Courier. Contacts. Changes. Confusion.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

I decided to make some phone calls this morning to see what I could find out about the courier. ( I don't know if you noticed a post yesterday by someone wanting to have their passport collected at home and delivered to the embassy because London was ready to issue their visa. He was told CSC was the courier. I googled CSC and they are the courier for Canada. I found a CSC in the UK and emailed them via their contact page since it was night in the UK by that time.)

So phone calls today and what I learned--

DX Secure.

1) They do not do visa courier service for London since yesterday July 29.

2) They do not collect UK passports to deliver to London

3) all she knew was the new courier is called CSC.

4) They continue to do US passport services for American passports and still have a presence at the embassy but on the Americans with issues side, not the UK people getting visas side. (Somebody going to an interview can take a look and see if anybody is manning the courier desk in the corner. Who volunteers to check it out in person?)

CSC couriers in Northampton tel:07855337519

This was my Google attempt at the name CSC. I had asked a billion questions in my email. I didn't get an answer to the email so rang them.

"Are you the courier for visas from the American Embassy in London?" NO

When I refreshed their webpage, I noticed the bold red writing had been added that had not been there earlier. Kinda funny. See it here http://www.csc-couriers.co.uk/

US Embassy London (at no point was asked to pay)

tel: 020 3608 6998 - this was on the contact page of their website. I got circled around many automated messages telling how to get a visa, that I could use VWP, that I could use various websites to find out what I needed to know. Then it disconnected.

tel: 09042-450-100 that is the number posted on VJ for the operated assisted line. Not a working number. Probably because I'm not in the UK?? The phone is our UK Vonage phone, so the number is a Bedford number 01234 xxxxxx. It didn't like it I guess.

tel: 020 7499-9000 - the number on VJ for the embassy switchboard

Much faffing around before it said for ALL other questions, press 8.

So I got a lovely young lady and started asking questions.

Who is the visa courier?

What if somebody was in AP and needed to have their passport collected?

I am aware of the new payment and courier online thing, but it is a mess and not very intuitive with fiance's guessing whether to pick immigrant or non-immigrant and those needing to respond to 221(g) not knowing who will collect their passport for delivery to the IV unit.

So she said she knew they were experiencing "teething" problems and the administration is working all week to try to resolve issues with it.

And if I wanted to make a written enquiry to the embassy, they have an online way to do that and guided me to it. I believe it is new.

Contact form http://london.usembassy.gov/niv/visa_contact_form.html

So that's all I know for this morning folks. Like all changes I've seen in the London process, it will become clear eventually as you all go through it and report your experiences

[BGCP 1]

Hello there,

We feel your pain! My fiancé had his interview this morning and told him he would get a phone call when it's issued. We DID NOT register beforehand with the courier service to have it delivered to home address. So what now? What a mess! Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks for sharing the information above.

[GeeH 5]

This link

http://www.usembassy.org.uk/visaservices/

Explains the new NIV system and still says it's DX who do their courier service?

I'm so confused!! does the NIV apply for K1s who are waiting for interview dates? I guess not since we are told to wait for our date to be appointed to us right?

This is such a pain!

[GeeH 5]

I think I found some info, this is from the embassy FAQs:

I am applying for a K visa; will the change in call center affect me?

The Immigrant Visa Unit at the Embassy will continue to process your application and schedule the appointment; however, you will be required to pay the MRV application fee to the new call center prior to attending the Embassy for an interview. From July 26, you may pay the fee online by debit card via http://usvisa-info.com.

Thank goodness!

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

This link

http://www.usembassy.org.uk/visaservices/

Explains the new NIV system and still says it's DX who do their courier service?

I'm so confused!! does the NIV apply for K1s who are waiting for interview dates? I guess not since we are told to wait for our date to be appointed to us right?

This is such a pain!

It is weird that DX has told me and that other person they aren't doing any UK passports, when it is DX depots where things can be picked up. I even called back and selected another menu number to see if I got a different department. It could have been the same lady but I asked more questions anyway.

The embassy is updating their website and will get it all straight hopefully. The transitions when they change things are always a mess.

I am sure that when London speaks of NIV visas, they do not mean K1s in that group. K1s are always lumped with the IV process.

[nobbie 105]

it is very odd as when you are in the new system the drop down menu for the depot lists them as Dx this that and the other.

[crashsle 4]

Thanks for posting about this, my interview is next week and I wouldn't have even realised if it weren't for you! My interview is next Tuesday and I've found that if you go to https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-gb/users/sign_in in advance you can register yourself and your interview date and then you get the option to select the place nearest to you to pick up from (the options are awful if you live in the countryside!) Like nobbie said it seems to suggest DX still delivers to their own depots where you collect from, they just may not be responsible for couriering to houses individually?

