Trying to book flight

[Jennymc11 2]

Hi everybody,

My fiance has his visa interview on July 20th and we are trying to get a feel for about how long it will take to get his passport/visa back from the London embassy (assuming there are no problems.)

I know most people would suggest not booking flights until a visa is in hand, but we stumbled upon some very good deals and want to book it anyway. Check out www.skyscanner.net. Anyway, could people respond with how long it took for the embassy to return the passport? Thank you so much!

Jenny

[TracyTN 237]

We were interviewed Friday, he got his passport on Tuesday. But there've been people here who have taken a week or two to get the passport back. You really never know whose will be fast or slow (and why).

Thanks for the link. Having trouble finding anything remotely affordable! I knew it was summer airfare time but geez.

[Mags 112]

Mine took a month.

[Jennymc11 2]

No prob, we found a one way from Gatwick to JFK for £208 in late July! Then we would just need to buy an internal from JFk to Denver.

Actually, does anyone know if its possible for him to pick up the passport at the Embassy instead of waiting for the courier?

[TracyTN 237]

Actually, does anyone know if its possible for him to pick up the passport at the Embassy instead of waiting for the courier?

Never heard of that being done. Your option is to pay for the courier and decide if you want the standard or expedited service.

[Jennymc11 2]

Ok thanks:)

[featherB 1]

Actually, does anyone know if its possible for him to pick up the passport at the Embassy instead of waiting for the courier?

Never heard of that being done. Your option is to pay for the courier and decide if you want the standard or expedited service.

There isn't an expedited service, is there? Just a choice to pay for delivery before 8am/10am/noon... if I remember correctly. So you can't get the visa any quicker, except for getting it earlier in the day than you otherwise would have... good for ensuring it'll arrive before you have to leave for work in the morning, I suppose!

For what it's worth... my interview was on a Thursday, 8am, I was approved without any problems, but the visa didn't arrive until the following Wednesday.

[TracyTN 237]

Yeah, you're right feather. I guess I just think of 'expedited' as 'I need it before 9 am'. In our case, we didn't give a hoot (and actually, with him working nights, it worked out better that the guy showed up at 5:30 pm!), but I can see where that'd make a difference to others.

[featherB 1]

Yeah, you're right feather. I guess I just think of 'expedited' as 'I need it before 9 am'. In our case, we didn't give a hoot (and actually, with him working nights, it worked out better that the guy showed up at 5:30 pm!), but I can see where that'd make a difference to others.

Well it's kind of expedited, if you want it in your hot little hands NOOOWWWWWW, then every minute counts! And it worked that way for me, too - I was on night shifts for a few days after the interview, and would have paid good money to ensure that the courier WOULDN'T show up before 10am, just in case I ended up missing them - SMS didn't offer that service, though!

Oh yeah - congrats on the visa... so when's Chas coming over, then??

[TracyTN 237]

See above - trying to find flights, plus now we think he has the flu! UGH. But we're workin on it!

[featherB 1]

See above - trying to find flights, plus now we think he has the flu! UGH. But we're workin on it!

Oops, missed that bit - reading obviously isn't my strong point this morning! Poor Chas... hope it's just a passing summer cold, rather than actual flu, that would suck!

Hope you can find a non-bank-breaking fare to get him over here - 'bout time too!!

[TracyTN 237]

Agreed! I'm not worried about it really - we'll find something, just may not be this week.

[Lansbury 19]

The courier usually delivers no more than a day after the Embassy gives them the passport, the unknown is the Embassy sticking the visa in the passport. 3 - 5 business days seems to be the time the majority are returned in but as others have said it is not that unknown for the delay to be longer

[Mags 112]

As each case is different I think it is actually quite difficult for any of us to say "if you book your flight X days after the interview your visa/passport will have arrived". It averages a week, but there are multiple incidences where it has taken longer. You just can't tell...or depend on a specific time limit.

Good luck with whatever you decide though!

[Tim and Bethanie 1]

Ours took 2 weeks.