Application essentials for a US visa

Going through the visa application, documentation and interview process is a tough one and mostly requires a lot of know-how. For some nation, it could be a simpler process but mostly for others, it is a tiresome job. Though Canadian citizens do not require a visa to hop onto the United States, nonimmigrant visa services are provided for US visa in Vancouver, BC and other border posts in Montreal, Calgary, Ottawa and other Canadian states.

Visa information that is a mandate to know

Choose the type of visa you are applying for, immigrant or non-immigrant. Then the visa fees must be paid against the visa type. The fee is non-refundable and non-transferable type. This means that even if your visa is not granted, you will not get your money back.

The visa fees vary based on visa type and also for special cases like entertainers, athletes, artists, people with special abilities, related to a US citizen and others. There are some additional fees to be paid to the visa issuing bodies for special circumstances such as non-immigrant applications.

The process involved in getting a US visa

Documents required for the first interview at the consulate –

  • Passport number,
  • The fee receipt number of the visa application,
  • Your DS-160 confirmation page must have a 10 digit barcode number. The number is required.

For the next interview at the center for visa applications, you need to carry –

  • A valid US passport,
  • A confirmation proof for the process of DS 160,
  • Your application confirmation proof,
  • For applicants under 14 years of age, a photograph must be provided.

Once the process of taking photographs and fingerprints have been taken, the documents required are –

  • A printed copy of the confirmation proof of your appointment letter,
  • The confirmation page for DS 160 stamped by the application center,
  • All the passports you have gained in your lifetime,
  • The documents supporting the visa type.

Since it is a lengthy process, it is suggested to apply for the US visa much in advance of your probable date of travel. You can also track the visa status through online government portals.