- Overview
- Nonimmigrant Visa Appointments Embassy London and Consulate General Belfast
- Contact Us – Nonimmigrant Visas Embassy London
- Contact Us – Immigrant Visas Embassy London
- Contact Us – Nonimmigrant Visas Belfast
We are unable to answer visa questions submitted by mail or telephone. Please take the time to read all the relevant visa and travel information on our website, including step-by-step information about visa categories and the visa application process, Visa Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), and FAQs about current U.S. travel restrictions and limited visa services. If the answer to your question is already on our website, we will be unable to provide you with a further response.
If you have a question that is not covered on our website, please submit it using our visa contact form online. We will aim to respond within five working days.
I have a question about ESTA
ESTA is administered by the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection (DHS/CBP). If you have a question concerning ESTA, please visit their website at www.cbp.gov for a list of FAQs and contact information.
If you hold a valid B-1, B-2 or B-1/B-2 visa you are not required to register under ESTA.
I have traveled to or are a dual national of Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, or Yemen. Can I apply for ESTA/Is my ESTA still valid?
Your question concerns the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection (DHSCBP) which is the agency responsible for administering the Visa Waiver Program and ESTA. Please visit their website at by clicking on this link for the answer to your question and contact information.
What visa do I require and how do I apply?
Information on applying for a visa is available here. The first step is to select the type of visa that you wish to apply for. Click on the link and follow the instructions. If you are traveling to the United States on holiday, for tourism or medical treatment, and you are not eligible to travel visa free under the Visa Waiver Program you are required to apply for a B-2 visa. If travel is for a reason other than that stated, click here for further information.
We do not pre-adjudicate visa applications and, therefore, cannot advise you on the likely outcome of your application. The only way in which to determine your eligibility for a visa is to apply.
I have been arrested, cautioned, convicted. Do I need a visa?
If you have ever been arrested and/or convicted or cautioned of an offense anywhere in the world, we recommend that you apply for a visa before traveling to the United States. Please note that the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act does not apply to U.S. visa law. You are required to declare the arrest/caution/conviction, regardless of when it occurred and your age at the time. Further information on applying for a visa and the documents required in support of the visa application is available here
The recommendation that you apply for a visa also applies if you have held a valid visa and that visa has now expired.
We do not pre-adjudicate visa applications and, therefore, cannot advise you on the likely outcome of your application. The only way in which to determine your eligibility for a visa is to apply.
I have a valid visa in an expired passport. Can I use it to travel?
If the passport in which your visa has been endorsed has expired, the visa in the old passport can still be used provided you are traveling for the same purpose as when the visa was issued and you also carry a valid passport of the same nationality. If, however, the passport authority clipped the corners of the passport when canceling it and, in so doing, damaged the visa in any way, that visa is no longer valid and cannot be used for travel to the United States. A change of name will not affect the validity of the visa. We recommend that when traveling, you carry a copy of the document showing the name change.
If you wish to have a visa in your new passport, you are required to apply for the issuance of a new visa by following the instructions on our website. The visa cannot be transferred into your new passport.
Please note that a B-1/B-2 visa that is valid “indefinitely” is no longer valid for travel to the United States. You are required to either travel visa free under the Visa Waiver Program, if qualified, or apply for a new visa.
I have a problem with the DS-160
Please take the time to see our video before completing the form as it answers many of the questions that we are asked – you can find the Youtube video here.
You are required to complete the form to the best of your ability. You may leave spaces blank when the questions are marked “optional.” You may answer a question with “Does Not Apply,” when that question does not apply to you. If you cannot remember specific dates, you may give approximate dates. We cannot assist you or provide individual guidance.
Please note:
- If you make an error when completing the DS-160 you are required to correct it. If you did not save the form, do not know your DS-160 confirmation number, or are unable to retrieve it for any other reason, you are required to complete a new DS-160;
- If there is insufficient space to enter all of your information, it may be added on a separate sheet of paper and submitted with your application;
- The site does experience intermittent connectivity issues. If you experience such difficulties we recommend that you try accessing the website at another time and or a different computer;
- If you experience issues with uploading a photograph, you may bring the photograph to the visa interview.
My passport is not valid for 6 months beyond my stay in the United States. Do I need a new passport?
The requirement that a passport is valid for six months beyond the holder’s stay in the United States is waived in the case of a British Citizen passport holder.
Provided your passport is valid for the duration of your visit, you may submit it in support of your visa application and travel to the United States.
It is also waived for many other nationalities and you can download the “Six-Month Club” update list from Customs & Border Protection for further information. (PDF / 1 page as of July 5, 2019)
If you are traveling visa free under the Visa Waiver Program and your passport is not valid for 90 days, you will be admitted until the date on which the passport expires.
Working in the United States, including casual employment
Unlike some countries, the United States government does not issue work visas for casual employment. In general, work visas are based on a specific job offer.
If you are seeking employment for a temporary period there are several categories of visa that may be applicable to you:
- Exchange visitor (J-1) – required for summer employment programs, intern programs for university students, and au-pair programs.
- Temporary work (H-2) – required for temporary skilled and unskilled employment for which there is a shortage of U.S. workers
- Temporary work (H-1) – required to perform services in a prearranged professional job for a U.S. employer.
Chinese B Visa Holders & EVUS
EVUS is administered by the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection.
You will find the information you require by visiting their website by visiting their website.
Expedited Appointments
You cannot request an expedited appointment by email. All appointments are scheduled online at https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-gb/niv
If you have urgent medical or humanitarian need of travel and you cannot obtain an appointment that accommodates travel, you should schedule the first available appointment date through the online appointment booking system.
A “Request Expedite” link will appear. If you click on this, you will be given on opportunity to send the Nonimmigrant Visa Unit an email explaining the reason for your request.
If the request for an expedited appointment is denied, the decision is final and cannot be appealed by email. The only option available to you is to check the appointment booking system for cancellations.
Still have a question?
If your inquiry remains unanswered, please contact us through our contact form.