If you had to get a replacement immigrant visa what did you have to do how long did it take how much did it cost?

[hamtaro 4]

For whatever reason if you had to get a replacement visa for loss or damage, please please tell me I am going through hell, I can't get through the wait for information and before anyone tells me to call the embassy, note you CANNOT call the embassy you can only email and the response takes up to a week, I am simply not coping. Please help me ONLY if you know the answer ie. you have been in the situation. Please just keep quiet if you want to throw stuff at me like phone the embassy as we have literally now exhausted all line of enquiry and the embassy are being slow in response.

We have phoned;

:

Border Control

Embassy premium rate line (like 5 times and ammassed £50 bill)

USCIS (twice amassed $32 bill)

Various lawyers, all say phone the embassy

We have gone to the airport and asked at the desk for the airline I'm using if they will accept the visa

Husband is now going to go into the US airport and ask immigration control if they would accept such a visa.

All I am hearing is I have to reapply and do the visa AGAIN and embassy's premium rate line have told me exactly this and I have been phoning trying to get a new answer from a different person because you have no idea how unacceptable this answer is to me, I cannot imagine anything more horrifying than this. I would be way more tempted to attempt entry on the damaged visa as long as it is not a crime to do so. Can anyone please advise using THEIR OWN EXPERIENCE.

Edited May 16, 2011 by hamtaro

[Helen Louise Pile 80]

You have been given a lot of good advice on your other thread.

First: Calm down. You are making this far harder than it has to be. Things like this happen in life.

I just searched for information and for what I would do if I were in your position.

I am sorry, you don't want to hear this but call the embassy or nearest consulate and schedule an appointment. Hopefully you can then take your visa there and they can look at it and assess the situation from there. There is also information in the link about what to do if you feel that you have incurred excessive charges while calling the embassy premium number. http://london.usembassy.gov/visa_contact_information.html

If it were me right now,in your position, I would call them, be polite and patient and understanding and explain your situation. I would stop panicking and realise that things aren't always as bad as they seem. And I would look back at the other thread and realise that people have given me so much good advice.

Well good luck.

Just my2 cents. I hope you can get advice from someone who has had this problem before.

Edited May 16, 2011 by Helen Louise Pile

[hamtaro 4]

Hi.

I already know the answer. That you have to apply for the visa again.

I need to know how long this takes and how much it costs, please, from people in the know. I already know the embassy is going to tell me I need a new visa, I have been told this by people with much knowledge, no you cannot phone the embassy and ask them for an appointment to inspect a visa, the ONLY answer is "any damage=you need a new visa." I have been told this by the enquiry line and by the lawyer I saw last year for an unrelated matter. I have also been told by many that I can chance it on my visa because the embassy's blanket answer is "you need a new visa" but border control's is "some damage is OK, depends what we think when you come in with it."

PLEASE STOP TELLING ME TO CONTACT THE EMBASSY. I ALREADY KNOW WHAT THE EMBASSY WILL SAY.

\I need to know costs and timescale of applying for a new visa if you are in this situation, because I need to weigh up the risk factor of "go to USA now, on cheap ticket, because once I'm in the country no damage to this visa will matter as the green card replaces it."

PLEASE

DO NOT RESPOND

IF YOUR ONLY ADVICE IS "PHONE THE EMBASSY."

You cannot phone the embassy. I Have phoned their advice line, which is not direct to them. I have emailed the embassy, but given the advice of lawyers I ALREADY KNOW THEIR ANSWER. They will say my visa is invalid even if there were but one almost impossible to see mark on it. They merely err on side of caution because they CAN under the laws of the various countries they operate in, be sued for bad advice.

I am prepared to chance it on this visa as I can get a ticket to the USA for very cheap right now. The worst that can happen is I come back and have to get a new visa. But it's a probably 90% chance that wont be the case.

Edited May 16, 2011 by hamtaro

[*Snowdrop* 604]

So this is my experience with both a water damaged US visa in a UK passport and contacting the embassy:

Before I got married and applied for the green card I had an I-visa which is a type of working visa for the US, valid for 5 years. It's a visa you use for very specific working trips into the US, so I was also using the VWP on trips when I was just going as a tourist. One day (in the UK) I knocked a glass of water off my bedside table into the drawer below - that drawer was where I kept my passport and it got soaked - the visa was water damaged around the edges and the numbers in the big number along the bottom were smudged but you could still see what they were. Because I didn't need to use the visa at that point I was annoyed but it wasn't urgent. Anyway next time I entered the US as a tourist I asked the CO at the immigration check point "By the way - I damaged the I visa recently - do you think it's still valid or do I need to replace it before using it again" He looked at it and said " Well - I would let you through, I think it's okay"

So my point:

- accidentally damaging your visa can and does happen to anyone.

