Change in process to pay visa fees
This edition of Ask the Consul covers changes to the way applicants for US visas will pay application fees starting July 1, 2011.
Change to visa fee
payment process
As of July 1, 2011, fees for US visa applications will no longer be accepted at Demerara Bank. Instead, applicants will pay for their application at the time of their pre-scheduled interview appointment at the US Embassy in Georgetown. Any applicant that paid their fees at Demerara Bank before July 1, 2011 will still be able to use the fee receipt they were given by the bank.
How much are the
fees?
For a listing of all visa application fees, please refer to the fee schedule on Travel.State.Gov: http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/types/types_1263.html
How can I pay?
Applicants can either pay their fees in cash or with a bank draft from Scotia Bank, Republic Bank, or GBTI made out to US Embassy Georgetown for the amount of their fees. Bank drafts from US banks will not be accepted. All fees paid in cash at the embassy must be paid entirely in one currency (for example, you cannot pay $100 in US Dollars and the remainder in Guyana Dollars). Please be advised that citizens of other countries may need to pay additional fees based on how much their country charges US citizens for a visa. You can find information on visa issuance fees by country at: http://travel.state.gov/visa/fees/fees_3272.html
How can I reduce my
wait time to pay?
You can reduce your wait time at the Consular Section by arriving no more than 30 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment time, and by paying your fees with the exact amount required.
Will I Get a refund if I
am not approved
for a visa?
No. Application fees are the fees required to process your application and conduct an interview, regardless of the outcome of your interview. You will be given a receipt for the fees you paid, regardless of outcome, at the time of your interview.
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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 every other week and publish the answers in Stabroek News and on our website at http://georgetown.usembassy.gov/ask-the-consul.html . Information about visas and travel can be viewed at http://georgetown. usembassy.gov, http://travel. state.gov, and at http://www.dhs.gov. Applicants are strongly encouraged to prepare their own documents and avoid third-party advice. U.S. Consular rules change frequently and non-US government advisors often provide inadequate or inaccurate information.
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 and 4 pm Monday through Friday) if you have questions about a specific case.
