Alternative US Embassy for E2 Renewal

[Jupiterdays]

This is my first posting so please bear with me. We are British Citizens who originally entered the US on a J visa, we then changed status to an E2 upon starting our business. We have never been back to the London Embassy or any other for that matter and are therefore landlocked. Our business has grown to such an extent that my husband in now getting requests to do business overseas which at this moment in time he can not accept thus losing the business substantial income. So the time has arrived for us to finally attend an embassy for renewal. Our attorney has attempted to get an appointment from the London Embassy but to no avail (I am not sure why) and made an error when booking our appointment in Barbados and now our appointment there is not until January 2010. So does anyone know of any other Embassy that will accept E2 visa applications from British Citizens other than those I've mentioned? Our attorney doesn't seem to know but then they didn't know about Barbados until I joined this forum. Thank you.

[JulieC]

Mexico do them as well. Why can he not get an appointment with London however?? That doesnt sound right to me. I would ask the question as you say you dont know why. Most people get one in around a month nowadays.

[peter gold]

Get a new attorney quick!

[Jupiterdays]

We knew the overseas business was coming so we asked the attorny to start the renewal process months ago even though our current E2 doesn't expire until Feb 2010, I know I've paid the London Embassy fee for them to telephone the embassy because they called to get my cc details and it's appeared on my bank statement. I will be asking them on Monday exactly why they haven't managed to secure a London appointment - even though we are using an attorny can I make the London appointment myself?. Thank you for the information on Mexico I will look into that.

[Jupiterdays]

Have just checked the London Embassy with regards to making the E2 visa appointment and it quotes this

"Investors must submit a binder of supporting documents as described on the following pages and wait until this binder has been reviewed by officers at the London Embassy. Once the review is completed, the E-visas Unit will contact the investor to arrange an interview date."

Can anyone who has recently been to London tell me if that is still how they process the E2 visa. And if it is maybe thats what my attorny means by having had no communication from them!

[chris]

Jupiter,
I would agree with Peter Golds earlier comment about possibly changing Attorney. You are paying dearly for legal expertise in immigration and it sounds like you are not getting it. They don't know why you can't get a London appointment and they cocked up Barbados. It doesn't sound very professional to me and you only get one crack at this.
If you visit the US State Department website and browse around you will be able to find the section about applying for/renewing an E2 Visa. The rule is that the E2 application/renewal has to be done outside the US and the State Dept prefer you to apply/renew in your home country, meaning London or Belfast if you're a Brit by birth. However, you can apply/renew at any US Embassy overseas that is willing to handle applications from TCN's (Third Country Nationals). Bordering the US, that includes Canada, Mexico, Barbados, Bahamas, etc. You do however need to check on the individual embassy website and there it will tell you if they are willing to do TCN's. IF they won't and not all do, find somewhere else.
Hope this helps.

[InnVic]

With Barbados you get the appointment then send application pack in a few weeks before appointment date. With London you send the application pack in - then wait until they invite you for interview - can take months for you to be invited to request interview then several weeks until actual interview date. The process was taking up to 18 months!!! I believe it is substantially quciket these days as people are avoiding E2 visa (and renewals) due to bad experiences.

[peter gold]

Current London renewal wait is about 8 weeks
They review your file for compliance and if it needs anything else they send a Request For Evidence and issue an appointment
Chris has said it all about filing at a non UK consulate
see http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/niv/e.html
and
http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/niv/enew5.html