us travel visa appointment

Update April 12, 2024

Information for u.s. citizens in the middle east.

• Travel Advisories |
• Contact Us |
• MyTravelGov |

Find U.S. Embassies & Consulates

Travel.state.gov, congressional liaison, special issuance agency, u.s. passports, international travel, intercountry adoption, international parental child abduction, records and authentications, popular links, travel advisories, mytravelgov, stay connected, legal resources, legal information, info for u.s. law enforcement, replace or certify documents.

Tourism & Visit

Study & Exchange

Other Visa Categories

U.S. Visa: Reciprocity and Civil Documents by Country

Share this page:

Appointment

Appointment Date, Time, and Location

How long does it take to get an appointment?

What if I need to change the interview date and time?

Medical Examination

My interview hasn't been scheduled yet, but I want to get started on my medical exam. Where should I go to get an exam?

Who Must Participate in the Interview

Does the petitioner have to be present at the interview?

If a derivative applicant is following to join the principal applicant, do they have to be present at the interview?

What Do I Need to Bring to the Interview

Are there any additional fees to be paid at post?

What must I bring to the interview?

Do I need to bring originals of documents I submitted to the NVC via CEAC with me to the interview?

What happens to the documents submitted to the NVC?

Last Minute Changes

Does every applicant need to fill out a Form DS-260?

My children were going to follow to join me. Can they accompany me instead?

Can I include my children if they were not originally part of the case?

My child will turn 21 years old soon. Will that affect their visa?

The petitioner on my case recently became a U.S. citizen. Can I still apply for an immigrant visa?

When Your Visa Is Issued - What You Should Know

How much time do I have to immigrate after my visa is issued?

Although NVC strives to schedule appointments within three months of NVC’s acceptance of all requested documentation, this timeframe is subject to the operating status and capacity of the consular section.  Currently, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, most consular posts are operating at a limited capacity as they work through a backlog of immigrant visa applications and scheduling may take significantly longer.

To determine the proper procedure for rescheduling your interview appointment, please click U.S. Embassy/Consulate General-Specific Interview Guidelines .

You will receive instructions concerning interview preparation in the appointment letter that you will receive from the NVC. You should not have your exam until your interview has been scheduled. For further information about how to arrange for your medical examination click Medical Examination .

IMPORTANT NOTE:  Medical examination results are valid for six months in normal circumstances. But if you have certain medical conditions your examination results could expire in as little as 3 months. In any case you should not have your medical examination until the NVC notifies you of your interview appointment date. You may be denied entry to the United States if your medical examination results expire before your arrival.

No, only applicants must appear to be interviewed.

Only the applicants who plan to immigrate must appear to be interviewed at the scheduled time. Applicants who will follow to join the principal applicant later do not have to attend the interview scheduled by NVC. They will be interviewed separately. You should contact the U.S. Embassy or Consulate directly to arrange separate interviews.

The immigrant visa application processing fee for each applicant must be paid before his/her visa interview can take place. Applicants whose fee has not been paid should be prepared to pay the fee on the day of the interview. You should contact the U.S. Embassy/Consulate to understand what payment methods are acceptable.

Please review Interview Preparation – Required Documents for a list of the required documents you will need for your immigrant visa interview.

Yes, you must bring the original civil documents that you scanned and submitted through CEAC. If you do not bring your originals, you will delay the processing of your case.

Please do not submit any original documents to the NVC. Unless specifically directed to do so, please do not mail any documents to NVC, either original or photocopy.

Form DS-260, Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Application, is required for all Immigrant Visa applicants and Diversity Visa applicants.

Yes, you may change your children's status from follow-to-join to accompanying by directly contacting the U.S. Embassy/Consulate where your interview is scheduled.

If the visa for which you are applying allows derivative children, your unmarried children under the age of 21 may be added as derivative applicants after your interview has been scheduled. You must directly contact the embassy/consulate to request specific instructions. At the interview the added applicant(s) will be required to pay the same fees, and submit the same forms and supporting documents as the original applicant(s).

