Nonimmigrant Visas

General Information

How To Make An NIV Interview Appointment

**See Frequently Asked Questions at the bottom of this page.

The U.S. Embassy in Jamaica has implemented both a Call Center and a Self-Service Website that provides applicants with timely and accurate information regarding how to apply for a visa to enter the United States or to schedule an appointment for a visa interview. The U.S. Visa Information Service is provided on behalf of the U.S. Embassy in Jamaica by CSC. 

Applicants can make an appointment via the call center or through our self service website. There are fees for both types of service.  See below for further instructions and information.

Special Group Appointment System:  The U.S. Embassy in Jamaica has implemented a new Self-Service Group Process that allows group sponsors to coordinate appointments for non-family groups much more efficiently.  The process assists groups such as performers and athletes on O and P petitions who are traveling together to the US as a group. For more information on how to obtain further instructions and to schedule as a group, please send an email to JAMGroups@csc.com.  Once you have been authorized as a group you will receive an Access Code and be able to schedule your appointments through our Self Service Web at www.usvisa-jamaica.com.  The cost of this service is US$5.00 per applicant, payable by Visa or MasterCard.

How to access the Call Center: Applicants may call Monday through Friday, 0800 hours to 1800 hours, except Jamaican or U.S. holidays. Please call one of the following phone numbers:

Local Kingston number:  1-876-621-0252

Toll Free From Jamaica: 1-800-572-7780

Toll Free From the U.S.: 1-888-243-4840

From the U.S. or the Cayman Islands: 1-202-621-2128.   Please note you will be assessed a long distance toll when you dial this number.

Using a credit card over the phone:
Follow the voice automated system you will reach when you access the Call Center.

Enter credit card number when prompted.

Receive 8 minutes of call time for $13 USD which begins immediately when an agent answers.    

Buying a PIN at a NCB branch before accessing the Call Center:
Applicants will purchase a PIN for $13 USD.  The PIN can be used on the next business day after purchase.  The PIN allows you to access the Call Center for a total of 8 minutes of call time.

How to access the Self-Service Website:  Applicants access the Website at:  www.usvisa-jamaica.com

Applicants must make a payment of $10 USD using a Visa or MasterCard to obtain a Personal Identification Number (PIN) allowing access to the information service and to schedule a visa appointment.   

Applicants with a valid PIN have unlimited access to the Website. The PIN is valid for 1 year from the date of purchase if no appointment is scheduled. 

The PIN allows scheduling of an appointment, rescheduling or cancelling an appointment twice.

Applicants may reschedule or cancel appointments from the date of scheduling until 2 business days prior to the date of the appointment.

The PIN expires on the day of the appointment. If no appointment is scheduled or the appointment is cancelled, the Internet PIN expires 1 year from the date of purchase. If the appointment is rescheduled, the PIN will expire on the day of the new appointment.

Arrival and Security Screening

On the day of your NIV interview, arrive no more than 15 minutes before or after your scheduled appointment time to undergo security screening procedures. 

Anyone charging money for collateral services outside the US Embassy is not affiliated with the US government.  Beware of unscrupulous agents purporting to represent the US Embassy. 

All applicants who arrive at the Embassy for their interview will undergo security screening at the point of entry.  Firearms, knives, sharp objects and all electronic devices, including cell phones and cameras, are strictly prohibited inside the Embassy.  You will not be allowed entry into the Embassy if carrying these kinds of items.  Please fully cooperate with Embassy security officials, who are simply trying to safeguard the security of applicants and Embassy personnel.

All applicants must present a “fee paid” NCB receipt for Nonimmigrant Visa application fees.  Without a “fee paid” receipt, applicants will not be permitted entry to the Embassy and will need to reschedule their interview appointment.  Please note that Nonimmigrant Visa application fees are not transferrable to another applicant.  Your “fee paid” receipt must be in your name.

Flu symptoms?

The symptoms of H1N1 flu, also known as “swine flu”, are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.  Some people have also reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with H1N1 flu or a worsening of ongoing medical conditions.  In an effort to control the spread of the flu, the U.S. Embassy Kingston asks that you reschedule your visa interview if you are experiencing any of these symptoms.   To reschedule your appointment for a time after you are no longer ill, please send us an e-mail at kingstonvisas@state.gov and follow the procedures, giving “flu symptoms” as your reason for the emergency appointment. 

Fingerprint Scanning

In addition to the security screening process, applicants will have to undergo inkless “digital” painless fingerprint scanning before their interviews.  The scanning process is in accordance with U.S. law that requires all U.S. Embassies and Consulates worldwide to collect biometric identifiers from visa applicants.  The collection of fingerprints from visa applicants facilitates legitimate travel to the U.S. by international visitors while maintaining the integrity of our borders and the security of our nation and our visitors. 
 
