Installment One Hundred and One
Q: How long do I have to wait for an appointment date?
A: Our current wait time for a non-immigrant visa appointment is approximately six days, but that can change as demand for visa appointments increases. Every summer our wait time grows as schools close for summer vacation and more young people wish to travel to the U.S during those months. Please plan ahead and try to schedule your appointment at least a month in advance of your proposed travel.
Q: What do I do if I need to travel immediately for an emergency situation?
A: Applicants can email visageorge@state.gov and explain why they need an emergency appointment. These requests are reviewed on a case by case basis. While we try to accommodate applicants with emergency travel, we have to review these requests based on our caseload and staffing resources.
Q: How do I apply for a visitor visa?
For guidance on applying for a non-immigrant visitor visa, please visit our website at: http://georgetown.usembassy.gov/non-immigrant-visas.html. The website includes our five-step guide to interview preparation. Step 1 is to complete and print your confirmation page for the non-immigrant visa application form, the DS-160, accessible on the website. Step 2 is to pay the application fee of $140 U.S. dollars or Guyana equivalent to Demerara Bank; instructions for making payment are provided on the website. Step 3 is to schedule an appointment through the U.S. Embassy’s website. Step 4 is to assemble all of the necessary documents for your in-person interview with an American consular officer at the Embassy. For a visitor’s visa, these documents include your passport, your application form confirmation page (the DS-160), including photographs, and the receipt from Demerara Bank for the $140 USD application fee. No other documents are necessary for a visitor’s visa application. U.S. Embassy policy in Georgetown is not to refer to other documents. Instead, we assess an applicant’s qualification for a visa through the face-to-face interview alone. Finally, step 5 is to appear at the U.S. Embassy at the appointed date and time for your interview with an American consular officer.
Q: If I am issued a visitor visa, when will the visa be ready?
Non-immigrant visa applications are subject to a greater degree of scrutiny than in the past. All applicants require a personal interview. Most qualified applicants receive their visas two business days after the interview; however, some applicants may be informed at the time of their interview that their applications require additional processing. The time needed for processing these cases is always difficult to predict. Therefore, we recommend that individuals allow ample time before their planned travel date when seeking to obtain a visa.
Q: I have lots of close family in the U.S. Am I required to mention this on my visa application?
A: Each applicant is responsible for answering all questions on his or her visa application truthfully and completely. By placing your finger on the fingerprint scanner before the interview, you are confirming that the information you have provided in the DS-160 online application form is true and complete. Omitting important details, such as close family members being in the U.S., can result in your being refused a visa and can make you permanently ineligible for a visa. We strongly advise that each applicant personally review the answers provided on his or her application and ensure that all statements are accurate and complete before he/she prints the confirmation page to bring to the Embassy.
Q: If I have been refused a U.S. visa in the past, do I have to wait to reapply?
A: No. There is no waiting period for reapplications. However, you will need to pay the $140 USD application fee again to re-apply. The Embassy discourages applicants from re-applying if there has been no material change in their circumstances.
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“Ask the Consul” is a fortnightly column from the U.S. Embassy answering questions about U.S. immigration law and visa issues. If you have a general question about visa policy please email it to us at AskGeorge@state.gov. We select questions each week and publish the answers in Stabroek News and on our website at http://georgetown.usembassy.gov/guyana/ask_con.html. For more information about visas please see http://www.unitedstatesvisas.gov or http://georgetown.usembassy.gov/.
Other than the questions we select, we DO NOT respond to questions sent to Ask the Consul. Please contact the visa inquiries unit (email visageorge@state.gov or call 225-7965 between 8 am- 12 pm and 1 pm- 4 pm Monday through Friday) if you have questions about a specific case.