The U.S. Embassy is happy to answer some common questions that nonimmigrant visa applicants may have.
Q: I want to travel in December for vacation. When should I make an appointment?
A: You should schedule your appointment as early as possible to ensure you have your interview well in advance of your scheduled travel date. Wait times for interviews are based on the visa application and a combination of other factors. They often increase during holidays and other peak seasons. You, and all applicants, can apply online and book an appointment on this website: https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-gy/niv.
Q: How do I apply for a visa?
A: Please see full information at: https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-gy/niv/information/niv. In general, there are four steps: 1) complete the online application form; 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 speed up my appointment?
A: Travelers with urgent or imminent travel can request an expedited visa appointment. To apply for an expedited visa appointment, after following the application instructions at https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-gy/niv, including having completed your application and paid your interview fee, first make an appointment for a regular visa on the earliest available date. Then log in to your account, click “Continue”, select “Request Expedite” and follow the instructions.
Q: I have a family emergency. How to apply for a humanitarian visa?
A: There is no “humanitarian visa” under US law. Almost all visitors traveling for a family emergency will need a visitor visa. Although in an emergency, a visa appointment may be expedited as explained in the previous question, the applicant must still prove that they are eligible for the visa under the law.
Similarly, 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 from a hospital in the United States agreeing to provide treatment and providing an estimate of the cost of treatment, and proof 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 services for U.S. citizens. If you have a general visa policy question, please email it to us at [email protected]. We select questions every two weeks and publish the answers in Stabroek News.
Visa and travel information can be found at https://gy.usembassy.gov, http://travel.state.gov and http://www.dhs.gov.
Information about U.S. Citizen Services is available at https://gy.usembassy.gov/us-citizen-services/.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to prepare their own documentation and avoid third party advice. Regulations change frequently, and non-US government advisors often provide inadequate, incomplete, and inaccurate information.
Other than the columns you see printed here, we are unable to answer questions sent to Ask the Consul. Please contact the Visa Information Service at phone number 225-8732 or 703-439-2359 if you have procedural questions or email [email protected] for visa information specific to each case. If you are an American in Guyana, you can contact [email protected] with questions about services for US citizens.