Children under age 14, adults over the age of 79, diplomats and other government and international organization employees engaged in official travel to the U.S. will not need to provide finger scans.  
 
The electronic fingerprint records collected in the visa issuance process are, by law, confidential.  They are stored in a database by the U.S. Department of State and are made available to immigration inspectors at the port of entry under the Department of Homeland Security’s US-VISIT (U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology) program to verify that the person traveling with the visa is the same person to whom the visa was issued.  Fingerprint collection will make it easier to replace lost or stolen visas and will protect the visitor by making it virtually impossible for anyone else to fraudulently use their travel documents.  Travel data will be securely stored and made available only to authorized officials and selected law enforcement agencies on a need-to-know basis.  For more information, click on http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_1336.html.

Documents Required

Have the following documentation available:

• A passport that is valid for at least the next six months
• All previous U.S. visas in old passports (even if the visa and/or passport has expired or has been cancelled)
• Completed and signed visa application DS-156 and DS-157 forms (all forms must be completed electronically; handwritten forms are not accepted):
  
• DS-156 http://evisaforms.state.gov/
• DS-157 http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/forms/forms_1342.html
• DS-158 http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/forms/forms_1342.html  (for students and exchange visitors only)
  
• One passport-sized photo (2” by 2” on white or off-white background).  This photo can not be more than 6 months old.
• “fee paid” receipt from the NCB in applicant’s name
• If applying for a minor under the age of 18, an original copy of the minor’s birth certificate from the Registrar General’s Department on security paper (NOTE:  Children under the age of 10 are not required to appear in person for visa interviews.  Children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian when being interviewed for the visa.  Parents or legal guardians must also present their own passport or identification to the Consular Officer at the time of their child’s interview.  Additionally, legal guardians must present original, official court documentation that they have been appointed guardian of the minor).

Additional documentation is required for student visa, temporary work visa seekers and others; click on the sections listed under “Other Helpful Links” for more detailed information.  Documentation must be presented by the applicant at the time of interview.  The Embassy does not respond or act on unsolicited documentation received by fax or e-mail.

The Interview - An Overview

U.S. immigration law presumes that everyone applying for a nonimmigrant visa is intending to immigrate to the U.S.  The burden of proof is on the applicant to demonstrate to the interviewing officer that he or she has a residence outside the United States that the applicant will not abandon.  Information that demonstrates strong ties to Jamaica includes (but is not limited to):

• Letter from employers stating position, date of employment and proof of current salary (e.g., pay slips);
• Statements from banks or credit unions indicating current and six-month average checking and savings balances;
• Property Titles
• Marriage Certificates

Self-employed persons, including vendors, businessmen and others should submit their most recent Income Tax Assessment from the Board of Inland Revenue or evidence of income (such as valid contracts or receipts) and their business registration instead of a job letter.
 
NOTE: Possession of these documents does not guarantee that a visa will be granted.  The final decision is up to the consular officer, and the burden of poof is on the applicant.
 
NOTE: Submission of any fraudulent documents may render you permanently ineligible for a visa to the U.S. 

The interview will only last a few minutes.  Most of the information the consular officer needs to decide your case is included on the application forms which must be filled out completely and accurately.  Providing false information on these forms or false documents in support of your application can make you permanently ineligible for a visa to travel to the U.S.

A personal interview may not be required if:

• the applicant is under 10 years old;
• the applicant is over 79 years old;
• the applicant is traveling on official government business

Applicants Who Require Assistance

Applicants who are unable to successfully participate in the visa interview (for example due to illness, frailty, a physical or mental disability, or a language barrier) may be accompanied by another individual to help facilitate the visa interview process.  All individuals who are accompanying applicants to the interview must bring a valid passport or other identification to gain access to the U.S. Embassy.  Normally, immediate relatives are considered the most appropriate individual to accompany the applicant, but an applicant’s caretaker or close friend may also assist with the interview process.

For Cayman Islands Residents

If your visa is approved, the Consular Officer will give you a letter and instructions to purchase two envelopes from the courier service inside the Embassy before leaving.  Upon your return to the Cayman Islands, you will mail your passport, the letter and one envelope back to the Embassy.  We will use the second envelope to return your passport to you.   

