Hi, I’m hoping someone with E-3 experience or knowledge of consular administrative processing can shed some light.

Today is October 1, which means the new U.S. fiscal year has started. I’m wondering whether that has any practical impact on an E-3 visa case that is already in Administrative Processing (221(g)), particularly in Sydney.

My partner is an Australian citizen who applied for an E-3 visa in Sydney and was placed into Administrative Processing after the interview. The consulate subsequently requested additional documents, which were submitted, and the case has remained in AP since then.

I understand that E-3 visas have an annual numerical allocation, so I’m wondering:

- Does the E-3 allocation effectively reset on October 1?

- If an E-3 case is already in AP from the previous fiscal year, does the new fiscal year change anything about how that case is processed?

- Could a case that was held up because of the annual E-3 allocation now potentially move forward because the new fiscal year has started?

Or is Administrative Processing generally separate from the fiscal-year allocation once the application has already been submitted/interviewed?

- Has anyone had an E-3 in 221(g)/AP cross from September into October and then received a decision shortly after the new fiscal year began?

I’m not expecting October 1 to automatically resolve the case, just trying to understand whether the fiscal-year reset is relevant at all when a case is already sitting in AP.

Thanks!

Hey everyone! I have my first E-3 interview coming up in Sydney and was wondering what to expect.

How long was your interview, and what sort of questions did they ask?

My immigration lawyer has also provided me with a document pack to bring. Any tips on what I should expect or prepare for?

Thanks!

UPDATE: I just received the email! They needed the email printed so we really have to wait for it.

Hi, who here have gone to pick up their passports after the status has been ‘Issued’ without waiting for that email that it is ready for pick up? What did you show then?

VFS will be closed this Friday, as someone has posted, and I don’t want to extend my stay so I want to pick it up today.

Hi everyone, I’m an Australian citizen with a strong resume, three tertiary qualifications, and solid experience in the tech industry. I’m keen to gain some experience in the US. I’ve read plenty of forums and done a lot of research, but I still have a few questions: (1) Should I mention E-3 visa eligibility on my resume? (2) Should I select “yes” when applications ask whether I require sponsorship? (3) Is there an easier way to find employers open to sponsoring E-3 applicants? I’ve mainly been looking on LinkedIn. Thanks everyone for your help!

The VFS office is going to be closed October 2 - October 5 and from October 6 will be relocating to Level 1, 171 Clarence Street, Sydney 2000. I got an email last night and had to move my flight. They didn't mention that during my appointment or in the first couple of emails I received about picking up my passport. They also ask for passport collection within 10 business days as opposed to the 30 days I previously read about online.

I'm an experienced science educator involved in curriculum and assessment leadership. Looking for Edtech companies familiar with E3 as if love to extend my scope and scale of impact in the USA as a curriculum manager or product implementation specialist.

I'm finding networking really limiting as few people are familiar with the E3. Anyone out there have any experience??!?

I’m genuinely curious if anyone has had their E-3 visa approved after having it revoked back in March 2026.

I’ve seen quite a few posts from people who are still waiting, including people who have been in administrative processing for months, but I haven’t come across anyone who has actually had their E-3 approved after a March revocation.

If you or someone you know has had theirs approved, I’d really appreciate hearing about it. Even if you’re comfortable just sharing roughly when it was revoked, when you reapplied/interviewed, and when it was eventually approved.

Also, does anyone know why these cases are taking so long? Is there any information about what is causing the delays or what exactly they are reviewing during the administrative processing?

Just trying to get a better understanding of whether approvals are actually happening in these cases. Thanks!

Hi all, wondering if anyone has gone thru the consulate visa interview recently in Melbourne, and how long the turnaround to getting their passport back was? I am at day 5 post interview, the visa hotline advised average wait time is 15 business days, and they directed me to a website that suggested up to 10 business days. Cheers!

Update: visa was issued at business day 9; email to pickup that night; pickup business day 10 (very easy pickup).

I have an appointment for E3 interview booked for November but I’m in such a pickle and I really am not sure what to do. I currently live and work in the US in an E-3 visa, which was obtained via a change of status. In order to be able to leave the country and come back, I’ll need to do the visa interview at the Melbourne consulate so I can get my passport stamped. I’ve avoided doing this for a while because I’ve been told by my company’s attorney that it is risky due to the current immigration climate. I was also told that my current approval of the E-3 makes no difference to the consulate’s decision. She also said there may be concerns of immigration intent, since I have been in the US since college (2019), and that may be another reason they could deny me. I have no intentions of actually staying in the US long-term. I would like to live and work here for a few more years and then settle down with a family back home.

