South Africa residents will need a visa to travel to the United States. This will require scheduling and attending the necessary appointments at the US embassy or one of the consulate general addresses in South Africa. While some processes leading to a visa can be completed online, some will require physical presence and one on one interview. This easy-to-follow guide provides you with everything you need to know about getting a US visa appointment in South Africa.

How to Apply for a US Visa in South Africa

The process of getting a US Visa Appointment in South Africa is simple and straightforward if you meet the eligibility requirements and have all the required documents. In all, the entire process involves about 6 steps, as explained below:

US visa appointment in South Africa: Choose Your Visa Type

There are two major types of US visas; they are immigrant visa and nonimmigrant visa. The immigrant visa is for those applying for permanent emigration to the United States. The nonimmigrant category is for temporary visitors going there to spend a few weeks, months, or years and later return to their home country. However, under these two broad categories, there are several other visa types for different sets of applicants.

So, as a nonimmigrant applicant, you will begin your visa process by choosing your appropriate visa type based on your purpose of travel. You can see the list of the available nonimmigrant visa types on this web page.

Once you click on your visa type, the webpage will also show you information about your eligibility and required documents for the visa. Ensure that you gather all the documents as you are going to need them to process your visa.

US visa appointment in South Africa: Complete Non immigrant Application DS-160 Form

Before you can schedule your US visa appointment in South Africa, you will need to first complete the DS-160 form. It is an online application form that requires a lot of information. Ensure that you fill the form correctly and truthfully. You will also need to select South Africa as the location where you will be applying for your visa. You can access the Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application Ds-160 Form here. After completing the application, you will need to print the confirmation page and keep it, as you will still need it to complete your application.

You can also get premium service and help on your application by applying with US visa appointment premium service.

US visa appointment in South Africa: Pay Your Visa Fee

Once you have completed your DS-160 form, you will be able to schedule your US visa appointment  in South Africa on the website of the US embassy. To do this, you will first create a user account. You will also provide certain information about yourself to complete the registration. Your DS-160 form confirmation number is another item you will need to provide in the account registration. Keep in mind that each visa applicant, including children, will need their own DS-160 application form. You will also provide an address or select a location where you would like to receive your documents at the end of the whole process.

Once you have successfully created an account on the website, the next thing is to pay your nonimmigrant visa (MRV) application fee. You can use any of the accepted payment methods on the website. The visa application fees vary widely, depending on the type of visa you are pursuing. You can check this Visa Fees webpage to see the required cost for your own application.

US visa appointment in South Africa: Schedule an Interview

Before you can obtain a visa, you will need to appear for an interview at the US embassy or consulate. However, because you cannot just show up at the location uninvited, you will have to pre-schedule your interview and get an appointment notice containing the date, time, and venue.

The visa interview is compulsory for all applicants between age 14 and 79. Applicants under the age of 14 or above 79 years of age are generally not required to appear physically for an interview. But they must still complete their applications.

To schedule your US visa appointment in South Africa, you will be required to provide your DS-160 confirmation number and your nonimmigrant visa fee payment receipt number. To expedite your US visa appointment in South Africa, it is important that you schedule your interview as early as possible. The estimated wait time to get an interview appointment may vary depending on the workload and staffing at the embassy or consulate. So, applying early will boost your chances of getting a favorable date that will go along with your travel plan.

US visa appointment in South Africa: Attend Your US Visa interview

Your appointment notice will also contain the required items and documents you are to bring to the interview. Make sure you have everything ready before the date. On your interview day, endeavor to be there at least 15 minutes before the scheduled time. If you get to the venue late, there is a high chance that you will not be admitted allowed in. This means you have forfeited the chance to have your much-anticipated interview, and this may disrupt your entire travel plans. It is also crucial to answer the interview questions truthfully and accurately. At the end of the interview, the consular officer will either grant or refuse you a visa.

An approved visa means you are deemed eligible for the visa type you applied for. The consular officer will inform you on how and when you will get your visa and other documents to travel to the United States. 

If your application is denied, it means after reviewing your application and performance at the interview, the officer is not convinced that you qualify for the visa you are applying for. In this case, you may reapply for the same visa later or better still review other visa types and apply for the one you think you are most qualified for.

US visa appointment in South Africa: Receive Your Documents and Travel to the US

If you had a successful interview at the embassy or consulate, your visa should be ready within a few days after the interview. After the interview, your passport will be retained as part of the needed items to prepare your visa.

Once the visa is ready, it will be sent to you via the address and method you provided when creating your account at the initial stage of the application process. After receiving the visa and other documents, you can proceed to book your flight and make other arrangements for your travel. Remember, your nonimmigrant visa has an expiration date. So, you must use the visa to travel before its expiration.

The Address of the US Embassy in South Africa

Your US visa appointments in South Africa can take place either at the embassy in Pretoria or any of its three Consulate General addresses closer to you. The addresses are as follows:

US Embassy Pretoria

 877 Pretorius Street

Arcadia

Pretoria

Phone Number: +27 (12) 431-4000

Fax: +27 (12) 342-2299 

US Consulate General Cape Town

Physical Address: 2 Reddam Ave

Westlake 7945

Mailing Address: PostNet Suite 50

Private Bag x26

Tokai 7966

US Consulate General Durban

Physical Address: 03 Dr. Pixley KaSeme Street

31st Floor, Delta Towers

Durban 4001

Mailing Address: 303 Dr. Pixley KaSeme Street

31st Floor, Delta Towers

Durban 4001

US Consulate General Johannesburg

Physical Address: 1 Sandton Drive

Sandhurst

(Opposite Sandton City)

Mailing Address: PO. Box 787197

Sandton 2146