Hello

Does anyone know how long on average it takes to get a visa to travel to the US from the UK? Not to study for a whole semester but just to visit a lab for a month. I am really struggling to find this info online and thought someone here may have done it and so may know how long it takes/how easy or difficult it is to obtain.

Cheers
Tudor

I've done it (see my previous post).

I reckon if you're just going for a month just go on the visa waiver scheme? That lets you stay there for 3 months I believe, no visa required; of course it's supposed to be for tourism only.

Otherwise, you will need a J1 Scholar visa. There's 2 types:

1) J1 research scholar - This is good for 1 year, with the possibility for extension for up to 5 years total. Once you return to the UK, you would not be able to come to the US on a J1 visa for 2 years (I think this is negotiable though)

2) J1 short-term scholar visa - This is good for 6 months maximum and cannot be extended. However, there is no time restriction on returning to the US on a J1 visa afterwards.

Check this website, as my info may be out of date: https://j1visa.state.gov/. Plus I was getting paid by the US uni and it might be different if you're not.

For me, the university I was going to paid for the visa, otherwise it's about £600 I think - there's stuff for them to pay and stuff for you to pay. You have to go to the US embassy to get the visa. The process started in May and I went to the US in July. Visa turn around is a few weeks I think. Pretty forgone conclusion you would get it.

This website also has useful info: http://www.fulbright.org.uk/

I reckon go for longer than a month - you'll need it.

hi there I was invited to the USA for a specialist research project which lasted 6 weeks and we (from Europe) all came on a normal tourist visa.

I think that the point is that you cannot do any paid work on a tourist visa, and that would apply to you going to the lab? Our travel, lodgings and expenses were provided but we were not given any money. I believe that even if you are given a 'stipend' as opposed to a wage you can go on a tourist visa as long as you stay less than three months.

Awesome - thanks SO much everyone. Thanks for the detail ToL - I was part way through ascertaining this information by trawling through horribly designed websites, but hadn't encountered the idea of/thought about going as a tourist. Cheers!

I've just re-read your post Tree of Life. You reckon more than a month is more worthwhile for a lab visit to the States?