If Your Application Has Been Refused

If you do not qualify for a visa, you will be informed about the reasons for the refusal.  The decision cannot be appealed.  However, if later you have new evidence that would affect your eligibility for a visa, you may make a new application.  You will begin by making a new appointment, fill out new forms and pay the $131 fee at National Commercial Bank (payable in Jamaican dollars at the exchange rate set by the U.S. Embassy).

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Scheduling Visa Interview Appointments

Q.  Walk us through the process.  When do you fill out your application form?  When do you pay NCB?  When and where do you buy the Personal Identification Number (PIN) to call CSC?
A.  Following are three different examples:  Anthony, Barbara, and Christopher.

     Anthony has a credit card (Mastercard or Visa) and has access to a computer.  He gets the appointment scheduling address from the U.S. Embassy's website (http://kingston.usembassy.gov/ ).  He visits the CSC appointment scheduling website ( www.usvisa-jamaica.com ), pays the US$10.00 fee directly to the website using his credit card, reads and absorbs the pertinent information on the site, and then schedules his appointment date.   From the same CSC website, there is a link to the Electronic Visa Application Form (EVAF).  Anthony fills it out online and prints out a hard copy to take to the interview.  He then goes to the nearest NCB branch, takes advantage of the Express Service line, pays his US$131.00 Visa Application Fee (in Jamaican dollars at the exchange rate set by the U.S. Embassy) and obtains a receipt.  Then he goes to the embassy at the right time on the day of his scheduled appointment, is met by the uniformed greeters, and has his interview.

     Barbara has a credit card (Visa or MasterCard).   She wants to be able to ask questions and talk with a person instead of using a website.  She goes to her nearest NCB branch, uses the Express Service line, pays her US$131.00 Visa Application Fee in Jamaican dollars at the exchange rate set by the U.S. Embassy and gets her receipt.  She stops at an internet cafe on the way home, completes her Electronic Visa Application Form (EVAF), prints it out, and takes it with her.  From her home, she calls the CSC Call Center at 1-800-572-7780.  Following to the initial voice prompts, she pays her US$13.00 Appointment Scheduling Fee by putting in the numbers of her credit card using the touch-tone keypad on her telephone.  During her allotted eight minutes, she asks the agent all of her questions and gets her appointment date.  On the day of her appointment, she goes to the embassy at the appointed time, is met by the uniformed greeters outside, and has her interview.

     Christopher doesn't have a credit card.  He goes to NCB with his passport, takes advantage of the Express Service line, pays the Visa Application Fee (US$131.00) in Jamaican dollars cash, and gets his receipt.  He also pays the Appointment Scheduling Fee (US$13.00) in Jamaican dollars cash, and gets a unique Personal Identification Number (PIN).  Twelve hours later, when his PIN has been activated, Christopher calls the Call Center's at 1-800-572-7780, provides his PIN, asks the agent any questions he may have, and schedules his appointment.  Then he goes to a local bookstore that offers computer services and fills out his Electronic Visa Application Form (EVAF).  He goes to the embassy on the day of his appointment, and because he is not completely sure he has all required documents, he asks one of the uniformed greeters to help him put his documents in order.  Then he has his interview.

Q.  What is the telephone number for the Call Center?
A.  the numbers are:

Local Kingston number:  1-876-621-0252

Toll-free inside Jamaica:  1-800-572-7780

Toll-free from the U.S.: 1-888-243-4840

From the U.S. or the Cayman Islands: 1-202-621-2128.  

Q.  What is the website address to schedule appointments?
A.  The address is www.usvisa-jamaica.com (formatted so the entire address appears on one line).

Q.  Is this process being implemented only in Jamaica?
A.  No.  The same process has been put into service at many other U.S. embassies and consular posts.  For example, the same process has been used successfully in Mexico for many years.

Q.  What problems do you anticipate with the new system?
A.  Since this system has proven successful in many other countries, problems are not anticipated.  It is a well-developed product that works well for those who use it as instructed.  Jamaicans will benefit because many potential problems have been worked out earlier in other countries.

Q.  Do you guarantee that there will be an appointment available for everyone who calls or uses the appointment website?
A.  Yes, but not necessarily on the date or at the time the applicant would most prefer.

Q.  Is the CSC website or Call Center the only way to book an interview appointment?
A.  Yes.  CSC's website or Call Center is the exclusive agents for booking interview appointments. Aside from a very small number of special cases involving diplomats, international organization employees, and other exceptional instances, there is no other way to book an appointment.  Anyone who claims that they can give or sell an appointment outside of the CSC process is making a bogus claim.

Q.  What information do I need to book an interview appointment?
A.  First and last names, date and place of birth, and passport number.

