Martins
Library provides general information on study, travel, work visa and
business visa requirements and the addresses of embassies worldwide. You should
contact your local embassy or consulate for the most up-to-date information or
visa forms. For Hotels, Hostels, Car Hire, Jobs and Schools in
this country, see the menu options above. See our Travel Forum to create a
travel topic and ask questions to fellow travelers.
Who requires
a visa?
A citizen of a foreign country, wishing to enter the
U.S., generally must first obtain a visa, either a non-immigrant visa for
temporary stay, or an immigrant visa for permanent residence. The type of visa
you must have is defined by immigration law, and relates to the purpose of your
travel. Having a U.S. visa allows you to travel to a port-of-entry (airport,
for example) and request permission of the Department of Homeland Security,
Customs Border Protection immigration officer to enter the U.S. A visa does not
guarantee entry into the United States.
Visitors
Visa
The visitor visa is a type of non-immigrant visa for
persons desiring to enter the United States temporarily for business (B-1) or
for pleasure, tourism or medical treatment (B-2). International travelers with
visitor visas comprise a large portion of temporary visitor travel to the
United States every year.
Students, temporary workers, journalists and persons
planning to travel to the U.S. for a purpose other than that permitted on a
visitor visa, must apply for a different visa in the appropriate
category.Travel Without a Visa – Foreign citizens traveling for visitor visa
purposes only, from certain eligible countries may also be able to visit the
U.S. without a visa, through the Visa Waiver Program if they meet requirements,
including having a valid Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA)
approval. Additionally, citizens of Canada and Bermuda traveling for visitor
visa purposes don’t need a visa, with some exceptions.
The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) enables nationals of
certain countries to travel to the United States for tourism or business for
stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa. The program was established
in 1986 with the objective of eliminating unnecessary barriers to travel,
stimulating the tourism industry, and permitting the Department of State to
focus consular resources in other areas. VWP eligible travelers may apply for a
visa, if they prefer to do so. Not all countries participate in the VWP, and
not all travelers from VWP countries are eligible to use the program. VWP
travelers are screened prior to admission into the United States, and they are
enrolled in the Department of Homeland Security’s US-VISIT program.
Greek citizens will be able to travel to the US
without a visa starting April 5, 2010
Currently, 36 countries participate in the Visa Waiver
Program, as shown below:
Visa Waiver
Program – Participating Countries:
Europe
Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark,
including Greenland and Faroe Islands, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands including Aruba and Netherlands
Antilles, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, United Kingdom (full British citizens only).
Asia
Brunei, Japan, South Korea, Singapore.
Oceania
Australia, New Zealand.
NOTE:
All travelers must have individual passports. It is
not acceptable (for the visa waiver scheme) for children to be included on a
parent’s passport. Passport requirements (for citizens of VWP pre-2008 members
only) depend on the date the passport was issued or renewed: Passports issued
or renewed before 26 October 2005 must be machine readable. Passports issued or
renewed after 26 October 2005 must be machine readable and contain a digitized
photograph, or must be biometric passports. Passports issued or renewed after
26 October 2006 must be biometric (citizens of VWP post-2008 members must
present a biometric passport).
VWP travelers who have been admitted under the Visa
Waiver Program and who make a short trip to Canada, Mexico or an adjacent
island generally can be readmitted to the United States under the VWP for the
balance of their original admission period. See the Department of Homeland
Security’s Customs and Border Protection (CBP) website for additional details.
Also VWP nationals resident in Mexico, Canada or adjacent islands are generally
exempted from requirements to show onward travel to other foreign destinations.
Families seeking to enter the United States under the
VWP need to obtain an individual machine-readable passport for each traveler,
including infants. A machine-readable passport has biographic data for only one
traveler in the machine-readable zone. Because of the requirement that passport
data be presented in machine-readable format, children included in family or
parents’ passports may be denied visa-free entry into the United States since
only the primary traveler’s biographic data is included in the machine-readable
zone of the passport.
What documents will be required?
Enforced compliance of the Electronic System for
Travel Authorization (ESTA) requirement for VWP travelers is in place.
Therefore, VWP travelers who have not obtained approval through ESTA should
expect to be denied boarding on any air carrier bound for the United States.
