• Hello Members, This forums is for DV lottery visas only. For other immigration related questions, please go to our forums home page, find the related forum and post it there.

Visa Fees- Acceptable Mode of Payments

D

davo

Registered Users (C)
Hi Friends,

I'm due for my visa interview in London, in few weeks. My Credit Card's credit limit (£250) is not enough to pay for my Visa Fees & the 3 other members of my family ($755*4= $3020) but I've got enough money on my Debit Card (Maestro).

Although, Debit Cards are not listed among the acceptable mode of payments. I'm just wondering if the London Embassy would accept my Debit Card or not.

If you have similar experience with London Embassy or you are current with the Visa Fee mode of payments, your quick response to the above subject matter would be highly appreciated.

Thanks.
 
davo said:
Hi Friends,

I'm due for my visa interview in London, in few weeks. My Credit Card's credit limit (£250) is not enough to pay for my Visa Fees & the 3 other members of my family ($755*4= $3020) but I've got enough money on my Debit Card (Maestro).

Although, Debit Cards are not listed among the acceptable mode of payments. I'm just wondering if the London Embassy would accept my Debit Card or not.

If you have similar experience with London Embassy or you are current with the Visa Fee mode of payments, your quick response to the above subject matter would be highly appreciated.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

well , i haven't had an experience as i haven't been for my interview yet but from a very reliable source all major credit and debit cards are acceptable.You may rather want to carry cash on you if you can because in June a friend of mine who went for her interview and wanted to make card payment couldn 't because their system was down.She had to rush to the nearest "HOLE IN THE WALL" to withdraw the cash.I am also told this is quite a frequent occurrence so i will advise you to carry cash of around £1600 if you can. Let us know how you get on with your interview.All the best of luck.
 
Further, as I have posted on a simmilar thread, I have heard that the exchange ratethey use is not favourable compared to the dealers and I am wondering if it is better to change into US$ before paying to embassy?

Would be useful to know from someone who has had the experience.
 
You get the best rate paying with a credit card. Otherwise I would change the the money before, rate at the embassy was pretty bad.
 
If you don't have enough money on your credit card, you can transfer the necessary amount before the transaction.
For example, if your credit limit is $500 and you want to pay $3000 with your credit card, just transfer $2500 to your credit card (a few days before you go to the embassy).
 
abeku66 said:
well , i haven't had an experience as i haven't been for my interview yet but from a very reliable source all major credit and debit cards are acceptable.You may rather want to carry cash on you if you can because in June a friend of mine who went for her interview and wanted to make card payment couldn 't because their system was down.She had to rush to the nearest "HOLE IN THE WALL" to withdraw the cash.I am also told this is quite a frequent occurrence so i will advise you to carry cash of around £1600 if you can. Let us know how you get on with your interview.All the best of luck.
Click to expand...


To be on the safe side, i think I'll pay by cash in US$.
 
is the exchange rate such a big deal...when the opportunity of a GC is looking u in the eyes???

get cash, go in, pay up, get GC...

i paid in cash, and got my gc stamp 2 hrs later...see? no stress here...
 
TNDV2008 said:
is the exchange rate such a big deal...when the opportunity of a GC is looking u in the eyes???
Click to expand...
If there are too options and you use the one where the exchange rate is worse: why should you spend the extra money (the difference can be quite a bit especially if it's a whole family)... that's like flushing money down the toilet...

I had my interview in Switzerland and I paid cash in US$ because I only have an American Express card which was not accepted there. I know that in Switzerland and Germany there is no issue if you pay in the local currency or $. Of course I don't know whether this is different in London, but I wouldn't think so. After all: The costs are listed in US$ and it says that it can be paid in local currency or $. And as it has already been said: the exchange rate at the embassy is a lot worse than at a bank. Therefore my advice: Get $ and pay in cash.
 
Igmu said:
...why should you spend the extra money (the difference can be quite a bit especially if it's a whole family)... that's like flushing money down the toilet...
Click to expand...

I understand the "flushing money down the toilet" argument...but since I am an economist by education and profession, I prefer to look at the opportunity cost angle.

Here why...

1.) is the stress of wondering if they take US$ or local currency worth it, especially when u need to be extremely focussed on getting all the documents in order.

which one is worse? losing a few hundred units of whatever currency u r using? or losing the GC opportunity due to missing or incorrect documents.

2.) whatever save in exchange rate, u will spend it extravagantly somewhere else...it's human nature to seek satisfaction, i.e. save a few pennies here, but splurge elsewhere

In my situation, I was already in the US, so I just walked in with US$, and the exchange rate was a none issue. I understand it may be an issue for people with larger families, and they can do whatever they feel happy with, but at the end, being sent back due to incomplete documentation, while stressing about $$ exchange is unforgivable.

just my $0.0000000000002
 
TNDV2008 said:
1.) is the stress of wondering if they take US$ or local currency worth it, especially when u need to be extremely focussed on getting all the documents in order.

which one is worse? losing a few hundred units of whatever currency u r using? or losing the GC opportunity due to missing or incorrect documents.
Click to expand...
If I would just have the local currency, I would be a lot more concerned about there being any problems than with US-$. You have to remember: It is a US-embassy, and again: it says that the DV fee is $775... They WILL accept the $ in cash (I haven't heard of anyone having problems paying in $)

But I agree: to get a GC through the lottery is a great chance... I didn't care spending money on medical, etc. because I'm just so happy that I got this chance.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top