- a little bit of damage does not necessarily make the visa invalid - but it can depend on the particular CO you get when you enter

- you do not have to APPLY for the visa again if it is damaged too badly to use but you have to get the embassy to issue a replacement. I don't know the current cost - it may be a couple of hundred pounds or so - it may just be the cost of the courier there and back.

You have two options now - you already know this you stated one of them above:

1. Try flying to the US and using your visa - if they think the damage is too extensive and send you back you can:

2. Get the embassy to replace the visa in your passport.

Oh and just to check:

When you emailed the embassy you did the following, right?

1. Put the 'special' code they gave you on the phone in the subject line of the message

2. Included all your visa numbers and details

If you did that then I can tell you from experience that they will email you back within 5 working days - you might even have their reply by now and they will tell you exactly how to proceed. This might take a few weeks to sort out but you will have the peace of mind that it's done. Loads of people on here damage the brown envelope they get and have to get that resealed by the embassy - it's not that different to have the visa replaced in your passport in terms of having to send something back to the embassy and wait for a reply before travelling.

[Helen Louise Pile 80]

Ok.

Your first post was rather confusing to me. It seems you say you 'know the answer' from 'people in the know' and you have been told to get a new visa.

You also said you called the embassy again hoping to get a 'new answer because that was unacceptable to you'

I understand your frustration at this situation. You should know by now that 'rules are rules' when it comes to this process. They have given you an answer.

They should have been able to tell you the cost for replacement visa too? I imagine it would be whatever you paid at the embassy for your initial visa. But I don't know for sure.

So your situation is:

Your visa is damaged. Rather than get a replacement visa, you want to try and travel on the slightly damaged one but you are worried about it.

You need to know how much a replacement spousal visa would be and how long this process has taken for other people so you can decide what to do?

Ok! That makes sense! Good luck! I hope someone can help.

Edited May 16, 2011 by Helen Louise Pile

[Done--Really 331]

I can't help--you have already had too many different suggestions !!!

But I just wanted to say that I thought you were exaggerating about the cost of calling the embassy, the inability of the operator to help, and a general frustration level with the embassy overall. So, I went to the embassy website, and was embarrassed to find that you were absolutely right !! I have dealt with several embassies,and have never run across one that seems so uncommunicative--in fact just the opposite. Costa Rica, CDJ, Mexico City, Toronto have all bent over backwards to help.

You have bared your soul to everyone here and you certainly aren't anything but frustrated. We all have problems, and I am wiling to bet a week's pay that if you fly to the US, CBP not only let you in, but welcome you with a smile, and of course hubby will be there with open arms. Go for it girl--the odds really are stacked in your favor.

Best wishes in everything in your life.

[hamtaro 4]

So your situation is:

Your visa is damaged. Rather than get a replacement visa, you want to try and travel on the slightly damaged one but you are worried about it.

You need to know how much a replacement spousal visa would be and how long this process has taken for other people so you can decide what to do?

Ok! That makes sense! Good luck! I hope someone can help.

This is exactly it, I am weighing up risk. We (my husband and I) have called many people and seen them in person including border control USCIS and the airline I am going to fly with at their check-in desk. All say I should be OK with the visa but there is some tiny amount of doubt. London embassy of USA have not responded but given their response in the past in similar situations that I have googled, they are going to say "get a new visa." I'm basically about 99% certain they will say this and somebody in the know that I respect has all but confirmed I "should" get a new visa but I CAN chance it. Chancing it is not illegal. Worst that can happen is I am sent back, but my original petition is still valid and I go through the final process again (which includes interview and up to 2 month wait for such.) I really really do not want to have this 2 month wait. I am prepared to gamble a £300 plane ticket on this, especially given if I am successful it prevents 100% the need to do another visa interview with 2 month wait, £200 cost and £70 to travel to london to do it. I hope people can understand this, yes if I am unsuccessful I spend more money than I would have done but I really would like to hear from others with a similar problem because I would love to potentially circumvent such extra cost even if it is a gamble. My whole visa journey has after all been a gamble for me, even with a 90% chance of success. Most have an almost 100% chance, I've never had that because of medical problems.

[Helen Louise Pile 80]

I understand.

Can't you just chance it and say the damage happened on the plane? Is that wrong? I think that's what I would do.....IF it was very minor damage.