A valid ESTA approval is required for all Visa Waiver
Program (VWP) to travel to the United States. The Department of Homeland
Security, Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) is a free,
automated system used to determine the eligibility of visitors to travel to the
United States under the VWP. It collects the same information as the paper
I-94W form that VWP travelers fill out en route to the United States. ESTA
applications may be submitted at any time prior to travel. An ESTA
authorization generally will be valid for up to two years. Authorizations will be
valid for multiple entries into the United States. DHS recommends that
travelers submit an ESTA application as soon as they begin making travel plans.
Visas for Mexican and Canadian NAFTA Professional
Workers
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) creates
special economic and trade relationships for the United States (U.S.), Canada
and Mexico. The nonimmigrant NAFTA Professional (TN) visa allows citizens of
Canada and Mexico, as NAFTA professionals, to work in the U.S. in a prearranged
business activity for a U.S. or foreign employer. Permanent residents,
including Canadian permanent residents, are not able to apply to work as a
NAFTA professional.
Requirements
for Professionals from Mexico and Canada to Work in the U.S.
Professionals of Canada or Mexico may work in the U.S.
under the following conditions:Applicant is a citizen of Canada or
Mexico;Profession is on the NAFTA list;Position in the U.S. requires a NAFTA
professional;Mexican or Canadian applicant is to work in a prearranged
full-time or part-time job, for a U.S. employer (see documentation required).
Self employment is not permitted;Professional Canadian or Mexican citizen has
the qualifications of the profession.
*Mexican citizens require a visa to request admission
to the U.S. (A USCIS approved petition is not required.)
Student Visa
The Immigration and National Act is very specific with
regard to the requirements which must be met by applicants to qualify for the
student visa. The consular officer will determine whether you qualify for the
visa. Additionally, applicants must demonstrate that they properly meet student
visa requirements including:Have a residence abroad, with no immediate
intention of abandoning that residence;Intend to depart from the United States
upon completion of the course of study; andPossess sufficient funds to pursue
the proposed course of study.
Applying for
a Visa
As part of the visa application process, an interview
at the embassy consular section is required for visa applicants from age 14
through 79, with few exceptions. Persons age 13 and younger, and age 80 and
older, generally do not require an interview, unless requested by embassy or
consulate. The waiting time for an interview appointment for applicants can
vary, so early visa application is strongly encouraged.
During the visa application process, usually at the
interview, an ink-free, digital fingerprint scan will be quickly taken. Also,
because each student’s personal and academic situation is different, two
students applying for same visa may be asked different questions and be
required to submit different additional documents.
All
applicants for a student visa must provide:
– Form I-20A-B, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant
(F-1) Student Status. For Academic and Language Students or Form I-20M-N,
Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (M-1) Student Status for Vocational
Students. You will need to submit a SEVIS generated Form, I-20, which was
provided to you by your school.You and your school official must sign the I-20
form. All students, as well as their spouses and dependents must be registered
in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), an
Internet-based system that maintains accurate and current information on
non-immigrant students and exchange visitors and their dependents (F/M-2 visa
holders). Your school is responsible for entering your information for the I-20
student visa form into SEVIS. Students will also have to pay an SEVIS I-901 fee
for each program of study. Questions regarding your exchange program should be
directly to your program sponsor;
- A completed application, Nonimmigrant Visa
Applicant,Form DS-156, together with a Form DS-158. Both forms must be
completed and signed. Some applicants will also be required to complete and
sign Form DS-157. A separate form is needed for children, even if they are
included in a parent’s passport. The DS-156 must be the March 2006 date,
electronic “e-form application.” Select Nonimmigrant Visa Application Form
DS-156 to access the electronic version of the form DS-156.
- An interview at the embassy consular section is
required for almost all visa applicants. The waiting time for an interview
appointment for applicants can vary, so early visa application is strongly
encouraged. During the visa interview, an ink-free, digital fingerprint scan
will be quickly taken, as well as a digital photo. Some applicants will need
additional screening, and will be notified when they apply.
