US Travel / Visitors Visa
USA visitor visa B1/B2ion
Mainly for tourists and travellers, but also for those desiring to enter the country for business (B-1 visa) or medical treatment (B-2 visa).
For people that wish to visit the USA for a short period of time.
You cannot take up employment be it paid or unpaid.
This visitor’s visa can be issued for a period of up to ten years
Non-Immigrant Visas are processed in Visa Sections at three United States Consulates in South Africa located in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban.
For any US visa that you wish to apply for a personal interview with the Embassy/Consulate is required
- Applicants should be prepared to demonstrate their strong social, economic and/or family ties to South Africa as well as their purpose and duration of travel.
- Plane Tickets: Applicants should obtain a visa BEFORE purchasing tickets or making irrevocable travel plans.
- Visa Interviews are by appointment only. We suggest that appointments be scheduled at least 60 days before the travel date wherever possible.
- Appointments are available Monday - Thursday.
- Wait times: You may get an indication of how long you will need to wait for an appointment and how long it will take for the visa to be processed
STEP ONE: Complete the visa application form
STEP TWO: Payment (by cash or credit card) and scheduling appointment
STEP THREE: Appointment Date
After successfully scheduling an appointment, you will receive an appointment confirmation letter by e-mail. You must print the appointment confirmation and bring it with you to the appointment
STEP FOUR: Your Interview
Bring these documents to your interview:
- A valid passport which has unused visa pages (not amendment pages). Please bring all prior passports.
- The application confirmation page from the DS-160.
- The appointment confirmation page.
- A recent front-facing, 50 mm x 50 mm photograph of each applicant.
- Please bring all prior passports.
General Instructions
- Applicants should be prepared to demonstrate their strong social, economic and/or family ties to South Africa as well as their purpose and duration of travel.
- Plane Tickets: Applicants should obtain a visa BEFORE purchasing tickets or making irrevocable travel plans.
- Visa Interviews are by appointment only. We suggest that appointments be scheduled at least 60 days before the travel date wherever possible.
- ppointments are available Monday - Thursday.
- Wait times: You may get an indication of how long you will need to wait for an appointment and how long it will take for the visa to be processed here »
- Closures:
- All U.S. Consulates in South Africa are closed on Fridays, South African holidays and U.S. holidays. Cell phones and other portable electronics are not allowed in the Consulate. Arriving at the Consulate with these items will delay your entry.
CREDIT CARD: Contact the Visa Information Service Center (VISC) (contact information above) via telephone or visit their website to make payment and to schedule your appointment. As part of scheduling your appointment, you will be required to pre-select a DHL office to which your passport can be delivered, free of charge, before an appointment can be made.
CASH: After completing the DS-160 application form, you will need to contact the call center website to obtain a unique deposit slip instruction sheet for cash payment at an ABSA branch which you will receive by email for you to print out. It has unique numbers you will need to make the deposit. At this site you will also be required to select a DHL office to which your passport will be delivered, free of charge, before an appointment can be made.
If paying by cash, take the deposit slip to an ABSA branch to make payment. Processing and validation of the payment may take up to four hours or, if you pay near close of business, it may only be completed the next morning. Once your payment has been validated, you may make an appointment online through the website or by calling the Visa Information Service Center (VISC). The deposit receipt MRV number is necessary to schedule an appointment.
Note: You must follow instructions to pay by cash OR credit card. Please do not use both methods
STEP THREE: Appointment Date
After successfully scheduling an appointment, you will receive an appointment confirmation letter by e-mail. You must print the appointment confirmation and bring it with you to the appointment.
STEP FOUR: Your Interview
Bring these documents to your interview:
- A valid passport which has unused visa pages (not amendment pages). Please bring all prior passports.
- The application confirmation page from the DS-160.
- The appointment confirmation page.
- A recent front-facing, 50 mm x 50 mm photograph of each applicant.
- Please bring all prior passports.
