The electronic fingerprint data is associated with an issued visa for verification and the privacy of the data is protected by storage in the database. Department of State makes data available in accordance with the law governing the use of visa records, to U.
Visa records are, by law, confidential. Requests for access to visa records by law enforcement are subject to statutory, regulatory and other legal restrictions. Embassy or Consulate Straight Facts on U. You are about to leave travel. Department of State. Links to external websites are provided as a convenience and should not be construed as an endorsement by the U. Department of State of the views or products contained therein.
If you wish to remain on travel. Cancel GO. Skip to main content. Gov Travel. Passports International Travel U. Stay Connected. Law Enforcement. Borders: Biometrics. Y Z All. What is a Biometric?
Applicant Refusal to be Fingerprinted at Visa Interview A visa applicant who refuses to be fingerprinted would have his or her visa application denied on the basis that it is incomplete. About the Information Collected The electronic data from the ten fingerprints is stored in a database and is made available at U.
More Information. It does not indicate how long you may stay in the United States. Your stay is determined by the Department of Homeland Security at your port of entry. As long as you comply with the Department of Homeland Security decision on the conditions of your stay, you should have no problem.
Further information about interpreting your visa can be found at the Department of State's Consular Affairs website. You may stay in the United States for the period of time and conditions authorized by the Department of Homeland Security officer when you arrived in the United States, which will be stamped in your passport, even if your visa expires during your stay.
You can find more information here. Your airline should give you a blank Customs Declaration form B. Only one Customs Declaration is required for a family traveling together. A visa does not guarantee entry into the United States, but allows a foreign citizen coming from abroad to travel to a U. The Department of Homeland Security, U. Customs and Border Protection CBP officials have authority to permit or deny admission to the United States, and determine how long a traveler may stay.
At the port of entry, upon granting entry to the United States, the Customs and Border Protection officer will determine the length of stay permitted. Previously, travelers received a paper I record of admission with this information.
This process is now automated, with some exceptions. The traveler will be provided with a CBP admission stamp on their travel document that shows the date of admission, class of admission, and admitted-until date.
Learn more on the CBP Website. If a traveler needs a copy of their I for verification of alien registration, immigration status or employment authorization, it can be obtained from www.
You can review information about admission on the CBP Website. Embassy or Consulate General. If you received an admissions stamp in your passport instead of a paper Form I when granted entry, the I record was created electronically, and a paper copy was not provided to you. CBP will record your departure from the U. Our call center is unable to provide assistance on the application form.
Any inquiries on completing the DS can be addressed on the following website. As is standard practice around the world, no third parties are permitted to attend the nonimmigrant visa interview. This rule also applies to third parties who are U. However, you can be accompanied by an additional person if:. You are a minor child: Applicants under 17 years old must be accompanied to their interviews by a parent or legal guardian.
You are 70 years old and older or require special assistance: Applicants 70 years old and older or requiring special assistance may be accompanied by an additional person. The additional person must present their identification card or passport for access. The interpreter must present their identification card or passport for access. If all of your documents list only a year of birth, we will accept a passport with only the year listed.
Possession of an APEC does not affect visa requirements, the visa process, or your eligibility for a U. There is no special U. Report the loss of your passport and visa to the Consular Section at the U. Embassy or Consulate which issued your visa. You will need to provide a scanned copy of the police report about the incident.
In case you cannot obtain a police report about the incident, print out this form , complete it, and attach a scanned copy of the completed form. Once you report the loss of your passport and visa, the visa will be invalid for future travel to the United States. On May 31 , the Department of State updated its immigrant and non-immigrant visa application forms to request additional information, including social media identifies, from most U.
For more details please click here. To be eligible to travel to the U. Taiwanese passports issued since May 20, , meet the definition of a passport under the U. Immigration and Nationality Act INA as long as they contain a national identification number on the biographic page. If your passport does not contain a national identification number, you are not eligible for VWP. You will need to apply for a visa.
The validity of a U. For Vietnamese applicants, the maximum validity period of a visa is 12 months. Please visit the website for more information about visa reciprocity. Since January, , all visa-processing posts have collected ten fingerprints for all interviewed applicants age from years old at the time of interview. If you ever came in for interview and you were years old at the time and your visa was issued in or after January, , you should have been ten printed.
Please be reminded that even though nonimmigrant visa fees are valid for one year from the date of payment, the number of times an applicant can schedule an appointment with a single fee receipt is limited. Applicants are only allowed to schedule appointments three times without a restriction. If you cancel or fail to attend your third appointment, you will only be allowed to reschedule a new appointment after a waiting period of 90 days.
Please plan your visa application accordingly to avoid problems securing an interview appointment. Please be advised that if you have an unforeseen travel need, depending on availability at the U. Embassy or Consulate you may qualify for an expedited appointment. You must have documentary evidence to prove the urgency when applying for expedited appointments.
