Embassy of the United States

• A completed DS-156 application form completed and signed. It is mandatory to complete the application at this convenient online site: http://evisaforms.state.gov. Bring all of the original printed pages from your EVAF (Electronic Visa Application Form). Please do not fold the printed application form.
• A completed DS-157 form (only for male applicants aged 16 to 45 years). Available at: http://foia.state.gov/FORMS/visa/ds0157.pdf.
• A current passport with at least 6 months of remaining validity.
• A photo (50mm x 50mm) taken against a light background. Available downtown at ABD Photo and AMINA Photo.
• The receipt for the payment of the $131 processing fee at Ecobank.

B/ FINANCIAL EVIDENCE

• Documentary evidence submitted during the interview should reflect the nonimmigrant visa applicant’s ability to pay for his expenses during the length of time he anticipates staying in the U.S.
• A notarized affidavit of support specifying the amount and length of time of the financial support the sponsor will provide and sponsor’s other financial obligations.
• Bank statements with average monthly balances over the past six months.
• Salary statements for the last three months.
• A statement from the sponsor’s employer showing the date sponsor began work, current salary, and whether the position is full-time or temporary.
  If your sponsor(s) live(s) in the United States, please provide all the above information plus originals or certified copies of W-2 form(s) and a federal income tax return for the most recent calendar year.
• Note: However, there is not a specific piece of documentation that any applicant can provide to prove or convince the Consular officer that they have strong enough ties to their country of origin.  The Consular officer makes a determination on NIV eligibility based on a combination of the interview questions and documentation that may have been provided by the applicant.

Medical Treatment

Applicants seeking medical treatment in the United States should submit a letter from their physician in their home country stating the diagnosis and why treatment is not available regionally. They must also bring documentation from a sponsoring physician in the United States that lists under what circumstances and at what cost you will receive treatment in the United States, and what further treatment may be needed following diagnosis. You should bring documents to show evidence of adequate finances for the cost of any treatment. 

Family Relationships

To establish a family relationship, please bring birth and marriage certificates to prove the relationships between family members planning to travel together.  Children should appear at visa interviews and may be interviewed separately from their parents.

Individual Merits

Adult applicants must qualify on their individual merits. No friend, relative, or business associate can "guarantee" your return on your behalf. A letter of invitation promising to pay the expenses of your trip does not mean that you will receive a visa. Under American law, the consular officer's doubts about your intent to return cannot be resolved by your willingness to leave a child, spouse, or other family member in the home country. (9 FAM 41.31 N3.1.)

The Interview

Only a consular officer can decide a visa case. No particular fact or document determines the outcome of a visa interview, but applicants are unlikely to qualify without specific and realistic travel plans and a steady source of adequate income in their home country. The officer's decision is based primarily on the interview, where the consular officer looks at an applicant's overall circumstances.

IF YOU RECEIVE A VISA

PICK-UP

If your visa is approved, you will be given a numbered passport receipt and pick-up time (usually within a few days) after the interview.

A visa gives you permission to apply for admission at the port of entry to the U.S. Inspection officers will determine if, and how long, each visitor is permitted to stay. Visitors who travel for purposes not stated on their visa, or with insufficient funds, may not be admitted.

LOST OR STOLEN VISA

Guard your passport and visa carefully, and keep a separate photocopy of your visa. If your visa is lost or stolen, report it immediately to the Consular Section (bring the copy of the visa with you and a police report). If someone else tries to travel on your visa, you may be prevented from getting another visa.

RENEWAL OF VISAS

Proof of responsible travel on a prior U.S. visa can help the consular officer decide whether you qualify for another visa. However, if your circumstances have changed (loss of job, for example), you may no longer qualify, even if you had a visa before.

REFUSALS

If the consular officer decides not to issue a visa, the applicant will receive a letter of explanation of the law at the end of the interview.  A  refusal is not a moral judgment and does not infer that the applicant is a  bad person, a liar, or a criminal. Rather, it simply means that the consular officer concluded that the applicant did not meet all of the requirements for a visa at the time of the interview.

WHEN TO REAPPLY

A refused applicant has the right to reapply for a visa. However, unless the applicant's circumstances have dramatically changed, the applicant is unlikely to qualify for a visa during the second interview.