As of June 15, the Visa Application Center (VAC) will start processing nonimmigrant visa applications for eligible interview waiver cases only. The VAC and the Embassy are still closed for all routine cases that require interviews.
Do you have a question?
Ask a real person any government-related question for free. They'll get you the answer or let you know where to find it.
What determines the type of student visa you need?
Your course of study, the school you plan to attend, or the exchange program you will be with will determine the type of student visa you will need.
What is ESTA in travel?
Fill out the (ESTA) online application. ESTA determines the eligibility of a visitor to travel to the U.S. under the VWP.
What is an F-1 visa?
F-1 visa classification is for a full-time international student pursuing academic studies.
What is transit C visa?
Transit C visa classification is for foreign nationals traveling through the U.S. to another country and stopping briefly in the U.S. as part of their travel to the next foreign destination.
What happens if you violate your work visa?
If you violate the terms of your work visa, it could be revoked. You could be deported, arrested, or denied re-entry into the U.S.
Can an international student apply for a student visa?
An international student can apply for a student or exchange visitor visa only after being accepted by a school certified in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). Students’ records are kept in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). Learn more about SEVP and SEVIS, and about the SEVIS fee.
How often do you update your biographical information on a Chinese passport?
In accordance with the agreement signed between the United States and China to extend visa validity, beginning on November 29, 2016, Chinese citizens with 10-year B1, B2 or B1/B2 visas in Peoples’ Republic of China passports will be required to update their biographical and other information from their visa application via a website every two years, or upon getting a new passport or B1, B2, or B1/B2 visa, whichever occurs first. This mechanism is called EVUS - Electronic Visa Update System.
What happens after a visa interview?
After your visa interview, the consular officer may determine that your application requires further administrative processing. The consular officer will inform you if this required.
What is a visa for a foreigner?
A visa allows a foreign citizen to travel to a U.S. port-of-entry (generally an airport) and request permission to enter the United States. A visa does not guarantee entry into the United States. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials at the port-of-entry have authority to permit or deny admission to the United States. If you are allowed to enter the United States, the CBP official will provide an admission stamp or a paper Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record. Learn more about admissions and entry requirements, restrictions about bringing food, agricultural products, and other restricted/prohibited goods, and more by reviewing the CBP website.
What does 999 days mean?
A wait time listed as "999 calendar days" indicates that the Consular Section is only providing that service to emergency cases. Please check the Embassy or Consulate website for further information.
How long does a passport need to be valid for a visa interview?
Gather and prepare the following required documents before your visa interview: 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 ).
What happens if you fail to leave the US on time?
Failure to depart the United States on time will result in being out of status. Under U.S. law, visas of individuals who are out of status are automatically voided ( Section 222 (g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act ). Any multiple entry visa that was voided due to being out of status will not be valid for future entries into the United States.
Where to schedule a visa interview?
You should schedule an appointment for your visa interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the country where you live. You may schedule your interview at another U.S. Embassy or Consulate, but be aware that it may be more difficult to qualify for a visa outside of the country where you live.
What determines what type of visa is required?
The purpose of your intended travel and other facts will determine what type of visa is required under U.S. immigration law. As a visa applicant, you will need to establish that you meet all requirements to receive the category of visa for which you are applying.
How to request an expedited appointment?
How to Request an Expedited Appointment: Applicants can request an expedited appointment through our online appointment system at https://www.ustraveldocs.com/in/expedited-appointment.html. You must already have a confirmed interview appointment date in order to request an expedited appointment. If your expedited appointment request is approved, you will be notified with instructions via email. You should not cancel your existing appointment unless you receive a confirmation that your request for an expedited appointment has been approved. If you have not yet received an approval or denial, your request is still under consideration.
How long is a visa application valid for?
There is no fee to change an appointment and visa application fees are valid for one year in the country where the fee was paid. The purpose of your intended travel and other facts will determine what type of visa is required under U.S. immigration law.
What is business traveler?
Business traveler, we will establish appropriate mechanisms to facilitate business travel and expedite cases of particular concern to American business.
How to prepare for an interview?
Prepare for your interview by being able to clearly and concisely describe your intentions.
What are the exceptions to the suspension of entry?
There are certain exceptions to the suspension of entry, including exceptions for certain family members of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, among other exceptions listed in the proclamations.
When did Biden suspend travel to India?
On April 30, President Biden signed Presidential Proclamation 10199 suspending most nonimmigrant travel from India. In light of the travel suspension and due to the current pandemic situation in India, most other routine nonimmigrant visa and VAC appointments at U.S. Embassy New Delhi and the consulates in Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, ...
What determines what type of visa is required?
The purpose of your intended travel and other facts will determine what type of visa is required under U.S. immigration law. As a visa applicant, you will need to establish that you meet all requirements to receive the category of visa for which you are applying.
When did Biden end travel restrictions?
On January 20, 2021, President Biden signed a Presidential Proclamation (P.P.) titled “Ending Discriminatory Bans on Entry to the United States.” This proclamation ends the travel restrictions under P.P. 9645 and 9983 that had suspended entry into the United States of certain nationals, based on visa type, from Burma, Eritrea, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Nigeria, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Venezuela, and Yemen. For FAQs and more information related to P.P. 9645 and 9983, please visit: https://tr.usembassy.gov/visas/faqs-regarding-pp-9645-and-pp-9983/
What is business traveler?
Business traveler, we will establish appropriate mechanisms to facilitate business travel and expedite cases of particular concern to American business.
How to prepare for an interview?
