| October 10, 2022 Book Visa Appointments Now – Don’t Wait |
| If you are planning to travel over the winter break, you should book your appointments now. Appointments for visa stamping at the US Consulates, while improving, remain backlogged. Each Consulate has its own local practices that change frequently. You are responsible for following the Consulate’s instructions for scheduling an appointment and presenting the specific documentation requested. Most Consulates will have local rules for requesting expedited or emergency appointments. Some Consulates will not entertain expedite requests and only consider emergency appointment requests for earlier appointments. These are granted in limited circumstances, and you should not expect that you will qualify for one. Some Consulates permit Third Country National processing, allowing individuals to apply for visa appointments at Consulates outside of their countries of citizenship. If you will be applying for a new visa stamp, you are responsible for scheduling your appointment, researching the country’s quarantine and vaccine requirements, and informing your department that your return to the US may be delayed if your visa stamp is not issued in a timely manner. Please keep in mind that it will likely be an additional 3-5 days after your interview before your passport is returned to you with your new visa stamp. We recommend return travel dates should be booked on open tickets to provide you the most flexibility. Waiver of Interview Requirement For Temporary Workers H-1, H-3, H-4, L, O, P, and Q visas You may qualify to have your visa stamp issued to you without attending an in-person interview if you meet the following conditions: 1) You are applying for a visa stamp in your country of nationality or residence; 2) You have previously been issued a visa stamp in any category or you are applying for your first visa stamp and a a citizen or national of a Visa Waiver Program country; and, 3) You have no apparent or potential ineligibility and have not been previously refused a visa ***This current Department of State guidance is set to expire on 12/31/2022.*** It is at the discretion of the Consular Officer whether or not the interview will be waived. Consulates almost uniformly require a visa appointment be booked before granting a renewal without interview. Please check with the Consulate where you are applying for further details – https://www.usembassy.gov/ . ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————– Need to renew your drivers license? Consider AB 60  DID YOU KNOW that individuals with an unexpired drivers license may be able to renew their licenses under the AB 60 category without having to pay a fee or take a new driving test? If your license is expiring and you do not yet have your extended status approval notice (From I-797A), you may be able to take advantage of applying for a new license under AB 60. Those who meet all requirements, should make an appointment or visit their local DMV to apply for a new AB 60 license. Please note that practices at DMV locations vary, and not all staff may be aware of these processes. You may need to ask to speak with a supervisor if your documentation is not accepted. |