🇺🇸 Step-by-step guide to obtaining a US visa

No visa in the world is shrouded in as many myths as the American one. Forums and chats are bursting with rumors, unreliable information and almost no idea how to dress to please the consul. Obviously, this is not worth believing.

Although getting a US visa is not an easy task, in my subjective opinion and the experience of friends, getting a UK visa is even more difficult. But more on that another time.

But I can please you that the American non-immigrant visa for short-term trips of the B1/B2 category has one big advantage – you don’t need to carry a bunch of documents, like with the same Schengen visa. However, you will still have to prove your connection with your homeland at the interview. But first things first. 

Documents for an American visa

If we are used to collecting a bunch of certificates for a trip to Europe, then this is not necessary for an American visa. There is not even a standard package of documents. What should be sure is confirmation of the completed DS-160 form, of course, a passport and a document confirming registration for an interview. Please note that the application form must be sent before the interview. 

Many experts who help tourists prepare for interviews advise taking with them documents for an apartment, car, marriage certificates, birth certificates of children. But all this is not necessary. If you have a rich travel history, there are a lot of stamps in your passport, and there have been no visa refusals, especially American ones, then there should be no problems. Another question is, if you have a complex case, then it really makes sense to seek help from a trusted agency.

Photos for visa

The photo for an American visa is not like most of the usual ones. The size of the photo is larger than the same “Schengen” one. The photo must be 5 by 5 centimeters. The photo must be uploaded in electronic format when filling out the US visa application. But it is recommended to take printed photographs with you to the interview just in case.

Features of a visa and its receipt

• *You must submit all documents in person each time you apply for a visa. Currently, obtaining a US tourist visa in some countries may be difficult, although other visa categories are still available. For an interview, you can choose, depending on the availability of Schengen, cities in Poland, Turkey, Serbia, the UAE.
• The visa validity period is 1 year. Perhaps in the summer the validity period will be extended to 3 years, but there is no exact information yet – these are just rumors, albeit pleasant ones.
• The American visa is multiple entry, you can enter and leave the country as much as you want.
• You can stay in the States on a tourist visa for 180 days, but the border officer can decide for you how long you will actually stay there. And keep in mind: the mere presence of a visa in your passport does not guarantee that you will be allowed into the country. They can also interrogate you at passport control, and in the worst case, even turn you back. But this is very rare and rather a statistical error. Especially if you do not have hidden migration intentions. 
• Last year the visa became more expensive, now it costs $185. In Poland, you can pay for your visa by credit card before scheduling an interview. 
• The period for issuing a passport with a visa upon successful completion of the interview is up to 5 working days, but usually the passport is returned on the 2nd day.
• But the registration for the interview itself depends on the city. In Poland it is usually easier to sign up than, for example, in Turkey, but still allow at least a month.

How is the US visa interview conducted in Poland?

If you have chosen Warsaw or Krakow for application, then you also have the option of choosing the language in which you will be interviewed.

You will know your result immediately after the interview. If this, alas, is a refusal, the passport will be returned immediately. We wish you good luck so that your passport is safely collected after the interview and returned with the long-awaited visa the next day. But I remind you that a visa can be “prepared” for up to 5 working days. Therefore, plan your overnight stays in your chosen city in advance too.

What else is important to know?

As I already mentioned, the main thing when applying for a visa and going through the interview is to prove with documents that you are likely to return home. The best way to achieve this is to have work contracts in your home country and a rich travel history. But if at your current place of residence the property remains in the possession, or even better, with the children, with the parents during their absence, this also counts. But again, the final decision rests with the consular officer. Otherwise, how would students or unemployed people get visas?

It is also important to fill out the form correctly. It would seem an obvious point, but statistics show that there is a percentage of people who give up already at this stage, especially if they apply for a visa for the first time, independently and without the help of travel agency employees. But it is based on the data from your questionnaire that the officer will make a decision: to grant a visa or not. Interview questions are a formality and rather a psychological test.

Therefore, if you have long, like me, dreamed of walking through Central Park in New York and have already managed to travel around half of Europe, and most importantly, you have a permanent job that allows you to travel a lot – be sure to apply for a US visa. Try it and may luck be on your side!