All applicants requesting an expedited appointment are required to first pay the visa fees for a regular visa appointment. You can only apply for an expedited appointment once with every visa fee receipt. In general, you may apply for your nonimmigrant visa renewal by mail at any U. Embassy or Consulate of your normal residence.
Please check their website for information about visa renewal requirements. We have no changes to visa requirements to announce at this time.
Information regarding required vaccinations for immigrant visa applicants may be found on this website. All Presidential Proclamations restricting travel due to COVID remain in place, and continue to apply to subject potential travelers regardless of their test results or vaccination status. Travelers holding a National Interest Exception also remain subject to all applicable pre-departure testing requirements. For more information regarding testing requirements, we refer you to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Seeking medical treatment in the United States is a permissible purpose of travel for individuals holding a valid visitor visa; you may find more information here.
For questions regarding individuals' eligibility to receive the vaccine in the United States as part of a priority group, we refer you to local health authorities. Individuals who believe they meet the criteria will find information on how to request an emergency waiver on the website of the nearest U. All passengers age two and older are subject to the order, even those who have received a COVID vaccine.
As of March 16, , Vietnamese names on U. Your personal information will then populate the form and you can correct the wrong information. You will have a new DS barcode. After resubmitting the modified DS, please log into your ustraveldocs account , update the new DS barcode number on your appointment at least three working days prior to your appointment date, and print out a new Appointment Confirmation Sheet. Please make sure you come to your interview with an Appointment Confirmation Sheet bearing the most up-to-date DS barcode number; otherwise, you will be turned away and requested to make a new appointment using the updated DS barcode number.
The United States is an open society. Unlike many other countries, the United States does not impose internal controls on most visitors, such as registration with local authorities. Our immigration law requires consular officers to view every visa applicant as an intending immigrant until the applicant proves otherwise. In order to enjoy the privilege of unencumbered travel in the United States, you have a responsibility to prove you are going to return abroad before a visitor or student visa is issued.
An alien who is an officer or employee of any foreign government or of any international organization entitled to enjoy privileges, exemptions, and immunities under the International Organizations Immunities Act, or an alien who is the attendant, servant, employee, or member of the immediate family of any such alien shall not be entitled to apply for or receive an immigrant visa, or to enter the United States as an immigrant unless he executes a written waiver in the same form and substance as is prescribed by section b.
Our consular officers have a difficult job. They must decide in a very short time if someone is qualified to receive a temporary visa. Most cases are decided after a brief interview and review of whatever evidence of ties an applicant presents.
To qualify for a visitor or student visa, an applicant must meet the requirements of sections a 15 B or F of the INA respectively. Failure to do so will result in a refusal of a visa under INA b. The most frequent basis for such a refusal concerns the requirement that the prospective visitor or student possess a residence abroad he or she has no intention of abandoning. Applicants prove the existence of such residence by demonstrating that they have ties abroad that would compel them to leave the United States at the end of the temporary stay.
The law places this burden of proof on the applicant. Ties are the various aspects of your life that bind you to your home country. Strong ties vary from country to country, city to city, and person to person, but examples include:.
A refusal, or ineligibility, under section b is for that specific application, so once a case is closed, the consular section cannot take any further action. There is no appeal process. If you feel there is additional information that should be considered related to the visa decision, or there are significant changes in your circumstances since your last application, you may reapply for a visa. To reapply, you must complete a new application form, pay the application fee, and schedule an appointment for a new interview.
Review the website of the U. Immigration law delegates the responsibility for issuance or refusal of visas to consular officers overseas. They have the final say on all visa cases.
By regulation, the U. Department of State has authority to review consular decisions, but this authority is limited to the interpretation of law, as contrasted to determinations of facts. The question at issue in such denials, whether an applicant possesses the required residence abroad, is a factual one. Therefore, it falls exclusively within the authority of consular officers at our Foreign Service posts to resolve. An applicant can influence the post to change a prior visa denial only through the presentation of new convincing evidence of strong ties.
For information about visa ineligibilities other than b , please visit the Department of State's Consular Affairs website. When you arrive at your destination Port of Entry, the U. Customs and Border Protection officer who processes your entry will determine the length of time that you may remain in the country.
You may travel to the Port of Entry during the validity of your nonimmigrant visa up to and including the last day the visa is valid. The visa duration does not determine the length of time that you may legally remain in the United States; only the Customs and Border Protection officer can decide this upon your arrival in the United States.
You can arrive in the United States right up to the last date of validity indicated on the visa. The Customs and Border Protection officer on arrival determines the duration of your stay in the United States. Your visa can expire while you are still in the United States — just be sure that you do not overstay the period of time the officer grants. You do not have to wait until your current visa expires. You can apply for a new visa even if your current visa is valid.
If your name has legally changed through marriage, divorce, or a court ordered name change, you will need to obtain a new passport.
