How to Apply for a US Visa (Non-Immigrant Visa)

O american visa is the most important step for you to conquer the dreamed visit to the United States, with it in your passport you only need to worry about which city to visit first. The visa is valid for 10 years and can be renewed up to 48 months after it expires.

O showmetech brings you a guide for you to know how to get a visa, with all the necessary documents, tips for the interview and how to do the process online.

What is the US visa?

The American visa is an entry document in the United States, issued by the country of origin that obtains a treaty with the North American country. The document becomes part of the passport and has several different types for each specific case of the traveler.

US visa types

The categories vary according to the needs of each traveler and each case will be analyzed by the Two State Department United States. the website of Embaixada american in Brazil there is a detailed list with the specific requirements for each case. Check out the different types of visa available:

• Type A1/A2/A3: Military personnel, diplomats and government officials, in addition to their family members and employees;
• Type B: Business, tourism, medical treatment and athletes competing for prize money;
• Type C: For transit in the country;
• Type C1/D: Aircraft and vessel crew;
• Types F and M: Students and dependents;
• Type G: Employee of foreign organization and dependents;
• Type H: Class for workers with specifications:
  • Type H1B/H4: Category for workers with a specialized function who can occupy idle vacancies;
  • Type H2A: Temporary farmer;
  • Type H3: Trainee with a temporary visa;
• Type I: Media and Journalists;
• Type J: Exchange students, researchers, professors, summer work, exchange doctors;
• Type K: Fiancé or spouse of US citizens;
• Type L: Internal transfer of employees;
• Type O: Foreign nationals with exceptional abilities in the arts, sciences, sports, education, business, and dependents;
• Type P: Athlete and entertainment professional and dependents;
• Type Q: Cultural exchange student;
• Type R: Missionary and religious worker;
• Type T: Victim of human trafficking and dependents;
• Type U: Victim of criminal activity and dependents;

US visa validity period

Tourist visa for United States has a validity of 10 years. It is worth remembering that the maximum length of stay in the country in a single trip is 180 days or 6 months, but there are exceptions and it can be extended.

US visa interview waiver

If you already have a valid US visa, or your visa has expired within the last 48 months, you may be able to renew your visa without an interview. Applicants under the age of 14 or over the age of 79 can also apply for the visa without an interview. The general requirements for the interview waiver are:

• Be a Brazilian citizen or permanent resident in Brazil.
• Be under 14 or over 79 or have a valid U.S. visa – or a visa that expired within the last 48 months – issued when you were aged between 15 and 80.
• Your previous visa was not lost, stolen, canceled or revoked.
• You have not been refused a US visa on your last application.
• You have never been arrested or convicted of a crime; deported or barred from entering the United States.

The appointment process on the CASV website includes questions that will determine if you are eligible for the no-interview visa application process.

Documentation required for the visa

To apply for a US visa, it is necessary to present the documents required by the US government, check out what you need:

Mandatory documents:

• Valid passport valid for more than 6 months beyond the period of stay in the United States;
• Passport containing the last visa, even if expired;
• Paper confirming completion of the DS-160 form;
• Paper with confirmation of appointment information and instructions website United States Visa Service;
• 5×5 photo taken in the last six months on a white background with an unobstructed face;
  • If under 14 or over 79, the consulate does not recommend that there be a presence during the request, in this way, the representatives who go to the consulate they must bring a printed photo in the manner described above;
    • Em Recife e Porto Alegre, a 5×5 photo of all applicants is required.

In addition to these, the following documents may also be submitted:

• Purpose of the trip;
• Proof of intention to leave United States;
• Ability to pay for tickets, accommodation and other costs;
• Evidence of sufficiency in Brazil such as jobs and family ties that reinforce the intention to return to the country of origin;
• Proof of funding by third parties, if you do not have full financial capabilities.

For the specific documents of each case, the website U.S. Department of State American has a complete list.

Online visa application

After gathering the documents and determining your purpose of travel and the visa to be applied for, it's time to fill out the form DS-160 and start the application. Follow the steps below and apply for your visa:

Step 1:

Choose where to apply website U.S. Department of State, you will also need to fill in a random code for human verification.

