The United States has always been among the most popular countries for tourists around the world, and has several incredible tourist destinations such as the cities of New York, Las Vegas and the capital, Washington, among many others.
Despite attracting so much attention from tourists, entering the US requires going through the tiresome and bureaucratic process of applying for a travel visa.
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To give you an idea, Brazilian citizens can face a wait of more than eighteen months to schedule a visa interview. However, despite the lengthy process, getting this document has many advantages.
If you are interested in acquiring a visa to the United States, continue reading, as below we have listed all the necessary steps to achieve this goal.
Documents required to obtain the visa
The first “step” to obtain a travel visa for the USA is to be aware of the documents required to obtain it. Are they:
- Current valid passport and previous passports (if any);
- Form DS-160;
- Original receipt for payment of the visa application fee.
Afterwards, the proponent must gather these documents and take them to the nearest US Consulate. Keep reading to learn more details about this process.
Completion and issuance of the DS-160 form
As mentioned earlier, the DS-160 form is one of the most important documents for anyone wishing to apply for a travel visa to the US.
To fill out the DS-160 form, the tourist must access the website of the US Department of State. During the process, you must use the “Select Tooltip Language” tool, located in the upper right corner, to translate the page.
This form is mandatory for all types of trips that Brazilians may make to the US, whether for tourism, business, study, residence, etc.
It is important to remember that the information contained in the DS-160 must be completed in English. In addition, any errors in filling out the form may result in the visa being denied, which would require the process to restart.
So, pay close attention when filling out the DS-160 form!
Visa fee payment
Another step for obtaining a travel visa for the USA is the payment of the document. Currently, they are being charged US$ 185 (about R$ 940).
Information on visa payment can be collected on the website of the US Department of State and at the country's consulates.
Remember: in case of visa denial, the amount paid by the candidate cannot be refunded. So, carrying out this process is at the expense and risk of tourists.
interview schedule
After paying the visa issuance fee, the applicant must wait approximately two days to schedule an interview at one of the US Consulates that exist in Brazil.
To schedule the interview, it is necessary to have the completed DS-160 form number and proof of payment of the fee at hand.
See the list below of the Consulates where the appointment can be made and the current queue, measured in days:
- São Paulo: 554 days;
- Brasilia: 469 days;
- Rio de Janeiro: 449 days;
- Recife: 406 days;
- Porto Alegre: 377 days.
On average, interviews to obtain a US visa take 18 months to take place, starting from the day of the appointment.
biometrics collection
Between paying the fee and attending the interview at the Consulate, the visa applicant must go to a US Visa Application Service Center (CASV).
At these service centers, Brazilian citizens who wish to obtain a travel visa for the United States have fingerprints collected and a photo captured, in a process similar to that seen in the process of issuing driver's license
Attention: when going to the CASV, the applicant must carry a valid passport and the DS-160 form duly completed.
Conducting the interview
After going through all this bureaucratic and lengthy process, the visa applicant must proceed to the interview on the scheduled date.
At that time, a US Diplomacy official will ask a series of questions to assess whether the person is able to enter the United States of America.
Among the questions, questions may arise regarding:
- Purpose of travel;
- Length of stay in the country;
- Occupation of the visa applicant;
- Ties in Brazil that will make the traveler return after a while;
- Between others.
On the day of the interview, the applicant must bring:
- Form DS-160;
- Passport;
- Financial health certificate;
- Proof of Income Tax Return;
- Work Card;
- Among others that can be requested.
According to experts, the ideal is to answer interviewers' questions without telling long stories or thinking too much. Furthermore, it is essential to speak the truth and only the truth.
visa collection
If approved in the interview, the US travel visa applicant can finally collect his entry ticket to the land of Uncle Sam.
The visa can be delivered via Mail or withdrawn at the CASV where the candidate collected the biometrics and took a picture. It is at the discretion of each applicant.
Graduated in History and Human Resources Technology. Passionate about writing, today he lives the dream of acting professionally as a Content Writer for the Web, writing articles in different niches and different formats.