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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
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Update April 12, 2024
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Advance travel planning and early visa application are important. If you plan to apply for a nonimmigrant visa to come to the United States as a temporary visitor, please review the current wait time for an interview using the tool below. Not all visa applications can be completed on the day of the interview; please read the information below for more details .
Check the estimated wait time for a nonimmigrant visa interview appointment at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
Note: Please check the individual Embassy or Consulate website to determine if your case is eligible for a waiver of the in-person interview.
Applicants scheduling visa appointments in a location different from their place of residence should check post websites for nonresident wait times.
Select a U.S. Embassy or Consulate:
Global Visa Wait Times
Wait Time for Interview
The estimated wait time to receive a nonimmigrant visa interview appointment at a U.S. embassy or consulate and is based on workload and staffing and can vary from week to week. The information provided is an estimate and does not guarantee the availability of an appointment.
Wait Time for Interview Waiver
Wait times for applicants eligible for Interview Waiver are applicable only for locations where applicants schedule appointments to submit their passport and any required documents to a U.S. embassy or consulate. The wait time estimate does not account for the time required for a consular officer to adjudicate the application nor mailing time of passports or other documents. Refer to the website of the Embassy or Consulate Visa Section where you will apply to determine your eligibility for Interview Waiver and for instructions for submitting a nonimmigrant visa application. Note that applicants must be a national or resident of the country where they are applying to be eligible to apply via Interview Waiver.
Qualifications for an Expedited Interview Appointment
Consular sections overseas may be able to expedite your interview date if there is an urgent, unforeseen situation such as a funeral, medical emergency, or school start date. The process to request an expedited nonimmigrant visa interview varies by location. You should refer to the instructions on the website of the Embassy or Consulate Visa Section where you will interview, or on their online appointment scheduling site. You will need to provide proof of the need for an earlier appointment.
In all cases : You must first submit the online visa application form (DS-160), pay the application fee, and schedule the first available interview appointment. Only at this point will a consular section consider your request for an expedited appointment.
Note: Travel for the purpose of attending weddings and graduation ceremonies, assisting pregnant relatives, participating in an annual business/academic/professional conference, or enjoying last-minute tourism does not qualify for expedited appointments. For such travel, please schedule a regular visa appointment well in advance.
These estimates do not include time required for administrative processing, which may affect some applications. When administrative processing is required, the timing will vary based on individual circumstances of each case.
There are only two possible outcomes for U.S. visa applications. The consular officer will either issue or refuse the visa. If a visa applicant has not established that he or she is eligible for a visa, the consular officer must refuse that application. However, some refused visa applications may require further administrative processing. When administrative processing is required, the consular officer will inform the applicant at the end of the interview. The duration of the administrative processing will vary based on the individual circumstances of each case. At the conclusion of the administrative processing period, the consular officer might conclude that an applicant is now qualified for the visa for which he or she applied. The officer may also conclude that the applicant remains ineligible for a visa. Visa applicants are reminded to apply early for their visas, well in advance of the anticipated travel date.
Important Notice: Except in cases of emergency travel (i.e. serious illnesses, injuries, or deaths in your immediate family), before making inquiries about status of administrative processing, applicants should wait at least 180 days from the date of interview or submission of supplemental documents, whichever is later.
About Visa Processing Wait Times – Nonimmigrant Visa Applicants
Information about nonimmigrant visa wait times for interviews and visa processing time frames are shown on this website, as well as on U.S. Embassy and Consulate websites worldwide. It should be noted that the “Wait Times for a Nonimmigrant Visa to be Processed” information by country does not include time required for administrative processing. Processing wait time also does not include the time required to return the passport to applicants, by either courier services or the local mail system.
In addition, it is important to thoroughly review all information on the specific Embassy or Consulate Visa Section website for local procedures and instructions, such as how to make an interview appointment. Embassy and Consulate websites will also explain any additional procedures for students, exchange visitors and those persons who need an earlier visa interview appointment.
