Frequently Asked Questions

How long before my planned departure should I apply for a visa?
We recommend that applicants apply two to three months before their travel. 

How much is the nonimmigrant visa application fee and where is it paid?   
All applicants for nonimmigrant visas worldwide must pay an application fee of $US 131.00. Payments should be made in cash on the visa interview day at the Embassy.
   
May I mail in my visa application?   
No. One must come in person for an interview, unless s/he is applying for a Diplomatic/Official (A/C-3/G) visa, other than A-3 and G-5 visas.
 
What should I bring to my Visa Interview?   
Please see our information sheet for suggestions.
   
I would like to take my nephew or grandchild on a trip to the United States. Who must apply for the child's visa?   
Visa eligibility for minors age 18 and under is typically based upon the qualifications of their parents or legal guardians, who must submit their applications togehter with the minor applicant.

If the child is traveling with only one parent, or with someone who is not their parent, what document(s) do we need to present?   
For a minor (18 years old and below) applicants, if they are traveling without both parents, at least one parent must attend the interview and the other must give written consent to for the child to travel. 

A person told me that I have a better chance of getting a visa if I pay a few thousand dollars for help in completing and processing the application. Is this true?   
No. The application form should be completed by the applicant. Completing it should require no special assistance, and we recommend strongly that the applicant write it himself/herself. If an applicant cannot accomplish the form himself/herself, a representative may accomplish and, hence, sign the form. The applicant must review and sign the application form before submission to the Embassy during the scheduled interview. 
 
How do you decide whether or not to issue a visa? What does 214(b) mean?   
For business and tourist visas (B-1/B-2), each applicant must qualify under section 214(b) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), which states:   "Every alien shall be presumed to be an immigrant until he establishes to the satisfaction of the officer, at the time of the application for a visa . . . that he is entitled to nonimmigrant status . . ."

Essentially, the visa officer is looking to see that the applicant has compelling reasons to return to Namibia. By law, the burden of proof is on the applicant to show that he or she qualifies for the visa. This proof may come in many forms, but when considered together, it must be strong enough for the interviewing officer to conclude that one’s ties to Namibia will bring him/her back at the end of a temporary stay in the United States.
   
What do you mean by "ties to Namibia?"   
Please see the Demonstrating Ties section for more information.
 
If I present a letter of guarantee of return from a person of high stature, will I get a visa?   
A letter, even from a highly placed person, does not necessarily establish the applicant's ties outside of the United States. U.S. law requires each applicant to qualify for a visa in his or her own right.
 
Will it help my application if I present a letter from the person I am visiting in the U.S.?   
No.  Evaluation of the application will be made in accordance with Section 214(b) of the United States Immigration and Nationality Act. Visa applications are adjudicated based on individual merits, consistent with criteria specified in the Immigration Act, as amended, and the Federal regulations issued pursuant to it. Consular officers are required to deny visas to applicants who cannot qualify under the law, and to issue visas to those applicants who do qualify. Consular officers cannot issue visas based on the assurances of family members, friends or interested third parties.
 
Isn't it better not to disclose that I have close relatives living in the United States, that I have an immigrant visa petition on file, or that I have previously been denied? What are the consequences if I conceal or misrepresent information or submit fraudulent documents?
Full disclosure is best. We understand that many people have relatives in the United States but intend only a short visit, or have immigrant visa petitions on file but do not plan to immigrate at this time. It is therefore to the advantage of the applicant to disclose these facts. When an interviewing officer uncovers any attempt to conceal or misrepresent facts, the application will be denied and the applicant may, in certain cases, be ruled permanently ineligible to enter the United States.
 
Can I mail or fax in information about my application in advance of my interview?    
It is impossible for us to guarantee that any we will be able to match correspondence with applications. The applicant should bring any information relevant to his/her application to the interview. The Nonimmigrant Visa Unit does not accept documents before the application.
     
What are the allowable uses of a B-1/B-2 Visa?   
The B-1 visa allows for temporary visitors to conduct business in the United States. This includes such things as a need to consult with business associates, negotiate a contract, buy goods or materials, settle an estate, appear in a court trial, and participate in business or professional conventions or conferences. This visa does not generally allow for gainful employment. The B-2 visa is issued for the purpose of touring, visits to friends and relatives, visits for rest or medical treatment, social or fraternal conventions and conferences, and amateur/unpaid participants in cultural or sports events.

Can I go to the United States to work?   
While a person may go to the United States on a B-1/B-2 visa on business, working for a short time for a foreign employer, he/she may not be employed or paid by a U.S. party. To be employed in the United States, s/he must have a working visa (E, H, or L).
     
We wish to attend a wedding in the United States. Should we bring a copy of the invitation to the interview?   
The applicant may bring it but the officer may not necessarily examine it. The interviewing officer is less concerned with why the applicant is going to the United States than with whether s/he has ties that will bring him/her back.  
     
I presented all the documents I was told to bring, but my application was turned down anyway. What else could I bring?   
Officers interview the applicant and evaluate the application forms, and refer to supporting documents only if they can provide some additional insight into an applicant’s situation. If there are additional documents required, the officer will indicate that during the interview. 

