Criminal record and obtaining a US visa

[Oxyriffs]

Nooooo! That's not what I wanted to hear!

We might have to look at other options

 

[Oxyriffs]

Just came back from my Interview. And Yes they are sending it away again. Good news is that the lady in the interview said that it will be granted again as it was last year and nothing has changed since.
Bad news is ................... approx 5 month wait. Luckily I'm planning to go in April next year

 

[Julesmac]

Just came back from my Interview. And Yes they are sending it away again. Good news is that the lady in the interview said that it will be granted again as it was last year and nothing has changed since.
Bad news is ................... approx 5 month wait. Luckily I'm planning to go in April next year

I really am amazed that US visas take so long. What on earth do they do all day (I realise lots of people want to visit the US but you'd think with their population they could hire a few more people!) What happens to businessmen if they need suddenly to go? There does not seem to be any capacity to fast track, compare that to Oz where you can get a very quick turnaround on passports, albeit at usurious rates.....

 

[NickTom]

Hi to all those waiting for waiver of inegilibility i just finished my 20 th week wait and still no visa yet another week and it will be 5 months if there true to there word it should be soon

 

[arfadent]

Hi to all those waiting for waiver of inegilibility i just finished my 20 th week wait and still no visa yet another week and it will be 5 months if there true to there word it should be soon

Almost 23 weeks for me now and still waiting.

 

[NickTom]

Have you been chasing it up what do the tell you

 

[arfadent]

Have you been chasing it up what do the tell you

I haven't chased it up since they told me 5 months processing time.

Based on the processing time of the visa that Anthx got (153 days), i assumed that mine would show up this week but I guess its blown out even further now.

 

[Oxyriffs]

All of a sudden my trip in nine months looks a little dodgy. Last year when I got one it took 6 weeks!!!

 

[arfadent]

Wow, my visa has arrived at last.

Melbourne Consulate Appointment: 7 February 2012
Visa Approved: 11 July 2012 (according to visa stamp)
Visa Issued: 13 July 2012 (according to visa stamp)
Visa Posted: 13 July 2012 (aust post tracking info)
Visa Arrived: 16 July 2012
From Interview to Visa in hand: 160 days or 5 Months 1 week 2 days

Extra info:
I was not advised in advance that it had been approved, it just arrived in the post without warning.
My original documents (police check/court docs etc) were returned in the envelope with my passport.
Surprisingly, no communication from the Consulate at all. No confirmation letter, no explanation about the visa re: usage, any limitations or anything I might need to know about using it.

So that's it. Saga over. My two opportunities to go to the US have both been and gone without me. I have no reason or plans to go to the US in the next 12 months now so what really hurts is that this visa is completely useless to me.
I must say that next time I think about a trip to the US, I will seriously have to consider if I want to do this again. Sourcing new police checks, the flight to Melbourne, the interview process, the stress that the quoted processing time might suddenly double again (or almost triple in fact) and throw the plans out yet again.
It seems like everywhere else in the world is crying out for my tourist dollar at the moment and is more than willing to let me visit without going through such a difficult process. It makes you think doesn't it?

Good luck to all the others going through this process, I hope you get your visa's in time.

Arfa,

 

[NickTom]

Good you got it all I can say to anyone wanting to go to the US try Europe they appreciate tourists more and you don't have to jump through hoops to get there

 

[dougieboy]

America, the land of the free and the paranoid.

 

[flymetothemoon]

Wow, my visa has arrived at last.

Melbourne Consulate Appointment: 7 February 2012
Visa Approved: 11 July 2012 (according to visa stamp)
Visa Issued: 13 July 2012 (according to visa stamp)
Visa Posted: 13 July 2012 (aust post tracking info)
Visa Arrived: 16 July 2012
From Interview to Visa in hand: 160 days or 5 Months 1 week 2 days

Extra info:
I was not advised in advance that it had been approved, it just arrived in the post without warning.
My original documents (police check/court docs etc) were returned in the envelope with my passport.
Surprisingly, no communication from the Consulate at all. No confirmation letter, no explanation about the visa re: usage, any limitations or anything I might need to know about using it.

So that's it. Saga over. My two opportunities to go to the US have both been and gone without me. I have no reason or plans to go to the US in the next 12 months now so what really hurts is that this visa is completely useless to me.
I must say that next time I think about a trip to the US, I will seriously have to consider if I want to do this again. Sourcing new police checks, the flight to Melbourne, the interview process, the stress that the quoted processing time might suddenly double again (or almost triple in fact) and throw the plans out yet again.
It seems like everywhere else in the world is crying out for my tourist dollar at the moment and is more than willing to let me visit without going through such a difficult process. It makes you think doesn't it?

Good luck to all the others going through this process, I hope you get your visa's in time.

Arfa,

Arfa, if you have a viewable criminal record, just be glad you don't want to go to Canada! The process is even worse, plus you need lots more paperwork including references and it costs even more money to apply!

 

[arfadent]

Arfa, if you have a viewable criminal record, just be glad you don't want to go to Canada! The process is even worse, plus you need lots more paperwork including references and it costs even more money to apply!

Actually, I have been to Canada on holiday this year.
But, because my conviction is considered spent, (actually it was 25 years ago) Canada recognises Australia's spent convictions act and considered me rehabilitated.

I had emailled the embassy and they quoted the above bit about the spent convictions act to me and even suggested I print out and take the email with me just in case I had any troubles at immigration. When I got there, no questions were asked and its was all smiles and welcomes.

But as you say, if my conviction had not been spent, it would have been a different issue.

Arfa,

 

[Limewood]

flymetothemoon think you'll find visa is good for 3 years.

 

[Oxyriffs]

One week down ........... 20 odd weeks to go

 

[NickTom]

One week down ........... 20 odd weeks to go

Hi I got 21weeks down to got two emails from them yesterday one said that they will not notifie me when the visa is aproved and they will just send my passport back as with the envelope provided
mind you I have my passport .
the other email said that the wait is now 24 weeks but I should get it sooner and they will email me to send my passport.
just as I thought the right hand doesn't know what the left is doing
so I sent my passport in yesterday to confuse them a bit

 

[NickTom]

Hi I got 21weeks down to got two emails from them yesterday one said that they will not notifie me when the visa is aproved and they will just send my passport back as with the envelope provided
mind you I have my passport .
the other email said that the wait is now 24 weeks but I should get it sooner and they will email me to send my passport.
just as I thought the right hand doesn't know what the left is doing
so I sent my passport in yesterday to confuse them a bit

Update it's is 22 weeks today or 5 months and still no visa what a joke this is becoming have to be in newyork on the 13th of august it's looking doubtfully at this point

 

[Julesmac]

Update it's is 22 weeks today or 5 months and still no visa what a joke this is becoming have to be in newyork on the 13th of august it's looking doubtfully at this point

As a matter of interest, has anyone ever queried this with DFAT or someone official to get their take on the 'joke' that US visas take this long?

 

[NickTom]

As a matter of interest, has anyone ever queried this with DFAT or someone official to get their take on the 'joke' that US visas take this long?

All they will say the that is US policy
and we have to adhere to that .
in the eyes of DHS we will all ways be criminals no matter how long and how petty our crimes were

 

[NickTom]

All they will say the that is US policy
and we have to adhere to that .
in the eyes of DHS we will all ways be criminals no matter how long and how petty our crimes were

Update got my visa approval today
5 months and one day
good luck to everyone waiting