FAQ
- Translation:
- Magyarul
Frequently Asked Questions
Last Updated on 06/22/2012
Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA)
- Please visit our FAQ About ESTA page.
Visa application form (DS-160)
- Please visit our FAQ About the Online Non-Immigrant Visa Application Form page.
General visa questions and questions about visa refusals
- Do I need a new visa if my Hungarian passport is about to expire?
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May applicants from outside this office's consular district apply for visas in Budapest?
May applicants from outside this office's consular district apply for visas in Budapest?
- Yes, they may. However, they should be aware that language difficulties and/or interviewing officers' unfamiliarity with local conditions in other countries may make it more difficult to demonstrate their qualifications for a visa here than in their home district or at a post designated for their application.
- Do I need a new visa if my name has changed?
- How do I get a new visa if my passport was lost or stolen?
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Am I required to provide a letter of invitation from someone in the United States?
Am I required to provide a letter of invitation from someone in the United States?
- While there is no requirement to submit any specific piece of supporting documentation, you are welcome to submit a letter of invitation if you believe this will help clarify the purpose of your travel to the consular officer. Please note that it is not necessary to have the invitation letter notarized.
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How will I get my passport back from the embassy if my visa is approved?
How will I get my passport back from the embassy if my visa is approved?
- If your visa is approved, we will deliver your passport and visa via a pre-arranged courier service. At the time the passports are delivered, you must pay 1,800 HUF to the courier service. You can find out more information about this service on our Application Procedures page.
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How long does it take to receive my visa from the embassy after the interview?
How long does it take to receive my visa from the embassy after the interview?
- You should expect to receive your passport and visa within three working days after your visa interview. Please note that due to occasional unexpected delays, the processing time can take longer. We strongly encourage you to plan your visa interview well in advance of your scheduled travel to the United States.
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Why was my visa refused?
Why was my visa refused?
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While there are several reasons for a visa application to be refused, most refusals fall under a key provision of U.S. immigration law. The U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act, Section 214 (b), states that "every alien shall be presumed to be an immigrant until s/he establishes to the satisfaction of the consular officer, at the time of application for a visa, and the immigration officers, at the time of application for admission, that s/he is
entitled to a non-immigrant status."
Thus, applicants for a non-immigrant visa are required to overcome the presumption that they intend to immigrate to the United States. Overcoming this presumption can be done by establishing, to the consular officer's satisfaction, that you have sufficiently strong family, social, or economic ties to Hungary to ensure that your projected stay in the United States will be temporary and that you will not work illegally. If your visa application is refused, the consular officer will give you a letter that specifies the applicable section of the law.
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While there are several reasons for a visa application to be refused, most refusals fall under a key provision of U.S. immigration law. The U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act, Section 214 (b), states that "every alien shall be presumed to be an immigrant until s/he establishes to the satisfaction of the consular officer, at the time of application for a visa, and the immigration officers, at the time of application for admission, that s/he is
entitled to a non-immigrant status."
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Why wasn’t I given more time to explain my circumstances?
Why wasn’t I given more time to explain my circumstances?
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The consular officer who refused your visa is well trained. In a very short time, a consular officer will look at several aspects of your case: your situation in Hungary, your stated intent/reason for going to the United States, your previous travel history, work and financial situations, etc. Based upon the unique circumstance of your case, the consular officer asked you questions s/he deemed necessary.
The consular officer weighed your answers to those questions with the specific facts of your case. The high volume of applications we receive demands that the consular officer examine your case only as far as it was necessary for him/her to make a determination whether you overcame the U.S. legal presumption of intending immigration to the United States. Unfortunately, visa applicants' stated intent often conflicts with other facts presented, and it is not possible for consular officers to take all applicants' statements at face value.
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The consular officer who refused your visa is well trained. In a very short time, a consular officer will look at several aspects of your case: your situation in Hungary, your stated intent/reason for going to the United States, your previous travel history, work and financial situations, etc. Based upon the unique circumstance of your case, the consular officer asked you questions s/he deemed necessary.
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Why didn’t the consular officer look at my documents?
Why didn’t the consular officer look at my documents?