- A passport valid for travel to the United States and
with a validity date at least six months beyond the applicant’s intended period
of stay in the United States (unless country-specific agreements provide
exemptions). If more than one person is included in the passport, each person
desiring a visa must complete an application.
- One (1) 2×2 photograph. See the required photo
format explained in nonimmigrant photograph requirements;
- A MRV fee receipt to show payment of the visa
application fee, a visa issuance fee if applicable and a separate SEVIS I-901
fee receipt. While all F-visa applicants must pay the MRV fee, including
dependents, only the F-1 principal applicants must pay the SEVIS fee.
- Students who are authorized for Optional Practical
Training (OPT) must have an I-20 endorsed for OPT, and provide a USCIS-issued
Employment Authorization Document (EAD).
All
applicants should be prepared to provide:
Transcripts and diplomas from previous institutions
attended;
– scores from standardized tests required by the
educational institution such as the TOEFL, SAT, GRE, GMAT, etc.;
– financial evidence that shows you or your parents
who are sponsoring you have sufficient funds to cover your tuition and living
expenses during the period of your intended study. For example, if you or your
sponsor is a salaried employee, please bring income tax documents and original
bank books and/or statements. If you or your sponsor own a business, please
bring business registration, licenses, etc., and tax documents, as well as original
bank books and/or statements.
Applicants
with dependents must also provide:
- Proof of the student’s relationship to his/her
spouse and/or children (e.g., marriage and birth certificates.);
– it is preferred that families apply for F-1 and F-2
visas at the same time, but if the spouse and children must apply separately at
a later time, they should bring a copy of the student visa holder’s passport
and visa, along with all other required documents.
Additional
Information
- No assurances regarding the issuance of visas can be
given in advance. Therefore final travel plans or the purchase of non
refundable tickets should not be made until a visa has been issued.
– Unless previously canceled, a visa is valid until
its expiration date. Therefore, if the traveler has a valid U.S. visa in an
expired passport, do not remove the visa page from the expired passport. You
may use it along with a new valid passport for travel and admission to the
United States.
Time
required to Issue a visa:
Advance travel planning and early visa application are
important, since visa applications are subject to a greater degree of scrutiny
than in the past. If you plan to apply for a nonimmigrant visa to come to the
United States, we know you ’d like to estimate how long you will have to wait
to get an interview appointment to apply for a visa.
It is important to thoroughly review all information
provided by your Embassy’s Consular Section for local procedures and instructions,
such as how to make an interview appointment. Your Consulate will also explain
any additional procedures for students, exchange visitors and those persons who
need an earlier visa interview appointment.
You’ll also want to know how long it will take for
your nonimmigrant visa to be processed at the Consular Section, after a
decision is made by a Consular Officer to issue the visa, and the visa is
available for pick-up by you or the courier at the embassy. Some visa
applications require additional special clearances or administrative
processing, which requires some additional time. Most administrative processing
is resolved within 60 days of application.
Most special clearances are resolved within 30 days of
application. Applicants are advised when they apply. When additional special
clearances or administrative processing is required, the timing will vary based
on individual circumstances of each case.
How do I
apply?
Recently, the U.S. has updated its visa policies to
increase security for our citizens and visitors. It will likely take you longer
to get a visa than it used to, and you will find that a few new security
measures have been put into place. For details that may apply specifically to
your country, contact your nearest US Embassy or consulate.
How long is the visa valid for?
10 years. Some visas are valid for multiple entries.
The length of stay in the USA is determined by US
immigration officials at the time of entry, but is generally 6 months.
For extensions and further information, apply to the
US Immigration & Naturalisation Service.
When you enter the United States on a student visa,
you will usually be admitted for the duration of your student status. That
means you may stay as long as you are a full time student, even if the F-1 visa
in your passport expires while you are in America. For a student who has
completed the course of studies shown on the I-20, and any authorized practical
training, the student is allowed the following additional time in the U.S.
before departure:
– F-1 student – An additional 60 days, to prepare for
departure from the U.S. or to transfer to another school.
– M-1 student – An additional 30 days to depart the
U.S. (Fixed time period, in total not to exceed one year). The 30 days to
prepare for departure is permitted as long as the student maintained a full
course of study and maintained status. An M student may receive extensions up
to three years for the total program.
