Maore

Ladies and Gents.
I would like to share my experience to release my frustration with the
US consulate of London.

I am a DV winner of 2007 - I got married in March 2006 and was informed
of the win in July 2006.
A visa number was allocated in january with an interview on 10/01/2007 ,

After the interview with a CO we were handed a 221G requiring proof of
relationship ( interviewed my wife for 45 minutes and the principal
applicant me for 10 minutes).

We sent the proof of relationship within a week of the interview - One
month later Embassy reply to one of my email , stating evidences sent
were outdated (Feb 2006) - I send another set of document (In march) and
no reply for 5 months (as a reminder DV applicant pay double in terms of
processing fee for the pleasure of being treated this way .

August 2007 - follow up interview and the interviewer stated " no reason
to refuse you a visa as a sole applicant please pay the delivery cost
and wait for your visa " - great I celebrate (never skin the bear before
killing it ).

2 weeks still no visa - doing more running by checking with the embassy
what is causing the delay then receive 2 email stating " additional
administrative processing is required " on the other email they use the
term " waiting for clearance from the DOS " .FAIR enough the US /its
citizen/LPR and visitor need to feel safe and everybody need to go
through this process.

What upset me is the consulate left it so late before initiating this
security checks and at every single steps of the visa application they
have not shown a single ounce of being pro-active , it seems to me they
just act in a mechanical way. I am not asking to be treated in a special
way but what I am asking for is pretty common :value 4 MONEY and some
sort of service (keep people regularly informed/up to date of their
application).


I am applying for an AUS working visa just in case they do not get they
act together before 30/09/2007. My advice to future applicant : when you
have sent what they requested for - keep requesting for update every two
weeks because if you just wait your file collect some dust.

Boiler

> Ladies and Gents.
> I would like to share my experience to release my frustration with the
> US consulate of London.
>
> I am a DV winner of 2007 - I got married in March 2006 and was
> informed of the win in July 2006.
> A visa number was allocated in january with an interview on
> 10/01/2007 ,
>
> After the interview with a CO we were handed a 221G requiring proof of
> relationship ( interviewed my wife for 45 minutes and the principal
> applicant me for 10 minutes).
>
> We sent the proof of relationship within a week of the interview - One
> month later Embassy reply to one of my email , stating evidences sent
> were outdated (Feb 2006) - I send another set of document (In march)
> and no reply for 5 months (as a reminder DV applicant pay double in
> terms of processing fee for the pleasure of being treated this way .
>
> August 2007 - follow up interview and the interviewer stated " no
> reason to refuse you a visa as a sole applicant please pay the
> delivery cost and wait for your visa " - great I celebrate (never skin
> the bear before killing it ).
>
> 2 weeks still no visa - doing more running by checking with the
> embassy what is causing the delay then receive 2 email stating "
> additional administrative processing is required " on the other email
> they use the term " waiting for clearance from the DOS " .FAIR enough
> the US /its citizen/LPR and visitor need to feel safe and everybody
> need to go through this process.
>
> What upset me is the consulate left it so late before initiating this
> security checks and at every single steps of the visa application they
> have not shown a single ounce of being pro-active , it seems to me
> they just act in a mechanical way. I am not asking to be treated in a
> special way but what I am asking for is pretty common :value 4 MONEY
> and some sort of service (keep people regularly informed/up to date of
> their application).
>
>
> I am applying for an AUS working visa just in case they do not get
> they act together before 30/09/2007. My advice to future applicant :
> when you have sent what they requested for - keep requesting for
> update every two weeks because if you just wait your file collect
> some dust.

What is your nationality?

Maore

> What is your nationality?

French (french southern territory) by birth and british by
naturalisation - why this question ?

Ray

> French (french southern territory) by birth and british by
> naturalisation - why this question ?

Tell the you won't stand for it and they can stuff their Green card ....

or accept ..thats the way it is ...

Boiler

> French (french southern territory) by birth and british by
> naturalisation - why this question ?

I would go with Ray, AP/AR is usually asociated with muslim countries,
but not always.

