment times available for those locations were 6+ months out so we opted instead for Toronto which had a few months' wait, even though it meant flying 5 hours across Canada. Positive Aspects of Toronto appointment: - The actual interview process was fast. We were in and out in less than one hour. - There is a convenience store down the street for people to leave their belongings for $10 if they have to bring their belongings/phones with them. - Apart from the rude security guards out the front, the staff in the Consulate were very friendly and helpful. Negative Aspects of Toronto appointment: - They were a bit confused by E-3 visa. They clearly don't get many of those. - Very busy and crowded, processing many hundreds of visa applicants in one session. - This was the biggest downfall, which would make me unlikely to use Toronto again: LONG WAIT AFTER INTERVIEW. At the interview, we were told the visa had been approved and within a week we would get a notification saying the passport has been shipped. One week later we still had not heard anything, and upon using the visa application checking tool (CEAC), we saw the status was still RECEIVED, not yet APPROVED. It ended up switching to APPROVED later that day, and then took another 4 days to move to ISSUED. It is now 12 days since the interview and I only just got my notification that the passport/visa has been shipped, so by the time I get the actual passport it will be more like 2 weeks. Which is stressful as we have travel planned next week.
- Dan (about 2 years ago)

I was able to get an appointment in Toronto within 3 weeks whereas it was a 3-6 month wait at other Canadian locations. I was asked to show my Canadian visa and LCA, and asked questions about my job and why it was a specialty occupation. I wasn't asked for my employment letter, proof of degree equivalency or passport photos but I had them all prepared anyway. The whole process took about 30 minutes and I had my passport back in four days.
- Tam (about 2 years ago)