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What are the steps I must take in order to apply for a non-immigrant visa?
1. Fill out the online application, form DS-156 (see the link below), answering every question carefully. All questions on the form must be answered. Print out all three pages of the application to bring with you on the day of your interview appointment.
2. Applicants must pay the nonrefundable visa application fee of U.S. $131 in advance at any main branch of Banco Cuscatlan (not at mini-banks).
3. To schedule an interview appointment, the applicant must call our regional U.S. Visa Information Center at 900-6011 from a landline. The call has a cost of U.S. $1.87 per minute plus IVA, and will be included in the caller’s phone bill. Callers to the 900 number are charged by the minute. Please note that the 900 number is not accessible from public phones, cellular phones and some businesses that have 900 numbers blocked. Visa applicants do not need a calling card to use the 900 number. Additionally, applicants can call the VIC by buying a special Telefónica “VISAS USA” calling card that is available at any branch of Telefónica in El Salvador. When you call the VIC, the customer service representative will request information such as the applicant’s passport number and name as it appears in his passport. (If you are calling from the United States, please call 1-866-730-2089 and use either a Mastercard or Visa to pay for the call.)
4. On the day of your appointment bring all pertinent paperwork to the Consular Section of the Embassy for an interview. The following items are required for all non-immigrant visa interviews: a valid passport, completed electronic application forms (DS-156 for all nonimmigrant visa applications, regardless of the visa type, DS-157 for males between 16-45, and DS-158 for student applicants), one 5cm x 5cm photograph of the applicant’s head against a white background, and a receipt for the U.S. $131 application payment to be admitted to the Embassy.
5. You will participate in a brief one-on-one interview with a Consular Officer in order to clarify and add to the information on your visa application, so your application should be completed carefully.
Where can I find the application for a US visa?
The form is available on the internet and can be accessed and filled out both in English and Spanish at the following web addresses.
English https://evisaforms.state.gov/ds156.asp?lang=1
Spanish https://evisaforms.state.gov/DS156_Spanish.asp
What is the cost of a non-immigrant visa?
Each applicant must pay a U.S. $131 US non-refundable MRV fee in order to apply for a non-immigrant visa. This fee can be paid at any main branch of Citibank (not mini-banks).
How do I apply for a student or exchange visa?
Once you have been accepted by the school or program you wish to attend and have received your I-20 or DS 2019, pay your SEVIS fee (www.FMJfee.com) and then follow the steps for setting up a visa appointment as indicated above and on our Non-Immigrant Visa page. On the date of your interview, in addition to the normal forms and supporting documentation that is needed for all interviews, you will need to bring a completed form DS-158, your SEVIS receipt, and your I-20 or DS 2019.
What is the SEVIS fee?
This is a U.S. $100 US fee for registering students in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System that must be paid prior to an applicant’s interview.
How can I pay the SEVIS fee paid?
The SEVIS fee can be paid online at www.FMJfee.com or through any Western Union office.
What is the procedure for seeking a visa for medical treatment in the United States?
In addition to following the normal visa process mentioned above, the applicant must bring with them the following items. (Please note; this does not guarantee approval/issuance of a non-immigrant visa)
1. A professional diagnosis of the illness and evidence that it cannot be treated in El Salvador;
2. Official letter from U.S. hospital and doctors, accepting patient for treatment and providing estimated cost and length of medical treatment;
3. Evidence regarding ability to pay for the treatment; and
4. Proof of social, economic, and professional ties in El Salvador that will compel the applicant to return to his home country following the completion of his medical treatment.
What are the requirements for the presence of parents for minors during a visa interview?
Children under the age of eighteen must be accompanied by both biological parents at the interview for their child's visa. The only exceptions would be death, divorce, birth certificate showing father unknown or legal custody due to other circumstances (e.g. adoption). In each exception, a legal document would be required to show cause for the other parent's absence. In the case of remarriage, the child's mother/father must appear with the current spouse (child's stepparent). Parents are required to show original birth certificates for all minor children.
Why didn’t the officer look at my documents during my interview? How can he determine my ties to my country of residence?