Q.  Which credit cards may I use to pay CSC?
A.  Mastercard or Visa.  No other cards are accepted.

Q.  Do I need a visa application fee receipt number to schedule an appointment?
A.  No.

Q.  Is there a complaint line?
A. Yes.  The CSC Call Center 800 number offers an option for customers to raise issues or complaints about the center’s operations. 

Q.  What about appointments already scheduled through your old system?  Will applicants lose these appointments and have to start over?
A. No.  The interview appointments scheduled through the old system remain valid.  Persons holding those appointments should come as scheduled.  No existing appointments will be cancelled due to the change to the CSC appointment systems.

Q.  How many people do you interview per day?
A.  The number of applicants seen on any given day is determined by the number of interviewers present.  Currently, the Consular Section routinely interviews more than six hundred applicants per day.  As soon as the new procedures are working smoothly, the number of applicants interviewed daily is expected to increase significantly.

Q.  Is there a quota?
A.  No.  There is no maximum or minimum number of nonimmigrant visas that can be issued to Jamaicans.  The embassy is free to issue visas to all qualified nonimmigrant visa applicants.  (However, world-wide numerical restrictions do exist on some categories of immigrant visas which are intended to lead to permanent residence ["green card"] status.)

Q.   How long do you expect the backlog to be, and how many people are waiting for appointments?
A.  It’s not possible to predict future backlogs since so many factors are involved.  However, it is believed that the new improvements will make it possible to reduce the waiting time for appointments.

Fees and Payments

Q.  Is National Commercial Bank (NCB) the only place to pay the Visa Application fee?
A.  Yes.  NCB is the exclusive fee collection agent.  There is no other place to pay the visa application fee.  The fee is payable in Jamaican dollars at the exchange rate set by the U.S. Embassy.

Q.   With the implementation of the CSC visa appointment Call Center and website, there was a change in service providers from Paymaster and Airpak to NCB and DHL.  Why did this happen, and does it suggest problems with Paymaster and/or Airpak?
A.  No, the selection of different service providers implies no disapproval or dissatisfaction with Paymaster or Airpak.  Both firms provided years of reliable, successful service to the embassy.  The identification of other service providers stemmed from the expiration of existing agreements and the standard business practice of periodically reconsidering and selecting service providers based on evolving criteria.  

Q.  Is the Visa Application Fee refundable?
A.  No, the US$131.00 Visa Application Fee cannot be refunded, whether a visa is issued or not.

Q.  How long is the fee payment good for?
A.  The US$131.00 Visa Application Fee is valid for one year from the date of payment as marked on the fee receipt.   An applicant who has paid the fee has one year from the date of payment to submit a visa application.

Q.  Is the Visa Application Fee going to go up soon?
A. The Visa Application Fee is a world-wide fee set by the Department of State in Washington.   It will not change in Jamaica until the State Department changes the fee for everywhere else in the world at the same time.

Q.  What about fees already collected by Paymaster?  Are those fees still valid?
A.  Yes.  All Visa Application Fees paid to Paymaster remain valid.  If someone paid their US$131.00 fee to Paymaster, they do not have to pay again.  The fee is valid for one year from the date of payment.  People who have already paid their fees are encouraged to schedule their interview appointments through CSC beginning on Wednesday, November 19.

Q.  What about fees paid to Airpak?
A.  All fees paid to Airpak remain valid.  If someone paid their delivery charge to Airpak, then Airpak will deliver the passport as previously arranged.

Q.  What forms of payment do you accept for the eight-minute appointment call?
A. Credit card (Mastercard or Visa) or cash paid through NCB.  CSC Corporation accepts the payment, not the U.S. Embassy in Kingston or the United States government.

Q.  Why two different amounts of money, US$131.00 and US$13.00?
A.  These are two different fees.  The Visa Application fee of US$131.00 is paid to the United States government by all visa applicants around the world.  The Appointment Scheduling Fee of US$13.00 via the Call Center is a service charge paid to CSC Corporation to schedule the appointment.  CSC is a U.S. company that has a contract with the Department of State to provide information and appointment scheduling services at many U.S. consular posts around the world.

Q.  Are there any special concessions for families?
Yes.  Families of up to five persons living at the same address receive a discount because they pay only the fee that one person pays.  A family of up to five persons can make their appointments together using CSC's website for the same fee of US$10.00 that one person pays.  A family of up to five persons can make their appointments using CSC's Call Center for the same fee of US$13.00 that one person pays.  A family of up to five people at the same address can send all their passports back through DHL for the same fee of US$8.50 that one person pays.

