Official EC time-line

[rella]

I want to make sure that we do not mess anything up. So, I'm hoping for some feedback from you all.

We have until Nov 22 to return to our home country and apply for EC. This is the date that is 3 months from the date that the HSMP approval letter was issued. We're having some trouble arranging to go back early and we may have to cut it pretty close to the Nov 22 date. Is the deadline date the actual date that the EC paperwork has to arrive at the consulate? We're going to be doing fasttrack, so we will send our packets by courier the day after we arrive in the country. I wanted to make sure that we had time in the event that they wanted to interview us--we'd have to travel a couple thousand miles to get to the consulate if this is the case. And there's a holiday during the week of the 22nd.

Is two weeks enough turnaround time to submit by mail and get the visas back? And in theory, if our applications were to arrive on the 22nd (we aren't going to cut it THAT close...), would we make it? We will be applying to the Los Angeles consulate.

Thanks!

[John]

We have until Nov 22 to return to our home country and apply for EC.

Can I ask why? In the country in which you are living now, how long have you lived there? And you have rights to live and work there?

[rella]

The short answer in that we are in the UK on a student visa and have to leave to switch visas. I PM'd you more details.

[buntosanya]

rella

We hear all sorts of negative stories about things being pretty hard in UK. I learnt that surviving is not easy.

But for u to apply for HSMP in order to extend your stay in UK, maybe it is not as bad as people are painting it.

rella kindly discuss.

buntosanya