Visa Interview
How to schedule an interview
An appointment for an interview may only be scheduled by calling the Embassy's Operator Assisted Information Service. The service is available Monday through Friday, between 8.00 am and 9.00 pm, and Saturday, between 09.00 am and 4.00 pm, GMT (Monday through Friday, between 3.00 am and 4.00 pm, and Saturday, between 4.00 am and 11:00 am EST).
Callers from within the United Kingdom should dial 09042-450-100. Calls to this line are charged at £1.20/min from BT landlines; some mobile and network providers may charge more. In addition, some mobile and network providers cannot access this number.
Callers from within the United States should dial 1-866-382-3589. Callers are charged a fixed rate of $16:00 for up to 7 minutes. Payment is by credit card - Visa, MasterCard, American Express only. Please ensure that you have your credit card details available when making the call. You will not be charged for the call until payment has been taken. Please note: At the time of scheduling the appointment, you will be required to furnish an address in the United Kingdom.
Important Notice for Diplomatic and Official Passport Holders
Diplomatic and official passport holders who are accredited to their mission in the United Kingdom and are applying for either a business (B-1) or tourist (B-2) visa are required to schedule the appointment for the visa interview through the Diplomatic Visa Section at the Embassy.
Payment of the nonimmigrant MRV application fee
Applicants will be required to pay the nonimmigrant MRV application fee when scheduling the appointment for the visa interview. Payment is by credit or debit card card only. Please ensure that you have your credit card details available when making the call. Read more...
Information required by the operator
- Your name & address;
- Place & date of birth;
- Passport nationality & number; and
- An email address. If you do not have an email account in your name, you may elect a third party to receive the information on your behalf. However, you must be in possession of the appointment confirmation letter and MRV fee receipt, if required, on the day of the appointment, otherwise, you will not be admitted into the Embassy
I am unable to call the Operator Assisted Visa Information Service
An appointment for an interview may only be scheduled through the Operator Assisted Visa Information Service; appointments cannot be scheduled by email. If you are unable to call the number yourself, please have a friend, relative or colleague call on your behalf. They will require your passport number to schedule an appointment.
I require an earlier appointment than the one offered
Applicants calling the Operator Assisted Visa Information Service are offered the earliest available appointment. The Embassy always recommends that an applicant not make final travel plans until the visa has been issued and they are in receipt of the passport.
Are individual appointments required?
Family or married couples applying for visas at the same time may schedule one appointment per family or couple. All others must schedule individual appointments.
My child is under the age of 14; can I bring his/her application with me to the interview? Yes, we will accept your child's application; there is no requirement that he or she appear in person if under the age of 14.
What happens if I am late for the appointment?
Applicants who arrive at the Embassy more than 30 minutes after their scheduled appointment will not be seen by a consular officer. They will be required to reschedule a new appointment for another day.
How long can I expect to be at the Embassy?
You should anticipate being at the Embassy for approximately two to three hours.
I cannot attend the Embassy in person. Can I mail in my application?
You may apply for a visa by mail if:
- you are under the age of 14;
- you are aged 80 and over and are
- a U.K. or E.U. passport holder, or have been granted indefinite leave
to remain in the United Kingdom from the U.K. government;
- and are not ineligible to receive a visa;
- have not been refused a visa under Section 214(b), or if refused,
the refusal has been overcome;
- have not been denied entry into or removed from the United States.
Note: Applicants aged 14 and over who were born in or hold a passport from North Korea, Cuba, Syria, Sudan, Iran or Libya are required to schedule an appointment for an interview.
If you are not eligible to apply for a visa by mail, you must schedule an appointment for an interview.
Disabled Access
Applicants with prearranged appointments are asked to bring a friend, relative or carer if they are disabled and require assistance. Nonimmigrant visa applicants should provide the Operator Assisted Information Service with the name of that person when calling to schedule an appointment for an interview. Immigrant visa applicants should call the Operator Assisted Information Service to notify them of the name of the person accompanying them.
How long will my application take to process?
The average visa processing time for successful applicants is five business days, (the period is five to ten business days for petition based applicants - O, P, H, L and Q-1) during which time the applicant's passport must remain with the Embassy. Once processed your visa and passport will be handed to the courier company, Secure Mail Services (SMS) for delivery. Applicants who are advised at the visa interview that their application requires additional processing should allow at least 8 weeks for this stage of the application process. Once processing is completed, the applicant will be contacted for the passport. A further four weeks should be allowed for the visa to be issued and the passport returned.
While the visa is being processed, there is no mechanism for "status checks". We will not respond by email to inquiries concerning cases pending at this office for less than the times specified. Please do not call the Operator Assisted Information Line or SMS as they will not have the ability to trace a package that has not yet left the Embassy.
Please note that the processing times quoted are approximate and cannot be guaranteed. It is important that you keep this in mind when applying for the visa. I regret that it will not be possible to expedite a case simply because an applicant has not allowed sufficient time for the application to be processed.
How will my passport be returned to me?
All visaed passports will be returned to the applicant by Secure Mail Services (SMS), a courier agency contracted to the U.S. Embassy. SMS has a desk located in the Visa Branch Waiting Room. On the day of the visa interview you will be required to purchase an envelope for the return of your passport once visa processing has been completed. The fee for the courier service starts at £14:00; payable by credit or debit card or in cash.
I cannot wait for my passport to be returned to me by courier.
Visa processing will not be completed on the day of the interview, therefore, it will not be possible to hand back your passport. Your passport will be handed to SMS once we have completed processing.
We always recommend that individuals apply for visas well in advance of their proposed date of travel and do not make final travel plans until the visa has been issued and they are in receipt of their passport.
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Visa Interview