Visas
Welcome to the Visa section of the US Embassy – San Salvador, El Salvador. On the following pages, you will be able to obtain more information about the visa process.
Our Customer Service Statement details our commitment to those who seek visas to travel to the U.S.
If you wish to travel to the U.S. for a temporary visit, please refer to the section about Nonimmigrant Visas.
If you wish to apply for a visa to live permanently in the U.S. , please refer to the section about Immigrant Visas.
For overall information about contacting us, our location, and other visa services, please see the left menu.
Important Notices:
LIMITED ACCESS TO VISA APPLICANTS TO THE CONSULAR SECTION
Effective January 1, 2013, the access to the Consular Section facilities and waiting areas for the visa applicants will be limited to visa applicants only. The following exceptions apply:
- Elderly visa applicants that require assistance
- Children under 18 years old accompanied by parent(s) or the legal representative
- Handicap visa applicants that require assistance
We kindly request that you make all the necessary arrangements to comply with this new policy to avoid delays.
PLEASE BRING YOUR VISA APPOINTMENT LETTER READY TO SHOW TO THE GUARDS AT THE ENTRANCE
Important Notice about DS-160
The Department of State deployed an updated version of the DS-160 Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application on Saturday, June 25 2011, with additional questions and improved translations in some languages. We understand some individuals are having difficulty retrieving applications started before the transition to the updated form and are working to resolve these issues as quickly as possible. We encourage you to be sure to record your Application ID number, which is required to retrieve your application, to save your application frequently, and to review all sections of the form to make sure every question is answered. Additional information that could be helpful in completing specific DS-160 sections is included below.
Purpose of Travel and Payer Relationship: If you started your DS-160s before June 25 2011 but did not submit it, you must re-complete the “purpose of travel” and “payer relationship” sections of the form.
New Questions: If you started but did not submit your DS-160s before June 25 2011, you may be prompted to answer new, additional questions, even if your form showed as “complete” previously.
Retrieving an Application without the Application ID (Barcode Number): You must have your Application ID number to retrieve and continue your application.
Retrieving an Application if Surname Contains Fewer than Five Characters: You can retrieve your DS-160 submission by entering up to the first five letters of your surname, even if your surname is less than five letters. You must have your Applicant IDs to do so.
Started an Application before June 25 and Cannot Retrieve It: If you cannot retrieve your DS-160, please start a new application.
Page Error Messages: Some errors are the result of special characters and formatting related to your computer settings. You should enter only numbers (no punctuation) in the salary and date fields before clicking “next” or “save.”
Links for more information about visas:
- General visa information Visa section of travel.state.gov
- Immigrant Visa information at US Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS)
Links about Entry and Exit requirements for the U.S.
- FAQs about biometrics
- DHS- US-VISIT Program (Biometrics info)
- DHS-CBP Form I-94, I-94W Instructions
- DHS TRIP - for complaints about immigration (CBP) entry to the U.S. - (DHS Website)
