Student Visa via Los Angeles, and my course starts September 21st!

I applied for my student visa for a one year postgraduate course via the L.A. consulate. FedEx says my app was delivered on September 3rd (Wednesday) at 10:17 am but I have yet to hear anything from the Consular (you're supposed to get an e-mail when they start the application and a second e-mail once they've made a decision.)

I leave on September 21st, which is a Sunday....do you think I will have my visa by then? I applied on my own using overnight delivery but not a courier.

I have no idea what the wait times are for the Los Angeles consulate, but the Chicago one is at an estimated 20 business day wait. I applied for my spousal visa to Chicago and it was delivered on Aug. 15, but it took them 9 business days to open it and send me a confirmation e-mail. Its now Sept 5, and I am still waiting, hopefully it will be here by the 13th.

Best of luck though.

I think you're just going to have to wait and see, I'm afraid. Most of the visa processing threads here on the board recently have been about waiting times for the Chicago consulate, so there's not much info about the LA one. Maybe there is someone here on the site who has recently applied to LA who can help.

I think you may be cutting it a bit fine with your application though - two and a half weeks isn't all that long a timeframe to allow for getting the visa issued (my US student visa application took three months because once I had all the visa documents ready, I had to wait two months for a visa interview at the consulate in London (they interview everyone now because of 9/11)!). The consulates usually advise to apply within plenty of time (you can apply up to three months before you are due to travel) and not to book any travel/flights until you have the visa in hand just in case there are any processing delays and you don't get it back in time. You might have to be prepared to change your flight if your visa doesn't arrive by the 21st .

It's all running at 20 days.

Why leave it so late?


Vicky

That is quite fast, I flew to LA with an appointment at the consulate and got my student visa the same day and left 3 days later for the UK, too much of a rush!

I think there might be a number you can call, but it's expensive?

That is quite fast, I flew to LA with an appointment at the consulate and got my student visa the same day and left 3 days later for the UK, too much of a rush!

I think there might be a number you can call, but it's expensive?

You can't do it in person anymore

I think there might be a number you can call, but it's expensive?

I don't think calling the number will be able to give any information on an application that has already been submitted.  It will be a waste of money.

I'm curious why you waited so long to apply for your visa?  My course started in early Oct. and I applied for my visa in June.  (This was in 2004.)  It took 12 days to process but as soon as I got my final papers from my uni, all my supporting docs, the visa application was in the mail. 

Hopefully you'll get your visa in time.

I applied as soon as my uni got all of the documents to me, and I was fully accepted in march, it has taken them all summer to get my student loans processed and they don't send the visa-purpose letter until all of that has been certified/approved by both the uni and the lender.  and the consulate told me because it's just a one year master's program that i couldn't apply more than one month in advance anyway....great. i'm not going to school this year is sounds like.

they also told me to write the date my visa was supposed to start on the outside of the FedEx envelope, and i did. think this will help or should i cancel my flights and give up? (which the consulate said i needed to provide receipts for or else the visa would be denied)   

I applied as soon as my uni got all of the documents to me, and I was fully accepted in march, it has taken them all summer to get my student loans processed and they don't send the visa-purpose letter until all of that has been certified/approved by both the uni and the lender.  and the consulate told me because it's just a one year master's program that i couldn't apply more than one month in advance anyway....great. i'm not going to school this year is sounds like.

they also told me to write the date my visa was supposed to start on the outside of the FedEx envelope, and i did. think this will help or should i cancel my flights and give up? (which the consulate said i needed to provide receipts for or else the visa would be denied)   

I wouldn't give up yet - you may still receive the visa before you have to travel and if not, it might still be possible to fly a few days later. Have you called the UK university to ask their advice on the situation (i.e. what you can do if you don't get the visa in time)? Don't cancel the flights just yet - you never know, you might get the visa next week.

I'm surprised that the consulate would need receipts for travel or that they told you could only apply one month in advance because the Home Office Student Visa Guidelines clearly state:

When should I apply?

You should apply in good time for your entry clearance so that you are not delayed in getting into the UK. However, you cannot have your clearance post-dated by more than three months. It can get very busy in visa sections, especially over the summer when lots of students are applying.

and also:

Note: you should not buy a ticket, or pay all or part of the cost of a study course if your visa application being delayed or refused would mean that you lost your money.
 

cami12987, I sent a work permit visa to the Los Angeles consulate which arrived on the morning of Thursday, Sept 4.  I also haven't received an email saying they've received my application.  I'm anxious to get the visa because I waited about 3 months for the work permit, and I was originally supposed to start work on Sept 15. 

Please let me know if and when you receive any updates about your visa, and I'll do the same.  Since our apps were submitted around the same time, we should hear back about the same time.

i found a courier called A.Briggs who is located across the street from the consulate...they are pulling my application and resubmitting it for expedited processing and so a decision will be made on it by 4pm tmrw!!!! i will update when i find out if i am approved and everything goes as planned and maybe this posting will help someone else in my position...keep your fingers crossed   thanks for all your help!

Hi Cami!

I am in almost the exact same situation as you. I also recently submitted my student visa application and it arrived by USPS Tuesday Sept. 2 according to the delivery confirmation but I have not yet received an email from the LA Consulate confirming they received it. My course starts a bit later than yours in late September, but I am still getting worried as well! If you could keep me updated on how your courier request goes, I would appreciate it very much. Best of luck to you, I can't wait to hear about how it goes this afternoon!!

BritBound (hopefully)

i applied for a spouse visa in june, i sent it on a thursday, they got it the next day on friday, and called me friday afternoon telling me it was approved.

i applied for a spouse visa in june, i sent it on a thursday, they got it the next day on friday, and called me friday afternoon telling me it was approved.

Not anymore! Everyone's having delays! Just read through the panic threads on here.