If you plan to immigrate to the United States with your children, or to have your children join you in the United States later, you must prove that your children are:

• Eligible to be listed under your visa classification, and
• Under the age of 21 at the time they enter the United States

If your child will soon turn 21, your child could become ineligible to immigrate with you. If your child cannot immigrate with you because of their age, then a separate petition must be filed for your child and there may be a significant delay before your child becomes eligible for a visa.

If visas are available in your visa category before your child's birthday, the NVC may be able to expedite your case so that you and your child can immigrate together. Unfortunately, if visas are not available before the child's birthday, the NVC cannot expedite the case.

There is also a law called the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA), which applies to a narrow range of cases and may allow the principal applicant's son or daughter to remain eligible under this petition. At the time of the parent's visa interview, the consular officer will determine whether or not CSPA is applicable in your particular situation.

Yes, although the type of immigrant visa that you can receive will change. If the family member in the United States who petitioned for you has become a U.S. citizen, you should immediately contact the U.S. Embassy where your interview is scheduled. They will need proof of your petitioner’s naturalization, so please obtain one of the following documents:

• A copy of the biodata page of your petitioner’s U.S. passport; or
• A copy of your petitioner’s certificate of naturalization.

Effect on spouses and minor children: If you filed a petition for your spouse or minor children (under age 21 and unmarried) while you were an LPR, the visa category was  family second preference (F2A) . When you become a U.S. citizen, NVC will  upgrade the petition  to an  immediate relative (IR)  visa category. This benefits your immigrating family member(s) because there are no limits on the number of visas that can be issued each year in the IR categories.

• Important: If the  family second preference (F2A)  petition that you filed for your spouse included your minor children, now that you are a U.S. citizen you must file new and separate petitions for each child. This is because children cannot be included as “derivative applicants” on a parent’s  immediate relative (IR)  visa or petition. (This is different from the family second preference petition, which allows minor children to be included in their parent's petition.)
• Children born abroad after you became a U.S. citizen may qualify for U.S. citizenship. They should apply for U.S. passports at the U.S. Embassy/Consulate. The consular officer will determine whether your child is a U.S. citizen and can have a passport. If the consular officer determines your child is not a U.S. citizen, the child must apply for an immigrant visa if he/she wants to live in the United States.

Effect on adult children: If you filed a petition for your unmarried adult children (age 21 or older) when you were an LPR, NVC will change the visa category from  family second preference (F2B)  to  family first preference (F1) . However, under a federal law called the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA), visa applicants can “opt out” of conversion to the F1 visa category and remain an F2B visa applicant. This may be beneficial because sometimes the wait time for an F2B visa is shorter than the wait time for an F1 visa. When you naturalize and become a U.S. citizen, you should check the  Visa Bulletin  to see if it would be helpful for your adult unmarried child to remain in the F2B category. (Applicants keep the priority date of their F2B petition when it converts to the F1 visa category.) Applicants who want to opt-out of conversion to the F1 category must submit a request using these guidelines:

• Applicants whose case is at NVC should submit requests using  NVC’s online inquiry form . NVC will forward the request to USCIS and change the visa category back to F2B upon receipt of USCIS’s approval.
• Applicants whose case is at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate overseas should ask the embassy to submit a request on their behalf. The consular officer will forward the request and adjudicate the visa application in the F2B category only upon receipt of USCIS’s approval.

Review your visa when you receive it and also carefully note its expiration date. You must enter the United States before your visa expires, and before your medical examination results expire.

More Information

A-Z Index Latest News What is a U.S. Visa? Diversity Visa Program Visa Waiver Program Fraud Warning Find a U.S. Embassy or Consulate Straight Facts on U.S. Visas

External Link

You are about to leave travel.state.gov for an external website that is not maintained by the U.S. Department of State.

Links to external websites are provided as a convenience and should not be construed as an endorsement by the U.S. Department of State of the views or products contained therein. If you wish to remain on travel.state.gov, click the "cancel" message.

