19/07/2017
Is it your dream to visit the USA? Let’s talk about documents required for US visa interview. As soon as you accurately provide all the required documentation, you have more
chances of being allowed to visit the United States. If you are planning a trip to the United States
for any purpose, you will need to obtain a visa.
To do this, you have to apply and pay the
consular fee. Also, you need to collect the
necessary documents (the list of papers is
different for various visa types). At the end,
you should pass an interview an the embassy
or consulate of the United States. After all the
necessary procedures, employees of the
embassy or consulate will then decide whether
to give you a visa to the US or refuse.
If you are determined to go the US, be
prepared: the process of getting your desired
visa will be long and complicated. So, first,
you have to decide what visa type you need.
Visa type depends on the purpose of the trip.
Visa type determines the documents you need
to collect before the interview.
Types of US visas
• Nonimmigrant Visas
• Immigrant Visas
Nonimmigrant Visas include visas for
temporary stay. Immigrant Visa is the kind you
need if you want to permanently live in the
USA.
Nonimmigrant Visas are
divided into the following
types:
• Business / Tourist Visa (B-1 / B-2)
• Work Visa (H (H-1B, H-1B1, H-2A, H-2B, H-3, H-4), L (L-1 L-2), O, P, Q, R)
• Student Visa (F-1, M-1) • Exchange Visitor Visa (J-1, J-2)
• Transit / Ship Crew Visas (C, D, C-1 / D,
B-1 / B-2)
• Domestic Employee Visa (A-3, G-5, B-1)
• Journalist and Media Visas (I)
How to apply for an
American visa?
There are particular clauses and documents
necessary for obtaining these types of visas:
1. A Nonimmigrant Visa Electronic Application,
Form DS-160.
2. A passport. It must be valid for travel to
the US (if not country-specific agreements
ensure exemptions). If more than one person
is indicated in your passport, you must submit
the application for every one indicated.
3. One 2×2 (5cmx5cm) photo.
More details about this can be found on the
official websites: www.ustraveldocs.com or
www.travel.state.gov.
Payment terms and clauses depend on the
visa type. Business or Tourist, Student, Work,
Transit or Ship Crew, Journalist and Media
Visa are paid in a standard way. Along with
the documents, you will also be required to
submit a receipt for payment of 160 US dollars for nonimmigrant visa application processing. Payment is made in local currency and is not
refundable, regardless of the interview outcome. In Nigeria, a vast number of visa applicants pay 160, 190 or 265 US dollars at
GT Bank. It depends on your visa type. How much is US visa fee in Naira? It costs 64000.00, 76000.00, or 106000.00 Naira accordingly.
If a visa is issued, there may be an additional
reciprocity fee for visa issuance. It depends
on your nationality. Detailed information on
whether you need to pay a reciprocity fee for
visa issuance and what amount can be found
on the website of The Department of State’s
www.travel.state.gov.
As for an Exchange Visitor visa, if your
program is not paid by the US government
(type G), you need to provide a receipt for
payment in a standard way.
Regarding the payment of Domestic Employee
Visa, if you are issued a B-1 visa, you pay on a
general basis. Only applicants for visa A-3 and
G-5 are exempt from payment.
Read information about documents required
for visa interview, specifically for each type of
visa. How to apply for US visa in Nigeria? Keep reading and keep learning.
General
recommendations on
documents
● Any documents confirming the fact that you
are not going to stay illegally in the US can be
useful.
● Only submit originals. Photocopies are not
advised.
● Do not try to falsify documents. If any sign
of deception is found out, you may lose the
opportunity to enter the US forever.
● It is not necessary to send documents by
mail or fax if consulate employee does not
require it.
● Employees of the consulate or embassy
adhere to confidentiality while working with
your documents.
● A decision to grant a visa will be taken by
the consular employees after an interview and
according to the laws of the United States.
Documents required for US
visa
Business or Tourist Visa
These visas are for people who want to travel
to the USA or go on a business trip.
Documents required for the interview:
• A valid evidence of income, tax payments,
possession of property or business and other
assets.
• Your travel route and other information about
your planned trip.
• A letter from your employer with the details
of your position, salary, terms of your
employment and vacation, as well as the
business goal of your visit.
• Criminal/court records relating to any arrest
or conviction anywhere, even if you have
finished your sentence or were later forgiven.
Depending on your reason for travel, you have
to take the following documents:
Students. Take your latest school results, and
degrees or diplomas. In addition, take a proof
of financial endorsements such as bank
applications, fixed deposits, or other proofs.
Working adults. Take the letter from your boss
that you are employed and payrolls for the last
three months.
People in business and company heads. Take
a proof of your position in the company and
salary.
Visiting a relative. Bring copies of a status
certificate for your relative (Green Card,
certificate of naturalization, valid visa, and so
on).
