Instructions

1. Passport

Each applicant must present a passport valid for travel to the United States and with a validity date at least six months beyond the applicant's intended period of stay in the United States.

2. Application Form(s)

All applicants must complete Nonimmigrant Visa Application (Form DS-156) online here. Print the completed form, sign it, and bring all three pages to the interview. You will need the number from page three of the DS-156 to make your appointment online.

All male applicants are 16-45 years must also complete the Supplemental Nonimmigrant Visa Application (Form DS-157).

Applicants for student (F) or exchange visitor (J) visas must also complete and sign Form DS-158.

Student visa applicants must provide a valid Form I-20. Exchange visitor applicants must provide a valid Form DS-2019. Most student and exchange visitors must also provide a receipt showing that they have paid the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) registration fee. More information on the SEVIS fee, including how to pay, is available here. (www.fmjfee.com)

3. Photo

Each applicant must present one 2x2 inch (5 cm by 5 cm), full face photo taken within the last six months. The photograph must be in color and must be taken against a white or off-white background. More details on photo requirements are available here. Attach the photo to Form DS-156 in the space provided.

In general, the applicant's head, including both face and hair, should be shown from the crown of the head to the tip of the chin on top and bottom and from hairline side-to-side. It is preferable that ears be exposed. Head coverings and hats are only acceptable due to religious beliefs, and even then, may not cover any portion of the applicant's face.

Sunglasses or other wear which detracts from the face are not acceptable unless required for medical reasons (an eye patch, for example). Digitally reproduced photographs must be reproduced without discernible pixels or dot patterns. Photocopied photographs are NOT accepted.  

4. Make an Appointment

Once you have completed the above steps, click here to make your interview appointment. You must provide the barcode number from the last page of the online non-immigrant visa form to make an oppointment. As of March 1, 2008, all applicants for non-immigrant visas must make an appointment using our online system. This allows us to provide timely and professional service to all applicants. The waiting time for an interview appointment for applicants can vary, so early visa application is strongly encouraged.   

5. Plan for administrative processing:

Some applicants will need additional screening, and will be notified when they apply. Administrative processing can take several weeks, so applicants are encouraged to apply well in advance of travel plans.

6. Fees:

All non-immigrant visa applicants, including children, must pay an Application Processing Fee for Nonimmigrant Visas of US$131. This fee is paid at the Consular Section of the US Embassy at the time of the interview. This fee is for the visa application, and in no way guarantees visa issuance. Fees are not refundable. Additionally, if the visa is issued, there will be an additional visa issuance reciprocity fee, if applicable. If there is a fee for issuance for the visa, it is equal as nearly as possible to the fee charged to United States citizens by the applicant's country of nationality.

7. Other useful information:

Applicants planning to travel to the United States for business or tourism purposes must demonstrate that they are properly classifiable as visitors under U.S. law. Potentially useful information may include evidence and documents which show the purpose of the trip, intent to depart the United States, and arrangements made to cover the costs of the trip. It is impossible to specify the exact form the documentation should take since applicants' circumstances vary greatly.

Those applicants who do not have sufficient funds to support themselves while in the U.S. must present convincing evidence that an interested person will provide support.

Depending on individual circumstances, applicants may provide other documentation substantiating the trip's purpose and specifying the nature of binding obligations, such as family ties or employment, which would compel their return abroad.