Sign in to your Visa Appointment Service account and select ‘Print Instructions.’ You should print that page and take it with you to your visa interview.

Important: If you are applying for a fiancé(e) visa or your immigrant visa petition was processed by USCIS London (before April 1, 2020) or by the Immigrant Visa Unit in London under Exceptional Circumstances, then you will be required to book your own appointment date through the Visa Appointment Services website. We will provide you with information about how to do that when you continue with the steps listed on this website (after you have collected your supporting documents and scheduled your medical appointments). You can print your appointment confirmation page at that point in the process.

Your passport should be valid for at least six months beyond your planned date of travel to the United States.

If you do not have and cannot obtain a passport, you can apply for a visa using a travel document as long as it is valid for admission to the United States and return to your home country or country of issuance, and it shows your origin, identity and nationality.

Two color photographs meeting the Department of State’s photo requirements.

If you are unable to access the SlideShare presentation above, you can click here to view the presentation.

Your birth certificate and a photocopy of your birth certificate. The birth certificate must list both parents’ names. If you were born in the UK, you must show the full birth certificate, not the short form version.

• You will also be required to take to your visa interview a birth certificate of any children of the principal visa applicant, even for children that are not applying for a visa.
• If the principal applicant is married, you should take the spouse’s birth certificate (or a certified copy) to the visa interview, even if the spouse is not applying for a visa. However, if the visa applicant’s spouse is the U.S. citizen or LPR petitioner, you will not be required to show their birth certificate during the visa interview.

If your original birth certificate is unavailable, you may bring a certified copy provided by the issuing authority, together with a photocopy of that certificate.

If a certified copy of your birth certificate is also unavailable, you should obtain a certified statement from the relevant government authority stating the reason why the record is not available. You should also take to your visa interview a form of secondary evidence, such as:

• An affidavit from a close relative, preferably your mother, stating the date and place of birth, both parents’ names, and your mother’s maiden name
• An adoption decree
• A baptismal certificate stating the date and place of birth and both parents’ names, as long as the baptism took place shortly after your birth.

Fiancé(e) visa and Diversity Visa applicants

If you are applying for a fiancé(e) visa or a Diversity Visa, you will be required to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the interviewing consular officer that you are not likely to become a public charge in the United States. There is no set form that this evidence must take, but submission of Form I-134 (Affidavit of Support) is an efficient way to demonstrate this. If you will be presenting Form I-134 in support of your application, it must be completed by a U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) that currently resides in the United States. They can be either a relative or friend. Click here to visit the USCIS website to obtain Form I-134 and more information.

Immigrant visa applicants

If you are applying for an immigrant visa in an immediate relative or family-based category, or for an employment-based visa where your relative is the petitioner or has an ownership interest of 5% or more in the business, then the petitioner will be required to complete Form I-864. Click here to visit the USCIS website to obtain Form I-864, information about how to complete it, and a list of supporting documents required. Your petitioner will be required to provide you with the completed Form I-864 and the supporting documents for you to take to your visa interview.

• Your petitioner is required to complete Form I-864 even if their income will not meet the poverty level guidelines for their household size. They should only count income earned from a U.S. source. If they have not earned any income from a U.S. source, they should list their income as zero.
• If your petitioner is unable to meet the income requirements to sponsor you, they may consider assets (such as savings, bonds, pension or property), including those held jointly with you or solely by you. Your current salary or prospective salary in the United States cannot be considered unless it will continue from the same source.
• Your sponsor (petitioner) will be required to provide you with an IRS-generated transcript of their U.S. Federal income tax return for the most recent tax year for you to take with you to your visa interview. Your petitioner should visit the IRS website to obtain the transcript. If your petitioner did not file a U.S. federal tax return for the most recent tax year, please take to your visa interview a signed statement from the petitioner explaining why a tax return was not filed.
• If your petitioner would prefer that you do not see the financial details on the form or the supporting documents, they can give the documents to you in a sealed envelope marked ‘For the attention of the Consular Officer.’
• Evidence submitted with the I-864 must be under 12 months old on the day of the visa interview.

This information is given for general guidance only. You should refer to the USCIS website for detailed information, including Frequently Asked Questions.

Spouse of a U.S. citizen or LPR:

All of the following:

• Marriage certificate
• Evidence of the petitioner’s status (photocopy of the biographical data page of their U.S. citizen passport, Certificate of Naturalization or Permanent Residence Card)
• Proof of domicile in the United States. If they do not currently live in the United States, see FAQ 5 below.

