Washington DC visa processing time?

[farangkrab]

Decided to apply for my non-immigrant O-A visa here in the States.  The documents required is overwhelming but managed to get them together.  The primary motivation was to be able to keep the funds required in my brokerage account and not sit in a Thai bank.  Depending how things work out, I may apply for the O-X next year and move the funds anyway. ????

 

Applying for the visa online on the DC website proved challenging as both Safari and Chrome both kept crashing.  I ended up using Microsoft Edge (for Mac) and it went through without any issues.   After submitting the doc's, I received a response the following morning!  One doc was omitted and after uploading it, again got a response the following morning and asked to mail in my passport and documentation.  The processing time was impressive.

 

My question is after I send in my passport, how fast can I expect to receive it back?  I am going to be traveling and need an idea which location to have it sent.  If it's anything like the online processing, it could be quite fast.

 

xoxo

 

 

[ubonjoe]

They say to mail it no later than 15 days before the day you plan on traveling. Reports I have seen it is normally within a week to get it done.

[HerewardtheWake]

Ha, Can one apply for an O-A visa on line?I thought that in the absence of in person submission, one has to mail in the passport and the application materials together. Is the OP talking about a COE, which can be applied for on line?

[ubonjoe]

2 hours ago, HerewardtheWake said:

Is the OP talking about a COE, which can be applied for on line?

In the states the answer is yes and at most embassies and consulates. Only 3 or 4 embassies use a online visa application site.

[farangkrab]

So I got my non-immigrant O-A visa.  It took 10 work days to get my passport with visa back.  The process for the DC website is to then upload a copy of the visa to the form already completed online, to apply for the COE.

 

Does any have experience on how long the COE approval takes after re-submitting?

[don43451]

On 12/1/2020 at 7:48 PM, ubonjoe said:

They say to mail it no later than 15 days before the day you plan on traveling. Reports I have seen it is normally within a week to get it done.

They say to mail it no later than 15 WORKING days before the day you plan to travel.

[SEAsia Traveler]

3 hours ago, farangkrab said:

So I got my non-immigrant O-A visa.  It took 10 work days to get my passport with visa back.  The process for the DC website is to then upload a copy of the visa to the form already completed online, to apply for the COE.

 

Does any have experience on how long the COE approval takes after re-submitting?

I thought the COE would be issued simultaneously with the new visa. So another step required to get the COE? I didn't know that. They have your flight arrival date already, right? TiT.

 

Did you receive any communication from DC between the time you mailed your passport and got it back?

Edited December 19, 2020 by SEAsia Traveler

[farangkrab]

16 hours ago, SEAsia Traveler said:

I thought the COE would be issued simultaneously with the new visa. So another step required to get the COE? I didn't know that. They have your flight arrival date already, right? TiT.

 

Did you receive any communication from DC between the time you mailed your passport and got it back?

I assumed the COE & visa would be issued the same time as well.  After the visa was issued I received an email that said I need to now apply for the COE.  They give you the same link you used to upload all the docs originally, including the flight details etc.  This time you select "have visa" and eventually upload a copy of it.  You do not have to re-enter any details as it's all still on the form you filled out originally.  In my case I had to change (and upload) the flight and ASQ, as my flight was cancelled from when I had originally submitted the docs for the visa. Good times..

The communication was great when I applied online at DC.  Unfortunately this was not the case when I sent in my passport and docs.  There was no communication that anything was received and the only communication was 10 working days later when they said the visa was issued.  Made me a little nervous...

[George36]

LA Consulate’s website, FAQ, advises that a revised COE’s processing time is five work days.  They do the Tourist Visa and COE at one time.  I overnighted my package and they received it yesterday at 11:38.

 

Thanks for the info about ten days.  Makes me more patient.  My flight is in mid-January so I have time.

 

 

[farangkrab]

COE 

On 12/18/2020 at 1:31 PM, farangkrab said:

So I got my non-immigrant O-A visa.  It took 10 work days to get my passport with visa back.  The process for the DC website is to then upload a copy of the visa to the form already completed online, to apply for the COE.

 

Does any have experience on how long the COE approval takes after re-submitting?

My COE arrived today.  Took 3 working days  ????

 

My flight is in 3 weeks.  Now I just have to hope Thailand stays open and my flight doesn't cancel ????