US visit visa renewal - timeline for sending documents guidance

rajpotula

New Member
Hi All,

I am a Canadian Permanent Resident, applying to renew my US visa (B1/B2) which will expire next year (March 2024). I am currently in Vancouver.

I had submitted my DS160 application yesterday and received email that my visa interview has been waived and that I will get further instructions in another email regarding how to submit my passport and other documents. Expected time for that email was 5 weeks.

But now I had received the email today itself for submitting the passport and documents. My concern is that I am currently scheduled to travel to the United States on October 29th for an 8-day conference. Given the proximity of my trip, I am concerned that if I send my passport and requested documents now, I may not receive them back in time for my planned travel.

My question is whether there is a specific deadline for sending in my passport and these documents, or if it would be acceptable to submit my passport and required documents after my trip, around November 6th, 2023? I understand that we cannot predict exact processing times, but I am seeking guidance on whether it is feasible to expect my passport to be returned before the end of October.

Thanks in advance for all the support! :)
 

canadageorge

Administrator
Location
Toronto, Ontario
Full disclosure: Immigroup just started offering US visa appointments.

So, this is the first time I have heard of this issue. It's a real problem; here is what I would do:

- Post this question to all forum communities dealing with US visas (Canada/USA).
- Email the US consulate in Vancouver and ask if you can submit your passport after your trip.

Question: what does the letter say? Can you share it here so I can review it (remove personal info)?
 

rajpotula

New Member
Full disclosure: Immigroup just started offering US visa appointments.

So, this is the first time I have heard of this issue. It's a real problem; here is what I would do:

- Post this question to all forum communities dealing with US visas (Canada/USA).
- Email the US consulate in Vancouver and ask if you can submit your passport after your trip.

Question: what does the letter say? Can you share it here so I can review it (remove personal info)?
Hi! Thanks for the quick reply!

I had already mailed the US consulate in Vancouver today, and got back an automated email saying they recieved it and will reply within 3 business days.

Here's what the email instructions say:

GDIT/United States DoS Nonimmigrant Visa Instructions
Please read these instructions in their entirety. Failure to comply with these instructions may delay the processing of your U.S. Nonimmigrant Visa application.

To complete this application for a U.S. Nonimmigrant Visa, each applicant listed below must send supporting documents to the U.S. Consular Section. Depending on the type of Visa Class you may need to either scan and email your documents or courier physical documents to the U.S. Consular Section. Instructions on which method you must use are included within the individual applicant instruction pages.

If you are part of a family or other group applying for Interview Waiver, please package and send all of your visa applications in the same courier shipment. Failure to do so will result in increased processing times.

Please gather the documents for each applicant listed below.

Instructions for XXXXXXXXXXX
Applicant NameXXXXXXXXXX
Visa ClassB1/B2 Business & Tourism (Temporary visitor)
DS-160 NumberXXXXXXXXXXX
Passport NumberXXXXXXXXXX
DS-160 Number
XXXXXXXXXX
Passport Number
XXXXXXXXXX

You must courier your documents into the U.S. Consular Section. Please gather the requested documents and generate a "Courier-In Authorization Certificate" by clicking the "View Courier-in receipt" button below. Include a copy of these instructions in the list of documents you send to the Consular Section.

Only include requested documents.

Interview Waiver processing times take between four to six weeks. Prior to completion of visa processing, your U.S. visa application status will appear as “No Status” when you perform an online check at https://ceac.state.gov/CEAC. The Consular Section will not respond to any email inquiries about your case until after the six-week processing time from the reception of your documents.

Please note that a Consular Officer reserves the right to request that an applicant appears in person for an interview after reviewing the visa application.