My spouse is a U.S. Citizen or a Legal Permanent Resident. Can I obtain a nonimmigrant visa?   
While it is possible to receive a nonimmigrant visa even if one is eligible for an immigrant visa or has a pending petition for an immigrant visa, the consular officer must be satisfied that the intended stay in the United States for this visit is temporary, which can be difficult to show.  If an applicant is married to a Legal Permanent Resident of the United States, it may likewise be difficult to overcome the presumption that s/he intends to immigrate to the United States to live with his/her spouse. We advise the applicant to have his/her spouse file the immigrant visa petition as soon as possible.  
       
I am a U.S. Citizen and am planning to marry my Namibian fiancé(e). Can I bring him/her to the United States and get married here?   
In most circumstances, yes.  The U.S. Consulate General in South Africa handles all immigrant and most fiancée visas for Namibia.  Please visit their website: http://southafrica.usembassy.gov/                                                                            
I have an immigrant petition on file. Can I still qualify for a tourist visa?
There are so many different situations regarding persons who have been petitioned to immigrate that the best answer is "It Depends." While the existence of an immigrant petition is in one sense evidence that a person is an intending immigrant, and thus subject to refusal, we also recognize that s/he may not be intending to immigrate at this time. Having an immigrant petition on file is not grounds for an automatic refusal, but as an applicant, s/he will need to provide strong evidence that s/he intends to leave the United States after his/her planned visit.

I am a former Legal Permanent Resident of the United States. Can I now obtain a tourist (B-1/B-2) visa?   
One may apply for a B-1/B-2 visa, but must surrender his/her "Green Card" before a visa can be issued.
   
I am an H-1B visa holder. Are my parents included as my dependents?   
The qualified dependents of H-1B visa holder are his/her spouse and unmarried children age 20 and below.

How soon will I know whether I qualify for a visa?   
The interviewing officer will inform the applicant of the outcome of the visa application at the conclusion of the interview.
 
If I qualify for a visa, when do I obtain it?   
If an application is approved, the passport and visa will generally be available for pick-up the next day after 9 AM.

Can I request earlier issuance of my visa?   
The request must be made during the interview. The interviewing officer will decide whether it is meritorious request.
  
For how long is a tourist visa valid?   
B-1/B-2 visas issued to Namibian citizens are generally for multiple entries and valid for 5 years, unless the consular officer feels there is cause to issue a more limited duration visa. Other classes of visas typically have shorter durations. The length of validity for other nationalities varies.
 
How long can I stay in the United States?        
The period of one’s stay is determined by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officer at the U.S. Port of Entry, not by the consular officer who issues the visa. USCIS generally grants permission for the visitor to remain in the United States for the amount of time needed to accomplish the purpose of the visit. If one wishes to remain beyond the time granted, s/he must submit a request for extension to the USCIS. Failure to do so could result in his/her being ineligible to enter the United States again.  
     
If refused, how soon can I apply again?   
If an applicant is refused under Section 221(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act and is requested to provide additional information or supporting documents, s/he will receive a 221(g) letter outlining what s/he needs to present and instructing him/her on when s/he may return. S/he will not need to make another appointment or pay another application fee. S/he has one year within which to comply with the requirement of the 221(g) letter.

If an applicant is refused under Section 214(b) or any other section, s/he may reapply as soon as s/he can pay the application fee an appointment through the call center. While on a second interview s/he will meet with a different officer, please be aware that s/he must still demonstrate strong ties to his/her country. In most cases, it is better to wait until his/her personal circumstances have changed significantly before reapplying. Quick re-applications based largely on the hope of finding a consul more inclined to issue may result in a second refusal. 
  
I have a valid visa in an old passport.  Can I still travel to the U.S.?   
Yes. The applicant will need to carry the old passport with the valid visa as well as the new, valid passport. 
 
I was told by a travel agent that immigrant visas are hard to get, and my wife should go into the United States with only a tourist visa...   
Unfortunately, there are people who, usually for a tidy sum of money, will offer inaccurate or bad advice. Such advice can waste time and distract one from the necessary paperwork. At worst, it can lead to fraudulent statements that can see one’s new spouse found ineligible for any visa to travel to the United States. It is always the type of travel -- a short visit or a new life living and working in America -- which governs what visa is appropriate.  Immigrant visas do require more time and preparation than a simple tourist visa, but in the end will allow an American citizen and his/her spouse to begin their new life in the United States without the worry and hardships that fraud can place on their relationship. If they begin early, and follow the instructions carefully, his/her new spouse can begin life in the United States with legal permanent resident status that will allow him/her to live, work or study as desired. LPR status is also the first step toward naturalization, the process by which a foreign person becomes an American Citizen. 
    
Should I buy my plane ticket before getting a visa?   
We do not recommend purchasing tickets before qualifying for a visa. Should one choose to make such arrangements, we advise him/her to make a refundable reservation. Prior to making any final arrangements and payments, s/he should make certain to have a visa. The fact that s/he has already committed funds to a trip does not compel a consular officer to issue the applicant a visa if s/he is not qualified.