Visas
Welcome to the Visa section of the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade, Serbia, an official source of information about United States visa policy and procedures. We hope that our site will help you to learn about different types of U.S. visas, the application process, and to better understand the requirements for obtaining a U.S. visa.
A citizen of a foreign country, wishing to enter the U.S., generally must first obtain a visa, either a nonimmigrant visa for temporary stay, or an immigrant visa for permanent residence. The type of visa you require is defined by immigration law, and relates to the purpose of your travel.
If you are visiting temporarily, you should visit the Nonimmigrant Visas page. If you want to reside permanently in the Unites States, you should visit the Immigrant visas page. Here you can also learn more about the Summer Work/Travel Program for full-time college students.
Please note: Having a U.S. visa allows you to travel
to a port of entry, airport or land border crossing, and request permission of
the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
inspector to enter the U.S. While having a visa does not guarantee entry to the
U.S., it does indicate a consular officer at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad
has determined you are eligible to seek entry for that specific purpose.
DHS/CBP inspectors, guardians of the nation’s borders, are responsible for admission
of travelers to the U.S., for a specified status and period of time. DHS also
has responsibility for immigration matters while you are present in the U.S.
Fraud Notice/Warning
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We would like to caution applicants about the increasing frequency of agencies and websites offering to secure visas, often at high prices. Do not accept offers, promises, assurances and assistance from third parties in obtaining American visas for money. Only authorized employees or officers of the American Consulate can approve issuance of a visa. We would also like to urge those interested in exchange programs (Summer Work and Travel and Au-pair programs), to pay special attention when selecting a local agency organizing these programs. While there are many legitimate agencies that we work with, instances of fraud among unscrupulous agencies are being reported with increasing frequency. If you have additional questions or you suspect illegal activity by an agency or an individual, please e-mail us at consbelgrade@state.gov.