Prepare for your interview by being able to clearly and concisely describe your intentions.
What determines what type of visa is required?
The purpose of your intended travel and other facts will determine what type of visa is required under U.S. immigration law. As a visa applicant, you will need to establish that you meet all requirements to receive the category of visa for which you are applying.
What is business traveler?
Business traveler, we will establish appropriate mechanisms to facilitate business travel and expedite cases of particular concern to American business.
How to prepare for an interview?
Prepare for your interview by being able to clearly and concisely describe your intentions.
What is a nonimmigrant visa?
Nonimmigrant Visas. Travel to the United States on a temporary basis, including tourism, temporary employment, study and exchange.
What is an IV visa?
Immigrant Visa (IV) applications are processed according to worldwide prioritization guidance. Travel restrictions and operational constraints caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in a backlog of IV cases. Recognizing how this backlog affects all of the thousands of families waiting for reunification, the consular section is not able to approve most requests for expedited IV processing, and instead works to process all cases according to their priority date.
What determines what type of visa is required?
The purpose of your intended travel and other facts will determine what type of visa is required under U.S. immigration law. As a visa applicant, you will need to establish that you meet all requirements to receive the category of visa for which you are applying.
What is the Department of State?
The Department of State manages the visa process strictly but fairly in order to best protect the United States. We are committed to the essential openness for which the United States has always been known. Travel to the United States is welcomed and encouraged.
What is business traveler?
Business traveler, we will establish appropriate mechanisms to facilitate business travel and expedite cases of particular concern to American business.
Can you reschedule an appointment with the consular office?
In order to provide efficient and equitable availability of consular services, it may be occasionally necessary for the consular section to reschedule some appointments already on the calendar for the coming weeks and months. Applicants affected by these actions will receive an email or text message with notice of appointment cancellation from USTravelDocs.com/gh that contains instructions on how to reschedule their appointment for a future date. Applicants with a qualifying need for urgent travel should follow the instructions below to request an expedited appointment.
How to prepare for an interview?
Prepare for your interview by being able to clearly and concisely describe your intentions.
What determines what type of visa is required?
The purpose of your intended travel and other facts will determine what type of visa is required under U.S. immigration law. As a visa applicant, you will need to establish that you meet all requirements to receive the category of visa for which you are applying.
How long does it take to respond to a visa request?
We try to respond to most inquiries and to answer most letters within 7 business days. However, we are currently experiencing a high volume of visa inquiries, and our response time may be delayed. All correspondence and requests will be processed in the order they are received. We will not respond to duplicate inquiry cases so please refrain from sending multiple requests or follow-ups as it will slow down our response time.
What is business traveler?
Business traveler, we will establish appropriate mechanisms to facilitate business travel and expedite cases of particular concern to American business.
What is the phone number of the Philippine government?
Hotlines: (+632) 8548-8223 and (+632) 7792-8988 for callers in the Philippines or (703) 520-2235 for callers in the United States. Our service center is open Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Philippine Standard Time), except on Philippine and U.S. holidays and handles general inquiries and scheduling appointments only (fiancé (e) ...
How to prepare for an interview?
Prepare for your interview by being able to clearly and concisely describe your intentions.
When will the MRV fee be extended?
The Embassy will extend the validity of your payment (known as the MRV fee) until September 30, 2022, to allow all applicants who were unable to schedule a visa appointment as a result of the suspension of routine consular operations an opportunity to schedule and/or attend a visa appointment with the already paid fee.
Is a visa application confidential?
Under United States law, visa records are confidential. We will only respond to visa inquiries from the applicant, petitioner, or their legal representative with a signed Form G-28 (Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Representative). In cases of minor applicants, inquiries will be entertained if they come from one or both parents of the concerned.
How to know if your case is documentarily qualified?
When your case is documentarily qualified, the National Visa Center (NVC) sends an email to notify you that the case is documentarily complete and pending scheduling at the Embassy. Please make sure that the NVC has your most up-to-date contact information so they can communicate with you. Cases are generally scheduled for interview in order of the date they became documentarily qualified. Note, however, that due to limited capacity due to COVID-19 and the situation in Haiti, applicants should expect to experience delays in appointment availability. You can log in to our Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) to check your status, receive messages, and manage your case. More information on immigrant visa processing and case prioritization is available at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas.html.
What is NIV visa?
The Nonimmigrant Visa (NIV) unit is offering a limited number of in-person appointments for student visas in the F, M, and J visa classes and a limited number of in-person appointments for petition-based visas, such as H, L, P, and R visa classes. We are continuing to process a limited number of Interview Waiver (IW)/Visa Renewal applications, which must be scheduled online as drop-off appointments. We are not processing any other nonimmigrant visa classes at this time.
What determines what type of visa is required?
The purpose of your intended travel and other facts will determine what type of visa is required under U.S. immigration law. As a visa applicant, you will need to establish that you meet all requirements to receive the category of visa for which you are applying.
What is the Department of State?
The Department of State manages the visa process strictly but fairly in order to best protect the United States. We are committed to the essential openness for which the United States has always been known. Travel to the United States is welcomed and encouraged.
What is business traveler?
Business traveler, we will establish appropriate mechanisms to facilitate business travel and expedite cases of particular concern to American business.
How to prepare for an interview?
Prepare for your interview by being able to clearly and concisely describe your intentions.
Can you add videos to your watch history?
Videos you watch may be added to the TV's watch history and influence TV recommendations. To avoid this, cancel and sign in to YouTube on your computer.
