Generally, a citizen of a foreign country who wishes to enter the United States must first obtain an American visa.
Before applying for an American Visa, there are some major things one must be taken into consideration, below are 6 key things you must know to apply for an American Visa.
1. A person applying for an American Visa to enter the United States must first obtain a visa, either a nonimmigrant visa for temporary stay or an immigrant visa for permanent residence.
Nonimmigrant Visas
A nonimmigrant visa is used by tourists, business people, students, or specialty workers who wish to stay for a particular period of time in the United States to accomplish specific purposes. According to U.S. visa laws and regulations, most nonimmigrant visa applicants must demonstrate to the consular officer that they have strong ties to their country of residence and must show that they intend to depart the United States after their temporary stay.
Immigrant Visas
Immigrant visas are for persons who plan to live permanently in the United States. The immigrant visa permits an application for admission to the United States as a Legal Permanent Resident and is a potential step toward acquiring U.S. citizenship. Most immigrant visa applications begin when a qualified family member who is a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident submits a petition on behalf of the intending immigrant to the U. S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) in the United States or at a U.S. Embassy abroad. It is also possible for a U.S. employer to file a petition for a foreign national whom the employer wishes to hire for an eligible permanent position.
2. Once you have determined the correct visa type, you must pay the visa fee. Visa applicants, including children, are required to pay a non-refundable, non-transferable visa application fee, sometimes referred to as the MRV fee, before applying for a nonimmigrant visa. The visa application fee must be paid whether a visa is issued or not. The type of visa for which you apply determines the fee amount. This webpage lists visa application fees associated with each nonimmigrant visa type.
3. The next step is to complete the DS-160 form. All information must be correct and accurate. Once the form is submitted, you cannot make any changes. If you need assistance, please consult an immigration lawyer or translator. The call center cannot help you complete your DS-160. You will need your DS-160 number to book your appointment.
Even if someone else helped you complete the application, you (the applicant) must click the “Sign Application†button, or your application may not be accepted.
4. You are almost ready to schedule your visa appointment! Now you will need to create a profile in our system. Complete all fields and create a password. Once you are in the system, you will see your dashboard.
On the left-hand side, click on Schedule Appointment.
This will start the process for scheduling your appointment. For each applicant being scheduled you will need:
The applicant's passport number
The receipt number from GT Bank receipt.
The ten (10) digit barcode number from the applicant's DS-160 confirmation page
As you go through the process you will be able to select your visa type, enter personal data, add dependents, select your document delivery location, confirm visa payment and finally, schedule your appointment.
5. At the penultimate stage, you must keep visiting the U.S. Embassy on the date and time of your visa interview. Be sure to check the Schedule My Appointment page for the necessary documentation needed for your appointment.
Supporting Documents
To schedule a nonimmigrant visa appointment, you must have the following information and documents available:
• A passport valid for travel to the United States with a validity date at least six months beyond your intended period of stay in the United States. If more than one person is included in your passport, each person desiring a visa must submit an application.
• Your visa application fee payment receipt from GT bank
• Your DS-160 confirmation page
• Your e-mail address
• If applicable, required documents based on visa class (such as a petition approval for petition-based visas;
6. If your visa is approved you will pick up your passport at the document delivery center.
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