What's Different about U.S. Visa Processing Procedures?
The United States is committed to what Secretary Powell has called the policy of "secure borders, open doors," by facilitating legitimate travel to the United States by international visitors while maintaining the integrity and security of our borders and our nation. Laws passed after September 11, 2001 focused ways to improve border security in the United States. To learn more, select Safety and Security of U.S. Borders
Most visa applicants can expect to be interviewed and must now have fingerscans collected as part of the visa application process. These fingerscans are normally collected by the consular officer at the visa interview window, but in some posts they are collected prior to the visa interview.
In addition to being satisfied that the applicant intends to honor the terms of the visa by returning home, the consular officer must evaluate the security risk presented by the applicant. We carefully examine all applications. Visa applications take longer to process. This affects all nonimmigrant visas. Advance planning can smooth the visa application process for you.
