Intending to go US in end Oct.
My last visa expired during Covid. They last 10 years.
Last time, applying the visa was pretty easy. Apply online, get an interview at US embassy and approved.

Anyone applied recently? How was your experience?

Thanks in advance

bit tough nowadays
but doable

Tough as in? Could you elaborate your experience?

hope this help
https://www.traveloka.com/en-my/explore/des...alaysian/217697

Yeah
I have seen that. I just want to know the experiences here.

from what I can tell, dont think it changed much in the last 10 years or so

Nothing much changed, however secure your interview slots ASAP. Last year when I apply, I can only slot an appointment like 3 months later from the day I submit my application

It'll be easier since got applied before but need booking

WoW! That would be too late.

Funny that you asked...
my SiL just applied and got it. Sunday night apply and pay, monday was able to select interview slot for Wednesday 945am. Other options were scattered around for next week and the week after that. However bulk of the slots are for the end of the month, so the website is pretty accurate showing interview availability in 3-4 weeks.

also check if you qualify for interview waiver: https://www.ustraveldocs.com/my/en/renew-visa/

This post has been edited by miuk: Sep 8 2023, 12:27 PM

That's fast!
i just googled to find out the appointment wait times presently. 75 days!

Thanks for the last bit!
i might be qualified for waiver since i had a 10 year visa before.

This post has been edited by prophetjul: Sep 8 2023, 12:32 PM

What is the visa cost now?

My mom didn't get the interview waiver, her old visa expired in 2012.

She had to go for the interview, brought along letter stating reason for visit.

Also brought, payslip and epf but they didn't use it. Perhaps more straightforward since she has visited before.

attended the interview yesterday. appointment was 10am and got out at 10.50am. they did not even check my supporting docs and just asked how long me gonna stay there. compared to my previous application, more info to submit online. paid myr869.50 for the applciation.

The reason may be

How long to wait to get the appointment for the interview from the date that you applied online?

Are you sure you're looking at the correct website?

Interview Required Students/Exchange Visitors (F, M, J) 20 Calendar Days
Interview Required Petition-Based Temporary Workers (H, L, O, P, Q) 22 Calendar Days
Interview Required Crew and Transit (C, D, C1/D) 29 Calendar Days
Interview Required Visitors (B1/B2) 29 Calendar Days
Interview Waiver Students/Exchange Visitors (F, M, J) 1 Calendar Day
Interview Waiver Petition-Based Temporary Workers (H, L, O, P, Q) 1 Calendar Day
Interview Waiver Crew and Transit (C, D, C1/D) 1 Calendar Day
Interview Waiver Visitors (B1/B2) 1 Calendar Day

Yeah. It's the one you gave me.

https://www.ustraveldocs.com/my/en/renew-visa/

after approved during interview, how many days till the passport is back?

1 week or so

Faster do! You read the website, can usually qualify for mail in renewal as you are a previous Visa holder. 48 months is the key

Just sharing my experience with you.
i applied last Nov. Got my passport back within a week of the interview.

Usually 2weeks if parcel delivery.

You can direct go to take and it between a week.

Alamak, sorry! I missed seeing the date and hadn't realised that you have already renewed your Visa.
That the thread reincarnated because someone asking you questions Oops

This post has been edited by stormer.lyn: Mar 11 2024, 12:01 PM

I am wondering whether I keyed in my name correctly as we need to follow our passport which doesn't split our name to surname and given name

In DSA:
Surname = Aaron
First Name = FNU

DSA Confirmation Page - Name Provided shows as: Aaron, FNU

In portal.ustraveldocs:
Last Name = Aaron
First Name = FNU

portal.ustraveldocs Confirmation Page shows as: FNU, Aaron

Am I entered the correct information? Fees paid are not refundable unfortunately, if the name is not inputted same as per DSA and passport.

This post has been edited by aarontan78: May 19 2024, 04:42 PM

Doesn't look correct, but just wait and see. You can't do anything anyway now.

It will be more difficult because he let his old visa expired and is now applying again. It will be easier if he had renewed the visa just before expiring.

Thanks. Haven't submitted yet, will confirm with Aramex tomorrow and update.

want to ask u guys, if my us b1/b2 visa is in my expired passport visa not yet expired(still got 4years approved in 2018) , but the old passport cover page broke already as in it came out, can i qualify for the visa renew interview waiver?

