Nonimmigrant Visas

Nonimmigrant Visa Unit

Visa Appointment Information

• Typical appointment wait time for visitor visa applicants (B-1 and B-2) (calendar days): 543 days

• Typical appointment wait time for student/exchange visitors (F, J, and M) (calendar days): 5 days

• Typical appointment wait time for all other categories (excluding B, F, J, and M) (calendar days): 543 days

• Typical processing time for all NIV categories (work days): 2 days

• Process for making a visa appointment in Cuba via telephone: Please call 1-866-374-1769
• Process for making a visa appointment from The United States: Please call 1-866-374-1769
  Average amount of time it takes to process a visa and return it to the applicant following an interview, and a determination by the consular officer that the visa will be issued: 30 days
• Special instructions for medical-emergency/student/business cases:
  Please call 1-866-374-1769.  These applicants will be required to present documentation of the urgent travel need at the time of their interview. Those found to have made an expedited appointment under false pretenses will lose their appointment and will not be interviewed.
• Average amount of time it takes to process a visa and return it to the applicant following an interview, and a determination by the consular officer that the visa will be issued: 30-90 days (Please note that applications for Cuban nationals are subject to special visa processing procedures under Section 306 of the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Reform Act of 2002.  The Interests Section cannot issue a visa until a complete homeland security review has been concluded.  This process can occasionally take up to several months.)
  

Please note that applicants must possess a valid passport before an interview may be scheduled.

How to Apply for a Nonimmigrant Visa
 
On May 25, the United States Interests Section in Havana, Cuba, introduced a new Visa Information and Appointment Scheduling Service for all nonimmigrant visa applicants in Cuba.  Family members and associates in the United States can call the Service from anywhere in the U.S., toll-free at 1-866-374-1769 on behalf of the applicant in Cuba. 
 
The service, based on successful models operating today in more than 37 countries, makes it easier for Cuban nonimmigrant travelers to schedule visa appointments with a U.S. consular official.  For the first time, family members or associates in the United States are able to schedule an appointment on the traveler's behalf by calling a toll free number based in the U.S.
 
What does the new service offer?
Family members and associates in the United States are able to obtain visa information and schedule appointments on behalf of applicants in Cuba by calling 1-866-374-1769 from anywhere in the U.S, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. (EST), Monday-Friday.  Callers pay a nominal fee to speak with English and Spanish-speaking operators.  Only nonimmigrant visa interviews are scheduled through this service.  Immigrant visa and parole appointments continue to be made directly by the U.S. Interests Section in Havana. 
 
How does the service work?
To use the service family members or associates in the U.S. can call 1-866-374-1769 to purchase a Personal Identification Number (PIN).  PINs can be purchased for 11 USD using Visa or MasterCard.  The PIN allows the caller to access the service multiple times for information and appointment scheduling for up to a total of 8 minutes.  The PIN is nonrefundable.  In the event it is lost the applicant must obtain a new one.  If the time allowed for the PIN runs out, you must obtain a new PIN and call the service again.  Up to 5 immediate family members residing in the same household may be scheduled on one call using one PIN.  Immediate family members include: husband, wife, son, daughter, brother, sister, mother and father.  Please note there is no guarantee that all family members will be scheduled for the same day. 
 
What information do callers need to schedule an appointment for their Cuban relative or contact?

• Full name of the applicant as it appears in the passport
• Date of birth
• Country of birth
• Applicant's complete address, including contact phone number in Cuba
• Passport number

What if the traveler already scheduled an appointment with the Interests Section?
Except in special circumstances, the U.S. Interests Section ceased making nonimmigrant visa appointments on May 25, 2006.  All nonimmigrant visa interview appointments scheduled before May 25, 2006 will be honored and applicants will not need to confirm or reschedule them with the Call Center. 
 
What do Cubans or third-country nationals with no contacts in the U.S. do to make an appointment?
There will be a limited amount of appointments available to those in Cuba with no contacts in the United States.  Those applicants may fax the U.S. Interests Section at (53)(7) 833-1084 and include their full name, passport number, purpose of visit, and a contact number in Cuba.
 
When is the next available NIV appointment?
Due to the large demand for nonimmigrant visa services in Cuba, appointments for B2 tourist visas are currently being programmed for 2008. 
 
What if there is a medical emergency or other urgent need to travel?
The Visa Information and Appointment Scheduling Service can schedule expedited appointments for students, exchange visitors, medical emergencies, unexpected events, or other urgent travel needs.  The applicant will be required to present documentation of the urgent travel need at the time of their interview.  Those found to have made an expedited appointment under false pretenses will lose their appointment and will not be interviewed.
 
With this service make immigrant visa, parole (sorteo), and refugee appointments as well?
No.  At this time, the Service is only available to those applicants making appointments for nonimmigrant visas.  However, the Service will provide information on how to apply for these other migration programs.
 
What are applicants required to present on the day of the visa interview?

• Completed DS-156 and DS-157 application forms.
• A valid passport.
• One color photograph measuring 2 inches square (roughly 50 mm square).  The photograph must be an uncounted full-face photo, taken within the past six months.
• Nonrefundable application fee (currently 93 Cuban convertible pesos (CUC))
• Depending on individual circumstances, applicants may provide other documentation substantiating the trip's purpose and specifying the nature of binding obligations, such as family ties or employment, which would compel their return to Cuba.

Does the Visa Service allow the family to pay the visa fee when they make the appointment?
The Visa Information and Appointment Scheduling Service does not allow family or contacts in the U.S. to pay the nonrefundable visa application fee (currently 93 Cuban convertible pesos (CUC)). This fee is collected at the time of the interview.
 
For additional information about the nonimmigrant visa application process, visit the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs website at  http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/temp_1305.html