About Wait Times
* Calendar days refers to every day of the week, including days when embassies are closed (such as weekends and holidays).
† Work days refers only to days when the embassy is open and does not include weekends and holidays.
‡ A, G, and NATO applications are excluded from these wait times, as they are processed separately.
Immigrant Visa Interview-Ready Backlog Report
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Apply for a U.S. Visa
(Updated: October 11, 2023)
All receipts for payment of Machine-Readable Visa (MRV) fees issued before October 1, 2022, expired September 30, 2023. There will be no extensions of fee validity. Applicants must have scheduled an appointment or submitted an interview waiver application before September 30, 2023 to avoid paying a new fee. If you paid the MRV fee on or after October 1, 2022, you must have scheduled the appointment within one year of your MRV payment date. Please note that the interview itself does not need to take place within one year, but an interview appointment needs to be made in the system, even if it is scheduled months into the future. Furthermore, applicants using MRV fees paid before October 1, 2022 to book an appointment are cautioned not to attempt to change their appointment dates on or after October 1, 2023. Doing so will result in forfeiture of both the original appointment slot and the MRV fee receipt. The applicant will be required to pay a new fee and submit a new application package.
DO NOT bring children 13 years of age or below to the embassy for a visa interviews. Children should also not accompanying their parents for the parents’ visa interview. Parents must bring their children’s visa application documents to the embassy during the parent’s interview. Please note that if parents bring their children to the embassy, the children will not be admitted to the interview room. They will wait in the outdoor waiting area with one of the parents while the other does his/her interview. Once again DO NOT bring children 13 years and under to the embassy for a visa interview.
Select here to learn more about an important update on waivers of the interview requirement for certain nonimmigrant visa applicants.
Dear Applicant, please note that your failure to provide accurate contact information (phone numbers and email) will result in the delay or even inability to delivery your passport to the pickup location. It is essential that you provide your correct contact information.
All children under 18 years old who have scheduled an appointment for their visas MUST be accompanied by one of their parents to be allowed to attend their interviews.
Please note that failure to send the interview waiver confirmation letter with your passport for visa renewal will result in the delay of your application. Without a copy of the letter, your passport will be sent back to you. Please submit the letter and the passport for processing. If your passport is returned from the embassy for any additional requirements. Please do not pay a new visa fee, or begin a new application unless the embassy asks for it. Please make sure to print your Interview waiver letter right after you are qualified.
Welcome to the U.S. Visa Information Service for Egypt. On this website you can find information about U.S. immigrant and nonimmigrant visas and the requirements to apply for each. You can also learn how to pay the required visa application fee, and book an interview appointment at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo.
This is the official visa information website of the U.S. Mission in Egypt.
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Apply for a U.S. Visa. At this website, you can learn about obtaining a visa, as well as applying for your visa. How to apply for your nonimmigrant visa for travel to the United States. What documents, photos and information you need to apply for your visa. How to access visa application forms and instructions.
USTravelDocs is your online guide to apply for a U.S. visa from any country. Register, pay, book, and check your visa status at portal.ustraveldocs.com.
A citizen of a foreign country who seeks to enter the United States generally must first obtain a U.S. visa, which is placed in the traveler's passport, a travel document issued by the traveler's country of citizenship. Certain international travelers may be eligible to travel to the United States without a visa if they meet the ...
The DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application form, is for temporary travel to the United States, and for K (fiancé (e)) visas. Form DS-160 is submitted electronically to the Department of State website via the Internet. Consular Officers use the information entered on the DS-160 to process the visa application and, combined with a personal ...
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General Required Documents - For All Visa Types. The following documents are required for all visa types: The current passport valid for travel to the United States. The passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the period of stay (H-1B renewal application date) in the United States (unless exempt by country-specific agreements).
