Non-Immigrant Visas*

Get an appointment:

Most non-immigrant visa applicants must be interviewed by a consular officer.  Interviews are generally conducted on an appointment basis.  (Applicants for student [F and M], exchange visitor [J], crew [B1 and C1/D], and petition-based work [H, L, O, P and Q] visas do not need an appointment.)  To obtain an appointment, click here.

However, non-immigrant visa applications for children under the age of 14 and persons 80 years of age or older may be submitted by mail; a personal appearance by them is not required. 

Visa interview appointment wait times:

To see wait times for visa interview appointments at all U.S. embassies and consulates, including Bridgetown, please click here.

Emergencies/Urgent Business Travel:

The Consular Section will provide expedited attention to visa applicants who need to travel to the United States because of a death in the immediate family, a medical emergency, or because of urgent business travel needs, such as business meetings or training scheduled on short notice that cannot be postponed.  In each case, it is recommended that the applicant first try to schedule an appointment online at https://evisaforms.state.gov/default.asp?postcode=BGN&appcode=3. If no appointment is available prior to the date the applicant must travel, call the NIV appointment hotline at (246) 227-4226 (Monday-Friday 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.), send a fax to (246) 431-0179, or send an e-mail to consularbridge2@state.gov to request an emergency appointment.  On the day of the appointment, the applicant must be able to present proof of a genuine emergency.  In the case of a death in the family, acceptable proof would include a death certificate or letter from a funeral director, plus proof of relationship to the deceased (birth or marriage certificate).  For medical emergencies, the applicant must present a letter from the treating physician confirming a medical condition that must be treated in the U.S., plus a letter from the doctor or hospital in the United States that will provide the treatment, including the projected cost of the treatment and how much time the treatment will require.  For urgent business travel, a letter from the applicant’s employer and/or the company organizing the event in the United States is required.  The applicant will not be interviewed unless proof of a genuine emergency is presented. 

At the time of the interview, visa applicants must present:

1. Evidence of financial, family and social ties to their place of residence, as well as evidence of ability to cover the cost of the intended stay in the United States.  These may include proof of employment, such as a job letter, business license, etc.; evidence of financial solvency, such as proof of earnings, bank statements, titles to property, and so forth; marriage and/or birth certificates, and any other evidence that the applicant believes may be relevant. 
2. A signed visa application form (DS-156) with all questions answered.  Applicants must submit a new application form each time they apply for a visa.  Form DS-156 may be filled out on-line at http://evisaforms.state.gov.  Only the "electronic" version of Form DS-156, filled out on line and printed with the computer-generated barcode will be accepted; the old version of the form, handwritten or typed, is no longer accepted.  Male applicants aged 16 to 45 years must also present a completed form DS-157.  Student and exchange visitor visa (F, J or M) applicants also need form DS-158.  These and other State Department forms in English are available at http://foia.state.gov/FORMS/visa.asp.
3. A passport with at least one blank page, valid through at least the applicant's intended visit to the United States.  If the applicants have had previous visas, they should present the old passports with the visas at the time of application.
4. One (1) color photo (50mm x 50mm).
5. The nonrefundable USD131 or BBD265 Machine Readable Visa (MRV) application fee in cash or bank cheque made out to the American Embassy.  If paying in cash, applicants are encouraged to present exact change to avoid delays in cashier processing.

Parents may accompany minor applicants, and persons who are elderly or infirm may be accompanied to their interviews.  Due to space constraints, no other persons will be allowed to accompany applicants in the consular waiting area.  Cameras, recording devices, and other electronic devices are not allowed in the waiting room.  All types of weapons are also prohibited; applicants are advised not to bring such items to the consular section.

Processing Time:

For Barbados Residents:  In most cases, applicants will no longer return to the Embassy to pick up their visaed passports.** If your application is approved, unless you bring a pre-paid courier pak from a courier service of your choice to your interview, we will return your passport to you via DHL within five (5) business days.  Please make arrangements with the DHL representative in our lobby to pre-pay an airway bill for delivery of your passport.  If you need your passport returned without the visa, you will have to send the passport back to us via courier.  When you send the passport, you must send a pre-paid airway bill and mailer for delivery back to you.  Effective June 18, 2008, the cost for DHL delivery one-way within Barbados is US$10, or BBD$20. 

For Applicants Living Outside Barbados:  We are no longer able to provide same-day visa issuance, except in genuine emergencies.** If your application is approved, your passport will be returned to you after the interview so that you may travel back to your home.  After you return to your country of residence, please send your passport back to us for visa issuance.  You must enclose your passport and a pre-paid courier airway bill and mailer for delivery of the passport and visa back to you.  Once your passport arrives at our Visa Unit, we will issue your visa and return your passport to you via your courier within seven (7) business days.  You may make arrangements with the DHL representative in our lobby or use a courier company of your choice in your home country.  If you choose DHL, the rate will be US$48 for two-way service, effective June 18, 2008.  (For one-way international service, the rate is US$24.)  To help us provide the fastest possible service, customers are asked to bring exact change.   

** Please notify the consular officer at the time of your interview if you have a real emergency that requires same-day processing. 

*A visa gives the bearer permission to apply for admission to the United States.  A U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inspector at the U.S. port of entry will determine how long the visitor is permitted to stay.  Tourist visits on B1/B2 visas may not exceed six months, unless an extension of stay is authorized.