Prior visitors to the US . If you have once
visited the United States, take any documents
that verify your immigration or visa status. Applicants Looking for Medical Care. If you
want to visit the US for medical treatment,
you have to present the following additional
details to the documents listed above:
● A medical diagnosis from a doctor
interpreting the nature of your illness and the
reason you need treatment in the United
States.
● A letter from a medical practitioner in the
United States about the readiness to treat this
particular disease. They also need to include
the details of the planned costs and expenses
for treatment (including doctors’ fees, fees for
hospitalization, and all medical expenses).
● Payment for your medical care in the US. It
could be paid by you or someone else. Take a
proof of financial ability from the payer. The
individuals guaranteeing payment of these
costs must have evidence of their ability to do
so, either in the form of bank or other declarations of income.
Work Visa
It is a visa for individuals who want to work
temporarily in the US according to the law.
The type of visa is chosen according to the
type of work that is planned to be done.
To obtain such a visa, you must include the
following documents:
• Proof of your job qualifications plus any
university diplomas.
• Original letters from present and previous
employers confirming your position and
projects.
• If you are working now and receiving an
H-1B visa, please take your payrolls for the
current calendar year and your Federal tax
returns (IRS Form 1040 and W-2) for all the
years when you have worked in the United
States.
• Payrolls from your current or latest place of
employment.
• Personnel managers’ names and phone
numbers at your current and previous jobs..
• Your CV. If you are going to take dependents with you,
you should have the following nonimmigrant
visa documents:
● Marriage certificate for your spouse
(original) and/or birth certificate for unmarried
children under 21 (original).
● Confirmation from your spouse’s employer
regarding his/her continued employment.
● If your spouse is working now in the United
States on an H1-B visa, his/her payrolls for
the current calendar year and federal tax
returns (IRS Form 1040 and W-2s) for all the
years when he/she has worked in the United
States on the H-1B visa.
Student Visa
This visa is for foreigners to study. Documents
required:
• An accepted Form I-20 from your US school
or program.
• Documents confirming strong financial,
social, and family connections to your home
country that will oblige you to come back to
your country after the conclusion of your
study in the US.
• Financial and other documents supporting
your application and prove that you have
enough readily available funds to meet all
expenses for the first year of study and that
you have enough money to cover all costs
while you stay in the United States. M-1
applicants must show the abpayeducation education and living costs for the whole period.
• Only original copies of bank declarations,
scholarship and grant letters, and so on.
• If you being financially sponsored by another
person, take along with you evidence of your
relationship to the sponsor, the sponsor’s
latest original tax forms and the sponsor’s
original bank declarations and fixed deposits.
• Documents confirming preparation for
studying, school transcripts with grades, certificates of public exam in at standard tests tests, and diplomas.
Supporting documents for
dependents
Applicants with dependents should take:
● Evidence of the student’s relation to his or
her spouse and child (certificates of marriage
and birth).
● It is better for family members to apply for
their visas at the same time, but if the spouse
and child must apply apart later, they have to
take the passport and visa copies of the
student visa holder with necessary documents.
Exchange Visitor Visa
This type of visa is for foreigners who take
part in exchange programs.
The same documents as for Student Visa
plus:
• If your sponsor is an organization, please
take a certified letter confirming the amount
of the financial support and the terms.
• A spouse or child should have their Form
DS-2019. This form is used to get the visa
necessary for the spouse or child to enter the
US with you as the main holder of an
exchange visitor visa, or to join you in US later.
Transit or Ship Crew Visa
This one is used for transit routes.
The same documents as for Business/Tourist
Visa plus:
• It’s necessary to submit a letter from the
headquarter of your company and/or a list of
the sea men.
Domestic Employee Visa
This visa is given for personal or household
staff (to foreign diplomats or government).
The same documents as for Business/Tourist
Visa plus:
• Evidence of the ability of your employer to
pay the promised salary. Note: If you apply for
an A-3 or G-5 visa, you can do so only if the
employer has a diplomatic counselor’s rank or
below.
• Proof that your staying in the US will be
temporary.
Journalist and Media Visa for foreign mass
media
The same documents as for Business/Tourist
Visa plus:
• Press card or letters of credence.
• A letter from your employer with the aim of
your trip, the intended terms of your stay, the
number of years you have worked with your
employer and the journalism experience you
have.
• Evidence of publication including samples of
previous articles, if you have.
Documents for dependents
If your spouse and child apply for a visa later,
a copy of your media visa should be submitted
along with the application.
Here, we have provided for you the
requirements for US visa. Don’t hesitate to apply. Good luck and Bon Voyage!
A U.S. Executive Order signed on June 14 affects visa applicants who are nationals of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. If you are a national of one of these countries, please review the information at this link https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/news/important-announcement.html…
