Getting a U.S. Visa in the United Kingdom 2023

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 6 months ago)

Appointment booked on 18th of March 2022
- Tracy (about 1 year ago)

Made the appointment about 2 months out, and was able to reschedule for an earlier appointment fairly quickly and easily.
- Eli (about 10 months 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 11 months 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 6 months ago)

Quick efficient friendly embassy staff queues managed well, passports returned in 3 days
- Emily (about 6 months ago)

Bring an umbrella! Sometimes the line outside while you wait for security screening can take time, and there's no shelter!
- Melissa (about 1 year 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 5 months 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 4 months 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 4 months 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 months ago)