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Applying for a non-immigrant visa is not primarily a documentary process. Consular officers will look at documents in conjunction with what is said at the visa interview. Documents alone never will establish applicants' intentions. Documents which demonstrate that applicants are well established in their own country can, in some circumstances, help individuals to establish that their intent is to return to their own country after a short visit to the United States.
Depending on the specifics of your case, the consular officer may or may not have needed to examine your documents closely to make a decision about your intent. If the consular officer made a decision in your case without a detailed scrutiny of your documents, it was because other circumstances of your case were clear. If your visa was refused, it is highly unlikely that any document you could provide would have significantly altered the consular officer's decision about your intent.
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Applying for a non-immigrant visa is not primarily a documentary process. Consular officers will look at documents in conjunction with what is said at the visa interview. Documents alone never will establish applicants' intentions. Documents which demonstrate that applicants are well established in their own country can, in some circumstances, help individuals to establish that their intent is to return to their own country after a short visit to the United States.
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Can I get a refund of my application fee?
Can I get a refund of my application fee?
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The fee paid prior to your interview is an application fee. Everyone who applies for a U.S. non-immigrant visa is subject to this fee. This fee is non-refundable and will not be returned if you fail to establish that you qualify for a U.S. visa. This office has no authority to refund an application fee. If you plan to reapply for a visa here or elsewhere, you will be required to pay the appropriate application fee each time you apply.
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The fee paid prior to your interview is an application fee. Everyone who applies for a U.S. non-immigrant visa is subject to this fee. This fee is non-refundable and will not be returned if you fail to establish that you qualify for a U.S. visa. This office has no authority to refund an application fee. If you plan to reapply for a visa here or elsewhere, you will be required to pay the appropriate application fee each time you apply.
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Why wasn’t I told when I called that I would not get a visa?
Why wasn’t I told when I called that I would not get a visa?
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Every application for a visa is based on its own merits. By telephone, it is only possible to give general information regarding the visa application process and suggest the types of documents that might help you to demonstrate your eligibility for a U.S. non-immigrant visa. We can't pre-adjudicate visa cases by telephone, because it is impossible to obtain by phone all relevant facts. The visa application instructions clearly state that there is no guarantee that you will receive a U.S. non-immigrant visa if you choose to apply.
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Every application for a visa is based on its own merits. By telephone, it is only possible to give general information regarding the visa application process and suggest the types of documents that might help you to demonstrate your eligibility for a U.S. non-immigrant visa. We can't pre-adjudicate visa cases by telephone, because it is impossible to obtain by phone all relevant facts. The visa application instructions clearly state that there is no guarantee that you will receive a U.S. non-immigrant visa if you choose to apply.
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How can I re-apply for a visa?
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If the consular officer refuses my visa, how will this affect my future chances of getting a visa?
If the consular officer refuses my visa, how will this affect my future chances of getting a visa?
- Consular officers determine an applicant’s eligibility for a visa at the time of the interview using all information available to him or her at that time. This includes any information that may have been documented from previous interviews. A previous refusal alone is not grounds for refusing an applicant during a subsequent interview. However, if an applicant’s situation has not changed since the most recent refusal, the consular officer will likely reach the same conclusion that the applicant is still not eligible for a visa.
Important Information
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Visa Information and Appointments:
Appointments can only be made by calling the following telephone numbers:
• From Hungary: 06-90-603-703 (weekdays 8:00 a.m.-06:00 p.m.; each call costs HUF 400 + VAT/minute). This telephone number is only available inside Hungary, from landline phones and from all cellular networks (Vodafone, Telenor and T-Mobile). There is no access to it from telephone booths.
• From the United States: +1-703-439-2314; from 8:00 a.m. to 06:00 p.m. CET. The cost is USD 18/call. Payment is possible via Visa or Mastercard.
• If you would like to schedule an appointment from a third country, you may need to ask a relative, a friend or a business partner in Hungary or in the U.S. to make the call for you.
Before calling for appointment, please review the information on our Scheduling a Visa Interview page! -
Visa Processing Fee
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Visa Wait Times
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