TO apply for any US non-immigrant visa, you first need to complete the DS-160 online, non-immigrant visa application form.

Consular officers use the information entered on the DS-160 to process the visa application and, combined with a personal interview, determine an applicant’s eligibility for a non-immigrant visa. You can complete this application online at ceac.state.gov/genniv/. 

Once you complete the DS-160, you should schedule your interview at the embassy and pay the non-immigrant visa (MRV) application fee at ais.usvisa-info.com/en-jm/niv/information/niv. Please print the confirmation page and bring it with you to your interview so that we may retrieve your DS-160.

Waiting time

I have heard that the wait times for non-immigrant visa appointments are currently quite lengthy, is that correct?

Yes, due to the US Embassy’s reduced capacity to adjudicate visas during the novel coronavirus pandemic and the prioritisation of other consular services, wait times for many non-immigrant visa categories, including tourist visas, are currently more than one year. Unfortunately, we expect to have extended wait times for the foreseeable future. Only the following conditions are currently being considered for emergency expedited appointments:

* The documented death, grave/terminal illness or life-threatening accident of immediate relative (parent, direct sibling, spouse, or child) in the United States.

* An urgent and thoroughly documented need for life-saving medical treatment by the applicant or their minor child.

* Anyone who wishes to travel but does not fall under these two conditions for emergency consideration must wait until the resumption of routine processing. Please continue to check our website and social media for updates on overall processing and appointment availability. 

I need to renew my visa, do the extended wait times apply to me as well?

In many cases, applicants who need to renew a visa that expired within the last 48 months can do so without waiting for an in-person visa appointment. Applicants who might qualify for visa renewal through the interview waiver process will need to complete a visa application, pay the required fees, and work through our appointment service’s website to make arrangements to send their passport to the embassy via our courier service. The Consular Section at the embassy will review and adjudicate interview waiver cases using the same legal criteria as in-person interviews. This process of renewal without interview requires at least two weeks from receipt of application to return of the passport, if the visa is issued. If it is determined your case requires an interview, your passport will be returned, and will need to wait until the resumption of routine visa interviews and schedule an in-person visa interview.

How can I apply for a visa through the interview waiver process?

If you believe that you qualify for visa processing through the interview waiver process, please follow the instructions below:

Check your prior visa and confirm that it expired within the last 48 months. Determine whether the same type of visa is correct for your planned travel to the United States. Information about visa types can be found at travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/all-visa-categories.html.

Complete the online visa application form, DS-160. The DS-160 is a US Government online form and can only be completed at ceac.state.gov/genniv/. Each applicant must complete this form. 3. Visit our appointment service’s website at ais.usvisa-info.com/en-jm/niv/information/niv and complete the following application steps to schedule a Consular Section appointment:

* Create a user account.

* Add applicant information to complete the registration.

* Enter the DS-160 confirmation number for each applicant applying for a visa.

* Provide an address or select a location where you want to receive your documents from the Consular Section.

* Pay the non-immigrant visa (MRV) application fee(s) using one of the payment methods available in the country where you reside. See visit ais.usvisa-info.com/en-jm/niv/information/fee for available payment options.

Eligibility for an interview waiver will be determined as the applicant goes through the process of scheduling an appointment through the appointment service’s website. The determination will be made based on the answers provided to the qualifying criteria and the assessment of a consular officer.

The website will provide specific instructions on sending your passport in to the embassy for visa processing.

For more information about visas, please visit our website jm.usembassy.gov/ and the website of our authorised service provider at www.usvisa-info.com/. Keep on top of Embassy news on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/USEmbassyJamaica/ and by following @USEmbassyJA on Twitter. We also answer general visa questions on our Facebook and Twitter pages.