If you are planning a trip to the United States, you need to go through the bureaucratic hurdles involved, especially in securing a US visa appointment, which can be overwhelming.
You have to apply for a visa, your visa will be reviewed and if you get a positive response, you can travel to the US, during the application process, you may be required to attend a visa chat with the immigration officers.
You will book an appointment and wait for the date made available for your appointment, all these steps can take time, and this is why many applicants who have an urgent need to travel expedite their appointment, to make their visa approval faster.
How to Expedite US Visa Appointment
If you are making an urgent trip to the US, below is how to expedite your US visa appointment to make your appointment and the application process faster.
To expedite your US visa appointment, you need to first, apply for the right visa type, and complete the application form before requesting an expedition
Determine your visa type
First, you need to identify the type of visa you need based on the reason why you are traveling. Whether it’s a tourist visa (B-2), business visa (B-1), student visa (F-1), or any other category, understanding your visa type is essential.
Complete the DS-160 form
The DS-160 form is a comprehensive online application that collects your personal and travel information. In the form, you need to answer all questions accurately and truthfully. Remember to save the application ID, as you’ll need it for the appointment scheduling.
Scheduling your standard appointment
- Create an account: To schedule an appointment, start by creating an account on the official US Visa Information and Appointment Services website. Fill in your details and select the appropriate visa category.
- Schedule your standard appointment: Once you are logged in, schedule a standard visa appointment. Choose the embassy or consulate nearest to you and a suitable date. You have to know that the standard appointments are subject to availability and may have wait times.
- Pay the visa application fee: After scheduling your appointment, you need to pay the non-refundable visa application fee through the designated payment portal. After you finish your payment, save the payment confirmation receipt for your records.
Requesting an expedited appointment
If you want to request an expedited appointment, you can do that from your dashboard.
- Log in to your account: Go to your account on the visa services website using your credentials (password and username).
- Select the expedited appointment option: Once in your account, you need to find the option to request an expedited appointment.
One thing you have to note about requesting for expedited option is that; there has to be a justifiable reason such as urgent medical reasons, business emergencies, or compelling humanitarian circumstances before you can make that request.
- Provide necessary documentation: Clearly state your reason for requesting expedited processing and provide evidence such as documents to support your claim. You can provide medical certificates if it’s a medical issue, letters from employers, or any other relevant evidence substantiating the urgency of your travel.
- Await confirmation: After submitting your request, you have to wait for a response from the embassy/consulate. If approved, you will receive confirmation of your expedited appointment along with the date and time.
Prepare for your visa interview
Once your request is approved, you have to prepare for a chat with an immigration officer about your travel.
- Organize your documents: Before going for the interview, gather all the required documents, including the DS-160 confirmation page, appointment confirmation letter, passport, passport-size photographs, proof of fee payment, and any additional documents related to your visa category (such as I-20 for students or employment letters for work visas).
- Practice interview questions: You can study common visa interview questions to prepare yourself. The visa officer will ask for the reasons why you are traveling, and of course, your ties to your home country, and how you intend to fund your stay in the US.
On the interview date, dress professionally for the interview. Arrive early, and remain calm and confident during the interview.
If you have an urgent need to travel to the US and your visa requires an appointment, you can follow the steps here to request an expedited appointment and speed up the entire visa application process.
