Embassy of the United States Tunis, Tunisia

Passport Requirements:

Each applicant must present a passport that is valid for travel at least six months beyond the applicant's intended period of stay in the United States.

Application Form:
 
All applicants for all categories of nonimmigrant visas, including minor children, must complete the DS-160 online application form, which is available at the following link: Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application (DS-160).  After submitting your application form, print the confirmation page.  Please bring a copy of the confirmation page to your interview.  Kindly note that the barcode should be the same size as the following example:  Click here to see an example of a confirmation page (PDF 254,55 KB).
 
Student visa applicants must provide a valid Form I-20.  Exchange visitor applicants must provide a valid Form DS-2019.  Most student and exchange visitors must also provide a receipt showing that they have paid the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) registration fee.  More information on the SEVIS fee, including how to pay.

Upload a Photo:

Applicants must upload a photo in order to submit the DS-160 online application.  Click here for specific photo requirements.

If you are unable to upload a photo, complete the remainder of the application form and bring a photo to the U.S. Embassy on the day of your interview.

In general, the applicant's head, including both face and hair, should be shown from the crown of the head to the tip of the chin on top and bottom and from hairline side-to-side.  The applicant’s ears should be exposed.  Head coverings and hats are only acceptable due to religious beliefs, and even then, may not cover any portion of the applicant's face.  Sunglasses or other accessories that obstruct a clear picture of the applicant’s face are not acceptable unless required for medical reasons (an eye patch, for example).  Digitally reproduced photographs must be reproduced without discernible pixels or dot patterns.  Photocopied photographs are NOT accepted.

Schedule an Appointment:

Once you have completed the above steps, click here to make your interview appointment.  You must complete your DS-160 before scheduling the appointment. The appointment system will require you to enter the barcode number on the DS-160 confirmation page in order to proceed to the appointment calendar.

For Families:

Each family member, including children, must schedule an individual appointment and must have completed a separate DS-160 form.  If you have difficulty scheduling appointments for all family members on the same day, please send an email to consulartunis@state.gov for assistance.  Applicants who appear at the Consular Section without appointments or DS-160 forms, including children, will be unable to apply for visas at that time.

Visas for minor children cannot  be placed into a parent’s passport.  Each child must have a passport to apply for and receive a visa.

Plan for Administrative Processing:

Some applicants require additional screening and will be notified when they apply.  Administrative processing can take several weeks, so applicants are encouraged to apply well in advance of travel plans. 

Fees:

All non-immigrant visa applicants, including children, must pay an Application Processing Fee for Nonimmigrant Visas.  Only cash is accepted.  This fee is paid at the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy at the time of the interview.  This fee is for the visa application and does not guarantee the issuance of a visa. Fees are not refundable.  In addition, some applicants must pay an additional visa issuance reciprocity fee.  If there is an issuance fee, it will correspond to the fee assessed to U.S. citizens by the applicant's country of nationality.

After Issuance:

Approved visas will be ready no earlier than the next business day, and applicants should anticipate at least a one-day turnaround.  We are open between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., Monday through Friday, for visa pickup.  We cannot return visas by mail or express courier.

Other Useful Information: 

Applicants planning to travel to the United States for business or tourism purposes must demonstrate that they are properly classifiable as visitors under U.S. law.  Potentially useful information may include evidence and documents that demonstrate an applicant’s ties outside of the United States, the purpose of the trip, intent to depart the United States, and arrangements made to cover the costs of the trip.  As a general rule it is better to prepare more documentation on the day of the interview than less.  However, documents are not required to qualify for a visitor visa per se. 

Airline tickets do not constitute proof of intent to depart the United States.  The Embassy advises applicants to be prepared for possible delays and not to make final travel arrangements until the visa is printed.

Depending on individual circumstances, applicants may provide additional documentation substantiating the trip's purpose and specifying the nature of binding obligations, such as family ties or employment.

Criteria for Requesting an Expedited Appointment:

Applicants should plan to apply well in advance of their scheduled travel.  We suggest several weeks in advance when possible.  We are able to expedite visa appointments only rarely in the following circumstances:

1. In case of a personal or family medical emergency requiring travel to the United States.
2. The death of an immediate family member in the United States (spouse, child, parent, or sibling).
3. Urgent business travel for a specific meeting date in the United States.
4. To begin study in the United States (interview appointment is past the start date for study on the Form I-20).
5. To return to the United States to study or work (re-issuance of F1, M1, J1, H1B, L1 or other work visas).

To request an expedited appointment, please send an email (Tunisexpedite@state.gov) with your complete name, date of birth, passport number, and a brief explanation stating your current appointment date and when and why you need to travel to the U.S.