Step 2:

Confirm legal instructions before continuing.

On the same page, choose and answer a security question. You will need the ID shown in the upper right corner and the security question and answers to access your application again.

Step 3:

Fill out the form correctly, honestly and as specifically as possible. The more information you can give the US government, the better it will be for you.

review the information

After completing the form, the review page will show your answers on the form, check if everything is correct in all steps and move on.

Confirm the data

On the last page, you will mark if you were helped to fill in the form DS-160 and enter your passport number and the security code shown on the side. If everything is correct, click on “Sign and Submit Application” and proceed.

On the next page, a confirmation page will be revealed, print this page with the barcode and take it to the consulate.

US visa fee

The fee to pick up your visa depends on the visa required, and new rates will come into effect from May 30th:

• Types B, C, D, F, M, I, J, T and U: US$ 160 fee, will increase to US$ 185;
• Types H, O, P, Q, R and L: US$ 190, will increase to US$ 205;
• Type K: US$265, will increase to US$315.

If the visa is denied, the fee will not be refunded and, for each new application, a new payment will be required. This payment is non-transferable and valid only for the person who completed the form above.

For students who need the Sevis, it is also necessary to pay a fee for this service, more details on program website.

interview scheduling

To complete the process, you will need to obtain a login access to the US visa appointment service website, create a new applicant and provide the Form DS-160 confirmation number, as well as an address on Brazil.

Pay the fee and schedule the service in a Visa Application Center, for removal of biometrics and collection of documents. The last step is to schedule the interview at the nearest consulate.

visa interview

The main step is to conduct an interview with a consulate official, this phase is critical so we have prepared some tips for you:

• Take proof of study, work or financial stability in the Brazil; your chances increase when you indicate that you are not considering moving to the country illegally.
• Stay calm, if you did everything right during the previous processes, you just need to answer the questions calmly and coherently.
• Do not take your documents digitally, electronic equipment is prohibited during the interview. Prepare a folder with all your printed documents to present at the consulate.

Check out more tips for your interview:

Receipt of passport with visa

The visa can be collected in person at the consulate, or else be sent through the Post Office, via SEDEX.

To pick up your visa, it is necessary to follow up the request through the scheduling website. When available, just go to the indicated location and present the following documents:

• If you are an adult:
  • Identification document such as ID, driver's license and birth certificate.
• If the visa is for a child:
  • The child's birth or adoption certificate;
  • Parents' identification document provided for in the previous point.
• If the visa is received by a third party:
  • Letter of authorization with the name of the representative and signature of the applicant;
  • Copy of the identification document chosen by the applicant;
  • Representative documents.

If the receipt is by mail, the delivery service will make three attempts to receive it, after which it will return to the place of origin and it will be necessary to schedule a collection. For households, delivery can be made to an adult who signs the delivery receipt. For companies, employees authorized to receive parcels.

How to renew US visa

If you already have a valid US visa, or your visa has expired within the last 48 months, you may be able to renew your visa without an interview. Applicants under the age of 14 or over the age of 79 can also apply for the visa without an interview. The general requirements for the interview waiver are:

• Be a Brazilian citizen or permanent resident in Brazil.
• Be under 14 or over 79 or have a valid U.S. visa – or a visa that expired within the last 48 months – issued when you were aged between 15 and 80.
• Your previous visa was not lost, stolen, canceled or revoked.
• You have not been refused a US visa on your last application.
• You have never been arrested or convicted of a crime; deported or barred from entering the United States.

The appointment process on the CASV website includes questions that will determine if you are eligible for the no-interview visa application process.

As in the process of obtaining the first visa, you will need to pay the fee and the original visa category needs to be maintained. If a change is necessary, the process needs to be done from the beginning.

Are you going to get a US visa? Where do you intend to travel? Tell us in the comments!

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Source: U.S. Department of State, American Embassy in Brazil

reviewed by Glaucon Vital in 18 / 4 / 23.