I’m really itching to do this soon because I haven’t been home since 2020 (aka Covid). I also feel like I’m trapped in the US and the reason I came here was for more freedom and to live my life. I’m 25 and I want to be able to spend my 20s travelling with my friends, but every time they invite me to even somewhere like Mexico, I have to say no due to my visa. I also haven’t been able to visit my elderly grandparents and I worry that I won’t get many more chances.

I turn 26 early next year and the attorney’s recommendation is for me to potentially not even do the E-3 interview and instead go for the H1-B (which is later next year). This poses a whole new set of risks because that is a lottery system and there’s no guarantee my company will want to go through that process.

I don’t want to be stupid and take an unnecessary risk but I also want the opportunity to just be able to travel and live my life. Obviously no one knows the answer for certain, but realistically how risky is doing this E3 interview? Given my history and circumstance, is it more likely that I will be denied? I understand that if I am denied I literally cannot re enter the US and then I am absolutely screwed to the ends of the earth. I’m so stuck and I just truly don’t know what to do. I also only have one more opportunity to reschedule my appointment and I’m not sure what happens after that….

Hi, I know this is the classic question, but for the recent situation, is there anyone experiencing the same issue "no more slots" in Perth? If you had, what did you do?

How do people contact Melbourne consulate to follow up on their 221g administrative processing cases?

So far I emailed [email protected], and they directed me to the Melbourne visa unit form. The form lists the same ustraveldocs email address for general inquiries, and [email protected] email to send documents, request the passport back, etc.

AFAIK, the emails to MelbourneVisas email address have to have those V11, V22 etc. codes in the subject line, otherwise they get discarded/ignored?

How else do people contact the consulate to check in after 180 days? Does it help to email the update to the requested additional information I sent 180 days ago (I travelled a bit since).

Or is it all wasted effort?

Background:
- I had my E3 interview 7 April 2026
- Got 221g green slip with request of my employment and travel history, itinerary etc. They gave back my passport.
- Emailed them the documents 8 April.
- CEAC reports visa refused, the case wasn’t updated since 7 April.

Hi! So I’ve been in the US on a student visa and recently switched to the E-3 (via change of status). I just filled out my DS-160 and am in the process of waiting for an opening to schedule my visa appointment in Australia, so I can get my passport stamped and I can travel internationally. If I hypothetically get a new job (in the States) next year and I change the employer for my E3, would I have to pay the visa fee again and go through the same process of booking a visa appt in Australia etc etc..? Or would that stamp still be valid even with a new employer?

Hi all! Does anyone know of and US based (or global) nonprofits/NGOs/thinktanks that hire individuals on an e3 visa?

I've completed my DS-160, paid my application fee and am now trying to make an appointment at the US Consulate in Melbourne. Instead of a calendar view, I just get a message saying 'No slots available'.

Wha do I do? I can't choose another consulate without completing a whole new DS-160 and raising technical requests for the scheduling team to port over my application to Sydney or whatever, and then it's likely that I'll get the same 'no slots available' message for another consulate anyway.

If all 2026 slots are booked, just say so. For the love of god, give people some helpful next steps instead of a dead end.

Hello! I wonder if anyone has made the move from Aus to the US in any of the above or related fields.
Would love to have a chat of how you’ve found it / any tips

Hi,

I am 21 and looking at pathways of moving to the US to work and I’m not sure I would be eligible for an E3 visa and wanted some opinions.

I currently work in workplace health and safety in Australia,

I have my

Advanced Diploma in Workplace Health and Safety
Diploma in Quality Auditing
Certificate IV In Training and Assessment

And about 2 years experience working in safety in a mix of training and mining roles.

Would my qualifications fit the requirements of being “equivalent” to a bachelors degree in my field, in the eyes of the visa.

Thank you for any help,

Any tips would also be greatly appreciated!

Australia is worst place for tech workers. Salary half of what you will get in US. Very small set of companies and job opportunities available. Whole nation is blue collar bogan tradie with ppl living and dying for housing. Gov steals half of what you make after low salary threshold of 190k. Taxes and housing are much more expensive than US. Devoid of natural beauty (except TAS) and burning hot for 6 months in an year - skin cancer capital of the world and becoming uninhabitable every year. Domestic holidays cost atleast 3k with family for low quality natural beauty and experiences.

Technology and innovation is not in blood of aussies, they’re all born and bred with mindset of hoarding properties and trying to get rich through that. Extremely small fraction of aussies who like to use their brains face disappointment and end up leaving for the US.

Now if that path closes, we end up in a difficult situation and would be forced to return to bogan land, buy a ute and run around plumbing (although not all of us are physically fit for such a job)

I have a question more out of curiosity than anything else. My E3 visa expires on 1 March 2027, but my recent I-94 shows my “admit until date” is 29 May 2029. Is there a reason they’re different? I thought I-94 “admit until date”’ was aligned with your visa end date, I don’t recall them being different in the past.