I tried phoning the original MRV fee line, which you also posted 09042-450-100 and only reached a pre recorded message saying the phone line was no longer in service, I tried the new contact number on the embassy website and like Nich-Nick bounced around hundreds of pre recorded messages talking about VWP before it disconnected me. The only phone line I was able to speak to a real person was the embassy switchboard (number in Nich-Nicks post) and was put on the phone with a heavily european accented lady who said as far as she was aware nothing had changed, that the passport would still be delivered to my home, and that she didn't know what my problem was or why I was phoning. When I said the courier system had completely changed, and that even the official website said it would be delivered to a collection point, she got very confused and told me to email them instead, so obviously the changeover period hasn't been made very clear to the staff either which is helpful!

The page she sent me to to email the embassy is http://london.usembassy.gov/niv/visa_contact_form.html so from the sounds of things, this is the only way to resolve problems at least for the time being! I'm off to send a message to them now but hopefully this helps somebody.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

The page she sent me to to email the embassy is [/background][/font][/color]http://london.usembassy.gov/niv/visa_contact_form.html so from the sounds of things, this is the only way to resolve problems at least for the time being! I'm off to send a message to them now but hopefully this helps somebody.

That's the same contact link I was directed to also. So based on your experience, it sounds like the operated assisted line is disabled. I was calling from Texas via a UK phone number and thought that might be my problem since they say calls must be from the UK and some won't work.

If you want to pay your fee and schedule the courier, here is someone who has done it and wrote out their steps http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/443169-london-k-applicants-to-pay-mrv-fees-through-new-system-if-interview-26th-july/?p=6409966

If you have already paid to the phone line, but only need the courier...then it gets a little fuzzy if the system will allow it.

[BGCP 1]

Good morning, just a quick update. My fiancé in the UK received an email this morning from the US Dept. of State and Visa Appointment and Info System with a link to courier details and yes it is DXS. He then had to choose a delivery hub. We now have to wait 3 days for it to be processed and be ready for pick up. We did not coordinate any courier details before his interview which was yesterday morning. So they will get in contact with you either way.

[Anna Grant 169]

Good morning, just a quick update. My fiancé in the UK received an email this morning from the US Dept. of State and Visa Appointment and Info System with a link to courier details and yes it is DXS. He then had to choose a delivery hub. We now have to wait 3 days for it to be processed and be ready for pick up. We did not coordinate any courier details before his interview which was yesterday morning. So they will get in contact with you either way.

Is that link to the courier details personalized or is it generic? If it's generic, could you possibly post it here so that other people can see? Thanks. AG

[GeeH 5]

This was just posted on the consulate review page of someone who had an interview in London on July 30th

http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/index.php?trim=no&cty=&cnty=United%20Kingdom&page=1&dfilter=5&topic=

He mentions that they asked for his email and phone number and no pink slip when he showed up.

This whole change over is really concerning, also as their systems seem to be down it's not a good sign for those waiting for interview dates to come through.

If anyone can update the embassy information page with new phone numbers that work and emails etc I think it would be good. Right now I have no idea where to look or who to call anymore :/ I still have a couple months before I fly out but it's still disconcerting to say the least.

Thanks!

[~*Amber*~ 4]

This was just posted on the consulate review page of someone who had an interview in London on July 30th

http://www.visajourney.com/reviews/index.php?trim=no&cty=&cnty=United%20Kingdom&page=1&dfilter=5&topic=

He mentions that they asked for his email and phone number and no pink slip when he showed up.

This whole change over is really concerning, also as their systems seem to be down it's not a good sign for those waiting for interview dates to come through.

If anyone can update the embassy information page with new phone numbers that work and emails etc I think it would be good. Right now I have no idea where to look or who to call anymore :/ I still have a couple months before I fly out but it's still disconcerting to say the least.

Thanks!

I rang the main switch board, (02074999000) and took the option to speak to the front desk, She told me the new system for delivery were not honouring MRV payments before the 29th, and they were trying to sort something out.

My interview was on the 30th, but I paid the MRV weeks before hand, from what she was saying it sounds like I am stuck in some kind of limbo between the old courier and the new one, but I am meant to be flying out on the 6th! Really hoping for the phone to ring, at least then i will know something is happening. I even asked after my interview if I needed to arrange delivery, only to be told they would call.

-Liam

[FlorRosa 0]

now I am confused! DX came and collected my passport on July 29th. When I called for arrange a collection, I paid for the collection and delivery. Now I am getting quite confused about if it will be really delivered to my home.

[Jeannie & Al 18]

Ugh, this just isn't encouraging - just when I thought this process couldn't get more confusing. we are waiting for our interview date - I guess once we get that, we'll try navigating through this mess. I think we will have to pay for the courier because i didn't see any Welsh locations on the list I pulled up for DX which is fine...

[rhirhi 35]

Ugh, this just isn't encouraging - just when I thought this process couldn't get more confusing. we are waiting for our interview date - I guess once we get that, we'll try navigating through this mess. I think we will have to pay for the courier because i didn't see any Welsh locations on the list I pulled up for DX which is fine...

I know that DX have a depot in Bridgend as I pass it all the time, was that not one of the options?