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U.S. Visa Services
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Notice

The U.S. Consulates General in South Africa have resumed visa processing. Please follow the instructions on the link to the right, to schedule an appointment or to submit your visa application via courier.

Important Information Regarding Visas

Non-Immigrant Visa Operating Status: The U.S. Consulates General in South Africa are accepting and processing non-immigrant visa applications from individuals physically present in South Africa, including third country nationals.  To protect the health and safety of our applicants and staff we have limited appointments available.  Applicants should expect a longer-than-normal wait time for scheduling an appointment and visa processing, and plan accordingly.

Please follow the instructions at https://ais.usvisa-info.com to schedule an appointment or to submit your visa application via courier.  Approximate wait times for appointments can be found by visiting https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/wait-times.html. For questions regarding scheduling an appointment online, requesting an expedited appointment, or renewing your U.S. visa via courier, please call +27 87 550 2160.  Customer service center agents are available Monday to Friday, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm local time.

Non-Immigrant Interview Waivers:  Applicants renewing a B, C, D, F, H, I, J, M, O, P, Q or R visa in the same visa class whose previous visa expired within the last 48 months may be eligible for an interview waiver. Eligibility is determined based on the answers provided by the applicant to questions during the online appointment scheduling process. Criteria include:

  • Your most recent visa was issued in South Africa in a South African passport and is still valid or expired no more than 48 months ago;
  • You provided 10 fingerprints at your last visa interview;
  • Your previously issued U.S. visa was a full-validity visa;
  • Your last visa has not been lost, stolen, or revoked;
  • Your visa was not annotated with “Clearance Received;” and
  • You have the same SEVIS number (for student visas).

Applicants may also qualify to apply for their U.S. visas without appearing for an interview if the applicants are under the age of 14 (with at least one parent holding a valid visa in the same category), are over the age of 80.

Additional interview waiver possibilities exist through the end of 2022 for first time H2A and other visa categories.  Visit https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/important-announcement-on-waivers-of-the-interview-requirement-for-certain-nonimmigrant-visas.html to see if you qualify.

If you believe you are eligible to apply for or renew your visa under the interview waiver program, we strongly encourage you to call +27 87 550 2160.  Customer service center agents are available Monday to Friday, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm local time to assist you in making your first time application, or changing your existing appointment to an interview waiver.

COVID Requirements: Effective at midnight on May 11, 2023 COVID-19 vaccination requirements for international air travelers to the United States have been lifted. You can find more information here: The Biden-Harris Administration Will End COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements for Federal Employees, Contractors, International Travelers, Head Start Educators, and CMS-Certified Facilities | The White House. There is currently no requirement to provide a negative test prior to travel. Please see the CDC website for additional information and Frequently Asked Questions.

Immigrant and Fiancé(e) Visas: All U.S. immigrant and fiancé(e) visas for citizens and residents of South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique, Mauritius, Lesotho and Swaziland are processed through the U.S. Consulate General in Johannesburg.  If your petition is still pending with USCIS, please contact USCIS Customer Service at https://www.uscis.gov/contactcenter.  After USCIS approves the petition, you can contact the Department of State’s National Visa Center (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/national-visa-center.html) regarding scheduling.  If your case has been scheduled and forwarded to the U.S. Consulate General in Johannesburg, you may direct all inquiries to JohannesburgIV@state.gov.

What is a Visa?

A citizen of a foreign country who seeks to enter the United States generally must first obtain a U.S. visa, which is placed in the traveler’s passport.

Certain international travelers may be eligible to travel to the United States without a visa under the Visa Waiver Program, which is administered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The Visa section of this website is about U.S. visas for foreign citizens and nationals to travel to the United States.

Visit Travel.State.gov for additional information.

Note: U.S. citizens do not need a U.S. visa for travel to the United States. When planning travel abroad a U.S. citizen may need a visa issued by the embassy or consulate of the country they wish to visit.

What Type of Visa Do You Need?

For short-term visits to the United States (for tourism, business, education, and more), you can go directly to the online application (form DS-160). For immigrant visas,  which are issued to foreign nationals who intend to live and work permanently in the United States, you can visit the U.S. citizenship and Immigration Services site for the relevant forms.  If you are unsure what type of visa you need, please use the Visa Wizard below.

Security Information

CAPE TOWN:  Note that frequent criminal acts – including mugging and assault – have taken place on Reddam Avenue between the U.S. Consulate General and Steenberg Village against visitors to the Consulate.  Please use caution if you walk along this avenue to reach the Consulate for your appointment.  As with previous guidance, remain situationally aware of your surroundings, keep valuables under your control and out of sight, and avoid large gatherings of people.  Arriving to the Consulate by vehicle is recommended but note there is no customer parking available at the Consulate General so a drop-off and pick-up may be best.  If you come upon a crime in progress, move away from the area immediately, head towards a safe location, and then notify the police (call: 10-111). The Consulate has no policing authority outside of our own compound.

Our Locations
The map below shows where we provide consular services.

U.S. Consulate General – Johannesburg

U.S. Consulate General – Durban

U.S. Consulate – Cape Town

Utah
Telluride
Colorado Sand Dunes