General Required Documents - For All Visa Types
The following documents are required for all visa types:
  1. Current Passport valid for travel to the United States. The passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the period of stay in the United States (unless exempt by country-specific agreements.)
  2. Passport containing the most recently issued U.S. visa (if applicable).
  3. Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-160 confirmation page.
  4. Confirmation and Instructions page printed from this website
  5. One 5 x 5 cm (2 x 2 inches) color photo taken within the last 6 months. Further details regarding Department of State photo guidelines can be found at: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/photos.html.
  6. Accompanying family members, unless entering the United States for another purpose, should present a marriage certificate (spouse) and/or birth certificate (for unmarried children under 21), as applicable.
  7. Copy of proof of your legal status in Canada
If you are attending an appointment in person, you must bring original documents. If you are eligible to send your documents via courier, you must send your current valid passport and the prior passport containing the most recently issued U.S visa (if applicable), as well as the DS-160 confirmation page and copies of any other supporting documents. Please see the section below for a list of supporting documents required for each visa type.
(B) VISITOR: BUSINESS, TOURISM, MEDICAL TREATMENT
  • Be ready to present the following documents, if traveling for medical treatment:
    • Medical diagnosis from a local physician, explaining the nature of the ailment and the reason treatment is needed in the United States.
    • Letter from a physician or medical facility in the United States stating the willingness to treat the diagnosed ailment, and detailing the projected length and cost of treatment (including doctors' fees, hospitalization fees, and all medical-related expenses).
    • Proof that the patient's transportation, medical, and living expenses in the United States will be paid. This may be in the form of bank or other statements of income/savings or certified copies of income tax returns (either the patient's or the person or organization paying for the treatment).
  • You may apply for a B-1 visitor visa to work temporarily in the U.S. as a personal or domestic employee in limited situations. You and your employer will be required to prove the employment relationship meets the wages and working conditions of the U.S. For further details on how to apply, visit your local U.S. Embassy’s website and https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/tourism-visit/visitor.html.
When attending an in-person consular interview, additional documents may be requested to establish if you are qualified for the visa. If you qualify for NOT attending an in-person consular interview, submit only the required documents specifically listed on the instruction page.
For example, additional requested documents for an in-person interview may include evidence of:
  • The purpose of your trip
  • Your intent to depart the United States after your trip; and/or
  • Your ability to pay all the costs of your trip.
  • Evidence of your employment and/or family ties may be sufficient to show the purpose of your trip and your intent to return to your home country.
  • If you cannot cover all the costs for your trip, you may show evidence that another person will cover some or all of the costs for your trip.

Visa Issuance Fee (Reciprocity Fee)
Depending on the applicant's country of citizenship and the visa type, the applicant may also be required to pay an additional fee for visa issuance, known as a reciprocity fee. Detailed information about reciprocity fees can be found at https://travel.state.gov/content/tr...ciprocity-and-Civil-Documents-by-Country.html
Document Return
Delivery Type:
Visa Application Premium Delivery Fee
Delivery Address:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Vancouver, BC,xxxxxx
Canada


You only have until 4 October, 2023, 07:17 local time to change the location where your visa documents will be delivered. After the time indicated above, the option to change the courier location will be deactivated from your account and at this point no courier changes will be allowed.

That's it. Hope it's not a problem to share this here :)

Thanks!
 

rajpotula

New Member
I just got this reply back from them:

Dear applicant,

All nonimmigrant visa application fee (also known as the MRV fee) payments are valid for 365 days from the date a receipt is issued for payment of the MRV fee. Applicants must schedule an interview appointment or submit an interview waiver application during this 365-day period. There is no requirement the interview must occur during the 365-day period.

Sincerely,
The Contact Desk Support Team.

So I guess I can send in the documents once I am back from the trip?

Thanks!
 

canadageorge

Administrator
Location
Toronto, Ontario
This is excellent info; seeing all the templated messages they send to clients is interesting.

Yes, to me, it reads you can do this when you get back from your trip. I also found this part interesting, "The Consular Section will not respond to any email inquiries about your case until after the six-week processing time" They must get a lot of emails.

The letter seems very flexible, they use words like "delay", or "increased processing times", which is a good sign for you.

Let us know how this goes for you...
 

rajpotula

New Member
Great, yeah, looks like I will be safe to submit once I am back from my trip. I checked the processing times for my visa in the US consulate in Vancouver webpage and they say its just 10 days for interview waiver applications. I am tempted to send in my documents, but will wait till I finish the trip, just to be safe :) Thanks again for your input! :)
 

ADDeng

New Member
Great, yeah, looks like I will be safe to submit once I am back from my trip. I checked the processing times for my visa in the US consulate in Vancouver webpage and they say its just 10 days for interview waiver applications. I am tempted to send in my documents, but will wait till I finish the trip, just to be safe :) Thanks again for your input! :)
Hi! Curious if you were able to use your old travel visa just fine? I have the similar issue except that I submitted my application via Toronto office ~2 weeks ago. With the end of year holiday coming up and the longer wait time expected here, it might affect my trip booked in mid-Jan :(

I also want to use my old valid Visa. Did everything work out smoothly for you?
 

rajpotula

New Member
Hi! Curious if you were able to use your old travel visa just fine? I have the similar issue except that I submitted my application via Toronto office ~2 weeks ago. With the end of year holiday coming up and the longer wait time expected here, it might affect my trip booked in mid-Jan :(

I also want to use my old valid Visa. Did everything work out smoothly for you?
Hey :) Yeah, I am able to use my old visa just fine, no problems or questions at the Immigration. I took about 4 trips to US from October till now, just returned yesterday from the US. I am yet to send in my passport and requested documents via courier, which I will be doing today. Hopefully should be getting them back soon :) All the best!
 

OnAQuest

New Member
Hi rajpotula, I am in a similar situation and will be using the Vancouver office. Any update on how the interview-waiver process went? Thanks!
 
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