This post has been edited by xdontmessup: May 19 2024, 05:41 PM

My name is in the traditional english style, first, middle and last (Eg Taylor Alison Swift). So M'sia passport is written as Taylor Alison Swift. But when I applied I wrote as Swift, Taylor Alison. There was a bit of consultation during the interview, but in the end I said I have a surname. So my visa is issued as Swift, Taylor Alison.

So they do know that some people have surnames, and some Malay names do not. This is my experience, but unfortunately I can't say what they will accept for your specific case.

You dont need a new visa, just bring along the old passport book containing the visa together with your current passport when you travel.

don't worry. on the final printed visa that is on your passport, you will have first name and last name. they actually split the name for you.

Just called Aramax and confirmed the below:

In DSA:
Surname = Aaron
Given Name = FNU

In portal.ustraveldocs:
Last Name = Aaron
First Name = FNU

For those who has experience dropping your passport to Aramex, do you need to print out anything (e.g. DS160, Visa photos) for submission together with your passport?

This post has been edited by aarontan78: May 21 2024, 06:08 PM

YOU MUST BRING the confirmation page and the following document(s) with you at all steps during the application process:
Passport; Recent Photograph; 50mm x 50mm (2 in. x 2 in.), full face against a white background

This post has been edited by Skylinestar: May 20 2024, 02:28 PM

oh really? but my old passport cover page spoil already it like came out, now using rubber band to tie the passport

hard to visualize without actually looking at the passport but in general as long as the biometric page and the visa is intact it should be fine.

How long does it take to have our passport back after our visa renewal (no interview) is approved?

I may want to renew my visa which is due to expire in August and I am eligible for renewal without having to be interview again.

I would leave for Shanghai in 26 days and I wonder if I can get my passport back before then, if I submit my renewal application today?

Hi all, I intend to go to the US for a conference in Nov 24' but the result of the application for the conference will only be out in mid Aug.
I wonder usually how long does it take for the visa to be approved if we have supporting letter from the conference?

*fist time us visa applicant here.

Interview date just take like 1 week queue only after u have applied, just got my visa approved today

On an unrelated note, I was wondering if, in the event of a valid 10-year multiple entry/exit visa having been issued & attached to a Malaysian Passport, would the visa itself still be valid if the holder then renounces said Malaysian citizenship and acquired a different passport?

hi, I'm abt to schedule the visa interview.
Wanna ask is submission of the passport the same day as the day of interview?
How long will we get our passport back after submitting?
Cos' I'm going for another trip mid Sept.
Is it safer if I schedule the interview n submit the passport after the trip?
Going to US in mid Oct, first time applicant.

Thanks.

Hi I just made my visa payment via JomPay, waiting for the next banking day so that I can use the Ref to schedule appointment.

May I know what is the sequence of the event?
Now the earliest day for scheduling the interview is 4 Sept, meaning I must drop my passport to Aramex first before the interview.
Then attend the interview at the US Embassy,
then pick up the passport from Aramex?

Thanks.

sorry, I can't answer u because I only did my renewal, not new application.

What's the outcome?

So you applied with given name, or without given name (use FNU)?

I thought they keep your passport after the interview, and then you collect from Aramax?

I put that, but the embassy ignored it and put my father name as surname. Suka hati you lah, I went to the US already.

You are Malay of Indian or Borneo native with no fixed surname?

I think u r right

I think u r right

I think u r right

not sure this help or not

below are pretty basic simple stuff before you go

-bank statement and salary slip

-intention of going there ( very super important, it will determine whether u pass or failed like your fate, usually no problem if u have nothing to hide )

-address of hotel / resident

-Passport valid for travel to the United States

– Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your period of stay in the United States (unless exempt by country-specific agreements). Each individual who needs a visa must submit a separate application, including any family members listed in your passport.


-Non-immigrant Visa Application, Form DS-160 confirmation page.


–You will upload your photo while completing the online Form DS-160. If the photo upload fails, you must bring one printed photo in the format explained in the Photograph Requirements.



During interview

-some funny question will be asked by them , depending your visit

-it is video call btw , there are sometime got physicals appearance but from what i know now they use video call

-max 15 minute ,know as amercian 15 minute efficient cause a lot helang t20 rakyat cannot go on living without their phone ( yes the phone is put on a aside )



once u done the interview, the next few working day u will get the visa and start planing, huh , why oct , going for league of legend championship ?


all the best

This post has been edited by nelson969: Sep 2 2024, 12:43 AM

Tickets? We are told specifically NOT to book any travel arrangements before issuance of visa. Also not in the list of required documents.