Other
information:
Entering the U.S. – Port of Entry
A visa allows a foreign citizen coming from abroad, to
travel to the United States port-of entry and request permission to enter the
U.S. Applicants should be aware that a visa does not guarantee entry into the
United States. The Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border
Protection (CBP) officials have authority to permit or deny admission to the
United States. Student visitors must have their Form I-20 in their possession
each time they enter the United States. Students should review important
information about Admissions/Entry requirements by the Department of Homeland
Security, Customs and Border Protection. Upon arrival (at an international
airport, seaport or land border crossing), you will be enrolled in the US-VISIT
entry-exit program. In addition, some travelers will also need to register
their entry into and their departure from the U.S. with the Special
Registration program. If you are allowed to enter the U.S., the CBP official
will determine the length of your visit on the Arrival-Departure Record (Form
I-94). Since Form I-94 documents your authorized stay in the U.S., it’s very
important to keep in your passport.
Staying Beyond Your Authorized Stay in the U.S. and
Being Out of Status
- You should carefully consider the dates of your
authorized stay and make sure you are following the procedures under U.S.
immigration laws. It is important that you depart the U.S. on or before the
last day you are authorized to be in the U.S. on any given trip, based on the
specified end date on your Arrival-Departure Record, Form I-94. Failure to
depart the U.S. will cause you to be out-of-status.
– Staying beyond the period of time authorized by the
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and being out-of-status in the United
States is a violation of U.S. immigration laws, and may cause you to be
ineligible for a visa in the future for return travel to the U.S.
– Staying unlawfully in the United States beyond the
date Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials have authorized–even by one
day–results in your visa being automatically voided, in accordance with INA
222(g). Under this provision of immigration law, if you overstay on your
nonimmigrant authorized stay in the U.S., your visa will be automatically
voided. In this situation, you are required to reapply for a new nonimmigrant
visa, generally in your country of nationality.
– For non immigrants in the U.S. who have an Arrival-Departure
Record, Form I-94 with the CBP admitting officer endorsement of Duration of
Status or D/S, but who are no longer performing the same function in the U.S.
that they were originally admitted to perform (e.g. you are no longer working
for the same employer or you are no longer attending the same school), a DHS or
an immigration judge makes a finding of status violation, resulting in the
termination of the period of authorized stay.
What Items
Do Returning Students Need?
All
applicants applying for renewals must submit:
- A passport valid for at least six months;
– an application Form DS-156, together with a Form
DS-158. Both forms must be completed and signed. Some applicants will also be
required to complete and sign Form DS-157. Blank forms are available without
charge at all U.S. consular offices.
– a receipt for visa processing fee. A receipt showing
payment of the visa application fee for each applicant, including each child
listed in a parent’s passport who is also applying for a U.S. visa, is needed;
– a new I-20 or an I-20 that has been endorsed on the
back by a school official within the past 12 months.
All applicants applying for renewals should be
prepared to submit:
- A certified copy of your grades from the school in
which you are enrolled;
– financial documents from you or your sponsor,
showing your ability to cover the cost of your schooling.
Students Away from Classes More Than Five Months
Students in or outside the U.S., who have been away
from classes for more than five months, will likely need a new visa to enter
the U.S.
Can I work
in USA?
Under an F-1 student visa, work is generally not
permitted
Embassy
contact information:
Please contact the nearest United States embassy for
information on what documentation you may require to enter the USA.
Disclaimer: The contents of these pages are provided as an
information guide only, in good faith. The use of this website is at the viewer/user’s
sole risk. While every effort is made in presenting up-to-date and accurate
information, no responsibility or liability is accepted by the owners to this
website for any errors, omissions, outdated or misleading information on these
pages or any site to which these pages connect or are linked.
Source & Copyright: The source of the above visa
and immigration information and copyright owner/s is the:
– The U.S. Department of State – URL:
www.travel.state.gov
– Embassy of the United States, London, UK – URL:
www.usembassy.org.uk
The viewer/user of this web page should use the above
information as a guideline only, and should always contact the above sources or
the user’s own government representatives for the most up-to-date information
at that moment in time, before making a final decision to travel to that
country or destination.