Fiancé(e) visa:

Evidence of your relationship may include, but is not limited to, photographs, letters or emails.

Employment-based visa:

A job offer from your U.S. employer dated within one month of the date of the visa interview date. The letter should be signed and on official letter-headed paper.

Step-child/step-parent of a U.S. citizen:

The marriage certificate of the petitioner and biological parent, a photocopy of that marriage certificate, and divorce records from any marriages that the petitioner and/or biological parent had previously been in.

Diversity Visa applicants:

As you do not have a petitioner, you should bring evidence of your qualification for the visa by either showing evidence that you have completed a high school education, or that you have at least two years’ of qualifying employment. Click here for more information about the requirement. This evidence is only required from the primary visa applicant, not from their spouse and/or children.

All applicants aged 16 or over that have lived in the United Kingdom for at least 6 months since their sixteenth birthday must provide a UK Police Certificate issued by the ACPO Criminal Records Office (ACRO), and a photocopy of the certificate. Click here to visit the ACRO website to order your police certificate. 

• Your police certificate must list all names you have ever been known by including any middle names, maiden names, married names, alternative spelling used on legal documents and/or aliases.
• List all addresses at which you have lived, even if you were officially registered as living elsewhere.
• UK police certificates are valid for a maximum of 12 months.
• It is not possible to provide a DBS check or a CRB check instead of the required police certificate issued by ACRO.

If your UK police certificate says ‘No Live Trace’ or ‘Further Information Stepped Down’ then make sure you read the ‘Click here if any of the visa applicants have ever been convicted’ section below for a list of extra documents required on the day of your visa interview.

Fiancé(e) visa applicants:

You will pay the fee of $265 through the Visa Appointment Service website when you book your visa interview appointment by debit card. We will provide more information about this at a later stage on this website.

Immigrant visa cases processed by NVC:

You paid your visa fee to NVC.

If you are applying for visa reissuance because your visa expired for a reason beyond your control, you will be required to pay a new fee in cash during your reissuance appointment. The fee for immediate relative and family preference visa applicants is $325, and the fee for employment preference applicants is $345. The fee for Special Immigrant visa applicants is $205.

Immigrant visa applicants for cases processed by USCIS London (before April 1, 2020) or by the Immigrant Visa Unit in London under Exceptional Circumstances:

You will pay the fee on the day of the visa interview. Immediate Relative and Family Preference applicants pay $325. Returning Resident (SB-1) applicants pay $180.

Diversity Visa applicants

You will pay the fee of $330 per applicant during the appointment.

Methods of payment for fees due in person at the Embassy

• Cash (in U.S. dollars, or the equivalent in in UK pounds which will be calculated for you during your appointment)
• International Money Order
• Banker’s Draft
• Visa, MasterCard, Diners Club, Discover or American Express Credit Card
• Visa Debit Card

It is not possible to pay with a personal cheque/check.

If you are applying for visa reissuance because you were unable to travel within the validity period of the visa, you will be required to pay a new visa fee in cash.

Important: Visa fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. The visa fee covers the cost of administering the application, regardless of the outcome of the case.

It is not possible to pay the premium delivery fee for home or office delivery at the Embassy. You must select your delivery preference through the Visa Appointment Service website before your interview takes place.

You should take official evidence of the change of name to your visa interview appointment. Examples of such evidence may include, but are not limited to, a marriage certificate, a change of name deed (commonly known as a deed poll), a baptism record, or school records.

Please take as many documents as you have available that you believe demonstrate how the name was changed. You will be able to discuss any areas of concern with the consular officer during your interview.

You will be required to take an original marriage certificate from every marriage you have entered in to, and a photocopy of each marriage certificate, to your visa interview.

If you were previously married, you should also bring the divorce or death certificate and a photocopy of that certificate.

If you no longer have the marriage certificate and/or the divorce or death certificates, you should supply a certified copy of the certificate provided by the issuing authority.

All applicants that have lived in another country for at least 12 months since their sixteenth birthday (or six months if it is the country in which the applicant was born) must provide a police certificate from that country, and a photocopy of the certificate. Click here for information about how to obtain the police certificate(s). 

• U.S. police certificates are not required.
• If a set of fingerprints is required to obtain your police certificate, click here for information about how to contact your local police force to find out where you can have your fingerprints taken for official purposes.
• Some police certificates are not available, as stated on the Department of State’s website listed above about how to obtain police certificates.
• If the police certificate for the country you have lived in as listed as available but you find that you are unable to get one, bring to your visa interview any official written evidence about why it was not possible for you to be issued with the certificate.
• Foreign police certificates are valid indefinitely unless you return to live in the country for six months of more after the certificate was issued, unless it is the country of your birth (in which case the certificate is valid for 12 months), or if you are arrested after the certificate is issued.

