Visa Interview: Overview

The National Visa Center (NVC) will notify you by email with your appointment date and time after you schedule your visa interview appointment

You will need to take the following steps after you receive an interview Appointment Letter from NVC

Schedule and Complete a Medical Check

• You are required to schedule a medical appointment with a certified physician within the country you are being interviewed in

• Must be a Panel Physician or with an embassy-approved doctor

• Complete your medical check with a physician

• Before your scheduled interview date receive any required vaccinations

• After your exam, you will be sent the exam results directly in an envelope or they will be sent to the embassy

• If you receive it directly, do not open the envelope and give it to your consular officer at your visa interview

Gather documents required for the interview

Every visa applicant must bring certain documents to the interview, such as photographs and original or certified copies of all civil documents that you submitted to NVC

Any financial evidence submitted to NVC or your Affidavit of Support does not need to be brought in

Go to the Consulate or U.S. Embassy with your printed visa application (DS-260) confirmation page on the day of your interview

You will be determined as eligible to receive a visa through the consular officer who will interview you. They will also interview any accompanying family

On the interview Appointment Letter, every traveling applicant will be listed that needs to participate in the interview

As part of the process, digital fingerprint scans will be taken

Until you have received your visa, it is recommended to not make any permanent financial decisions, such as selling your car and house

Your sponsor/petitioner does not need to attend the visa interview

What to bring to the interview

You are responsible to bring all required original or certified copy civil documents

Failure to bring all required documents will result in delays or denial of the visa

You need to bring

• Passport: An unexpired passport valid for six months beyond the intended date of entry

• DS-260 Confirmation page

• Appointment Letter: The letter you received from NVC

• Photographs: Each applicant needs to bring in two identical color photographs

  • Take these photos in front of an off-white background or a plain white background

  • Taken in full-face view directly facing the camera

  • Have both of your eyes open

  • Hold a neutral facial expression

  • Wear clothing you typically wear

  • You may wear hearing devices

  • Taken within the last 6 months to show current appearance

  • Size your photographs so the head is between 1 inch and 1 ⅜ inches. This is 22 mm and 35 mm. (50-69% of the image’s total height from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head)

  • In color

  • No hats, head coverings (unless for religious purposes), headphones, or uniforms (unless for religious purposes)

  • Full face must be visible

  • Eyeglasses are not allowed unless they cannot be removed for medical reasons

    • A medical statement must be provided

    • The frames cannot cover your eyes, there should be no glare, and no shadows from the eyeglasses

• Supporting documents

  • Original or certified document copies you uploaded into CEAC

Original documents will be returned and photocopies may be kept once the interview has been completed

Obtain and present documents that require an English translation and which were not sent to NVC

If your visa fees were collected by NVC, you do not need to pay again. Any unpaid fees need to be paid at the U.S Embassy

If you can not appear for your scheduled interview, contact the U.S. Embassy as soon as possible.

Your case has the possibility of being terminated and your visa petition canceled if you do not make contact within a year of receiving your interview appointment letter. You will not get a refund on any fees paid