the first of my visa questions (..etc.) - (NYC) -

my partner and i have decided to go ahead and make the application for me to get a spouse visa. we will be making our application at the NYC consulate office on april 24th. as i've read online this morning that the rules for applications being made at the NYC office are ongoing changes due to take place march 29, 2004.
http://www.britainusa.com/visas/other_show.asp?SarticleType=25&Other_ID=657
[i hope it is okay that i've posted this link here, if not, my apologies..] -

my first question is:
has these new changes affected anyone else's upcoming plans to apply in person at NYC? (i'm mostly curious here.)

2nd-
does anyone have previous experience using the Fast-Track/online application service provided at NYC? - if so, how long does it take (approx.) for the application to be processed? (as we will be making an appointment to provide our documentation and not sending it via the post.)

i really want to make sure that we have enough time to make the application online before we plan to go there in person..
(& no doubt, the application process jitters are setting in for me...)

thanks in advance for any answers...
(no doubt more questions from me soon enough)

I applied for my spousal visa at the NYC consulate in September.  If you'd like to read about my experience, click on the link to my personal page (sorry, it's not very exciting--just the basic info.).  

As far as the new rules, I'm not sure that they would deter me from applying in person.  I don't trust the mail (USPS or otherwise) and there was no way I was going to send all of my documentation to the consulate.  I felt better knowing that I'd be there in person and could answer their questions immediately.

I don't have experience w/ the online application service, but honestly, the in-person experience was so good that I'd just suggest you do it that way.  Good luck!

Lunar - this is the perfect place to post that link.  It's terribly important to keep up on all the changes that go on within the application processes - both in the US and the UK.

If anyone has used fasttrack how long did it take to get answers back?  I am wondering whether to send our passports now or later?  Ugh.

thanks for posting that!

i'll be applying mid september in person alone.....my fiancee has to return to london without me for work.    :'(

Lunar - this is the perfect place to post that link.  It's terribly important to keep up on all the changes that go on within the application processes - both in the US and the UK.

i definitely agree ...i'm glad i posted the link now.
and even more glad that i found it this morning...

As far as the new rules, I'm not sure that they would deter me from applying in person.  I don't trust the mail (USPS or otherwise) and there was no way I was going to send all of my documentation to the consulate.  I felt better knowing that I'd be there in person and could answer their questions immediately.


I don't have experience w/ the online application service, but honestly, the in-person experience was so good that I'd just suggest you do it that way.  Good luck!

i don't trust the USPS either... if i have read the consulates web page correctly, we can make the fast-track application online and then book an appointment to provide our documentation/etc in person which is what we would be doing.
(again, if i've read the page correctly, we can apply online and then also print our application and bring it with us in person..)

will update on any information i find from contacting the consulates..

You're right in your interpretation of the new rules going into effect, Lunar.  Looks like they want people to ring up and book appointments rather than just beseige them!  Makes sense, from a security point of view as well, I guess.

I had a fine time with the fasttrack.  It was great to be able to pay online with a credit card and they REQUIRE that you print out a copy at the end and if you are doing it by post, mail in a copy with your documents, or bring in a hard copy in person.  With the fastrack I noticed it took them over 24 hours to actually deduct the fee from my account.  

I did the online fastrack on a Wednesday night, on Thursday I overnight mailed my documents by Fedex, Friday morning 9am documents arrived at consulate in NYC (i love fedex because you can use their online tracking system), friday morning they also deducted the money from my account (not sure if this is a delay in processing time or if they waiting for my supporting documents), the following Thursday (a mere five business days later) at 10am I received a FedEx back from them with my documents and visa in passport.

If you go in person and don't do the fastrack you must deal with paying there in person, though i think they do take credit cards now.  I just think its easier to pay online and have a nice typed application that is easy to read, so i recommend the fasttrack if you are going in person or by post.

If anyone has used fasttrack how long did it take to get answers back?  I am wondering whether to send our passports now or later?  Ugh.

i tried phoning the consulates to try and get an answer to this question...they do have an online question form you might be of some use to you (i'm going to fill it out as well as trying to reach them again by phone..)

http://www.britainusa.com/visas/comp.asp

good luck =)

You're right in your interpretation of the new rules going into effect, Lunar.  Looks like they want people to ring up and book appointments rather than just beseige them!  Makes sense, from a security point of view as well, I guess.

as i've since re-read the page again, they want your to book your appointment online and not phone up to book it. i haven't filled out the fast-track application yet and am wondering if the place to book your appointment is at the end of the application.
(i'm yet to make my formal application as my partner and i have not wed yet..)

mea culpa!  I'm typing faster than I'm thinking...

Lou...how did you print out the fast track application?  I don't see where you can do that...I only managed to print out the supporting documents page.   :-/

I just did the fast track yesterday.  I typed all the answers and at the end it gives you another opportunity to go over each answer and edit that specific answer if you need to.  Course it would have been good of them to tell you you had another opportunity to edit later in the process.  I backed up a page and had to enter all that pages info again cause I didn't realize about edit at the end.  

You are required to print a hard copy.  You can even save a copy in the system.  I chose not to do that as I printed it out.  I also chose not to pay for it by credit card online.  I will pay in person.

You can make your appointment at that time.  You will see a calendar that will show which days are available.  Anything in grey or bluish color is booked.  When you click on the date you will get another menu of times.  Thats it.  Remember to also make a hard copy of the confirmed time and date of your appointment.  Its imperative apparently that you take this to the Consulate.  You may not get in otherwise.  

Hope that helped.

is the only way you can make an appointment online is by filling out the fast trak form?  Bummer.