If you have ever been arrested anywhere in the world then make sure you also read the ‘Click here if any of the visa applicants have ever been arrested’ section below.

All applicants that have been arrested are required to provide a police certificate from the country or countries in which they were arrested, plus a photocopy, as well as a certified copy of all court and/or prison records (plus a photocopy) if applicable in your case. The documentation should give the details and disposition of the case, including details of any sentence, penalty and/or fine. Click here for information about how to obtain the police certificate(s).

• If your UK police certificate says ‘No Live Trace’ or ‘Further Information Stepped Down’ you are required to provide complete details of the offense(s) and disposition. You can obtain a Memorandum of Conviction from the Court. Alternatively, if you do not remember the specific details, you can consider obtaining a Subject Access Report so that you can provide the Consular Officer with accurate information to avoid delays after the visa interview.
• U.S. police certificates are not required. However, if you were convicted in the United States, you are required to obtain court records relating to all the charges against you. Contact the court to obtain them. Click here to find the court’s address. 
• If a set of fingerprints is required to obtain your police certificate, click here for information about how to contact your local police force to find out where you can have your fingerprints taken for official purposes.
• Some police certificates are not available, as stated on the Department of State’s website.
• If the police certificate for the country you have lived in is listed as available, but you find that you are unable to get one, bring to your visa interview any official written evidence you have about why it was not possible for you to be issued with the certificate.
• Foreign police certificates are valid indefinitely unless you return to live in the country for six months of more after the certificate was issued, unless it is the country of your birth (in which case the certificate is valid for 12 months), or if you are arrested after the certificate is issued.

These documents are required even if you have subsequently received amnesty, pardon or other act of clemency, or if the conviction is considered spent in the UK. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act does not apply to U.S. law.

You should take the military record, discharge papers or evidence of terminal leave, plus photocopies of these records, to your visa interview.

You will not be required to provide military records if you served in the Territorial Army (TA).

You should take to your interview your adoption papers or custody documents and a photocopy of those records. The paperwork should be from a public authority and should state the date and place of the adoption and the names of the adoptive parents.

Documents that are not in English must be presented at the visa interview together with a translation from an official translation service. The translation does not need to be notarized or apostilled. We are unable to recommend any particular translation service.  
 
If the document is in another language but has a translation in English within or appended to the document itself, you are not required to take a separate translation to your visa interview. The consular officer will review the document and advise you at that time if any additional information or documentation is required.

If your fiancé(e) visa petition has expired, take to your visa interview a statement of intent, which is a signed letter from your petitioner confirming that you remain legally free to marry and that you will do so within 90 days of your arrival in the United States. Please do not mail or email this to the Embassy in advance.

If you you are applying for visa reissuance because you were unable to travel within the validity period of the visa, you will need to take a new statement of intent to your appointment.

If you have checked the Department of State’s website and the document is listed is unavailable, you are still unsure how to obtain it, or you have applied or the document and you have been unable to receive it, please attend a visa interview appointment and discuss the missing document with the consular officer. You should take any official written evidence that you have of your attempts to obtain the document.

All applicants attending a visa interview at the Embassy in London should ignore any instructions on the application form to mail original documents to NVC. 

If your application was processed by NVC, you should have sent copies of your documents to NVC and you should take the original documents from this list (plus photocopies, where indicated) with you to your interview. If you sent any original documents to NVC, please attend your visa interview and discuss those documents with the consular officer.

If you are unable to scan the documents, you can photograph them using a mobile phone or digital camera and upload the digital images.

If you don’t have access to a scanner or internet connection at home, common places with this type of equipment include libraries, community centers, or internet cafés. Alternatively, your petitioner, lawyer, or a trusted friend or family member can upload documents on your behalf.

In order to qualify as a sponsor, petitioners are required to demonstrate that they are physically resident in the United States or that they have taken concrete steps to establish a domicile in the United States and will travel to the United States to take up residence either before or at the same time that the visa applicant travels to the United States.

Ways that a petitioner may consider demonstrating intent to domicile in the United States may include, but are not limited to, obtaining a job in the United States, finding a place to live, enrolling children in local schools, and/or making arrangements to give up any other residence abroad. The consular officer will review evidence submitted during the interview and advise at that time if additional information or documentation is required.