E3 Visa Contacts & Further Information

I thought I would do a quick E3 visa summary post around some of the additional information access points you have in regards to the US Consulate interview and the visa application process.

There are two information lines you can call within Australia according to the US Consulate;

One is a paid 1-902-941-641 number which is charged at $1.15  per minute which either has pre-recorded information that is no different to the information you can find on the US consulate website. In my opinion this aspect of the phone line is rather useless as the information given is fairly obvious for the most part or explicitly mentioned on the website and visapoint site about your application process, services and interview. This part is available 24 hours a day.

However within this you also have an option to be connected to a live consultant available between 8:00am and 7:00pm, Monday to Friday Australian Eastern Time. This now costs $3 per minute. If you are needing to call the US consulate this is definitely the more helpful part as you can ask your specific question particular if you have complex issues like administrative processing, visa reciprocity fees, etc. that are not articulated fully on the site.

The second information line is a 1-800-687-844 number which is essentially the same live consultant service as the above 1-902 number but no pre-recorded information. Thus it is only available in those hours listed above. However here you have to give credit card information and you are charged a flat $12 for the call.

I guess the best advice to give if you think you need to speak to a live person about your case then judge in your mind how long you think the conversation could be and opt for the number service accordingly that will give you the best value for money given one is a ongoing charge and the other is a flat rate.

However note they never really get specific on those calls so will not delve into the personal details of your case and are not say like a bank or credit card hotline where you can debate merits of the case or fees with them. They are more informational and procedural and they don’t deviate from that so don’t waste your money if that is your intention as you will only come away more frustrated.

Also they have a general info section you can read in regards to your US Consulate interview. So if you read our US Consulate interview post and this, it will certainly demistify the entire visa interview process for you and help you be fully prepared for the experience. It is a very sterile environment and process to say the least!

Finally you should be aware that if you are refused a visa under either the 221(g) Administrative Processing provision or the 214(b) non-satisfaction of home country ties or visa condition violations, that you do not then immediately subsequently attempt to enter the US on the Visa Waiver Program as you will most likely be refused entry at the US border and be sent home.

CJ

13 thoughts on “E3 Visa Contacts & Further Information

  1. Hi – I’ve been offered a job by a US employer and am going through the visa process. I haven’t completed by degree (still studying) however I paid to have an education evaluation done by Cornell University so I’m hopeful this is enough.

    The ‘information video’ link above isn’t working – can you provide another like or advise where to find it on the consulate website?

    Any interview tips I can get would be much appreciated to avoid rejection or admin processing!

  2. Can you provide any guidance on how effective the experience evaluations against a US degree are? I.e. is it likely the consulate official will treat this as a degree or does it hold little weight?

    Also, can you advise how strict the consulate officials are with seeing original documents, etc… as opposed to scanned copies and photocopies? I’m applying from Canada and trying to obtain original documents from past jobs and study in Australia and the UK is proving to be a nightmare

  3. Hi Michelle,
    Congratulations on securing a role.
    It seems like the US Embassy/Consul has redone their website and either intentionally or unintentionally temporarily or permanently removed some of the old visa resources and FAQ pages. So that video doesn’t seem to be there at the moment. If you don’t have a completed Bachelors Degree then the US Consulate has to first deem that your qualifications and/or experience is sufficient to be equivalent to a US Bachelors Degree and that the role you are applying for has a Bachelors Degree as a minimum criteria. Having Cornell do that evaluation for you will certainly help a lot but not guarantee anything.
    All our best interview tips are here; https://visacoach.org/2009/11/02/e3-visa-us-consulate-interview/ and Bachelors Degree/Specialty Occupation information is here; https://visacoach.org/2009/05/22/e3-visa-the-bachelors-degree-specialty-occupation-conditions/ and finally information around Administrative Processing is here; https://visacoach.org/2009/09/26/e3-visa-h1b-visa-administrative-processing-refusal-at-us-consulate/.
    As for copies that is generally fine for the US Consulates in Canada if the degrees are Australian but certainly the LCA document has to be an original.
    Good Luck,
    CJ

  4. Hi Mia,

    I was living in Canada at the time and had a friend who submitted my CV to one of their contacts in in US, by I’m sure what was sheer luck, that person submitted it to HR and they flew me to NYC for an interview and it all happened from there.

