- How to Apply
- The Interview
- Fees
- Case Status
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
Before you can apply for a Temporary Worker visa, a Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker must be submitted to USCIS by your prospective employer on your behalf.
Employers should file the petition as soon as possible to allow adequate time for processing. If you need your petition to be processed faster, review the available Premium Processing Service on the USCIS website. Once the petition is approved, USCIS will send your prospective employer a Notice of Action, Form I-797.
Important Note: The Form I-797 is no longer needed for your interview. However, to verify your petition approval we will need your I-129 petition receipt number.
Required Documents
Applicants for Temporary Worker visas must bring the below documentation to their interview:
- DS-160 confirmation sheet (this is obtained after submitting the online application);
- A passport valid for travel to the United States. Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond the applicant’s intended period of stay in the United States;
- One (1) 2 x 2 inch (51 x 51 mm) color photograph. See the required photo format explained in Nonimmigrant Photograph Requirements;
- Receipt number for your approved petition as it appears on your Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, Form I-129, or Notice of Action, Form I-797, from USCIS;
- L Visa Applicants: If you are included in an L blanket petition, you must bring Form I-129S, Nonimmigrant Petition Based on Blanket L Petition, to your interview.
Additional Requirements
All visa applicants, except H-1B and L, will generally need to show proof of compelling ties to your home country to demonstrate your intent to return after your temporary stay in the United States. Examples of compelling ties include:
- A residence abroad which you do not intend to abandon
- Your family relationships
- Your economic situation
- Your long term plans
Do not have supporting documentation faxed, emailed, or sent to the Embassy; it will be thrown away. Bring all supporting documentation to your interview.
THE APPROVAL OF A PETITION DOES NOT GUARANTEE THAT YOU WILL BE ISSUED A VISA. Do not make final travel plans or buy tickets until you have a visa.
Submit Your Online Application
Submit Your Online Application
All applicants must complete the DS-160 online application form.
Applicants must also upload a color photograph to the DS-160 online application. If you are unable to upload a photograph, complete the remainder of the application and bring a photograph to the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy on the day of your interview. Please review the Department of State’s photograph requirements for visa applications on its Digital Image Requirements website.
In general, the applicant’s head, including both face and hair, should be visible in its entirety. It is preferable that ears be exposed. Head coverings and hats are only acceptable due to religious beliefs, and even then, may not cover any portion of the applicant’s face. Sunglasses or any other wear which detracts from the face are not acceptable unless required for medical reasons (an eye patch, for example). Digitally reproduced photographs must be reproduced without discernible pixels or dot patterns. Photocopied photographs are NOT accepted.
After electronically submitting your application, print the confirmation page. You will need to bring the confirmation page to your visa interview.
Once a DS-160 online application has been submitted, you cannot change or add information to your application at the visa interview. Significant errors in your application, or information incorrectly marked as “Not Applicable,” “Nil,” or “Don’t Know,” may result in your visa application being rejected at the time of your interview.
Photos Requirements
Review the Photo Examples to see examples of acceptable and unacceptable photos. Photos copied or digitally scanned from driver’s licenses or other official documents are not acceptable. In addition, snapshots, magazine photos, low quality vending machine or mobile phone photos, and full-length photographs are not acceptable.