Once you have a new passport, the Department of State recommends that you apply for a new U. You can travel to the United States on the same visa as long as your visa is valid for business or pleasure. Before applying for a temporary worker visa at the U. This petition must be submitted by your prospective employer no earlier than 6 months prior to your proposed employment start date. Your employer should file the petition as soon as possible within the 6-month period to allow adequate time for processing.
Once approved, your employer will be sent Form I, Notice of Action. Note: To verify your petition's approval the U. Embassy or Consulate needs your I petition receipt number, along with your approved Form I Please bring both of these to your interview.
There is no visa that covers casual work. All applicants who plan to work in the United States must have an approved petition prior to their visa appointment. You may not enter the United States until 10 days prior to your initial employment start date, as noted on your Form I or on your offer of employment letter.
An applicant for an L-1 visa traveling on a blanket petition must pay the Fraud Prevention and Detection fee. The Form I is an official U. Government form, issued by a certified school, which a prospective nonimmigrant student must have in order to get an F-1 or M-1 visa. Form I acts as proof-of-acceptance and contains the information necessary to pay the SEVIS I fee, apply for a visa or change visa status, and be admitted into the United States.
The Form I has the student's SEVIS identification number, which starts with the letter N and is followed by nine digits, on the upper right side directly above the barcode. You are encouraged to apply for your nonimmigrant student visa as soon as you have your I To ensure you get an early and timely date you may apply at any time.
However, be aware that student F and M visas for new students can only be issued up to days in advance of the start date for a course of study. For your initial entry, you may only enter the United States within 30 days of the beginning of the course of study stated on your I, regardless of when your visa was issued.
In general, you may apply to change your nonimmigrant visa status if you were lawfully admitted to the United States with a nonimmigrant visa, if your nonimmigrant status remains valid, if you have not violated the conditions of your status, and you have not committed any actions that would make you ineligible.
If you received an I after scheduling your appointment, then you can inform the U. Once you are in the United States, you do not need to apply for a new visa because the visa is only for entry into the United States. If you leave the country, however, you'll need to apply for the student visa in order to re-enter the United States.
Full-time students on F visas may seek on-campus employment not to exceed 20 hours per week. After the first year in student status, an applicant may apply for employment off campus with authorization from USCIS.
Please contact your student advisor for further information. The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System SEVIS program requires schools and exchange programs to verify the enrollment status of all new and continuing foreign students and exchange visitors.
Acceptance letter from school is not required for students to attend their interviews. However, you should bring whatever supporting documents that you believe would support the information provided to the consular officer. Generally you can bring your unofficial transcripts to your student visa interview. In some cases, the consular officer who interviews you may ask for original ones.
If your visa is still valid by the time you go back to the United States, you do not need to reapply for a new visa. At the U. Exchange visitors may only enter the United States within 30 days of the beginning of the program, as stated on your Form DS, regardless of when your visa was issued.
The "two-year rule" is the common term used for a section of U. It is important to note that only a preliminary finding of whether the two-year rule applies to you is made on your DS when your J-1 visa is issued. The final decision will be made only if you later choose to apply for an H-1, L-1, K-1, or immigrant visa. Whether you are subject to the two-year rule is determined by a number of factors, including your source of funding and your country's "Skills List.
Only the Department of State's Visa Office can grant waivers of the two-year rule. The Visa Office is also the final authority on whether you are subject to the rule, regardless of what is annotated in your passport. If you are subject to the two-year rule, you may be able to obtain a waiver. Even if you are subject to the two-year rule, you may still qualify for a tourist visa or any other nonimmigrant visa except those noted above.
If you seek layover privileges for purposes other than transiting through the United States, such as to visit friends or for sightseeing, then you must qualify for and obtain the type of visa required for that purpose, such as a B-2 visa. The requirement for an approved petition went into effect November 28, All applicants applying for an R-1 nonimmigrant visa are required to have an approved petition from U. The courier's security and safety rules require separate tracking of every passport. You may select pick up of your passport from the designated courier pick up location at no additional charge.
If your visa is approved, the visa will be sent to your designated location selected when you scheduled your appointment. If you want to change this location you may do so until p. The courier will attempt to deliver your passport only at the address you selected or provided when you scheduled your interview. If the courier is unable to deliver, for example, because no one is home, the courier will send you a delivery failure notification to the email you registered on your profile.
If your passport is not delivered to you within 10 business days, it will be returned to the U. If this happens, contact the call cente r for assistance. Your passport can be delivered to your office or to a member of your family. If your passport is delivered to someone other than yourself, the recipient must present a government-issued photo ID for identification in order to accept delivery of your passport.
In order to ensure that your passport and visa are not given to an unauthorized person, you must present a government-issued photo ID for identification when you collect your passport. You must also sign for all documents handed over to you by the courier. However, your representative - even in case of family members - must present the following in order to collect your passport:.
0コメント