You are about to visit:

भाषा परिवर्तन : Change to Nepali

Apply for a U.S. Visa

• Bank and Payment Options
• Form DS-160 Information
• Appointment Wait Times
• Photos and Fingerprints
• Visa Waiver Program
• Security Regulations
• Apply for a Visa
• Pay My Visa Fee
• Complete My DS-160
• Schedule My Appointment
• Track My Passport
• Apply for an Expedited Appointment
• Interview Waiver & Visa Renewal
• Application Refused Under INA 221(g)
• Immigrant Visa Information
• K Visa Applicants
• Expedited & Medical Hold Cases
• Health Workers and Employment-Based Immigrant Visa
• Reschedule My Immigrant / Diversity Visa Appointment
• Check My Immigrant Visa Petition Status
• Immigrant Visa Wait Times
• Travel Coordinator
• Group Appointments
• Diplomatic and Government Officials
• Applicants under 14 years of age or age 80 and over
• U.S. Embassy
• Passport/Visa Collection Locations and Drop-off Locations
• Bank Locations
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Holidays and Closures
• Rights and Protections
• Helpful Links

You are here: Home / Schedule My Appointment

On this page:

Supporting Documents

Restrictions to changing appointments, more actions.

Generally, a citizen of a foreign country who wishes to enter the United States must first obtain a visa, either a nonimmigrant visa for temporary stay or an immigrant visa for permanent residence. Citizens of qualified countries may be also able to visit the United States without a visa under the Visa Waiver Program . If you do not qualify for the Visa Waiver Program or are traveling to study, work, or participate in an exchange program, you must apply for a nonimmigrant visa.

Applicants for U.S. visas are required to appear in person for a visa interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate. You must schedule an appointment for that interview, either online using this website or through the call center .

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 (unless country-specific agreements provide exemptions). If more than one person is included in your passport, each person desiring a visa must submit an application;
• Your visa application (MRV) fee payment receipt; Cash Deposit Receipt if paid in cash at NIMB Bank Branch, or the payment transaction detail downloaded from connectIPS after EFT payment;
• Your DS-160 confirmation page (please note, DS160 application cannot be reused. A new DS160 application needs to be filled for each time applicant appears for the visa Interview) ;
• Your e-mail address; and
• If applicable, required documents based on visa class (such as a petition approval for petition-based visas; more information about visa types and information about each can be found here ).

Applicants are limited to the number of times they can reschedule their appointments. Please plan accordingly so that you are not required to pay another visa application fee.

Schedule an appointment Change your appointment

© CGI Federal Inc.

• NIV Information
• NIV Application
• Immigrant Visas
• Local Visa Programs
• General Information

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock Locked padlock icon ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

How to apply for or renew a U.S. tourist visa

If you visit the U.S. for tourism or business, you may need a visitor visa, also known as a tourist visa. Learn how to get and renew this type of nonimmigrant visa.

To enter the U.S., you must bring a passport issued by your country of citizenship along with your visa. Officials at your port of entry into the U.S. will also issue you a Form I-94, which electronically records your arrival and departure dates. Learn more about Form I-94 and how to apply .

Find out if you need a visa to visit the U.S.

Check to see if your country participates in the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP) . If it does, you can get a waiver and will not need a visa. If you do not see your country listed, you will need a visitor visa.

Visitor (tourist) visa

The visitor visa, also known as a tourist visa, is a type of nonimmigrant visa for people who wish to temporarily enter the U.S. There are two categories:

• B-1 for business travel
• B-2 for tourism and medical treatment

Learn about B-1 and B-2 visas , including:

• Reasons you would need each type of visitor visa
• How to apply
• What documents you will need
• Application fees
• How to prepare for your interview at your U.S. embassy or consulate

How to renew a visitor visa

You must renew your visitor visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. Only diplomatic visa holders and their dependents can renew their visas within the U.S.

The process to renew a visitor visa is the same as getting one for the first time. Follow the process to apply for a visitor visa from the Department of State.

Find the contact information for your nearest U.S. embassy or consulate and contact them for visa renewal information.

LAST UPDATED: December 6, 2023

Have a question?

Ask a real person any government-related question for free. They will get you the answer or let you know where to find it.