Each applicant is given the opportunity to present the DS-156 Non-Immigrant Visa application form which details their personal information. The information on this form is critical, because the form contains an oath and signature line attesting to the truth of the information contained within. The Officer asks questions based on the information presented in the application. Officers generally ask for documents only when it is necessary to clarify or corroborate information provided by the applicant on the application form or in the interview. Consular Officers base their decisions primarily on the interview with the applicant and the information attested to on the application form and do not normally consider outside documentation.
What do I do if my passport with my US visa is lost or stolen?
All persons whose passport containing a valid U.S. visa has been lost or stolen, and who wish to obtain a replacement visa must appear for a personal interview. Please bring a copy of the police report, migration report (Movimiento Migratorio) from the Salvadoran immigration office noting your exits from and entries into El Salvador, and other documentation as available. Lost visas should be immediately reported to the visa section by fax at 503-2278-5522. Lost or stolen visas are not “replaced”, therefore a new visa application must be made, including paying the U.S. $131 fee and scheduling an interview appointment.
How do I make an appointment?
To schedule an interview appointment, please call our regional U.S. Visa Information Center either by dialing 900-6011 from a landline or by buying a special Telefónica “VISAS USA” calling card, available at any branch of Telefónica in El Salvador. The call to the 900 number costs U.S. $1.87 per minute plus IVA, and will be included in the caller’s phone bill. Please note that the 900 number is not accessible from public phones, cellular phones and some businesses that have 900 numbers blocked. Visa applicants do not need a calling card to use the 900 number. When you call the VIC, the customer service representative will request information such as the applicant’s passport number and name as it appears in his passport.
What documents do I need to bring for my interview?
Documents should include, but are not limited to the following; job letters, birth and marriage certificates, other family members' passports containing U.S. visas, bank documents, tax documents (Declaración de Renta y de IVA) and titles to property such as cars or houses. Please note; the presence of documentation does not guarantee visa issuance.
How do I apply for a visa for emergency travel?
If you have urgent need to travel for an emergency (such as life and death medical treatment or death of immediate family member), if you are a business traveler in need of an expedited appointment, or if you are applying for a student (F-1, M-1) or (J-1) exchange visitor visa and you have to travel before the next available interview appointment to begin class, please call the call center at 900-6011 from a landline or by using a Telefonica “Visas USA” card and explain the nature of the emergency. All applicants should note that they will still need to prove that they qualify under U.S. law to receive a visa.
*Remember only genuine emergencies qualify for a special appointment.
I didn’t make it to my scheduled interview appointment, how can I reschedule?
Please reschedule your appointment by calling the Visa Information Center at 900-6011 from a landline or by using a Telefonica “Visas USA” card. When you call, please give the customer service representative your original appointment information, and ask to reschedule your appointment. You do not have to pay the U.S. $131 application fee a second time for a rescheduled appointment.
How can I schedule an appointment for someone from the United States?
Please call 1-866-730-2089 and use either a Mastercard or Visa to pay for the call.
My application was refused, when can I apply again?
Once an application is refused under section 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, the Embassy does not encourage an applicant to reapply for the same visa classification unless the applicant’s circumstances have changed significantly. If an applicant chooses to reapply, the applicant may do so at any time by scheduling a new appointment and paying the visa application fee.
I was told to bring in more documents in order to qualify for a visa; how do I do that?
Follow the instructions on the information sheet given to you by the Consul at the time of your interview. You should gather the required documents, fill out and print a new DS-156 and other forms you might need, and bring the paper work along with your valid passport and the letter given to you by the Consul to the Consular Section Entrance on Boulevard Santa Elena Final before 10am any work day except Wednesday for another interview.
I have a valid visa, but my passport is expired. Do I need a new visa?
If you have a valid U.S. visa, you may travel with that visa in your old passport, but will still need to present a valid passport from your country of citizenship; this means you will need to travel with two passports.
My visa has expired, how do I apply for a new one?
Please follow the regular steps for applying for a visa and be sure to bring in all your previous passports on the day of your interview. Please note that having a prior U.S. visa does not automatically qualify you for a new one.
Do I have to wait until my visa expires to apply for a new one?
No, you may apply for a new visa up to six months before your current visa expires by following the same procedures as listed above.
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