To apply for a visitor visa, follow the steps below.
Be sure to follow the instructions carefully. Making errors in your application or failing to provide all the required documentation may result in delays in processing your application.
Step 1. Check the Validity of Your Passport
Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your period of stay in the United States, unless exempt by country-specific agreements. At this time, Nigerien passports are NOT exempt from this requirement.
Your passport must also have at least one full blank page where a visa may be placed.
Step 2. Complete the Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-160
Complete the online nonimmigrant visa application, Form DS-160.
Important! Be careful to complete the DS-160 correctly and accurately.
Please note that you must answer EVERY question on the application forms. If the answer to a question is “none,” please enter “none.” Do not leave any answers blank.
Incomplete or incorrect forms may result in delays in processing visa applications.
Print and keep the DS-160 confirmation sheet. You will need this paper when you come to the embassy for your visa interview.
Step 3. Collect any Supporting Documentation
Only a passport, DS-160 confirmation page, and 2 inch by 2 inch (5 cm x 5 cm) color photo (click here for more detailed photo requirements) are required for the visa interview. However, additional documents may be requested during your interview to establish if you are qualified to receive a visa. For example, additional requested documents may include, but are not limited to, evidence of:
- The purpose of your trip;
- Your intent to depart the United States after your trip; and/or
- Your ability to pay all costs of the trip.
Note: Visa applicants must qualify on the basis of the applicant’s residence and ties abroad, rather than assurances from U.S. family and friends. A letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support is not needed to apply for a nonimmigrant visitor visa. If you do choose to bring a letter of invitation or Affidavit of Support to your interview, please remember that it is not one of the factors that we use in determining whether to issue or deny a nonimmigrant tourist visa.
Step 4. Schedule an Interview Appointment
To schedule an appointment for a non-immigrant visa (NIV) interview, please consult the Embassy’s online NIV Appointment System. Please have your DS-160 Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application Form Confirmation Number handy. It is located on your DS-160 confirmation page, in bold print. In general it takes three to five working days to process and print approved visas. You should schedule your appointment at least one week before your expected travel date.
Step 5. Submit Your Passport and Visa Application Forms
Bring the completed DS-160 confirmation sheet, a 2 inch by 2 inch (5 cm x 5 cm) color photo not older than 6 months (click here for more detailed photo requirements), and a valid passport with you to your scheduled interview appointment. Do not submit any additional supporting documents until the consular officer requests them.
Due to our security regulations, you will also need a second photo ID (not your passport) to enter the Embassy.
Ink-free, digital fingerprint scans will be taken as part of your application process. They are usually taken just before your interview, but this may vary in some circumstances.
Step 6. Pay the MRV Fee
On the day of your interview you must pay a nonrefundable visa application fee. The fee for B-1 (Business), B-2 (Tourism & Visit), and B-1/B-2 (combination) nonimmigrant visas is $160 or 112,000 XOF (West African CFA franc) as of July 2022. The fee is payable in U.S. dollars or CFA.
For some visa classes and nationalities, additional issuance fees may apply. Current information on all types of non-immigrant visa fees can be found here.
Step 7. Interview with the Consular Officer
During your visa interview, a consular officer will determine whether you are qualified to receive a visa, and if so, which visa category is appropriate based on your purpose of travel. You will need to establish that you meet the requirements under U.S. law to receive the category of visa for which you are applying.
Step 8. Return to Collect Your Passport and Visa
If you are issued the visa, the consular officer will give you a date and time to return to collect your passport and visa.