    I would suggest that the whole process was made easier by the fact I was living in Canada meaning relocation was not such a big issue.

    Any contacts you’ve got or can make will definitely open more doors when you’re not present in the country.

  5. Hi Michelle,
    Thanks for your input and it is amazing how luck can go your way if you keep yourself open to chances.
    Cj

  6. Hi-

    I have been working in New York for the past year and a half on the E3 Visa. Prior to that I was on the OPT, and held an F1 student visa, as I studied and graduated in the US.
    I recently quit my job due to another offer, left the US to change over my E3 to my new employer, and a day before my interview my prospective employer informed me that they could no longer afford to hire me full-time.
    I have two questions:
    1. Can i work part-time on the E3? (they have now offered me part-time work instead)
    2. Will it be risky for me to try to enter the US on the Visa Waiver after being on the E3 and F1 for the past few years? (I would like to get back to NYC to interview and find another position but am scared they will reject me at the border).

    As you may understand, I am in a very difficult position! My entire life is over there and I dont want to risk making the wrong decision!

    You help would be greatly appreciated.
    Thanks!

  7. Hi,

    I have an appointment tomorrow at the US consulate in Barbados. All my paper work is in order and has been prepared by lawyers in the US. The only thing is that I stupidly left the letter of offer of employment behind in the States when I came here to get my E3.

    My employer has faxed a copy over and they have also fedexed it but it won’t be here until tomorrow night and my appointment is in the morning. Do you think they will accept a copy and then I could submit the original later?

    Cheers

  8. my younger brother who is about 33 years old has got green card of USA, Now he is willing to sponsor me as immigrant, so could you tell me that he is eligible to sponsor me? What is the visa category may he will apply for me?what’s the sponsorship fee? and how long the process will take?
    I really appreciated your detail reply.

  9. I am Australian citizen as of Aug 2014. Migrated to Australia from India in 2010 as PR. My LCA from a reputed consulting company was approved in Dec 2014. During interview the visa officer asked me to submit updated employment letter carrying details of client name and client location (under 221(g)). He did not went into details about my education as well my australian ties (as E3 is non-immigrant visa). I have sent updated employment letter along with details of client name and client name few days ago and today recieved a rejection mail saying

    “This is to inform you that you have been found ineligible for a nonimmigrant visa under Section 214(b) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act. A denial under Section 214(b) means that you were not able to demonstrate that your intended activities in the United States would be consistent with the classification of the nonimmigrant visa for which you applied.

    While nonimmigrant visa classifications each have their own unique requirements, one requirement shared by many of the nonimmigrant visa categories is for the applicant to demonstrate that he/she has a residence in a foreign country which he/she has no intention of abandoning. Applicants usually meet this requirement by demonstrating that they have strong ties overseas that indicate that they will return to a foreign country after a temporary visit to the United States. Such ties include professional, work, school, family, or social links to a foreign country. You have not demonstrated that you have the ties that will compel you to return to your home country after your travel to the United States.

    Today’s decision cannot be appealed. However, you may reapply at any time. If you decide to reapply, you must submit a new application form and photo, pay the visa application fee again, and make a new appointment to be interviewed by a consular officer. If you choose to reapply, you should be prepared to provide information that was not presented in your original application, or to demonstrate that your circumstances have changed since that application. ”

    I have strong ties with australia

    1. Property and Bank accounts
    2. Elder brother and his family is Australian citizen and been in Australia for last 10 years
    3. My E3 application did not included my spouse and kids so more ties till they are in Australia

    My questions

    1. Are above proofs sufficient ? What else can be provided?
    2. Is is better to re-apply E3 immediately or should I wait for some time?
    3. Is it better to re-apply using same company or apply through different company (meaning new LCA)

    Regards
    Manish

  10. Hi Manish,
    I am also in same boat. 5 years ago(in Feb 2017) my E3 Visa transfer to new employer is rejected citing no strong ties to home country. I want to try my luck with the immigration again. Can i ask what was your experience if you did re-apply again for E3 by showing the above evidence as strong ties to home country ?

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