Skip Global Navigation to Main Content
  •  
Skip Breadcrumb Navigation
Non-Immigrant Visas
 

Visa Information and Appointment Services

Information on all types of visas to the United States is available through our call center. To reach the call center, you need to first purchase a phone card from an authorized distributor.  For a list of distributors.

Visa Wait Times

To access the current wait time for a visa interview appointment at U.S. Embassy Lomé.  In most instances a non-immigrant visa interview is granted within five working days. Applicants should ensure that they schedule their interview well in advance of when they plan to travel or attend school. However, if you need to request an expedited appointment for a medical, family, or business emergency, please tell the Call Center that you need to be scheduled immediately and give detailed information on your situation so they can react appropriately.

Hours of Operation

Interviews for (tourist, business and student) visas are conducted by appointment only on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8:00 to 12:30.

Prior to the Interview

Complete the Non-Immigrant Visa Application

Any person who submits a non-immigrant visa application must complete the DS-160 interactive online application form, available at https://ceac.state.gov/genniv Completed forms will be transmitted electronically to the Consular Section of U.S. Embassy Lome. 

The DS-160 online application form applies to all nonimmigrant visa categories, with the exception of K fiancé visa applicants.  Until further notice, K visa applicants should continue to use the DS-156 and DS-156K.

Check Your Answers Carefully

Once an on-line application has been submitted, there are no quick and easy ways to correct or add information at the visa interview. 

Applicants must take special care to identify the correct visa category when completing the online application form.  Visa type is determined by the purpose of travel (e.g. tourism). If you are uncertain how to correctly answer the question "Purpose of your trip," visit the Visa Types page to establish which visa category you should apply for. Each possible response ends with a letter in parentheses, such as "student (F)," which designates your visa category.  Selecting the wrong visa category on the DS-160 online application can significantly delay the visa process.

Significant errors in your application, or information incorrectly marked as "Not Applicable," "Nil," or "Don't Know," may result in your application being rejected at the time of your interview. This would require you to resubmit the entire application and to reschedule your interview appointment.

Bring the Confirmation Page and a Photograph to the Visa Interview

After completing the DS-160 online application, be sure to print the confirmation page generated by the online system and bring that page to the visa interview.  You are welcome to print the entire application form for your own records, but you must bring the confirmation page to your visa interview. Applicants who arrive at the Embassy without this confirmation page will not be interviewed.

You will also need to bring a passport-sized photograph.  The photo should be 5 cm X 5 cm with a white background.  Visit http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/frvi_3882.html for further information. 

Problems, Questions?

The website http://travel.state.gov/visa/forms/forms_4401.html has answers to the most frequently asked questions about the online DS-160 application form. 

What Else to Bring to the Visa Interview

The DS-160 application form does not replace the following supplemental forms, which must be completed and brought to the interview, depending on the visa category indicated: 

  • Students (F visa): Form I-20 and SEVIS Receipt
  • Exchange Visitors (J visa): DS-2019 and SEVIS Receipt
  • Temporary Workers, Artists, Athletes, etc. (H, O or P visas): Form I-797
  • Blanket L1 Applicants: Form I-129S
  • Diplomats and Officials (A, G or NATO visas): Diplomatic Note
  • Treaty Trader/Treaty Investor (E visa): Form DS-156E
  • Ship/aircraft workers (B1 visa), airline personnel (C1/D visa), journalists (I visa): a personnel letter verifying details of employment
  •  Victims of Serious Crime or Trafficking Visas (U, T visas): Documents demonstrating proof of relationship with the petitioner

Other Documents

During the interview, the consular officer may request additional documentation in support of your application. This may include, but is not limited to, documents supporting claims of employment, student status, place of residence, financial status, intended itinerary, purpose of travel, etc.  There is no formula.  Applicants should bring appropriate and persuasive documentary evidence to the interview to support claims made in the application.  Applicants who do not have documentation requested by the consular officer may be asked to return at another date with the requested information.  

Important: A visa is not a guarantee of entry into the United States.
The bearer of a visa is subject to inspection at the port of entry by U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials who have authority to deny admission. Therefore, the recipient of a visa should carry, for possible presentation to immigration inspectors, the evidence submitted to the consular officer when the visa was obtained.

The validity period shown on a non-immigrant visa relates only to the period during which it may be used in making application for admission into the United States; it does not indicate the length of time the alien may spend in the United States. The period for which the bearer of a non-immigrant visa is authorized to remain in the United States is determined by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security authorities at the port of entry. A non-immigrant who remains in the United States beyond the period for which he/she has been granted permission to stay may become subject to deportation.

Note: Please do not fax supporting documents for non-immigrant visa applications. Due to the large number of faxes we receive, we cannot accept them.

It is a visa applicant's responsibility to produce the information requested by the consular officer. Please send supporting documents directly to the applicant, who should present them during his or her interview. Original documents are always preferred.  

For a flyer on the DS-160, click here for an English (PDF 30kb) or French (PDF 92kb) translation.

For an overview of the DS-160, click here for an English (PDF 1.89MB) or French (PDF 2.84MB) translation.

Fees

All NIV applicants will pay a $160 interview fee prior to their interview. This money will not be refunded, regardless of whether the individual was granted a visa. Depending on your nationality, you may have to pay an additional reciprocity fee.  for more information on reciprocity fees.

We accept CASH ONLY in either U.S. dollars or FCFA.  Call or visit the Embassy for the current U.S. dollar to FCFA exchange rate.

NOTE: We do not accept U.S. dollar bills that were issued before 1997 or U.S. dollar bills that bear additional markings. 

Visa Processing Time

The typical amount of time it takes to process a visa and return it to the applicant following an interview is usually two - three working days:
There are additional factors, such as the need for special clearances, incomplete applications, and fraud investigations that may influence the processing of individual visa cases. Note that the listed processing times are averages, and that the timing will vary based on the individual circumstances of each case.

For a A-Z Subject listing of Visa questions

For general official information about U.S. visa policy and procedures.

Consular Section Address

The Consular Section is located in the Chancery Building of the U.S. Embassy in Lomé.

Address in Lomé: Boulevard Eyadema Lome II
B.P. 852
Lomé, Togo
Address from the United States: Department of State
2300 Lomé Place
Washington, DC 20521-2300
Hours of Operation

The Consular Section is open Monday through Thursday from 07:30 to 17:00 and Friday from 7:30 to 12:30, except on American and Togolese public holidays.

 

Download Free

  • Adobe Acrobat Reader
    Adobe Acrobat Reader
    All dowloadable documents on this page are provided in PDF format. To view PDFs you must have a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader. You may download a free version by cliking the link above

New Visa Form