Visa Information

There is now a new process for persons traveling to the United States. It includes an Electronic Visa Application Form. This form will be processed faster and is now used for all Nonimmigrant Visa applications. The Electronic Visa Application Form is an online application that can be filled out on the internet, making the whole process a lot faster. The average wait period has been reduced to 1-2 days in Abu Dhabi and about 5 days in Dubai.

The United States Embassy located in Abu Dhabi, grants visas to non-immigrant and immigrant residents and citizens, while the United States Consulate General in Dubai grants non-immigrant visas.  Inquiries should be sent to:

Embassy of the United States
P.O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Tel. +971-2 414 2200
Web site: uae.usembassy.gov

Consulate General of the United States
DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTER,
P.O. BOX 9343, Dubai, UAE
Tel: +971-(0)4-311-6000
Website: dubai.usconsulate.gov

An electronic version of the application can be obtained by going to either of these websites. Just click “Visas to the U.S”
http://uae.usembassy.gov/ or http://dubai.usconsulate.gov
Please note that filling out an online application does not mean that it has been submitted to the Consulate or Embassy. The completed application must be printed out and displayed by a barcode that it is completed. Then, this must be taken to the Consular Section on the interview day.

Non-immigrant Visas:
All persons applying to the United States on a non-immigrant visa must be interviewed at the US embassy. A personal interview is required for applicants 14 and older.  Applications are accepted Sunday – Tuesday and Thursday 7:30-8:30 a.m., excluding US and UAE holidays.

To apply for a visa one must provide:

–     A valid passport (at least 6 months from planned date of entry into the United States) and copy (picture page and amendments) of passport.
– Completed and signed application forms. Every applicant must fill form DS 156 and applicants 16 and older also need form DS 157
–    Photograph
–    Receipt of payment for application fee (484.70 AED) from an accepting branch of the National Bank of Abu Dhabi.
–    Supporting evidence of strong ties to country of residence (UAE) such as proof of employment, ownership of business of property, or bank statement.
–    All documents must be original and translated into English.

Information for applying for a visa and scheduling an appointment can be found at the US Embassy website http://abudhabi.usembassy.gov/non-immigrantˍvisas.html.  The entire application and interview process takes several hours to complete.

Immigrant Visa:
Interviews for immigrant visas are conducted by officers at the US Embassy for applicants who have approved immigrant petitions on file and who have appointment scheduled by the National Visa Center.  The immigrant visa fee is AED 1,407 and the required medical exams are AED 550.The fees are non-refundable and debit cards are not accepted.

To apply for a nonimmigrant visa one must provide:

–    Petitioner’s original passport and one photocopy
–    Visa applicant’s original passport and 2 photocopies
–    Original marriage certificate, 2 photocopies of all pages, an English translation, and two copies of English translation
–    Original divorce certificate of decree, two photocopies of all pages, an English translation, and two photocopies of translation
–    Applicant’s birth certificate, one photocopy of all pages, English translation, one photo copy of English translation
–    One color photograph of petitioner, four color photographs of applicant (taken within 30 days of petition date) with three of them showing the entire right side of applicants face including right ear and left eye and measuring 40mm by 35mm, and the fourth photograph showing the full face (applicant directly facing camera) and measuring 50mm by 50mm.  Photos must be glossy, un-retouched, have a white background, and not mounted.
–    Police clearance certificate(s) from every country lived in for more than one year after the age of 16 (not needed for UAE or Iran).
–    Medical examination from an U.S. embassy approved physician
–    Proof of petitioner’s 1) domicile in the United States (including form I-864, Affidavit of Support, and U.S. federal Tax returns for three most recent years), 2) proof of financial support for visa applicant, and 3) proof of employment
–    Required fees
–    Fully completed I-130 and DS-230 (parts I and II) forms