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[redumbrella]

I am traveling to the UK for a conference next year and want to get a head start on the visa process. Their visa application can be submitted online which I have done already. There is a particular statement on the website which I am unable to decipher which reads: "If you are in the United States of America, Australia or New Zealand you must SEND these documents to the visa issuing office shown on your printed copy of your application form. No personal callers will be admitted to the visa office location. Your application will not be accepted at any other location. Failure to submit documents will result in a delay and/or lead to the refusal of your application." The procedure involves a biometrics appointment as well.

Those of you who may have undergone this process may be able to tell if should I *mail* the supporting documents (passport etc) to the USCIS application support center or should I bring them along when I go for my appointment? What does "send these documents" imply: send by mail or sent in person? Sorry cannot interpret for some reason. I could call them but there is a $3 fee + tax/min for that.

[crumpet]

Are you a US citizen? Do you really need a visa for a short-term visit?

You definitely need to FedEx in your visa application for a work visa (I had to walk one block to a FedEx and pay $80 to have them deliver my material back one block -- so infuriating).

[hegemony]

Send by mail.  Then they will give you an in-person appointment.  But this only applies if you are a citizen of a country where nationals need a visa for a short-term visit to Britain.  If you're American, you get six months automatically and you do not need to apply in advance; they just stamp your passport when you arrive in the U.K.

[redumbrella]

I am not a US citizen and will need a visa.

Does anyone recall how much time it took them to process the visa and return back the passport? That information will be helpful.

[monita]

I recently did this for a spouse settlement visa (so it might be slightly different in your case), but the wording was the same.  You send the paperwork to the visa office (not the USCIS), but do it AFTER you've done your USCIS visit.  You'll need to show your passport at the USCIS office.  You'll also need to mail in the receipt/paperwork they give you that shows you attended your biometrics appointment, and it's a lot less confusing to send everything in one packet.

On preview:  My visa took only about a week and a half.  I'm sure this is super variable, though, so give yourself plenty of time.

[notaprof]

I am not a US citizen and will need a visa.

Does anyone recall how much time it took them to process the visa and return back the passport? That information will be helpful.

For our students who apply for student visas to study in the UK, they have had their passport held at the consulate for any where between 2 weeks and 6 weeks.  The closer you apply to their busy periods, the longer it will take.  Students who apply July 1 for fall semester usually had theirs returned in 2 weeks.  A student who applied in mid August, did not get hers back until a week after classes started at her university.  With student visas, they process them in the order received, no exceptions.  You can't apply more than 90 days prior to departure, at least for student visas.  One student applied too early and they sent her passport back and she had to redo the whole process and pay the fees again.  

I don't know if all visas go through the same process as student visas but that has been my experience with the LA Consulate.  They are very competent people, but extremely understaffed.  

[wet_blanket]

I don't know if this is true for all visa types, but the visa I had I was allowed to apply for no earlier than three months before my planned entry.

[monita]

I don't know if this is true for all visa types, but the visa I had I was allowed to apply for no earlier than three months before my planned entry.

This was true for mine, too.