Apply for US Visa: What is a visa?

A travel visa is a document that allows you access to enter a specific country. The policies, enforcement and distribution of these documents vary by country but this article will aim to help you through the process to apply for US visa from a selection of 15 different countries.

Generally, when a citizen of a foreign country wishes to legally enter the United States, they must apply for US visa. Visas can be broken down into two categories or “classes.” These are comprised of temporary visas for a temporary stay or an immigrant visa for permanent residence. Depending on a variety of factors including country of origin, income, and others, obtaining a visa may be difficult, especially now that the Trump administration has placed harsher restrictions on applicants who receive government support such as food stamps and subsidized housing. Unless you are coming from a visa-exempt country or a Visa Waiver Program country, you will be required to apply for US visa through one of the U.S. Diplomatic Missions for your corresponding country.

How to Apply for US Visa

The application to apply for US visa is generally done in the U.S Consulate or Embassy in one’s home country or current country of residence. One method for obtaining an Immigrant Visa is by having a current U.S citizen or lawful permanent resident fill out a petition with U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Once this is approved, the applicant may start the immigrant visa application pre-screening process, where further documents and fees are collected from both petitioner(s) and applicants. This process is generally managed by the NVC or National Visa Center. Once you are approved, you will be contacted by the NVC to proceed with the general immigrant visa application.

Apply for US Visa: How to Apply for US Tourist Visa

Called a B2 Visa, a U.S visitors visa is a non-immigrant visa that would allow you to enter the United States for a temporary stay, be it for travel, business, medical appointments, or otherwise. The length of time that these allow for vary by country, ranging from 3 months if you live in Iran or Cuba to 10 years if you are a Mexican citizen. As is the case with all U.S visa applications, the process by which you apply varies from country to country; however, all applicants must demonstrate that they qualify for B2 Visa under the Immigration and Nationality Act. This more or less means that the applicant can prove that their living situation in their home country is such that they would not abandon it to live in the U.S. Other contributing factors include income, age, frequency of travel and frequency of travel to the U.S.

How to Apply for US Visitor Visa

A Visitor Visa is a type of nonimmigrant visa designed for processing foreigners who intend on staying in the US for a limited period of time for the purposes of business or tourism. In order to apply for US Visitor Visa, you must first determine whether or not you will be staying in the US for business or pleasure.

Apply for US Visa in India

Filing for immigrant visa is generally the same process in all countries; however, acceptance rates vary (see here). B-1/B-2 visas from India are have a maximum validity of 10 years, which is the longest possible for foreign B-1/B-2 visa seekers.

To apply for US Visa in India (Immigrant), you must

1. Obtain a Police Clearance Certificate from your Regional Passport Office as well as the Passport Office from any country where you have lived for more than one year after reaching the age of 16.
2. If you are applying at the New Delhi U.S Embassy, you must complete your medical examination with one of the physicians listed here.
3. If applying through Mumbai, use this list
4. Complete the [DS-260] form
5. Schedule your visa appointment at www.ustraveldocs.com/in
6. Pick up your passport at the pickup location you have specified on the website.
7. Attend your Visa Application Centre appointment
8. Schedule your visa interview at the Embassy or Consulate.

Apply for US Visa in Canada

One does not generally need to Apply for US Visa in Canada to travel directly to the United States. However, there are exceptions including:
“Treaty traders and investors (requires E Visa);
Foreign citizen fiancé(e) (K-1 Visa), as well as the fiancé(e)’s children (K-2 Visa);
A U.S. citizen’s foreign citizen spouse traveling to reside in the U.S. while awaiting final completion of the process of immigration (K-3 Visa), as well as the spouse’s children (K-4 Visa);
Spouses of lawful permanent residents (V-1 Visas), as well as the spouse’s children who are traveling to reside in the U.S. while awaiting completion of the process of immigration (V-2 Visas);
Non-immigrants travelling to the United States for work (Non-Immigrant Visas)” (Taken from US Embassies and Consulates in Canada Website)

Apply for US visa in Nigeria

The process to apply for US visa in Nigeria is generally similar to the one outlined in the “How to Apply for US Visa” section. It can be accomplished either at the U.S Embassy in Abuja or the U.S Consulate General in Lagos. Although applications can be submitted through the US Department of State website, you must attend the visa interview in person one of these locations. The steps for application are as follows:

1. Make sure you have a valid passport
2. Determine which visa type you will need
3. Pay the non-refundable processing fee online or in-person.
4. Complete the DS-160 form and complete the application online through the US Department of State website
5. Schedule an appointment online (you will need your passport)

If approved, your passport and visa will arrive at the specified pickup point.