On application I put my whole name as surname, put FNU to first name.
On visa sticker: my father name is surname, the rest first name. FNU gone

Hello all need some advise. First time US Visa applicant here. I have registered and paid

Now I need to schedule appointment. But it kept showing “loading” and no slots available

Any advise what I should do to get the appointment ? As I have a very small window to get my visa

Any express visa application option?

Any advise is appreciated

Indeed us visa need to book earlier for appointment, always so many people waiting. Can try the expedite visa appointment (I have not tried myself), but it requires filling a form and justify the reasons, e.g. emergency due to business travel, funerals, medical etc

Thanks so much. But the challenge is there isn’s any slots open . Any Idea if it’s a System issue?

Maybe they are tightening things with the new president elect. Everyone can only guess if it is a system issue or an instruction from above or due to some other cause

Last ten years have been very long q in embassy

Previously very small number

Just to make sure don't Jompay in advance, otherwise the code might get expired and need to email to get latest code

sorry to necro this thread, this but currently how long is the wait to get the actual visa issued after visa interview & approval?

I applied for a B1/B2 visa on Jan 8, managed to get an interview appointment on Jan 13, and was told my visa was approved. I chose the option to self-collect from Aramex PJ. The embassy staff said I should get my visa within that week.

More than a month later, my passport still has not been returned. I called Aramex last week (there's a US visa inquiry option in their call menu) and was told my passport isn't with them.

So I just wanted to know if this is a normal wait time for this current period? (when i search online for info about this, it's all India-related results lol - they always have a massive backlog, so I'm not sure how relevant it is to us here)

Everyone I have ever spoken to, and including my own application, the passport was ready in Aramex within a week.

when was your application? not sure if there might have been a surge in applications during the final week of previous administration

Ya I follow your thought process to justify the delay and get what you mean. But.... there is a limited number of applications any day of the week anyway. Just because the administration changed, doesn't mean the embassy allows 200 applicants a day instead of the usual 20 (just guessing on the numbers for comparison purposes) thus causing a backlog.

But I must admit all the applications in my previous post were under different administrations.

haha, i was just speculating on what might possibly be delaying it (and there was CNY too, though not sure if that affects anything). The tracking site does show that the visa was issued on Jan 16, so technically the competent and properly qualified staff was still in charge.

Luckily my travel dates are flexible, but I really don't like not knowing where my passport is, especially now that it contains a shiny new US visa. I guess I'll call the number on the UStraveldocs site tomorrow, since today's a PH for the US.

update: got my passport with visa back today.

I wrote to the contact email on ustraveldocs with my details, and at 8pm that night I got a whatsapp from aramex saying that my passport was ready, which was quickly followed by a message telling me I had to collect my passport by Wednesday at 11am.

I called the Aramex office first thing next morning to confirm they had my passport, and was told by the CSR that I had to collect it by Wednesday because the SOP is that they must send unclaimed passports back to the embassy if not collected after 14 days. (But they received it on January 16 and had clearly been holding it for MUCH longer, and even told me on February 5 they didn't have it.) I told her I hadn't received any notification at all to collect it and she claimed it was sent. Her word vs mine, so I decided not to pursue the blame game with her, since they still had my passport.

Anyway I drove like a maniac from my office to PJ during lunch hour to get my passport back. And now I can finally look for flight tickets (even though the thought of flying in the US now is kind of )

tl;dr Aramex being Aramex.

Do any of you experience to accompany parents during Visa Interview?
Parent not able to speak English at all.

wow, video call at Malaysia US embassy ? 2016 i get interview at counter. I help my mom apply lately and schedule interview for coming week.
Now i been wonder if i allow to accompany her to enter embassy and be with her during interview as she can;t speak English.

Of course can. Once inside, explain to the guy.

I accompany my mother. But the interviewer can speak mandarin. Anyway, I explain to her once my mother can't talk much.

Glad for your reply. Do you apply as well? As i check from website it mention US embassy only allow applicant to enter.

Yup. Whole family.

Good to heard that. while my case is am worried if the guard not allow me to enter since am not the applicant.

If she able to speak mandarin, she can go in alone?

This post has been edited by ozak: Mar 8 2025, 05:58 PM

I hope so.