Q.  What do people do if they don't have a credit card?
A.  They can pay both fees (Visa Application Fee of US$131.00 and CSC's Appointment Scheduling Fee of US$13.00) in cash at any NCB branch. They will need to bring their passport to NCB.  Fees are payable in Jamaican dollars at the exchange rate set by the US Embassy.

Q.   Does the US$13.00 appointment scheduling fee paid to CSC cover only one family member, or can more than one person from a family book an appointment for one US$13.00 fee?
A.  The US$13.00 appointment scheduling fee covers up to five members of the same household.  This means that one family of up to five people can schedule their appointments for one US$13.00 Appointment Scheduling Fee.

Q.  Is the fee to schedule an appointment refundable?
A.  No, the Appointment Scheduling Fee paid to CSC cannot be refunded. 

Q.  Does a person have to pay the US$13.00 fee each time they need to call the Call Center?
A.  No.  The US$13.00 Appointment Scheduling Fee pays for eight minutes of conversation with a live operator.  If the applicants use only part of the time, they can still use the remaining time on another occasion.  They can use this to reschedule the appointment if necessary.  Only if applicants have  used up the eight minutes allotted would they need to purchase a new PIN for another US$13.00 payment.

Q.  If I do not get an appointment date within the eight minutes that I have paid for, do I have to pay each time I attempt to make an appointment?
A.  No.  Nearly everyone is able to schedule an appointment in less than eight minutes because CSC's telephone agents are well-trained to assist them.  If that is not possible, the applicant would need to buy another Personal Identification Number (PIN).  Each PIN allows the applicant eight minutes to talk with a CSC telephone agent.   Each PIN costs US$13.00.  It is extraordinarily unlikely that it would become necessary for an applicant to have to pay for several PINs.

Receiving your Passport and Visa after Issuance

Q.  Is DHL the only way to get my passport back?
A.  Yes.  DHL is the exclusive courier passback provider.  There is no other provider.

Q.  What about fees paid to Airpak?
A.  All fees paid to Airpak remain valid.  If someone paid their delivery charge to Airpak, then Airpak will deliver the passport as previously arranged.

Q.  How much does it cost to send my passport back using DHL ?
A.  The fee is US$8.50.  DHL will collect the fee in Jamaican dollars.

Q.  I didn't bring enough money with me to pay DHL.  What do I do?
A.  You can go to DHL's new service center located at 19 Haining Road, Kingston 5 (in New Kingston), and pay the fee there.  You do NOT have to come back to the Embassy, and should not plan to do so.

Q.  Is the fee paid to DHL refundable ?
A.  No.  The delivery charge paid to DHL to return as many as five passports for the same family cannot be refunded.

Q.  I work in the Cayman Islands and I'm just here in Jamaica for a visit.   How can I get my passport and visa back without coming back to the embassy?
A.  Jamaicans and others who live in the Cayman Islands will pay DHL to purchase two envelopes, one to send their passport back to the embassy when they have returned to the Cayman Islands, and the other for the embassy to send their passport with the new visa back to them in the Cayman Islands.

Renewing an Expiring Visa

Q.  Do these procedures affect persons renewing nonimmigrant visas?
A.  Yes.

Q. Do persons renewing expiring visas still have to visit the embassy?
A.  Yes, they do.  The laws and regulations governing who must appear for a visa interview have not changed.

Q.  Are applicants seeking renewals of visas able to get expedited appointments or special consideration for their appointments?
A.  No.  However, the new appointment system is much more efficient and all applicants will see improvements in the way visas are processed.

Q.  Will the Embassy be restarting interviews without appointments for people to renew expiring visas as was done last spring?
A.  No.  That experiment was suspended due to concerns about the safety of people lined up outside the Embassy.  The new system will be a vast improvement.

Security at the Embassy

Q.  Why does it always take so long to get into the embassy?
A.  All visitors to the embassy must go through essentially the same security screening process that is used for international airline travel.  The need to protect the embassy, its personnel, and its visitors from terrorist attack is obvious.  Terrorist attacks have occurred all over the world, and no place is immune.  Applicants who bring prohibited items into the security screening area delay the line for all others who are waiting.  Leaving all prohibited items at home, or with someone outside the embassy, and prompt compliance with all security procedures would greatly improve the speed with which applicants are allowed into the Consular Section.

Q.  What items are prohibited?
A.  Cellular telephones, calculators, cameras, umbrellas, and any type of weapon or firearm.  PLEASE NOTE:  Large amounts of metal in one’s possessions or on one’s person, including jewelry and belts, can cause security equipment to react.  Leaving these items behind will prevent delays in entering the embassy.