NC Penguin

> Ladies and Gents.
> I would like to share my experience to release my frustration with the
> US consulate of London.
>
> I am a DV winner of 2007 - I got married in March 2006 and was
> informed of the win in July 2006.
> A visa number was allocated in january with an interview on
> 10/01/2007 ,
>
> After the interview with a CO we were handed a 221G requiring proof of
> relationship ( interviewed my wife for 45 minutes and the principal
> applicant me for 10 minutes).
>
> We sent the proof of relationship within a week of the interview - One
> month later Embassy reply to one of my email , stating evidences sent
> were outdated (Feb 2006) - I send another set of document (In march)
> and no reply for 5 months (as a reminder DV applicant pay double in
> terms of processing fee for the pleasure of being treated this way .
>
> August 2007 - follow up interview and the interviewer stated " no
> reason to refuse you a visa as a sole applicant please pay the
> delivery cost and wait for your visa " - great I celebrate (never skin
> the bear before killing it ).
>
> 2 weeks still no visa - doing more running by checking with the
> embassy what is causing the delay then receive 2 email stating "
> additional administrative processing is required " on the other email
> they use the term " waiting for clearance from the DOS " .FAIR enough
> the US /its citizen/LPR and visitor need to feel safe and everybody
> need to go through this process.
>
> What upset me is the consulate left it so late before initiating this
> security checks and at every single steps of the visa application they
> have not shown a single ounce of being pro-active , it seems to me
> they just act in a mechanical way. I am not asking to be treated in a
> special way but what I am asking for is pretty common :value 4 MONEY
> and some sort of service (keep people regularly informed/up to date of
> their application).
>
>
> I am applying for an AUS working visa just in case they do not get
> they act together before 30/09/2007. My advice to future applicant :
> when you have sent what they requested for - keep requesting for
> update every two weeks because if you just wait your file collect
> some dust.

If you remain patient and do make it over to the US, you will
understand that your experience is not that unusual when dealing with US
government agencies.

BTW, is the country you originate from, where you were born, have
faster, more efficient government?

Sally

> If you remain patient and do make it over to the US, you will
> understand that your experience is not that unusual when dealing with
> US government agencies.
>
> BTW, is the country you originate from, where you were born, have
> faster, more efficient government?

Small point about efficiency but what annoyed me when we were getting
our visas was that the date was getting very close and the embassy staff
took off both British and US bank holidays - surely they should just get
one or the other.

Maore

> If you remain patient and do make it over to the US, you will
> understand that your experience is not that unusual when dealing with
> US government agencies.
>
> BTW, is the country you originate from, where you were born, have
> faster, more efficient government?

it is fine and ok for you if you are ready to accept low level of
service because in your own country you have low level of service (I
refer to your reply " BTW , is the country you originate from, where you
were born , have faster , more efficient government ")

It is just not the logic I follow (because at home I get crap I should
feel lucky of even being considered for such a prestigious opportunity
of going through applying for a visa through the DOS) : I try to improve
myself and expect the same from people around me and especially from
organisation for which I give my dineros.

Maore

> Tell the you won't stand for it and they can stuff their Green
> card ....
>
> or accept ..thats the way it is ...

stuffing their greencard is not really the point of my comments (
I hate wasting money /options are always available) I just think the
procedure can and should be improved in some part and someone need to
let them know .

I intend to write a letter to the Chief Consular officer of London to
let them know where they have room for improvements , if I was doing my
job the same way they are currently doing it :I would be extremely
stressed and my customer would be dissatisfied!

Another shocking aspect of the way visa are processed/handled in the US
embassy of London: When my wife applied for an entry clearance (kind of
fiance visa) in Beijing just after the interview she could check daily
on their website the status of the application (the whole process took
one month and NO, she did not commit any crime since).
I don t think Visa applicant would mind paying some extra $$$ to have
this facility instead of worrying/stressing/guessing about their current
situation.

Just my 2 cents comments !

Ray

> stuffing their greencard is not really the point of my comments (
> I hate wasting money /options are always available) I just think the
> procedure can and should be improved in some part and someone need to
> let them know .
>
> I intend to write a letter to the Chief Consular officer of London to
> let them know where they have room for improvements , if I was doing
> my job the same way they are currently doing it :I would be extremely
> stressed and my customer would be dissatisfied!
>
> Another shocking aspect of the way visa are processed/handled in the
> US embassy of London: When my wife applied for an entry clearance
> (kind of fiance visa) in Beijing just after the interview she could
> check daily on their website the status of the application (the whole
> process took one month and NO, she did not commit any crime since).
> I don t think Visa applicant would mind paying some extra $$$ to have
> this facility instead of worrying/stressing/guessing about their
> current situation.
>
> Just my 2 cents comments !

You are going to get really upset when you move to the US ...