Apply for US visa in China

The process to apply for US visa in China is generally the same as in other countries. However, in China, there is only one location available for processing your immigrant visa which is in Guangzhou. The complete list of steps are as follows:

1. Determine which type of visa you will need and pay the corresponding fee
2. Fill out and submit the DS-160 form either online or offline.
3. Pay the non-refundable processing fee online or in-person.
4. Create a profile on the CGI Federal website
5. Schedule an appointment

Apply for US visa Costa Rica

To apply for US Visa Costa Rica, take note of the following steps and procedures. The U.S Embassy in San Jose processes applications for visa’s in Costa Rica.

The process for obtaining a nonimmigrant visa is generally the same in Costa Rica as in other countries.

1. Determine which type of visa you will need and pay the corresponding fee
2. Fill out and submit the DS-160 form either online or offline.
3. Create a profile on the CGI Federal website
4. Schedule an appointment

Apply for US visa from Dubai (UAE)

The process to apply for US visa from Dubai involves visiting the Global Support Service website as well as going to the US embassy in Anu Dhabi per their instructions. Fill out and submit a DS-160 form along with your acceptable ID photo and passport.

Apply for US visa in Ukraine

To apply for US visa in Ukraine, you will need to schedule your visa application interview with the U.S embassy in Kiev. This is after filling out and submitting the DS-160 form which can be found here along with other Ukrainian specific instructions.

Apply for US Visa Online in Ghana

To apply for US visa online in Ghana may be a preferable and more convenient option if internet is accessible where you live. After determining what type of visa you need here, you must pay the visa fee which varies depending on visa type. The fee for one of the more common types, B, is 880 Ghanaian Cedi (for more information on how to apply for a B visa, check the above section “How to Apply for US Tourist Visa”). After paying the fee, you will need to fill out the DS-10 form online here. You then must create a profile and schedule an appointment at the CGI Federal website. When scheduling your appointment, which will be in the U.S embassy in Accra, you will be asked to provide your passport number, bank receipt for the initial fee, and 10-code DS-160 barcode number from the form’s completion page.

Apply for US Visa Saudi Arabia

In order to apply for US Visa Saudi Arabia, take note of these following steps:

1. Make sure you have a valid passport.
2. Determine which visa type you will need.
3. Pay the non-refundable processing fee online or in-person.
4. Complete the DS-160 form and complete the application online through the US Department of State website.
5. Schedule an appointment online (you will need your passport)
6. Go to your scheduled appointment at the Riyadh Embassy to the United States.

If approved, your passport and visa will arrive at the specified pickup point.

Apply for US Visa in Jamaica

These are the steps you will need to take to apply for US visa in Jamaica:

1. Make sure you have a valid passport.
2. Determine which visa type you will need.
3. Pay the non-refundable processing fee online or in-person.
4. Complete the DS-160 form and then complete the application online through the US Department of State website.
5. Schedule an appointment online (you will need your passport)
6. Go to your scheduled appointment at the Kingston Embassy to the United States.

If approved, your passport and visa will arrive at the specified pickup point.

Applying for a US Visa in Trinidad

Below are the steps required when applying for a US visa in Trinidad:

1. Make sure you have a valid passport.
2. Determine which visa type you will need.
3. Pay the non-refundable processing fee online or in-person.
4. Complete the DS-160 form and then complete the application online through the US Department of State website.
5. Schedule an appointment online (you will need your passport)
6. Go to your scheduled appointment at the Port of Spain Embassy to the United States.

If approved, your passport and visa will arrive at the specified pickup point.