I know the embassy in London are difficult to communicate with and are expensive! As a previous poster suggested, I think I would follow the instructions they gave (theposter) for emailing the embassy and ask about replacement visa costs and waiting period. Just for information.

It seems like you are a worrier and getting the plane ticket might cause you a great deal of stress...so if you do decide to do that...do everything you can to relax and not have yourself all worked up when you arrive. I can be a worrier too but through this process I have learned that what will be will be,there is only so much you can do before you have to surrender control to the forces that be.

Good luck!! I wish you the very best!

[jennie ann 15]

This is exactly it, I am weighing up risk. We (my husband and I) have called many people and seen them in person including border control USCIS and the airline I am going to fly with at their check-in desk. All say I should be OK with the visa but there is some tiny amount of doubt. London embassy of USA have not responded but given their response in the past in similar situations that I have googled, they are going to say "get a new visa." I'm basically about 99% certain they will say this and somebody in the know that I respect has all but confirmed I "should" get a new visa but I CAN chance it. Chancing it is not illegal. Worst that can happen is I am sent back, but my original petition is still valid and I go through the final process again (which includes interview and up to 2 month wait for such.) I really really do not want to have this 2 month wait. I am prepared to gamble a £300 plane ticket on this, especially given if I am successful it prevents 100% the need to do another visa interview with 2 month wait, £200 cost and £70 to travel to london to do it. I hope people can understand this, yes if I am unsuccessful I spend more money than I would have done but I really would like to hear from others with a similar problem because I would love to potentially circumvent such extra cost even if it is a gamble. My whole visa journey has after all been a gamble for me, even with a 90% chance of success. Most have an almost 100% chance, I've never had that because of medical problems.

I don't have experience with this, so this might not be that helpful, but if I were you, I would take the chance and try to fly. Yes, you risk losing £300, but you could save more money, not to mention time, if you are successful. It sounds like the damage is pretty minimal. Those rules about turning in a new visa application were for if your visa was "lost or mutilated". It certainly doesn't sound mutilated to me, if it's really just a few water splotches, the numbers are all clear, and the picture is clearly of you. If there were an option to simply have the visa reprinted for £100 or something, then I would probably do that for peace of mind, but if the only way is to pay another visa application fee and wait for another interview, I would take my chances with the CBP officer. Good luck.

[jennie ann 15]

Can't you just chance it and say the damage happened on the plane? Is that wrong? I think that's what I would do.....IF it was very minor damage.

I brought that up on the OP's other thread about this too... something like this could have very easily happened on the plane (spilled your drink, etc.), and I doubt a CBP officer would make you turn around and go back to the UK just for that. I probably wouldn't lie and say that it happened on the plane, but if they asked about it, I would just say, "Oh, I'm so clumsy, I accidentally splashed some water on it." I bet they see that stuff all the time.

[pushbrk 12,979]

I brought that up on the OP's other thread about this too... something like this could have very easily happened on the plane (spilled your drink, etc.), and I doubt a CBP officer would make you turn around and go back to the UK just for that. I probably wouldn't lie and say that it happened on the plane, but if they asked about it, I would just say, "Oh, I'm so clumsy, I accidentally splashed some water on it." I bet they see that stuff all the time.

Everything CBP needs to verify the validity of the visa is in the sealed envelope. If the visa holder can read the visa, then so can the CBP folks. Soon, it will be replaced with a green card and mean nothing.

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

If you're really worried about being refused entry isn't there a CBP Preclearance location in Ireland? Fly thorough there so if you are turned back it's a much shorter return flight.

Edited May 16, 2011 by Bob 4 Anna

[jennie ann 15]

If you're really worried about being refused entry isn't there a CBP Preclearance location in Ireland? Fly thorough there so if you are turned back it's a much shorter return flight.

My husband flew through Dublin for pre-clearance when he came to visit me (between I-130 approval and getting a case number at NVC), and he had no problems.

[pushbrk 12,979]

If you're really worried about being refused entry isn't there a CBP Preclearance location in Ireland? Fly thorough there so if you are turned back it's a much shorter return flight.

Yes, that's Dublin. Another option for insurance is just to scan and email the visa page to your husband and have him take it to the CBP at a nearby port of entry, show it to them and ask if it's OK as is.

[Paul Elizabeth 3]

Take the chance. I once had my I-94 get water damaged, and went to border agency. They took a look, made some remarks about looking after visas, and let me through. I think in most cases you will be ok, depends on amount of damage and border agent. Is it readable.

Also, you will be carrying your supporting documents, which will show you have legitmatly obtained the visa. So if you are leaving soon, take the chance.