The United States Embassy is happy to answer some common questions that non-immigrant visa applicants may have.
Q: I want to travel in December for the holidays. When should I make an appointment?
A: You should make an appointment as soon as possible to ensure you have your interview well before your intended travel date. Interview wait times are based on visa demand and a combination of other factors. They often increase during holiday and other peak seasons. You, and all applicants, can apply online and schedule an appointment on this website: https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-gy/niv.
Q: How do I apply for a visa?
A: Please see complete information at: https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-gy/niv/information/niv. In general, there are four steps: 1) complete the application form online; 2) register for visa services and pay the visa application fee; 3) schedule your interview; and 4) come to your interview.
Q: I have a family emergency. Is there a way to expedite my appointment?
A: Travelers with urgent or imminent travel may request an expedited visa appointment. To request an expedited visa appointment, after having followed application instructions at https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-gy/niv, including having completed your application and paid your interview fee, first schedule a regular visa appointment on the closest available date. Then sign-in to your account, click ‘Continue’, select ‘Request Expedite’ and follow the instructions.
Q: I have a family emergency. How do I apply for a humanitarian visa?
A: There is no “humanitarian visa” under U.S. law. Almost all visitors travelling in connection with a family emergency will need a visitor visa. While in an emergency, a visa appointment can be expedited as explained in the previous question, the applicant still must show they qualify for the visa under the law.
On a related note, many “humanitarian” cases involve medical treatment. If you are seeking a visa for medical treatment for yourself or a family member, you will need to bring to your interview a letter from the doctor in Guyana explaining what treatment is needed, a letter from a doctor, clinic, or hospital in the United States agreeing to provide treatment and providing an estimate of treatment costs, and evidence of how you will pay for the treatment.
“Ask the Consul” from the U.S. Embassy Consular Section answers questions about U.S. immigration law, visa issues, and American Citizen Services. 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.
Information about visas and travel can be viewed at https://gy.usembassy.gov, http://travel.state.gov, and http://www.dhs.gov.
Information about American Citizen Services can be found at https://gy.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to prepare their own documents and avoid third-party advice. Regulations change frequently and non-U.S. Government advisors often provide inadequate, incomplete and inaccurate information.
Other than the columns you see printed here, we are unable to respond to questions sent to Ask the Consul. Please contact the Visa Information Service on telephone number 225-8732 or 703-439-2359 if you have procedural questions or e-mail VisaGeorge@state.gov for case-specific visa information. If you are an American in Guyana, you can contact ACSGeorge@state.gov with questions about services for U.S. citizens.