Q: My passport with a United States visa was lost during damage to my home last week. What do I do to get another visa?

A: Individuals need to report their lost visa to the US Embassy, get a new passport, and schedule an interview for a US visa. Persons should start by contacting their local police station and obtaining a police report for the lost passport and visa. Once an individual has obtained a police report, they should contact the US Embassy to file a lost or stolen visa report. There are two ways to file this report–in person or by email.

If persons do not plan to apply for a new US visa, they should email KingstonFPU@state.gov to report the loss of their passport and visa. We will reply and send a lost/stolen visa reporting form, along with instructions on what information to submit. We will need the completed lost/stolen visa form, a copy of the police report, and a copy of an identification card (such as a driver’s license).

If individuals plan to apply for another US visa, they should schedule an appointment for a visa interview and report their lost visa at that time. When individuals come to their interview, they should bring their new Jamaican passport and the police report with them. Applicants will need to pay the appointment scheduling fee — US$10 for online scheduling or US$13 for telephone scheduling. They will also need to pay the visa application fee at a local NCB branch. Full information on how to schedule an appointment is available at our website kingston.usembassy.gov/non-immigrant_visas.html.

Changes to application fees

Visa application fees will increase beginning June 4, 2010. This increase helps to offset the actual costs of visa services provided worldwide. The new fee scheduled will take effect at embassies worldwide on June 4.

Individuals whose appointment is scheduled on or after June 4, will need to pay the new application fee; for B1/B2 visitor’s visas, the new fee is $140. If individuals have already paid the previous fee amount (US$131), they will need to return to an NCB branch and pay the difference prior to their interview. The Embassy is not able to accept these payments at our office. Applicants will not be admitted for visa interviews, beginning June 4, without a receipt for the new fee amount — US$140 for visitor’s visas.

The new fee schedule is tiered, based on the type of visa application. Application fees for visitor’s visas (B1/B2), student visas (F-1), and crewmember visas (C1/D) will be $140 beginning June 4; fees for temporary skilled workers (H-1B), temporary unskilled workers (H-2B), and intra-company transfer employees (L-1) will be $150 beginning June 4. A complete list of visas and the corresponding new application fees are listed on our website at the link above.

Visa interviews

If individuals apply for a new visa, we will interview them the same way that we interview all other applicants as required by US immigration law. During the interview, we consider how applicants used previous visas. Applicants who have received visas in the past do not automatically qualify for a visa. We will consider the applicant’s current situation to determine whether they are still eligible for a visa. In certain cases, individuals who previously qualified for a visitor’s visa may not qualify to receive another visa. As with all other applicants, the ultimate decision to issue a visa is based on a consular officer’s level of confidence that an applicant will abide by the terms of the visa and use it for the purposes intended.

Rescheduled appointments

The US Embassy resumed normal business operations last Thursday. Due to the unanticipated closure of the US Embassy on Tuesday, May 25, 2010, we rescheduled non-immigrant visa appointments previously set for that day. Applicants whose appointment date was May 25, have been rescheduled for Wednesday, June 9, 2010. Applicants who are unable to make this appointment time or who have an emergency situation, can contact our office to make a special request for an expedited appointment. Please note that, due to a large number of existing appointments and requests, we are only able to expedite appointments for individuals with special cricumstances and immediate travel needs.

The American Embassy staff in Kingston will answer any questions you may have regarding US consular law, regulations and/or practice. In order to respect the privacy of applicants, the embassy will not answer questions on specific personal applications.

Send your questions to: editorial@jamaicaobserver.com and we will send them to the embassy.