The first step in applying for a U.S. nonimmigrant visa is to complete your application. It takes approximately 90 minutes to do this. After you submit your application, you can move on to the next steps such as scheduling your interview. Important: Before You Start. Learn about Types of Visas.
Generally, a citizen of a foreign country who wishes to enter the United States must first obtain a visa, either a nonimmigrant visa for a temporary stay, or an immigrant visa for permanent residence. Visitor visas are nonimmigrant visas for persons who want to enter the United States temporarily for business (visa category B-1), for tourism (visa category B-2), or for a combination of both ...
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.
Visa Status Check. Welcome! On this website, you can check your U.S. visa application status. Visa Application Type. Please select a location and enter your Application ID or Case Number. Select a location. Application ID or Case Number. (e.g., AA0020AKAX or 2012118 345 0001) NOTE: For applicants who completed their forms prior to January 1 ...
Nonimmigrant visas allow people to visit the United States for short periods and for specific purposes. If you want to move here permanently, please see the information below on immigrant visas. A foreign national traveling to the United States for tourism needs a visitor visa (B-2) unless qualifying for entry under the Visa Waiver Program.
Once you have electronically submitted your DS-160 online application, you must contact the embassy or consulate at which you wish to apply to confirm whether you need to be interviewed by a consular officer, and to schedule an interview. You can find a list of U.S. embassies and consulates here, with links to their websites where you can find ...
Welcome, U.S. Nonimmigrant Visa Applicants. You are at the official nonimmigrant (temporary) visa information and appointment website for the U.S. Embassy in Canada. Select this option if you have never used this site before and you have completed a DS-160 https://ceac.state.gov/genniv. Select this option to continue or review an existing visa ...
USTravelDocs is your one-stop portal for applying for a U.S. visa from India. Find out how to create an account, pay the fee, and schedule your appointment online.
If you are looking for general visa information, such as the categories of visas that are available, or how to apply, we recommend you review the information on this website first. You will also find guidance on how to apply for a visa on the website of the U.S. Embassy or Consulate nearest your place of residence.. If you have further questions about visas to the United States that are not ...
For nonimmigrant visas, you can go directly to the online application for the DS-160 ; or for immigrant visas, directly to the USCIS site for the relevant forms. If you are unsure, please use the Visa Wizard below to help you determine your visa type.
The Visa section of this website is all about U.S. visas for foreign citizens to travel to the United States. (Note: U.S. citizens don't need a U.S. visa for travel, but when planning travel abroad may need a visa issued by the embassy of the country they wish to visit.).
In 2020, the U.S. Department of State amended its regulations concerning B visas. U.S. consular officers overseas will deny any B visa application from an applicant whom the consular officer has reason to believe is traveling for the primary purpose of giving birth in the United States to obtain U.S. citizenship for their child.
The United States does provide visas for unskilled labor to enter the country for seasonal and temporary jobs in certain farming and non-agricultural jobs. The U.S. employer starts the process for obtaining a temporary H-2 work visa with a request that they cannot find the workers needed inside the U.S. Once approved by the U.S. government, the ...
Additional Requirements for Nonimmigrant Visas . Applicants using Form DS-160 or Form DS-1648. If you are applying for a nonimmigrant visa by filling out the DS-160 or DS-1648 online form, the form will instruct you to upload your digital image as part of completing the online visa application form.
Applicants scheduling visa appointments in a location different from their place of residence should check post websites for nonresident wait times. Select a U.S. Embassy or Consulate: Wait Times for Embassy/Consulate. Visa Wait Times. Nonimmigrant Visa Type. Appointment Wait Time. Interview Required Students/Exchange Visitors (F, M, J) -- days.
Apply for a U.S. Visa. Welcome to the U.S. Visa Information Service for Egypt. On this website you can find information about U.S. immigrant and nonimmigrant visas and the requirements to apply for each. You can also learn how to pay the required visa application fee, and book an interview appointment at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo.