Visiting the USA - Nonimmigrant Visas

Nonimmigrant visas are for people who wish to go to the U.S. on a temporary basis for tourism, business, temporary work, study, or medical treatment.

Please plan ahead. If you know you are going to travel to the U.S., you can apply weeks, or even months ahead.
We strongly encourage you to wait to purchase plane tickets until you have a valid visa. You do not need a ticket at the time of the interview.

HOW TO APPLY

Click here to see the Current Wait Time for a Visa Interview.

What happens if your case needs further administrative processing?

Learn more about the Summer Work/Travel Program for full-time college students

Important Information: Summer Work/Travel and Seasonal Worker Programs and Students

IMPORTANT INFORMATION about your rights for applicants for H, J and domestic worker visas - Please read before your interview!

Approved visas require one day for processing. Visa recipients can pick up their passport with visa at 16:00 the next business day after the day of their interview, unless otherwise notified.

PLEASE DO NOT ASK US IF YOUR VISA CAN BE READY THE SAME DAY. WE MUST WAIT FOR SECURITY PROCEDURES TO BE COMPLETE IN EACH CASE BEFORE THE SYSTEM WILL ALLOW US TO PRINT A VISA. THIS TAKES UNTIL THE NEXT BUSINESS DAY IN MOST CASES. WE CANNOT STOP OR SPEED UP THIS PROCESS. IT IS IMPORTANT TO PLAN AHEAD AND APPLY FOR A VISA WELL IN ADVANCE OF ANY PLANNED TRAVEL.

Citizens of certain countries do not require a visa to visit the U.S. To find out if you qualify, see information on the Visa Waiver Program.

U.S. Citizen and Immigration Forms

IMPORTANT: ICE Special Registration http://www.ice.gov/pi/specialregistration

Yugoslav Passports

The Serbian government officially announced that Serbian citizens can continue to use Yugoslav passports as valid travel documents until the end of 2009. The Montenegrin law states that Montenegrin citizens can continue to use Yugoslav passports until the end of 2009.

The visa section of the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade will issue visas to qualified applicants in any valid passport. According to current laws in Serbia and in Montenegro, Yugoslav passports will not be valid for travel after December 31, 2009. Therefore, the U.S. Embassy can issue U.S. visas in Yugoslav passports until the end of 2009.

However, please note that when you enter the U.S., U.S. immigration officials will not grant permission to stay beyond the expiration date of your passport in most cases. That means they will not give you permission to stay in the U.S. after December 31, 2009, at the latest, if you enter on a Yugoslav passport.

If you are planning a trip later in 2009, we strongly urge you to get a new Serbian or Montenegrin passport now. If you already have a valid visa in a Yugoslav passport, please read the message below.

Valid Visas in Old Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Passports:

Serbian citizens with valid U.S. visas in an expired or cancelled Yugoslav passport may travel with their old Federal Republic of Yugoslavia passport and new Serbian passport together. Please note: the dates of validity of the U.S. visa in the old passport must be current and there should be no cancellation stamps or holes punched through the visa itself. The biodata information (name, date and place of birth, etc.) in both passports must match exactly. When traveling to the United States, you must show both your new Serbian passport and your valid U.S. visa (in your old passport) to airline officials and U.S. border inspectors.

If you wish to apply for a new U.S. visa to be placed in your new Serbian passport, you must bring your valid U.S. visa in your old Federal Republic of Yugoslavia passport with you to the visa interview so that the old visa may be cancelled by the Consul. Issuance of a new U.S. visa is not automatic. You must apply and qualify for a brand new visa, and bring all required documents to the visa interview. Please see the following link for instructions on applying for a new U.S. visa: http://belgrade.usembassy.gov/consular/nv/apply.html.

Valid Visas in Old Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Passports:

Montenegrin citizens with valid U.S. visas in an expired or cancelled Yugoslav passport may travel with their old Federal Republic of Yugoslavia passport and new Montenegrin passport together. Please note: the dates of validity of the U.S. visa in the old passport must be current and there should be no cancellation stamps or holes punched through the visa itself. The biodata information (name, date and place of birth, etc.) in both passports must match exactly. When traveling to the United States, you must show both your new Montenegrin passport and your valid U.S. visa (in your old passport) to airline officials and U.S. border inspectors.

If you wish to apply for a new U.S. visa to be placed in your new Montenegrin passport, you must bring your valid U.S. visa in your old Federal Republic of Yugoslavia passport with you to the visa interview so that the old visa may be cancelled by the Consul. Issuance of a new U.S. visa is not automatic. You must apply and qualify for a brand new visa, and bring all required documents to the visa interview. Please see the following link for instructions on applying for a new U.S. visa: http://belgrade.usembassy.gov/consular/nv/apply.html.

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